Sports
Japan outlasts Australia, clinches Group C in WBC
Feb 17, 2026; Lee County, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Masataka Yoshida (7) poses for a photo during media day at JetBlue Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Masataka Yoshida belted a two-run homer with two outs in the seventh inning, helping defending champion Japan clinch Group C in pool play of the World Baseball Classic with a 4-3 victory over Australia on Sunday in Tokyo.
Yoshida was able to come to the plate in the inning after Australia pitcher Jon Kennedy failed to catch shortstop Jarryd Dale’s throw to first base to complete a double play. The Boston Red Sox slugger made Kennedy pay for the miscue by depositing his 0-1 slider into the seats in right-center field to give Japan a 2-1 lead.
Teruaki Sato and Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki provided insurance in the eighth inning, with the former ripping an RBI double and the latter drawing a bases-loaded walk.
Japan, which mustered just five hits, benefited from 12 walks to improve to 3-0 in round-robin play.
Alex Hall and Rixon Wingrove each launched a solo homer in the ninth inning for Australia (2-1), which still can reach the quarterfinals with a win over Korea (1-2) on Monday.
The top two teams from each of the four pools will advance to the quarterfinals, which will be split between Miami and Houston. The semifinals on March 15 and 16 as well as the final on March 17 will be contested in Miami.
Australia’s Aaron Whitefield collected three of his team’s eight hits and scored a run on a throwing error in the sixth inning.
Whitefield, who previously played for the Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Angels, ripped a double to right field with one out and attempted to steal third base. Catcher Kenya Wakatsuki’s throw sailed well inside the third-base line and into left field, allowing Whitefield to scamper home.
Japan was threatening to snap a scoreless tie with Shohei Ohtani at the plate and the bases loaded with two outs in the fourth inning. Australia catcher Robbie Perkins, however, alertly caught Shugo Maki leaning too far off second base and fired a strike to Dale to end the inning.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Falcons reach deal for DE Samson Ebukam
Indianapolis Colts defensive end Samson Ebukam (52) celebrates after recovering a fumble Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Atlanta Falcons signed former Indianapolis Colts defensive end Samson Ebukam on Thursday, his agent told ESPN.
Terms of the contract (both length and salary) were not reported. He was previously on a three-year, $27 million deal with Indianapolis.
Ebukam, 30, missed the entirety of the 2024 season with a torn Achilles and wasn’t as productive last season in his second season in Indianapolis. His two sacks were tied for a career low set during his rookie season in 2017.
However, his first season with the Colts was the best of his career as he amassed a career-high 9.5 sacks in 2023. He had 4.5-plus sacks in each of the last five seasons he played before 2025.
Over eight seasons, Ebukam has played in 127 regular-season games (79 starts) with 314 tackles, 35 sacks, 77 quarterback hits, 43 tackles for loss, 11 forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, nine pass breakups and one interception.
He was a fourth-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams in 2017 out of Eastern Washington.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Five NFL Free Agency Predictions That Can Still Happen
NFL free agency has been wild ever since the league’s legal tampering window opened on Monday.
Big-named free agents including Malik Willis and Trey Hendrickson switched teams, while others, like Indianapolis Colts superstar wide receiver Alec Pierce, decided to return.
Even after a flurry of moves, there are plenty of remaining free agents out there.
Let’s make some bold predictions about where the top remaining unsigned players will sign.
Aaron Rodgers, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
This just makes all the sense in the world for both sides at this point. It felt like part of the reason why the Steelers even hired Mike McCarthy was to bring back the 42-year-old quarterback for yet another season.
Rodgers wasn’t the reason why the Steelers flamed out in the postseason. One more go around is probably Pittsburgh admitting that they’re stuck in neutral, but that might be their only move.
Kyler Murray, QB, Minnesota Vikings
This is our last “no duh” prediction before we get serious.
Are the Vikings really prepared to give up on J.J. McCarthy? That’s what signing Kyler Murray could potentially signal. Following his release from the Arizona Cardinals, Murray is reportedly also factoring in what his future will look like in 2027.
The Vikings would be silly to waste the stud receiving duo of Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. This feels like it’ll get done.
Tyreek Hill, WR, Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens feel like the big villains of the 2026 offseason after pulling out of the Maxx Crosby trade. So why not lean into it?
The Kansas City Chiefs also make sense for Hill, but they haven’t been overly motivated to make that happen. The Ravens chose Lamar Jackson over John Harbaugh despite the quarterback showing signs of regression last year. Baltimore might as well try to push all your chips into the center of the table – or else that could be a costly decision.
Rasheed Walker, OL, Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry has done significant work to repair the team’s offensive line.
After restructuring Deshaun Watson’s deal, the Browns still have enough cap space to add Walker to their equation. This would give the Browns the ability to draft a No. 1 wide receiver with the No. 6 overall selection in the NFL Draft – which is their other big need offensively.
Stefon Diggs, WR, New England Patriots
How bizarre would this be?
The Patriots released Diggs before free agency but New England top executive Eliot Wolf “hasn’t shut the door” on reuniting with the veteran wideout.
New England added Romeo Doubs in free agency. But outside of that? They struck out on a few other of the top wide receivers in free agency and would still like to surround Drake Maye with talented pass catchers on his rookie deal.
Sports
No. 23 Wisconsin slips past Washington to reach Big Ten quarters
Mar 12, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Nick Boyd (2) reacts after scoring against the Washington Huskies during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images John Blackwell made six 3-pointers and scored a game-high 34 points as No. 23 Wisconsin eliminated Washington from the Big Ten Conference tournament with an 85-82 victory Thursday at Chicago.
Nick Boyd added 23 points and nine assists for the fifth-seeded Badgers (23-9), who advanced to a quarterfinal matchup on Friday with fourth-seeded Illinois. Wisconsin was 15 of 39 (38.5%) from 3-point range.
Freshman Hannes Steinbach scored 25 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in his 22nd double-double for No. 12-seed Washington (16-17). Zoom Diallo added 21 points and seven assists, while Quimari Peterson chipped in 14 points and made 4 of 10 3-pointers for the Huskies.
The Badgers never trailed and led by as much as 18 points at 66-48 with 13:23 remaining after Blackwell made a 3-pointer. The Huskies used a late 18-6 run to close within 83-82 with 17 seconds left when Diallo drove for a layup.
Andrew Rohde sank both ends of a one-and-one with eight seconds left for Wisconsin, requiring Washington to hunt a game-tying 3-pointer to force overtime. Diallo’s pullup 3-pointer as time expired misfired, enabling the Badgers to avoid the upset.
Playing its third straight game without its top inside player in forward Nolan Winter (ankle), the Badgers got off to a fast start. They established a 20-7 lead with 11:47 remaining in the first half when Hayden Jones converted a three-point play.
The Huskies found some traction in the next seven minutes, whittling the deficit down to 27-23 with 4:55 left in the half when Wesley Yates III made two free throws. Wisconsin expanded the advantage behind Blackwell and Boyd, who combined for 13 straight points.
Aleksas Bieliauskas sent the Badgers to the locker room at halftime with a 43-33 lead after completing a three-point play with a second left before halftime.
–Field Level Media
