Sports
MLB roundup: Cubs score 7, win 7th straight as Phils' skid hits 7
Apr 21, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki (27) runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the seventh inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Shota Imanaga tossed seven stellar innings, Seiya Suzuki and Michael Busch each drove in two runs and the streaking Chicago Cubs posted a 7-4 victory over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday.
Imanaga (2-1) allowed just one run on three hits, striking out one and walking one for the Cubs, who won their major-league-leading seventh straight game. Suzuki and Nico Hoerner each homered in the win.
Jesus Luzardo threw 4 2/3 innings for the Phillies, surrendering one run on five hits, walking four and striking out three. Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber both homered for the Phillies, who saw their losing streak extend to seven.
Tanner Banks (0-1) replaced Kerkering in the sixth in a 1-1 game. Hoerner led off the frame with a single and advanced to third on Happ’s one-out hit. After Kelly’s two-out walk loaded the bases, Busch drove in a pair with a single. In the seventh, Hoerner launched a one-out solo homer to push the lead to 4-1. After Alex Bregman’s walk, Suzuki hit his first homer of the season — a 441-footer.
Yankees 4, Red Sox 0
Giancarlo Stanton hit a solo home run and collected three RBIs as New York opened a three-game series with a road victory over Boston.
Stanton’s home run came against Boston starter Connelly Early. He added a two-run double in the sixth. Stanton, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Randal Grichuk each had two hits for the Yankees, who have won five of their last six. Luis Gil (1-1) pitched into the seventh to earn the win.
Early (1-1) was pulled with one out in the sixth. He gave up three runs on five hits and struck out four. Held to four hits, the Red Sox have scored three runs or fewer in 12 of their 23 games. Boston has allowed at least four runs in 13 of those 23 contests.
Giants 3, Dodgers 1
Landen Roupp outpitched Yoshinobu Yamamoto and San Francisco got RBI singles from Rafael Devers and Jung Hoo Lee in a three-run first inning, then held off visiting Los Angeles in the opener of a three-game series.
Roupp (4-1) allowed just one run on one hit in five innings, then watched five relievers combine for four scoreless innings, helping the Giants open a six-game homestand with a win. Roupp struck out seven and walked five in his first career win over the Dodgers.
Seeking his first-ever victory over the Giants, Yamamoto (2-2) went seven innings, allowing six hits and three runs, all of which scored in the first. He walked two and fanned seven.
Nationals 11, Braves 4
Luis Garcia Jr. had four hits and drove in three runs, Curtis Mead socked a three-run homer and host Washington ended Atlanta’s six-game winning streak.
James Wood hit his eighth homer of the season, walked four times and scored three runs for Washington, which leveled the four-game series at one victory apiece. Starter Foster Griffin (3-0) allowed three runs on five hits over six solid innings.
Drake Baldwin and Eli White homered for the Braves and Mauricio Dubon had two hits. Starter Reynaldo Lopez (1-1) allowed four runs in one-plus inning and gave up five hits and three walks while fanning one. Braves pitchers issued 12 walks.
Reds 12, Rays 6
Elly De La Cruz recorded his sixth career multi-homer game and drove in five runs, fueling Cincinnati to a victory over Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg, Fla.
De La Cruz launched a two-run blast in the first inning and a solo shot in the ninth. De La Cruz also had a fielder’s choice in a four-run sixth and an RBI single in the seventh. Ke’Bryan Hayes and Dane Myers launched back-to-back homers in the second and Spencer Steer added a solo shot in the fifth in Cincinnati’s fifth straight win.
Chase Burns (2-1) allowed two runs on four hits and struck out eight in 5 2/3 innings. His lone blemish was Jonathan Aranda’s two-run homer in the sixth. Jonny DeLuca had a two-run double in the ninth inning for Tampa Bay, which has been outscored 24-10 during its three-game losing streak.
