Sports
Mariners starter Bryan Woo looks to continue dominance of A's
May 2, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryan Woo (22) pitches against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Bryan Woo has dominated the Athletics no matter which city the franchise calls home.
The Oakland native will face the Athletics in West Sacramento for the initial time when his Seattle Mariners close a three-game series against the American League West rival on Wednesday afternoon.
Woo is 6-0 with a 0.72 ERA in seven career starts against the Athletics. He has allowed just three runs in 37 1/3 innings versus the club.
In the opening series of the season, the right-handed Woo defeated the Athletics in Seattle by allowing just one run and three hits over six innings of a 2-1 victory.
Though the Athletics were located in Oakland throughout his youth, Woo was a fan of the San Francisco Giants, the team across the bay.
But with Sacramento located just 80 miles away from the East Bay, Woo will still be able to have a vocal cheering section of family and friends.
Woo (4-1, 2.58 ERA) has performed well no matter where he’s pitched this season. He has struck out 38 and walked just seven in 38 1/3 innings over six starts.
Woo, 25, has allowed just four total hits while winning his last two outings. He struck out eight in each of them.
Woo allowed two runs and three hits in six innings while beating the Boston Red Sox on April 24. He followed up last Friday by limiting the Texas Rangers to one hit over 6 1/3 scoreless frames.
Brent Rooker is just 1-for-14 against Woo but the hit was a solo homer. Tyler Soderstrom (3-for-10) also has gone deep against Woo but Lawrence Butler is just 1-for-13 against Woo.
The teams split the first two games of the series. The Athletics won 7-6 in 11 innings on Monday before Seattle struck late for a 5-3 victory on Tuesday.
The Mariners scored three runs in the ninth to grab Tuesday’s contest. Seattle star Cal Raleigh came off the bench to deliver a two-run, pinch-hit single in the ninth to give the Mariners the lead.
Interestingly, the Mariners were trying to get Raleigh his first day off of the season.
But in the middle innings and the score tied, Raleigh headed out to the batting cage behind the outfield fence to start preparing for a possible late-game at-bat.
“I’ve come off the bench before. You always know there’s a chance you can possibly get in,” Raleigh said afterward.
But there was no rust evident after Raleigh smoked Tyler Ferguson’s pitch into right field. It was Seattle’s lone hit in eight at-bats with runners in scoring position.
“What really set me up was laying off those tough pitches the first few,” Raleigh said. “From there, I was able to look for a heater and adjust from there.”
Rooker had three hits, two runs, two steals and one RBI and Soderstrom also had three hits for the Athletics, who lost for just the fourth time in the past 14 games.
Miguel Andujar had two hits and two RBIs, including a single in the eighth inning that gave the Athletics a 3-2 lead.
Athletics closer Mason Miller had the night off so Ferguson was called on to protect the lead but failed to come through.
Right-hander Gunnar Hoglund (1-0, 1.50) will be making his second major league start for the Athletics.
Hoglund, 25, defeated the Miami Marlins in his debut last Friday when he gave up one run and six hits over six innings. He struck out seven and walked none.
“He came right out and attacked,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. “And any time you get a guy that can go six innings in a game and have a quality start the first time out, that’s pretty impressive.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Angels activate OF/DH Jorge Soler from four-game suspension
Apr 7, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; A fight breaks out between Atlanta Braves pitcher Reynaldo López (40) and Los Angeles Angels right fielder Jorge Soler (12) during the fifth inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Navarro-Imagn Images The Los Angeles Angels activated outfielder/designated hitter Jorge Soler from the suspended list on Sunday and put him in the cleanup spot of the lineup for the series finale against the San Diego Padres.
Soler was given an original seven-game suspension for an on-field fight with former Atlanta Braves teammate Reynaldo Lopez on April 7. Soler appealed the suspension, and it was reduced to four games, while the Angels were in New York last week.
Soler, 34, is batting .231 with five home runs and 18 RBIs in 18 games for the Angels this season.
In 13 major league seasons, Soler is a career .240 hitter with 208 home runs and 568 RBIs over 1,112 games for the Chicago Cubs (2014-16), Kansas City Royals (2017-21), Atlanta Braves (2021, 2024), Miami Marlins (2022-23), San Francisco Giants (2024) and Angels.
Lopez had his own seven-game suspension reduced to five games.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Flyers aim to take 2-0 lead over rival Penguins
Apr 18, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar (80) makes a save against Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Anthony Mantha (39) during the third period in game one of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images The Philadelphia Flyers got the best of the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 1, but both teams understand that the Keystone State rivals are likely headed for a long series.
The Flyers aim to take a commanding 2-0 series lead over the Penguins when the teams match up Monday in Pittsburgh.
In Saturday’s series opener, Philadelphia posted a 3-2 victory behind third-period goals from Travis Sanheim and Porter Martone. Sanheim, one of the team’s veteran players, scored the go-ahead goal midway through the final session before Martone added an insurance tally with 2:37 remaining.
Martone’s goal proved to be critical as Bryan Rust scored with 1:01 to play. However, Philadelphia goaltender Dan Vladar stayed firm down the stretch as the Flyers held on.
