Sports
Kevin Gausman fights through back tightness, helps Jays two-hit Rangers
Sep 19, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman (34) throws to the plate during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images Kevin Gausman threw five hitless innings and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a pair of solo homers to back up a pair of early runs as the visiting Toronto Blue Jays beat the Texas Rangers 4-0 on Thursday afternoon in the finale of a three-game series in Arlington, Texas.
Gausman and the Blue Jays’ bullpen combined to two-hit Texas, and Guerrero went 3-for-4 with three runs and a walk while smashing a long ball to left in the seventh and a shot to dead center in the ninth, his 29th and 30th homers of the season.
Toronto (73-80) avoided being swept in the three-game series, while the Rangers (73-80) lost for the sixth time in their last nine games.
Gausman (13-11) was perfect through 4 1/3 innings before surrendering a walk to Nathaniel Lowe. Gausman had six strikeouts on 58 pitches without allowing a hit before being removed because of “lower back tightness,” according to the team.
Gausman appeared in some discomfort as early as the first inning, grimacing as he stretched his back. He gave way to Dillon Tate, who made his Toronto debut in the sixth.
A single by Josh Smith in the seventh against Genesis Cabrera was Texas’ first hit, but he was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. Erik Swanson threw a hitless eighth before Chad Green permitted one hit in the ninth.
In his second major league start and home debut, Texas rookie right-hander Kumar Rocker (0-1) surrendered two runs (one earned), two hits and four walks, striking out five in three innings.
Rocker, 24, was the third overall pick by the Rangers in the 2022 MLB Draft. He’s working back from Tommy John surgery in May 2023.
Addison Barger drew a leadoff walk against Rocker in the second and scored on Nathan Lukes’ one-out sac fly for the game’s first run. In the third, Rocker allowed a walk and a hit, and Guerrero scored from third on an error with two outs to make it 2-0.
The Rangers’ Walter Pennington tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief. Guerrero went deep against Matt Festa to lead off the seventh.
Spencer Horwitz also went 2-for-4 with a walk for Toronto as the Blue Jays put together seven hits.
The Blue Jays scratched shortstop Bo Bichette from the game after he fractured his right middle finger while taking ground balls in pregame warmups. The team later said Bichette, who’d just returned from two months on the injured list with a calf injury, is out for the rest of the season.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Why Kyler Murray is a Perfect Match For Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings have landed free agent quarterback Kyler on a one-year league minimum deal for this upcoming season. Rumors had been circulating that Murray would move to the Vikings once he was released by the Cardinals, and that deal was finalized today.
Since Murray was still owed $36.8 million by the Cardinals, Minnesota was able to land him on a veteran league minimum contract, as his salary will be going to Arizona, who is taking the cap hit.
I think this is a match made in heaven. The Vikings can enter next season as a serious playoff contender with Murray, and they can let JJ McCarthy sit behind him and continue to develop. It was very apparent last year that McCarthy was not an NFL-level play caller. Maybe McCarthy lacked confidence in his return from injury, maybe he wasn’t ready to be a starter, or, most importantly, he might not be an NFL-level prospect.
Kyler isn’t some perfect NFL player himself, but in a Kevin O’Connell-led offense, I think he can prove to be an above-average starter–and that’s all the Vikings will need. Minnesota floated around .500 last season with some of the worst quarterback play in the league from McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer. Heck, McCarthy and Brosmer might’ve been worse than the two starting quarterbacks Cleveland threw out for most of the season.
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores will be excited to have a quarterback who can keep his elite defense in better field position. However, Murray should be able to do more than that. He will be paired with two pass catchers in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, who might be the two best players he’s thrown to at the college level.
With Murray, it’s always been about his athleticism, which makes him great, and that’s the biggest need for the Vikings. Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason aren’t the greatest backfield pairing, so having Murray’s ability to stretch defense and keep the clock moving will be vital for Minnesota.
