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Reports: Cubs missing key pieces for Japan series

MLB: Seattle Mariners at Chicago CubsApr 10, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (2) smiles after hitting game winning single against the Seattle Mariners during the 10th inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner will not travel to Japan for next month’s season-opening two-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, ESPN reported Thursday.

Hoerner, 27, still is recovering from surgery in October to repair a flexor tendon in his right forearm and will remain in Arizona to continue his rehab.

The report of Hoerner’s unavailability for the March 18-19 series in Tokyo comes one day after Chicago’s 670 The Score reported that top prospect and potential starting third baseman Matt Shaw won’t make the trip either.

Shaw, 23, sustained an oblique injury early in spring training and there’s reportedly “no way he’s going to be ready to go there and compete.”

Following the international series, Chicago has time for both players to get healthy before a four-game road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks from March 27-30.

Hoerner batted .273 with seven homers, 35 doubles, 48 RBIs and 31 stolen bases in 151 games with the Cubs last season. He won a Gold Glove award at second base in 2023.

A first-round pick by Chicago in 2018, Hoerner is a career .278 hitter with 29 homers, 217 RBIs and 102 steals in 548 games since making his debut in 2019.

Shaw, the Cubs’ first-round pick in 2023, has yet to make his major league debut. He batted .284 with 21 homers, 71 RBIs and 31 steals in 121 games in 2024 between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa.

Veteran Justin Turner, signed this month to a one-year deal, becomes the likely starter at the hot corner with Shaw sidelined. The Cubs could turn to Jon Berti or Vidal Brujan at second base.

–Field Level Media

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Late-game heroics help Royals take down Giants

Jul 20, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals center fielder Lane Thomas (15) hits a single against the San Francisco Giants during the sixth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn ImagesJul 20, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals center fielder Lane Thomas (15) hits a single against the San Francisco Giants during the sixth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Salvador Perez clubbed a two-run shot to move within one of tying the Royals’ all-time home run record, but Kansas City needed Nick Loftin’s walk-off, squeeze bunt in the ninth inning to win 4-3 over the visiting San Francisco Giants on Monday night.

San Francisco trailed 3-1 and was down to its final out in the top of the ninth, when Kansas City’s Alex Lange (1-5) allowed a single to Jung Hoo Lee. Then Willy Adames sent a low-and-away pitch the opposite way and just over the right-field fence to tie the game.

However, with runners on first and third and one out against Caleb Kilian (2-6) in the bottom of the frame, Loftin, who replaced All-Star Bobby Witt Jr. after he exited with lingering low back tightness earlier in the contest, bounced a bunt toward charging first baseman Bryce Eldridge, who could not make a clean play to get Josh Rojas at the plate.

With the Royals down 1-0 in the fourth and a man on, Perez cleared the center-field wall for career homer No. 316, leaving him one back of George Brett’s franchise record.

Meanwhile, All-Star Michael Wacha yielded only Heliot Ramos’ homer in the fourth, two other hits, two walks and struck out five over six innings to record his 13th quality start of the season as Kansas City improved to 3-1 on a six-game homestand.

Wacha didn’t yield a hit until Ramos found the fountain deck over the right-field wall.

However, the Royals scored three times in the bottom of the fourth. After Giants starter Trevor McDonald hit Vinnie Pasquantino, Perez moved closer to team history. Michael Massey then doubled to right and eventually scored on Isaac Collins’ two-out single that made it 3-1.

McDonald came out for the bottom of the fifth, but exited before throwing a pitch in the inning due to right elbow discomfort. In addition to the three runs, McDonald allowed four hits and walked two with three strikeouts on 67 pitches.

Daniel Susac had two hits for the Giants, who have lost three straight.

–Field Level Media

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Liberty come from 12 down to beat Wings in OT

Jul 20, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA;  New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) drives to the basket against Dallas Wings center Li Yueru (28) during the first half at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn ImagesJul 20, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) drives to the basket against Dallas Wings center Li Yueru (28) during the first half at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Breanna Stewart scored 33 points and helped key a fourth-quarter comeback as the New York Liberty defeated the short-handed Dallas Wings 99-98 on Monday in Arlington, Texas, in a game of wild momentum swings.