Twins 5, Mets 3
Luke Keaschall’s second RBI single of the game snapped a ninth-inning tie and helped visiting Minnesota rally past slumping New York.
In losing its 12th straight game, New York coughed up a 3-0 lead as closer Devin Williams melted down during the top of the ninth. Williams (0-1) didn’t retire any of the five hitters he faced, walking three. Francisco Lindor hit a two-run homer in the Mets’ three-run third inning.
Minnesota’s bullpen retired all 12 hitters it faced. Cole Sands (1-1) pitched the last two innings to earn the win, fanning Tyrone Taylor for the last out. Byron Buxton hit a two-run shot to get the Twins on the board in the sixth.
White Sox 11, Diamondbacks 5
Rookie Munetaka Murakami homered for the fourth straight game, Colson Montgomery went deep for the third straight and Chicago slugged four homers in a rout of Arizona at Phoenix
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Murakami, Michael Vargas and Montgomery hit consecutive solo shots in the second inning to help stake Sean Burke (1-2) to a 7-0 lead. Burke gave up two runs on five hits in six innings. Sam Antonacci’s first career homer was two-run inside-the-park job in the ninth.
Ildemaro Vargas hit a three-run homer in the ninth for the Diamondbacks, extending his season-opening hitting streak to 16 games. Merrill Kelly (1-1) was tagged for eight runs and 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Cardinals 5, Marlins 3
Nathan Church slugged a two-run homer and Alec Burleson also drove in a pair of runs as visiting St. Louis defeated Miami.
St. Louis, which has won six of its past seven games, also got 5 1/3 strong innings from Dustin May (3-2). Riley O’Brien pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his seventh save. Cardinals star Jordan Walker had his 15-game hitting streak broken.
Miami was led by Jakob Marsee, who finished 3-for-4, including a homer leading off the bottom of the first. Marlins starter Chris Paddack (0-4) struck out seven but gave up five runs on eight hits and a walk in 4 2/3 innings.
Guardians 8, Astros 5
Rookie Chase DeLauter delivered a go-ahead three-run triple and Kyle Manzardo added a two-RBI single in a six-run eighth inning, rallying Cleveland to a victory over visiting Houston.
DeLauter’s sinking liner toward the foul line in left dropped just in front of Brice Matthews, who was attempting to make a sliding grab. Angel Martinez, Brayan Rocchio and Steven Kwan came around to put Cleveland ahead 6-4.
Rule 5 Draft selection Peyton Pallette (1-1) tossed a scoreless eighth for his first career win. Closer Cade Smith gave up an RBI single in the ninth to major league homer and RBI leader Yordan Alvarez in a non-save situation. Alvarez drove in three runs and had two hits for the Astros, who have split the first two games of the series.
Brewers 12, Tigers 4
Brice Turang drove in four runs and Milwaukee opened its three-game series at Detroit by pounding the Tigers.
William Contreras had two hits, drove in two runs and scored another for the Brewers. David Hamilton supplied four hits and scored twice, while Sal Frelick, Luis Rengifo and Blake Perkins each scored two runs and drove in another. Starter Kyle Harrison gave up one run and four hits in three-plus innings.
Detroit starter Keider Montero (1-2) allowed three runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Royals 6, Orioles 5
Maikel Garcia scored on a wild pitch in the ninth inning and Kansas City snapped its eight-game losing streak with a win over visiting Baltimore.
Ryan Helsley (0-2) walked Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. to open the ninth. The runners reached second and third on a wild pitch, and Garcia darted home to score the winner on another wild one pitch from Helsley — his second of the inning and Baltimore’s fourth of the game.
Michael Massey clubbed a tying solo homer in the eighth for the Royals, who overcame an early 3-0 hole for their first win since April 11. Adley Rutschman came off the 10-day injured list to hit a two-run go-ahead homer in the eighth for the Orioles, who also got a three-run shot from Coby Mayo but have lost six of eight.