“I think I understand the level that’s needed to play in the playoffs,” said Sanheim, who helped keep Sidney Crosby off the scoreboard. “I understand the challenge ahead and my job, playing against top guys.”
Crosby and Sanheim received penalties late in the third period – Crosby for slashing and Sanheim for cross-checking – that forced both key players off the ice for the final stretch.
“That’s going to be part of a series,” Crosby said. “I think we’ve got to stay out of it a little bit more and trust that when they do it and try to start it up, that they’re going to get penalized for it. But that’s more something I think they’re looking to do. We’ve got to stay out of it and trust they’ll be undisciplined.”
Jamie Drysdale also scored for Philadelphia, while Rasmus Ristolainen notched a pair of assists. The headline, though, was Martone with the game-winning goal in his postseason debut.
“Everyone’s been great,” said the 19-year-old Martone, the sixth pick in the 2025 draft. “I think we were all pretty excited going into this game, being able to play in the playoffs. For me, it’s my 10th NHL game. It’s pretty special, and it’s an opportunity you can’t pass up.”
Philadelphia is in the postseason for the first time since 2020, while Pittsburgh is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2022. The Penguins certainly don’t want to go down 2-0 in the series before heading across the state for Games 3 and 4.
“(The Flyers) make it hard,” Pittsburgh coach Dan Muse said. “I think that’s part of their game. They’ve been doing that for a while. … They can make it difficult. I think we got away from things that worked. Part of that is the intensity. Everything is ramped up here in the playoffs.”
Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin was a force in Game 1 with a goal and an assist. He has 68 goals and 114 assists in 178 career playoff games.
“We played good all year long,” Malkin said. “We know how we play and we just, like, maybe nervous too much or we want (it) too much. We just (weren’t) thinking a little bit, I think.”
The Flyers are expecting a crisper overall effort by the Penguins in Sunday’s affair.
“We did a good job, but we know they’re going to respond,” Philadelphia captain Sean Couturier said. “We know they’re going to come hard next game. We’ve got to keep respecting their skill and just be prepared.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Best College Basketball Transfer Portal Players Still Available
Dec 6, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic (22) dribbles the ball during the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images The college basketball portal window has lived up to expectations so far, as long as your expectations were pure chaos.
Approximately a third of all Division-I players — what was projected to be over 3,000 players — have entered the portal.
Louisville landed the top portal player, Kansas big Flory Bidunga, to anchor the elite class of transfers it is assembling.
But there is still plenty of talent available in the portal, which is set to close for entries early next week.
Here’s a look at the best players remaining in the portal:
Milan Momcilovic
Ranked by On3, 247Sports and ESPN as the best transfer still available, Momcilovic is coming off an exceptional shooting season at Iowa State.
In his third season with the Cyclones, the 6-foot-8 forward saw his shooting percentages jump up significantly, making 50.6% of his shots and a nation-leading 48.7% of his 3-pointers.
Mind you, that perimeter performance wasn’t in a small sample size. He finished the season with 136 made threes, ranking fifth nationally with 3.7 made shots outside the arc per game.
Momcilovic also entered his name in the NBA draft. But considering he’s not considered a first-round pick, it’s entirely possible he returns for his senior season at some school and immediately gives their offense a big shooting boost.
John Blackwell
Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard John Blackwell (25) passes against the High Point Panthers during the first half of a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images Similar to Momcilovic, Blackwell has been a gradual bloomer in college basketball at Wisconsin.
He went from 8.0 points as a freshman to 15.8 as a sophomore and, most recently, 19.1 points per game this season for the Badgers. The 6-foot-4 guard also made his impact in a number of ways with 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals per game, making 43% of his shots and 38.9% of his 3-pointers.
With a finalist list of Alabama, Arizona, Duke, Louisville, Illinois and UCLA, that shows the caliber of teams in on Blackwell coming off his second straight strong season in Madison.
Juke Harris
Harris exploded onto the scene at Wake Forest this past season.
He jumped up from 6.1 points per game as a freshman to 21.4 as a sophomore, good for third-most in the ACC.
Harris was only a 33.2% perimeter shooter, but made 44.4% of his total shots, showing his ability as a slasher and jumpshooter. He also led the Demon Deacons in rebounds (6.5 per game) as a 6-foot-7 guard.
He’s reportedly receiving interest from a number of top teams in the portal, including defending champs Michigan, North Carolina and Tennessee.
Massamba Diop
Arizona State Sun Devils center Massamba Diop (35) battles for position with Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (15) on Nov. 14, 2025, at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe. Arizona State didn’t have a very good 2025-26 season, finishing 17-16 and seeing head coach Bobby Hurley fired after the season.
But one thing the Sun Devils did have going for them was an exceptional season from freshman big Massamba Diop, who unfortunately for them and new coach Randy Bennett entered the portal after the season.
The 7-foot-1 native of Senegal finished second on the team in scoring (13.6 ppg) and rebounding (5.8). He was also second in the Big 12 in blocks (2.1) behind Bidunga.
A 30.8% 3-point shooter in a small sample size (8 of 26) and a 56.9% shooter from the floor, Diop showed his well-rounded ability which could make him a star on a better team next season.
Angels activate OF/DH Jorge Soler from four-game suspension
Flyers aim to take 2-0 lead over rival Penguins
