Walker Buehler makes Red Sox debut vs. Rangers
Mar 18, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Walker Buehler (0) throws a pitch against the New York Yankees in the first inning during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Walker Buehler is looking to revive his career by pitching a full season for the first time since 2021.
The injury prone right-hander will make his Boston Red Sox debut on Saturday night when he pitches against the Texas Rangers at Arlington, Texas.
Buehler has undergone two Tommy John surgeries during his career, and the latter one in 2022 caused him to miss the entire 2023 season and make his 2024 debut in May.
The results weren’t terrific as the two-time All-Star went 1-6 with a 5.38 ERA in 16 regular-season starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Then he was torched for six runs in five innings in a National League Division Series loss to the San Diego Padres.
But in the World Series, it was the Buehler of old on the mound against the New York Yankees. He pitched five shutout innings to win Game 3 and returned two days later to strike out two in a perfect ninth and get the save in the Dodgers’ series-ending 7-6 win in Game 5.
Buehler became a free agent, and the 30-year-old said goodbye to the team that drafted him in 2015 and he signed with the Red Sox.
“There wasn’t anything about L.A. that I disliked,” Buehler said recently. “But given the way I struggled last season, then have a cherry on the top, it seemed like as good a time as any to take the next step.”
Buehler is 2-1 with a 2.40 ERA in three career starts against Texas. Former Los Angeles teammates Joc Pederson (4-for-13) and Kyle Seager (1-for-6) have each homered off him.
The teams split the first two games of the season-opening four-game series. Wilyer Abreu hit two homers in Boston’s 5-2 Opening Day victory and the Rangers bounced back 4-1 on Friday behind two homers from Jonah Heim.
“I put in the work and trusted the hitting coaches,” Heim said of his second career multi-homer game. “It was a great team win today. It wasn’t just me.”
Still, it was a good sight for the Rangers. Two years ago, Heim established career highs of .258 average, 18 homers and 95 RBIs while helping the Rangers win the World Series.
Last season, he batted .220 with 13 homers and 59 RBIs. He played 131 games both seasons.
Boston slugger Rafael Devers struck out in all four at-bats on Friday and has fanned seven times in eight at-bats over the two games.
Devers famously complained about the probable move from third base to designated hitter following the signing of Gold Glove-winner Alex Bregman.
After several questions about his approach and how he is spending his time between at-bats as the DH, Devers said, through an interpreter, “I’m a DH and I think you guys need to change the subject.”
Moments earlier, Devers fessed up to his hitting woes when reporters told him manager Alex Cora said he is swinging late on fastballs.
“It’s only been two games,” Devers said. “I feel comfortable at the plate. I feel good. I haven’t hit the ball but I feel pretty good.”
Right-hander Tyler Mahle will start for the Rangers, and he also is trying to regain his form after Tommy John surgery in May 2023. He returned from the operation to make three starts in August of last season before being shut down for the season due to shoulder issues.
Mahle, who will be making his second career start against Boston, pitched in just eight games over the past two seasons. Against the Red Sox last Aug. 12, he took a no-decision in a 4-3 loss after giving up two runs and striking out seven in 4 2/3 innings.
“When you sit and watch as many games as he has, you want to get back on the mound,” Texas manager Bruce Bochy said of Mahle. “When you watch those games every day, you miss it. It’s what you love to do.”
Bregman is 3-for-9 against Mahle, while Trevor Story is just 2-for-15.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Minnesota United blank Timbers for 3rd straight win
Apr 18, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota United FC forward Kelvin Yeboah (9) shoots the ball as Portland Timbers defender Finn Surman (20) and defender Brandon Bye (5) defend during the first half at Allianz Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images Tomas Chancalay had a goal and an assist as the Minnesota United won their third match in a row with Saturday night’s 2-0 victory against the Portland Timbers at Saint Paul, Minn.
Kelvin Yeboah scored the other goal, making it three matches in a row that he has a goal for the Loons (4-2-2, 14 points). Minnesota goalkeeper Drake Callender made two saves for the clean sheet.
Yeboah has half of his team’s 10 goals in MLS play. He’s the team’s only player with more than one goal.
James Pantemis made five saves for Portland (2-5-1, 7 points), which fell to 0-4-0 in road matches.
Chancalay scored his first goal of the season in the 16th minute off Jefferson Diaz’s assist.
Yeboah’s goal in the 60th minute capped a fastbreak with a short-range shot after Chancalay provided the final pass. Chancalay has four assists this year.
Portland has surrendered two or more goals in each of its last three road matches.
The Timbers began a busy stretch that includes several road assignments with a largely solid game despite failing to score. They held a 4-3 edge in corner kicks and a 55%-45% possession advantage, but Minnesota outshot the visitors 17-12, including 7-2 on shots on target.
