Sports
Guardians, buoyed by addition of C Patrick Bailey, take on Twins
Apr 22, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey (14) chases with the ball during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images The Cleveland Guardians go into their game on Sunday afternoon against the visiting Minnesota Twins with possibly the best defensive catching duo in baseball.
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That’s because the Guardians acquired two-time Gold Glove-winning catcher Patrick Bailey from the San Francisco Giants on Saturday for left-handed pitching prospect Matt Wilkinson and Cleveland’s Competitive Balance Round A pick (29th overall) in the 2026 draft.
He will pair with Austin Hedges after Bo Naylor was sent to Triple-A Columbus after the trade. Utility man David Fry also can catch.
“I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve,” said Bailey, who has played his pro baseball career in the San Francisco organization, which selected him in the first round (13th overall) in the 2020 MLB Draft. “I’m ready to get going and see what’s under the tree.”
But Bailey, who turns 27 on May 29, also knows it will take a while to get comfortable.
“Just trying to get a feel for everybody. I’ve got no chance of getting everybody’s name right,” he added.
According to Fangraphs.com, Bailey’s Defensive Runs Above Average of 102.4 is the best in MLB since 2020.
“This is one of the best, if not the best defensive catcher in baseball,” said Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt. “… I got eight, nine texts from people in the Giants organization raving about him, not wanting him to leave.”
Bailey has struggled at the plate, hitting .146 (12-for-82) with a home run and five RBIs, a .213 on-base percentage and .396 OPS in 30 games with the Giants this season.
“Everybody’s going to see right away, what he’s capable of,” said Hedges, who has a DEF of 82.4 since 2021. “… He’s going to help us so much. He inspires me all of the time when I watch him.”
Bailey is expected to be in uniform and ready to play Sunday in the rubber game of the series after the Twins’ 2-1 win in 11 innings on Saturday night.
“I’m ready to get out there,” Bailey said. “I’ve been waiting to play with Hedges my whole career. To be able to work with him and learn from him. I’m super pumped.”
Gavin Williams (5-2, 3.28 ERA) is Cleveland’s scheduled starter Sunday.
Williams’ last start was a 5-3 loss at Kansas City on Tuesday in which he took the loss, giving up five runs and eight hits in six innings with two walks and seven strikeouts.
In seven appearances, all starts, against the Twins, Williams is 3-2 with a 2.61 ERA. His last start facing Minnesota came at home last Aug. 1, when he did not get a decision despite six innings of four-hit shutout ball. He walked two and struck out eight.
The Twins placed starting pitcher Taj Bradley (4-1, 2.87) on the 15-day injured list on Saturday, retroactive to Tuesday, with pec muscle inflammation.
Bradley had originally been scheduled to start Sunday, so Minnesota’s starter is slated to be opener Andrew Morris. The right-handed reliever is 1-1 with a 4.96 ERA, five walks and 15 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings in his rookie season.
Right-hander Travis Adams was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul in a corresponding move.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Sounders draw vs. San Diego, home unbeaten streak at 21
May 9, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Kalani Kossa-Rienzi (85) avoids the slide tackle by San Diego FC midfielder David Vazquez (19) during the first half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images Substitute Danny Musovski scored his first goal of the season in the 80th minute as the Seattle Sounders rallied for a 1-1 draw with visiting San Diego FC on Saturday night.
Marcus Ingvartsen scored in the 18th minute for San Diego (3-5-4, 13 points), which is winless in its past nine matches (0-5-4).
Sounders goalkeeper Andrew Thomas made a diving save on a shot by Anders Dreyer in the final minute of second-half stoppage time and Ingvartsen put the rebound from 6 yards out over the crossbar.
The Sounders (6-1-3, 21 points) extended their MLS unbeaten streak to eight matches (5-0-3) and haven’t lost in 21 consecutive matches in all competitions at Lumen Field since a 2-0 loss to reigning UEFA Champions Cup winner Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Club World Cup last June 23.
