Sports
Giants' Rafael Devers heating up ahead of finale vs. Braves
Jun 27, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants infielder Rafael Devers (16) gestures in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images A classic matchup of a powerful left-handed hitter and hard-throwing lefty pitcher gets top billing when the San Francisco Giants and visiting Atlanta Braves wrap up a three-game series on Sunday.
Rafael Devers enjoyed his first two-homer game of the season Saturday night, producing four of the Giants’ five runs in a 5-0 victory. The Braves posted a 3-1 win in the series opener on Friday.
Having driven in the team’s only run in Friday’s loss, Giants manager Tony Vitello hopes Devers’ five-RBI, two-game sequence is a sign of things to come for a player who, even after his recent success, is hitting just .240.
“What he showed tonight is what he’s capable of doing,” Vitello told reporters after the game. “To me, the only thing that’s been hard for him is trying to do better. Part of that is knowing you can do better.”
Devers’ second homer Saturday, a three-run shot, broke the game open on Saturday. It deflected off the foul pole above the high right-field wall at San Francisco’s Oracle Park, which produced both good and bad news.
The good news was that ticket stubs to Saturday’s games can now be redeemed for a free meal at Chick-Fil-A restaurants in the San Francisco area. The comes as part of a promotion in which the company gets its name plastered on the poles.
Vitello explained the negative aspect of the blast.
“The foul pole might have robbed us of a first Splash Hit,” he said of the label on a home run into the San Francisco Bay behind the right-field bleachers, “so we were upset in the dugout that it hit something. That one was impressive.”
Following up with any kind of success figures to be difficult for Devers, who has never gotten a hit off Braves scheduled starter Chris Sale (8-5, 2.14 ERA).
All six head-to-heads occurred in the 2024 and 2025 seasons while Devers was playing for the Boston Red Sox. He went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in the 2024 outing, 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout in the 2025 rematch.
Sale will take the mound saddled with a three-game winless streak. He got a hard-luck no-decision after allowing no earned runs over 5 2/3 innings in a 4-3 home win over the Milwaukee Brewers in his most recent start on June 20.
Sale, 37, has never lost to the Giants, going 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA in four career starts. He’s pitched 15 innings at Oracle Park in two previous visits without allowing a run.
The seven days off is by design for Sale, whose last start came after a nine-day break.
“We’re building in some extra rest along the way here, just looking at the big picture,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said earlier this month. “We like how it looks moving forward. That’s the plan, just keep (all the starting pitchers) strong and healthy to the finish line.”
The 153-game career winner will be up against a 94-game winner in Giants left-hander Robbie Ray (6-6, 3.70), who has gone 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA in four June starts.
Ray, 34, has struggled against the Braves in his career, going 2-4 with a 5.09 ERA in nine games, including eight starts.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Injury-riddled Wings, Liberty tip off in rescheduled game
Jul 7, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Dallas Wings forward Jessica Shepard (32) and New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones (35) at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images The Dallas Wings will be chasing their seventh straight win when they host the slumping New York Liberty on Monday in Arlington, Texas, but they will be without the services of star guard Paige Bueckers.
Bueckers spent the final minutes of Sunday’s 90-82 home win over the Los Angeles Spark in the locker room after suffering an apparent head injury late in the fourth quarter.
On Monday, the Wings announced Bueckers was ruled out due to “rest” purposes. She was cleared from having a concussion following post-game evaluation and is not in concussion protocol.
As Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike was dribbling down the court, she was fouled and lost her balance after being tripped by Azzi Fudd. Ogwumike tumbled into the legs of Bueckers, who fell and appeared to hit the back of her head on the floor.
Bueckers, 24, finished with a game-high 25 points on 10-of-18 shooting — including 2-of-4 from 3-point range — as well as five assists and four rebounds in 32 minutes.
She boasts team-best averages in points (20.9) and assists (6.2) to go along with 4.2 rebounds in 24 games (all starts) this season.
