Nationwide Mutual Insurance has agreed to a deal to purchase a 37% stake in ownership of the Columbus Crew, according to multiple media reports.

The deal was reportedly made at a valuation of $900 million. It still needs to be approved by MLS’ board of governors and is set to be finalized in the next few weeks.

Nationwide is buying 30% of the stake from Haslem Sports Group and 7% from the Edwards family. The Haslems, who also own the Cleveland Browns, were awarded an expansion NWSL team in Columbus last month for what was reported to be a record $205 million fee.

Nationwide and the Edwards family are also in the NWSL ownership group.

The Haslem and Edwards families took over operation of the Crew from MLS in 2018 for $150 million. Even with selling 30%, the Haslems will remain the majority owners with 40% of the ownership stake.

The reported club valuation for Columbus is a bit higher than a few other recent MLS franchise sales. Real Salt Lake and the NWSL’s Utah Royals were sold last year for just under $600 million, and Sporting Kansas City’s majority ownership stake was sold earlier this year at a valuation of $700 million.

–Field Level Media

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Abner Uribe has been suspended one game and fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball for his “inappropriate actions” in Tuesday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Uribe has appealed the suspension, which means any disciplinary action is on hold until the appeals process has been completed and he will be available to pitch Friday when the Brewers open a three-game series against the host Houston Astros.

The suspension and fine come after the Milwaukee reliever made lewd gestures toward the Cardinals’ dugout in the eighth inning of Tuesday’s 6-0 win.

Uribe recorded an inning-ending strikeout with two runners aboard before making three crotch chops while facing the visitors’ dugout.

After the game, the 25-year-old apologized through an interpreter. However, he also pointed the finger at the Cardinals.

“Everyone here knows me and knows who I am, and knows I have a bit of a history of being emotional out there,” he said. “I think first I owe an apology to the Brewers. I owe an apology to my teammates, to my manager, all the bosses of the team. I understand that’s unacceptable, to go out there and react in a way like that.

“But at the same time, I don’t think it’s professional for their manager to be making signs towards our dugout saying that he’s going to be hitting guys,” Uribe said, apparently referencing actions he saw from Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol during Monday’s series-opening 5-1 win by the Brewers.

“There was an event that occurred during the practice (Tuesday), too, and I don’t think that was right. So, I have my teammates’ back always,” Uribe added.

When asked to elaborate on what happened during Tuesday’s batting practice, Uribe said, “I don’t have any comments toward that.”

Uribe is 2-2 with five saves and a 4.19 ERA in 21 relief appearances this season.

–Field Level Media

The San Antonio Spurs might not even make the NBA Finals, but they’re the smartest prediction to win the NBA Championship.

On Saturday night, the Spurs will battle the Oklahoma City Thunder for the final time in Game 7 of their highly contested Western Conference Finals series.

Popular prediction markets like Kalshi, which allows users to trade outcomes of real-world events, are giving the Spurs just a 26% chance of winning the 2026 NBA championship. A contract on the Spurs to win the championship is 27¢. The Spurs are the longest shot remaining, and that’s what makes them the smart pick right now to win the Finals.

The Thunder have the best probability to win the championship, according to Kalshi, with 43% probability. Oklahoma City has been the class of the NBA since winning the championship last season, but there’s no guarantee that they won’t be upset against the Spurs in Game 7. Currently, the Thunder have a 59% chance of winning Game 7 on their home floor against the Spurs.

Based on value alone, the Spurs should be the pick. Even if you believe that Oklahoma City is the best of the final three teams remaining (which is probably true), Game 7s are weird. Anything can happen.

The Spurs looked really good in Game 6. Phenom Victor Wembanyama flushed his poor outing in Game 5 by scoring 28 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. A big game from Wembanyama in Game 7 could be on the horizon, which would make San Antonio four wins away from the NBA Finals.

There isn’t a single team in the NBA that has figured out how to slow down Wembanyama. Even though the New York Knicks employ Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson, Wembanyama is a different breed. He shot 4-of-9 from deep in Game 6. Sure, Towns is athletic enough to guard the perimeter. But against a 7-foot-4 Wembanyama? Good luck with that.

The Spurs are also in a great position – they’re playing without any pressure.

Oklahoma City faces a do-or-die Game 7 just to get back to the NBA Finals. The Knicks are carrying the weight of their 53-year championship drought. Meanwhile, the Spurs are just young enough to be playing without any serious expectations. Wembanayama is only 22. There will be plenty of more opportunities for him, which is what could make the Spurs so dangerous in Game 7.

Even though the Thunder and the Knicks have cold blooded killers in back-to-back NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Brunson, the Spurs have plenty of depth. The Knicks will be rested, so San Antonio will need to lean on Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, too.

The Spurs might not be the best team remaining from a talent standpoint. But they’re the smartest pick to make right now.