Sports
Cardinals top Royals behind Kyle Leahy's strong start
May 16, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Kyle Leahy (62) pitches against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images Kyle Leahy’s strong start led the host St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-2 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday afternoon.
Alec Burleson knocked in two for the Cardinals, and Victor Scott II and Masyn Winn also added RBIs. St. Louis will go for the series sweep in Sunday’s finale after beating Kansas City 5-4 in 11 innings on Friday.
Leahy (5-3) got his third win in his last four starts, throwing six innings of one-run ball. He walked three and gave up five hits, working out of a bases-loaded jam in the second.
It’s been a week to forget for the Royals, who have lost six straight and eight of their last 10.
All three of St. Louis’s runs off Royals starter Noah Cameron (2-3), who took the loss, came on plays where Kansas City recorded an out.
Jac Caglianone hit his fifth home run of the year for Kansas City. Vinnie Pasquantino went 1-for-4 with an RBI.
After retiring Masyn Winn to begin his day, Cameron was challenged by the heart of the Cardinals order. Ivan Herrera hit a ground-rule double, Jordan Walker followed with a single and Burleson brought home Herrera with a sac fly for the first run of the game.
Maikel Garcia snapped an 0-for-12 stretch at the plate with a one-out double in the fifth, and Pasquantino smacked a single into center field to tie the game.
Thomas Saggase broke his 0-for-29 rut with a leadoff single in the bottom of the frame. When Church doubled him over to third in the next at-bat, St. Louis had their best scoring opportunity, and they took full advantage.
The Cardinals retook the lead on Scott II’s RBI groundout. Winn then hit the Cardinals’ second sac fly of the game to double their advantage to 3-1.
Burleson spoiled Bailey Falter’s return from the injured list with an RBI single in the eighth. Falter had been out since April 1 with left elbow inflammation.
Caglianone’s solo shot led off the ninth against George Soriano. The tying run came to the plate when Isaac Collins singled, but Soriano forced Kyle Isbel to ground into a game-ending double play.
The game was delayed approximately 45 minutes from its scheduled start time of 2:15 local because of inclement weather in the area.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Chargers OC Mike McDaniel in NFL accelerator program
May 11, 2026; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel watches during offseason workouts at The Bolt. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel and Kansas City Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy are two of 34 coaches and executives scheduled to participate in the NFL’s revamped accelerator program, ESPN reported on Saturday.
The NFL began holding accelerator events at its spring meetings starting in 2022 after league officials perceived that owners were passing over highly qualified individuals of color for vacant positions. They did not hold the event in 2025, however.
Among the 16 coaches slated to participate is McDaniel, who served as the Miami Dolphins head coach from 2022-25.
McDaniel achieved back-to-back playoff appearances with the Dolphins in his first two seasons. Over four seasons there, McDaniel posted a 35-33 record in the regular season and an 0-2 record in the postseason.
Bieniemy, Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski, Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde and Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich are among those that have received head coaching interviews in recent years.
Eighteen executives also are scheduled to participate in the program, including Glenn Cook and Catherine Hickman (Cleveland Browns), James Liipfert (Houston Texans), Mike Bradway (Chiefs), Brandon Brown (New York Giants), Josh Williams (San Francisco 49ers), Mike Greenberg (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Lance Newmark (Washington Commanders).
–Field Level Media
Sports
A's DFA 2B Michael Stefanic, acquire 2B Alika Williams from Pirates
May 13, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics second baseman Michael Stefanic (17) throws to first base during the first inning of the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images The Athletics designated second baseman Michael Stefanic for assignment Saturday and acquired minor league infielder Alika Williams from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Stefanic, 30, was added to the A’s roster Tuesday and was 2-for-5 with a run scored in two games following a 34-game stint at Triple-A Las Vegas. In parts of five major league seasons with three teams, he is a career .231 hitter with 14 RBIs in 101 games.
Williams, 27, will return to the major leagues for the first time since 2024. He was batting .317 with two home runs and 18 RBIs in 34 games for the Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate at Indianapolis this season.
In 83 games for the Pirates from 2023-24, Williams batted .202 with 11 RBIs.
The A’s sent minor league right-hander Kyle Robinson to Pittsburgh to complete the deal. Robinson, 22, is 7-13 with a 4.52 ERA in 34 appearances (27 starts) in the A’s minor league system.