“We worked hard for this win, and when Paige went down, it was all about the rest of us stepping up,” Ogunbowale said after the victory over Los Angeles.
Wings coach Jose Fernandez said Bueckers was in good spirits.
“She’s upset at Azzi because she said Azzi tripped her (Ogwumike) and took away P’s charge,” Fernandez said lightheartedly.
Monday’s game was rescheduled from July 16 because of travel difficulties for the Liberty, creating a home back-to-back for Dallas.
The Wings (17-8) enter Monday’s game carrying their longest winning streak in 11 years. Dallas has captured six straight games for the first time since the 2015 campaign when the franchise was in Tulsa, Okla.
In that season, the Wings (then known as the Shock) won eight straight outings early in the year and then six in a row before bowing out against the Phoenix Mercury in the Western Conference semifinals.
The Liberty (13-12) limp into Arlington on the heels of a 108-88 loss in Indianapolis to the Fever on Saturday. Breanna Stewart led the way with 26 points and eight boards for New York, while Jonquel Jones netted 13 points and Marine Johannes and Sabrina Ionescu each added 12.
Johannes sustained a left ankle injury in the game and has been ruled out for Monday’s game.
The Liberty jumped out to an 11-point, first-quarter lead and were up by four at halftime before succumbing in the second half. New York’s 17 turnovers which led to 30 Fever points had plenty to do with the loss.
“We don’t like where we’re at right now, but (here) we are,” Stewart said after the loss. “(We’re) playing with that, realizing that we’re in it. We’re in the trenches, and we can either keep sinking or we can dig ourselves out.”
New York has dropped six of its past seven games and eight of its last 10. The Liberty have trailed by at least 13 points at some juncture in six of their past eight games and has lost all six of those contests.
“We’re really mature about it,” Ionescu said. “It really hasn’t been too frustrating. Every team goes through it. During the process, kind of when you’re in it, it sucks, but I think everyone has a really good mindset of knowing it’ll pay off for us in the long run.”
Key New York players Satou Sabally (concussion protocol) and Leonie Fiebich (foot) have been ruled out for the game.
It is the teams’ third and final meeting of the season. Dallas took the first two matchups, both in Brooklyn, including an 88-77 decision on July 7 that started the Liberty’s current four-game losing streak.
–Field Level Media
Sports
MLB Best Bets: Jacob Misiorowski, Dylan Cease Lead Monday's Top Picks
May 31, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) delivers a pitch against the Houston Astros during the seventh inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images Fatigue time is over for Jacob Misiorowski as the All-Star right-hander steps on the mound for the first time since July 7 when the Milwaukee Brewers face the visiting New York Mets on Monday night. Misiorowski missed his final start before the All-Star break due to a tired pitching arm and he also sat out the All-Star Game.
Misiorowski is one of the top pitchers in the National League and the Brewers will be a trendy postseason pick if the 24-year-old fireballer is healthy. It will be interesting to see if he is on a pitch count against the Mets.
Dylan Cease of the Toronto Blue Jays took a no-hitter into the ninth inning in his last start and he will look to silence the Tampa Bay Rays. We’ll also look at the Cincinnati Reds visiting the Seattle Mariners.
NEW YORK METS AT MILWAUKEE BREWERS
Misiorowski is 10-4 over 18 starts and leads the majors with 167 strikeouts and a 1.62 ERA while throwing 111 innings, close to last year’s combined 129 1/3 innings between the minor leagues and the Brewers. Those pitches that reach 105 mph put a lot of stress on the arm and his long-term chances of avoiding a serious arm injury are a constant fear to the Brewers.
Misiorowski has fanned 10 or more batters eight times this season as he tries to silence the New York bats that sit 25th in the majors with just 409 runs scored. Juan Soto is batting .290 with 21 homers and 52 RBIs but Francisco Lindor has played in just 43 games due to injuries and has just six blasts and 15 RBIs.