Rangers 5, Pirates 1
Kumar Rocker allowed one run on four hits over a season-high six innings and Texas began a nine-game homestand with a win over Pittsburgh.
Rocker (1-1) walked one and struck out five for Texas, which returned home after playing 16 of its first 22 games on the road. Cole Winn, Jacob Latz and Jakob Junis each pitched a scoreless inning in relief. Five Rangers contributed RBIs.
Jake Mangum and Nick Gonzales had two hits apiece for the Pirates, who have lost three of their last five. Carmen Mlodzinski (1-1) had not allowed an earned run in his last 13 innings, but gave up five runs over 4 1/3 innings.
Padres 1, Rockies 0
Randy Vasquez pitched seven scoreless innings and allowed just three hits for San Diego, which squeaked out a rare shutout victory over Colorado in Denver.
It marked just the fourth time in Rockies history they lost a 1-0 game at Coors Field. The other three instances happened in 2006, with the Milwaukee Brewers last beating Colorado by that score on Aug. 1, 2006.
Vasquez (2-0) struck out five without issuing a walk in San Diego’s third straight win. The right-hander outdueled Chase Dollander (2-2), who threw six strong innings but had a lapse of wildness in the sixth that sent the Rockies their second straight defeat.
Athletics 5, Mariners 2
Jeff McNeil and Shea Langeliers hit home runs as the Athletics defeated host Seattle, clinching a series victory against their American League West rivals.
A’s left-hander Jacob Lopez (2-1) earned the victory by allowing two runs on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings. Right-hander Jack Perkins pitched the final two innings for his first save of the season.
Cal Raleigh homered for a second consecutive night for the Mariners, who have dropped six of their past eight games. The A’s broke a 2-2 tie against reliever Eduard Bazardo (0-1) in the sixth. The loss was the first of Bazardo’s six-year career after eight consecutive victories.
Blue Jays 4, Angels 2
Pinch hitter Lenyn Sosa drilled a tiebreaking two-run double during a three-run eighth inning, propelling Toronto past Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif.
Eloy Jimenez had two RBIs and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. scored twice for the Blue Jays, who matched their season best of three straight wins. Mason Fluharty (1-0) got two outs, and Louie Varland entered to induce a game-ending double play with the bases loaded for his first career save.
Oswald Peraza had two hits and a run for the Angels, who have scored just six runs during a season-worst four-game losing streak. Drew Pomeranz (0-2) permitted three runs in his lone inning.
-Field Level Media
Sports
Bryson DeChambeau not leaving LIV: 'I haven't given up'
Apr 10, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Bryson DeChambeau chips onto the 18th green during the second round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Grace Smith-Imagn Images Bryson DeChambeau addressed speculation that he could be leaving LIV Golf after this season by pledging, “As long as LIV is here, I would figure out a way for it to make sense.”
DeChambeau told Flushing It Golf, in an interview published on Wednesday, that he is still working on “a potential contract” as he plays out the final season of his original LIV Golf deal.
The circuit is facing questions about its future as rumors circulate that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund may be preparing to end its immense financial support of the league. However, LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil said last week that the league would not fold. O’Neil later added that LIV Golf is financed through the 2026 season.
DeChambeau had spent part of his time while competing at the Masters Tournament earlier this month to discuss a possible return to the PGA Tour, according to a report by The Athletic.
In his interview published on Wednesday, DeChambeau said he is committed to LIV Golf as long as the league continues next year.
“We’re still working on a potential contract,” he said. “I haven’t given up on that and I think there will be a solution. But as of right now, my job is to help make the league work after this year. I just feel like I have a responsibility. I’ve put a lot of effort into it. So that’s what I’m going to do, we’re going to make this work.”
Adversity comes with the territory, DeChambeau said, as in any new venture.
“There’s a lot of moving parts like in any business,” he said. “It’s a startup, right? And so there’s going to be times where we’re squeezed and punched. This is one of those moments. But I’m going to do everything in my power to make it work and I really see the value in franchise golf.”
