Sports
Brewers welcome Mets, former ace Freddy Peralta
Jul 11, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) reacts after recording a strike out to end the top of the second inning against the Boston Red Sox at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images The Milwaukee Brewers are hoping hard-throwing Jacob Misiorowski will benefit from extended rest over the break when he opens the three-game series against the visiting New York Mets and former teammate Freddy Peralta on Monday.
Misiorowski (10-4, 1.62 ERA) will be making his first start in almost two weeks against Peralta (5-8, 4.66), who was traded to New York in January after eight seasons with Milwaukee and will be facing his former team for the first time.
Milwaukee completed a sweep of the Miami Marlins with a 3-1 victory on Sunday on William Contreras’ walk-off three-run homer in the ninth inning.
The Mets defeated Philadelphia 6-1 on Sunday behind rookie right-hander Nolan McLean, who struck out 10 over six scoreless innings. Francisco Lindor had three hits, including a two-run homer, and three RBIs.
Misiorowski, who was originally slated to start Tuesday but was bumped up a day, said he’s looking forward to the matchup against Peralta.
“That will be fun,” Misiorowski told MLB.com. “I want the best for Freddy. He’s an awesome guy. I love Freddy. … But he’s on the other team, so you’ve got to kick his (butt). That’s my job.”
Misiorowski, who leads the majors in ERA and strikeouts with 167, will be making his first start since July 7, when he allowed three runs on three hits, including two homers, over seven innings in a 4-3 win at St. Louis.
The 24-year-old right-hander, whose fastball routinely tops 100 mph, skipped his final start before the All-Star break due to arm fatigue. Misiorowski has thrown a career-high 111 innings in 18 starts after pitching 66 innings last season as a rookie in 15 regular-season appearances.
“I feel normal. I feel good,” Misiorowski said. “The rest was 100% good. I feel ready.”
Misiorowski was named to the All-Star team for the second time in his two seasons but did not pitch in last week’s game.
He has faced the Mets once, allowing five runs in 3 2/3 innings and took the loss in a 7-3 defeat at New York last July.
Peralta, 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA last season in 33 starts with Milwaukee, has been inconsistent with New York.
He was 2-2 with a 6.39 ERA in five starts in June and is 0-2 with a 5.54 ERA in three starts this month.
The right-hander lasted just 4 1/3 innings in his last start on July 11, allowing two runs on three hits but walking five in a 92-pitch outing, taking the loss in a 4-0 home defeat against Boston.
“It’s a terrible, terrible feeling coming out before the fifth inning,” Peralta said afterward. “I’ve been struggling, and I’m just working on it, trying to navigate through this. It’s been difficult, but not impossible for me. I never lose the hope. Just keep working — that’s what I keep telling myself. And at some point, I’m going to navigate through it.”
Peralta has issued 44 walks — sixth most in the National League — in 104 1/3 innings and also allowed 15 home runs.
He pitched well at American Family Field during his time with the Brewers, going 40-20 with a 3.19 ERA in 112 games, including 84 starts.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Kylian Mbappe wins second World Cup Golden Boot, Spain claim other awards
July 18, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S.; France’s Kylian Mbappe reacts after the match. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images French superstar Kylian Mbappe became the first player to win multiple FIFA World Cup Golden Boot awards after Spain shut out Argentina 1-0 in the final on Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J.
Mbappe finished with 10 goals for the tournament after scoring twice in France’s 6-4 loss to England on Saturday in the third-place match.
His only competition still active was Lionel Messi, who was searching for his first Golden Boot along with trying to guide Argentina to a second consecutive World Cup. Messi and Argentina defeated Mbappe and France on penalty kicks in the 2022 final in Qatar.
But Argentina could not muster a shot on goal against Spain’s stalwart defense and had just two total shots, both coming late in the match. Messi went scoreless for the third match in a row. He had collected eight goals across the three group-stage matches, the round of 32 and the round of 16.
At 27, Mbappe already can call himself the greatest goal-scorer in World Cup history. His two second-half goals on Saturday pushed him past Messi for the all-time tournament record with 22 in just 22 matches. Messi — the first to break German Miroslav Klose’s career record early in the tournament before Mbappe caught up — stayed at 21 and may have played his final World Cup match Sunday at 39 years old.
Eight of Mbappe’s 10 goals this summer came in braces. He scored twice against Iraq, Senegal, Sweden and finally England. He was the first with 10 goals in a single World Cup since Gerd Muller of Germany in 1970.
Aside from Mbappe, it didn’t come as a surprise that the rest of the awards went to Spanish players after their remarkable run to the country’s second World Cup title.
Spain midfielder Rodri collected the Golden Ball award, given to the best overall player in the tournament. While he didn’t record a single goal or assist in Spain’s eight matches, he completed more passes, ran more distance and had more player involvements than any other player in this year’s tournament.
He also played a key role in heavily limiting Messi’s touches during Spain’s stifling 1-0 win.
Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simon and defender Pau Cubarsi were named winners of the Golden Gloves award and FIFA Best Young Player award, respectively. The pair each played critical roles in La Roja allowing just one goal — a record for a champion team — and 10 shots on goal in eight matches during this World Cup.
