Sports
Bears try to bounce back from Hail Mary disaster in Arizona
Oct 13, 2024; London, United Kingdom; Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus watches from the sidelines against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second half during an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images How imbalanced is the NFC eight weeks into the season?
The Chicago Bears own a better record than the Arizona Cardinals, but the Bears are last in their division and the Cardinals share first in theirs.
What’s more, despite the fact the Bears (4-3) are superior in win-loss record, point differential, DVOA rating and every other useful metric, most sportsbooks list Kyler Murray and the Cardinals (4-4) as a slight favorite Sunday afternoon in Glendale, Ariz.
Perhaps the Hail Mary that cost the Bears a victory last Sunday at Washington — and cost head coach Matt Eberflus some credibility with the fan base — also has put Chicago in a different light with the masses.
Eberflus caught flak after the game and all week — including from Bears players — for letting the Commanders complete an undefended 13-yard pass directly before Jayden Daniels’ game-winning 52-yard touchdown pass with no time left.
He also got second-guessed for claiming that 13-yard completion was harmless, for failing to call a timeout to get the Bears better-prepared for the Hail Mary, and for not disclosing whether cornerback Tyrique Stevenson — who was facing the wrong way and taunting Commanders fans while the final play was in progress — was handed any punishment for his negligence.
“I’ve talked with Tyrique,” Eberflus said. “We had a good conversation. I’ll keep it there with him and I. It’s all about accountability and execution and that starts with me. The game didn’t finish the way we wanted it to. We hold each other accountable.”
“We voiced our opinions and he voiced his thoughts,” Bears quarterback Caleb Williams said of the weekly meeting between Eberflus and the Bears’ eight captains. “We had a grown-man talk. No raising voices or things like that — just a real talk.”
In contrast, everything seems peachy in the desert. The Cardinals have won three of their last four games for the first time since Weeks 9-13 of the 2021 season. In each win — over San Francisco, the Los Angeles Chargers and Miami by a combined four points — Chad Ryland has booted a game-winning field goal in the final two minutes (including two with no time left).
Another key for the Cardinals? In their four losses, they’ve amassed just four sacks. But in their four wins, they’ve stacked up 11. Veteran outside linebacker Dennis Gardeck and second-year tackle Dante Stills lead the way with three sacks apiece.
“We’ve got to continue to find ways to affect the passer,” said Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon. “There’s been some glimpses in some games when we’ve done it pretty consistently — and there’s been some games where we haven’t been so consistent. This (week) is a big-time challenge for us because (Caleb Williams) forces you to play differently on defense with his skill set.”
Arizona might gain rookie defensive tackle Darius Robinson’s services Sunday. The first-round pick has yet to appear in a game due to a calf injury suffered in preseason, but he was added to the roster this week with hopes the projected starter will round into shape sooner than later.
Meanwhile, the Bears might be without two key pieces in their secondary. Starting safety Jaquan Brisker (concussion) and nickel back Kyler Gordon (hamstring) missed last week’s loss and didn’t participate in Wednesday’s walkthrough. Defensive end Montez Sweat (shin) was one of three other Bears to miss practice.
For the Cardinals, offensive lineman Kelvin Beachum (groin) and Robinson (calf) were the only two players to miss practice. Cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting (neck) practiced in full.
Prior to kickoff Sunday, fans gazing down at the field will see one of the most genuinely warm pregame conversations between head coaches in NFL history. Gannon, who’s in his second year as Arizona’s boss, spent 2018-20 serving as the Indianapolis Colts’ defensive backs coach when Eberflus was the team’s defensive coordinator.
“My guy,” Gannon said. “It’ll be good to see him. People ask me about him all the time. The first thing that comes to my mind is elite leadership skills. I learned so much from him. I took a lot of what I learned from him to Philly (as defensive coordinator) and then to here. He’s been a really cool resource for me. I love his family. His family did a lot for my family in Indy.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rain threatens rematch between Yankees, Dodgers
Jul 17, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy (13) celebrates his two run home run against the New York Yankees with shortstop Mookie Betts (50) during the seventh inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images The Los Angeles Dodgers returned from the All-Star break on Friday and earned a win on a night when stars Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts were quiet at the plate against the New York Yankees.