DeChambeau, 32, prevailed in a playoff in consecutive weeks in March by winning at both LIV Golf Singapore and LIV Golf South Africa. The two-time U.S. Open champion has won five individual LIV Golf titles.
When LIV Golf began in 2022, DeChambeau reportedly signed a $125 million contract for 4 1/2 years. According to The Daily Telegraph, he had been seeking as much as $500 million on a new contract to remain with the league.
DeChambeau did have the opportunity to return to the PGA Tour earlier this year through the Returning Member Program but reportedly declined. That program was developed as Brooks Koepka departed LIV for his return to the PGA Tour earlier this year.
Also declining the option to return were Jon Rahm and Cam Smith. DeChambeau, Rahm and Smith were the only three LIV stars who were offered a path to return amid new parameters that were restricted to players who had departed for at least two years and had won a major tournament or a Players Championship title between 2022 and 2025.
DeChambeau, as captain of the Crushers GC team, turned the focus beyond his own situation and fellow stars Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Spain’s Rahm to younger golfers committed to the league.
“And, you know, another reason why I’m doing this is not just for myself and the team aspect that I really believe in on the Crushers side,” he said. “It’s for Michael La Sasso. It’s for Caleb Surratt. It’s for Josele Ballester. It’s for David Puig.
“Jon, Phil, DJ, myself and the guys that have been here from the start, we’re OK. It’s now our responsibility to take care of these kids that believe in us. That’s why I’m really doing it. There’s so much value to squeeze out of this whole thing for golf in general.”
The league’s fourth season has eight tournaments remaining — five in the United States — after last week’s event in Mexico.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Raiders back at No. 1, Jets comb best of Buckeyes
The logo of the 2026 NFL Draft is showcased at the big screen inside the theater Wednesday, April 22, 2026 from outside Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa. Time is shorter and the wait is longer when the 2026 NFL Draft takes the stage in Pittsburgh on Thursday night.
The vagabond event marks a return to the home of the Steelers for the first time since 1948. Across three days, seven rounds and 257 total picks at Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium, which opened in 2001 as Heinz Field, players anxiously await to hear their name and, when chosen, embark on their NFL careers.
Barring a trade, the home fans will be waiting awhile for the Steelers to be on the clock at pick No. 21. But not as long as years past. A change will be implemented to reduce the time between each first-round selection from 10 minutes to eight minutes. The NFL reduced the time from 15 minutes to 10 in 2008.
Speaking of trades, there has already been significant wheeling and dealing of draft picks. General managers are also planning to be nimble on the clock Thursday in the first round. 49ers GM John Lynch anticipates “there’ll be a lot of trade movement this year.” Chiefs GM Brett Veach, drafting in the top 10 for the first time, echoed the sentiment.
“There’ll probably be a lot of trades,” Veach said.
Nobody expects the Raiders to trade out of the top spot, where they appear determined to select Heisman Trophy-winning Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall. It’s the first time the Raiders enter the draft with the No. 1 spot since selecting LSU’s JaMarcus Russell in 2007.
After months of waiting, at least three in-person meetings and additional conversations with Mendoza, Raiders general manager John Spytek still expects a little alone time with the telephone in the draft room Thursday.
“Unless you’re super convinced that you’re making the pick, you kind of just sit there and wait for a little bit and see if your phone will ring,” Spytek said. “Sometimes, you can get really good trade offers that maybe you didn’t expect and other times your phone doesn’t ring, so then you just pick.”
Veach comes armed with two first-round picks courtesy of a trade with the Rams, who acquired cornerback Trent McDuffie for the No. 29 pick in the first round.
The Jets, Browns, Cowboys, Giants and Dolphins also own multiple picks in the top 32.
