Sports
49ers, Cardinals to end season with backups in starting roles
Dec 30, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joshua Dobbs (5) scores a touchdown against the Detroit Lions during the fourth quarter at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images Out of the postseason race, the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals are preparing to start backups because of injuries for their season-ending matchup Sunday in Glendale, Ariz.
San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan announced Wednesday that Joshua Dobbs will start at quarterback in place of Brock Purdy, who suffered a right elbow contusion with nerve inflammation in Monday’s 40-34 loss to the visiting Detroit Lions.
Dobbs, who played eight games for the Cardinals (7-9) last season while Kyler Murray nursed a knee injury, finished Monday’s game for San Francisco (6-10).
He played five snaps, completing three of four pass attempts for 35 yards and rushing for a 7-yard touchdown.
Brandon Allen started for Purdy earlier in the season in a 38-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers when the latter was out with a shoulder injury.
“(Dobbs has) been great, him and Brandon,” Shanahan said. “They’ve been two good guys to have there. They both have given really good looks in the scout team.
“They split reps, and they’re always ready. They both prepare like they’re going to be the starter every week. They’ve been great.”
Tight end George Kittle (ankle, hamstring), wide receiver Deebo Samuel (ribs, wrist) and defensive end Nick Bosa (knee) were noted non-participants in practice through Wednesday.
Arizona placed running back James Conner (knee) on injured reserve this week and signed Michael Carter off the practice squad. Rookie running back Trey Benson (ankle) was also placed on injured reserve, with offensive lineman Nick Leverett signed from the practice squad to fill the roster vacancy.
Carter played the last two games because of the injuries to Conner and Benson and totaled 88 yards on 18 carries and seven receptions for 41 yards.
DeeJay Dallas, the only other running back on the 53-man roster, is likely to get carries. Arizona also has Tony Jones Jr. and Hassan Hall on its practice squad.
“They all have their roles, but (Carter’s) going to get a bunch of carries, I’m sure,” Arizona coach Jonathan Gannon said.
The teams last met in Santa Clara, Calif., on Oct. 6, when the Cardinals improved to 2-3 with a 24-23 win.
After losing the next week at Green Bay, Arizona won four consecutive games to improve to 6-4 and stand atop the NFC West going into its bye week.
However, the Cardinals have lost five of their last six, including two against division rival Seattle Seahawks, to fall out of playoff contention.
Murray is coming off a 33-completion, 321-yard performance against the host Los Angeles Rams but had two interceptions in the 13-9 loss.
Arizona’s lone touchdown was a 1-yard completion from Murray to Trey McBride, who caught his first score this season. He finished with 12 catches for 123 yards.
“I think for me, and any player in general, going into the last game and the offseason, I think it’s big to feel good about your last performance,” Murray said. “Me, personally, I would like to go into the offseason playing well and have that on my mind.”
Shanahan mentioned that although 11 San Francisco players missed practices this week and receiver Ricky Pearsall (illness, chest) and safety Ji’Ayir Brown (ankle) were limited, the last game is not viewed as a way to get reps for younger players.
“Rosters aren’t built like that,” Shanahan said. “You get to sit five to seven guys. You can sit seven if you bring up two practice squad guys. You don’t just sit there and tell every guy who is a veteran he’s going to be the backup and play special teams.
“We don’t have rosters like that really anywhere. You’ve got to balance it out to make sure you’ve got 48 guys who can play.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Casey Mize fires 6-plus strong innings as Tigers handle Brewers
Apr 22, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers third baseman Kevin McGonigle (7) hits an RBI double against the Milwaukee Brewers in the fifth inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images Spencer Torkelson hit his first homer of the season, a two-run shot, and Kerry Carpenter added a solo blast as the host Detroit Tigers downed the Milwaukee Brewers 5-2 on Wednesday.
Torkelson, who hit 31 homers last season, made a winner of starter Casey Mize. In six-plus innings, Mize (2-1) gave up one run and three hits while walking three and striking out seven.
Kenley Jansen escaped a ninth-inning jam to record his sixth save.
Detroit’s Riley Greene had two hits and scored a run, Colt Keith supplied two hits and an RBI and Kevin McGonigle scored a run and knocked in another.
DL Hall served as an opener for the Brewers. He tossed two scoreless innings before Chad Patrick (1-1) took over. Patrick allowed four runs and six hits in four innings, with one walk and two strikeouts.
William Contreras and Jake Bauers knocked in Milwaukee’s runs in the middle game of a three-game series. The decisive game of the set is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
The Brewers opened the scoring in the third inning. Brice Turang drew a two-out walk, stole second and came home on Contreras’ single.
Detroit took the lead for good in the fourth. Greene ripped a one-out double to center. Torkelson then clobbered a Patrick sinker 400 feet over the left-center-field wall to make it 2-1.
The Tigers stretched their lead to 4-1 in the fifth. Javier Baez led off with a single. One out later, McGonigle battled through a 10-pitch at-bat before drilling a double off the right field wall to score Baez. McGonigle moved to third on a groundout and scored on Keith’s line single to right.
Milwaukee cut Detroit’s lead to 4-2 in the eighth. Pinch hitter Luis Rengifo led off with a single. He advanced on a groundout and scored on Bauers’ two-out single off Will Vest.
Detroit got that run back in the bottom of the inning on Carpenter’s blast to right off Carlos Rodriguez. It was Carpenter’s fifth homer of the year.
The Brewers made it interesting in the ninth, loading the bases with two outs. Turang then bounced out to first to end the contest.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Iran 'fully prepared' to participate in World Cup
Dec 5, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Shaquille O’Neal draws the card of Iran for Group G during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Draw at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images Despite the ongoing conflict at home, the Iran men’s national soccer team is “fully prepared” to participate in the World Cup this summer, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said Wednesday, Al Jazeera reported.
The team’s involvement was called into question after the United States and Israel began air attacks on Iran in February. The World Cup will be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada, but all of Iran’s group-stage games are scheduled to be in the United States.
Mohajerani reported that the Iranian Ministry of Youth and Sports has handled the logistics involved in having the soccer team play in the U.S.
Last month, Iran sports minister Ahmad Donyamali said on state television, “Considering that this corrupt regime (in the U.S.) has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup. Our children are not safe and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist.”
The next day, President Donald Trump posted on social media, “The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to The World Cup, but I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.”
FIFA subsequently refused a request from Iran to have its Group G matches moved to Mexico. Iran is due to play New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21, both in Inglewood, Calif., then Egypt on June 26 in Seattle.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who otherwise has closely allied himself with Trump, said last week, “The Iranian team is coming, for sure. Yes. We hope that by then of course the situation will be a peaceful situation. That would definitely help. But Iran has to come.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Mets' Francisco Lindor exits game due to calf injury
Apr 22, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) reacts after his RBI infield single against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor exited New York’s Wednesday game against the visiting Minnesota Twins after the fourth inning due to left calf tightness.
Lindor, who was on first base following a single, did not appear to be running at full speed as he circled the diamond and scored on Francisco Alvarez’s double. The 32-year-old grimaced while rounding third and remained on the ground for a few seconds after sliding in ahead of Victor Caratini’s tag to give the Mets — who have lost 12 straight — a 2-1 lead.
Lindor was injured the same day Juan Soto returned from a 15-game absence caused by a strained right calf. The Mets won their first three games after Soto was injured April 3 before beginning their losing streak.
Lindor has missed just 15 games total since his most recent IL stint, in 2021, when he missed more than five weeks due to a right oblique strain.
–Field Level Media
Casey Mize fires 6-plus strong innings as Tigers handle Brewers
Iran 'fully prepared' to participate in World Cup
