Sports
Yankees Lead Weak American League Field Entering Summer
The American League has been trailing behind the National League for the last few years. Yes, the Toronto Blue Jays were a half-inch away from stealing the World Series, but as a whole, the NL has had significantly more depth, and the super villains that are the Los Angeles Dodgers.
However, before I continue bashing the American League, I will give credit to 1 ½ teams. The New York Yankees look like a serious title contender this year. Aaron Judge is still doing Aaron Judge-like things, but this year he’s got Ben Rice to help him out on offense.
The lineup still feels like it needs another bat, but they have the pitching to carry them in the postseason. Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, and Will Warren are already an elite front three, but a healthy Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón could take them up to an entirely new level.
Staying in the AL East, the Tampa Bay Rays have been the next best team in the AL, but I still need to see them perform like this for longer before I fully buy in. I don’t see a guy like Nick Martinez producing a 1.71 ERA all season long, but I do have solid faith in Drew Rasmussen and Shane McClanahan to continue to produce at All-Star levels.
The top two in the AL are clearly out East, but is there anyone else in the Central and West that can even contend with them? Cleveland Guardians and the Athletics are currently leading their divisions, but they’re both incredibly flawed.
Cleveland will continue to show average pitching and hitting, yet they will most likely still win the AL Central because they poured the right amount of rum into Jobu’s cup. They likely don’t have the guns to win in the postseason, and their recent addition of Patrick Bailey might improve the pitching staff, but they somehow made their catching situation even worse offensively.
Moving out West, the Athletics have been a great story to start the year, but I don’t think they’re seriously ready to win their division. They absolutely have the offense to win the West, but their starting rotation is still a massive work in progress. Aaron Civale currently has the lowest ERA in their rotation, but he’s a guy who I think could give up 10 runs in a postseason start. I’m not sure this team is ready to contend, but if they got aggressive at the deadline and added a front-line starter, the timeline could speed up quite quickly for the A’s
I think there are two other AL teams that haven’t looked like contenders, but still need to be discussed. The Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners were the favorites to come out of their respective divisions, but both have stumbled out of the gate.
Detroit has a million injuries going on with their pitching, the most significant being elbow surgery for Tarik Skubal. If they can weather this storm and stay within striking distance of Cleveland, they certainly could still make noise with their pitching come October.
Seattle, on the other hand, has been healthy, but has been dealing with some uncharacteristically rough pitching from their rotation. I’m far more confident that they’ll figure this out and still win the West. Prediction markets still have the Mariners around a 50% chance to win the West, and I’d still bet on them to figure it out.
It’s way too early to count anyone out in the American League; however, if things don’t change, it might be a two-horse race with teams in the AL East.
Sports
MLB roundup: Rangers pitch shutout to end Cubs' 10-game win streak
May 9, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers first baseman Justin Foscue (14) and third baseman Josh Jung (6) celebrate the win over the Chicago Cubs at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Josh Jung and Justin Foscue each hit solo homers and the Texas Rangers ended the Chicago Cubs’ 10-game winning streak with a 6-0 victory on Saturday in Arlington, Texas.
Jung went 3-for-4 with two runs, Alejandro Osuna had two hits and two RBIs, and Joc Pederson added two hits and an RBI for the Rangers. Starter Jack Leiter allowed three hits with a season-high five walks and six strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings. Jalen Beeks (2-1) replaced him and threw the next 1 1/3 innings with no baserunners allowed.
The Cubs had won 20 of their last 23 games before being shut out for the fourth time this season. They went 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position and left 11 on base.
Chicago starter Edward Cabrera (3-1) gave up five runs on seven hits with one walk and six strikeouts over five innings.
Braves 7, Dodgers 2
Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson each delivered two-run singles in the second inning and visiting Atlanta spoiled the season debut of left-hander Blake Snell with a victory over Los Angeles.
Right-hander Spencer Strider (1-0) allowed just one hit over six innings with eight strikeouts and two walks in his second start of the season as the Braves improved to 5-3 on a nine-game trip. Michael Harris II tacked on an RBI double in the fifth and Drake Baldwin had a run-scoring single in the eighth.