Free-agent signee Bo Bichette has been a bust for the Mets with a .253/.300/.370 slash line and trade acquisition Marcus Semien is hitting just .207. It is hard seeing New York doing much against The Miz as its miserable season continues.
Jacob Misiorowski to strike out 10 or more batters, +134 (DraftKings)
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TAMPA BAY RAYS AT TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Cease ranks second in the majors with 148 strikeouts and also fanned three in his one inning as American League starter and winning pitcher in the All-Star Game. He finished play before the break with 15 shutout innings in which he allowed four hits and struck out 20.
He put up a great performance while chasing his second career no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants on July 8 before Heliot Ramos led off the ninth with a solid single to center. Toronto has been a disappointment after losing in the World Series last year and sits in last place in the AL East heading into its 100th game of the season.
The Rays own the best record in the AL but have lost a season-worst five straight games so another Cease gem is possible. Tampa Bay will look for All-Star Nick Martinez to continue a strong season in which he has issued just 19 walks in 18 starts.
Teams to combine for under 7.5 runs, -115(DraftKings)
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CINCINNATI REDS AT SEATTLE MARINERS
The Mariners have won consecutive games to get back to .500 but have been season-long underachievers after losing to Toronto in seven games in the American League Championship Series last season. Seattle has guys named Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez, Josh Naylor and Randy Arozarena on the roster but you will find surprise team leaders like Luke Raley (15 homers) and Cole Young (48 RBIs).
Raleigh has collapsed this season with a .163 average, nine homers and 29 RBIs after his monster 2025 season that included 60 homers and a second-place finish in the AL MVP race. Cincinnati is eight games under .500 and close to falling out of the National League wild-card chase in what would be a disappointing development after landing a wild-card spot last season.
Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott (5-5, 4.11) is having the worst of his four big league seasons but he’s capable of going on a strong finishing kick. He should find pitching in Seattle much to his liking despite losing in his lone appearance in the ballpark in 2024 when he gave up two runs on four hits over six innings, including homers to Raleigh and Mitch Garver.
Reds to win via Moneyline, +129 (DraftKings)
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Sports
Saturday Night's Main Event Winners and Takeaways From New York City
New York City had quite the weekend at MetLife Stadium and Madison Square Garden. Spain is the 2026 World Cup Champions, while new champions were crowned at Saturday Night’s Main Event. SNME started with a bang and ended with a head-scratching conclusion depending on who you ask. Blood was shed, careers were tested, and champions made appearances. Let’s hit the headlines.
A Trick/Treat For the Big Apple
For the first time this year, a match happened on the pre-show. Trick Williams retained his US title against The Laredo Kid. This match was really good, and the crowd got invested despite the match being announced earlier in the day. Both competitors got their offense in, and Trick hit his challenger with a trick shot for the win. The next surprise of the night was Stephanie McMahon introducing Oba Femi to the ring. WWE fans love strutting along to his entrance, but time will tell if the Nigerian Giant can keep this momentum through WM season. Femi cut a promo on Brock Lesnar. Their match will likely open one of the Nights, and Brock will receive a homecoming welcome from the Minnesota faithful.
A NEW ERA IS HERE
Let’s cut to the chase. Fatal Influence (Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley) beat Scream Mode (Brie Bella and Paige) to become the new women’s tag champs. Fans were holding their breath, hoping WWE wouldn’t fumble this opportunity. WWE didn’t, and we can all take a sigh of relief. The match had Paige and Brie Bella hitting their signature moves, while Hallon and Riley used the numbers game. In the end, Jayce Jane got involved without the ref’s awareness and flipped the pin in her team’s favor. A grab of the tights, and we have new champs. Lots of media outlets criticized Jessika Carr for dismissing the interference. Regardless, Paige can now venture into solo competition, while the Bella Twins can reunite when Nikki returns. With Fatal Influence now having tag team gold, it’s worth noting Jacy Jayne was rumored to face Rhea Ripley for the title at SummerSlam before Ripley got sidelined. These three can dominate SmackDown for years to come if given the chance.
