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“THE SCOREBOARD”
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WNBA SCORES
ATLANTA 80 PHOENIX 79
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MLB SCORES
CINCINNATI 5 WASHINGTON 0
MIAMI 3 SAN DIEGO 2
SAN FRANCISCO 9 ATLANTA 3
PITTSBURGH 6 DETROIT 1
NY METS 6 LA ANGELS 3
KANSAS CITY 8 CHICAGO CUBS 4
COLORADO 6 ST. LOUIS 0
MILWAUKEE 10 SEATTLE 2
HOUSTON 4 ARIZONA 3
LA DODGERS 4 MINNESOTA 3
CLEVELAND 3 BALTIMORE 2
TORONTO 8 NY YANKEES 4
BOSTON 9 PHILADELPHIA 8 (11)
CHICAGO WHITE SOX 11 TAMPA BAY 9
TEXAS 2 LAS VEGAS 1
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MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INDIANAPOLIS 9 TOLEDO 6
CEDAR RAPIDS 5 FT. WAYNE 4
SOUTH BEND 6 DAYTON 2
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MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
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COLTS TRAINING CAMP SCHEDULE
WED., JULY 23: PRACTICE (10-11 A.M.)
THUR., JULY 24: PRACTICE (10-11 A.M.)
FRI., JULY 25: PRACTICE (10-11:15 A.M.)
SAT., JULY 26: PRACTICE (4-5:30 P.M.)
MON., JULY 28: PRACTICE (10-11:15 A.M.)
TUE., JULY 29: PRACTICE (10-11:30 A.M.)
THUR., JULY 31: PRACTICE (8-10 P.M.)
SAT., AUG. 2: PRACTICE (10-11:35 A.M.)
SUN., AUG. 3: PRACTICE (10-11:30 A.M.)
SAT., AUG. 9: PRACTICE (4-5:10 P.M.)
SUN., AUG. 10: PRACTICE (4-5:30 P.M.)
MON., AUG. 11: PRACTICE (4-5:40 P.M.)
THUR., AUG. 14: PRACTICE (3-5 P.M.)
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2025 NFL PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE
NFL/HALL OF FAME GAME – JULY 31
L.A. CHARGERS VS. DETROIT (NBC), 8:00
*****WEEK 1*****
THURSDAY, AUGUST 7
INDIANAPOLIS AT BALTIMORE, 7:00
CINCINNATI AT PHILADELPHIA, 7:30
LAS VEGAS AT SEATTLE, 10:00
FRIDAY, AUGUST 8
DETROIT AT ATLANTA, 7:00
CLEVELAND AT CAROLINA, 7:00
WASHINGTON AT NEW ENGLAND, 7:30
SATURDAY, AUGUST 9
N.Y. GIANTS AT BUFFALO, 1:00
HOUSTON AT MINNESOTA, 4:00
PITTSBURGH AT JACKSONVILLE, 7:00
DALLAS AT L.A. RAMS, 7:00
TENNESSEE AT TAMPA BAY, 7:30
KANSAS CITY AT ARIZONA, 8:00
N.Y. JETS AT GREEN BAY, 8:00
DENVER AT SAN FRANCISCO, 8:30
SUNDAY, AUGUST 10
MIAMI AT CHICAGO, 1:00
NEW ORLEANS AT L.A. CHARGERS, 4:05
*****WEEK 2*****
FRIDAY, AUGUST 15
TENNESSEE AT ATLANTA, 7:00
KANSAS CITY AT SEATTLE, 10:00
SATURDAY, AUGUST 16
MIAMI AT DETROIT, 1:00
CAROLINA AT HOUSTON, 1:00
GREEN BAY AT INDIANAPOLIS, 1:00
NEW ENGLAND AT MINNESOTA, 1:00
CLEVELAND AT PHILADELPHIA, 1:00
SAN FRANCISCO AT LAS VEGAS, 4:00
BALTIMORE AT DALLAS, 7:00
L.A. CHARGERS AT L.A. RAMS, 7:00
N.Y. JETS AT N.Y. GIANTS, 7:00
TAMPA BAY AT PITTSBURGH, 7:00
ARIZONA AT DENVER, 9:30
SUNDAY, AUGUST 17
JACKSONVILLE AT NEW ORLEANS, 1:00
BUFFALO AT CHICAGO (FOX), 8:00
MONDAY, AUGUST 18
CINCINNATI AT WASHINGTON (ESPN), 8:00
*****WEEK 3*****
THURSDAY, AUGUST 21
PITTSBURGH AT CAROLINA, 7:00
NEW ENGLAND AT N.Y. GIANTS (PRIME VIDEO), 8:00
FRIDAY, AUGUST 22
PHILADELPHIA AT N.Y. JETS, 7:30
ATLANTA AT DALLAS, 8:00
MINNESOTA AT TENNESSEE (CBS), 8:00
CHICAGO AT KANSAS CITY, 8:20
SATURDAY, AUGUST 23
BALTIMORE AT WASHINGTON, NOON
INDIANAPOLIS AT CINCINNATI, 1:00
L.A. RAMS AT CLEVELAND, 1:00
HOUSTON AT DETROIT, 1:00
DENVER AT NEW ORLEANS, 1:00
SEATTLE AT GREEN BAY, 4:00
JACKSONVILLE AT MIAMI, 7:00
BUFFALO AT TAMPA BAY, 7:30
L.A. CHARGERS AT SAN FRANCISCO, 8:30
LAS VEGAS AT ARIZONA, 10:00
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2025 NFL WEEK ONE SCHEDULE
| THURSDAY, SEPT. 4, 2025 | |||
| DALLAS COWBOYS AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES | 8:20P (ET) | 8:20P | NBC |
| FRIDAY, SEPT. 5, 2025 | |||
| KANSAS CITY CHIEFS VS LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (SAO PAULO) | 9:00P (BRT) | 8:00P | YOUTUBE |
| SUNDAY, SEPT. 07, 2025 | |||
| TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS AT ATLANTA FALCONS | 1:00P (ET) | 1:00P | FOX |
| CINCINNATI BENGALS AT CLEVELAND BROWNS | 1:00P (ET) | 1:00P | FOX |
| MIAMI DOLPHINS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS | 1:00P (ET) | 1:00P | CBS |
| CAROLINA PANTHERS AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS | 1:00P (ET) | 1:00P | FOX |
| LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS | 1:00P (ET) | 1:00P | CBS |
| ARIZONA CARDINALS AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | 12:00P (CT) | 1:00P | CBS |
| PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT NEW YORK JETS | 1:00P (ET) | 1:00P | CBS |
| NEW YORK GIANTS AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS | 1:00P (ET) | 1:00P | FOX |
| TENNESSEE TITANS AT DENVER BRONCOS | 2:05P (MT) | 4:05P | FOX |
| SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS | 1:05P (PT) | 4:05P | FOX |
| DETROIT LIONS AT GREEN BAY PACKERS | 3:25P (CT) | 4:25P | CBS |
| HOUSTON TEXANS AT LOS ANGELES RAMS | 1:25P (PT) | 4:25P | CBS |
| BALTIMORE RAVENS AT BUFFALO BILLS | 8:20P (ET) | 8:20P | NBC |
| MONDAY, SEPT. 8, 2025 | |||
| MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT CHICAGO BEARS | 7:15P (CT) | 8:15P | ABC/ESPN |
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TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES/PRESS RELEASES
NFL NEWS
MIAMI DOLPHINS’ BAYRON MATOS AIRLIFTED TO HOSPITAL AFTER TRAINING CAMP INJURY
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Bayron Matos suffered an undisclosed injury at the end of Wednesday’s practice and was flown to a hospital on a helicopter.
The injury happened in the final minutes of Day 1 of the Dolphins’ training camp. Matos, a second-year offensive tackle, was airlifted in stable condition, the team said.
The Dolphins did not release information on the injury.
“It’s a really heartbreaking part of the game,” said Dolphins offensive lineman Austin Jackson. “Very tough.”
Matos, born in Los Mina, Santo Domingo, went undrafted in 2024 but signed with the Dolphins as a free agent through the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program — an initiative that gives athletes from countries outside the U.S. a chance to play in the NFL.
He spent time on Miami’s practice squad over the past year before signing a reserve/future contract in January. He has not played in an NFL game.
A two-sport athlete in basketball and baseball in his youth, Matos, 24, only started playing football in 2022. He walked on to the South Florida football team in 2022 with no prior experience.
GIANTS OPEN CAMP WITH JAXSON DART IN THE SPOTLIGHT BUT RUSSELL WILSON STILL STARTING QUARTERBACK
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Jaxson Dart is squarely in the spotlight as someone the New York Giants hope will be their quarterback of the future. The future is not here yet.
For all the attention Dart is getting as a first-round draft pick, coach Brian Daboll made it clear when training camp opened Wednesday that the plan has not diverted from Russell Wilson being the guy at football’s most important position.
“These guys will be out here competing, but Russ is our starter,” Daboll said.
Wilson took all the first-team snaps in the first practice of camp, with Dart and journeyman Jameis Winston alternating going second and third. Dart threw an interception his first throw of 11-on-11 team drills, Wilson told his younger teammate to focus on the next play and the rookie’s subsequent throw went for a touchdown.
“I think they’re working well together,” veteran defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence said. “Russ is a great leader, Jameis is a great leader and I see them talking to him a lot. Russ handles his business really well, so for (Dart) to learn from that and them to be unselfish to teach that to him, it’s only on an up trajectory.”
There’s little direction to go but up for the Giants, who tied for the worst record in the NFL last season at 3-14. That is one reason fourth-year general manager Joe Schoen turned over the quarterback part of the roster almost completely — with local cult hero Tommy DeVito the lone holdover.
Wilson at age 36 got a contract for this season worth up to $21 million with $10.5 million guaranteed. And New York traded a second-round pick and two third-rounders to move up to take Dart 25th, several weeks after signing Winston.
Scouting Dart from afar at Mississippi and watching him up close in offseason workouts, the Giants like what they’re witnessing so far.
“You saw leadership, you saw arm talent, you saw athleticism and he’s a rookie,” Schoen said. “He’s got a long way to go, and he’s got a really good supporting cast in there to help. We’ve got a really good coaching staff as well, so he’s in a good spot right now.”
That spot is in reserve, though Daboll would not say if the backup job is up for grabs between Dart and Winston. Only that when the season starts on Sept. 7 at NFC East rival Washington, Wilson will be under center if healthy.
Asked about that certainty, Wilson said he’s “always just focused on being the best version of myself every day.”
A teammate two seasons ago in Denver, tight end Chris Manhertz believes Wilson is qualified to handle this situation thanks to “all the traits of a good quarterback.”
“Attention to detail, great leader and that kind of leadership kind of permeates throughout the whole offense, the whole team,” Manhertz said. “He’s been in this league for a while, and he’s had a lot of success in this league and it’s not an accident. A lot of the things that he has a quarterback, like getting everybody on the same page, leading the charge, leading by example — all of those things are kind of contagious.”
Malik Nabers’ toe saga
The toe injury that kept standout receiver Malik Nabers off the field this spring has healed enough that he was full go for the start of his second pro training camp. But Nabers said he does not know if it eventually will go away or even if surgery might be needed.
“(There has been) talk about it, just never really came to a complete thought in mind for me to do it,” Nabers said. “But I’ve been managing it well, been running around feeling pretty good. Everything has been going good with the rehab, so my toe’s feeling better. I’m just happy to be out there with my guys.”
Nabers in his impressive rookie year ranked fifth in the league with 109 catches and seventh with 1,204 yards. With big expectations on him, he said the toe ailment will be watched and handled throughout camp.
“It’s something that I’ve got to take up with Dabes and the guys upstairs and the training staff, but I think we’ve got a great plan,” Nabers said.
Andrew Thomas by Week 1?
While Nabers and Lawrence, among others, receiving no injury designation to start camp was good news on the health front, starting left tackle Andrew Thomas landed on the physically unable to perform list as he works back from surgery in October to repair a Lisfranc injury in his right foot.
Schoen said Thomas “should be ready for the opener” but left the door open for a longer recovery period.
“Things change: You can never be 100%, but we’re going to take it day by day with him,” Schoen said. “When he is ready, he’ll be out there, but we anticipate him to be ready for the opener.”
COMMANDERS PUT ABSENT TERRY MCLAURIN ON RESERVE/DID NOT REPORT LIST
The Washington Commanders placed holdout wide receiver Terry McLaurin on the reserve/did not report list on Wednesday.