Musovski converted after a flurry of chances. He put a shot off the right post in the 78th minute and two minutes later, San Diego goalie Duran Ferree made a kick kick save on Musovski, with Jesus Ferreira’s follow-up header deflected out of bounds by Luca Bombino.
Albert Rusnak’s ensuing corner kick was flicked on net by Alex Roldan, with Musovski outmuscling defender Christopher McVey to get to the ball and put a left-footed shot from 3 yards out inside the right post.
The Sounders controlled play for the first 15 minutes, but it was San Diego that broke through against the run of play in the 18th minute.
Anibal Godoy played a give-and-go with Oscar Verhoeven near the right sideline, then found Onni Valakari in the middle of field about 25 yards from the goal. Valakari sent a quick diagonal pass to Ingvartsen just inside the top of the 18-yard box. Ingvartsen dribbled toward the top right of the 6-yard box and lifted a shot over onrushing Seattle goalkeeper Andrew Thomas.
Thomas made a spectacular diving save at the right post off a header by Amahl Pellegrino in the 22nd minute to keep it close.
It appeared the Sounders had tied the score in the 31st minute as Ferreira’s pass down the middle of the field sent Jordan Morris in on a breakaway. Morris beat Ferree but the linesman ruled Morris was offside, a call confirmed by a video review.
Morris, whose 72 career MLS goals are tied with Raul Ruidiaz for the franchise record, had another chance in the 42nd minute but his header from the middle of the 6-yard box went over the crossbar.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Timbers score 6, rout Sporting Kansas City
May 9, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Timbers forward Kevin Kelsy (19) celebrates scoring a goal during the first half against Sporting Kansas City at Providence Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images Kevin Kelsy scored in each half and totaled two assists, and the Portland Timbers romped to a historic 6-0 victory over visiting Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night.
Kelsy’s third and fourth goals this season helped the Timbers (4-6-1, 13 points) earn a six-goal victory for the first time in their MLS club history. Portland also scored six for the first time since a 7-2 win over the same SKC side in a regular-season home match on May 14, 2022.
Kristoffer Velde, Ariel Lassister and Cole Bassett also had a goal and an assist each, and the Timbers also benefited from an own-goal while racing out to a 4-0 lead by the 26th minute.
David Da Costa had two assists as Portland won for the third time in five home matches and third time in five games overall. A SKC own-goal completed the scoring.
James Pantemis made three saves to keep his first clean sheet.
Sporting (1-8-2, 5 points) conceded at least three goals for a seventh time while watching their winless run extend to seven league matches (six losses, one draw) under first-year manager Raphael Wicky.
They’ve been outscored 25-4 during that slide and 32-8 overall during the 2026 regular season.
Going back further, Kansas City has won only twice in its last 24 league games, a run that began with a 3-2 home loss to Seattle on July 12, 2025.
After Velde opened the scoring with a bombastic sixth-minute strike, Kelsy scored his first in the 15th on a slick attack through the right side of Kansas City’s defense.
After playing a combination with Bassett and Da Costa, he ran onto Da Costa’s clever backheel and drove a low finish beyond Stefan Cleveland.
Bassett’s 22nd-minute strike marked his first MLS goal for his new club after his previous 31 came in portions of seven seasons with the Colorado Rapids
After an own-goal made it 4-0 by the 26th minute, Lassiter scored from a direct free kick to make it five in the 71st. Then he provided the cross on Kelsy’s second in the 74th, a sliding first-time finish at the back post.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Sean Strickland hands Khamzat Chimaev first loss, reclaims belt
May 9, 2026; Newark, New Jersey, UNITED STATES; Sean Strickland (blue gloves) celebrates after defeating Khamzat Chimaev (red gloves) during UFC 328 at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images Khamzat Chimaev’s first UFC middleweight title defense surprisingly marked a changing of the guard, as Sean Strickland ruined his plans by becoming a two-time UFC middleweight champion at UFC 328 in Newark, N.J., on Saturday.