The KAT and The Curse
That was loads of fun. Danhausen and JD McDonaugh put on a show for Madison Square Garden. It was a No Disqualification match featuring minhausens, tables, curses, and a hometown star. There was a focus on the New York Knicks jersey owned by Danhausen, which drew heat for the heels. The only gripe was the Judgement Day manhandling the minihausens when Danhausen escaped to reveal his surprise in the crate. Out came Karl Anthony-Towns, who hit a better chokeslam than most superstars on the roster. He joined in the ‘You are Cursed’ shenanigans, and the face-painted vigilante pinned his opponent for the win. For those unaware of the why this match happened, Danhausen uncursed the Knicks. They won the title, and MSG was loving this match from the moment the bell rang.
One Last Hurrah?
Lyra Valkyria picked up a victory against former tag partner Bayley in a hard-hitting affair. These two didn’t hold back, and Bayley may have broken Lyra’s nose with a direct shot from the elbow. One negative from this bout is the trope of ‘can she continue the matchup?’ when Lyra got busted open. She could, and she did. Lyra’s new theme song is amazing as well. After the match, Valkyria beat down Bayley and hit a Crow Wing on the stairs. Perhaps these two add a stipulation at SummerSlam, and Bayley gets her revenge because WWE LOVES 50/50 booking. Either way, Lyra’s presentation and character get props for now. Bayley’s contract expires at the end of the year, so many question marks remain about her future.
A Score to Settle
The stipulation for the main event was that if Gunther and Sami Zayn win, they’re added to the title match at SummerSlam. Their opponents were Cody Rhodes and CM Punk. In a tag team match clouded by the age-old question, ‘Can They Co-Exist’, these four hit it out of the park. This was the match of the night, and should’ve been the last segment of the show. Zayn hit the ref in a desperate attempt to save the match. Gunther overcame his two opponents and hit a powerbomb. This prompted a ref to come down for the three counts, only for Nick Aldis to yank him out of the ring. Aldis hit Gunther with the WWE belt, costing him and Zayn the match. Would’ve rather had Gunther snap and be held by officials as Nick Aldis smirks through the crowd than what was going to happen next.
The MVP and the OTC
A segment between the King of New York, Jalen Brunson, and Roman Reigns was advertised before the PLE. When the main event ended at 8:40 pm, it was clear these two were closing the show. They gave Jalen Brunson a 10-15 (felt like it) Goldberg-like entrance sans the headbutt, and had people clapping for him backstage. He and Reigns walked out, and did their usual finger poses and ACKNOWLEDGE US schtick. Seth Rollins’ music hit, and Tyrese Haliburton came out instead. Rollins failed in his sneak attack, and Brunson said ‘Try Me, M’fer’ before Reigns hit Rollins with a Superman punch. Neither NBA star got physical as they are both hurt, but Brunson got a massive ovation from the crowd. To close out the show, Reigns hoisted the NBA trophy while Brunson wore the WH belt and a custom-made one.
TKO’s obsession with celebrities/athletes continues, but we aren’t going to let one bad apple ruin the batch. There is one more Saturday, or should I say, Sunday Night’s Main Event left on the calendar on September 6th in Atlanta. Peacock’s deal with WWE expires at the end of the year, so it’ll be interesting to see what the future holds for SNME in 2027 and beyond.
Let’s hope WWE can keep this momentum going, but their toughest test lies ahead. SummerSlam tickets aren’t selling as well as TKO/WWE thought they would. Their ticket sales are only half of what last year’s SummerSlam attendance was. Let’s see what WWE has in store with two weeks left before the biggest event of the summer.
Injury-riddled Wings, Liberty tip off in rescheduled game
Another Major Delay Spells Doom For James Gunn’s DCU
