Sports
Facing Cards, Kevin Gausman could make final start for Jays
Jul 26, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman (34) pitches against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images With the Monday trade deadline looming, Kevin Gausman could be making his final start for the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday afternoon when he opposes the visiting St. Louis Cardinals.
The right-hander’s name has been among the most frequently mentioned in trade rumors since he can become a free agent in the offseason.
“I don’t want to go anywhere, but I also understand that it’s a possibility,” Gausman told Sportsnet. “It’s kind of where we’re at the way we’ve played up to this point. But you just never know in this game. I’ve been around long enough to kind of know that, and that’s why I feel so lucky that I’ve been here long enough that this is the first year where I have to kind of deal with this.
“Whatever happens, it’s kind of out of my control.”
The Blue Jays have won two in a row after defeating the Cardinals 3-1 on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series. Pinch hitter Luis Urias snapped a tie with a two-run single in the eighth inning.
“No matter what happens over the next couple days, I want the guys to play like they did today and have a little bit of urgency,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said.
The Blue Jays are 4 1/2 games out of the third American League wild-card spot, but their task is made all the more difficult given that five teams stand in the way. As a result, speculation continues that Gausman (4-10, 4.51 ERA) could be traded. He is 1-5 with a 3.30 ERA in 11 career games (seven starts) against St. Louis.
The Cardinals are in a trickier position. They are three games out of a National League playoff spot after their loss and have four teams in between, so players like their outfielder Lars Nootbaar have been mentioned in rumors.
If Gausman makes his scheduled outing Saturday, the middle game of the series will feature starting pitchers from opposite ends of the spectrum.
At the other end is left-hander Quinn Mathews, who is slated to make his major league debut Saturday for the Cardinals after being promoted from Triple-A Memphis.
The 25-year old Mathews was 5-3 with a 3.13 ERA in 19 appearances (all starts) at Memphis following a slow start to the season. He was 0-2 with a 4.58 ERA in five starts in April and 1-1 with a 5.85 ERA in five starts in May.
Since the beginning of June, Mathews is 4-0 with a 1.55 ERA while holding hitters to a .131 batting average.
“He’s put together some really good games down below,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “And we’re looking forward — and I’m personally looking forward — to seeing it at this level.”
Mathews said that he changed his routine between starts to help improve his command.
“I got tired of (stinking), to be honest with you, in terms of command,” Mathews said on Friday. “You walk three, four, five guys in an outing, you’re not in the zone. You can only go so many innings. You’re not efficient. You can’t pitch deep in the game. You can’t put together quality starts.”
In Friday moves by Toronto, right-hander Braydon Fisher was reinstated from the restricted list (bereavement) and left-hander Adam Macko was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo.
Outfielder Jesus Sanchez was activated from the injured list (sprained right ankle) and Yohendrick Pinango was optioned to Buffalo. Sanchez started in left field Friday and was 0-for-2 before leaving for a pinch hitter.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Caitlin Clark's triple-double sends high-scoring Fever past Fire
Jul 31, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) shoots the ball against Portland Fire guard Holly Winterburn (77) during the first half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images Jump-started by Caitlin Clark’s first triple-double of the season, the Indiana Fever extended their winning streak to five games with a 112-98 decision over the host Portland Fire on Friday.
Clark put up 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
The Fever broke their own WNBA offensive records on Friday, rewriting league marks with a fifth straight 100-plus-point game and their 13th such game on the season.
Indiana (19-10) scored the last eight points of the first half to claim a 56-47 halftime edge. The Fever stretched the gap to 20 points in the opening minute of the fourth quarter before Portland pulled within 100-93 on a Bridget Carleton layup with 2:49 remaining.
The Fire were poised to take possession again after an offensive-foul call, but a review overturned the ruling and gave the Fever’s Kelsey Mitchell a pair of free throws that she sank. Indiana then pulled away.
Portland (11-18) dropped its fourth game in a row, allowing an opponent to reach 100 points for the third time in that span (with the fourth opponent scoring 98). The Fire entered play on Friday third-worst in the WNBA in scoring defense, allowing 90.9 points per game.
Clark was strong early, putting up 17 points and eight rebounds in the first half. Seven of her assists came after halftime. On the night, she shot 5-for-9 from the floor and connected on 14 of 17 free-throw tries in posting her fourth career triple-double.
Kelsey Mitchell added 26 points for the Fever, shooting 4-for-12 from 3-point range. Monique Billings chipped in 15 points and seven rebounds. Aliyah Boston returned from a knee injury in the first half of the Fever’s previous game to post 14 points, nine boards and six assists.
Indiana reserves Makayla Timpson and Sophie Cunningham also reached double-digit scoring. Timpson scored 15 on 7-for-8 shooting, while Cunningham drained 3 of 5 3-point tries en route to 13 points.
