Sports
Jorge Soler grand slam puts bow on Angels win over Reds
Apr 10, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds center fielder TJ Friedl (29) crashes into the wall as he attempts to catch a two-run home run hit by Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto (9) in the fourth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images Jorge Soler belted a grand slam and Jack Kochanowicz allowed one run over seven innings, fueling the visiting Los Angeles Angels to a 10-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday.
Zach Neto launched a two-run homer, Josh Lowe also went deep and Yoan Moncada had an RBI single while reaching base four times on Friday. Lowe and Moncada joined Soler and Neto with two hits after entering the game mired in 1-for-25 and 0-for-15 ruts, respectively.
Adam Frazier reached base four times and joined Mike Trout in working a bases-loaded walk to help the Angels snap a two-game losing streak.
With the bases loaded in the eighth inning, Soler sent a 3-1 fastball from Kyle Nicolas over the wall in left-center field.
Kochanowicz (2-0) surrendered a single to Eugenio Suarez to lead off the second inning and overcame four walks, including three free passes in the fifth inning. Will Benson scored on TJ Friedl’s groundout to trim Los Angeles’ lead to 4-1 before Kochanowicz induced Matt McLain to ground out to end the inning.
Kochanowicz allowed another single to Suarez in the sixth inning for his only other hit before departing after seven innings.
Elly De La Cruz belted a solo homer in the eighth inning for the Reds, who mustered little else en route to losing their third straight game.
Frazier worked a five-pitch walk against Chase Burns (1-1) with the bases loaded to open the scoring in the second inning.
Los Angeles extended its lead to 2-0 in the third inning after Soler ripped a two-out double and scored on Moncada’s single to shallow left field.
The Angels doubled that advantage with two outs in the fourth inning.
Frazier worked another five-pitch walk to extend the inning, and Neto made Burns pay for that by depositing a 2-2 fastball over the wall in center field. Neto’s homer was his team-leading fifth of the season and third in his last six games.
Cincinnati scratched for a run in the top of the fifth inning before Lowe turned on a 0-1 fastball from Burns, lining the ball over the wall in right field to lead off the sixth.
Burns permitted five runs on seven hits with four walks in 5 1/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
NYCFC announce departure of D Strahinja Tanasijevic
Mar 15, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York City FC defender Strahinja Tanasijevic (19) runs with the ball during the second half against New England Revolution at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-Imagn Images New York City FC defender Strahinja Tanasijevic has departed the club, the team announced on Wednesday.
Tanasijevic, 28, joined NYCFC in February 2024 and made 43 appearances across all competitions.
“We would like to thank Tana for the commitment and professionalism shown throughout his time with the Club,” sporting director Todd Dunivant said. “This move provides an opportunity for Tana to pursue the next step in his career while also giving the Club additional roster flexibility. We wish Tana and his family all the best moving forward.”
Tanasijevic played for several clubs in his native Serbia prior to joining New York City FC.
–Field Level Media
Sports
LeBron James on GOAT debate: 'Not taking nobody over me'
Nov 27, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) smiles after a Philadelphia 76ers foul during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images LeBron James told Time magazine that he believes he is the greatest basketball player of all time.
When asked the age-old question of who is the GOAT in the NBA, James embraced his own name.
“I’m not taking nobody over me,” he told Time in a profile published Monday. “There’s no question.”
James, however, admitted the NBA has other all-time greats, namely Hall of Famers Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Larry Bird and Shaquille O’Neal, among others.
“But I think Mike will say the same thing,” James said. “Rest his soul, Kobe will say the same thing. Magic will say the same thing. Bird will say the same thing. Shaq could say the same thing. The late great Wilt (Chamberlain), Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar). I don’t think none of us are going to take somebody else.
“If there’s a general manager and he’s eyeballing all of us on a baseline, with the No. 1 pick, it’s gonna be hard not to take me, champ.”
James, 41, just completed his record-setting 23rd NBA season, and the league’s all-time leading scorer is heading into unrestricted free agency.
“It’s up to the mind,” James told Time about whether he will suit up next season or retire. “Where the mind goes, the body will lay. When I’m not in love with getting to the arenas on game days five hours before to start my preparation, if I’m out of love with getting to practice 2 1/2 hours beforehand, then I know I’ll be done. Because then I’m going to start cheating the game.”
James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds this season with the Los Angeles Lakers. The 22-time All-Star, four-time league MVP and four-time NBA champion is the all-time leader in games (1,622) and points (43,440).
–Field Level Media
Sports
WNBA champion Aces not invited to White House
Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) celebrates as she receives the MVP trophy after defeating the Phoenix Mercury 97-86 to win the WNBA Championship in a four-game sweep in Game Four of the WNBA Finals at Mortgage Matchup Center on Oct. 10, 2025, in Phoenix. The Las Vegas Aces did not receive an invitation to the White House after winning the 2025 WNBA title in October, a team spokesperson confirmed to USA Today on Wednesday.
The decades-old tradition of championship sports teams visiting 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. has not included any WNBA or NBA teams during President Donald Trump’s second term in office.
The New York Liberty did not visit the White House after winning the 2024 WNBA championship. The 2024-25 NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder did not go either, due to what the team called a timing issue.
The Aces, who will be in Washington, D.C., for a July 22 game against the Mystics, have won three of the past four WNBA championships. They visited the White House twice during the Biden Administration.
The Aces had considered visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture as an alternate way of commemorating their championship during next month’s trip to the nation’s capital, but ran into a scheduling conflict, per USA Today.
–Field Level Media
NYCFC announce departure of D Strahinja Tanasijevic
LeBron James on GOAT debate: 'Not taking nobody over me'
