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Lionel Messi, Inter Miami hit road to face Atlanta United

MLS: Philadelphia Union at Inter Miami CFSep 14, 2024; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA; Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) prepares to take a corner kick in the second half against the Philadelphia Union at Chase Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Lionel Messi will travel with Inter Miami for a road match against Atlanta United on Wednesday night, but the Herons will be short-handed when they try to move closer to securing the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield.

Miami coach Tata Martino confirmed Messi will be with the team on a two-match road trip that begins at Atlanta and continues at New York City FC on Saturday. The plan comes after Messi played his first match in roughly two months during Saturday’s 3-1 home win over Philadelphia.

However, Messi’s former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets will serve a yellow-card accumulation suspension Wednesday. Defender David Martinez departed Saturday’s victory early with a right adductor strain, and Atlanta’s artificial surface could convince Martino to limit the minutes of Messi, Luis Suarez and other veterans.

As Messi pointed out, if Miami (19-4-5, 62 points) did field a weakened team on Wednesday, it wouldn’t be anything new.

“The truth is that throughout the year, we had a lot of bad luck with injuries,” Messi said in Spanish after his first match following an ankle ligament injury. “We were never at full strength. Due to one thing or another, we were always missing players.

“But the team always pushed forward. Today, we are in first place with a big lead, and deservedly so. Hopefully, we can finish at the top for what it means and for what’s to come after as well.”

Miami leads the Los Angeles Galaxy by seven points in the Supporters’ Shield race and has a match in hand, and the Herons hold a 10-point Eastern Conference advantage on FC Cincinnati.

Meanwhile, Atlanta (8-13-7, 31 points) is in 10th place in the Eastern Conference and is fighting for its playoff life after a 2-0 upset defeat to 14th-place Nashville SC on Saturday. The loss ruined a bid for the club’s first back-to-back wins since mid-March.

Interim coach Rob Valentino’s squad begins Wednesday two points beneath the playoff line, with a match in hand on ninth-place D.C. United.

“I’m at a loss for words for that tonight,” Valentino said of the Nashville performance. “I apologize to the people that watched that, and that won’t be happening again. But we have to move on. I have no choice there.”

Atlanta has scored one total goal in its last three MLS matches, and the club’s three active goal-scoring leaders — Saba Lobjanidze, Daniel Rios and Jamal Thiare — are scoreless in the last four across all competitions.

–Field Level Media

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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 ImagesMay 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

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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.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

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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 ImagesJun 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

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