McLaurin was not present Tuesday for a required conditioning test ahead of Wednesday’s first practice.
Under the collective bargaining agreement, McLaurin faces a daily fine of $50,000 for each day he doesn’t report.
McLaurin, who turns 30 in September, is seeking an extension as he enters the final season of a three-year, $68.4 million deal. His average annual salary of $22.8 million ranks 17th among receivers. Cincinnati’s JaMarr Chase is tops, earning an average of $40.2 million, per Spotrac.
Washington selected McLaurin, a product of Ohio State, in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He has been selected to the Pro Bowl twice and was named a second team All-Pro in 2024.
“I’ve been pretty frustrated, I’m not going to lie,” McLaurin said last week. “Everything that has transpired up to this point has been disappointing and frustrating. I want to continue my career here, I’ve created my life here, my wife and I have bought out first home here. So this has been somewhere where I’ve always wanted to be.”
Washington coach Dan Quinn said Wednesday the front office is trying to seal a deal with McLaurin.
“It’s part of the business of the NFL,” Quinn said, per The Washington Post. “I don’t judge or get too worked up about it. We’re working hard to get it done. We love him. I know they’re working really hard to go do that.”
Quinn said he has fewer worries with McLaurin than he would with other receivers since the veteran is on the same page as second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels and knows coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s offense.
“Do I love it as a coach?” Quinn said. “No. You want every player on the team all on the field all the time. But I’m really comfortable with where he’s at.”
He is coming off a career year, amassing 82 catches for 1,096 yards and a career-high 13 receiving touchdowns in 17 games. It was his fifth consecutive 1,000-yard season.
Also Wednesday, the Commanders placed guard Sam Cosmi on the physically unable to perform list. He suffered an ACL injury in the divisional round win of the NFC playoffs against the Detroit Lions in January and is continuing his rehab.
Quinn said Cosmi could be available by Week 1 when the Commanders host their NFC rival New York Giants on Sept. 7.
Cosmi, 26, was selected by the Commanders in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He started all 17 regular-season games each of the past two seasons and played 100 percent of the offensive snaps.
TITANS ROOKIE QB CAM WARD WILL GET MUCH OF THE WORK WITH THE 1ST-TEAM OFFENSE IN CAMP
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans will give rookie quarterback Cam Ward most of the work running the first-team offense in training camp, even as they hold off announcing the No. 1 overall draft pick as their starter.
That gives Ward and the Titans more time to speed up his development. This comes after coach Brian Callahan worked to make this a competition during the offseason and a move made easier by Will Levis choosing season-ending shoulder surgery.
“Obviously that’s going to be a huge part of his development over the course of the camp, and those other guys will fill in those other spots.” Callahan said Wednesday before the Titans ‘ first practice of camp. “I’ve generally really carried three quarterbacks a lot of years in camps and for that reason.”
Callahan rotated all quarterbacks during the offseason program. Then the Titans announced Monday that Levis is having surgery July 29, and Chad Brinker, the team’s president of football operations, and first-year general manager Mike Borgonzi said Tuesday they’re content with three quarterbacks in camp.
Ward said Levis made the best decision for himself and wishes his fellow quarterback a speedy recovery.
“I really didn’t have a reaction. I focus on Cam Ward,” the rookie said of hearing about Levis having surgery.
Now it’s up to Ward, the top pick out of Miami, to take full control and show what he can do in his latest offense. The Titans will have joint practices with Tampa Bay and Atlanta ahead of preseason games to help Ward develop. Tennessee opens the season Sept. 7 at Denver.
The Titans selected Ward after the quarterback led the country with 39 touchdown passes and finished second with 4,313 yards passing while leading Miami to a 10-3 record. Ward also had only seven interceptions and completed 67.2% of his passes. He finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting.
Ward sounds ready for this opportunity. Asked if he feels like a pro yet as camp starts, Ward said he felt like a pro when the Titans drafted him.
“I’ve been waiting on opportunity,” Ward said. “So you know I’m blessed. Not a lot of people get a chance to do what they love. So every time I wake up, I get a chance to step on the field and I’m excited whether it’s a good or bad day. You just got to take the wins with the losses.”
Training camp started with a session around 90 minutes to start ramping up the intensity for the day pads go on. Veteran wide receiver Calvin Ridley said Ward handled himself well.
“We all know he can play at this point,” Ridley said.
Three-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons said the usually talkative Ward was quieter Wednesday and focused on work. Simmons said the Titans have high expectations for the rookie and the veteran plans to do all he can to push the quarterback who wants to be great.
“We have a young quarterback who need the reps and wants the reps. That’s what it’s about,” Simmons said.
The other two quarterbacks on the roster are a pair of journeymen in Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle. Callahan was with Brandon Allen in Cincinnati, and the coach noted the 32-year-old quarterback has been in the NFL for around 10 years.
“He’s kind of seen all of all of what it means to be a quarterback in this league good and bad,” Callahan said of Allen. “He’s got a great feel for the system, for how to operate. He understands the role of the backup quarterback. He’s got a lot of experience he can share with Cam as well.”
Allen said helping Ward has the added benefit of making the veteran better: “Those two things go hand in hand.”
First practice issues
Cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. finished practice after being ill on the edge of the field. He said he felt better after needing to take a couple of minutes.
JAGUARS QB TREVOR LAWRENCE GETS A B-PLUS GRADE TO OPEN TRAINING CAMP
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Trevor Lawrence and his Jacksonville Jaguars teammates opened training camp by taking a pop quiz.
A hundred questions, with Lawrence’s version focused on “all the stuff you have to do as a quarterback.” Adding a little pressure to the appraisal, Lawrence had roughly 12 seconds to answer each one.
He got 85 right, blaming his final score on “at least three” computer glitches.
“It was pretty difficult,” the quarterback said Wednesday. “Some of them were layups, but there were some good questions in there, some tough ones that kind of got us back going for camp and get the minds going.”
Jacksonville’s more telling tests won’t come for weeks, but the Jaguars believe their latest rebuild — the one featuring first-time head coach Liam Coen and first-time general manager James Gladstone — could be a quick one simply because players have moved on from last year’s dysfunction.
There might not have been the kind of drama that engulfed coach Urban Meyer’s lone season in Jacksonville in 2021, but it wasn’t far off.
Coach Doug Pederson refused to call plays despite owner Shad Khan making it clear he preferred to see Pederson reclaim the role from offensive coordinator Press Taylor. A seemingly worse decision was Pederson hiring defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, who asked his players to pack on pounds because “mass kicks ass.”
Throw in assistant coaches refusing to work together and Pederson openly pointing fingers at his offense in the locker room following an 18-13 loss to Cleveland in Week 2, and the season was essentially over long before September.
Cleaning up the mess could be fairly simple, especially for a team that has talent and plays in perhaps the NFL’s worst division.
“I have a lot of confidence in what we’re doing here and the system, the staff, the new players we brought in, the guys that have already been here, the culture, everything we’re building here,” Lawrence said.
“I really have a lot of confidence and belief in what we’re doing, and that we’re doing it the right way, and I think that frees me up in a lot of ways and allows me to say that and feel confident about it.”
Gladstone, Coen and executive vice president Tony Boselli revamped nearly every position group, with most of the changes coming around Lawrence. He has a rebuilt offensive line that should keep him off the ground and provide more holes in goal-line and short-yardage situations. He has new receivers in speedster Dyami Brown and two-way star Travis Hunter, the second overall pick in the NFL draft.
And Coen is committed to improving the ground attack to help Lawrence, who missed seven games in 2024 because of a shoulder injury that ultimately required surgery and a concussion caused by an illegal hit.
Although everyone agrees Lawrence’s health is the key to Jacksonville rebounding from a 4-13 season, Coen sees other paths to more production. He made subtle tweaks to Lawrence’s mechanics, like having him put his left foot forward in shotgun formation, and said it’s time for the QB to start using his eyes as “a weapon.”
Lawrence will continue honing all those offseason changes during camp. He might even get a chance to improve his “B-plus” score on his next quiz.
“Ultimately, everybody wants to be coached,” Coen said. “I think we’ll see the buy in a little bit more in our games. But in the process, they have done everything we’ve asked them to do from an energy standpoint, communication.
“But so far pretty solid feedback. I think anytime there’s change, there’s probably things they don’t like, right? At the end of the day, we all understand that. That’s very normal. … Anytime a player thinks you can help them, I think ultimately that’s when they start to trust you.”
JAGUARS START TRAVIS HUNTER AT WR, CB REPS COMING SOON
On the first day of training camp, the answer to questions regarding whether Travis Hunter would play offense or defense for the Jacksonville Jaguars was unchanged.
Both.
Hunter was an early arrival on the practice field in a bright teal No. 12 jersey, the color signifying he’d play with the offense on Wednesday. Hunter and wide receivers coach Edgar Bennett drilled hand usage and line-of-scrimmage release technique before team sessions started.
“Within the first six practices or so, he will (play defense),” Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said. “You want to give him a couple days offense, a couple days defense and then give him the opportunity to go flip-flop within the same practice. Then that’ll kind of become the norm. That will become the norm of how we operate.”
Hunter and 2024 first-round pick Brian Thomas Jr. rotated through reps on short comeback routes and in-cutting patterns in the opening portion of group position work. He briefly aligned with defensive backs during a special teams walkthrough without live reps.
The offensive-minded Coen said last month defensive coaches already were trying to get more time with Hunter, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner at Colorado, where he starred at wide receiver and cornerback. His two-way capability inspired Coen and general manager James Gladstone to move up in the draft to select Hunter second overall.
“(Defensive backs coach Ron Milus) Milo came up to me after practice and said, ‘Can we have him more?’” Coen told reporters in June. “And so that’s a good thing. Just the movement skills. You can definitely see how natural it is for him. When you see him in the actual 7-on and team setting, he doesn’t look out of place by any means.”
DOLPHINS’ TUA TAGOVAILOA SAYS REBUILDING TRUST WITH TYREEK HILL IS ONGOING
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tyreek Hill’s work to regain the trust of his Miami Dolphins teammates remains ongoing after the All-Pro wide receiver took himself out of the 2024 regular-season finale and indicated he wanted to play elsewhere.
After the Dolphins wrapped up the first day of training camp, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said moving on from Hill’s comments hasn’t been a quick process.
“I would say we’re still continuing to do that,” Tagovailoa said of rebuilding his relationship with Hill. “But it’s not just with me, it’s with a lot of the guys. I’m not the only one that heard that. You guys aren’t the only people that heard that. A lot of people that follow football, that follow the Miami Dolphins … everyone has seen that.”
After a loss to the New York Jets that marked the first time in his career that he had not made the playoffs, Hill told reporters afterward that he was “opening the door” to play for another team.
Hill has since walked back those comments and publicly apologized to Tagovailoa and his teammates for the outburst, which he has said was a result of frustrations with a disappointing season.
“When you say something like that, you don’t just come back from that with a ‘Hey, my bad,’” Tagovailoa said Wednesday. “No, you’ve got to work that relationship up. You’ve got to build everything up again. It’s still a work in progress, not just for me, but for everybody.”
Hill said Tuesday that the situation caused him to take an inward look and hold himself accountable, adding that he’s matured this offseason and plans to be a better leader moving forward.
“You can see thus far, the three months that the team has been working at it, that it’s a surprise to no one in the building that he’s saying that publicly,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said.
“He’s come to work every day with vigor and determination. First and foremost, the only way you can dictate the terms in life is you have to take a realistic evaluation of what’s going on. … Humble, accountable, deliberate, intentional daily focus — that’s what we’re looking for, and I’m excited for him to get another opportunity to stack another day today.”
Dolphins made sure Fitzpatrick wanted return to Miami before trade
All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick began his second stint with the Dolphins on Wednesday after being dealt to Miami from Pittsburgh in a trade that sent cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith to the Steelers.
Fitzpatrick was drafted 11th overall by the Dolphins in 2018 but only played for them one full season before requesting a trade in 2019. At the time, he wasn’t happy with his role under then-head coach Brian Flores.
McDaniel indicated Wednesday that the Dolphins made sure Fitzpatrick was OK with returning to Miami before the move was made. Fitzpatrick participated in Wednesday’s practice but has not spoken to reporters since the June 30 trade.
“As you enter into negotiations of any sort of trade, you try to identify first and foremost that the player you’re receiving wants to play football for you,” McDaniel said.
“I’m elated to add Minkah to the team because it’s an opportunity to have a player that I’ve been coaching off of and plays the position the way that we here want to play the position. … It’s a real good fit based on his skillset.”
