Sports
Spring training roundup: Rangers hammer White Sox with 9-run first
Sep 13, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Josh Smith (8) waits for a pitch during an at-bat against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images Josh Smith went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs, and Joc Pederson ended a nine-run outburst in the first inning with a three-run homer to left center as the visiting Texas Rangers beat the Chicago White Sox 11-3 in spring training action Monday in Phoenix.
Adolis Garcia singled home Smith for the first run of the game, and after an RBI sacrifice fly and a bases-loaded walk, Jonathan Ornelas and Smith hit run-scoring singles to get on base for Pederson’s shot. Abimelec Ortiz and Jax Biggers added solo shots in the ninth.
Jon Gray (1-0) made the start for Texas and threw two spotless innings with one strikeout.
Starter Shane Smith (0-1) and Chris Rodriguez split the woeful first inning for the White Sox before Smith returned to pitch the second. Andre Lipcius and Oscar Colas had RBI doubles.
Cardinals 7, Mets 4
Luken Baker hit a three-run home run and an RBI sacrifice fly that proved to be the winning run as St. Louis beat visiting New York in Jupiter, Fla., in the only Grapefruit League action of the day that wasn’t rained out.
Steven Matz pitched two hitless innings as the Cardinals’ starter before Kyle Leahy (1-0) got the win with an inning of relief. Jose Barrero added a solo shot.
Newly re-signed first baseman Pete Alonso had a two-run double and Jose Azocar and Chris Williams added solo homers for the Mets. Starter Blade Tidwell yielded three runs on four hits in two innings and Joander Suarez (0-1) allowed Jordan Walker’s go-ahead double and Baker’s sac fly in the sixth.
Athletics 1, Royals 1
Luis Urias tied the game with a single in the sixth and the A’s hung on to draw with host Kansas City in Surprise, Ariz.
Cavan Biggio went 2-for-3 and hit a solo home run for the Royals in the fifth before the visitors knotted the game.
The A’s outhit the Royals 6-5, led by Lawrence Butler’s two hits. Starters Osvaldo Bido (A’s) and Cole Ragans (Royals) each went two innings.
Rockies 2, Giants 2
Chanteyon Davidson hit an RBI double in the bottom of the ninth and host San Francisco’s split squad tied Colorado in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Jung Hoo Lee hit a solo shot for the Giants, and Justin Verlander made his team debut by pitching two innings and giving up one run with one strikeout.
Michael Toglia homered off Verlander in the top of the first and added an RBI single for the Rockies. Starter Chase Dollander fanned three and gave up a run on two hits in two innings.
Reds 8, Dodgers 1
Austin Hays finished a massive day 3-for-3 with two home runs, a double and six RBIs as host Cincinnati beat Los Angeles in Goodyear, Ariz.
Sal Stewart added a pinch-hit solo shot in the eighth for good measure. Brady Singer made the start for the Reds and fanned four with two hits over two innings, before Carson Spiers (1-0) took over for the next two frames and fanned five, yielding a run on two hits.
Tyler Glasnow (0-1) gave up three hits, including Hays’ two-run double, with two strikeouts in one inning. Eddie Rosario had the Dodgers’ only RBI.
Cubs 10, Padres 5
Michael Busch’s three-run homer highlighted a five-run sixth as visiting Chicago beat San Diego in Peoria, Ariz.
Parker Chavers hit an RBI double and a two-run triple for the Cubs, and James Triantos added two RBIs. Brad Keller (1-0) pitched two innings of perfect relief.
Eguy Rosario hit a two-run home run and Tirso Ornelas added a solo shot for the Padres. J.B. Wendelken (0-1) took the loss with five runs on four hits and a walk in 2/3 of an inning.
Diamondbacks 4, Guardians 3
Eugenio Suarez’s two-run double in the fifth inning completed the comeback as host Arizona rallied from down 3-0 to beat Cleveland in Scottsdale.
Corbin Carroll went yard in the fourth inning and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. drew the Diamondbacks within one on a sac fly to set the table for Suarez. The win went to Zane Russell (1-0) for getting the final out of the fifth after starter Zac Gallen struck out two and gave up a home run in one frame.
Gabriel Arias homered off Gallen and Kyle Manzardo added a two-run shot for the Guardians. Andrew Walters (0-1) yielded three runs on a hit and two walks in 1/3 inning.
Mariners 12, Brewers 8
Hogan Windish hit the go-ahead two-run home run in the seventh as visiting Seattle rallied from down six to beat Milwaukee in Phoenix.
Lazaro Montes added a three-run shot for good measure in the eighth after Mitch Haniger went deep in the second for the Mariners, who scored six runs in the sixth to tie the game 7-7 before the Brewers eked ahead one more time. The win went to reliever Gabe Speier (1-0), who worked the sixth.
