Sports
Browns coach Todd Monken: Drafting QB Brendan Sorsby is 'slippery slope'
Coach Todd Monken talks to the press at the Browns OTA camp in Berea on May 20, 2026. First-year head coach Todd Monken anticipates there could be peril on the periphery if the Cleveland Browns select Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby in a potential NFL supplemental draft should he lose college eligibility because of gambling.
Monken, stressing that he was speaking for himself and not the Browns organization, called the decision a “slippery slope” given Sorsby’s situation regardless of his proven talent and skill level.
“I don’t think we’re in a position to want to go down that road,” Monken said at the Browns Foundation Golf Tournament. “That’s my opinion. That’s not (general manager Andrew Berry’s).
“I like the quarterbacks that we have. I think that’s a slippery slope when you go down that, irrespective of talent, right?” Monken continued. “In terms of the situation he’s (put) himself in, we all know what that is. He put himself in that situation. And we’ve seen in other sports with players that have been banned for life from playing in professional sports.
“But from my end of it, kind of a tough angle to go down that road and think that’s going to be your franchise quarterback if he’s ever eligible to even play in the NFL.”
Sorsby transferred to Texas Tech from Cincinnati this offseason and was the Red Raiders’ projected starter for 2026. ESPN ranked Sorsby the No. 1 overall transfer in this year’s class.
But Sorsby has been fighting for his college eligibility after revelations of rampant betting led the NCAA to revoke his eligibility in April and deny his request for reinstatement in May. The NCAA prohibits athletes and employees from wagering on NCAA events in which a championship is held, which includes football.
Sorsby is seeking an injunction against the NCAA to play in 2026, but should that fail, an option could be to enter the NFL’s supplemental draft.
The Browns’ Berry was asked on Tuesday about Sorsby and was not as absolute in his answer as Monken was.
“No different than we do every year,” Berry said. “We’ll do the work on all the prospects, and then we’ll make the appropriate decision for the organization.”
The Browns’ quarterback depth chart includes veteran Deshaun Watson and second-year players Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel as well as 2026 sixth-round draft pick Taylen Green.
A judge in Lubbock County, Texas, did not make a ruling on Sorby’s request for a temporary injunction after a hearing Monday. Judge Ken Curry requested additional documentation be provided before he renders his verdict, which could happen in the upcoming days, according to ESPN.
Sorsby’s attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, requested a decision be made by June 15 to allow Sorsby a window to determine whether to apply for the NFL supplement draft, which carries a June 22 deadline.
Curry heard arguments from Sorsby’s team and the NCAA as to why Sorsby should be allowed to return to the field after allegedly making thousands of impermissible bets on college and pro sports — including his own team while at Indiana.
Sorsby placed at least 40 bets on Indiana football as a redshirt freshman with the Hoosiers, court documents revealed.
Those ranged from $1 to $114 and totaled at least $850 in September and October of 2022, while he was redshirting. Sorsby said in a letter to the NCAA that he never bet in a game he played in, nor ever bet against his team.
The quarterback wagered about $90,000 over a four-year period using sportsbook accounts registered to a family member and friends, with 2,900 bets totaling more than $30,000 coming from June 2022 to December 2023 alone. Last week, Sorsby revealed that he completed a 35-day, in-patient rehab stay in Arizona to treat “a diagnosed gambling addiction and anxiety disorder.”
NCAA attorney Taylor Askew said on Monday that if an injunction is granted, the collegiate governing body would in effect become the first sports league in the U.S. that could not punish its athletes from betting on its own contests.
The NFL supplemental draft was last held in 2019. Created in 1977, it was launched to give players with “sudden eligibility changes” a ladder from college to the NFL. However, the league would likely closely review the investigation into Sorsby’s off-field activity before determining whether to hold the special draft in July.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Guardians star 3B Jose Ramirez activated, batting second
Jun 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) celebrates after scoring during the third inning against the New York Yankees at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images In a virtual tie atop the American League Central, the Cleveland Guardians received a major boost with the activation of star third baseman Jose Ramirez, who is in the starting lineup and batting second Wednesday against the visiting Minnesota Twins.
Ramirez, 33, a seven-time All-Star and six-time Silver Slugger, had been out since June 13 with a left hamate fracture. He underwent surgery three days later and was given a timetable of five to seven weeks. Wednesday marked five weeks and a day since the procedure.