Two players injured on first day of camp
Second-year offensive lineman Bayron Matos suffered an undisclosed injury in the final minutes of practice and was flown via helicopter to a hospital. He was in stable condition, the team said.
The Dolphins did not release information on the injury.
Veteran cornerback Artie Burns, who signed with the Dolphins as a free agent in March, suffered an apparent leg injury after appearing to make contact with another player early in practice. Burns left on crutches.
COWBOYS’ PICKENS THRILLED WITH FRESH START: ‘EXCITED TO RUN BETTER PLAYS’
Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens is looking forward to a fresh start in Dallas following his offseason trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“I’m definitely excited to run better plays for sure,” Pickens told reporters Tuesday after Dallas’ first training camp practice.
Pickens joins a Cowboys offense that struggled last season with injuries and inconsistency, ranking 29th in EPA/play and 28th in dropback success rate, according to Ben Baldwin’s database. Pickens is set to be quarterback Dak Prescott’s No. 2 target behind star wideout CeeDee Lamb.
The Cowboys acquired Pickens after the 24-year-old spent the first three years of his career in Pittsburgh. He led the Steelers in combined targets (209), receptions (122), and receiving yards (2,040) over the last two campaigns.
Prescott will be the best signal-caller Pickens has played with since entering the league as a 2022 second-round pick. During the wideout’s tenure with the Steelers, Pittsburgh never had a quarterback exceed 2,500 passing yards in a single season.
However, Pickens has struggled with disciplinary issues. Following a December game last season, head coach Mike Tomlin said the Georgia product needed to “grow up” after he took multiple penalties in the contest.
“I think I needed a fresh start just in terms of people not knowing me,” Pickens said Tuesday. “I think that’s the whole thing about it.”
Pickens has 174 receptions with 2,841 receiving yards and 12 scores in 48 career games.
VIKINGS LT CHRISTIAN DARRISAW (ACL, MCL) CLEARED FOR CAMP
Vikings left tackle Christian Darrisaw will not begin training camp on a restricted list, signaling his rapid recovery from torn anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments and a positive omen as Minnesota introduces another new starting quarterback.
Darrisaw is already active in individual and position-specific work 10 months after he tore the MCL and ACL in his left knee Week 8 at Los Angeles, one of the team’s three regular-season losses last season.
Second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy is the starter for the Vikings. They’ll turn to the first-round pick after Sam Darnold signed with the Seahawks in free agency. The previous offseason, Kirk Cousins bowed out in free agency to sign with the Falcons.
Darrisaw’s status was a mild surprise because of his limited participation in minicamp. Three weeks after a published report put Darrisaw’s availability for the start of the regular season in doubt, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said Minnesota is counting on their left tackle and new right guard Will Fries being on the field this month.
“I want to highlight the work they put in this summer to put themselves in a position to be out on the grass practicing, all in different capacities,” O’Connell said. “We are very pleased with where those guys are at and, you know, their timelines to fully returning to daily participation.”
Fries fractured his right tibia during a Week 5 start for the Colts but checked out medically and passed his physical before signing with the Vikings as a free agent in March.
TEXANS PLACE RB JOE MIXON (ANKLE) ON NON-FOOTBALL INJURY LIST
Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon was placed on the non-football injury list Wednesday.
A Pro Bowl selection during his first season in Houston, Mixon has yet to participate in practice during organized team activities and minicamp due to an ankle injury.
Mixon, who turns 29 on Thursday, rushed for 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns in 14 games (all starts) last season.
He has rushed for 7,428 yards and 60 touchdowns in 111 career games (102 starts) with the Cincinnati Bengals (2017-23) and Texans. He earned his second Pro Bowl selection in 2024.
Houston’s backfield also includes offseason additions Nick Chubb, Dare Ogunbowale and rookie Woody Marks, among others. Marks was selected by Houston in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Southern California.
Fellow running backs Dameon Pierce and J.J. Taylor joined wide receiver Tank Dell, defensive ends Derek Barnett and Denico Autry, safety Jimmie Ward, offensive tackle Trent Brown, defensive tackles Folorunso Fatukasi and Kurt Hinish, linebacker K.C. Ossai and center Eli Cox in being placed on the physically unable to perform list Wednesday.
NFL NEWS ROUNDUP: DOLPHINS CB ARTIE BURNS FEARED TO HAVE SUFFERED TORN ACL AT TRAINING CAMP
BUFFALO
TRAINING CAMP NEWS
RB James Cook participated in practice as the Bills opened training camp on Wednesday, coach Sean McDermott told reporters. Cook reported to camp on Tuesday despite seeking a contract extension.
INJURIES
WR Laviska Shenault Jr. (leg) didn’t practice Wednesday, per McDermott.
TE Dawson Knox (hamstring) didn’t practice Wednesday, per McDermott. Knox tweaked his hamstring during training, per McDermott.
OL Sedrick Van Pran-Granger (calf) didn’t practice Wednesday, per McDermott.
RT Spencer Brown was held out of practice to begin camp after a back injury flared up, McDermott said.
OLB Joey Bosa (calf) participated in practice, per McDermott.
CINCINNATI
TRAINING CAMP NEWS
Head coach Zac Taylor told reporters Wednesday that he anticipates QB Joe Burrow playing more in preseason games “than we ever have” as they prepare for Week 1, per ESPN’s Ben Baby. The Bengals are looking to overcome a string of slow starts in 2025 having have lost their first two games in each of the last three seasons.
Taylor said he had a sense DE Trey Hendrickson would not arrive for training camp without a new contract.
GREEN BAY
TRAINING CAMP NEWS
Bo Melton is making the switch from WR to CB, GM Brian Gutekunst announced Wednesday. Melton, who tallied 24 receptions for 309 yards and a touchdown in two seasons, is also switching to No. 16, the same digit as his brother Max Melton, who is a CB for the Cardinals.
MIAMI
INJURIES
OL Liam Eichenberg will be out for weeks, coach Mike McDaniel told reporters on Wednesday. Eichenberg was placed on the PUP list on Tuesday. The right guard started 14 of 17 games played in 2024.
OL Bayron Matos was airlifted to a local hospital after suffering an injury at the end of practice, NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe reported. The Dolphins say Matos is in stable condition.
CB Artie Burns is feared to have suffered a torn ACL during Wednesday’s practice and he’ll have an MRI to confirm, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. Burns, who signed in free agency in the offseason, was spotted on crutches after practice, per Wolfe.
WASHINGTON
TRAINING CAMP NEWS
WR Terry McLaurin was placed on the reserve/did not report list on Wednesday. McLaurin did not arrive for the start of training camp on Tuesday as he seeks a new contract. “It’s part of the business of the NFL,” head coach Dan Quinn told reporters Wednesday, via Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post. “I don’t judge it or get too worked up about it.”
BRONCOS QB BO NIX VISITED DREW BREES DURING BUSY OFFSEASON
Bo Nix has drawn comparison to Drew Brees early in his NFL career, so it came as little surprise that the Denver Broncos’ second-year quarterback spent some time this offseason with the Hall of Famer.
Brees won a Super Bowl while playing for Sean Payton for 15 seasons in New Orleans, and Payton saw a lot of similarities between the two when drafting Nix with the 12th overall pick in last year’s draft.
Nix led Denver to the playoffs as a rookie, throwing for 3,775 yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while completing 66.3 percent of his passes. Like Brees, Nix doesn’t have elite arm strength but has been praised for his vision, footwork, grasp of the offense and leadership abilities.
During his first full NFL offseason, Nix spent time with Brees and noted throwing instructor Tom House while also hosting a few days of workouts with a group of skill position players.
“He’s someone who works his tail off, wants to improve and the whole offseason is planned out,” Payton said Wednesday. “He’s gone and visited Brees for four or five days and adds Tom House in here. There’s a lot that he wants to absorb in a fast period of time. That’s a great thing for a young player like that.
“Him just reaching out (to Brees) and just coordinating some time to dive into the offense, the schedule, the calendar, his schedule and his work week in season. All of that is just stuff he’s doing on his own.”
Payton said Nix visited with Brees in San Diego to learn more about the offensive scheme and talk about playing quarterback in the NFL. As for House, the well-known baseball instructor, Payton said the focus has been on mechanics and arm care work that may go unnoticed.
“There’s a lot of management of your arm and delivery. None of us will see exactly … there’s just certain warmup techniques if you will,” he said. “You’re not going to see a different release. The arm care for a pitcher might be different than the arm care of a quarterback. Then how you might warm up, there may be some parallels, but I don’t know that we’ll see it with our eyes.”
CARDINALS ROOKIE DE WALTER NOLEN III (CALF) TO MISS START OF CAMP
Arizona Cardinals first-round pick Walter Nolen III is sidelined with a calf injury and there is no timeline for his return.
The 21-year-old defensive lineman, selected 16th overall in the 2025 draft, was injured in offseason workouts, coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters on Wednesday.
Gannon didn’t rule out that the injury could stretch into the regular season.
“I don’t know that,” Gannon told reporters. “I really don’t. We’ll see how it goes. Each one’s a little bit different. Each injury’s a little bit different. Each guy’s a little bit different.”
Defensive tackle Bilal Nichols (neck) and outside linebacker BJ Ojulari (knee) will also be sidelined when Arizona opens training camp on Thursday.
Nichols was limited to six games (five starts) due to stinger issues last season. Ojulari missed the entire season after tearing the ACL in his left knee during 2024 training camp.
“They want to be out there with their teammates and practice,” Gannon said. “We need all three. But when they’re healthy, they’ll play.”
Nolen was a consensus All-American last season while racking up 14 tackles for loss (including 6.5 sacks) for Ole Miss. He spent his previous two college seasons at Texas A&M.
Nichols, 28, has 248 tackles and 14 sacks in 100 games (88 starts) over eight seasons with the Chicago Bears (2018-21), Las Vegas Raiders (2022-23) and Cardinals.
Ojulari, 23, had 40 tackles and four sacks while playing in all 17 games as a reserve as a rookie in 2023.
REPORTS: SAINTS SIGNING S JULIAN BLACKMON TO 1-YEAR DEAL
One day after losing Tyrann Mathieu to retirement, the New Orleans Saints are in agreement with safety Julian Blackmon on a one-year deal worth up to $5.5 million, according to multiple reports.
Blackmon, 26, has 10 career interceptions, 21 passes defensed and 300 tackles in five seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, who selected him in the third round of the 2020 draft. He started 62 of 66 career games for the Colts, including 16 last season.
A three-time All-Pro selected to three Pro Bowls, Mathieu announced Tuesday that he was retiring after 12 NFL seasons. His 36 picks were second in the NFL among active players.
Blackmon had three interceptions for the Colts in 2024 while playing on a one-year contract.
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL
TICKETS SOLD OUT FOR ‘CHAPEL BILL’ BELICHICK’S DEBUT SEASON AT NORTH CAROLINA
The debut season of coach Bill Belichick at North Carolina is a home sellout.
The university announced Wednesday that all season and single-game tickets at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill have been sold.
The school, instead, is directing fans seeking tickets to SeatGeek, the official resale marketplace of the Tar Heels.
The home season begins Sept. 1 with a nonconference game against TCU. Also visiting Chapel Hill in 2025 are Richmond (Sept. 13), Clemson (Oct. 4), Virginia (Oct. 25), Stanford (Nov. 8) and Duke (Nov. 22).
The Tar Heels signed Belichick, 73, to a five-year deal through the 2029 season to replace Mack Brown. He will earn $10 million a year, plus up to $3.5 million in performance incentives. The first three years of the contract are guaranteed.
Belichick won six Super Bowl championships as the head coach of the New England Patriots and two more as an assistant coach with the New York Giants.
Interest in “Chapel Bill” and the Tar Heels is so high that multiple outlets reported last week the start of production on a docuseries that will chronicle the North Carolina season and later stream on Hulu.
UNDEFEATED IN BIG TEN, OREGON SOMEHOW CHASING REDEMPTION AFTER PLAYOFF LOSS
Oregon was perfect all the way through its first season in the Big Ten, mowing through the regular season at 12-0 and handling Penn State in the conference championship game.
Then the Ducks were dropped by eventual national champion Ohio State, 41-21, in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl to end the season as a national afterthought to the likes of Notre Dame, Texas and the Buckeyes, a team Oregon beat in the regular season.
With a pair of trophies on display on either side of his dais at Mandalay Bay for Big Ten Media Days on Wednesday, Oregon’s coach shared his uncomfortable truth.