The Fire were led by 26 points from Carleton, who wound up 7-for-11 from beyond the arc. Carla Leite notched 20 points and 12 assists in the loss, and reserve Katie Samuelson added 13 points, connecting on 3 of 8 from long range. Emily Engstler, Nyadiew Puoch and Serah Williams each scored 10 points for Portland.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Dillon Dingler's slam highlights Tigers' late eruption vs. A's
Jul 31, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) celebrates with teammates after hitting a grand slam against the Athletics during the eighth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images Dillon Dingler hit his first career grand slam and Kevin McGonigle and Ben Malgeri also homered to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 13-1 victory over the Athletics on Friday night at West Sacramento, Calif.
Javier Baez had three hits and three RBIs and Max Clark had three hits, two runs and an RBI in his major league debut for the Tigers, who broke the game open with 11 runs over the final two innings. Spencer Torkelson had three hits and scored three times while Dingler added two hits for Detroit.
With the trade deadline arriving Monday, the Tigers scratched right-hander Casey Mize on Friday and went with a bullpen game.
Tyler Holton was the first pitcher and gave up one run and one hit in two innings. Ty Madden (1-0) allowed two hits over three shutout innings, Drew Sommers struck out three in two perfect innings and Enmanuel De Jesus finished up with two scoreless frames.
Jonah Heim drove in the lone run for the Athletics, who have dropped six of seven games and 27 of 34.
Starter Jeffrey Springs (3-11) allowed two runs and four hits over four innings. He walked five and struck out two and is winless in his last 18 starts.
The Tigers tied the score at 1 with one out in the third when McGonigle smacked a 3-1 fastball over the wall in center, the 10th homer of his rookie season.
One inning later, Torkelson walked and Clark singled to left for his first big league hit. After Baez lined out, Malgeri walked to load the bases before McGonigle hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Torkelson.
The Tigers created distance in the eighth with a seven-run uprising.
Pinch hitter Eduardo Valencia doubled and Torkelson singled to start the inning. Clark doubled to the wall in left to give Detroit a 3-1 lead and end Brady Basso’s outing.
Luis Morales entered and Baez hit a blooper over the head of second baseman Jeff McNeil to knock in Torkelson. Malgeri hit a bouncer to third that was booted by Tommy White and Clark scored to make it 5-1.
McGonigle walked before Gleyber Torres was retired on a scorching liner hit directly at Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson. Dingler followed with his grand slam, a shot over the wall in center that increased the lead to 9-1. The homer was his team-leading 23rd of the season.
Detroit poured it on in the ninth as Torkelson singled, Clark doubled and Baez hit a two-run ground single. Malgeri followed with his first career homer to left to make it 13-1.
The Athletics struck in the opening inning when Wilson walked with one out and scored on Heim’s RBI double to center.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Luka Mijatovic, 17, earns 400 freestyle title at U.S. Championships
Jun 6, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, UNITED STATES; Luka Mijatovic swims in the men’s 400 meter freestyle at the Toyota National Championships swimming meet at Indiana University Natatorium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images Luka Mijatovic, a 17-year-old Californian, put up a time that drew comparisons to superstar Ian Thorpe while winning the 400-meter freestyle at the U.S. Swimming Championships in Irvine, Calif., on Friday.
Mijatovic prevailed in 3 minutes, 43.45 seconds. According to NBC Sports, the only swimmer ever to better that time at age 18 or younger was Thorpe. The Australian captured Olympic gold in 2000 at age 17 in 3:40.59, and he put up similar times before reaching 18. Thorpe ultimately amassed nine Olympic medals, five of them gold.
Mijatovic’s mark was the best ever by a U.S. teen.
Another U.S. youngster, 19-year-old Ryan Erisman, was runner-up to Mijatovic in 3:44.39. William Mulgrew came in third at 3:47.88.
Madi Mintenko knocked more than three seconds off her personal best while capturing the championship in the women’s 400 freestyle. She touched in 4:04.54, well ahead of her prior personal mark of 4:08.06.
Kate Hurst (4:06.45) and Cavan Gormsen (4:07.81) rounded out the top three.
Isabelle Stadden capped her perfect week of backstroke competition, adding the 100-meter title to her championships in the 50 and the 200. Her time of 58.06 left her far ahead of Maggie Wanezek (58.76) and Claire Curzen (58.83).
McKenzie Siroky outdueled five-time Olympic medalist Kate Douglass to prevail in a tight women’s 100 breaststroke final. Siroky finished in 1:05.64, two-100s of a second faster than Douglass. Emma Weber wound up in third place at 1:06.92.
The men’s 100 breaststroke wasn’t nearly as hotly contested. Alexei Avakov came in first at 58.87 seconds. Nate Germonprez (59.51) and Watson Nguyen (59.79) finished second and third, respectively.
Owen McDonald topped the field in the men’s 100 backstroke at 53.43 seconds. Ulises Saravia (53.70) and Jack Wilkening (53.78) were McDonald’s closest pursuers.
The meet concludes Saturday.
–Field Level Media
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Caitlin Clark's triple-double sends high-scoring Fever past Fire
