v Page 218 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Star turn: 10 MLB players poised for '26 breakout
If you like to watch rookies and other young players on the verge of breaking out in Major League Baseball, it's a good time to be a fan. ,With Opening Day upon us, let's take a quick look at 10 players (rookies and others) who are on the verge of making a big name for themselves in MLB.,RHP Shane B...

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, champion Dodgers take aim at D-backs
The Los Angeles Dodgers will start the defense of their second consecutive championship the same way they ended an electric World Series in November, with right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound.,Attempting to become the first three-peat World Series champion since the New York Yankees from 199...

NFL-backed flag football event averaged approx. 650K viewers
The Fanatics Flag Football Classic didn't exactly resonate with the masses this past weekend, as it drew an average television audience of 641,000 on Fox for the round-robin competition.,The title game didn't draw much better, averaging 649,000, per FrontOfficeSports.com.,It likely did itself no fav...

Embracing youth movement, Cardinals set for opener vs. Rays
The St. Louis Cardinals will look a lot younger when they host the Tampa Bay Rays on Opening Day on Thursday afternoon.,The Cardinals traded veterans Nolan Arenado (Arizona Diamondbacks), Willson Contreras (Boston Red Sox) and Brendan Donovan (Seattle Mariners) for prospects during the offseason, le...

Eugenio Suarez begins second stint with Reds vs. Red Sox
Two of the most historically rich teams in professional baseball will open the 2026 season Thursday as the Cincinnati Reds host the Boston Red Sox.,Both teams have loftier goals in 2026 after being eliminated in the wild-card round of the playoffs last season.,The Reds, who were swept by the eventua...
Why the 2026 NBA Awards Could Be Vulnerable to Gambling Influence
A provocative look at the NBA Rookie of the Year race and how gambling concerns could raise questions about awards voting....

Tarik Skubal, confident Tigers set sights on Padres
Opening Day usually is about beginnings, hopes and dreams.,But for the Detroit Tigers in general and left-hander Tarik Skubal in particular, Thursday's season opener at the San Diego Padres might be about the beginning of the end as much as the start of a new season.,Unless Detroit breaks the bank a...

Report: Revs acquire F Marcos Zambrano on loan from RSL
The New England Revolution are acquiring forward Marcos Zambrano on loan from Real Salt Lake, The Athletic reported on Wednesday.,The deal includes a purchase option for Zambrano, who was part of the U.S. squad coached by Revolution head coach Marko Mitrovic at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup. ,Zambran...

Astros carry high expectations into opener vs. Angels
The Houston Astros missed the playoffs last season for the first time in nine years, something with which the Los Angeles Angels have become familiar over the past 11 seasons.,Both teams will try to get the 2026 season off to a good start on Thursday when the Astros host the Angels in the opener of ...

Orioles, Twins hope new managers lead to contending seasons
There'll be a double dose of managerial debuts when the Minnesota Twins visit the Baltimore Orioles for Thursday's opener.,Derek Shelton will be in his first game in charge of the Twins. New Orioles skipper Craig Albernaz is in his first managerial role.,Shelton was fired by Pittsburgh last May and ...

Reports: Brad Stevens turns down North Carolina overtures
Brad Stevens plans to continue to pilot the front office of the Boston Celtics and declined to interview for the coaching vacancy at North Carolina, according to CBS Sports. ,The former Butler coach hasn't had a sideline role since 2021 but reportedly was among high-profile targets of the Tar Heels ...

Yankees option Luis Gil; OF Randal Grichuk on Opening Day roster
Yankees right-hander Luis Gil will begin the season at Triple-A, and outfielder Randal Grichuk was added to the New York roster ahead of Opening Day in San Francisco on Wednesday. ,Gil, 27, had an erratic spring but threw well on March 20 with seven strikeouts in five innings against the Baltimore O...

Cubs embrace expectations as Nationals visit for Opening Day
After ending a four-year playoff drought last season, the Chicago Cubs enter 2026 with added expectations.,In manager Craig Counsell's mind, that also should increase the clubhouse's penchant for staying in the moment.,"It's not easy to get to a place like this. It's not easy to get to a roster like...

Distillery sues LIV Golf, alleges trademark infringement
A New York distillery is accusing LIV Golf of violating state and federal trademark laws over its use of the "LIV" name to sell alcohol and apparel.,Long Island Spirits Inc. filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York this week, asking the court to order LIV to st...
Three MLB Teams Facing Regression in 2026
The Brewers, Guardians, and Blue Jays could be headed for regression in 2026—here’s why these playoff teams may fall short....

Brewers, White Sox entrust Opening Day to young All-Star flamethrowers
The Milwaukee Brewers will turn to hard-throwing right-hander Jacob Misiorowski when they open defense of their National League Central Division title against the visiting Chicago White Sox on Thursday afternoon.,Misiorowski (5-3, 4.36 ERA in 2025), an All-Star selection last season as a rookie afte...

Freddy Peralta vs. Paul Skenes headlines Mets-Pirates opener
The New York Mets were expected to overhaul their roster following a disappointing 2025.,The Pittsburgh Pirates responding to their latest sub-.500 finish in similar fashion qualified as a far bigger surprise.,A pair of retooled teams will open the season Thursday afternoon when the Mets host the Pi...

Spiraling Mavericks face tall order vs. Nikola Jokic, Nuggets
The Dallas Mavericks have fallen on tough times, and their season likely won't get any easier when they visit the surging Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.,Dallas (23-49) has lost four games in a row and 23 of its last 27 to plummet firmly into a lottery position with three weeks left in the season...

Called out for leaky defense, Cavaliers take aim at Heat
The Cleveland Cavaliers have won four games in a row and sit in firm possession of fourth place in the Eastern Conference.,Still, Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson was in a foul mood Tuesday following the team's 136-131 victory over the Orlando Magic.,Cleveland will attempt to extend its winning streak...

Shot-starved Rangers search for offense vs. Maple Leafs
The New York Rangers know they need to take more shots on goal Wednesday night when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs.,The Rangers (28-34-9, 65 points) managed only 10 shots on goal Monday in a 2-1 home loss to the Ottawa Senators.,They will catch the Maple Leafs (30-29-13, 73 points) on the second...