Snell (0-1) allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits over three innings with five strikeouts and two walks as he returned from lingering shoulder fatigue. He was pitching for the first time since recording four outs in Game 7 of the World Series when Los Angeles defeated the Toronto Blue Jays. Andy Pages hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning to end Atlanta’s shutout bid.
Reds 3, Astros 1
Chase Burns worked six strong innings, and Cincinnati took advantage of a critical fifth-inning fielding error to top visiting Houston and snap a season-worst eight-game skid.
The Reds set the table for a rubber match on Sunday for this three-game interleague series. Cincinnati did so by scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth against Astros right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (4-1), who suffered his first defeat in five starts this season.
Burns (4-1) retired the side in order only once, doing so in the top of the third, and he matched his season low with two strikeouts. But he induced Isaac Paredes to ground into an inning-ending double play in the first and stranded runners in the second, fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
Blue Jays 14, Angels 1
Brandon Valenzuela hit a three-run homer to cap a seven-run fifth inning and Toronto defeated visiting Los Angeles.
Valenzuela had four hits and Ernie Clement recorded his second career five-hit game, including a solo homer as Toronto rapped out 20 hits to take their second straight in the three-game series.
Jesus Sanchez added a solo homer as the Blue Jays padded statistics against infielder Adam Frazier, who pitched a four-run eighth for the Angels, who have lost four of five to Toronto this season.
Royals 5, Tigers 1
Michael Wacha allowed two hits over seven scoreless innings, Bobby Witt Jr. sped his way to a two-run inside-the-park homer and Michael Massey broke things open with a conventional three-run shot, as host Kansas City beat scuffling Detroit.
Wacha (4-2), who turns 35 in July and boasts an ERA of 2.63, yielded only a single to Kerry Carpenter and a double from Spencer Torkelson to help the Royals take the first two of this three-game set. Kansas City, which secured its series win over Detroit since August 2024, is 12-5 since losing eight in a row.
Riley Greene had an RBI double in the eighth inning for the Tigers, who managed just four hits while matching a season high with their fifth consecutive loss. Detroit swept a three-game home set during the Royals’ extended skid last month but is in danger of that favor being returned this weekend.
Athletics 6, Orioles 2
Brent Rooker hit a three-run homer and the Athletics won their third game in a row by defeating host Baltimore.
Aaron Civale (4-1) had his third consecutive strong start, pitching five scoreless innings despite allowing six hits and three walks. He struck out six. Hogan Harris, Scott Barlow and Joel Kuhnel each pitched one shutout inning while Mark Leiter Jr. was charged with Baltimore’s two runs.
Pinch hitter Colton Cowser provided a two-run single for the Orioles, who lost their third in a row and eighth in their last 10. Baltimore starter Shane Baz (1-4) was chased after 4 2/3 innings. He was charged with five runs on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
Phillies 9, Rockies 3
Alec Bohm hit two home runs and drove in four runs in his return to the lineup as the host Philadelphia evened the weekend series with a win over Colorado.
Bohn, who had been homerless since March 26, led off the third and fourth inning with homers, tacking on a two-run double in the eighth. Kyle Schwarber broke a 1-1 tie in the third with a three-run homer, his third in as many nights.
Willi Castro had a home run and Kyle Karros hit a two-run double for the Rockies, who saw starter Kyle Freeland (1-4) allow seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits over five innings.
Marlins 8, Nationals 7
Jakob Marsee hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning and host Miami held on to beat Washington.
With the score tied 4-4, Kyle Stowers led off the eighth with a single against Mitchell Parker (2-1) and Connor Norby walked. After both runners advanced on a wild pitch, Marsee homered. Xavier Edwards also homered, Andrew Nardi (3-2) pitched a 1-2-3 inning and John King earned his first save.
Luis Garcia Jr. had three hits and two RBIs, James Wood homered and doubled and CJ Abrams added two RBIs for the Nationals, who had won three straight.
White Sox 6, Mariners 1
Miguel Vargas homered twice and Colson Montgomery also went deep to boost Chicago to a victory against visiting Seattle.
White Sox starter Anthony Kay (2-1) spaced three hits, all singles, and one run in five innings. Relievers Grant Taylor, Bryan Hudson and Tyler Schweitzer combined on four shutout innings to finish a combined four-hitter which snapped Chicago’s three-game losing streak.
