Sports
Julius Randle feels fortunate to be 'wanted' by Wolves
Jan 1, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward Julius Randle (30) is defended by Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) while calling for the ball in the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Once he got over the initial shock of being traded from the New York Knicks to the Minnesota Timberwolves last weekend, Julius Randle was excited to join another NBA title contender.
“You want to be somewhere where you feel wanted. I feel wanted here,” Randle said Thursday. “At this point in my career, I’ve accomplished a lot of great things on an individual level, but I want to win a championship. This is a perfect opportunity to do that.”
At a Thursday news conference, Randle was introduced along with Donte DiVincenzo and Keita Bates-Diop, who were acquired in the deal that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the Big Apple. The Wolves also landed a future first-round pick in the blockbuster deal.
Randle, 29, was a three-time All-Star in his five seasons with the Knicks, but a shoulder injury kept him out of their playoff run this spring.
Randle put up 24 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 2023-24. He is due to make $28.9 million in the 2024-25 season, and he has a $30.9 million player option for the following season.
“It was a breath of fresh air,” Randle said about the trade. “I’m excited to bring everything I’ve learned here over the past five years and help these guys out. My only thing here is I just want to help.
“I want to help (Anthony Edwards). I want to help Rudy (Gobert), Naz (Reid) — all those guys. I want to help win a championship, and that’s the only thing that matters.”
Per Wolves coach Chris Finch, who coached Randle in 2018-19 with the New Orleans Pelicans, the veteran is expected to be among the starting five.
“We feel we could end up one of the deeper teams in the league,” Finch said.
DiVincenzo improves that depth, joining a reserve corps highlighted by Reid, the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year last season. DiVincenzo, who shot 40 percent from 3-point range, gives the Wolves a boost in that department as well after they finished 15th last season in made 3-pointers. The Villanova product is also looking forward to the various lineups the Wolves employ.
“That was a big part of why I’m so excited,” said the 27-year-old DiVincenzo, who has three years remaining on his contract for a total of almost $36 million. “You can play so many different lineups. Small, big, it doesn’t matter.”
DiVincenzo produced a career-high 15.5 points per game last season while adding 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists.
–Field Level Media
Sports
SoFi workers reach agreement to avoid strike ahead of World Cup
May 25, 2026; Inglewood, CA, USA; A general overall view of Sofi Stadium (Los Angeles Stadium), a host site for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images A potential strike by SoFi Stadium workers, ahead of the United States’ World Cup opening match at the venue Friday, was averted when an estimated 2,000 employees reached a tentative agreement Tuesday through their union.
The union representing hospitality workers at the stadium in Inglewood, Calif., had voted to authorize a strike last Friday, a week before the United States men’s national team was set to play against Paraguay.
Mostly composed of concessions workers as well as cashiers, dishwashers, bartenders and food attendants, the union had voted 96% in favor of the strike, which had been looming for the last few months since the existing deal with stadium operators Legends Global expired.
The new agreement earned workers a 40% pay increase for concession stands attendants and also has a clause allowing workers to walk off the job if the union believes that the presence of federal agents, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), creates a “reasonable apprehension of harm to the safety and security of workers,” The Athletic reported.
The agreement, which the union announced at a news conference, still has to be ratified by workers on Wednesday.
Kurt Peterson, co-president of the union, said the agreement will make the venue’s concessions workers the highest paid at NFL stadiums, according to a report in The Athletic, with most earning “more than $40 per hour, and many of them significantly more than that.”
Workers also will be able to earn “premium pay for mega-events, including all eight World Cup games,” Peterson told The Athletic.
SoFi Stadium is scheduled to host two of the United States’ three group-stage matches, against Paraguay (Friday) and Turkey (June 25), as well as three tournament knockout-stage matches, one of which is a quarterfinal on July 10.
The venue is the home of both the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers of the NFL. It also is slated to be a co-host for the Opening Ceremonies during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, as well as the home for the swimming competitions.
The new agreement lasts until April 30, 2028, giving the union leverage for renegotiations before the Olympics begin.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rangers activate RHP Cole Winn from 15-day injured list
Texas Rangers pitcher Cole Winn (60) throws against Detroit Tigers during the fourth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Friday, May 1, 2026. The Texas Rangers activated right-handed reliever Cole Winn from the 15-day injured list on Tuesday after he was sidelined since May 23 by arm fatigue.
Winn, 26, takes the spot on the 26-man roster vacated by right-hander Luis Curvelo, who was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday.
Winn allowed two runs on two hits in a third of an inning of his most recent outing that came during a 5-2 loss to the host Los Angeles Angels. He exited the game after three batters with fatigue and soreness in his right shoulder.
In 22 appearances this season, he is 2-1 with one save, a 5.59 ERA, seven walks and 23 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings.
In 68 career relief appearances, Winn is 2-3 with one save, a 3.91 ERA, 28 walks and 72 strikeouts in 78 1/3 innings.
Texas made Winn the 15th overall selection in the 2018 MLB Draft.
Curvelo, 25, had a scoreless inning Sunday in the Rangers’ 10-0 victory over the visiting Guardians. He has a 4.91 ERA, two walks and four strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings over seven relief appearances.
He was on the 15-day injured list with a right biceps strain from April 15 to May 19.
In 24 career relief appearances since 2025, Curvelo is 1-1 with a 5.47 ERA over 26 1/3 innings
–Field Level Media
Sports
Frances Tiafoe outlasts Daniel Altmaier in first round at Stuttgart
Jun 1, 2026; Paris, France; Frances Tiafoe of the United States returns a shot during his match against Matteo Arnaldi of Italy on day nine at Stade Roland Garros. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images Sixth-seeded Frances Tiafoe saved 7 of 9 break points and outlasted Germany’s Daniel Altmaier 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-4 to post a first-round victory at the BOSS Open Tuesday in Stuttgart, Germany.
Tiafoe had 24 winners and 30 unforced errors while prevailing on the grass surface after the end of the clay-court season. Altmaier had 15 aces among his 40 winners but committed 42 unforced errors.
Tiafoe next faces Australia’s Rinky Hijikata, who rallied for a 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2), 6-3 victory over German wild card Tom Gentzsch. Australia’s Nick Kyrgios beat the only other seeded player in action, prevailing 6-3, 6-4 over No. 8 Corentin Moutet of France.
The other winners Tuesday were Marcos Giron, Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff and Yannick Hanfmann, Australia’s James Duckworth, France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and Japan’s Sho Shimabukuro.
Libema Open
Adrian Mannarino of France hit 25 winners while posting a 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 victory over defending champion Gabriel Diallo of Canada in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
Mannarino ended a nine-match drought in singles play dating back to the Miami Open in mid-March. Diallo had 52 unforced errors against just 20 winners. Mannarino committed 44 miscues.
Martin Damm advanced with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Spain’s Jaume Munar. Also, China’s Zhang Zhizhen registered a 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-1 victory over Jenson Brooksby.
–Field Level Media
