Sports
Astros find momentum going into series against reigning champion Dodgers
May 3, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Houston Astros relief pitcher Bryan Abreu (52) pitches against the Boston Red Sox during the tenth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images The Houston Astros, desperate for production from a pitching staff ravaged by injuries, turned to an old postseason hero on Sunday, one whose struggles this season have come to represent the club’s as a whole.
Right-hander Bryan Abreu worked two scoreless innings of relief and notched his first win this season as the Astros claimed the rubber match of a three-game road series with the Boston Red Sox, 3-1 in 10 innings.
It marked just the second road series win this season for the Astros, who will host a three-game interleague series against the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday.
Abreu was on Houston’s World Series title team of 2022 and has played his entire major league career with the Astros since 2019.
“We can’t get to where we want to get to without Bryan Abreu,” Astros manager Joe Espada said after Abreu lowered his ERA to 10.32. “Hopefully, this is the trampoline that gets him going. I’m really happy for him, I’m really proud of him for those two innings.
“Momentum going into the Dodgers series at home, stuff like this matters,” Espada said. “These guys start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. We’ve still got a long season, but series like this get you going.”
Left-hander Steven Okert (0-0, 4.20 ERA) will serve as the opener for the Astros on Monday, while rookie right-hander Ryan Weiss (0-2, 6.65) is likely to work as the bulk pitcher. Okert tossed a scoreless inning of relief against the Red Sox on Sunday and allowed one hit with one strikeout.
It will mark the fifth career start for Okert and first since Aug. 5, 2025, against the Miami Marlins, when he allowed one run on one hit with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings.
Okert is 1-0 with one save and a 2.18 ERA in 20 2/3 innings over 19 career relief appearances against the Dodgers. Should Weiss make an appearance, it will mark the first of his career against the Dodgers and his third against the National League. Weiss is 0-1 with an 11.37 ERA in two career interleague appearances — both against the Colorado Rockies.
Right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2-2, 2.87) has the starting assignment for the Dodgers. He did not factor into the decision of a 5-4 home win over the Marlins on April 27 after allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits and four walks with four strikeouts in five innings.
Yamamoto is 0-1 with a 3.20 ERA in his last three starts with 18 strikeouts across 19 2/3 innings. The Dodgers scored one run in both of their losses with Yamamoto on the mound.
He will make his first career appearance against the Astros. He is 6-3 with a 2.82 ERA across 14 interleague starts since 2024.
The Dodgers snapped a four-game skid with a 4-1 road win in the finale of their three-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. Justin Wrobleski twirled six shutout innings to pace the victory and deliver yet another strong pitching performance for the Dodgers, whose lineup scuffled during the skid but showed signs of improvement over the weekend.
Freddie Freeman delivered a two-out RBI single in the fifth, and he and Andy Pages produced runs while facing 0-2 counts. The Dodgers’ star-studded lineup is accustomed to more robust offensive displays, but given their recent struggles, all signs of progress are welcome.
“You’ve just got to bow your neck and find a way to win,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It doesn’t matter how good or how bad it looks, we needed a win so we can have a happy flight.
“Yeah, the two-strike hits, the two-out hits are a sign of what we’ve done in the past.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Braves place OF Mike Yastrzemski (elbow) on injured list
Jul 4, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves left fielder Mike Yastrzemski (18) slides home safely against the New York Mets in the sixth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Colin Hubbard-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Braves placed outfielder Mike Yastrzemski on the injured list Saturday with left elbow inflammation, while right-hander James Karinchak was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett.
In corresponding moves, right-hander Owen Murphy and outfielder Brewer Hicklen were recalled, while outfielder Jose Azocar was outrighted off the 40-man roster and was assigned to Gwinnett.
Yastrzemski, 35, is batting .230 with six home runs and 28 RBIs in 85 games this season, his first with the Braves. He is a career .237 hitter with 129 home runs and 392 RBIs in eight seasons for the San Francisco Giants (2019-25), Kansas City Royals (2025) and Braves.
Karinchak, 30, has a 1.86 ERA in nine relief appearances for the Braves after not pitching in the major leagues the previous two seasons.
Murphy, 22, made his major league debut Monday and gave up two runs (one earned) in an inning of work. He was a first-round draft pick by Atlanta in 2022.
Hicklen, 30, is poised to make his debut for the Braves after going 2-for-12 over 10 games for three different clubs during the previous three seasons.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz (elbow) to begin a rehab assignment
Mar 27, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Edwin Diaz (3) delivers to the plate as he earns a save in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Edwin Diaz will start a rehab assignment at Single-A Ontario on Saturday after spending more than two months on the injured list following an elbow procedure.
Diaz, who was signed to a three-year, $69-million contract in the offseason, struggled to a 10.50 ERA over his first seven appearances for the Dodgers with four saves. He went on the injured list with loose bodies in his pitching elbow.
The 32-year-old is 29-36 with a 2.91 ERA and 257 saves over nine seasons that includes time with the Seattle Mariners (2016-18) and New York Mets (2019-25). He is a three-time All-Star, including last season while in New York.
Without Diaz in the closer role, the Dodgers bullpen has been successful despite its struggles in a 9-3 home loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday. Los Angeles relievers entered Saturday’s play with a combined 3.77 ERA, fifth best in the National League.
Diaz expects to return to the active roster shortly after the All-Star break.
“I feel really good. I feel way better than early in the season,” Diaz said this past week. “I can see them missing the fastball. That’s something I couldn’t do early in the season, because I wasn’t right. Now I just gotta keep throwing strikes, making pitches.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Roughriders to assemble full rushing attack vs. Tiger-Cats
Nov 16, 2025; Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Saskatchewan Roughriders running back A.J. Ouellette (45) runs the ball during the second quarter against Montreal Alouettes defensive back Najee Murray (12) during the 112th Grey Cup Championship at Princess Auto Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images After playing the last two games without the back who makes their running game go, the Saskatchewan Roughriders will welcome A.J. Ouellette back on the field when they host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sunday night in Regina, Saskatchewan.
Ouellette amassed 153 yards on 33 carries over the first two games for Saskatchewan (3-1) before going down with an ankle injury at Calgary. He was almost activated for last week’s 27-22 win at Ottawa, but coach Corey Mace opted to hold him out for one more week.
“I thought we could get the job done with the guys we have,” Mace said. “I thought the extra time off was good for him. A.J. is our work horse.”
Ouellette rushed for a career-high 1,222 yards with eight touchdowns last year as the Roughriders won the Grey Cup. His bruising style has served as a perfect compliment to the passing of veteran Trevor Harris.
Harris threw for 243 yards last week, passing Tom Clements for 12th in CFL history with 39,115 yards over 14 seasons.
While Harris reaches a milestone, Hamilton starter Bo Levi Mitchell will only be able to watch from the sideline. Mitchell sustained a broken ankle last Sunday during a 14-13 home loss to Winnipeg when he was sacked in the third quarter by Jake Ceresna.
Tre Ford and Jake Dolegala both played after Mitchell’s departure, though neither was effective. Tiger-Cats coach Scott Milanovich has opted for Dolegala as the starter this week, hoping his ability to push the ball downfield will help his team score points.
“We’re going to have to pick up the pieces,” said Milanovich. “It’s hard not to feel for your brother and your teammate out there. This is football and those things happen. … This is an opportunity for one of these guys to prove they can be a starting quarterback in this league.”
Jarret Doege is also an option at quarterback after Hamilton signed the veteran Monday. Doege has thrown for 1,498 yards in brief stints with Edmonton and Toronto.
–Field Level Media
Braves place OF Mike Yastrzemski (elbow) on injured list
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