Mariners starter Luis Castillo fell to 0-4 after scattering five hits for four runs in four innings. He allowed two homers for the second time in three outings. Seattle’s only run came on a Rob Refsnyder sacrifice fly.
Twins 2, Guardians 1 (11 innings)
Byron Buxton’s RBI double in the 11th inning gave Minnesota a win over host Cleveland in a game where each team managed only two hits.
Buxton had both of the Twins’ hits as he led off the game with his 13th homer, snapping the Twins’ three-game losing streak. The Guardians’ lone run came on a pair of fourth-inning singles, with Kyle Manzardo knocking in the run.
Cleveland’s Tanner Bibee allowed a run on one hit in six innings. Minnesota’s Joe Ryan gave up a run and two hits in six innings.
Brewers 4, Yankees 3 (10 innings)
William Contreras delivered a walk-off sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning to give Milwaukee a comeback win over visiting New York.
The Yankees scored one in the top of the 10th to go in front 3-2. Fernando Cruz (3-1) relieved to start the bottom half. Automatic runner Garrett Mitchell advanced to third on a wild pitch and Luis Rengifo walked. After pinch hitter Gary Sanchez flied out, Jackson Chourio followed with an RBI infield single to tie it at 3-all.
Tim Hill relieved and Brice Turang bounced back to the mound, but Hill threw wildly to third to load the bases. Contreras then lofted a fly ball to right deep enough to score Rengifo and secure a series win for the Brewers. Aaron Ashby (7-0) pitched the final two innings for his major league-best seventh victory.
Pirates 13, Giants 3
Braxton Ashcraft threw seven innings of one-run ball, batterymate Joey Bart matched his career high with four hits and Pittsburgh used a 20-hit assault to roll past host San Francisco.
Nick Gonzales also collected four hits and Brandon Lowe had four RBIs for the Pirates, who won for the sixth time in their last eight games. Oneil Cruz also scored three times and had three hits, while Lowe and Spencer Horwitz scored twice apiece. Ashcraft (2-2) limited the Giants to six hits, striking out six without walking a batter.
Bryce Eldridge launched his first career home run to get San Francisco on the board in the fifth. Heliot Ramos had a pair of singles and a run for the Giants, who won the series opener 5-2 on Friday night. San Francisco has lost nine of its last 11 games.
Padres 4, Cardinals 2
Ty France and Manny Machado homered, while Fernando Tatis Jr. supplied a tiebreaking hit during a three-run fifth inning that lifted host San Diego past St. Louis.
Starter Randy Vasquez (4-1) scattered six hits over five innings while allowing just one run. The right-hander walked none and fanned six before the Padres’ high-leverage relievers took care of the rest. Mason Miller collected his 12th save in as many chances.
Right-hander Dustin May (3-4) pitched well for the Cardinals aside from the fifth. He permitted three hits and three runs (two earned) over six innings with two walks and seven strikeouts.
Diamondbacks 2, Mets 1
Ildemaro Vargas had a two-run single, Merrill Kelly delivered his most effective start of the season and Arizona beat New York to even the three-game series in Phoenix.
Kelly (2-3) gave up one run on three hits in seven innings in his fifth start since returning from an early-season back injury. Vargas’ bases-loaded single off Clay Holmes (4-3) in the third followed two-out singles by Corbin Carroll and Geraldo Perdomo and a walk to Adrian Del Castillo, giving Kelly the only support he would need.
The Mets (15-24) are one-half game ahead of the Los Angeles Angels (15-25) for the worst record in the majors. They had won four of five. New York had three hits, none after Tyrone Taylor’s two-out double in the fifth.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Paige Bueckers, Wings top Caitlin Clark, Fever in season opener
May 9, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) shoots the ball while Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Arike Ogunbowale scored 22 points, Paige Bueckers and Odyssey Sims tallied 20 apiece and the Dallas Wings opened the new season with a 107-104 win over the Indiana Fever on Saturday in Indianapolis.
Jessica Shepard racked up 13 points, nine rebounds and nine assists for Dallas, which burned Indiana with 25 fastbreak points.
Sims, a crucial part of Indiana’s playoff run last season, led the Wings with 12 points after halftime and made one of two free throws in the dying seconds of regulation. Caitlin Clark missed a 31-footer and Indiana fouled Bueckers on the rebound, but Bueckers missed both foul shots with 1.4 seconds left, giving the Fever one last chance.
