Sports
Can Royals slow down Nationals, red-hot James Wood?
Jun 13, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals right fielder James Wood (29) reacts in the dugout after scoring a run against the Seattle Mariners during the fifth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images James Wood looks to continue his hot streak when the Washington Nationals open a three-game series against the visiting Kansas City Royals on Monday.
Wood finished a triple short of the cycle, drove in two runs and scored twice as the Nationals beat the visiting Seattle Mariners 10-1 on Sunday in the rubber game of that series.
Kansas City, meanwhile, snapped a four-game losing skid with a 4-0 home win against the Houston Astros.
The 23-year-old Wood is 11-for-25 (.440) during a six-game hitting streak with three home runs, six RBIs and three stolen bases. He hit his fifth leadoff homer of the season on Sunday and his 20th overall.
“Saw a couple of fastballs early and was able to lay off a curveball with two strikes,” Wood said. “Was able to get a slider up and put a barrel on it.”
Wood is the only player in the majors with 20 homers and 10 stolen bases. He is tied for fourth in home runs (20), and sits fourth in walks (58), fourth in on-base percentage (.414) and fifth in OPS (.972).
Trying to cool off Wood on Monday will be Royals right-hander Mitch Spence (0-0, 13.50 ERA), who is expected to be recalled from Triple-A Omaha and be opposed by left-hander Andrew Alvarez (1-0, 3.70).
Spence, 28, made his only 2026 appearance on April 18 when he gave up six runs in four innings against the New York Yankees. He picked up a relief win despite allowing two runs in 1 2/3 innings in his only appearance against the Nationals in April 2024.
After five relief appearances, Alvarez’s last two outings have been starts. In San Francisco last Tuesday, he gave up two runs on five hits and five walks in four innings, receiving a no-decision in a 6-3 win over the Giants.
Alvarez, who turned 27 on Saturday, has never faced the Royals.
Wood was not the only Nationals player to do damage on Sunday. Keibert Ruiz had three hits including a home run, Jacob Young hit two doubles, and the team collected 14 hits.
“Our lineup one through nine today, I thought, did a really good job of contributing,” manager Blake Butera said. “Just kept passing the bat back to the next guy. The base running was really good. We put a ton of pressure on them defensively. It was a lot of fun to be a part of.”
Playing on his 26th birthday, Royals All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. had two hits, stole two bases, scored a run and made a diving catch as Kansas City ended a 2-4 homestand on a positive note.
Maikel Garcia had three RBIs and starter Stephen Kolek pitched 7 1/3 innings.
“We’ve lost these games recently and that’s been really frustrating, but these guys are competing their butts off,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “Every one of these games on this homestand was a tough game one way or the other.
The news off the field was bad as first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino had surgery to repair the hamate bone in his right hand and will be out four to six weeks.
“I just told (Pasquantino) I was frustrated for him, especially because he’s got himself going,” Quatraro said. “It stinks because I know how hard he’s worked to get back and be productive. He’s gone through injuries before and it can be a real grind.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Kerry Carpenter's double propels Tigers past White Sox
Jun 19, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws a pitch against the Chicago White Sox in the second inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images Kerry Carpenter had a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning and the host Detroit Tigers held on for a 4-3 win over the Chicago White Sox on Friday.
Matt Vierling hit a two-run homer and Dillon Dingler supplied three hits and scored two runs for the Tigers.
Detroit ace Tarik Skubal allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. Skubal, who recorded eight strikeouts, was making his second start since undergoing a surgical procedure on his pitching elbow.
Drew Anderson (3-3) struck out three in 1 1/3 innings of relief to get the win. Kenley Jensen pitched the ninth for his eighth save.
Junior Perez had the first two hits of his career, including a solo homer, for the White Sox. Randal Grichuk also homered.
Erick Fedde (2-6) gave up two runs in 4 2/3 innings for Chicago, striking out four and walking one.
Grichuk, the second batter of the game, drove a 1-2 changeup over the left-field wall to give the White Sox a 1-0 lead. The Tigers answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning.
Dingler smacked a single before Vierling drove a Brandon Eisert fastball over the left-center-field wall. Eisert was used as an opener, allowing the two runs in 1 1/3 innings.
Kevin McGonigle led off the bottom of the third with a double, but Fedde retired the next three batters to leave him stranded.
Chicago pushed across a run in the fifth to tie the score.
Sam Antonacci and Luisangel Acuna led off with singles to put runners on the corners. Tristan Peters hit into a fielder’s choice as Antonacci scored. Miguel Vargas singled and Grichuk walked to load the bases. Peters was thrown out at home on Chase Meidroth’s groundout and Colson Montgomery struck out, leaving the score at 2-all.
Perez gave the White Sox the lead on his breakthrough homer with one out in the sixth. He drove a Skubal changeup over the left-center-field wall.
Detroit regained the lead at 4-3 in the bottom of the frame. Dingler led off with a single and Riley Greene drew a one-out walk. With two down, Carpenter blooped a double to center to bring in both runners
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Big 12 keeps Brendan Sorsby lawsuit active amid draft questions
Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby goes through warmups before the spring football game, Friday, April 17, 2026, at Jones AT&T Stadium. The Big 12 is not ready to close the book on the Brendan Sorsby case, even after the Texas Tech quarterback moved to leave college football behind.
The conference’s presidents and chancellors have not withdrawn the federal lawsuit filed earlier this week, with lingering questions about Sorsby’s NFL future and whether Texas Tech could still face consequences from the legal fight, a Big 12 source told ESPN. The league’s board of directors is expected to meet early next week to discuss its options.
“We don’t know the answer to those questions,” the source said. “We haven’t done anything different at this point. We’re going to reconvene next week to run through all the options. Right now that case is still active.”
The Big 12 filed suit Monday in the Northern District of Texas, looking for a declaratory judgment and injunctive relief that would allow the conference to use its bylaws to potentially discipline Sorsby. Hours later, Sorsby moved toward the NFL supplemental draft and dropped his lawsuit against the NCAA, a step needed for him to be declared ineligible in college by Monday’s deadline.
Sorsby admitted to violating NCAA rules by placing thousands of bets, including 40 on Indiana football while he was on the Hoosiers’ roster. The NFL still has to approve his application for the supplemental draft, which has not produced a selected player since 2019.
The Big 12 could also revisit whether Texas Tech should be responsible for the costs associated with the dispute. One Big 12 athletic director said the issue is less about punishment and more about whether the entire league should absorb legal fees from a case that other schools did not start..
–Field Level Media
Sports
Brazil's Raphinha (leg) departs match vs. Haiti
June 19, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.; Brazil’s Raphinha in action with Haiti’s Martin Experience. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images PHILADELPHIA — Brazil attacker Raphinha departed in the 40th minute of Friday night’s World Cup Group C clash against Haiti in Philadelphia with an apparent leg injury.
The 29-year-old FC Barcelona winger was making his second start of the tournament for manager Carlo Ancelotti after going the full 90 in a 1-1 draw against Morocco last Saturday.
He was a critical part of Brazil’s most recent qualifying effort, scoring five of the Selecao’s 24 goals while appearing in 13 of their 18 matches.
It was unclear what caused him to drop to his haunches shortly before halftime and eventually exit in favor of Rayan. He departed with his side leading 2-0 through Matheus Cunha’s brace, before Vinicius Junior added a third in first-half stoppage time.
–Ian Nicholas Quillen, Field Level Media
Kerry Carpenter's double propels Tigers past White Sox
Report: Big 12 keeps Brendan Sorsby lawsuit active amid draft questions
