Sports
Shohei Ohtani steals 50th base, 2 HRs shy of first 50-50 season
Sep 19, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) steals third base against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Shohei Ohtani continued his stirring season for the Los Angeles Dodgers by stealing his 50th base of the year in the first inning of Thursday’s game at the Miami Marlins.
Ohtani is two home runs shy of posting the first 50-homer, 50-steal season in major league history. The Dodgers have nine regular season games remaining after Thursday.
After swiping his 49th bag in Wednesday’s 8-4 win at Miami, Ohtani stole third base after doubling against Edward Cabrera to lead off Thursday’s game. He scored on Will Smith’s sacrifice fly three batters later.
Ohtani added his 51st steal an inning later after plating Max Muncy with a two-out single.
Ohtani’s 51 steals this season are second to Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (64), while his 48 home runs trail only New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge (53).
The leading National League MVP candidate, Ohtani entered Thursday batting .287 with 110 RBIs and a .978 on base-plus-slugging percentage. He joined the Dodgers in December on a 10-year, $700 million contract.
Los Angeles (90-62) began play Thursday with a 3 1/2-game lead in the NL West in pursuit of its 11th division title in the last 12 years.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews injured vs. Ducks
Mar 12, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas (7) looks at an injured Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (34) after he delivered a knee on knee hit during the second period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews was helped off the ice and to the dressing room at 15:47 of the second period after taking a knee-on-knee hit from the Anaheim Ducks’ Radko Gudas Thursday evening.
The Maple Leafs later said Matthews will not return because of a lower-body injury.
The Ducks led 3-2 at the time of the incident. Gudas was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct.
Matthews, a two-time All-Star, ended a 12-game drought without a goal when he scored earlier in the period.
For the season, Matthews has 53 points (27 goals, 26 assists).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Eagles sign CB Jonathan Jones to 1-year deal
Jan 4, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Devonta Smith (6) makes a catch as Washington Commanders cornerback Jonathan Jones (31) defends during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images The Philadelphia Eagles are bringing in veteran cornerback Jonathan Jones on a one-year deal, NFL Network reported Thursday.
Jones, 32, shifts from the NFC East rival Washington Commanders to the Eagles, one day after Philadelphia signed former Pro Bowl cornerback Riq Woolen from the Seattle Seahawks.
Jones spent one year with Washington after nine seasons with the New England Patriots, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2016. He had five pass breakups, one sack and 41 tackles in 12 appearances (seven starts) for the Commanders.
Through 144 career games (78 starts), Jones has 11 interceptions — though none since a four-interception campaign in 2022 — as well as 477 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 62 pass breakups and 10 forced fumbles.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Which NFL Teams Improved the Most in Free Agency? Four Stand Out
The official 2026 calendar just started and the NFL still has that new-league-year smell.
Depending on what your favorite team did since player negotiations began on Monday and free agency opened on Wednesday, there’s a great chance it will end up smelling like either fresh roses or rotten eggs 11 months from now after the confetti settles on Super Bowl LXI.
Last March, the Seattle Seahawks signed quarterback Sam Darnold to a three-year, $100 million contract and went on to win the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Ravens mostly window shopped, missed the playoffs and ultimately said farewell to John Harbaugh, the most successful coach in franchise history
In March 2024, the Philadelphia Eagles locked up running back Saquon Barkley on a three-year, $37.75 million deal and then rode his historic 2,000-yard season to a Super Bowl championship. The Dallas Cowboys were the last team to sign anyone, kept their purse strings knotted and showed coach Mike McCarthy the door after a 7-10 season.
Who made the largest “Lombardi leaps” this week, keeping in mind that neither the 2025 Seahawks (10-7 during the previous season) nor 2024 Eagles (11-6 in 2023) needed massive makeovers? Who plugged the decisive pieces into their championship puzzles?
Four teams fit the mold. Two made playoff runs last season and two slipped from perennial AFC contenders to 6-11 records: the defending NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams and the NFC North champion Chicago Bears and the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs.
The Rams fell short of the Big Game when they allowed Darnold to throw for 346 yards and three touchdowns in the Seahawks’ 31-27 victory in the NFC Championship.
General manager Les Snead attacked the situation head-on this month, shelling out a combined $176 million to add ex-Chiefs cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson (who both own two Super Bowl rings) and also re-signing safety Kam Curl to a three-year, $36 million deal.
The Bears were 4-5 during the 2025 regular season when opponents averaged at least 6.0 yards per play (7-1 when foes were under that mark).
Seeking speed for Dennis Allen’s defense, Chicago GM Ryan Poles signed former Seahawks safety Coby Bryant and replaced Tremaine Edmunds with former Browns linebacker Devin Bush. The Bears also solidified the defensive line with tackles Neville Gallimore and Kentavius Street.
The Bengals surrendered a franchise-record 492 points last season and finished 31st in total defense, including three games with more than 500 yards allowed.
Offsetting the departure of 31-year-old pass rusher Trey Hendrickson to the Ravens, Cincinnati got better by making former Chief Bryan Cook (another two-time champ) the highest-paid safety in franchise history and making former Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe the franchise’s first $20 million per year free agent.
The Chiefs’ 10-year playoff streak ended last winter but the dynasty isn’t dead as long as Patrick Mahomes has two healthy legs to stand on. If he returns early enough from a torn ACL, you can’t count them out.
Sure, Kansas City lost a few key players, but GM Brett Veach signed reigning Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker III, veteran safety Alohi Gilman, defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga — a solid backup for 31-year-old Chris Jones — and wideout Tyquan Thornton. Tight end Travis Kelce also committed to another season, with the encouragement of Taylor Swift.
As for the rest, don’t start burning jerseys if your team didn’t make the cut here. There will be plenty more signings and trades before next month’s draft. At the time of writing, A.J. Brown is still an Eagle, Kyler Murray is still on the market and Maxx Crosby is still not a Raven.
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