Sports
D.C. United's Tai Baribo (thigh) questionable for Philly return
Apr 4, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; D.C. United forward Tai Baribo (9) races past FC Dallas defender Osaze Urhoghide (3) during the first half at Audi Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images Striker Tai Baribo’s return to Philadelphia may be delayed beyond D.C. United’s scheduled visit to the Union on Saturday night.
The Israeli international led Philadelphia with 16 MLS goals in 2025. After joining D.C. (2-4-1, 7 points) from Philadelphia (1-6-0, 3 points) in a $4 million cash trade during the offseason, Baribo owns three of the four league goals scored by D.C. this season.
That includes the only tally in D.C.’s 1-0 home win against the Union to open the season.
But a thigh injury has kept Baribo out of the Black-and-Red’s last two matches — a 1-0 league loss last weekend at the New England Revolution and a defeat on penalties to One Knoxville following a 3-3 draw in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 on Wednesday night.
D.C. manager Rene Weiler said Baribo is questionable for Saturday.
“He trained for himself, so we have to check it tomorrow,” Weiler said Thursday. “I hope he will be with the team. And it would push the team, of course. I’m not sure if he (will be) ready for the game on Saturday, but we will check it out (Friday).”
With Baribo and a few other regulars who departed in the offseason, Philadelphia earned the 2025 Supporters’ Shield awarded to the best regular-season finisher.
Without him, the Union have endured a miserable start to 2026. They finally earned their first league win last Saturday with a 2-1 decision over a Montreal side that also only has one MLS victory on the year.
Philadelphia awaits its first multi-goal scorer of the season after Japhet Sery Larsen and Jesus Bueno each contributed their first goals to lead its second-half rally in Canada.
Meanwhile, manager Bradley Carnell admitted the uncertainty over arguably D.C.’s most important player have made preparations a bit more difficult.
“We always want to face the best opponents, and a D.C. United with Tai Baribo is certainly a force to be reckoned with,” Carnell said Thursday. “We are preparing and planning accordingly, but we cannot control what we cannot control. Whether he’s in the building, traveling or not, that’s a narrative we cannot drive and control, so we’re only focused on us and the team that we think will play.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Dustin May silences Mets as Cards push winning streak to 5
Jun 9, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Dustin May (3) delivers a pitch during the fourth inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Dustin May pitched six stellar innings for his first win in nearly two months and Alec Burleson hit a two-run homer as the visiting St. Louis Cardinals extended their winning streak to five games with a 7-0 victory over the New York Mets on Tuesday night.
May (4-6) earned his first win since April 21 by scattering four hits. After going 0-4 with a 3.86 ERA in his previous seven starts, May struck out six and walked one.
Rookie JJ Wetherholt hit a two-run single and Jordan Walker rapped an RBI double to highlight a four-run third inning off New York starter Freddy Peralta (4-5). Lars Nootbaar added an RBI groundout to cap the big inning for the Cardinals, who also ended a five-game road losing streak to the Mets.
Ivan Herrera reached base five times, including three hits, and scored three times.
Herrera was hit by Peralta in his first two plate appearances. After the second one, he scored on Walker’s double to left for a 3-0 lead in the third.
In the fifth, Herrera singled and scored when Burleson sent a 2-1 curveball into the left field seats. In the seventh, Herrera poked a leadoff double before trotting home on Burleson’s double off Joey Gerber.
Before the Cardinals scored four times, May stranded rookie A.J. Ewing at third by striking out Marcus Semien and Brett Baty. He also retired rookie Carson Benge on a double play to end the third and was aided by center fielder Nathan Church crashing into the fence to rob Semien of a two-run double to end the fourth.
Church had three hits, including a double in the third and made his key defensive play after missing the past 15 games with a strained left shoulder.
Justin Bruihl followed May with two innings and Matt Svanson completed the Cardinals’ third shutout with a 1-2-3 ninth.
After winning seven of their previous 10, the Mets were blanked for the seventh time this season and second time against the Cardinals.
Peralta allowed a season-worst six runs on six hits in six innings. The right-hander struck out five and walked two.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Mexico closes schools during World Cup opener to ease traffic
President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo arrives in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, ahead of the inauguration of the LIBRE Center for Women. The center will provide free services to women facing violence and social vulnerability. Mexico City children will get an unexpected day off from school on Thursday, as president Claudia Sheinbaum ordered the suspension of classes in an effort to minimize traffic on the day the Mexican national team plays the World Cup opener against South Africa.
Speaking Tuesday, Sheinbaum also told federal employees to work from home on Thursday, with the exception of essential services and those involved with World Cup matters.
The Mexico-South Africa game will kick off at 1 p.m. local time, the first of 104 World Cup games to be spread across Mexico, Canada and the United States over the next six weeks.
Sheinbaum said the decision regarding Thursday closures was made in an effort toward “improving conditions for mobility, road safety and accessibility, both for Mexico City inhabitants and visiting tourists, on the occasion of the inauguration of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.”
She added, “The private and social sectors in Mexico City are urged to implement remote working arrangements for all non-essential administrative activities.”
The Mexican national team plays a night game on June 18 against South Korea in Zapopan, Mexico, then concludes play in Group A against the Czech Republic in Mexico City on the night of June 24.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. headed for MRI on hamstring
May 31, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) hits a solo home run against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images Star Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. was scheduled for an MRI after exiting Atlanta’s Tuesday road game against the Chicago White Sox in the fourth inning due to left hamstring tightness.
Following the Braves’ 6-5, 10-inning loss, Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said the ailment “doesn’t seem as bad as the last one,” referring to a left hamstring strain that kept Acuna out for 15 games in May.
Weiss added that Acuna is considered day-to-day for the moment.
While attempting to leg out an infield single, Acuna pulled up and hobbled past first base and then off the field into the locker room after appearing to sustain the injury on his final step before reaching the bag.
He was replaced in right field and atop the lineup by Eli White.
Acuna, the 2018 National League Rookie of the Year and 2023 NL MVP, missed 14 games earlier this season due to a hamstring strain while similarly trying to leg out an infield hit. He saw his 2021 and 2024 seasons end prematurely due to torn ACLs.
The five-time All-Star is hitting .251 with seven homers and 22 RBIs in 53 games. He is a career .287 hitter with 193 homers and 481 RBIs over 870 games across nine seasons with Atlanta.
–Field Level Media
Dustin May silences Mets as Cards push winning streak to 5
Mexico closes schools during World Cup opener to ease traffic