“I think every coach probably feels this way, but we always remember the losses over the wins,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on Wednesday during Big Ten Media Days.
“I think there’s a lot you can learn from that. It doesn’t take away from what we were able to accomplish, but we lost to a great team. Coach (Ryan) Day did an unbelievable job last year of having his team in position to have success there. There’s some things I think I could have done better at the end.
I don’t think we played our best football. That being said, we did go undefeated in the conference and won the Big Ten Championship in our first year. That said, double down. Focus on our process. What do we have to continue to improve? There’s always learning lessons, but it doesn’t necessarily impact the future.”
The future in Eugene is bright. But success is going to be relative at Oregon, a reality Lanning has embraced and knew well from his background at Georgia, where he knows the one trophy every team wants — the national title — is the goal on constant repeat.
Marinating, and believing there is victory in the process, and avoiding the “microwave” are themes in his locker room in 2025.
Dante Moore is competing at quarterback to replace Browns third-round pick Dillon Gabriel as the maestro of a system full of skill-position weaponry. Moore said Lanning consistently reminds him and other team leaders “pressure is a privilege.” He’s locked in a duel with fellow sophomore Austin Novosad to start for the Ducks.
“I think probably what impressed me most with Dante is not wanting to be in a microwave society, not wanting to just get it fast because there’s an opportunity in front of him,” Lanning said, “but to have the slow-cooked meal, to have the opportunity to sit back and mature and learn, learn from experiences that you don’t necessarily have to be on the field to feel. The same goes for Austin. The same goes for Luke (Moga) and the other guys in our program.”
Either quarterback would be thrilled to have the security of a sure-handed and big-play tight end the likes of Kenyon Sadiq. The junior might not be a household name nationally, but no matter which iteration of Oregon uniform he’s wearing on game day, opponents are fully aware of his whereabouts.
Lanning said he played some video-game football with his son before Wednesday’s session, and Sadiq was a stud in the virtual world, too.
“I need to make sure I bring that up to our quarterbacks, throw it to Kenyon because he’s been unbelievable this offseason,” Lanning said. “Like I said, if you just see him work, it’s not a secret.”
ACC KICKOFF: FSU QB TOMMY CASTELLANOS STANDS ‘ON WHAT I SAID’ ABOUT ALABAMA
CHARLOTTE — New Florida State quarterback Tommy Castellanos made the most of the talking season that is college football’s summer tradition.
In an interview with On3 in June, Castellanos talked boldly about FSU’s season-opening matchup against Alabama, saying, “They don’t have Nick Saban to save them. I just don’t see them stopping me.”
Those strong words inspired some attention in Tuscaloosa and led to plenty of questions for the FSU quarterback Wednesday at ACC Kickoff ahead of the Aug. 30 matchup with the Crimson Tide in Tallahassee.
“We stand on what I said,” Castellanos said. “There’s no disrespect (towards) that team or anything like that. It’s just the confidence that I have in my teammates and the way we’ve been preparing and putting this preparation together this offseason.”
Castellanos transferred to FSU after spending the prior two seasons at Boston College. In 2023, the dual-threat QB was a sensation at BC with 2,248 passing yards, 1,113 rushing yards and 28 total touchdowns (15 passing, 13 rushing). In 2024, he didn’t adapt especially well to a new offensive scheme and left the team midway through the season after he was removed as the starter.
Now Castellanos is tasked with providing a spark to an FSU team that struggled mightily in 2024, limping to a 2-10 record that was the program’s worst since 1974.
“Being a part of Florida State is a dream come true,” Castellanos said.
–Miller Moss excited to start at Louisville after bowl breakout vs. Cardinals
The best football game of Miller Moss’ career to date was a Louisville game. He just happened to be playing for the other team.
The then-USC quarterback made his first career start in the 2023 Holiday Bowl vs. Louisville, throwing for six touchdowns and 372 yards. Moss is expected to be Louisville’s starting quarterback in 2025 after spending the past four seasons with the Trojans.
“It’s kind of a random coincidence or full-circle moment, whatever you want to call it,” Moss said. “Fans will come up and say stuff to me (about the Holiday Bowl). I’ll just let them know that we’re going to make up for it this year.”
Moss got the first extensive playing time of his career in 2024, playing in nine games and throwing for 2,555 yards and 18 touchdowns. He’ll now be tasked with following Tyler Shough, who was drafted 40th overall in this year’s NFL draft by the New Orleans Saints after a one-year Louisville career.
–Georgia Tech out for respect in the ACC
Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key didn’t beat around the bush. He believes his team has been underappreciated the last two years in the ACC.
In Key’s first full season at GT in 2023, the Yellow Jackets were picked 12th in the ACC and finished fourth. In 2024, they were picked ninth and finished tied for fourth.
With quarterback Haynes King and running back Jamal Haynes back after strong 2024 seasons, that respect could come from ACC voters this year.
Key knows that’s not what matters at the end of the day.
“We’ve got a great opportunity in front of us. We really do,” Key said. “It’s not about other people’s expectations that matter. The only expectations that matter are ours.”
UGA 4-STAR COMMIT CHACE CALICUT CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH SHOOTING
Chace Calicut, a four-star safety committed to the University of Georgia, has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with an alleged shooting on July 6 in Houston, according to multiple media outlets.
Calicut, a rising senior at Houston North Shore High School who committed to the Bulldogs on June 27, appeared on Tuesday in a Houston court. His bond was set at $20,000.
According to court documents viewed by media outlets, Calicut, 17, pulled up in his car behind a car driven by an unidentified 17-year-old boy with a 17-year-old girl in the passenger seat. The teen driver said Calicut passed them, swerved in front of their car and braked, forcing him to brake to avoid hitting Calicut’s car.
The teen drove around but Calicut again pulled alongside him, according to the documents, and allegedly was swerving around the car. The teen driver said a man in Calicut’s passenger seat pointed a gun at him. The passenger was later identified as Isaiah Brice Phillip, 17, whom Harris County officials said was shot at a July 20 pool party and died on July 21.
The 17-year-old in the other car said he drove away and heard gunfire, per the documents, and a friend in a separate vehicle told investigators that he saw Phillip firing a gun out of Calicut’s car window.
Listed at 6-feet-3 and 190 pounds, Calicut is ranked the No. 114 player in the country, No. 9 safety overall and No. 17 player in Texas regardless of position, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.
He visited UGA on June 6. He also made visits to Texas, Michigan and Ole Miss.
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MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
MLB ROUNDUP: SHOHEI OHTANI EXTENDS HR STREAK AS DODGERS EDGE TWINS
Freddie Freeman hit a game-ending two-run single with two outs in the ninth inning, Shohei Ohtani hit a home run in his fifth consecutive game and the Los Angeles Dodgers pulled out a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday.
The Dodgers’ ninth-inning rally started with two outs on an infield single from Mookie Betts against right-hander Griffin Jax (1-5). Ohtani was walked intentionally to move the tying run to second base and Esteury Ruiz walked to load the bases. Freeman’s sinking line drive to left just eluded the glove of a diving Harrison Bader.
Ohtani gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead with a home run to left-center field in the first. It was his National League-leading 37th of the season. He became the first MLB player to hit home runs in five consecutive games since the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge last season. He also tied the Dodgers franchise record, done five previous times, most recently by Max Muncy in 2019. Los Angeles southpaw Anthony Banda (5-1) fanned three in a scoreless ninth inning.
Royce Lewis hit a home run in the third to match Ohtani’s blast. Harrison Bader contributed a pinch-hit single just over the mound to give the Twins a 3-2 lead in the eighth inning.
Giants 9, Braves 3
Justin Verlander threw five scoreless innings to earn his first win as a Giant and Rafael Devers hit a pair of home runs to help visiting San Francisco beat Atlanta in the deciding game of a three-game series.
Verlander, who signed with San Francisco as a free agent in the offseason, had made 16 starts without a win, the longest streak in a single season by a starter in club history. Verlander (1-8) allowed his only hit to start the fifth inning, walked five, hit a batter and struck out three.
Braves starter Spencer Strider (4-8) threw five innings and allowed three runs on five hits.
Reds 5, Nationals 0
Nick Lodolo tossed a four-hit shutout and visiting Cincinnati averted a series sweep in beating Washington.
The Reds were on the verge of being swept in a three-game series for the first time this season. Jake Fraley and Santiago Espinal had two hits each for Cincinnati. Lodolo (8-6) struck out eight without a walk and threw 105 pitches in his first career shutout. The Nationals didn’t put a runner in scoring position until the eighth inning.
Washington starter Michael Soroka allowed a run on two hits and three walks over 5 2/3 innings, striking out six. James Wood singled with one out in the bottom of the first but was caught stealing, and Lodolo dominated from that point.
Marlins 3, Padres 2
Sandy Alcantara pitched his best game since returning from elbow surgery, and Jesus Sanchez slugged a go-ahead, two-run homer, leading host Miami to a 3-2 win over San Diego.
The Marlins are 8-2-1 over its past 11 series and took two of three games from the Padres in this series. Miami is also 23-12 over its past 35 games.
Padres third baseman Manny Machado — playing in his hometown of Miami — went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. But he also had a throwing error that cost San Diego a run. It was his second straight game with a throwing error.
Pirates 6, Tigers 1
Spencer Horwitz’s grand slam backed up a quality start from Bailey Falter and helped host Pittsburgh finish off a three-game sweep of front-running Detroit.
Horwitz belted his third home run of the season and first career grand slam in the second inning off Detroit prospect Troy Melton (0-1), who made his major league debut. The 416-foot blast, which came with two outs, gave the Pirates a 5-0 lead and put them on course for their fourth series sweep of the season.
Falter (7-5) struck out eight with no walks, and allowed the lone run on four hits in seven innings. The Tigers lost their third in a row and for the ninth time in their past 10 games.
Mets 6, Angels 3
Pete Alonso clubbed a three-run homer and Edwin Diaz shut down an eighth-inning rally as New York wrapped up a sweep of visiting Los Angeles.
Sean Manaea (1-1), making his second start since coming off the injured list, allowed two hits and one run over five innings. Brandon Nimmo stroked a leadoff homer in the first and Francisco Lindor snapped an 0-for-31 slump with a pair of RBI singles.
Mike Trout homered for the Angels, who brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the eighth before Diaz caught Luis Rengifo looking. Jake Eder (0-1) hurled the final six innings and surrendered five runs and seven hits while fanning a career-high seven.
Rockies 6, Cardinals 0
Tanner Gordon tossed six strong innings in his first start since May 28, Ezequiel Tovar homered, and host Colorado shut out St. Louis.
Jordan Beck, Hunter Goodman, Kyle Farmer and Austin Nola had two hits each for Colorado, which has won two straight home series after dropping the first 15 to begin the year.
Willson Contreras and Jordan Walker doubled for the Cardinals, who totaled five hits and have started the second half of the season 1-5.
Astros 4, Diamondbacks 3
Christian Walker singled in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning to punctuate his return to Phoenix as Houston beat Arizona 4-3 on Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.
Yainer Diaz had three hits and scored twice and Brandon Walter pitched seven strong innings for the Astros, who won their first series since sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers July 4-6. Bennett Sousa (4-0) in the win, despite allowing two eighth-inning runs.
Geraldo Perdomo tied a career high with four hits, including two doubles, and Ketel Marte drilled his 20th homer for the D-Backs, who lost their third straight after a four-game winning streak. Kevin Ginkle (1-4) allowed the game-winning run in the ninth.
Guardians 3, Orioles 2
Steven Kwan’s RBI single with two outs in the eighth lifted Cleveland to victory over visiting Baltimore for the third straight day.
Kyle Manzardo poked a two-run single for the Guardians, who won for the 11th time in 13 games. Slade Cecconi allowed two runs and five hits over six innings before Hunter Gaddis (1-1) threw a perfect eighth and Emmanuel Clase (23rd save) struck out two in the ninth.
Orioles starter Zach Eflin scattered two runs and two hits over five innings in his first appearance since June 28. Jackson Holliday forged a 2-2 tie in the sixth with a solo homer, but reliever Colin Selby (0-2) allowed the go-ahead run in the eighth.
Blue Jays 8, Yankees 4
Chris Bassitt struck out eight, Bo Bichette hit a two-run homer and host Toronto defeated a sloppy New York squad.
The Yankees committed four errors and other uncredited misplays in the rubber match of a three-game series as the Blue Jays rebuilt their lead over the Yankees in the American League East to four games.