Simon finished with seven clean sheets, two more than the previous record for a single World Cup. The 29-year-old’s nine career World Cup clean sheets are one off the record of 10 shared by former France keeper Fabien Barthez and former England keeper Peter Shilton.
Those three awards are decided by FIFA’s Technical Study Group, made up of former professional players, coaches and analysts.
–Field Level Media
Sports
D-Backs rally from down 7 to beat Cardinals in 10 innings
Arizona Diamondbacks baserunner Max Kepler (22) celebrates scoring a run against the St. Louis Cardinals at Chase Field in Phoenix, on July 18, 2026. Max Kepler delivered the game-winning RBI in the 10th inning as the Arizona Diamondbacks scored eight unanswered runs in an 8-7 win against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday in Phoenix.
Kepler drove in automatic runner Jorge Barrosa with a one-out double to right field off Luis Gastelum (1-1).
Juan Morrillo (3-4) allowed one hit over 1 1/3 scoreless innings across the ninth and 10th innings to register the win.
Arizona’s rally began in the sixth. Adrian Del Castillo knocked a lead-off double, Ryan Waldschmidt singled and Ketel Marte’s single up the middle drove in Del Castillo to cut the deficit to 7-1.
Andre Pallante walked Geraldo Perdomo to load the bases, and Waldschmidt scored one out later when Pallante walked Gabriel Moreno, ending his outing.
Ryne Stanek came in and retired the first batter before issuing a walk to Tyler Locklear which brought Marte across the plate, narrowing it to 7-3.
Perdomo pulled Arizona within two in the seventh when he followed up Del Castillo’s leadoff walk with a two-out inside-the-park home run to left field on a liner that skipped past St. Louis left fielder Jose Fermin and rolled to the wall.
Nolan Arenado’s two-run home run just over the left field wall in the eighth tied the game at 7.
St. Louis opened a 5-0 lead in the third inning. Lars Nootbaar walked and scored on Blaze Jordan’s triple. JJ Wetherholt singled to bring in Jordan and double the advantage.
Wetherholt went to third on Ivan Herrera’s base hit, and Jordan Walker brought him around with a double to push the lead to 3-0. Alec Burleson’s single to center field allowed Herrera and Walker to come in, extending it to 5-0.
Fermin chased Diamondbacks ace Eduardo Rodriguez, who threw 40 pitches in the frame, with a single. Right-hander Drey Jameson came in and walked Nootbaar before getting Jordan to line out to retire the side, stranding the bases loaded.
The Cardinals made it 7-0 in the fifth. Burleson singled, and Fermin and Nootbaar each walked to load the bases. That ended Jameson’s appearance, replaced by Philip Abner. Jordan (3-for-5, three RBIs) greeted Abner with a single to right that brought in two runners.
Herrera and Burleson each added three hits for St. Louis. Del Castillo and Kepler led Arizona with two hits apiece.
Rodriguez surrendered five runs on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings. Pallante gave up three runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Valkyries seek 10th straight win in rematch with Mystics
Jul 18, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton (left) passes against Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron (right) during the fourth quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images The interior-powered Washington Mystics and perimeter-oriented Golden State Valkyries will seek to do a better job defusing the other’s strength when the clubs meet in a rematch Monday night in San Francisco.
The Valkyries (19-7) finished strongly both offensively and defensively to erase a late six-point deficit and earn a 74-69 win in the front half of the WNBA-style doubleheader Saturday night, which was played on Golden State’s home court.
The hosts saved five of their 12 successful 3-pointers for the final 5:55 to account for all their scoring in a 15-4 finish. It allowed them to secure a ninth straight win in a game in which the Mystics (12-12), led by Shakira Austin, had dominated the Valkyries to the tune of 40-16 in points in the paint.
Golden State coach Natalie Nakase noted after the hard-fought win that it’s not like her players will grow a few inches before the rematch with Austin and fellow interior powers Kiki Iriafen and Lauren Betts.
“We understand they’re very tall, big and physical in size. So it’s got to be a team effort,” she said at her postgame press conference. “I just thought attention to detail with KT (Kayla Thornton) and Kiah (Stokes) down the stretch, just defending without fouling, it was beautiful that last five minutes. For us to rely on our defense down the stretch was huge.”
After Betts’ layup gave the Mystics a 65-59 lead with 6:13 remaining, the Valkyries forced the visitors into 2-for-8 shooting the rest of the way, with three turnovers mixed in. Three of the misses were 3-point attempts, where Washington went just 6-for-23 for the game, as the visitors got away from what had been successful earlier.
Mystics coach Sydney Johnson believed his team played well enough to win the opener but needs to improve in close games. Five of Washington’s 12 losses this season have been by five points or fewer.
“Really challenging us to just physically, emotionally, mentally be locked in,” he expressed to the media afterward about his team’s shortcomings. “It’s a demanding league. There’s absolutely no nights off, no easy games. Those are our consistent themes, most importantly, bringing our toughness and togetherness every time we come to the floor.”
One of the challenges will be managing odd scheduling, with the Mystics flying across the country to face the Valkyries twice in three days. They begin a six-game homestand Wednesday night against Las Vegas.
–Field Level Media
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