Sports
Japanese RHP Roki Sasaki hopes to land with team in mid-January
Mar 20, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Japan starting pitcher Roki Sasaki (14) delivers a pitch during the first inning against Mexico at LoanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Prized Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki is drawing interest from 20 major league teams and is expected to join one of them in mid-January, his agent, Joel Wolfe of Wasserman Group, told reporters on Monday.
Wolfe said that Sasaki has had meetings with “a set few number of teams” and is currently at home in Japan thinking about his next steps. The 23-year-old will have to make his decision during the back half of January, as the international signing period opens on Jan. 15 and Sasaki’s posting window closes eight days later on Jan. 23.
When it comes to choosing his next home, Sasaki is looking for a team that will bring out the best in him, according to his agent.
“He doesn’t seem to look at it in the typical way that other players do,” Wolfe said. “He has a more long-term, global view of things. I believe Roki is also very interested in the pitching development and how a team is going to help him get better, both in the near future and over the course of his career.
“He didn’t seem overly concerned about whether a team had Japanese players on their team or not, which, in the past, when I represented Japanese players, that was sometimes an issue. That was never a topic of discussion.”
Thanks to a fastball that frequently touches 100 mph and a splitter that often misses bats, Sasaki has shined while playing for the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball since 2021.
In 394 2/3 innings with the club, Sasaki had 29-15 record with a 2.10 ERA and 505 strikeouts against 88 walks.
Sasaki had his 45-day posting window open on Dec. 15.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Yankees-Pirates postponed due to inclement weather
Jul 20, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Jose Caballero (72) forces out Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Ryan O’Hearn (29) at second base and throws to first to complete the double play on a ball hit by designated hitter Marcell Ozuna (not pictured) during the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Tuesday’s game between the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Yankees has been postponed because of inclement weather.
Heavy rain is forecast for the New York area, with a flash flood warning issued Tuesday morning. The game was postponed about five hours before the 7:05 p.m. first pitch, and the teams will play a split doubleheader on Wednesday starting at 1:05 p.m.
Will Warren (7-4, 4.03 ERA) was expected to start Tuesday for the Yankees against Pittsburgh’s Bubba Chandler (3-8, 4.77). New York’s Gerrit Cole (3-5, 3.93) was slated to face the Pirates’ Mitch Keller (6-7, 5.14) in Wednesday afternoon’s game. Pitching plans for the doubleheader haven’t been formally announced.
The Yankees opened the series with an 8-5 victory on Monday as Jazz Chisholm Jr. homered in consecutive at-bats off Braxton Ashcraft in the first and third innings. Chisholm also hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning of a 2-1 win over the Dodgers on Sunday night.
The Yankees are set to play the second of at least four doubleheaders in the second half of the season. New York split two games with the Dodgers on Sunday and will host the Red Sox and Rays in day-night doubleheaders on Aug. 29 and Sept. 22.
Despite Monday’s loss, the Pirates are 8-4 in their past 12 games. Rookie Esmerlyn Valdez hit a two-run homer Monday, has an RBI in eight straight games and 13 homers in his first 32 games since debuting in May.
–Field Level Media
Sports
White Sox place C Kyle Teel (ankle) on injured list
Jul 5, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel (8) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images The Chicago White Sox placed catcher Kyle Teel on the injured list Tuesday with a left ankle sprain while catcher Edgar Quero was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.
Teel, 24, departed Monday’s road win against the Texas Rangers after he rolled his ankle on a play at the plate in the second inning.
Teel has dealt with hamstring and knee injuries this season that have limited him to 19 games. He is batting .190 with two home runs and 14 RBIs in his second major league season.
“It’s really tough, as much passion as he has for the game, as hard as he works,” White Sox manager Will Venable said of Teel after Monday’s game. “You feel bad for any of these guys when they go down, but Kyle, having to deal with so many things here and so many setbacks is really tough.”
Quero, 23, is batting .187 with two home runs and 15 RBIs in 55 games for the White Sox this season after making his major league debut in 2025.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rookies for 5 teams report as training camps officially begin
Bills quarterback Josh Allen talks with Joe Brady, elevated from offensive coordinator to head coach in Buffalo, during drills at 2025 training camp. Fifty days before the NFL regular season begins, five teams opened training camp on Tuesday with rookies reporting for the Bills, Texans, Patriots, Panthers and Dolphins.
Carolina kicks off the preseason with the Pro Football Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 6 against the Arizona Cardinals. Arizona’s report day is Wednesday for rookies and veterans.
Before starting the regular season in Australia, the Rams and 49ers are also set to start camp this week. The NFC West rivals face off Down Under on Sept. 10.
Every NFL team reports to camp no later than July 28.
Nearly one-third of the league introduced a new head coach in the offseason with 10 coaching changes. A few don’t truly qualify as “new” with familiar faces relocated to Pittsburgh, Nashville, New York and Atlanta.
Buffalo elevated offensive coordinator Joe Brady to head coach, replacing Sean McDermott.
Mike McCarthy is back on the sideline with the Steelers and has Aaron Rodgers returning as his quarterback. Former Jets coach Robert Saleh took over the Tennessee Titans and longtime Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh is now on the Giants’ sideline. Former Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski is now leading the Atlanta Falcons.
The reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks will hold their first full-squad workout at the team facility in Renton, Wash., on July 24. The Seahawks open the preseason at home on Aug. 15, welcoming the Dallas Cowboys to Lumen Field.
Seattle plays the first regular-season game of the 2026 campaign on Wednesday, Sept. 9 in a Super Bowl rematch with the visiting New England Patriots.
SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif, hosts the Super Bowl on Feb. 14.
–Field Level Media
Yankees-Pirates postponed due to inclement weather
White Sox place C Kyle Teel (ankle) on injured list
