Sports
Three MLB Teams Facing Regression in 2026
Jun 1, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (22) reacts after being hit boy a pitch during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Milwaukee Brewers slugger Christian Yelich pondered why so many pundits, analysts and fans always pick his team to fail. “This is the year,” they always seem to say, “when the Brewers finally fall on their face.”
And then they go out and make the playoffs anyway, like the Brewers have done seven times since 2018.
“I don’t know if people think that every year is a fluke, or what — you’d have to ask them,” Yelich told reporters gathered for a workout at American Family Field in Milwaukee earlier this week. “A lot of people have been really waiting for the day that we suck so they can finally say ‘I told you so.’ “
As the 2026 Major League Baseball season revs up, the annual “Doubting of the Brewers” is happening again. Milwaukee is one of at least three teams primed for disappointment in the coming year. The Cleveland Guardians and Toronto Blue Jays, two other playoff teams this past season, also are setting up for regression.
Milwaukee Brewers
What is it that this time will push the three-time reigning NL Central champs over the edge and out of the running? Chief among other factors, the Brewers in the offseason traded ace right-hander Freddy Peralta to the New York Mets for prospects. Brewers general manager Matt Arnold could prove prudent for doing so in coming seasons, as Peralta is due a big pay day because of free agency leverage. But for now, the Brewers rotation will rely on wunderkind Jacob Misiorowski regaining his pre All-Star dominance, old ace Brandon Woodruff regaining his pre-injury effectiveness, and several middle-of-the-road guys to fill out the rotation.
It’s a pattern the Brewers keep repeating with their best players. So far, they’ve managed to avoid paying the consequences by not paying Willy Adames, Josh Hader, Devin Williams, and Corbin Burnes. Right-hander Brandon Sproat, one of the prospects pried from the Mets, made the Brewers starting rotation after a strong performance in the Cactus League. No matter what Sproat contributes as a rookie, it’s unlikely to match what Peralta gives the Mets.
It’s a simple equation: the Brewers lose their ace to the Mets, who use him to take their spot in the playoffs.
Cleveland Guardians
Jul 13, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase (48) celebrates after getting the final out against the Chicago White Sox during the tenth inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images Guardians ownership operates under similar economic limitations to that of the Brewers, notably trading away star shortstop Francisco Lindor to the Mets earlier in the decade. In 2025, they successfully outran a pending payday for slugger Josh Naylor, and managed to keep winning despite a mid-season suspension for All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase, who’s now facing prison time for pitch-fixing allegations related to gambling.
All it took was an unprecedented hot streak in the second half, along with a crash by the Detroit Tigers, to erase a record 15 1-2 game deficit in the AL Central.
Resilient bunch, those Guardians. But even with slugger José Ramírez locked into one of the most team-friendly contracts for a superstar in recent MLB history, they’re spreading themselves a little too thin. Steven Kwan has to play center field. Rhys Hoskins will hit fifth. The bullpen will be stretched even further with Hunter Gaddis already on the injured list. Outfield prospect Chase DeLauter has to defy history and stay healthy.
The Tigers overcame their own regular-season collapse in the playoffs, and the Royals are ready to jump the Guardians in the AL Central. Cleveland just won’t be good enough to make the playoffs this time.
Toronto Blue Jays
Mar 19, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) singles during the fourth inning against the New York Yankees at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images The Blue Jays had a magical season in 2025, coming this close to beating the Dodgers in the World Series. Anything less than winning it all would be a disappointment this season, but the Jays are starting off too ominously to be too optimistic about returning to the postseason.
They have five pitchers on the injured list to start the season, including three starters — rookie wonder Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber and José Berríos. Key reliever Yimi García too. Getting to the World Series means a lot of great things happened, but it also extends your season and pushes the human body in ways that don’t bode well for follow-up success. It could even catch up to the Dodgers.
With suspect pitching depth, star slugger George Springer about to turn 37, and the rest of the league ready to pounce on the defending AL pennant winners, the Blue Jays have a very narrow path to success and too many “ifs” to avoid disappointment in 2026.
Sports
Emma Clarke homer powers Tennessee past Texas Tech in WCWS
May 30, 2026; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Tennessee Lady Volunteers infielder Emma Clarke (13) hits a walk-off home run in the ninth inning beating the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the NCAA Women’s College World Series at Devon Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-Imagn Images Emma Clarke’s home run in the bottom of the ninth inning ended a deadlock and gave Tennessee a walk-off 2-1 win over Texas Tech Saturday in a winner’s bracket game at the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.
Clarke, who had been 0-for-3 when she stepped up to bat lead-off in the ninth, lifted pitcher Kaitlyn Terry’s hanger to deep left, making short work of any late inning dramatics.