Instead, the Dodgers relied on dominant pitching and a clutch hit in the late innings of a 2-1 victory.
The teams will continue their three-game series at Yankee Stadium on Saturday night, though bad weather is forecast. Heavy rain is projected for the New York area for most of Saturday, and if the game gets rained out, the teams will play a doubleheader on Sunday.
The Dodgers are 31-17 on the road this season and own 18 one-run victories after opening the series with the one-run victory Friday on Max Muncy’s go-ahead, two-run homer off Gerrit Cole with no outs in the seventh inning.
Muncy’s homer was among five hits for the Dodgers, who struck out 10 times. Ohtani, Freeman and Betts were a combined 0-for-11, though Betts drew a walk before Muncy homered.
“It was good,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Any time you can find a way to win a game when Gerrit Cole is pitching is a good thing.”
The Yankees were held to one run or less for the 16th time this season, and for the seventh time since losing Aaron Judge to a fractured right rib.
New York allowed Muncy’s homer after Yankees manager Aaron Boone elected to keep Cole in after a mound visit.
The Yankees finished with six hits, including a double by Ben Rice, who is batting .412 during a nine-game hitting streak. Rice’s double nearly tied the game in the eighth, but Trent Grisham was thrown out at the plate on a throw by Betts.
“It’s just baseball,” Grisham said. “Sometimes you score 10, sometimes you score one.”
Left-hander Ryan Weathers (3-7, 4.15 ERA) will start for the Yankees on Saturday after allowing one run on six hits in 5 1/3 innings during a no-decision in his team’s 5-3 victory over Washington on July 10.
Weathers is 0-2 with a 5.73 ERA in his past three outings. He is 0-3 with a 5.46 ERA in seven career appearances (six starts) against the Dodgers, though he has held Betts to one hit in 12 at-bats and Ohtani to 1-for-8. Weathers has struggled against Freeman, as the first baseman is 5-for-10 against him.
Right-hander Emmet Sheehan (4-6, 4.81 ERA) will start for Los Angeles on Saturday and is 1-5 in his past nine starts since May 14. This will be his first career appearance against the Yankees.
Sheehan last pitched on Sunday, when he allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits in 5 1/3 innings during a no-decision in the Dodgers’ 5-3 loss to Arizona.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Andres Chaparro, Nats try to top gaudy numbers vs. skidding A's
Jul 17, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Washington Nationals first baseman Andres Chaparro (87) watches the ball after hitting a two run homme run during the fifth inning against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images The All-Star break didn’t hinder the bats of the Washington Nationals as they scored more than three touchdowns’ worth of runs in their first game after the resumption of play on Friday.
The Nationals dismantled the Athletics 23-4 in the opening contest of a three-game set and will look for another offensive explosion on Saturday night at West Sacramento, Calif.
The scoring output equals the second-most in Nationals franchise history, which dates to 1969, when the team was the Montreal Expos. That record came in Washington’s 25-4 walloping of the New York Mets on July 31, 2018.
Washington was loaded with heroes on Friday while piling up 21 hits — including four homers — and going 13-for-17 with runners in scoring position.
The most unlikely star was Andres Chaparro, who entered the contest with seven RBIs. He recorded a career-best eight on Friday while smacking two homers during a 4-for-5 night.
The only players in franchise history with more RBIs in a game are Anthony Rendon (2017) and Mark Reynolds (2018), both of whom had 10.
“Everybody on the team knows how hard I work,” Chaparro said through an interpreter. “Every day I come in and put in the work and try to contribute to the team, and it feels special to get these kinds of results.”
Washington scored in double digits for the 14th time this season. Daylen Lile homered and drove in four runs and Curtis Mead was 4-for-6 with four runs, three RBIs and three doubles as the Nationals halted a three-game losing streak.
“If we stick together and keep playing like this, the second half is going to be special,” Chapparo said.
The A’s have lost 10 straight games and have been outscored 47-6 in their past four contests.
Staggering into the All-Star break was bad enough, but manager Mark Kotsay knew his squad laid an egg on Friday.