In a corresponding move, outfielder Kahlil WIlson was optioned to Triple-A Columbus.
Without Ramirez, the Guardians went 15-15 but struggled offensively, ranking 28th in the majors in runs (121) and 26th in OPS (.690). In 72 games this season, the 14-year veteran is hitting .239 with 10 home runs and 33 RBIs, along with 18 doubles and 24 stolen bases.
In other injury news, Cleveland outfielder Angel Martinez began a rehab assignment on Friday after suffering a non-displaced left foot fracture the same day of Ramirez’s injury.
Martinez played seven innings in his third rehab game for Triple-A Akron on Tuesday and could be activated by this weekend, MLB.com reported. In 66 games this season for Cleveland, he has hit .239 with 11 home runs and 33 RBIs.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Spain's Gavi: No suspension for Argentina’s Leandro Paredes
July 19, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S.; Argentina’s Leandro Paredes clashes with Spain’s Gavi next to assistant coach Walter Samuel. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images Spain midfielder Gavi doesn’t feel Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes should be suspended for his postgame tirade following Spain’s 1-0 victory in Sunday’s World Cup final.
Tensions were high after the match and Paredes had a hand in elevating them further. While players were mixing it up, Paredes charged in from behind and crashed into Gavi, eliciting further pushing and shoving and an occasional swing.
FIFA said earlier this week it will have a prosecutor conduct an investigation.
Still, Gavi said Paredes shouldn’t receive a ban.
“I don’t think he should be suspended,” Gavi said after the match. “I understand it’s not a good image for children, but I think there’s also that side to football, which is a bit more physical, more aggressive.
“The most logical thing would have been to send him off during the match, and that’s it. In the end, I think it’s all football, and it has to be that way.”
Gavi became involved in the incident after attempting to intervene in a confrontation that involved teammate Eric Garcia.
At one point, Paredes was listed as receiving a red card for his postgame actions. That was deleted a short time later.
After the match, Paredes was asked about the incident.
“I was just talking to them after the match,” Paredes said. “Things got heated with their teammates being aggressive. … They didn’t need to get physical like that. It was childish.”
Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute for Spain.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Yankees rally late, but Pirates take DH opener in 10 innings
Jul 22, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Jacob Gonzalez (26) hits a two run home run against the New York Yankees during the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images Jared Triolo hit a tiebreaking RBI single with one out in the 10th inning as the Pittsburgh Pirates recovered from losing a three-run lead and outlasted the host New York Yankees for a 5-3 victory in the opener of a split doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon.
The Pirates won for the ninth time in 13 games and started their third doubleheader this month by stringing together a rally off Fernando Cruz (4-4).
Automatic runner Nick Gonzales advanced to third on a flyball by Jacob Gonzalez, putting runners on first and third when Cruz walked pinch hitter Marcell Ozuna. Gonzales scored when Triolo blooped a 1-2 splitter in front of left fielder Cody Bellinger.
The Pirates added another run when pinch runner Billy Cook scored on a single to center field by Jake Mangum.
Mason Montgomery (3-3) struck out two in the ninth after getting the final out of the eighth. Gregory Soto stranded automatic runner Amed Rosario at third in a 1-2-3 10th for his 13th save in 18 chances.
Gonzalez hit a two-run homer off Gerrit Cole in the fifth after the former Cy Young award winner retired the first 14 hitters. Gonzales ended Cole’s early perfect game bid with a single then homered in the seventh for a 3-0 lead.
Ben Rice hit a tying three-run homer off lefty Carmen Mlodzinski with one out in the seventh after Ryan McMahon doubled and Austin Wells walked. Rice joined Houston’s Yordan Alvarez, Philadelphia’s Kyle Schwarber and Colorado’s Hunter Goodman as the fourth player to reach 30 homers this season when he launched a 3-1 fastball into the second deck in right.
Cole allowed three runs on four hits, walked none and notched his 64th career double-digit strikeout game. He allowed Gonzalez’s homer on a 1-1 changeup and Gonzales homered off Cole’s 1-0 fastball.
Pittsburgh right-hander Mitch Keller gave up three hits in five innings as the Yankees started eight left-handed hitters, including top prospect Spencer Jones. Keller struck out six and walked two during his third scoreless outing this season.
–Field Level Media
Guardians star 3B Jose Ramirez activated, batting second
Spain's Gavi: No suspension for Argentina’s Leandro Paredes
