Sports
Argentina to play World Cup tune-ups at Texas A&M, Auburn
Oct 14, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA; Argentina forward Lionel Messi (10) looks on against Puerto Rico during the first half at Chase Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Defending champion Argentina will conclude its preparations for this summer’s World Cup with a pair of friendlies at iconic college football stadiums in early June.
Argentina, led by eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, will face Honduras on June 6 at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, and will take on Iceland on June 9 at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., before heading to its base camp in Kansas City.
Kyle Field, where Texas A&M plays, hosted a Mexico-Brazil friendly in 2024 that drew a crowd of 85,249.
“We look forward to seeing international soccer return to Kyle Field, especially ahead of the World Cup this summer,” Texas A&M athletic director Trev Alberts said in a statement. “This is a very exciting time for soccer across the world as well as in the state of Texas. It will be a great opportunity to welcome fans from all over to our campus and one of the most elite venues in college sports. We are always looking to advance the brand of Texas A&M to grow its established global reach and impact. We know hosting these kinds of events emphasizes that strategy and allows us to continue expanding our footprint.”
This will be the first international soccer match in Jordan-Hare Stadium’s 87-year history.
“To have the reigning FIFA World Cup champions choose Auburn as the site of their last match before defending their title represents a tremendous achievement and an incredible opportunity for Auburn Athletics and Auburn University,” Auburn athletic director John Cohen said in a statement. “This match will bring worldwide attention and exposure to Auburn and our community.”
Argentina, No. 3 in the FIFA world rankings, is in Group J of this year’s World Cup — the largest ever with 48 teams — in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. It officially begins its title defense June 16 vs. Algeria in Kansas City. Austria and Jordan are also in the group.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Freddie Freeman posts 2,500th hit in 10-run 7th; Dodgers drub Pirates
Jun 9, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) hits an RBI single to record his twenty-five hundred MLB career hit against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the seventh inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Freddie Freeman recorded his 2,500th career hit, Andy Pages drove in three runs and Shohei Ohtani drove in two more during the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 10-run seventh inning, which propelled them to a 12-3 win over the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.
In the seventh, Pages hit a two-run home run off Pirates reliever Wilber Dotel (1-1) and a sacrifice fly off Brandan Bidois. Ohtani hit an RBI double against Dotel, then Bidois walked him with the bases loaded to force in another run.
Freeman’s milestone came on an RBI single up the middle off Bidois to score Alex Freeland and cap the scoring in the inning.
Every Dodger in the starting lineup scored in the inning as the visitors sent 15 batters to the plate.
Paul Skenes started for the Pirates, who lost their fourth in a row, and gave up two runs on six hits and two walks and struck out seven over six innings.
Skenes retired Ohtani all three times he faced him, including a strikeout in the third.
Dotel allowed six runs (five earned) on five hits and one walk without recording an out. The Pirates needed 68 pitches and used three relievers until Mookie Betts lined out to left against Dennis Santana to end the seventh.
Dotel had allowed two runs in his first 16 2/3 career innings before Tuesday.
The first nine Dodgers reached safely until Dalton Rushing struck out in his second at-bat of the seventh. Rushing started behind the plate for the third consecutive game with Will Smith still dealing with neck stiffness.
Max Muncy finished with three hits and an RBI while Freeman, Betts, Freeland and Santiago Espinal each had two of Los Angeles’ 15 hits.
In the sixth, Will Klein (2-2) relieved starter Eric Lauer, who gave up two runs on back-to-back home runs by Bryan Reynolds and Ryan O’Hearn with two outs in the first. Lauer struck out five and allowed three hits and no walks before Klein struck out three over 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Pittsburgh infielder Tyler Callihan made his first career pitching appearance and threw a scoreless ninth.
Oneil Cruz was a late scratch for the Pirates as he continues to deal with left hand discomfort.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Jac Caglianone's 2 home runs power Royals past Rangers
Jun 9, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals right fielder Jac Caglianone (14) hits a two run home run against the Texas Rangers during the sixth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Jac Caglianone homered twice and the Kansas City Royals used a four-run sixth inning to rally for their third straight victory, 5-3 over the visiting Texas Rangers on Tuesday night.
Caglianone, who had three hits with a walk, led off the fifth inning with a home run for Kansas City’s first hit against Texas starter Nathan Eovaldi (5-7). He then highlighted the breakout sixth with a two-run shot.
Both of Caglianone’s career two-homer games have come against Texas, and this one helped the Royals overcome a 2-0 hole and win for the sixth time in eight games.
Josh Jung and Brandon Nimmo each had two hits for Texas, which had won seven of nine, a stretch that began with a three-game home sweep of Kansas City.
Texas opened the scoring the second, settling for one run. Royals starter Stephen Kolek walked Wyatt Langford, who went to third on Ezequiel Duran’s double and scored when Jake Burger singled to left. However, Duran was tagged out at home on Evan Carter’s grounder to third baseman Maikel Garcia, then Kyle Higashioka hit into a 5-4-3 double play.
The Rangers added another run in the fourth. Carter recorded a two-out single, went to second on Kolek’s errant pickoff throw, then stole third and scored on catcher Carter Jensen’s throwing error.
Kolek left after five innings, charged with two runs (one earned) on eight hits.
Caglianone got the Royals on the board by lining an Eovaldi pitch 421 feet over the right field fence.
In the sixth, Jensen doubled and eventually scored on a triple off the center field wall by Garcia, who came home via Vinnie Pasquantino’s ground-rule double to put the Royals ahead. After Salvador Perez popped out, Eovaldi exited. Facing Jalen Beeks, Caglianone found the right field fountains for a 5-2 Kansas City lead.
Eovaldi was charged with four runs while yielding four hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings.
Texas got a run back in the seventh when Joc Pederson tripled on a ball Caglianone misplayed in right field. He scored on Corey Seager’s groundout to first base.
Steven Cruz (1-2) retired all four batters faced for the win.
Kansas City center fielder Kyle Isbel exited with an apparent leg injury following his seventh-inning single.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Dan + Shay, Jason Sudeikis slated to appear before U.S.'s Cup opener
Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay poses on the red carpet of the 58th annual CMA Awards show in Nashville on Nov. 20, 2024. Dan + Shay will sing the national anthem and the star of “Ted Lasso,” Jason Sudeikis, also will participate in the pregame festivities ahead of the United States’ opening World Cup match.
The U.S. will face Paraguay on Friday in Inglewood, Calif. Purahei Soul will perform the Paraguayan national anthem.
In a Tuesday press release, FIFA announced that Sudeikis “will welcome fans to Los Angeles and celebrate the unifying power of football on the world’s biggest stage.”
The pregame show already was scheduled to include performers Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla.
FIFA has scheduled headline entertainers for performances ahead of the World Cup openers in all three of the co-host nations. Mexico plays its first match on Thursday against South Africa in Mexico City, while Canada opens on Friday against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto.
–Field Level Media
