Sports
Ice-cold Kings prepare to host confident Clippers
Dec 30, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers center Brook Lopez (11) and forward John Collins (20) reach for a rebound after a missed shot by Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook (18) in the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Two recent Cleveland Cavaliers have a chance to go head-to-head for the first time for new teams nearly 2,500 miles from their old home when the Los Angeles Clippers visit the Sacramento Kings on Friday night.
Dealt from the Cavaliers in separate trades 48 hours apart earlier in the week, Darius Garland is hopeful of making his Clippers debut while De’Andre Hunter is set to suit up for the second time for the Kings when the Pacific Divisions clubs clash.
Garland could only sit and watch when the Cavaliers, coincidentally, were scheduled to play the Clippers in Los Angeles on Wednesday while their trade, which brought James Harden to Cleveland, was still pending approval.
With Harden also sitting out, the Cavaliers won the game 124-91.
Meanwhile, in Sacramento, the Kings introduced Hunter to his new home fans before a 129-125 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. Hunter, acquired for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis, had just nine points in 26 minutes as a starter in his Kings debut.
The last time Garland and Hunter went head-to-head actually wasn’t all that long ago. While Garland had been a career-long Cavalier, Hunter was acquired by Cleveland from Atlanta last February. He had previously faced Garland in Hawks-Cavaliers matchups 12 times, with the Hawks winning seven of those games.
While the Clippers could have Garland in the lineup Friday, they likely won’t have Bennedict Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson, who were picked up at Thursday’s deadline along with three draft picks for Ivica Zubac and Kobe Brown.
Garland hasn’t played since Jan. 14 because of a sprained big toe on his right foot, but reportedly has indicated he’s ready to return as soon as the Clippers need him.
Coach Tyronn Lue hasn’t said when that will be, but clearly has already envisioned a new look with the speedy Garland moving into the spot vacated by the lead-footed Harden.
“He’s different from James and we can play different with a faster pace,” Lue noted to reporters after the deal. “It’s going to be exciting. I’ve known DG for a while, and having a young point guard under my tutelage, I think it’s the first time I have had one since Kyrie (Irving).”
The Clippers have lost two in a row and three of four since Kawhi Leonard, Harden and Zubac led a 9-1 surge that got Los Angeles back in playoff contention. The visit to Sacramento tips off a four-game trip.
Despite the arrival of Hunter, the Kings dropped a 10th straight when outfinished by the Grizzlies on Wednesday.
Sacramento was mentioned in as many rumors as any team leading into the deadline, but in the end, elected to retain Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Russell Westbrook.
Kings coach Doug Christie said he looks forward to pairing Hunter with Keegan Murray, who is being pointed to a return from a sprained left ankle after the All-Star break.
“I’m just excited to see them (together),” Christie told reporters in the wake of the Cleveland trade. “When you think about it, you got two long wings. They both play the right way for the right reasons. They are team players. They’re going to do all the little things that equate to winning.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Yankees complete season-opening, three-game sweep of Giants
Mar 28, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) is congratulated by first baseman Ben Rice (22) after hitting a home run against the San Francisco Giants in the fifth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images Aaron Judge homered in his second straight game and Ben Rice doubled in two runs as the visiting New York Yankees beat the San Francisco Giants 3-1 on Saturday to complete a three-game series sweep.
San Francisco put its first two batters on base in the ninth against David Bednar before Harrison Bader struck out and Patrick Bailey grounded into a double play.
Bednar recorded his second save in as many games for the Yankees, who outscored the Giants 13-1 in the series and turned four inning-ending double plays in the finale. Jake Bird (1-0), one of four New York relievers, earned the victory with 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Rice put the Yankees ahead with a two-run double in the third inning against Tyler Mahle (0-1), who was making his Giants debut. Giancarlo Stanton followed with a single to right field, but Rice was thrown out at the plate by Heliot Ramos to end the inning.
San Francisco scored its first run of the season in the bottom of the third when Jung Hoo Lee hit a leadoff double off Will Warren and scored on Matt Chapman’s single up the middle.
Mahle allowed two runs on five hits over four innings with one walk and five strikeouts.
Ryan Borucki retired the first two batters in the fifth before Judge put the Yankees ahead 3-1 by depositing an 0-1 cutter over the left-field wall.
The Yankees turned to their bullpen after Warren gave up one run on five hits over 4 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out three.
Bird replaced Brent Headrick in the sixth after Rafael Devers doubled to begin the inning. After Devers moved to third on Ramos’ single, Bird struck out Willy Adames and escaped the jam unscathed when Bader grounded into a double play.
