Sports
Las Vegas Raiders Finally Have a Real Plan for the First Time in Years
The Las Vegas Raiders finished the season as the NFL’s worst team.
Immediately after the season, the Raiders fired head coach Pete Carroll. While the Raiders have not played a game since the first week of January, Las Vegas is already in a better position than they were last year.
Hiring Carroll never made much sense. Perhaps the Raiders viewed it as a bridge coach, as the 74-year-old Super Bowl winner could breathe some life into a zombified organization. Even if that was the rationale, it didn’t work. The Raiders were far and away the most embarrassing team in football, wasting another season of Maxx Crosby’s prime and burning up the first year of standout running back Ashton Jeanty’s rookie season.
On Sunday, the Raiders moved closer to hiring Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as their next head coach. This hire will not be allowed to become official until after the Super Bowl, as Kubiak will lead Seattle’s offense against the New England Patriots next week.
There’s no guarantee that Kubiak, 38, will be the right hire for the Raiders. But it’s a decision that signals that Las Vegas is finally ready to get serious about building their football team the right way.
As the worst team in the NFL, the Raiders will have the No. 1 overall pick. That selection is likely to be used on Indiana Hoosiers Heisman quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who just won the national championship in one of the most dominant college football seasons ever.
While Mendoza isn’t regarded as a “can’t miss” quarterback prospect like Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning or even Trevor Lawrence, ushering in a new franchise quarterback with a first-time head coach completely resets the timeline in Vegas.
There are countless examples of teams that are able to capitalize on quarterbacks on rookie contracts. That’s exactly what the Raiders need to do with Mendoza. Geno Smith was a colossal failure. Keep that project in the rearview mirror while adding protection on the offensive line and a few more playmakers to complement Brock Bowers.
In the AFC West, the Raiders will still need to compete with the Denver Broncos and Patrick Mahomes, who look to be the class of the division for a long time. Don’t forget that the Los Angeles Chargers are entering a make-or-break year with Justin Herbert and Mike McDaniel in the saddle as offensive coordinator.
The Raiders just need to focus on building around Mendoza, Kubiak and Jeanty, while allowing Crosby to contend for meaningful games in the postseason during the rookie contracts of the premier young offensive talent.
Vegas’ roster has plenty of holes, but hiring Kubiak is a big step in the right direction for a team that was wandering the desert long before it ever moved out there.
Sports
Marlins OF Kyle Stowers activated, to make season debut
Aug 8, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Miami Marlins left fielder Kyle Stowers (28) walks and tosses his bat against the Atlanta Braves during the fifth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Mady Mertens-Imagn Images Miami Marlins All-Star outfielder Kyle Stowers was activated from the 10-day injured list to make his season debut against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.
The Marlins optioned infielder Deyvison De Los Santos to Triple-A Jacksonville in a corresponding move.
Stowers, who had been sidelined with a Grade 1 right hamstring strain, finished a rehab assignment with Triple-A Jacksonville.
“Everything from the rehab checked out,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “He continued to check the necessary boxes. Certainly, there was a physical component with how he felt, how the hamstring was. He got back-to-back nine-inning games. I think he came out of that feeling like he’s in a really good spot physically, and also, I think mentally, now he feels like, ‘OK, I’m over this.'”
Stowers, 28, made a massive leap in production in 2025. He entered the season with a .208 average, six home runs and 35 RBIs in 117 games spread across three major league campaigns, including 67 games with the Baltimore Orioles.
In his first full season with the Marlins, after a 2024 trade, Stowers batted .288 with 25 homers and 73 RBIs in 117 games while earning a spot on the National League All-Star team.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Dodgers put 1B Freddie Freeman on paternity list, call up OF Ryan Ward
Apr 8, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) hits a single against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images The Los Angeles Dodgers placed first baseman Freddie Freeman on the paternity list Sunday and called up outfielder Ryan Ward to the major leagues for the first time after seven minor league seasons.
Freeman, 36, is batting .296 with three home runs and 14 RBIs over 20 games this season. He had two hits in each of the last three games and four times in the past five games to raise his early batting average nearly 40 points.
Ward, 28, was drafted in the eighth round by the Dodgers in 2019 and is in his fourth season at Triple-A Oklahoma City. He won the Pacific Coast League MVP last season when he hit 36 home runs with 122 RBIs in 143 games.
Ward finally gets his first call to the major leagues after 154 home runs, 530 RBIs and a .266 batting average over 696 games in the Dodgers’ system, including 420 games at Triple-A.
“You talk about performance and he’s performed as well as, if not better than, anyone,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said about Ward in spring training, according to the Orange County Register. “So for him to not get a shot, I’m sure he’s frustrated and understandably so. But the message for him is to keep putting up numbers and knock the door down and hopefully the opportunity comes for him sometime this year.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Transfer portal roundup: Kentucky adds Furman transfer Alex Wilkins
Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Furman Paladins guard Alex Wilkins (10) dribbles the ball against the UConn Huskies in the second half during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Former Furman guard Alex Wilkins has transferred to Kentucky.
His move was one of the biggest on a busy transfer portal weekend.
Wilkins excelled in his freshman season with the Paladins, averaging 17.8 points, 4.7 assists and 2.0 rebounds in 35 games (all starts).
Listed at 6-foot-5, Wilkins showed his skills to a national audience in Furman’s lone game of the NCAA Tournament. He made four 3-pointers and scored 21 points in the Paladins’ 82-71 loss to eventual national championship runner-up UConn in the first round.
–Ex-Belmont forward Drew Scharnowski announced his transfer to Duke.
In his recently completed sophomore season at Belmont, the 6-9 Scharnowski averaged 10.7 points. 6.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists over 21.9 minutes per game. He shot 68.1% in 30 games (24 starts).
He takes the roster spot of forward Nikolas Khamenia, who transferred to UConn on Saturday.
–Florida State gained the commitment of 6-11 forward Sebastian Rancik, who heads to Tallahassee after two seasons at Colorado.
A native of Slovakia, he attended high school in Southern California, where he was ranked as a four-star prospect in the 2024 class.
In 29 games (26 starts) with the Buffaloes as a sophomore, he averaged 12.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
–Field Level Media
Marlins OF Kyle Stowers activated, to make season debut
Dodgers put 1B Freddie Freeman on paternity list, call up OF Ryan Ward