With Clark smothered by defenders on the inbound play, Kelsey Mitchell uncorked a 3 to tie but it bounced off the rim.
Mitchell powered the Fever’s comeback with 11 of her game-high 30 points coming in the fourth. Aliyah Boston had 23 points and Clark tallied 20 points, seven assists and five rebounds while shooting 2 of 9 from deep in her first WNBA game since July 15, 2025, due to a season-ending groin injury.
Neither team led by more than nine as two efficient offenses went tit for tat. The Wings shot 59.1% from the field and 12 for 23 from 3-point range, while the Fever made 51.9% overall but just 7 of 24 3-point attempts.
Clark left the bench in the waning minutes of the third period and returned wearing a black wrap around her lower back. She reentered the game and hit the final layup of the third to forge a tie at 80. That gave Clark 10 points for the third and put her past 1,000 points in her 54th career game.
Clark was not part of the Fever’s first lineup for the fourth quarter but emerged from the locker room soon after, presumably after further treatment.
Sims’ fastbreak layup made it 97-90 with 4:12 to play, but Mitchell clawed the Fever back with a 3-pointer, one free throw and a three-point play to get it to 99-97 Dallas. Bueckers responded with a 20-footer.
Boston missed the second half of a pair of free throws but stole the rebound from Bueckers and laid it in to cut it to 101-100. Then the Fever forced their second five-second violation of the quarter, but came up empty on offense.
Alanna Smith scored for Dallas and Sims hit a shot over Clark to make it 105-100 with 36.4 seconds left.
After the Fever pushed in front early in the second quarter on consecutive 3-pointers by Cunningham and Boston, No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd responded with the first points of her career on a corner 3, and Ogunbowale’s triple restored the tie game at 35.
But Fudd finished her WNBA debut with just those three points and one steal in 18 minutes.
Neither team led by more than five points until the final minute of the half, when Aziaha James knocked down two 3-pointers and Ogunbowale added one in between to build a 60-51 Dallas lead.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Disguised, Sentinels win basement battles at LCS Spring
A backlit keyboard is part of the gear online video game streamer Jordan Woodruff uses in his Gilbert home.
Jordan Woodruff
Sentinels and Disguised earned victories as the bottom four teams in the standings were in action on the opening day of Week 6 of the regular season of the LCS Spring event in Los Angeles on Saturday.
Sentinels remained locked into a top-five spot with a 2-0 sweep of Shopify Rebellion, and Disguised kept Dignitas winless in regular-season play with a 2-0 triumph.
Eight teams will compete in best-of-three matches in the round-robin regular season before advancing to the playoffs of the League of Legends event, which will be contested in best-of-five matches in a double-elimination format. The top two teams will qualify for the Mid-Season Invitational.
Sentinels swept its match with a pair of victories on red in 39 and 32 minutes.
Jeong “Impact” Eon-young and Cho “Rahel” Min-seong of South Korea split MVP honors, posting kill-death-assist ratios of 6-4-8 and 10-2-12, respectively, in the match. Australia’s Ibrahim “Fudge” Allami led Shopify Rebellion’s charge with a 5-6-6 K-D-A ratio.
Disguised’s sweep of Dignitas came via a 26-minute win on red followed by a 43-minute victory on blue.
Christian “KryRa” Rahaian of Canada was the MVP of both wins, posting a 4-4-26 K-D-A ratio in the match. Australian Ian Victor “FBI” Huang was Dignitas’ most effective player with a 6-3-7 K-D-A ratio.
The penultimate week of the regular season concludes Sunday with the top four teams in the standings in action. Cloud9 takes on FlyQuest and Team Liquid faces LYON.
Regular-season standings (Win-loss total, map differential)
T1. Cloud9, 5-0, 10-3
T1. Team Liquid, 5-0, 10-3
3. LYON, 4-1, 9-3
4. FlyQuest, 3-2, 8-5
5. Sentinels, 2-4, 7-9
6. Disguised, 2-4, 4-9
7. Shopify Rebellion, 1-5, 3-10
8. Dignitas, 0-6, 3-12
–Field Level Media