Tennessee (49-10) also got a solo home run from Taelyn Holley against Nijaree Canady in the fifth inning.
The two dingers proved enough for starting pitcher Karlyn Pickens and reliever Sage Mardjetko, who combined to surrender one run on five hits with eight strikeouts and five walks over nine innings.
Texas Tech (58-8) got on the board to tie things up in the seventh when Taylor Pannell led the inning off with a single, advanced to second on a walk, stole third base and then finally reached home when Desirae Spearman hit a sacrifice fly to center. Tennessee center fielder Sophia Knight made a strong throw home and Pannell was initially ruled out before the play was challenged and overturned when replays showed catcher Elsa Morrison missed the tag.
But that was it for scoring for the Red Raiders, who could only manage just one extra-base hit, a double by Mia Williams.
Tennessee advances to the semifinals of the tournament. The Red Raiders will now face UCLA (53-9) in an elimination game Sunday.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rain washes out qualifying, Denny Hamlin to start on Nashville pole
May 30, 2026; Lebanon, Tennessee, USA; Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin (11) will start from the pole tomorrow at Nashville Superspeedway. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images LEBANON, Tenn. — Intermittent light rain showers forced the cancellation of Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series Busch Light Pole Qualifying at Nashville Superspeedway, resulting in Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin starting from pole position in Sunday night’s Cracker Barrel 400 (7 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Championship points leader Tyler Reddick will start his No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota alongside Hamlin’s No. 11 JGR Toyota on the front row as Toyota hopes to earn its first ever series win at the 1.33-mile concrete oval.
Last week’s Charlotte race winner Daniel Suarez will start third in the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet with JGR’s Christopher Bell (No. 20 Toyota) and two-time and reigning series champion Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 Chevrolet) rounding out the top five on the 38-car grid.
Defending race winner, Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney, will start his No. 12 Ford seventh.
Bell, who was fastest in the practice session, said he didn’t expect the cancelled time trials to make a big difference in either the run of the 400-miler or ultimately the outcome of the race. Especially with the field getting some time on track with practice.
“Well, it’s good for me today, because I have a good metric, so I’m okay with that,’ Bell said smiling of the formulation NASCAR used to set the field in lieu of qualifying.
His competitors were not overly concerned with the cancellation of qualifying, either — instead just glad to turn some laps and dial in their cars.
“They put a lot of resin down in both corners, more than they’ve done in the past and we’re really curious how the cars are going to drive,” said Roush Fenway Keselowski owner-driver Brad Keselowski. “So it’s semi-important (to qualify) although we’ve been racing here for the last three or four years, so we all have a pretty good feel for it.”
–Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service
Sports
Aneesah Morrow, Sun earn first home win at Sparks' expense
May 30, 2026; Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Connecticut Sun center Brittney Griner (42) defends against Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby (5) in the first half at PeoplesBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images Aneesah Morrow collected game highs of 17 points and 14 rebounds as the Connecticut Sun hung on down the stretch for an 84-81 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday night in Hartford, Conn.
Playing the first of two games in Hartford this season before the team moves to Houston for next season, the Sun (2-8) snapped a three-game losing streak and earned their first home win of the season.
Morrow posted her third straight double-double while shooting 6 of 13 from the floor. Reserve Kennedy Burke added 14 points while Diamond Miller and Leila Lacan contributed 12 apiece as the Sun shot 41.8% (28 of 67) and outrebounded the Sparks 37-29 in a game that featured 11 lead changes and seven ties.
Rae Burrell and Ace Atkins scored 16 apiece to lead the Sparks, who nearly erased a nine-point deficit in the second night of a back-to-back. Erica Wheeler added 13 while Nneka Ogwumike contributed 12 as Los Angeles (4-4) lost for only the second time in six games and fell to 1-1 without WNBA leading scorer Kelsey Plum (ankle).
The Sun held a 69-64 lead a little over two minutes into the fourth following a 16-footer by Lacan. Miller converted a layup for a 75-66 lead with 3:56 remaining.
The Sparks chipped away and trailed 81-79 when Burrell sank a 3 with 52 seconds left, but the Sun sank three free throws in the final 12 seconds to finish it off.
Los Angeles held a 33-27 lead on a 3 by Atkins with 3:25 left in the second quarter, and the Sun ended the half with an 11-3 spurt for a 39-36 edge after rookie Gianna Kneepkens sank a 3 with 1.5 seconds left.
Miller’s 3 gave the Sun a 48-41 lead with 7:19 left in the third and Morrow’s triple put Connecticut up 51-45 a little over two minutes later. After losing the lead, the Sun took a 62-60 edge into the fourth when Burke split a pair at the line with 5.2 seconds remaining.
–Field Level Media
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Emma Clarke homer powers Tennessee past Texas Tech in WCWS
