Sports
Freddy Fermin, Royals look to capture series against Rays
Apr 29, 2025; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Kansas City Royals pitcher Carlos Estevez (53), catcher Freddy Fermin (34), first baseman Salvador Perez (13) and shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) celebrate after defeatingt the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images The Kansas City Royals started their six-game swing through the American League East with a win Tuesday night in Tampa against the Rays, tallying their seventh victory in the past eight games.
After that 3-1 victory, the Royals could capture their third consecutive series on Wednesday in the middle game of the three-game set.
Much of the credit for the club getting back to .500 after an 8-14 start to the season goes to catcher Freddy Fermin, the backup to team captain Salvador Perez, according to Perez himself.
On Tuesday, Fermin went 3-for-4 with an RBI, managed a Royals pitching staff that made just one major mistake all night and did it all while overcoming being hit on the index finger of his throwing hand while attempting to bunt.
“He’s the best,” said Perez, who had an RBI double in the first inning while drawing the start at first base. “He prepares himself every day to compete. He was ready today, and you see what happened.”
The Royals’ offense lacked explosion — Perez’s double was the lone extra-base hit to go with seven singles — but manager Matt Quatraro said he likes what his club is doing and can win in a number of ways.
“The guys in that room care about winning,” Quatraro said. “They don’t care if we win 1-0 or 11-10. We’re going to win some high-scoring games, we know that. This is a crazy game, and at some point we’re going to break out of (the low scoring). But right now, to win games is all we care about.”
With left-hander Cole Ragans hampered by a mild left groin strain, Quatraro will send out lefty Noah Cameron, the organization’s No. 5 overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline, for his major league debut in a spot start.
“There’s a lot to like about him,” said Quatraro of the 25-year-old Cameron. “He’s got good stuff. He’s got good poise. We think he can get righties and lefties out. He’s physical.”
Rays manager Kevin Cash said his squad could get no momentum going Tuesday as its five-game winning streak ended, but he was impressed by cleanup hitter Junior Caminero, who went 3-for-4 with a homer and a double.
“He had a big night,” Cash said of the 21-year-old Caminero, who is batting .266. “Hit a bunch of balls hard, just missed a ball to right, smoked a ball out to center.”
After receiving a seven-inning, two-run outing from Taj Bradley on Tuesday, the Rays will start right-hander Drew Rasmussen (1-1, 2.10).
The reliever-turned-starter has been a mostly reliable performer all season for Tampa Bay, tossing five-inning starts on four occasions and taking one outing two outs into the sixth on April 18 in a 1-0 loss to the New York Yankees.
However, Rasmussen is coming off his worst start so far — five innings in Arizona in which the Diamondbacks scored four runs on five hits, including a solo homer by Tim Tawa.
In four appearances against Kansas City — two starts, two in relief — Rasmussen is 3-0 with a 2.13 ERA, totaling 10 hits, 16 strikeouts and three walks in 12 2/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Phillies place closer Jhoan Duran (oblique) on injured list
Mar 28, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jhoan Duran (59) throws a pitch against the Texas Rangers in the tenth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images The Philadelphia Phillies placed closer Jhoan Duran on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a left oblique strain.
In a series of moves, right-hander Seth Johnson and utilityman Felix Reyes were recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, while utilityman Otto Kemp was optioned and minor league outfielder Pedro Leon was released.
Duran’s move to the IL was retroactive to Wednesday. The 28-year-old right-hander is 1-1 with a 1.35 ERA and five saves in seven appearances for the Phillies this season. Over five major league seasons with the Minnesota Twins and Phillies, he has a 2.41 ERA and 95 saves in 253 appearances.
Johnson, 27, made one appearance with the Phillies earlier this season and has a combined 9.72 ERA in 12 appearances (one start) for Philadelphia over three seasons.
Reyes, 25, is set to make his major league debut after he batted .272 with 48 home runs and 247 RBIs over six seasons (374 games) in the Phillies’ system. Kemp, 26, was 2-for-20 in 10 games for Philadelphia this season.
Leon, 27, was batting .283 in 12 games at Lehigh Valley. He has seven games of major league experience with the Houston Astros in 2024.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Late goal helps Toronto FC salvage tie, point vs. Austin FC
Apr 18, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Austin FC defender Jon Bell (15) passes the ball against Toronto FC defender Richie Laryea (22) during the first half at BMO Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images Kobe Franklin delivered the game-tying goal in the 88th minute and host Toronto FC pulled off a 3-3 draw with Austin FC on Saturday afternoon in just the third-ever match between the sides.