The A’s also announced Saturday that they traded minor league outfielder Junior Perez to the Chicago White Sox for minor league left-handed pitcher Jackson Nove.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Denny Hamlin tops Dover All-Star grid after late qualifying charge
May 2, 2026; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin (11) is interviewed after the qualifying session for the 2026 Wurth 400 Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images DOVER, Del. – Denny Hamlin has claimed pole position for Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race (1 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX Deportes, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) in a late qualifying session effort, unseating owner-driver Brad Keselowski in the final minutes of Saturday’s unique three-lap bid to set the field at Dover Motor Speedway.
The next to last driver to qualify, Hamlin spun his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota on the warm-up lap just as he took to the one-mile high-banked track but recovered and excelled when it mattered — taking the lead starting position by .149-second over Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Keselowski’s No. 6 Ford.
“Quite eventful for sure,” Hamlin conceded of his lap, insisting he’d never really been remarkably fast in this style of qualifying format.
“I just spun out. I don’t know. I didn’t think I was being that aggressive but spun out. At that point, just tried to minimize the damage. … That wasn’t ideal, but then I just committed to run the lap as hard as I could, and it was still good enough.”
“It’s risk versus reward and certainly challenges the driver. … But definitely a team effort.”
Zane Smith’s No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford team won Saturday’s $100,000 Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge, establishing themselves best on the speed chart early in the session and their work ultimately proving unbeatable. Although Smith’s overall speed places him 25th on the starting grid, the Pit Stop Challenge win earned the team first pit stall selection Sunday – something that could be the difference in advancing Smith into the 200-lap finale.
The pole position was based on a three-lap run that also included the timed pit stop on the second lap. Late in the session, Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson seemed to have bettered Keselowski’s early work, but Larson received penalties for being too fast on pit road and not blending properly back onto The Monster Mile’s high banks – the time penalty ultimately costing the three-time All-Star race winner a front row spot. And Hamlin topped both drivers in the end.
Legacy Motor Club’s Erik Jones, Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain and Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron rounded out the five fastest cars. Defending All-Star Race winner, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell was sixth fastest.
Several perennial favorites struggled during the unique qualifying format with pit road miscues and/or time penalties, including rookie Connor Zilisch, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chris Buescher, Daniel Suarez along with former series champs Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney, who had slow stops.
This marks the first time the series has held its annual $1 million to-win, All-Star Race at the concrete Dover Motor Speedway. It will include two 75-lap segments and then a 200-lap finale to settle the big check.
There are 19 drivers currently in the 200-lap final segment and trophy-determining portion of the event – including NASCAR Cup Series championship leader Tyler Reddick and fellow 2026 race winners Ty Gibbs and Carson Hocevar. Joining them are 2025 race winners Hamlin, Shane Van Gisbergen, Blaney, Chase Briscoe, Byron, Larson, Elliott, Austin Dillon, Chastain, Josh Berry, Austin Cindric, Joey Logano, Bubba Wallace and Bell.
Kyle Busch, who won Friday night’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Dover, also has an automatic spot on the grid as a former All-Star race winner — as does Keselowski as a former series champion.
The first two segments of Sunday’s event are 75-laps followed by the 200-lap finale which includes the 19 drivers locked in, plus the six best performing drivers from the opening segments and the “Fan Vote” winner.
NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying – NASCAR All-Star Race
Dover Motor Speedway
Dover, Del.
Saturday, May 16, 2026
1. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 98.812 mph.
2. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 98.682 mph.
3. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota, 98.289 mph.
4. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 98.261 mph.
5. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet, 98.194 mph.
6. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 98.084 mph.
7. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 97.962 mph.
8. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 97.868 mph.
9. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 97.815 mph.
10. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford, 97.799 mph.
11. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 97.386 mph.
12. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 97.379 mph.
13. (4) Noah Gragson, Ford, 97.218 mph.
14. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 97.084 mph.
15. (10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 96.999 mph.
16. (19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota, 96.737 mph.
17. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 96.404 mph.
18. (97) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet, 96.054 mph.
19. (21) Josh Berry, Ford, 95.899 mph.
20. (34) Todd Gilliland, Ford, 94.444 mph.
21. (35) Riley Herbst, Toyota, 94.349 mph.
22. (41) Cole Custer, Chevrolet, 93.923 mph.
23. (51) Cody Ware, Chevrolet, 93.185 mph.
24. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 91.867 mph.
25. (38) Zane Smith, Ford, 90.532 mph.
26. (60) Ryan Preece, Ford, 88.938 mph.
27. (88) Connor Zilisch #, Chevrolet, 87.709 mph.
28. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 84.942 mph.
29. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 83.581 mph.
30. (71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 83.422 mph.
31. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 80.981 mph.
32. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford, 77.170 mph.
33. (7) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
34. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
35. (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 0.000 mph.
36. (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
— Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service
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