Bassitt (11-4) allowed four runs (three earned), three hits and no walks in 7 1/3 innings. Max Fried (11-4) permitted six runs (four earned) in 5 1/3 innings for New York.
Brewers 10, Mariners 2
Quinn Priester pitched seven solid innings and Milwaukee amassed 17 hits to defeat host Seattle in the finale of a three-game series.
Leadoff hitter Brice Turang went 3-for-5 with a double and three RBIs for the Brewers, who bounced back after managing just two hits in a 1-0 loss Tuesday that snapped their 11-game winning streak. Priester (9-2) allowed two runs on six hits. The right-hander walked two and struck out six.
Mariners starter Luis Castillo (7-6) went five innings and allowed six runs (three earned) on 10 hits. Major League home run leader Cal Raleigh had the afternoon off.
Red Sox 9, Phillies 8 (11 innings)
Carlos Narvaez hit a two-run homer in extras to lift Boston over host Philadelphia.
After both teams scored a run in the 10th, Narvaez’s shot off Seth Johnson (1-1) helped the Red Sox salvage the series finale. Brennan Bernardino came on with a runner on base and two outs in the bottom of the 11th and retired Max Kepler on a called third strike for his first career save. Greg Weissert (3-3) allowed an unearned run in the 10th. Boston overcame an early 5-0 deficit, taking the lead in the fifth on Romy Gonzalez’s grand slam.
The Phillies lost despite hitting five home runs, including a clutch shot by J.T. Realmuto in the eighth to tie the game at 6-6. Kyle Schwarber also homered for Philadelphia, hitting his team-leading 34th homer off Lucas Giolito in the first inning. On the next pitch, Harper slammed a fastball over the right-field wall for his 14th homer. Nick Castellanos homered in the third and Bryson Stott added one of his own in the fourth.
Royals 8, Cubs 4
Vinnie Pasquantino hit two homers and drove in four runs to help Kansas City beat host Chicago.
The first baseman hit a two-run homer in the first inning, doubled and scored in the third and hit a second two-run blast in the fifth as the Royals posted their second four-homer game of the series. Kansas City starter Seth Lugo (7-5) went six innings, giving up four hits and two runs on 95 pitches.
Cubs starter Colin Rea (8-4) took the loss, giving up six hits and six runs (five earned) in five innings. Matt Shaw hit his fifth home run for Chicago in the seventh inning, and All-Star outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong went deep in the eighth for his 27th home run.
Rangers 2, Athletics 1
Jonah Heim’s bloop double in the seventh drove in the winning run as host Texas completed a three-game sweep of the Athletics.
Corey Seager poked a solo homer in the third to reach base for the 24th game in a row. Jon Gray (1-0), activated from the 60-day injured list before the game, threw two scoreless innings to win his season debut. Starter Patrick Corbin allowed one run and five hits in 5 2/3 innings while fanning seven.
Nick Kurtz’s RBI double drove in Brent Rooker with the Athletics’ fifth and final run of the series. Starter JP Sears gave up one run and struck out seven over five innings before turning it over to Jack Perkins (0-1).
White Sox 11, Rays 9
Rookie Colson Montgomery hit a three-run homer and a go-ahead, two-run double, helping Chicago rally for an 11-9 win against the host Tampa Bay.
Reliever Jordan Leasure (3-5) tossed a scoreless seventh for the White Sox, who took two of three in the series and have won five of six. Kyle Teel hit his first major league home run in the top of the sixth. Trailing 7-5 in the eighth, Chicago rallied for six runs against reliever Kevin Kelly (0-2).
The Rays opened the scoring in the first with a pair of two-run homers. Yandy Diaz put a sinker over the right field wall, and Junior Caminero sent one to right-center for a 4-0 lead.
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WNBA NEWS
ALLISHA GRAY, BRITTNEY GRINER PROPEL DREAM TO ROAD WIN OVER MERCURY
Allisha Gray scored 28 points, Brittney Griner celebrated her return to Phoenix with 17 points and a team-high eight rebounds, and the Atlanta Dream beat the host Mercury 90-79 on Wednesday.
Jordin Canada added 14 points and six assists and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough contributed 11 points and knocked down three 3-pointers for the Dream, who were 10 of 24 from distance and shot 50.7 percent from the field. Gray had three threes and seven rebounds..
DeWanna Bonner scored 18 points, Satou Sabally added 13 and Alyssa Thomas registered seven points, 11 rebounds and nine assists for the Mercury. Thomas did not score in the first half.
The Mercury played a video tribute to franchise icon Griner before the game, and she received a prolonged standing ovation. She was a nine-time All-Star in 11 seasons with the Mercury and helped them to the 2014 WNBA title.
Griner was 8-for-12 from the field and was two rebounds short of her second double-double of the season.
The Dream took a 10-7 lead on Canada’s 3-pointer three minutes into the game and never trailed.
Atlanta took its largest lead at 79-63 with 5 1/2 minutes remaining. Bonner scored six straight points to close the gap to 10 before Gray pushed the lead to 13 on a 3-pointer with 3:55 left. The Mercury did not close within seven down the stretch.
The Dream, who leads the league in rebounding, had a 36-27 edge on the boards and a 42-24 edge in points in the paint.
The Dream had 25 assists on 34 field goals, exploiting the Mercury defense on cuts to the basket. Gray and Canada had six assists apiece.
The Mercury had won three of four.
Atlanta had lost three of four and six of nine.
Kahleah Copper tallied 10 points in her return from injury and reserve Natasha Mack notched a season-high eight points for the Mercury, who put up 35 bench points. Bonner did not start with the return of Sabally, who like Copper had missed the previous four games.
The Dream played their fourth game without second-leading scorer Rhyne Howard, who is expected to miss the rest of the month with a left knee injury suffered July 11. She is averaging 16.5 points.
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COLLEGE BASKETBALL
TOP USC HOOPS RECRUIT ALIJAH ARENAS TO MISS 6-8 MONTHS (KNEE)
USC five-star recruit Alijah Arenas suffered a knee injury that will require surgery and keep him off the court between six and eight months, the university announced on Wednesday.
Arenas, the son of former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas, had just returned to the practice court, having recovered from after a serious car accident in April.
“Alijah is a tremendous worker, teammate, competitor and person,” USC coach Eric Musselman said. “He is understandably disappointed that he will not be able to take the court to start the season, but his health is our No. 1 priority. We have no doubt that he will come back even stronger. We look forward to supporting him during this process.”
Arenas graduated from Chatsworth (Calif.) HS a year early to suit up with the Trojans, along with transfers Rodney Rice (Maryland) and Chad Baker-Mazara (Auburn). It was expected that the 6-foot-6 Arenas would form an explosive backcourt for USC.
In April, Arenas lost control of his Tesla Cybertruck and ran into a tree. The car became engulfed in flames, but he was able to escape with assistance from bystanders. Arenas was placed in a medically induced coma due to smoke inhalation, but was released one week later.
ESPN tabbed Arenas the No. 13 recruit in their Top 100. He scored more than 3,000 points in three seasons at Chatsworth, setting a CIF LA City Section record.
Arenas was expected to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but that is believed to be in jeopardy due to the nature of his injury.
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NASCAR
NASCAR WILL HOLD FIRST STREET RACE ON ACTIVE MILITARY BASE AT NAVAL BASE CORONADO IN 2026
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR will hold a street race on Naval Base Coronado in Southern California next June as a replacement for its downtown Chicago event that ran the last three years.
The move to the San Diego area does not eliminate a return to Chicago, where NASCAR will still maintain an office and effort an eventual return, perhaps as early as 2027.
But the shift next year will allow NASCAR to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy by hosting all three of its national series over a three-day weekend on June 19-21.
“As part of our nation’s 250th anniversary, we are honored for NASCAR to join the celebration as we host our first street race at a military base, Naval Base Coronado,” Ben Kennedy, executive vice president and chief venue and racing innovations officer, said Wednesday. “NASCAR San Diego Weekend will honor the Navy’s history and the men and women who serve as we take the best motorsports in the world to the streets of Naval Base Coronado.”
It will be NASCAR’s second street race in the sport’s history, following the three-year run in Chicago, and first on an active military base. The course layout is not complete but is expected to be around 3 miles.
NASCAR has seen Auto Club Speedway close after the 2023 race. It built a temporary short track inside Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum from 2002 through 2024 but moved that event to North Carolina.
Kennedy, who has been bullish on new endeavors for his family business, was the brains of the races at the Coliseum, Chicago, this year’s visit to Mexico City and now next year in San Diego, a venture the Navy is excited about.
“NASCAR embodies the very best of the American spirit through speed, precision and an unyielding pursuit of excellence,” Navy Secretary John C. Phelan said. “Hosting a race aboard Naval Air Station North Island, the birthplace of naval aviation, it’s not just a historic first, it’s a powerful tribute to the values we share: grit, teamwork and love of country.
“From the flight deck to the finish line, this collaboration reflects the operational intensity and unity of purpose that define both the United States Navy and NASCAR.”
The base is known as the “West Coast Quarterdeck” and is a consortium of nine Navy installations that stretch from San Clemente Island 50 miles off the coast of Long Beach to the Mountain Warfare Training Facility 50 miles east of San Diego.
NASCAR named Amy Lupo, who has been with the series since 2021 and helped launch the Coliseum, as president of the race. She spent more than 20 years at ESPN expanding the X Games when she lived in San Diego early in her career. She still lives in Southern California.
ANALYSIS: NASCAR’S INNOVATIVE RETURN TO SOCAL A SMART STEP FORWARD
NASCAR will return to Southern California in style in June 2026.
The NASCAR Cup Series’ second street race destination isn’t just the sport’s debut in the San Diego area, but also the site of the first race in NASCAR history to be held on a military installation.
It’s a move that would’ve seemed like something out of “The Twilight Zone” as recently as a decade ago. But three years of racing in downtown Chicago proved NASCAR could successfully have a race on a street course, and the exclusion of the Windy City on the 2026 schedule opened up the door for Naval Base Coronado to host the world’s premier stock-car racing series and take the mantle as the home of the lone street race on the schedule.
It’s another bold, new-age scheduling decision from NASCAR’s Ben Kennedy, the grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr.
“One of the ideas that we had several years ago was to race on a military base,” Kennedy said. “We’ve had a number of conversations with bases across the country. We also wanted to find a way to have a presence back here in the Southern California market.”
NASCAR has been out of the SoCal market for only a year, but it’s a noticeable absence. From 1997 to 2023, the NASCAR series made the trip to the California Speedway in Fontana, and from 2022 to 2024, the Clash was held at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
For an area of the country rich with car culture and racing history, NASCAR knew it needed to come back to Southern California. Coronado provided that opportunity.
“We started having conversations with Naval Base Coronado a couple years ago,” Kennedy said. “Frankly, pretty surprised we were able to keep a lot of it under wraps until recently. There’s much more work that’s going to happen over the next 11 months. We’re excited to get started with them, promoting this event, turn out what is going to be the biggest spectacle of all sports in 2026.”
NASCAR choosing to race in San Diego makes sense in a modern motorsports landscape focused on taking a racing product to major markets and potential new fans that otherwise wouldn’t seek it out. For instance, IndyCar is preparing to race in Arlington, Texas, in 2026 and seeks a date in Mexico City. Formula 1 is also looking to expand its footprint in the United States with races in Miami and Las Vegas.
But why a military installation? With the city streets of San Diego just across the San Diego Bay, why did NASCAR choose to hold the event at Coronado?
Enter the 250th birthday of the United States.
“We looked at a handful of military bases across the country,” Kennedy said. “We looked at different branches of the military as well. Naturally, it was a great fit for us being in San Diego, Coronado, the Southern California market. As I spoke about the location and backdrop of all of San Diego, being in this part of the country, the natural ties our fans and a lot of the folks in our industry have with the military and the men and women that fight for our freedom, give us the ability to do what we love to do every single day, it was a natural fit.”
Regardless of whether the race was held on Naval Base Coronado or downtown, it’s another opportunity for NASCAR to cater to new fans in a market otherwise devoid of big-league stock-car racing. For NASCAR Hall of Famer and El Cajon, Calif., native Jimmie Johnson, seeing a race in San Diego on the 2026 schedule is a surreal moment.
“I honestly didn’t think NASCAR would ever be able to race in San Diego,” said Johnson, a seven-time NASCAR champion and majority owner of LEGACY Motor Club. “Growing up in El Cajon, watching it develop and change so much, watching El Cajon Speedway sadly go away, it’s just a reality or thought of NASCAR in a traditional sense on an oval in San Diego, it just never seemed possible.”