Strickland’s (31-7 MMA) split decision victory – 47-48, 48-47, 48-47- handed Chimaev (15-1 MMA) his first loss as both men embraced each other after a four-day buildup peppered with a ton of animosity.
“He’s a f***ing savage. That motherf***er would not go back,” Strickland said of Chimaev. “I’m hitting him with everything, and he just keeps coming forward. Crazy.”
After a dominant opening round from the incumbent which nearly saw Chimaev secure a rear-naked choke, a stuffed Chimaev takedown in the second led to Strickland being in side-control, landing strikes from the top position – a sequence rarely seen in Chimaev’s career to that point.
In Round 3, both men kept the fight standing as Strickland found a home for the jab. Chimaev ignored Prudential Center jeers of “F*** you, Khamzat” as he attempted to remain focused.
By Round 4, Chimaev used a much more tentative approach on the feet as Strickland’s nose was visibly bloody and compromised. A late takedown from Chimaev, a Russian who fights out of the United Arab Emirates, gave him his third in his last five attempts, albeit briefly, as the round ended.
With five minutes remaining, Chimaev kept Strickland against the fence in the clinch as Strickland eventually broke free back to the center of the octagon. Chimaev ended the fight with nine takedowns, but Strickland held a sizable 123-98 edge in significant strikes.
The co-main event saw UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van (17-2 MMA) of Myanmar successfully defend his title for the first time, securing a TKO win against Japan’s Tatsuro Taira 1:32 into the fifth and final round.
The fight encountered many twists and turns. As Taira (18-2 MMA) kept getting takedowns and the mount position, Van’s jab and a near rear-naked choke attempt in Round 3 were the perfect counter to a potential Fight of the Year candidate that many pundits had 2-2 entering the final round.
Van had a few choice words for Alexandre Pantoja, from whom he took the title in December when Pantoja dislocated his elbow after a bad fall, resulting in a TKO via an unexpected finish to their UFC 323 fight. Pantoja had a front-row seat to the action in Newark, N.J.
“We can run it back if you want,” Van said to Pantoja during his post-fight interview.
Taira had never been finished in his previous 19 fights, only losing a decision to Brandon Royval in October of 2024 at UFC Vegas 98.
In the featured heavyweight main card bout, second-ranked Alexander Volkov of Russia outlasted fourth-ranked Waldo Cortes-Acosta of Cuba, earning a unanimous decision win 30-27, 29-28, 29-28. Although it wasn’t a dynamic TKO from Volkov (40-11 MMA) that he’s primarily used to, volume striking made the difference.
Cortes-Acosta (17-3 MMA) had a three-fight winning streak snapped. The entire division remains at a standstill until Tom Aspinall returns to full health from his eye injury and the interim title fight between Alex Pereira and Cyril Gane at UFC Freedom 250. After that, what’s next for Volkov can be determined.
UFC welterweight Sean Brady overwhelmed Joaquin Buckley with ground strikes from the mount position across four takedowns, 12:09 of ground control time, and several submission attempts, winning a dominant unanimous decision – 30-25, 30-25, 30-27.
Brady (19-2 MMA) bounced back, having now won four of his last five, with his only loss coming to Michael Morales in that span. Buckley (21-8 MMA) has done the opposite, taking back-to-back losses. Buckley is still seeking his first win since December of 2024, landing only 21 strikes throughout the 15-minute contest against 245 from Brady.
King Green kicked off the UFC 328 main card emphatically with a first-round rear-naked choke (4:20) submission over fellow UFC veteran Jeremy Stephens at lightweight — even though Stephens came in four points overweight — in a one-sided affair. Green (35-17-1 MMA) picked up his 16th UFC win, extending his winning streak to three.
Meanwhile, Stephens (29-23 MMA) is in his second stint with the promotion, having competed on and off overall since 2007, and is still searching for his first UFC win since February of 2018.
–Field Level Media