Trades have been a prevailing storyline for the Jets, who follow the Raiders on the clock at No. 2 and possess No. 16 overall courtesy of their trade of cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts last year. New York has a second pick in Round 2 as well — No. 44 from the Dallas Cowboys, part of the deal for Quinnen Williams last year — and a total of five in the top 103 in this draft.
It’s enough of a stockpile that the Jets could move down or stay put and draft any number of blue-chip options — four of them products of Ohio State. Linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, safety Caleb Downs and wide receiver Carnell Tate are premier players at their position in this draft class. Any of them could be fits for the Jets, whose list of positional needs runs deep.
But the top-ranked pass rusher in the draft is David Bailey out of Texas Tech. Bailey and head coach Aaron Glenn downplayed the Jets canceling his “top 30 visit” to team headquarters. Bailey said Wednesday in Pittsburgh he has spent a lot of time with the Jets’ brass and recently caught up again on FaceTime. As far as Bailey is concerned, he’s very much an option for the Jets with the No. 2 pick Thursday.
“It’s been good, man. I’ve had great interaction with them,” Bailey said.
At No. 3, the Arizona Cardinals have a new head coach and no set plan at quarterback. While the Jets reacquired Geno Smith, the Cardinals haven’t tipped their hand. Consensus opinion of the 2026 draft class implies the answer might not be in this draft.
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is not a consensus first-round prospect but demand outweighs supply at the NFL’s most vital position, which could push the one-year Crimson Tide starter up draft boards.
With that in mind, Arizona has room on the roster for most of the brigade of Buckeyes, Bailey or could be a candidate to trade down.
The Titans are looking for a sidekick for 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward and might be antsy with the Cardinals on the clock. Tennessee has been closely connected to Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, who said Wednesday he’s open to any outcome that could transpire in Pittsburgh on Thursday.
“You draft me, I’m not doing too much of nothing other than football,” Love said of his mindset and what he shared with interested NFL teams the past several months. “I want to be a Hall of Famer, I want to be a Pro Bowler my very first year. I want to win offensive rookie of the year. I tell them all these goals that I have.”
Alabama (2021) and Miami (2004) hold the record for most first-round picks produced by one program in a draft. If projections for four Buckeyes to be selected in the top 12 picks hold up, Ohio State nose tackle Kayden McDonald, who accepted an invitation to attend the draft in Pittsburgh, could be the fifth.
Multiple teams join the Colts (Gardner) by starting Thursday on the sideline without a first-round pick.
The Denver Broncos traded the No. 29 pick to the Dolphins in the Jaylen Waddle deal last month. Cincinnati sent the No. 10 pick to the New York Giants for Dexter Lawrence last week and the Falcons and Jaguars parted with 2026 first-rounders during the 2025 draft.
The Packers acquired Micah Parsons from the Cowboys in the August deal that cost Green Bay its 2006 first-rounder (20th overall).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Hidden Storylines You Might Have Missed So Far in 2026 NBA Playoffs
Apr 9, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) reacts after three point attempt during the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Boland-Imagn Images While the surprisingly competitive NBA playoffs have stolen the headlines – and rightfully so – two of the biggest names in the league have seen interesting stories get buried this week.
Here’s what I’ve observed both on and off the court from my seat thousands of miles away …
Thunder, Celtics are Two of Two
Can we just fast-forward to a Thunder-Celtics finals? Yeah, I know the 76ers have stolen a game in Boston. It’s why they play seven. Without Joel Embiid, they won’t win again. Here’s hoping for seven SGA-Jaylen Brown head-to-heads in the Finals.
Competitive games in most first-round series only serve to lead to this conclusion: The good teams aren’t as good as people think. San Antonio, Denver, Detroit, New York … We’ve barely tipped off the postseason and already we’re asking: Who’s the third-best team in the NBA, the one who could possibly deny an Oklahoma City-Boston showdown? There really isn’t one.
