Sports
Chargers coach: Justin Herbert's ankle 'much better'
Sep 15, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) looks to pass in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is trending toward playing against the host Pittsburgh Steelers this weekend.
The question of Herbert’s status was raised for Sunday’s game on the heels of the Pro Bowl quarterback sustaining an ankle injury during the Chargers’ 26-3 victory over the Carolina Panthers this past weekend. Herbert did not miss a snap after having his legs trapped under Panthers linebacker DJ Johnson.
“Crystal ball? Expect him to get better every day,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said, per The Athletic. “I was in a meeting with him. Said he was feeling much better and good today.”
It was not immediately known if Herbert would participate in practice on Wednesday.
Herbert, 26, has completed 67.4 percent of his passes for 274 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in two games for the Chargers (2-0).
Easton Stick would get the nod over Taylor Heinicke should Herbert be unable to suit up on Sunday, Harbaugh said.
“Right now it’s Easton,” he said. “But we are going to be way over the legal limit of ‘what ifs’ if this or if that.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Williams sisters to play doubles Saturday at Wimbledon
Jul 6, 2015; London, United Kingdom; Serena Williams (USA) and Venus Williams (USA) hug at the net after their match on day seven of The Championships Wimbledon at the AELTC. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images Serena and Venus Williams will play their Wimbledon first-round doubles match on Saturday after organizers gave Serena time to recover from a knee injury.
The sisters, who won the grass-court Grand Slam doubles title six times (most recently in 2016), take on Argentina’s Solana Sierra and Colombia’s Camila Osorio at the All England Club.
Playing her first singles match in nearly four years on Tuesday, the 44-year-old Serena tweaked her knee in the first set of a 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 loss to Australia’s Maya Joint.
Tournament director Jamie Baker told the Associated Press the first-round doubles match was pushed back to give Serena “as much time” as possible to recover. All other first-round matches in the Ladies’ Doubles draw were contested Thursday and Friday.
“We want her to play if she … possibly can,” Baker said Friday.
Venus, 46, and Serena last played doubles at the 2022 U.S. Open, losing in the first round to Linda Noskova and Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic.
The winner of Saturday’s match will face ninth-seeded Ellen Perez of Australia and Demi Schuurs of the Netherlands in the second round.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tigers' Jack Flaherty, Rangers' Kumar Rocker have momentum after rough starts to season
Jun 28, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Jack Flaherty (9) pitches in the first inning against the Houston Astros at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Following a short stint on the injured list, Detroit Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty didn’t allow a run in his return. He’ll look to build off that outing when his team plays the middle contest of a three-game series against Texas on Saturday afternoon in Arlington, Texas.
Flaherty recorded nine strikeouts in his five-inning start against the visiting Houston Astros on Sunday. The only negative was that Flaherty required 94 pitches to get that far. The Tigers wound up losing 7-5 in 10 innings.
“Still needed a better job to find a way to get some quick outs. Some quick outs, quicker ABs,” said Flaherty, who was on the injured list due to a left peroneal strain, a tendon injury along his lower leg. “They did a good job of getting the two strikes, and fouling some pitches off and making at-bats go a little bit longer.”
It was just the second time this season Flaherty (1-8, 4.97 ERA) had gone at least five innings without giving up a run. He started against the Rangers on May 1 and was pulled after 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on five hits while issuing three walks.
In five career starts against Texas, Flaherty is 1-1 with a 4.18 ERA.
After starting their road trip with a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees, the Tigers lost the opener of this series, 10-4, on Thursday. The teams didn’t meet on Friday due to the Australia-Egypt World Cup match played at nearby AT&T Stadium.
Detroit trailed 5-0 before fifth-inning homers by Colt Keith and Hao-Yu Lee cut the deficit to two runs. The Tigers’ bullpen failed to keep them within striking range.
“We’re chasing it from behind. That’s a tough recipe, but we did give ourselves a chance,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “They were able to get out of it and then tack on runs.”
The Rangers’ victory was their seventh in the last eight games and gave them at least a share of the AL West lead for the fifth straight day. Their run total on Thursday matched their season high.
“At the end of the day, everybody in here wants to win,” said Texas outfielder Evan Carter, who went 2-for-2 with a homer off the bench. “I think everybody’s showing up in the field every single day, everybody’s got their own unique skill sets, and we go out there trying to compete and grind and do whatever we can to help the team win every single day. I think that’s a collective thing that everybody here feels. Nobody here is playing for themselves, and I think that shows on the field.”
The Rangers pounded out 17 hits despite not having Corey Seager, Wyatt Langford or Brandon Nimmo due to injuries. The Rangers are hopeful Nimmo can play this weekend. He sprained his AC joint when he slammed into a wall while making a catch on Sunday.
Kumar Rocker (2-6, 3.83) is slated to start on Saturday as fellow right-hander Cal Quantrill (3-0, 3.31), who has spent most of this season in a relief role, was pushed back to Sunday’s game.
Rocker has walked 31 batters and entered Friday tied for the major league high with six wild pitches in 80 innings over 16 games (14 starts) this season. He hasn’t won since May 19.
In his most recent outing on Sunday, Rocker threw six scoreless innings while allowing four hits and one walk and striking out five in a no-decision against the host Toronto Blue Jays.
“He’s on the attack really with the fastball today,” Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said after the game. “I thought his fastball command was one of the best he’s had in a while. Really kept (the Blue Jays) off guard throwing in and outside to righties and lefties. The slider is real; he can throw at any time to strike guys out.”
Rocker is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA and seven strikeouts in 8 1/3 innings over two starts against the Tigers. He faced host Detroit on May 2 and yielded five runs on seven hits in two innings in taking the loss.
Texas selected Rocker third overall in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Vanderbilt.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Reports: England-Mexico start time Sunday moving due to storm risk
June 30, 2026; Mexico City, Mexico; Mexico’s Julian Quinones is thrown in the air in celebration by teammates after the match as Mexico qualify for the round of 16 stage of the World Cup. Mandatory Credit: Eloisa Sanchez-Reuters via Imagn Images The start time for the World Cup round of 16 match between England and host Mexico on Sunday is likely to move up to avoid inclement weather, according to multiple reports on Friday.
The kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. local time in Mexico City, 1 a.m. in the United Kingdom. FIFA has discussed moving up the kickoff six hours to 12 p.m. at Azteca Stadium, which would be 7 p.m. in the UK and 2 p.m. Eastern time, per the reports.
Mexico’s 2-0 victory over Ecuador in the round of 32 on Tuesday in Mexico City was delayed due to rain.
France’s group-stage match with Iraq on June 22 was paused under tournament safety rules when lightning strikes are detected within eight miles of the stadium, resulting in an automatic 30-minute delay to play.
England defeated the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2-1 on Wednesday in Atlanta to advance to the round of 16.
Fans of the Three Lions in Great Britain probably would prefer the earlier start time. Licensing laws were relaxed to allow pubs in the United Kingdom to stay open until 5 a.m. local time.
FIFA might also move the kickoff time for Brazil’s round of 16 match with Norway at 4 p.m. Eastern on Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J., to avoid a potential overlap with the match in Mexico City.
–Field Level Media
