Sports
Diamondbacks bring back former closer Paul Sewald
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Paul Sewald (38) throws to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the ninth inning at Chase Field on Sept. 2, 2024, in Phoenix. The Arizona Diamondbacks signed veteran right-hander Paul Sewald to a one-year, $1.5 million deal on Saturday.
Sewald, who turns 36 in May, was part of the Diamondbacks’ 2023 squad that lost to the Texas Rangers in the World Series.
Sewald was acquired from the Seattle Mariners at the trade deadline in 2023 and recorded 13 saves in 20 appearances to help Arizona snag the sixth and final National League wild-card spot. He was 1-0 with six saves in eight scoreless innings over the first three rounds of the playoffs before giving up six runs in two innings in the World Series when the Diamondbacks lost to the Texas Rangers in five games.
Sewald had 16 saves while going 1-2 with a 4.31 ERA in 42 appearances for Arizona in 2024. He split last season with the Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers and went 1-1 with a 4.58 ERA in 22 appearances.
Sewald first reached the majors with the New York Mets in 2017 and he lost his first 14 career decisions before getting his first win on Sept. 24, 2019. He spent four seasons with the Mets before joining the Mariners prior to the 2021 season.
He had had 52 saves with Seattle and had a career-best 34 saves in the 2023 campaign that he split with the Mariners (21 saves) and Arizona. Overall, Sewald is 21-26 with a 4.11 ERA and 86 saves in 381 career relief appearances over nine seasons.
Sewald was a 10th-round pick in 2012 out of the University of San Diego.
Arizona opened a 40-man roster spot by placing right-hander Justin Martinez (elbow) on the 60-day injured list. Martinez is 6-8 with 14 saves and a 3.77 ERA in 91 career relief appearances.
The Diamondbacks also announced that right-hander Merrill Kelly will be the Opening Day starter against the host Los Angeles Dodgers on March 26.
Kelly rejoined Arizona on a two-year, $40 million deal. The Diamondbacks traded him to the Rangers at the 2025 trading Deadline. He joined Arizona for his first run in 2019. Kelly has a 65-53 record and 3.77 ERA in 172 career starts.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Villanova wins fifth straight, avenges loss to Creighton
Feb 14, 2026; Omaha, Nebraska, USA; Villanova Wildcats forward Duke Brennan (24) drives against Creighton Bluejays forward Isaac Traudt (41) during the first half at CHI Health Center Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images Duke Brennan had 21 points and 12 rebounds and Tyler Perkins had 17 points and 11 rebounds as Villanova extended its win streak to five with an 80-69 victory over Creighton on Saturday afternoon in Omaha, Neb.
Deven Askew had 13 points off the bench for the Wildcats (20-5, 11-3 Big East Conference), who ended a four-game losing streak to the Bluejays (13-13, 7-8). Villanova is 6-1 on the road in conference play and avenged a 76-72 home loss to Creighton last month.
Back-to-back Askew 3-pointers gave the Wildcats a 25-10 lead with 7:17 to play in the first half as Villanova used a 16-3 run to take control. The Wildcats never led by less than seven points the rest of the game.
Both teams struggled offensively early. Villanova started 5 for 17 from the field.
Creighton, whose team attended the funeral of guard Josh Dix’s mother Friday, struggled for nearly all of the first half. Isaac Traudt, one of the Bluejays’ key long-range shooters, was 0 of 4 from beyond the arc early.
Nik Graves led Creighton with 15 points, scoring 13 after the break. Dix chipped in with 14 points.
Austin Swartz made two 3-pointers and scored 10 of his 12 points in the first half for the Bluejays, who have lost seven of 10 and are in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019.
Villanova secured the game late, finishing 14 for 19 (74%) from the foul line, markedly better than recent performances.
Malachi Palmer came off the bench to score all 10 of his points in the second half for the Wildcats. Acaden Lewis, one of just five freshmen in the country to average 12.5 points and at least five assists, had eight points, four assists and two steals.
Brennan posted his 11th double-double to lead Villanova.
Jasen Green had a team-high 11 rebounds for Creighton. Hudson Greer added eight points and five rebounds and Fedor Zugic scored all seven of his points in the second half.
Villanova is holding opponents to a Big East-leading 29.9% shooting percentage from beyond the arc, and Creighton finished 8 for 27 (29.6%).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Padres agree to deal with RHP German Marquez
Jul 5, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies relief pitcher German Marquez (48) delivers a pitch in the second inning against the Chicago White Sox at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images The San Diego Padres agreed to a one-year deal with right-hander German Marquez, according to ESPN.
Marquez has played all 10 of his MLB seasons for the Colorado Rockies. He owns a career record of 68-72 with a 4.67 ERA and 1.334 WHIP.
He earned his sole All-Star selection in 2021, in which he posted a 4.40 ERA, 1.272 WHIP, 176 strikeouts and a league-leading three complete games across 32 starts.
The 30-year-old is looking to bounce back from an underwhelming 2025 campaign. Across 26 games, he went 3-16 with a 6.70 ERA, 1.710 WHIP and 83 strikeouts in 126 1/3 innings pitched.
The metrics were concerning, as well. He ranked in the bottom five percentile in pitching run value (-42), fastball run value (-29), breaking run value (-11), xERA (5.81), xBA (.287) and strikeout percentage (14.0).
Pitching at Coors Field is a well-known challenge, and Marquez’s away splits are slightly better. For his career, he has a 5.17 ERA at home and a 4.22 ERA on the road.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Oregon downs Penn State to snap 10-game skid
Jan 20, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks guard Takai Simpkins (5) is introduced before the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Matthew Knight Arena. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images Oregon overcame a slow start and held on for an 83-72 win over Penn State in Big Ten play on Saturday afternoon in Eugene, Ore.
The Ducks (9-16, 2-12 Big Ten) put an end to a 10-game losing streak with the win, and were led by Takai Simpkins and Nate Bittle with 22 points each.
Oregon made 7 of 10 3-point attempts in the second half to pull away for its first win since January 2 at Maryland.
Penn State (11-15, 2-13) got a game-high 24 points from guard Kayden Mingo in the loss. Josh Reed added 13 for the Nittany Lions in a matchup of two Big Ten cellar dwellers.
Penn State tied the game at 46 on a 3-pointer from Dominick Stewart with 15:42 to play. Then Oregon took control, building its lead to 58-49 on a 3-pointer from Wei Lin and 62-51 after a dunk by Kwame Evans Jr. following a Nittany Lions turnover.
Simpkins scored 20 of his points in the second half, including three early 3-pointers in the first few minutes. When Bittle found forward Sean Stewart all alone jogging down the lane for a dunk with 7:04 remaining, Oregon took a 69-58 lead and was able to finish the game with ease.
Simpkins knocked down a deep 3 from the top of the arc with 4:00 to play, with Bittle passing out of the low post for the assist. Oregon led 80-65, and the fans at Matthew Knight Arena could, for the first time in well over a month, fully enjoy the traditional playing of “Shout,” an Oregon sports tradition, during a late timeout.
Oregon trailed by as many as seven early in the game but turned things around with a Bittle dunk in transition for a 27-23 lead and a couple Evans free throws for a 38-28 lead. Penn State trailed 38-32 at halftime.
–Field Level Media
Villanova wins fifth straight, avenges loss to Creighton
Report: Padres agree to deal with RHP German Marquez