Stewart also tallied 13 rebounds and eight assists for the Liberty (14-12) while Sabrina Ionescu finished with 21 points, Jonquel Jones racked up 14 points and 10 rebounds and Marine Fauthoux amassed 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The game was rescheduled from last Thursday because of travel difficulties for the Liberty, creating a home back-to-back for Dallas.

The Wings (17-9) built a 12-point third-quarter lead despite playing without star guard Paige Bueckers, who was held out of the game after suffering a head injury late in the Wings’ win over Los Angeles on Sunday.

Dallas led by nine points after a rousing third quarter in which they held New York to 3-of-18 shooting from the floor. But New York fought back with a big fourth, and Jones’ layup with 29 seconds remaining brought the Liberty to within a point. Stewart converted two free throws with 13 seconds to play to put New York on top by one.

Rebecca Allen added a free throw for the Liberty with six seconds remaining in regulation, but she missed the second shot. Dallas’ Arike Ogunbowale grabbed the rebound, was fouled and made both free throws to tie the game at 83 with 3.5 seconds left. Allen then missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer, sending the game into an extra period.

The teams traded the lead six times in overtime, with Ionescu’s 3-pointer with 1:49 to play putting the Liberty ahead for good at 95-93. Stewart followed with a layup to stoke the margin to four points before Dallas drew to within a point on Ogunbowale’s 3-pointer with 27.5 seconds left.

The Wings then forced a shot-clock turnover and called a timeout with 3.5 seconds to play to set the table for a final shot. That shot was a running layup at the buzzer by Ogunbowale that rimmed out, allowing New York to escape with the win and snap a four-game losing streak.

Ogunbowale had 29 points to lead the Wings, who had a six-game winning streak snapped. Azzi Fudd added 15 points. Jessica Shepard produced 13 points and 16 rebounds, Maddy Siegrist hit for 13 points and Awak Kuier tallied 10.

New York led 25-22 at the end of the first period and owned a 50-47 advantage at the break. Stewart led all players with 15 points before halftime while Dallas got 11 from Ogunbowale and 10 from Fudd and Siegrist over the first two quarters.

–Field Level Media

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Trea Turner knocks two out as Phillies control Dodgers

Jul 20, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) hits a two run home run during the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn ImagesJul 20, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) hits a two run home run during the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Trea Turner had two homers, a double and five RBIs to fuel the Philadelphia Phillies to a 10-7 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday.

Brandon Marsh, Bryce Harper and Derek Hill also homered for Philadelphia, which provided Cristopher Sanchez (12-4) with plenty of offensive support. After struggling in his first All-Star start last week, the left-hander allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings in this one, striking out seven without a walk.

Mookie Betts homered twice as part of a 4-for-5 night for the Dodgers, while Andy Pages chipped in with two hits and an RBI. Los Angeles starter Emmet Sheehan (4-7) absorbed the loss after allowing six runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Sanchez worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning before Sheehan pitched around a leadoff double in the bottom half.

Sanchez logged a 1-2-3 second inning, setting the stage for his teammates to plate three runs in the bottom of the frame.

Gabriel Rincones Jr.’s RBI double opened the scoring before Justin Crawford’s sacrifice fly made it 2-0. Turner followed with a blast into the left-field seats to extend the advantage to 4-0.

Betts singled and came around to score in the fourth to get Los Angeles on the board. The Dodgers then added two more runs in the sixth against Sanchez and reliever Orion Kerkering.

However, Philadelphia quickly regained the momentum as Marsh homered off Sheehan to begin the sixth. Later in the frame, lefty Alex Vesia surrendered a three-run blast to Turner — his 200th career home run.

Harper reached a milestone of his own in the seventh, launching his 200th homer as a member of the Phillies against reliever Landon Knack. Derek Hill’s solo shot in the eighth made it 10-4.

The Dodgers plated three runs in the ninth against Chase Shugart, highlighted by Betts’ two-run homer. The rally featured a misplay by Turner, who had a rough night at shortstop with an error and multiple other miscues.

Jhoan Duran came on for the Phillies and recorded the final out of the game.

–Field Level Media

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