Sports
Orioles, humbled in series opener, seek payback vs. Giants
Sep 17, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; San Francisco Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski (5) swings throws a second inning rbi single against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images There was no quick fix for the Baltimore Orioles when they began this week’s homestand.
Maybe they can get it right on the second try against the San Francisco Giants.
The teams meet Wednesday night in the middle game of a three-game series after San Francisco cruised to a 10-0 win on Tuesday behind left-hander Blake Snell.
“I thought the energy was great in our clubhouse, like it normally is,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said postgame. “Thought our guys were prepared. We had a really good hitters’ meeting. We just faced one of the better pitchers in the game, and we didn’t swing the bat well against him. We had a tough time.”
The Orioles (84-67) struck out 12 times during Snell’s sterling six innings. The Giants subsequently used four relievers en route to a five-hit shutout.
“That was six unbelievable innings, I thought,” Hyde said of Snell’s outing, in which Baltimore managed one hit and two walks. “He had multiple pitches going on the corners. … We’ve been scuffling offensively.”
The Giants (73-78) have won just two of their past seven games, but they began their nine-game road trip with an impressive performance.
“It was nice, and then keep adding on,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said of his team’s offense. “We haven’t done that a ton, either.”
Giants right fielder Mike Yastrzemski, who spent six seasons in the Baltimore farm system, had a game-opening home run, an RBI single and a walk Tuesday night.
“You’ve just got to find something right now to lean on,” Yastrzemski said of the team’s various motivations to get through the rest of the season. “When you look at tonight, we see that we still have a lot of good baseball left in us.”
Melvin said he felt “confidence for guys to knock in some runs and get some hits and keep the line moving. Hopefully, there’s some carryover.”
The Orioles’ offensive woes have been a topic for at least a couple of weeks. In the past 11 games, Baltimore is averaging less than two runs per outing and has lost eight times.
Several of Baltimore’s batters changed their walk-up songs to try to alter their fortunes in the batter’s box.
“They’re trying; they know they’re grinding,” Hyde said. “They’re trying to snap out of it a little bit.”
Shortstop Gunnar Henderson believes the Orioles will eventually break free from their skid.
“We’ve been talking about it for a while,” he said. “Just trying to figure out a way to get through it.”
The result left the Orioles four games behind the first-place New York Yankees in the American League East, though Baltimore is still 2 1/2 games up on the Kansas City Royals in the chase for the top AL wild card.
Baltimore will give the ball to Dean Kremer (7-9, 4.10 ERA) on Wednesday. The right-hander is 3-0 with a 2.62 ERA in his past six starts. He matched his season high by logging seven innings on Sept. 11 in a no-decision at Boston, where he gave up two runs (one earned) on five hits.
Kremer picked up a victory on June 2, 2023, after allowing two runs in six innings at San Francisco in his only previous encounter with the Giants.
Right-hander Hayden Birdsong (3-5, 4.74) is slated to be San Francisco’s starting pitcher. The rookie is 0-5 with a 6.75 ERA across seven starts since posting his last win on July 27, though he tossed five shutout innings while allowing two hits Thursday against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Because of the margin Tuesday night, Melvin said he was glad he could save some bullpen arms, particularly with Baltimore’s big left-handed bats in the lineup.
–Field Level Media
Sports
DeAndre Hopkins joins Georgia Tech as assistant WRs coach
Nov 27, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) reacts after making a catch against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images Three-time All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins has been hired as an assistant wide receivers coach at Georgia Tech.
Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key made the announcement on Friday for Hopkins, who auditioned for a coaching role last week with the New England Patriots.
“DeAndre is one of the greatest receivers of all-time, but his value to our program goes far beyond that,” Key said in a statement. “He has an exceptional knowledge of what we’re doing on offense due to his long relationship with (offensive coordinator) George Godsey and strong familiarity with the ACC, but most importantly, he’s a leader of men that I’m very excited for our players to be around, on and off the field.”
Despite his foray into coaching, Hopkins took to social media to note that his playing career isn’t done.
“I Haven’t retired from the @NFL … But if you’re a WR and you want to be great, come to @GeorgiaTechFB,” Hopkins wrote on X on Saturday morning.
Hopkins, 34, recorded just 22 catches for 330 yards in 17 games (three starts) last season with the Baltimore Ravens.
He has totaled 1,006 receptions for 13,295 yards and 85 touchdown catches in 195 NFL games (172 starts).
Hopkins has seven career 1,000-yard receiving seasons and has caught over 100 passes four times. He earned first-team All-Pro honors three straight years (2017-19).
Hopkins spent his first seven seasons with the Houston Texans before being traded to the Arizona Cardinals. He spent three seasons with Arizona before being released, and he also played with the Tennessee Titans and Kansas City Chiefs.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Bills S C.J. Gardner-Johnson carted off practice field
Dec 20, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (35) reacts against the Green Bay Packers during the first quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images Buffalo Bills veteran safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson sustained an injury to his lower right leg on Saturday and was carted off the practice field.
The severity of the injury was not immediately known for Gardner-Johnson.
Gardner-Johnson, 28, won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2024 season before he was traded to the Houston Texans on March 11, 2025.
He played just three games with the Texans before catching on with Chicago and playing seven more contests with the Bears. He totaled 66 tackles and three sacks and two interceptions in 2025.
Gardner-Johnson has 20 interceptions, 370 tackles and seven sacks in 87 career games (71 starts) with the New Orleans Saints (2019-21), Eagles (2022, 2024), Detroit Lions (2023), Texans and Bears.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Chiefs rookie WR Cyrus Allen carted off practice field
Jun 9, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Cyrus Allen (13) runs drills during the Kansas City Chiefs mandatory mini-camp at the Chiefs practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Kansas City Chiefs rookie receiver Cyrus Allen was carted off the field with an apparent leg injury on Saturday after he collided with a teammate during a special teams drill.
The severity of the injury was not immediately known for Allen, who had difficulty putting weight on his left leg before a cart was summoned to take him back to the locker room.
Allen, 23, impressed head coach Andy Reid during the first few days of training camp.
“He’s done a nice job,” Reid said Friday. “The quarterback trusts him.”
Listed at 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, Allen was selected by the Chiefs in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft out of Cincinnati.
–Field Level Media