Franklin was in the penalty area when Malik Henry ripped a shot off the right post and scored off the rebound to beat Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver low to the right side and even the match.
The draw allowed Toronto FC (3-2-3, 12 points) to extend a six-match unbeaten streak, while outscoring opponents 11-8 during the 3-0-3 run.
After conceding the late goal, Austin FC (1-3-4, 7 points) remained winless since March 1 with an 0-3-3 record during the run.
Jon Bell scored Austin FC’s opening goal in the 29th minute while turning onto his left foot in traffic and beating Toronto keeper Luka Gavran. The score came off a feed from Guilherme Brio.
Myrto Uzuni tried to double the Austin FC lead with a shot in the 34th minute before Gavran made the save. Toronto FC’s Josh Sargent and Daniel Salloi responded with low-percentage shots that Stuver turned away.
Salloi tied the score 1-1 in the 52nd minute, running to the far post to volley home a pass from Sargent that deflected off an Austin defender and directly to the right knee of the Toronto striker.
Gallagher’s shot eight minutes later forced Gavron into a key save and kept the game tied. Richie Laryea’s goal in the 67th minute gave Toronto a 2-1 lead.
Austin FC tied the score 2-2 on a nifty Facundo Torres goal in the 75th minute off assists from Robert Taylor and Uzuni. Christian Ramírez gave Austin FC a 3-2 lead when he booted home a deflected shot by Torres in the 82nd minute.
That set stage for Franklin, who beat an Austin defender to Henry’s shot off the right post to produce the draw and earn Toronto FC a point in the standings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Fresh off play-in win, Suns take on top-seeded Thunder
Apr 17, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (4) celebrates after a slam dunk against the Golden State Warriors during the first half in the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images The Phoenix Suns come into their first-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder with some momentum after knocking off the Golden State Warriors in the play-in finale Friday to earn the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.
The Thunder haven’t played in a week heading into Sunday’s Game 1 of the series in Oklahoma City.
After letting a big lead slip away in the play-in opener against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Suns bounced back with a 111-96 home win over the Warriors.
Jalen Green was one of the biggest factors in Phoenix advancing, with 36 points in Friday’s victory.
“They’re going to come in, play hard, play their game, but I think if we bring the same energy that we brought (Friday night) and getting stops, playing defense, getting out and running, we can use that to our advantage,” Green said, looking forward to facing Oklahoma City. “It should be a good series.”
The Thunder are looking to become the first team since Golden State in 2017-18 to repeat as champions.
“It’s an opportunity,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I think just going through last year and realizing that’s so far down the line. So many things are going to happen before we get to the Finals clinching game. … So many things have to go our way that aren’t in our control and so many things we have to control that are hard to control at this level for a long period of time for us to have that opportunity.”
Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren said there’s value in having the experience, but that his team can’t take any team lightly.
“You have to try to carry over the experiences that you learn from, but you can’t carry over the result, because the result means absolutely nothing,” Holmgren said. “If you’re sitting here in the playoffs saying, ‘Oh, we won last year,’ that’s not going to win you a playoff series or a game or get a stop on a possession.”
The series features two of the best defenses in the league.
The Thunder had the NBA’s best defensive rating, allowing just 106.5 points per 100 possessions during the regular season while the Suns were ninth at 112.9.
In Friday’s win, Phoenix scored 30 points off Golden State turnovers to help fuel the win, while Oklahoma City led the league with 22.0 points per game off turnovers during the season. The Thunder also limited opponents to just 14.7 points per game off turnovers, second-best in the NBA.
The Thunder won three of the five regular-season matchups between the teams, with Phoenix being one of just three teams to hand Oklahoma City multiple losses this season.
The teams closed the regular season against each other, though that game — a 32-point Suns win — will bear little resemblance to Sunday’s matchup.
With their playoff/play-in positions set, both teams sat most of their starters, with the Thunder’s only regular starter to play being Luguentz Dort.
Phoenix was without Grayson Allen (hamstring) and Mark Williams (foot soreness) for Friday’s win.
–Field Level Media
Phillies place closer Jhoan Duran (oblique) on injured list
Late goal helps Toronto FC salvage tie, point vs. Austin FC