How excited is Johnson about NASCAR having a race near his hometown? He may expand his driving schedule in 2026 and take it in behind the wheel.
“The desire to race in my hometown is off the charts,” Johnson said. “I will aggressively work on being in the event.”
On the surface, San Diego is a much-needed addition to the NASCAR schedule and a return to the Southern California market. If you dig deeper, it’s also the first in what could be a long line of experiments with regard to new, untapped markets that are being pursued by NASCAR.
Despite Mother Nature doing her best to spoil things with poor weather in Chicago, NASCAR did, at least, prove that it can put on a race in the middle of a major market and draw a crowd in the process. There are plenty of markets, both internationally and domestically, that NASCAR has yet to explore, and how fans react to NASCAR moving a street race to San Diego could determine how abruptly NASCAR chooses to explore those aforementioned unexplored markets.
NASCAR is keeping its options for street racing open in the future. When it was announced the Chicago Street Race wouldn’t return in 2026, the accompanying statement made it clear that the City of Chicago is interested in welcoming NASCAR back in 2027.
Kennedy did not comment regarding any long-term future for a race in San Diego, but at the very least, NASCAR can circle the San Diego race weekend in 2026 as the biggest marquee race on the schedule, save for the season-opening Daytona 500.
Per Kennedy, the 2026 NASCAR schedule is set to be released “within a couple weeks.” The San Diego race will be by far the most impactful addition to a slate that only gets bolder with each passing season.
–Samuel Stubbs, Field Level Media
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GOLF NEWS
LIV GOLF PLAYERS SLAM ‘MOCKERY’ OF WORLD RANKINGS SYSTEM
Lee Westwood’s tie for 34th at The Open Championship vaulted him 3,759 spots in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Now at No. 930, Westwood is now back ahead of his son, Sam, a mini-tour player who currently sits 2,759th. That served as Exhibit 1 for the Englishman’s rant against the world rankings system.
“I think that just proves that without world ranking points it makes a bit of a mockery of the system,” Westwood said on Wednesday ahead of this week’s LIV Golf UK event.
The comments came after the league re-applied for submission to the OWGR last month. That submission currently is under review.
LIV originally applied for accreditation in July of 2022, shortly after the league launched, but was denied. LIV golfers currently can only earn ranking points by competing in major championships and international tour events.
With limited ability to amass points via the DP World Tour and other tours, LIV players like Westwood have continued to plummet down the OWGR. Dustin Johnson, who spent 135 weeks at No. 1, dropped as low as 907th before a T23 last week vaulted him back up to 571st.
The current Top 50 includes only two LIV players: No. 16 Bryson DeChambeau and No. 21 Tyrrell Hatton of England.
Westwood applauds LIV’s recent second submission and believes that without earning OWGR, the four major championships will have to alter their processes to include more LIV players in the future.
“I think mainly it relates back to wanting the best players in the major championships, not wanting this conversation where there’s a few people missing out because we don’t get world ranking points on LIV,” he said.
“We either start to get world ranking points on LIV or the major championships have to revise their qualification system, which they seem — some of them seem to want to do but some seem reluctant to do, and they’d have to have a separate qualification system for LIV players, which I don’t think anybody particularly wants. You want it all to be based off the same system.”
That he was able to jump more than 3,000 spots based off a tie for 34th at one event speaks to the core issues Westwood has with the system. Jon Rahm’s issues with the OWGR pre-date joining LIV in December 2023, and supports a system that focuses more on key playing metrics.
“I already thought it was flawed before I ever came, and I was vocal about it,” he said. “So I think the last few years, even the world ranking itself and both Data Golf do a strokes gained ranking, and I think that much more reflects who truly is playing the best because the actual points being a two-year ranking, you can have a poor week or a poor three weeks, and that will hold you down for two whole years.
“It’s crazy how you can actually finesse a little bit of the system by playing certain weeks and not playing certain weeks and things like that. It’s always going to be somewhat accurate but not the most, and I think strokes gained usually is going to be the better representation of how truly everybody is playing.”
For now, LIV players will continue to tumble down the OWGR. Sure, they can accumulate some points on other tours outside of LIV events, but the next major isn’t until the Masters next April. And unless they are included in the OWGR, it will become increasingly difficult for LIV players to qualify for the four biggest tournaments each year.
LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil said earlier this month that he’s hopefully the approval process can progress ahead of the 2026 major season.
“I think there’s a lot of guys out here that you certainly want to be playing in majors. If there’s a better pathway for that for us, then that’s brilliant,” Hatton said.
“There’s a lot of guys out here, their current world ranking doesn’t really reflect the type of golfer that they are, and I think everyone would like to think everyone sitting here would agree with that statement.
“I guess the sooner the world rankings can become a little bit more realistic again, the better it is for golf.”
PLAYERS ANGLE FOR FEDEX CUP POINTS AT 3M OPEN
Most of the world’s elite golfers are taking the week off after the Open Championship, but for the second tier of PGA Tour players, it’s time to lock in and bolster their resumes.
With two weeks to go in the regular season, players will be all business at the 3M Open, beginning Thursday at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minn.
There’s no shortage of recognizable names in the field — Sam Burns, Wyndham Clark, South Korea’s Sungjae Im and Australia’s Adam Scott among them — as they try to stack up FedEx Cup points before the regular season concludes next week at the Wyndham Championship.
For Tony Finau, a former 3M Open champion, the stakes are certainly higher than usual. At No. 59 in the points race, he’s inside the top 70 who will qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs, but only the top 50 after the first playoff leg will advance. Finishing inside the top 50 also means access to next year’s signature events.
“Yeah, it’s definitely in the back of my mind because I know how important that top-50 number is,” Finau said Wednesday. “So it’s definitely something in the back of my mind, but that’s really where it is, it’s back. At the forefront of my mind this week is playing good golf … If you play good golf, it always — things always take care of themselves.”
Finau has played all six editions of the 3M Open and never finished worse than T28. Of his 24 rounds at the par-71, 7,431-yard TPC Twin Cities, he’s only shot worse than 70 once. Finau followed his breakthrough victory in 2022 with T7 and T12 finishes the past two years.
“Winning in ’22 is a highlight, but I’ve had some nice finishes,” Finau said. “It’s a golf course that I enjoy playing, usually yields some birdies and I always look forward to being back here in Minnesota.”
Lee Hodges set the tournament scoring record of 24-under 260 when he won in 2023, and Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas prevailed last year for his first victory on tour since 2017.
“To be honest, it’s been kind of nice to see a pretty solid field this week,” Vegas said. “And I mean, these tournaments are so important right now. I was talking to some other players early on where it doesn’t matter where you are in the standings right now, you’re always fighting for something, and with so many little tournaments before the playoffs now, especially this kind of few tournaments at the end of the season mean a lot.”
Something else the American players are fighting for right now: Ryder Cup points. The top six Americans in qualification points as of Aug. 17 will automatically make the team, and Keegan Bradley’s six captain’s picks are such a mystery that he’s widely expected to choose himself.
Finau, at No. 21 in those standings, has work to do to prove he belongs on the team. One spot below him is a recent surprise, Chris Gotterup.
The 26-year-old Gotterup won his second PGA Tour event two weeks ago at the Genesis Scottish Open, then contended at the Open Championship on the weekend before finishing a distant third to Scottie Scheffler. Still, it boosted him to No. 27 in the Official World Golf Ranking and No. 23 in the FedEx Cup race.
“Going over (to Europe) ranked 80th or whatever I was and coming back 20-whatever, I feel like I have a different set of circumstances in front of me,” Gotterup said. “I would like to get to (the Tour Championship at) East Lake and then, obviously, see what happens from there.”
GOLF GLANCE: RACE FOR FEDEXCUP POINTS HITS TWIN CITIES
Field Level Media’s Golf Glance provides weekly news and storylines from each of the major North American golf tours.
PGA TOUR
LAST TOURNAMENT: The Open Championship (Scottie Scheffler); Barracuda Championship (Ryan Gerard)
THIS WEEK: 3M Open, Blaine, Minn., July 24-27
Course: TPC Twin Cities (Par 71, 7,431 Yards)
Purse: $8.4M (Winner: $1.512M)
Defending Champion: Jhonattan Vegas
FedEx Cup leader: Scottie Scheffler
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday: 4-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS)
Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday: 8:15 a.m.-7 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday: 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
X: @3MOpen
NOTES: Only two events remain in the regular season, with the top 70 players in the FedExCup standings qualifying for the first leg. Notable names on the bubble in this week’s field include Rickie Fowler (No. 63), Gary Woodland (No. 78) and Adam Scott (No. 85) … TPC Twin Cities, which was designed by Arnold Palmer, will play host to the event for the seventh consecutive year. … Thirty-seven players in the field also competed in The Open Championship last week, led by Chris Gotterup (3rd), Haotong Li (T4) and Wyndham Clark (T4). Li’s finish earned him a spot in the 3M Open, where he will make his event debut. … Vegas is seeking to become the first player to successfully defend at the event. … Ole Miss senior Michael La Sasso, who won the 2025 NCAA Division I individual national championship, will make his first start on tour this season as a sponsor exemption. Meanwhile, former Oklahoma State star Preston Sout will make his PGA Tour debut. … Lee Hodges holds the tournament scoring record of 260 set in 2023.
BEST BETS: Chris Gotterup (+1800 at DraftKings) followed up his Scottish Open victory with a T3 at Royal Portrush to jump to No. 27 in the world rankings. … Sam Burns (+1800) is among the most accomplished players in the field with five career tour victories. He nearly claimed a sixth, finishing second at the Canadian Open and holding the 54-hole lead at the U.S. Open … Maverick McNealy (+2000) is the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 18. While he has yet to win on tour, he does have six top-10s this season and tied for third here in 2024. … Wyndham Clark (+2500) carded a final round 65 to tie for fourth at The Open. … Taylor Pendrith (+3000) has one PGA Tour title under his belt and finished fifth here last year.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: Wyndham Championship, Greensboro, N.C., July 31-Aug. 3
LPGA TOUR
LAST TOURNAMENT: Evian Championship (Grace Kim)
THIS WEEK: Women’s Scottish Open, Gailes, Ayrshire, Scotland, July 24-27
Course: Dundonald Links (Par 72)
Purse: $2M (Winner: $300,000)
Defending Champion: Lauren Coughlin
Race to the CME Globe leader: Jeeno Thitikul
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday: 4:30-8:30 a.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday: 8 a.m.-Noon (NBC Digital); Sunday: 7-11 a.m. (NBC Digital)
Streaming: NBC Sports App
X: @Womens_Scottish
NOTES: The event dates back to 1986 and has been co-sanctioned between the LPGA Tour and the LET starting in 2017. … The 144-player field includes World No. 1 Nelly Korda, No. 5 Minjee Lee and England’s Lottie Woad. Woad will be making her professional debut after securing the final point she needed through the LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway at the Evian Championship. … Scotland’s Hannah Darling will also make her professional debut as a sponsor exemption. … Charley Hull is in the field after withdrawing from the Evian Championship due to an illness that saw her collapse on the tee box.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: AIG Women’s Open, Porthcawl, Mid Glamorgan, Wales
LIV GOLF LEAGUE
LAST TOURNAMENT: LIV Golf Andalucia (Individual: Talor Gooch; Team: Legion XIII)
THIS WEEK: LIV Golf UK, United Kingdom, July 26-28
Course: JCB Golf & Country Club (Par 71, 7,276 Yards)
Purse: Individual $20M (Winner: $4M); Team: $5M (Winners: $3M)
Defending Champions: Individual: Jon Rahm; Team: Legion XIII
Season Leaders: Individual: Joaquin Niemann; Team: Crushers GC
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV/Streaming: Friday-Sunday: 8:05 a.m. ET (FOX, LIV Golf Plus)
X: @livgolf_league
NOTES: This is the 11th of 13 events on the 2025 schedule, which will be followed by the Team Championship. … LIV returns to the UK for the fourth consecutive year, with the JCB Golf and Country Club playing host to its second event. Six players in the field hail from England … The field consists of 13 four-player teams competing in daily shotgun starts over 54 holes. Each team’s top three scores are counted for each round. … Niemann is the only player with multiple individual titles this season, having won four of the first 10 events, and leads the all-time LIV list with six. … Legion XIII has won seven of its first 20 tournaments and has reached the podium five other times.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: LIV Golf Chicago, Aug. 8-10
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
LAST TOURNAMENT: Dick’s Open (Steve Allen)
THIS WEEK: ISPS Handa Senior Open, Berkshire, England, July 24-27
Course: Sunningdale GC (Par 70, 6,682 Yards)
Purse: $TBD
Defending Champion: K.J. Choi
Charles Schwab Cup leader: Miguel Angel Jimenez
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday: 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday: 8:30 a.m.-Noon (GC), Noon-2 p.m. (NBC)
X: @euLegendsTour
NOTES: This is the final major of the season, with the event returning to Sunningdale for the first time since 2021 when Wales’ Stephen Dodd won. … Jimenez leads the tour with four victories this year, including his second career major title. … The 144-player field includes seven World Golf Hall of Fame members, including four-time champion Bernhard Langer and two-time Open champions Ernie Els and Padraig Harrington.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: Boeing Classic, Snoqualmie, Wash., Aug. 8-10
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MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
MESSI AND ALBA SKIP MLS ALL-STAR GAME, COULD FACE SUSPENSIONS
Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba won’t participate in Wednesday night’s MLS All-Star Game despite being voted into the roster.