The teams played to a 1-1 draw last August in the same stadium.
Portland stays on the road next Saturday, visiting San Diego FC. Minnesota plays twice next week, visiting FC Dallas on Wednesday before hosting LAFC on Saturday.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Troy Johnston's clutch double leads Rockies' comeback win over Dodgers
Apr 18, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kyle Tucker (23) is congratulated by designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) after a two-run home run during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images Troy Johnston hit a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning and the Colorado Rockies held on for a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night in Denver.
Johnston had three of Colorado’s seven hits as the Rockies won for only the second time in nine games.
Kyle Tucker and Dalton Rushing homered for the Dodgers, who had their four-game winning streak snapped. Shohei Ohtani was 1-for-4 to extend his on-base streak to 50 games.
Brennan Bernardino (2-0) delivered 1 1/3 no-hit innings in relief, and Victor Vodnik pitched the ninth for his third save.
Will Klein (1-1) allowed hits to each of the first three batters he faced in the sixth, including Johnston’s game-winning double.
The first two Dodgers reached in the eighth against Jaden Hill and they loaded the bases with two outs before Hill retired Max Muncy on a groundout to second base.
Colorado starter Ryan Feltner went 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) and five hits with a walk and five strikeouts.
Los Angeles starter Emmet Sheehan gave up two runs on four hits in five innings, with two walks and four strikeouts.
The Dodgers led 2-0 two pitches into the game. After Ohtani hit the first pitch into play and reached on an error by Johnston, Tucker drove the first pitch he saw into the second deck in right for his third home run with the Dodgers.
TJ Rumfield’s RBI single made it 2-1 in the bottom of the first.
Rushing’s solo homer with one out in the second restored the two-run lead.
Kyle Karros’ sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning made it 3-2, scoring Johnston, who had singled, stolen second and moved to third on a groundout.
The Dodgers threatened when Freddie Freeman tripled with one out in the visitor’s half of the sixth. But Karros at third dove to stop Teoscar Hernandez’s grounder down the line, retiring him at first. Bernardino replaced Feltner and struck out Muncy to end the threat.
The Dodgers threatened with a pair of two-out singles in the ninth before Tucker’s flyout to left ended the game. Los Angeles was hitless in seven at-bats with runners in scoring position, stranding eight in the narrow loss
–Field Level Media
Sports
Flyers emerge with win over Penguins in opening tussle of playoff series
Apr 18, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York (8) checks Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) in front of Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar (80) during the first period against in game one of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Porter Martone scored a timely goal late for the Philadelphia Flyers, who skated away with a 3-2 road victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins to take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven, first-round playoff series on Saturday night.
Travis Sanheim and Jamie Drysdale also scored for Philadelphia. Trevor Zegras, Denver Barkey, Rasmus Ristolainen, Christian Dvorak and Travis Konecny registered assists.
Dan Vladar stopped 15 shots for the Flyers, none bigger than a point-blank stop on Anthony Mantha in the closing seconds to preserve the win.
Evgeni Malkin scored his 68th postseason goal for the Penguins and assisted on Bryan Rust’s goal. Tommy Novak, Rickard Rakell and Erik Karlsson earned assists.
Stuart Skinner faced 20 shots and made 17 saves.
The postseason renewal of the Battle of Pennsylvania was exactly that for the two teams ending lengthy playoff droughts. It was a physical affair that featured just 26 shots on goal and 59 hits through the first two periods. That favored the Flyers, who finished the season fourth in the league in hits.
Martone, the 19-year-old who joined Philadelphia from Michigan State on March 31, scored what appeared to be an insurance goal with 2:37 left that gave the Flyers a 3-1 lead. That prompted Pittsburgh to pull Skinner for a sixth attacker.
A tussle between Penguins star Sidney Crosby and Sanheim sent both to the penalty box with 1:09 left, and Rust made it a one-goal game from the high slot eight seconds later.
Drysdale gave Philadelphia the lead midway through the second. Zegras skated behind the net and found the defenseman in the faceoff circle. Denver Barkey also assisted on the goal and further helped by screening Skinner.
Less than seven minutes later, Malkin provided the equalizer as the Penguins applied pressure in the attack zone. Vladar stopped Rakell but allowed a long rebound to his right that Novak tapped to the 39-year-old, who scored from the faceoff circle with 4:09 left in the period.
Sanheim reclaimed the lead for Philadelphia at the midway point of the third.
Pittsburgh’s 17 shots on goal were its fewest in a postseason game since the Penguins mustered just 12 in Game 5 of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final against the Nashville Predators.
–Field Level Media