Sports
Orioles' Corbin Burnes elects free agency; Boston's Lucas Giolito opts in
Oct 1, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Corbin Burnes (39) is relieved in the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals in game one of the Wild Card round for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images Eight members of the Baltimore Orioles elected free agency on Thursday, including Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes and slugging outfielder Anthony Santander.
The right-handed Burnes, 30, was 15-9 with a 2.92 ERA in 32 games in his first season with the Orioles after being traded by the Milwaukee Brewers, with whom he won the National League Cy Young Award in 2021.
Santander, also 30, hit .235 in 2024 but had 44 home runs and drove in 102 runs.
Also taking the step were right-hander Brooks Kriske, left-handed pitcher John Means, catcher James McCann and outfielder Austin Slater. Outfielder Daniel Johnson and right-handed pitcher Burch Smith chose free agency instead of accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A Norfolk.
–Right-handed pitcher Lucas Giolito exercised his $19 million player option for the 2025 season, the Boston Red Sox announced.
The move was expected after Giolito, 30, had surgery in March on his pitching elbow. The internal brace repair to his ulnar collateral ligament kept him from playing in his first season with the Red Sox after signing a two-year, $38.5 million offseason contract with Boston that included a player option for 2025.
An All-Star in 2019 for the Chicago White Sox, when he also finished sixth in American League Cy Young Award voting, Giolito has struggled in recent seasons, delivering a 4.90 ERA in 2022 and a 4.88 mark last season when he went 8-15 while pitching for the White Sox, Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Guardians.
In eight major league seasons, Giolito is 61-62 in 180 appearances (178 starts) and has a 4.43 ERA with 1,077 strikeouts in 1,013 2/3 innings.
–The White Sox declined to exercise their 2025 option on infielder Yoan Moncada, per multiple reports.
Moncada will receive a $5 million buyout and become a free agent. He signed a five-year, $70 million contract extension after the 2019 season.
The White Sox acquired Moncada, now 29, in December 2016 as part of the trade that sent left-hander Chris Sale to the Boston Red Sox. Injuries limited him to 92 games in 2023 and 12 games in 2024.
With the White Sox, he appeared in 739 games with a .254 batting average, 93 homers and 338 RBIs.
–The St. Louis Cardinals declined the options on right-handed pitchers Kyle Gibson, Lance Lynn and Keynan Middleton.
Gibson, 37, was 8-8 with a 4.24 ERA after signing with the Cardinals last November. He earned $12 million last season and had an option for the same amount in 2025. He will receive a $1 million buyout.
Lynn, 37, signed a one-year, $10 million contract for 2024 with an $11 million option for 2025. He was 7-4 with a 3.84 ERA.
Middleton, 31, underwent season-ending flexor repair surgery on his right forearm in June and didn’t pitch all season.
He last pitched in 2023 with the White Sox and New York Yankees, finishing 2-2 with a 3.38 ERA and two saves in 51 relief appearances.
–Field Level Media
Sports
White Sox place C Kyle Teel (ankle) on injured list
Jul 5, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel (8) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images The Chicago White Sox placed catcher Kyle Teel on the injured list Tuesday with a left ankle sprain while catcher Edgar Quero was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.
Teel, 24, departed Monday’s road win against the Texas Rangers after he rolled his ankle on a play at the plate in the second inning.
Teel has dealt with hamstring and knee injuries this season that have limited him to 19 games. He is batting .190 with two home runs and 14 RBIs in his second major league season.
“It’s really tough, as much passion as he has for the game, as hard as he works,” White Sox manager Will Venable said of Teel after Monday’s game. “You feel bad for any of these guys when they go down, but Kyle, having to deal with so many things here and so many setbacks is really tough.”
Quero, 23, is batting .187 with two home runs and 15 RBIs in 55 games for the White Sox this season after making his major league debut in 2025.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rookies for 5 teams report as training camps officially begin
Bills quarterback Josh Allen talks with Joe Brady, elevated from offensive coordinator to head coach in Buffalo, during drills at 2025 training camp. Fifty days before the NFL regular season begins, five teams opened training camp on Tuesday with rookies reporting for the Bills, Texans, Patriots, Panthers and Dolphins.
Carolina kicks off the preseason with the Pro Football Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 6 against the Arizona Cardinals. Arizona’s report day is Wednesday for rookies and veterans.
Before starting the regular season in Australia, the Rams and 49ers are also set to start camp this week. The NFC West rivals face off Down Under on Sept. 10.
Every NFL team reports to camp no later than July 28.
Nearly one-third of the league introduced a new head coach in the offseason with 10 coaching changes. A few don’t truly qualify as “new” with familiar faces relocated to Pittsburgh, Nashville, New York and Atlanta.
Buffalo elevated offensive coordinator Joe Brady to head coach, replacing Sean McDermott.
Mike McCarthy is back on the sideline with the Steelers and has Aaron Rodgers returning as his quarterback. Former Jets coach Robert Saleh took over the Tennessee Titans and longtime Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh is now on the Giants’ sideline. Former Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski is now leading the Atlanta Falcons.
The reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks will hold their first full-squad workout at the team facility in Renton, Wash., on July 24. The Seahawks open the preseason at home on Aug. 15, welcoming the Dallas Cowboys to Lumen Field.
Seattle plays the first regular-season game of the 2026 campaign on Wednesday, Sept. 9 in a Super Bowl rematch with the visiting New England Patriots.
SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif, hosts the Super Bowl on Feb. 14.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Knicks' Jalen Brunson says players have not discussed White House visit
Jun 10, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts during the second quarter of game four of the 2026 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson said the NBA champions have not yet discussed visiting the White House to celebrate their title, according to an interview conducted by Variety.
Brunson’s admission comes after Knicks owner James Dolan said the franchise had already accepted an invitation to make a visit to Washington, D.C.
“… People are making assumptions and saying everything, but together we haven’t discussed it yet, and so we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” Brunson said in a story published Monday by Variety.
Dolan, a friend of President Donald Trump, said last month that a visit to the White House was in the works, pending “details.” Trump was a guest of Dolan’s during Game 3 of the NBA Finals in New York.
No NBA champion has visited the White House while Trump has been in office, starting with his first term. Three NBA champions visited President Joe Biden: the 2021 Milwaukee Bucks, the 2022 Golden State Warriors and the 2024 Boston Celtics.
MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers, who won last year’s World Series, are scheduled to visit the White House on Thursday. The Dodgers also visited last year to celebrate their 2024 title.
Brunson was named NBA Finals MVP following the Knicks’ triumph over the San Antonio Spurs in five games. He scored 45 points in the title-clinching win, averaged 32.6 points in the Finals and scored 28.4 points in 19 playoff games.
New York’s title was the franchise’s first since 1973.
–Field Level Media
White Sox place C Kyle Teel (ankle) on injured list
Rookies for 5 teams report as training camps officially begin