The Inter Miami pair wasn’t included when MLS confirmed the final All-Star squad to face the best of Liga MX.
League rules state that opting out of the All-Star Game without an approved medical reason can result in a one-game suspension, according to ESPN’s Lizzy Becherano. MLS will reportedly talk to Inter Miami before deciding on Messi’s and Alba’s availability for Saturday’s league visit from FC Cincinnati.
Messi, who didn’t feature in the 2024 MLS All-Star Game due to an ankle injury, is in exceptional form. The 38-year-old attacker scored eight goals and assisted twice across his past five MLS matches, helping Miami win four of its five outings since its last-16 elimination by Paris Saint-Germain at the Club World Cup.
The Herons are fifth in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference.
Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano admitted last week that he would prefer Messi and Alba rested rather than played in the showpiece match amid a demanding regular season, but he said the decision was out of his hands. “I know how important the All-Star (Game) is, and as far as I know, there is no decision from the club, everything is as normal,” Mascherano said.
Austin FC boss Nico Estevez, who will oversee the MLS All-Star team, said Tuesday that he didn’t yet know whether Messi would feature in the game, but the coach would welcome having “the best player in history” at his disposal.
“I’m always very optimistic with everything. And why not? I hope that he can be here,” Estevez said, as quoted by Reuters.
Messi and Nashville SC’s Sam Surridge are the joint top scorers in the 2025 MLS campaign with 18 goals.
MLS ALL-STARS, MINUS LIONEL MESSI, DEFEAT LIGA MX ALL-STARS
Major League Soccer joint leading scorer Sam Surridge of Nashville SC scored in the first half to help the MLS All-Stars to a 3-1 victory over their Liga MX foes despite the absence of Lionel Messi in the All-Star Game on Wednesday night in Austin, Texas.
The Philadelphia Union’s Tai Baribo added the eventual winner early in the second half, and the Vancouver Whitecaps’ Brian White provided late insurance for MLS, which won for the third time in four All-Star Games played in this format since 2021.
Tijuana’s 16-year-old Gilberto Mora pulled a goal back later in the second half for Liga MX and became the youngest goal-scorer in the event’s history. Earlier this month, he became the youngest player ever to win a senior continental international title as part of Mexico’s CONCACAF Gold Cup championship squad.
Surridge and Inter Miami’s Messi each have 18 league goals. It was uncertain all week whether Messi would play on Wednesday, but the 38-year-old, eight-time Ballon d’Or winner did not appear. His Miami teammate, Jordi Alba, also missed the exhibition.
Per MLS rules, Messi and Alba would face a one-game suspension for skipping the All-Star Game, which would see them miss a home match against FC Cincinnati on Saturday. However, MLS commissioner Don Garber said Wednesday that no decision on suspensions had been made.
Surridge opened the scoring in the 28th minute on a chance created by Los Angeles FC’s Denis Bouanga, who beat the Liga MX defense with his pace but saw his initial effort denied by Club America goalkeeper Luis Malagon.
Bouanga reached the rebound, then bent in a diagonal cross toward the 6-yard box, where Surridge met it with a downward header that beat Malagon.
Baribo, who has 14 regular-season goals this year, four behind Messi and Surridge in the MLS Golden Boot race, doubled the advantage in the 51st minute. He reached a cross from the left by Columbus’ Diego Rossi and beat Cruz Azul goalie Kevin Mier from about 15 yards out.
Mora pulled a goal back in the 64th minute, but White made sure of the MLS win in the 80th minute.
The New England Revolution’s Carles Gil was exceptional in setting up the attack for the final goal, maneuvering out of traffic at midfield before playing in the San Jose Earthquakes’ Cristian Espinoza down the left. The Chicago Fire’s Philip Zinckernagel provided the final pass for White’s tap-in from close range.
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TOP INDIANA HEADLINES/PRESS RELEASES
INDIANA FEVER
GAME PREVIEW: FEVER HOST ACES ON THURSDAY NIGHT
Indiana Fever vs Las Vegas Aces
Thursday, July 24
Gainbridge Fieldhouse | 7:00 p.m. ET
Find Tickets »
Broadcast Information
TV: Amazon/WTHR/Fever Direct
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan
Probable Starters
Indiana Fever (12-12)
Guard – Aari McDonald
Guard – Kelsey Mitchell
Forward – Sophie Cunningham
Forward – Natasha Howard
Center – Aliyah Boston
Las Vegas Aces (12-11)
Guard – Chelsea Gray
Guard – Jewell Loyd
Guard – Jackie Young
Forward – NaLyssa Smith
Center – A’ja Wilson
GAME PREVIEW:
The Fever (12-12) return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday to host the Las Vegas Aces (12-11). The Fever and Aces have split a pair of games so far this season, with both teams winning on their home floor. Most recently, Indiana thumped Las Vegas 81-54 on July 3.
Indiana has dropped its last two contests, both losses in New York to the Liberty on either side of the All-Star break. The Fever actually led 67-60 over the defending WNBA champions with a little over two minutes remaining in the third quarter on Tuesday, but the Liberty reeled off 15 unanswered points to surge ahead and never relinquished the lead en route to a 98-84 win.
All-Star guard Kelsey Mitchell had a big night on Tuesday, scoring 29 points on 11-of-21 shooting, her second-highest scoring output of the season.
The Aces have won three straight games to surge above .500. Three-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson continues to lead the Las Vegas attack. Wilson ranks second in the WNBA in scoring at 22.4 points per game, second in rebounding (9.3 per contest), and first in blocks (2.4 per game). Wilson has been on a tear during Las Vegas’ win streak, recording three straight double-doubles and averaging 31.7 points and 12.7 rebounds over that span.
Beyond Wilson, Jackie Young averages 16.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists for Las Vegas. Chelsea Gray contributes 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game, while Jewell Loyd adds 11 points and 4.3 rebounds.
The Fever will debut their relaunched special edition ‘Stranger Things’ uniforms on Thursday.
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INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
INDIANS SEVEN-RUN FIFTH INNING TAKES DOWN TOLEDO
INDIANAPOLIS – A seven-run fifth inning carried the Indianapolis Indians to a 9-6 win over the Toledo Mud Hens on Wednesday night at Victory Field. It tied their single-inning season high in runs, also scoring seven in the seventh inning on June 6 at Memphis.
After Toledo (12-11, 51-47) plated four runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 4-1 lead, the Indians (16-7, 58-39) stormed back with seven runs in the bottom half. 12 Indians batters came to the plate in the inning. After Alika Williams grounded out, Indy strung together three consecutive singles to load the bases with Shawn Ross, Tsung-Che Cheng and Ronny Simon reaching, respectively. Ji Hwan Bae drove home the first run of the rally with an RBI walk to cut the deficit to 4-2. Nick Solak then cleared the bases with a go-ahead, three-run double.
When Woo-Suk Go replaced starting pitcher Devin Smeltzer (L, 0-1) after Solak’s double, Billy Cook deposited Go’s first pitch into the center field shrubbery for a 415-foot, two-run homer. Cam Devanney then struck out for the second out, but the Indians mighty rally was not finished. Jared Triolo walked, Williams singled, and Ross doubled home Triolo for an 8-4 advantage to conclude the game-winning flurry.
Indianapolis opened the scoring the first inning on an RBI single by Solak that scored Bae, after he had walked and stolen second base. The game remained 1-0 until the fifth inning when the Mud Hens plated four runs, capped by Jace Jung’s two-run homer. The Indians punched right back with seven runs to follow.
Toledo began chipping away, scoring a run in the sixth and seventh innings to cut the Indians lead to 8-6. Cook put things to rest with an insurance run in the eighth inning for a 9-6 lead, smacking an RBI single up the middle for his third hit of the day.
RHP Sean Sullivan started the Indians bullpen game, tossing 3.0 shutout frames, with six Indy pitchers combining for the win. Colin Holderman (W, 1-1) allowed one run, tossing 1.1 innings in relief with two walks and three strikeouts. Smeltzer allowed six runs on eight hits across 4.1 innings for Toledo.
Solak extended his on-base streak to 30 games, the longest by an Indians batter since Keon Broxton’s 34-game run from July 3-Aug. 11, 2015. Cook homered in three straight for the first time since June 14-16, 2024, with Norfolk. All nine Indians position players reached base safely in the contest and eight of them collected one-plus hit.
The Indians and Mud Hens continue their six-game series at Victory Field on Thursday night at 7:05 PM. RHP Bubba Chandler (4-3, 3.27) takes the mound for the Indians and Toledo is yet to name a starting pitcher.
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NOTRE DAME MEN’S BASKETBALL
IRISH ANNOUNCE 2025-26 NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – On Wednesday, the Notre Dame men’s basketball program released its 2025-26 non-conference slate, which features eight games inside Purcell Pavilion, two new home-and-home series against P4 opponents and a return to Las Vegas for the highly competitive 2025 Players Era Festival.
First, mark your calendars for November 3 because that’s when the Fighting Irish will kickstart their 2025-26 campaign when they host LIU Brooklyn inside Purcell Pavilion. It’s also not the first time men’s hoops will begin a season against the Sharks, for they did so at the start of the 2007-08 season, which marked the last time these two squared off. LIU Brooklyn finished second in the Northeast Conference last year and returns three starters from that squad.
Notre Dame will stay at home for the next two games, hosting Detroit Mercy on November 7 and then Eastern Illinois on November 11. It’ll mark the first ever meeting against the Panthers.
The Blue & Gold then hit the road for the first time, traveling to Columbus to take on Ohio State on Nov. 15. This marks the start of a home-and-home series, with the Buckeyes traveling to South Bend for the 2026-27 season. Last season, OSU went 17-15 overall and 9-11 in Big Ten play.
Next, Notre Dame makes a quick pit stop back home to challenge Bellarmine on Nov. 19 before jetting off to Las Vegas for the 2025 Players Era Men’s Championship.
Returning to the MGM Grand Garden Arena for the second consecutive year, the Irish will commence Players Era Festival play with Kansas on Nov. 24. ND and KU have not clashed since January of 1988. The Irish own a 9-3 advantage in the all-time series.
The very next day, the Irish will seek revenge against an opponent from last year’s Players Era – Rutgers. In a game in which All-ACC guard Markus Burton went down with an injury, the Scarlet Knights edged the Irish in overtime, 84-85.
Notre Dame’s third opponent in Vegas will be determined off of win-losses and point differential.
The ACC/SEC Challenge kickstarts December basketball, and for the first time in its three-year history, the Irish will get to play this game inside Purcell Pavilion. Notre Dame will look to garner its first Challenge win when it hosts Mizzou on Dec. 2.
The last road non-con will see Notre Dame head jet south to TCU on December 5, beginning another home-and-home with the Horned Frogs returning the trip to Purcell for 2026-27. It’ll be the program’s first trip to Fort Worth with a 5-0 mark in the all-time series. The year prior, TCU achieved a 16-16 record with a 9-11 mark in Big 12 play.
The Fighting Irish will conclude their non-conference slate with three straight home games, starting with Idaho on December 10, followed by Evansville on December 13, and then Purdue Fort Wayne on December 21.