O’Connell has been one of the best quarterback whisperers in the NFL. He was able to revitalize Sam Darnold’s career and consistently get the most out of Kirk Cousins. Murray isn’t the traditional pocket-passer type that O’Connell’s found success with, so it’ll be interesting to see how he’s able to scheme up plays to use his athleticism. The NFC North will once again be one of the better divisions in the sport, but if Murray can be a solid pickup, the Vikings should once again have a shot to be “Kings of the North”.
Sports
Report: Chargers to re-sign LB Denzel Perryman on 1-year deal
Aug 7, 2025; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman (6) during training camp at The Bolt. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images The Los Angeles Chargers are set to re-sign linebacker Denzel Perryman to a one-year deal, NFL Network reported Thursday.
Financial terms were not reported.
Perryman, 33, started his career with the Chargers in 2015 when the team still played in San Diego. He made the move to Los Angeles and was with the franchise through the 2020 season before two seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders and one with the Houston Texans.
Perryman returned to the Chargers in 2024 and has played in 21 games (all starts) over the past two seasons. He was limited to 10 games last season because of injury and a suspension and also played in the team’s 16-3 playoff loss to the New England Patriots.
In 11 career seasons, Perryman has 764 tackles, 21 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks with four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and five interceptions in 129 games (109 starts) since he was a second-round draft pick out of Miami. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2021.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rockets need to end wonky stretch vs. suddenly-hot Pelicans
Mar 11, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Houston Rockets center Clint Capela (30) and forward Jeff Green (32) reach for a rebound in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Following their second blowout loss in four days, the Houston Rockets hardly resemble Western Conference contenders despite being tied for the third seed behind a pair of league juggernauts.
After surrendering a season-high 145 points on the road to the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, the Rockets were blitzed by the Denver Nuggets in a 36-point loss on Wednesday. Houston will open a five-game homestand against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, squarely in the mix for third in the West with the Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves and the Nuggets.
The Rockets haven’t passed the eye test of late. Denver hung 129 points on the Rockets, the third-highest point total Houston has surrendered this season. Defensively, the Rockets are tied for seventh in the NBA in defensive efficiency, but have sustained regression on that end of the court.
Offensively, Houston ranks 11th, but the wild swings in performance have become noteworthy. The Rockets are among the worst teams in the league in turnover percentage (28th) and their offensive rebounding has collapsed since the mid-January loss of reserve center Steven Adams to season-ending ankle surgery.
Combine poor ball security and pedestrian rebounding with the poor shooting the Rockets endured in Denver, and the results are often cataclysmic.
The Rockets missed 29 of 33 3-pointers and made just 5 of 14 free throws. A six-point halftime deficit ballooned in the third quarter when the Rockets were outscored 40-22, with their spirit sapped by a succession of missed shots that compromised their defensive intensity.
Opponents have clamped down on Kevin Durant, the Rockets’ leading scorer, and dared his teammates to convert open looks. That strategy has proven to be effective more often than not.
“At this point of the season, we do need to be able to exploit double teams and hit some blitzes on Kevin,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. “And I think we did that for the most part. If you don’t turn it over and you get quality shots, whether it’s at the rim or 3-pointers, you kind of have to live with those. When the shots didn’t go…I think we started to hang our heads a little bit.”
Said Durant, who had a season-low-tying 11 points in 26 minutes: “Our offense was clicking outside of making wide-open shots. We generated good looks. It’s a make-or-miss league.”
The Pelicans improved to 7-4 since the All-Star break with their 122-111 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. Dejounte Murray delivered a stellar performance with 27 points, five rebounds, six assists, and two steals in what was his seventh game of an injury-plagued year.
Murray has not only infused the Pelicans’ rotation with an accomplished veteran since his return from an Achilles injury, but also provided a measure of leadership that his younger teammates can rally around.
“We’re trying to build winning habits,” Murray said. “We’re not the No. 1 team in the West. We’re not a contender in the West, but what we can do is build winning habits and momentum going into the offseason.
” … You’ve got to start somewhere. … There’s nothing like building momentum going into the offseason.”
–Field Level Media
Why Kyler Murray is a Perfect Match For Minnesota Vikings
Report: Chargers to re-sign LB Denzel Perryman on 1-year deal
