Sports
Tigers CF Parker Meadows hospitalized after collision
Apr 9, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Tigers center fielder Parker Meadows (22) collides with left fielder Riley Greene (31) on a fly ball hit by Minnesota Twins designated hitter Josh Bell (not pictured) in the eighth inning at Target Field. Meadows left the game. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Detroit Tigers center fielder Parker Meadows will be hospitalized overnight in Minneapolis after being carted off the field due to a scary collision in the bottom of the eighth inning of a game against the Minnesota Twins on Thursday afternoon.
Meadows was playing center field and Riley Greene was playing left field when Twins hitter Josh Bell hit a slicing fly ball toward the left-center field gap. Both outfielders converged on the ball, and Greene made the catch but his head clipped the side of Meadows’ face as the players collided.
Meadows fell to the outfield grass and remained still for a few moments as teammates and trainers came to check on him. He rolled onto his back as trainers attended to him.
“That was an ugly, scary one, and there’s a lot of concern for him,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said after Detroit’s 3-1 loss. “When we got out there, it looked like he had bit his lip or inside his mouth, so there was some blood, and he was pretty out of it. …
“Those are scary collisions. You don’t know what you’re going to get when you get there. Obviously we’re going to get him checked out for everything, but this one worries me.”
Eventually, Meadows was able to sit up and gingerly get to his feet. He walked slowly a few steps to a cart that trainers had requested to take him off the field.
Greene was deeply concerned after the contest.
“It was a terrible feeling,” Greene said. “I still feel terrible.”
Javier Baez moved from shortstop to center field to replace Meadows. Kevin McGonigle entered the game to play shortstop.
Meadows went 0-for-3 and is hitting .250 with two RBIs and three stolen bases in 12 games. The 26-year-old is in his fourth season with the Tigers.
The Tigers open a three-game series against the visiting Miami Marlins on Friday and it’s still to be determined if Meadows will be able to play during the series.
But Detroit right-hander Jack Flaherty knows it’s not too soon for everyone to pull for Meadows.
“You just hope everybody has thoughts and prayers with him, and he’s going to be all right,” Flaherty said. “He’s a tough guy. We continue to pray over him. Tough way to end the series. Just pray to God for Parker. He’s as good of a guy as they come. Scary situation.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
NBA fines Magic $25K for violating injury reporting rules
Apr 6, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black (0) is fouled by Detroit Pistons forward Paul Reed (7) during the second half at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images The Orlando Magic were fined $25,000 by the NBA on Thursday for violating the league’s injury reporting rules.
Per the NBA, the Magic failed to disclose the game availability status of guard Anthony Black prior to Monday’s contest against the Detroit Pistons. Black was listed as “out” in the initial injury report and later played in the game.
Black, 22, scored 14 points in 15 minutes during the Magic’s 123-107 victory over the Pistons.
The third-year player is averaging 15.1 points, 3.8 assists and 3.8 rebounds in 62 games (40 starts) this season.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Sam Burns torches par 5s to grab early Masters lead
Apr 9, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Sam Burns plays his shot from the fifth tee during the first round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images AUGUSTA, Ga. — Sam Burns took advantage of Augusta National’s longest holes in posting a 5-under-par round of 67 to take the early first-round in the 90th edition of the Masters Tournament on Thursday.
Burns got his round rolling by sinking an 11-foot eagle putt on the par-5 second hole. After dropping a shot on the seventh, he immediately gained it back with a birdie on the par-5 eighth. Burns also birdied both par-5s on the back nine and added another with a birdie on the par-3 12th.
It added up to the best round of Burns’ Masters career, besting the 68 he posted in the first round in 2023. In 12 previous rounds through four previous appearances at Augusta National, that had been the lone time Burns had broken 70 until Thursday.
Patrick Reed also reached 5 under by eagling both par-5s on the front nine to make his turn in 31, but the 2018 Masters champion gave a shot back at No. 10 before putting a ball in the water on the par-5 15th for another bogey.
Kurt Kitayama finished an eventful day at 3-under 69. He reached 4 under through 10 holes before a bogey on No. 11 and a double bogey on the short par-3 12th. He was able to card birdies on two of his final holes to get to the clubhouse among the early leaders.
Bryson DeChambeau, who is seeking to build on his best Masters finish of fifth place last year, was at even par beginning hole Nos. 11-13 known as “Amen Corner.” DeChambeau put his approach shot on No. 11 into the bunker behind the green. He then failed to get out of the bunker on his first two attempts and ended up carding a triple bogey on the hole.
NOTES: The 91-player field includes 22 first-time players — six amateurs and 16 professionals. Each amateur is paired with a Masters champion for the first two rounds of the tournament.
–Derek Harper, Field Level Media
Sports
Marlins rough up Rhett Lowder to earn series split vs. Reds
Apr 9, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez (6) slides at home plate and scores against Cincinnati Reds catcher P.J. Higgins (65) during the fourth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Owen Caissie and Javier Sanoja combined for six hits and five RBIs to lead the host Miami Marlins to an 8-1 defeat of the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday afternoon, earning a split of the four-game set.
In a battle of former first-round picks, Miami’s Max Meyer (1-0) allowed four hits, three walks and one run in five innings, striking out four.
Reds starter Rhett Lowder (1-1) entered the game with the best eight-game ERA (1.30) in Reds history with a minimum of 30 innings. He had never allowed more than three runs in a game.
On Thursday, he allowed eight hits and five runs (four earned) in 5 1/3 innings, walking two and striking out a pair.
Caissie (3-for-4, three RBIs) and Sanoja (3-for-4, two RBIs) led Miami’s offense. Agustin Ramirez went 2-for-5 with two RBIs.
Miami left fielder Griffin Conine was removed from the game in the sixth inning due to left knee discomfort. Conine got hurt trying to make a diving grab on Spencer Steer’s bloop double.
Reds first baseman Sal Stewart – a Miami native – was 1-for-3 with a solo homer to cap off a brilliant series where he went 5-for-14 with two homers, one double, two steals in two tries and five RBIs.
Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (1-for-5, 3 strikeouts) had his eight-game run-scoring streak snapped.
The Marlins, who lead the league in triples, got their fifth of the season in the first on Xavier Edwards’ drive to right-center. Miami then took a 1-0 lead when Ramirez reached on a routine chopper to third baseman Eugenio Suarez, who dropped the ball for an error as he eyed a potential throw home.
Miami extended its lead to 4-0 in the fourth. Liam Hicks walked and Otto Lopez doubled on a 113-mph liner to start the rally. The Marlins cashed in with Caissie’s two-run double and Sanoja’s RBI single.
Cincinnati got on the board in the fifth as Stewart hit his fourth homer of the season, a 409-foot bomb off of Meyer.
Sanoja added another RBI single in the sixth and Caissie did the same in the seventh, giving Miami a 6-1 lead. Ramirez added a two-run single in the eighth.
Marlins reliever Tyler Phillips pitched the final three scoreless innings for his fifth career save and his first this year.
–Field Level Media
NBA fines Magic $25K for violating injury reporting rules
Sam Burns torches par 5s to grab early Masters lead