The Yankees threatened with two runners on and one out in the eighth against Erik Miller, who struck out Rice before JT Brubaker entered and got Stanton to pop out to first.
San Francisco brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the eighth against Tim Hill when Luis Arraez singled in front of Devers, who grounded into an inning-ending double play.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Brice Turang provides lift as Brewers handle White Sox
Mar 28, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell (5) steals second base as Chicago White Sox shortstop Luisangel Acuna (0) takes the throw in the first inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images Chad Patrick pitched effectively into the fifth inning and Brice Turang doubled twice to pace the Milwaukee Brewers past the visiting Chicago White Sox 6-1 on Saturday night for their second consecutive victory.
Aaron Ashby (1-0) got the win with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Patrick allowed one run on five hits in 4 1/3 innings, striking out four and walking one. Angel Zerpa, Abner Uribe and DL Hall finished with a scoreless inning apiece.
Munetaka Murakami, who played the previous eight seasons in his native Japan before signing with Chicago, homered for the second consecutive game, a 409-foot leadoff shot in the fourth inning off Patrick to pull the White Sox within 4-1.
The Brewers, who routed Chicago 14-2 in the opener Thursday, jumped on Sean Burke (0-1) for three runs in the first. Turang doubled to open, advanced on a comebacker to the mound, and scored on Christian Yelich’s single. Jake Bauers singled Yelich to third and took second on the throw. Garrett Mitchell followed with a two-run single up the middle.
Milwaukee added an unearned run in the second when Turang blooped a two-out double inside the left field line and William Contreras walked. Yelich singled on an infield dribbler and Turang continued home on Burke’s errant throw to first.
The Brewers made it 5-1 in the sixth when David Hamilton walked with one out, stole second and scored on Brandon Lockridge’s single.
The White Sox missed an opportunity in the seventh when Colson Montgomery tried to score from first on Austin Hays’ double to left, but was thrown out at home on a perfect relay from shortstop Joey Ortiz to end the inning.
Mitchell hustled up an insurance run in the bottom half when he singled with one out, stole second, and scored on Ortiz’s single.
Burke allowed four runs, three earned, on seven hits in four innings, striking out five and walking one.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Down 6, Astros ride 8-run 6th to victory over Angels
Mar 28, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes (15) slides at home safely against Los Angeles Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe (14) in the fifth inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Yainer Diaz and Jake Meyers had two RBIs each in an eight-run sixth inning for the Houston Astros, who rallied from a six-run hole to beat the visiting Los Angeles Angels 11-9 on Saturday in the finale of their three-game series.
The Astros scored all eight runs with two outs.
Isaac Paredes and Carlos Correa also had two RBIs apiece for the Astros, who avoided an 0-3 start for the second time in three seasons.
Meyers, Correa, Yordan Alvarez and Christian Walker each had two hits for Houston.
Houston starter Cristian Javier went 4 2/3 innings, allowing six runs and four hits, striking out one and walking four.
Kai-Wei Teng (1-0) threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief to earn the victory.
Oswald Peraza homered and singled twice, Jorge Soler and Nolan Schanuel also homered and Mike Trout singled, walked twice and scored two runs for the Angels, who were trying to start 3-0 for the first time since winning their first five games in 2006.
Angels starter Reid Detmers brought a 6-0 lead into the fifth, but the left-hander was finished after throwing 95 pitches in 4 2/3 innings. He allowed three runs and six hits with nine strikeouts and no walks in his return to a starting role after serving as a reliever all of last season.
Rookie right-hander Walbert Urena (0-1) relieved Detmers after a two-run double by Paredes cut it to 6-2 with two outs in the fifth. Urena quickly surrendered an RBI single to Correa that cut it to 6-3.
Urena was close to escaping the sixth before a wild pitch brought home the first run. Correa later came up with the bases loaded and and hit a slow roller in front of the plate that catcher Logan O’Hoppe threw away for a two-run error, tying the score.
Walker then lined a single up the middle of Peraza’s glove to give Houston its first lead of the series at 7-6, chasing Urena.
Diaz hit a slow roller into right field off Joey Lucchesi that scored two more, and Meyers followed with a two-run double over the head of leaping right fielder Jo Adell to stretch Houston’s lead to 11-6.
Schanuel blasted a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth off Houston closer Bryan Abreu to cut it to 11-9.
Peraza homered with two outs in the third to give the Angels a 1-0 lead, and Soler blasted a two-run homer in the fourth to make it 3-0.
The Angels scored three more runs in the fifth on an RBI single by Trout, a run-scoring double play and a wild pitch.
–Field Level Media
Yankees complete season-opening, three-game sweep of Giants
Brice Turang provides lift as Brewers handle White Sox