Rhys Hoskins and Oliver Dunn hit back-to-back solo jacks in the fifth to put the Brewers ahead 7-1. Kyle Hunt (0-1) gave up Windish’s homer.
Angels 7, Giants 4
Jorge Soler’s three-run homer in the first inning set the tone as Los Angeles beat visiting San Francisco in Tempe, Ariz.
Taylor Ward hit an RBI double as the Angels piled up 12 hits. Mike Trout made his spring debut and finished with a walk, a run and a strikeout. Starter Kyle Hendricks (1-0) fanned three in two spotless innings.
Marco Luciano homered for the Giants. Starter Mason Black (0-1) was dinged for four runs on four hits and two walks over 1 1/3 innings. He struck out two.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Lionel Messi (rest) officially ruled out of MLS All-Star Game
May 17, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi (10) reacts against the Portland Timbers during the second half at Nu Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi was one of four players officially ruled out of Wednesday’s MLS All-Star Game at Charlotte, N.C., as the Argentina star continues to recover from a run to the World Cup Final.
Also on Saturday, Hugo Cuypers, Rodrigo De Paul, Mbekezeli Mbokazi were ruled out of the All-Star Game, which will match the best of MLS against the top players from Mexico’s LIGA MX.
Cuypers earned his All-Star spot with his play for the Chicago Fire, but he was transferred to Mexico’s CF Monterrey on Thursday. De Paul, an Inter Miami midfielder, will follow Messi’s lead and bow out of Wednesday’s festivities after playing for Argentina in the World Cup.
Mbokazi, a defender from the Chicago Fire, was ruled out with a lower body injury. The South Africa native also appeared in this summer’s World Cup.
To replace the foursome, Inter Miami midfielder Yannick Bright, Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Andres Cubas, Houston Dynamo forward Guilherme and Fire forward Philip Zinckernagel all were named All-Stars on Saturday.
Bright has guided Inter Miami to a 9-2-1 record in his 12 starts this season, while Cubas has three assists in 12 matches for the Whitecaps. Guilherme has eight goals and five assists in his first season with the Dynamo, while Zinckernagel has five goals and seven assists for the Fire.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Marlins' Class A pitcher fails drug test, suspended 80 games
Sep 11, 2020; Miami, Florida, USA; A general view of a illuminated Miami Marlins logo in center field after the Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies split a double header at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images Miami Marlins minor league pitcher Eiver Mosquera has received an 80-game suspension for testing positive for Boldenone, a performance-enhancing substance.
This season with Class-A Jupiter and the rookie-level Florida Complex League Marlins in 12 games (nine starts), the 19-year-old was 3-3 with a 4.50 ERA, 30 strikeouts and 16 walks in 38 innings.
Mosquera joined the organization in 2024 as a $150,000 international signing out of Venezuela.
–Field Level Media
Sports
NYCFC focusing on Fire, not player's demand, fan reaction
Sep 20, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York City FC midfielder a(7) brings the ball up the pitch against Charlotte FC during the second half at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Their leading goal scorer wants out of town and their goalkeeper is public enemy No. 1 after a costly gaffe during the World Cup played a key role in the United States losing to Belgium in the round of 16.
But New York City FC is still relying on Nicolas Fernandez Mercau and Matt Freese for big contributions Saturday night when the Chicago Fire invade Yankee Stadium.
Fernandez Mercau scored his 11th goal on a penalty kick Wednesday night during a 2-1 win at Columbus that got NYCFC (6-6-4, 22 points) to .500. It came one day after reports that the club rejected an $18 million offer for his services, leading to his demand that the team transfer him.
“You see a player that is performing for and with his team with a lot of energy,” head coach Pascal Jansen said of Fernandez Mercau. “That’s what he’s supposed to do.”
Freese, whose whiffed clearing attempt led to a third goal for Belgium in a 4-1 win on July 6, was booed on every touch Wednesday. Despite the jeers, he made three saves in the team’s first fixture after the World Cup break.
Meanwhile, Chicago (8-5-2, 26 points) sits third in the East table despite a 3-2 loss Wednesday night at Inter Miami. The result snapped the Fire’s three-match winning streak.
Chicago opted not to stand pat during the summer transfer window, adding Robert Lewandowski from Barcelona on a two-year deal. The 37-year-old Lewandowski, the captain of Poland’s national team, started at Miami and played 63 minutes.
“After just two days with my new team, I didn’t expect everything to work perfectly in my first game,” Lewandowski said.
Lewandowski’s signing led to the departure of star striker Hugo Cuypers. The Fire sold him to LIGA MX’s Monterrey for a reported $7.5 million after he scored 40 goals in 75 league matches over the past 2 1/2 seasons. Cuypers scored 13 goals in 11 matches this season, tying Dallas’ Petar Musa for the league lead.
NYCFC is 3-0-2 in its last five matches against Chicago.
–Field Level Media
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