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BUTLER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
MATCHUPS REVEALED FOR 2025 ELEVANCE HEALTH WOMEN’S FORT MYERS TIP-OFF
Matchups for the 2025 Elevance Health Women’s Fort Myers Tip-Off have been revealed, featuring eight nationally televised contests taking place Nov. 28 and 29 at Suncoast Credit Union Arena on the campus of Florida SouthWestern State College. Butler’s first game will be played against Dayton on Nov. 28 at 5 p.m. The next day, Butler will face Georgia at 5 p.m.
All games will be nationally televised by ION with distribution on cable, satellite, major streaming platforms and over-the-air.
Travel packages for fans looking to join their favorite team in sunny Southwest Florida are now available and can be secured by visiting www.womensfortmyerstipoff.com/travel. Event travel packages include tickets to all games of either the Island or Shell Division, hotel accommodations at one of our host hotels and parking at the venue.
The complete Elevance Health Women’s Fort Myers Tip-Off schedule can be found below:
| Date | Division | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV |
| Nov. 28 | Shell | Abilene Christian vs. Northwestern | 11 a.m. | ION |
| Nov. 28 | Shell | Missouri vs. Bradley | 1:30 p.m. | ION |
| Nov. 28 | Island | Butler vs. Dayton | 5 p.m. | ION |
| Nov. 28 | Island | Kansas vs. Georgia | 7:30 p.m. | ION |
| Nov. 29 | Shell | Abilene Christian vs. Bradley | 11 a.m. | ION |
| Nov. 29 | Shell | Missouri vs. Northwestern | 1:30 p.m. | ION |
| Nov. 29 | Island | Butler vs. Georgia | 5 p.m. | ION |
| Nov. 29 | Island | Kansas vs. Dayton | 7:30 p.m. | ION |
Elevance Health Women’s Fort Myers Tip-Off Matchup History
Nov. 28 Games
Abilene Christian vs. Northwestern
Series Record: First meeting
Notable: Northwestern’s Joe McKeown and Abilene Christian’s Julie Goodenough have combined for more than 1300 wins in their careers.
Missouri vs. Bradley
Series Record: Missouri leads Bradley, 10-3.
Last Meeting: Nov. 10, 2022 – Missouri won, 83-38.
Notable: Missouri has won 8 of the last 10 meetings in the series.
Butler vs. Dayton
Series Record: Dayton leads Butler, 15-9
Last Meeting: Jan. 12, 2013 – Dayton won, 82-39.
Notable: The Flyers have won the last three meetings in the series … 16 of the previous matchups came as conference foes.
Kansas vs. Georgia
Series Record: Tied, 1-1.
Last Meeting: Dec. 28, 1993 – Kansas won, 92-79.
Notable: The teams first met in the 1987 NCAA Tournament, a game won by Georgia.
Nov. 29 Games
Abilene Christian vs. Bradley
Series Record: First meeting
Notable: This will be the first-ever meeting between the programs.
Missouri vs. Northwestern
Series Record: Missouri leads, 3-2
Last Meeting: Dec. 3, 2011 – Northwestern won, 74-70.
Notable: The Wildcats have won the last two meetings in the series … this will be the first neutral-site matchup in the series.
Butler vs. Georgia
Series Record: Georgia leads Butler, 1-0.
Last Meeting: Nov. 29, 2019 – Georgia won, 69-36.
Notable: The only prior meeting was at a neutral site (Daytona Beach) in 2019, where Georgia prevailed.
Kansas vs. Dayton
Series Record: First meeting
Notable: This will be the first-ever meeting between the programs … Dayton head coach Tamika Williams-Jeter was a Kansas assistant from 2008-11
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“SPORTS EXTRA”
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
July 24
1909 — Nap Rucker of the Brooklyn Dodgers struck out 16 batters in a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
1931 — In an 8-7 loss to Pittsburgh, Babe Herman of Brooklyn hit for the cycle for the second time in the season.
1947 — Jackie Robinson stole home for the first time in his major league career in the Brooklyn Dodgers’ 4-2 win over Pittsburgh.
1948 — Chicago White Sox outfielder Pat Seerey become the first major leaguer to strike out seven times in a doubleheader.
1949 — Cleveland pitcher Bob Lemon hit two home runs to lead the Indians to a 7-5 victory over the Washington Senators in the opener of a doubleheader.
1968 — Hoyt Wilhelm of the Chicago White Sox passed Cy Young’s major league record when he made his 907th appearance. He retired with 1,070 appearances.
1973 — Bobby Bonds homered and doubled to lead the NL to a 7-1 rout of the AL in the All-Star game at Kansas City.
1983 — The “Pine Tar” home run was hit by the Kansas City Royals’ George Brett off New York pitcher Rich Gossage at Yankee Stadium. Brett’s shot came with two outs in the top of the ninth to give the Royals a 5-4 lead. Brett’s homer was ruled an out because the amount of pine tar exceeded what was allowed. After a protest by the Royals, the final out and the Yankees’ half of the ninth was completed on Aug. 18.
1993 — Anthony Young of the New York Mets extended his record losing streak to 27 games when he walked in the winning run in the 10th inning for a 5-4 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
1999 — In their biggest victory in 46 years, the New York Yankees routed the Cleveland Indians 21-1 as Chili Davis went 5-for-6 with six RBIs.
2010 — Tampa Bay won in Cleveland for the first time in nearly five years. The Rays snapped an 18-game losing streak with a 6-3 win against the Indians. Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon snapped an 0-21 personal losing streak as the visiting manager that began when he was the Angels interim manager in 1996.
2016 — Ken Griffey, Jr. and Mike Piazza are inducted into the Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Cooperstown, NY. Griffey obtained the highest percentage of the vote ever – 99.3% – in being elected in his first year of eligibility by the BBWAA, while Piazza made it on his fourth try. A crowd estimated at 50,000, the second-largest ever at Cooperstown, is on hand to witness the event.
2022 — The induction ceremony is held for the Class of 2022 at the Hall of Fame. Three of the seven men inducted – David Ortiz, Jim Kaat and Tony Oliva – are present to receive the honor. The others, all deceased, are represented by relatives – Gil Hodges, Minnie Minoso and Buck O’Neil – while Dave Winfield introduces 19th century black baseball pioneer Bud Fowler. Over 35,000 persons are present in Cooperstown, NY to witness the ceremony, and Dominican flags and Boston Red Sox gear, in honor of Ortiz, are well in evidence in the crowd.
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TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
July 24
1908 — John Hayes wins the Olympic marathon in a record of 2 hours, 55 minutes, 18.4 seconds. Italian Dorando Pietri is the first athlete to enter the stadium, but collapses several times before being disqualified when officials help him across the line.
1931 — Paavo Nurmi sets the world record at 2 miles in a meet at Helsinki, Finland, with a time of 8:59.6.
1960 — Jay Hebert beats Jim Ferrier by one stroke to win the PGA golf tournament.
1967 — Don January wins a playoff by two strokes over Don Massengale to win the PGA championship.
1970 — The International Lawn Tennis Association institutes the nine-point tiebreaker rule.
1976 — John Naber of the United States becomes the first swimmer to break the 2-minute barrier in the 200-meter backstroke at the Olympics in Montreal.
1976 — Mac Wilkins of the United States sets an Olympic record in the discus with a toss of 224 feet in Montreal.
1977 — Hollis Stacy wins the U.S. Women’s Open golf championship by two strokes over Nancy Lopez.
1979 — Boston Red Sox Carl Yastrzemski hits his 400th HR.
1998 — Tour de France riders, angered by the drug scandal that has dominated the event, protest by delaying the start of racing for two hours. Armin Meier, a member of the Festina team who was kicked off the tour the previous week, admits to a French radio station that he used a banned drug.
2005 — Lance Armstrong wins his seventh consecutive Tour de France. All of the titles are stripped in 2012 for doping.
2008 — Nancy Lieberman makes a one-game appearance for the Detroit Shock after the 50-year-old Hall-of-Famer signed a seven-day contract earlier in the day. Lieberman, finishes with two assists and two turnovers, surpassing her own record as the oldest player in WNBA history. Lieberman held the record playing at age 39 in 1997 while playing for the Phoenix Mercury.
2009 — Ron Hornaday Jr. holds off a late challenge from Mike Skinner to win the AAA Insurance 200, making him the first driver in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series to win four consecutive races.
2010 — Fourteen-year-old Jim Liu of Smithtown, N.Y., beats Justin Thomas of Goshen, Ky., 4 and 2 to become the youngest U.S. Junior Amateur champion. Liu, who turns 15 next month, is more than six months younger than Tiger Woods when he won the first of his three consecutive U.S. Junior Amateur titles in 1991.
2011 — Cadel Evans wins the Tour de France, becoming the first Australian champion in cycling’s greatest race.
2014 — Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice receives a two-game suspension from the NFL following his offseason arrest for domestic violence. The six-year veteran was arrested following a Feb. 15 altercation in Atlantic City, New Jersey, with then-fiancee Janay Palmer.
2016 — Chris Froome celebrates his third Tour de France title in four years. The British rider finishes safely at the back of the main pack during the final stage, arm-in-arm with his teammates during the mostly ceremonial final stage ending on the Champs-Elysees. Froome, who also won the Tour in 2013 and 2015, becomes the first rider to defend the title since Miguel Indurain won the last of his five straight in 1995. Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven consecutive titles for doping.
2019 — 19-year-old Hungarian swimmer Kristof Milak breaks Michael Phelps’ 10-year-old 200m butterfly record in a time of 1:50.73, 0.78s faster than Phelps.
2020 — The Toronto Blue Jays name Sahlen Field in Buffalo, N.Y. as their temporary home field for the season.
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TV SPORTS
(All times Eastern)
Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts
Thursday, July 24
AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL (MEN’S)
5:05 a.m. (Friday)
FS2 — AFL: Western at Essendon
AUTO RACING
6:25 a.m. (Friday)
ESPN2 — Formula 1: Practice, Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot, Belgium
CFL FOOTBALL
9 p.m.
CBSSN — Montreal at Calgary
CYCLING
6 a.m.
PEACOCK — UCI: The Tour de France, Stage 18, Vif / Courchevel Col de la Loze, France
GOLF
4:30 a.m.
GOLF — LPGA Tour: The ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open, First Round, Dundonald Links, North Ayrshire, Scotland
8:30 a.m.
GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: The ISPS HANDA Senior Open, First Round, Sunningdale Golf Club (Old Course), Berkshire, England
4 p.m.
GOLF — PGA Tour: The 3M Open, First Round, TPC Twin Cities, Blaine, Minn.
4:30 a.m. (Friday)
GOLF — LPGA Tour: The ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open, Second Round, Dundonald Links, North Ayrshire, Scotland
HORSE RACING
1 p.m.
FS2 — NYRA: Saratoga Live
LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL
10 a.m.
ESPN — Little League Softball Southeast Regional: TBD, Warner Robins, Ga.
Noon
ESPN — Little League Softball New England Regional: TBD, Bristol, Conn.
1:45 p.m.
ESPN — Little League Softball Central Regional: TBD, Whitestown, Ind.
3:30 p.m.
ESPN — Little League Softball Southwest Regional: TBD, Waco, Texas
5:15 p.m.
ESPN — Little League Softball Northwest Regional: TBD, San Bernardino, Calif.
7 p.m.
ESPN — Little League Softball Mid-Atlantic Regional: TBD, Bristol, Conn.
8:45 p.m.
ESPN — Little League Softball West Regional: TBD, San Bernardino, Calif.
MLB BASEBALL
1 p.m.
MLBN — Baltimore at Cleveland (1:10 p.m.)
6:30 p.m.
MLBN — Regional Coverage: Toronto at Detroit (6:40 p.m.) OR Athletics at Houston (8:10 p.m.)
9:30 p.m.
MLBN — Regional Coverage: Seattle at L.A. Angels (9:35 p.m.) OR Athletics at Houston (8:10 p.m.)
RUGBY (MEN’S)
5:45 a.m.
FS2 — NRL: Melbourne at Sydney
SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
7:50 p.m.
FS2 — Conmebol Copa America Group Stage: Chile vs. Uruguay, Group A, Quito, Ecuador
7:55 p.m.
FS1 — Conmebol Copa America Group Stage: Ecuador vs. Argentina, Group A, Quito, Ecuador
TENNIS
5 a.m.
TENNIS — Kitzbuhel-ATP & Prague-WTA Quarterfinals
6 a.m.
TENNIS — Kitzbuhel-ATP & Prague-WTA Quarterfinals
11 a.m.
TENNIS — Washington-ATP/WTA Early Rounds
WNBA BASKETBALL
7 p.m.
PRIME VIDEO — Las Vegas at Indiana