Where Big Man Comes Up Small
Apr 19, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts to a call by an official during the second half of game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images Watching Victor Wembanyama get hurt, I guess it answers my question: Why is the most unstoppable force the league has seen since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar standing 30 feet from the basket, dazzling us with his ballhandling (but not with his 3-point shooting)?
Wemby is quickly headed down the Giannis Antetokounmpo path. You know, the guy who can dunk pretty much anytime he wants, but who has an ego larger than his wingspan, so he feels obligated to show us what a great perimeter player he is. Wemby could average 50 points a game – he really could – if he just walked block to block, caught lob passes and dunked from 10 feet away. He can do it. It’s amazing. His 3-point shooting isn’t.
Jaden McDodo
It has now become clear why Anthony Edwards talks so much. It’s to keep the microphones away from Jaden McDaniels.
How ignorant do you have to be when, five seconds after you’ve stunned a vastly superior opponent, you blast every one of their players for being poor defenders? Label me Mick Cronin, but I’d have the loudmouth sitting at the end of the bench wearing a dunce cap for Game 3. Aaron Gordon, the guy who will match up with McDaniels next game, is a bad defensive player? Well, I guess we’ll see.
What’s The Guy Gotta Do?
Wemby was a unanimous choice as Defensive Player of the Year. That was easy. This wasn’t: Leaving Jaylen Brown, the league’s best midsized defender on the perimeter, off every single line of every single ballot. He didn’t even get a second- or third-place vote. Not one.
If the NBA had a Most Underappreciated Award, Brown probably wouldn’t get any votes, either. That would just show how underappreciated he is. The Celtics were a better team without Jayson Tatum this year, and an unhandcuffed Brown was the reason. He should be an MVP candidate and certainly an All-NBA first-teamer, but the league has now allowed Cade Cunningham and Luka Doncic back into the mix, which likely will come at Brown’s expense. Do you think they’d have changed the rules if their posterboy – Tatum – were the candidate?
Kerr Could Strike Gold Again
Apr 10, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr looks on before the start of the game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images Warriors coach Steve Kerr left to a group hug with fellow old-timers Stephen Curry and Draymond Green after the Warriors bowed out of the play-in tournament, leading to speculation that he might retire now that his contract has expired. Frankly, that would be unfortunate.
Kerr has a rare opportunity this off-season to use a trumpeted return to rally new forces and create a one-season superteam the likes of which the NBA has never seen. He already has Curry, Green and Jimmy Butler returning, with the possibility of keeping Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis. Now, all Kerr has to do is what he helped accomplish at the Olympics – talk modern-day Dream Teamers like LeBron, Kawhi Leonard and maybe even VanVleet into joining a historic farewell tour. Just like Paris.
Wouldn’t you love to see it? Better yet, wouldn’t you love to see him try to make it happen?
Nothing Clutch About Clutch Criteria
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was a remarkable fourth-quarter player this season. Just as he was in the first, second and third quarters. He certainly has the numbers to make him a legitimate NBA Clutch Player of the Year. Or at least the number we’ve been given.
You see, the NBA defines a “clutch game” as one in which the difference in the score is five or fewer points at any point of the final five minutes of the fourth period. It could be 99-94 with five minutes left, then 109-94 a minute later, yet all points scored through the end of the game go down as “clutch.” Or it could be a 110-85 blowout with five to go, without a single truly clutch second among the final 300 even though the final score might turn out to be 116-111, the product of three late, meaningless 3-pointers.
While the Thunder were blowing everyone out, teams like the 76ers and Nuggets had to duel to the bitter end more times than not. It’s not surprising then that Tyrese Maxey led the NBA with 15 field goals in the final minute with a chance to tie or take the lead. Jamal Murray had 14. Those are clutch performers. SGA had 11, which made him – barely – an All-Clutch Second Teamer.
Bryson DeChambeau not leaving LIV: 'I haven't given up'
Raiders back at No. 1, Jets comb best of Buckeyes