“There’s not much to explain; we played very badly at baseball in every sense of the word, and the fans let us know,” Kotsay said, alluding to choruses of boos. “I expect a lot from this group. Let’s see how they respond (Saturday).”
Tyler Soderstrom hit a two-run homer and Shea Langeliers hit a solo shot for the A’s.
Infielder Tommy White, 23, doubled in the eighth inning of his major league debut. He played first base as the club struggles without injured slugger Nick Kurtz (right thumb).
“He’s shown a lot of growth and improvement in his defense,” Kotsay said of White. “This is a runway here with Kurtz on the IL for him to help us win some games.”
Right-hander J.T Ginn (7-6, 3.67 ERA) will start for the Athletics on Saturday and make his bid at slowing the Nationals.
Ginn, 27, lost his two starts immediately before the All-Star break. He endured his worst start of the season against the Chicago White Sox last Sunday when he gave up eight runs and six hits over 4 1/3 innings in a 9-1 A’s loss.
Ginn has never faced the Nationals.
Washington will start right-hander Zack Littell (7-6, 4.90 ERA) in the middle game of the series. He is tied for second in the majors with 23 homers allowed in just 90 innings.
Littell, 30, pitched four innings of relief against the New York Yankees on July 10 in his most recent appearance. He gave up one run and five hits in a 5-3 loss, in which he didn’t take a decision.
Littell will make his 13th start and 20th appearance of the season. He is 0-1 with a 3.94 ERA in 10 career appearances (one start) against the A’s.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tarik Skubal, Tigers eye series win against Angels
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Sunday, July 12, 2026. The spotlight will be on two-time reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal on Saturday night when the Detroit Tigers try for a series win over the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif.
The left-handed Skubal (5-5, 3.09 ERA), a free agent at the end of the season, is expected to be the most coveted pitcher available at the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
Skubal, who has won two of his last three starts, is 1-1 with a 2.96 ERA in four career starts against the Angels, including 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA in two starts at Angel Stadium.
There has been speculation that Detroit could retain Skubal if the Tigers, who improved to 23-14 since June 1 with a 2-1 comeback win in Friday’s series opener, can put together a strong run before the trade deadline.
Due in part to a dismal 6-22 May, the Tigers enter Saturday’s game in fourth place in the American League Central — 6 1/2 games behind the surprising first-place Chicago White Sox — and are 3 1/2 games out of the AL’s final wild-card spot.
Skubal told reporters on Sunday that he will not get distracted by the trade speculation.
“If we’re going to try to ride the roller coaster of every single game after a loss or a win, you guys can write it; I’m not gonna,” Skubal said. “I’m going to stay pretty even throughout. My belief will never change in these guys.”
Detroit started a six-game road trip with a ninth-inning comeback over the Angels on Friday. Hao-Yu Lee lined a two-out, two-run double to the fence in right-center off reliever Kirby Yates for the eventual game-winning hit for the Tigers.
“When you can sneak out a win after the way the first eight-plus innings went, that clubhouse should be loud,” Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said. “We earned it.”
Detroit was 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and hadn’t gotten a runner past second base before Lee’s double.
“We really had a hard time kick-starting our offense tonight,” Hinch said. “Just weren’t putting back-to-back at-bats together.”
It was the 11th loss in the last 13 games for the Angels. They joined the Rockies, who also lost Friday night, as the first two teams in the majors to hit the 60-loss mark this season.
Right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (3-2, 7.55 ERA), who has had success against the Tigers during his career, will start for the Angels on Saturday.
Rodriguez is 2-0 with a 0.60 ERA in three career starts against the Tigers, with 20 strikeouts in 15 innings. He picked up the win in a 7-1 victory at Detroit on May 28, when he allowed one run on two hits and two walks over five innings while striking out five.
Rodriguez won his last start at Minnesota, 4-3 on July 10, allowing three runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings. It was his first big league appearance since he went on the injured list on June 15 with lower back tightness.
“He pitched well,” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said. “His changeup was working. It was working really good. He had some life on his fastball. He was throwing strikes, attacking the zone. Good first start, for sure.”
–Field Level Media
Wordle today: Answer, hints for July 19, 2026
Rain threatens rematch between Yankees, Dodgers
