Sports
Orioles unsure of Ryan Helsley's status entering series in Cincinnati
Jun 17, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Ryan Helsley (21) pitches to the Seattle Mariners during the ninth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images Two teams with their share of recent struggles will meet in Cincinnati this weekend as the Reds face the Baltimore Orioles in a three-game series starting Friday night.
Both teams are coming off wins that ended four-game skids.
The Reds on Thursday beat Jacob Misiorowski and the Brewers 7-2 to salvage the finale of the four-game series in Milwaukee. Baltimore had Thursday off after defeating the visiting Chicago White Sox 6-1 on Wednesday in the last contest of a three-game set.
The Orioles could be without closer Ryan Helsley for the Friday game and possibly longer. Helsley, 31, tried warming up to enter the Wednesday game but stopped after feeling something in his right (pitching) elbow.
Manager Craig Albernaz expressed some trepidation after the game.
“My level of concern, something like that, is always high,” he said. “It’s almost like you prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Hopefully everything comes out and he’s fine, but you’re always concerned when the bullpen calls out and says that he can’t go.”
Helsley was out from late April to mid-June due to soreness in the same elbow. Since returning, he is 1-for-2 on save chances while losing both of his decisions and compiling a 7.71 ERA in five outings.
Trevor Rogers (5-7, 4.99 ERA) will start the series opener for Baltimore, with the left-hander looking to continue his recent dominant stretch. In his past two starts, both wins, he allowed just one run in 13 1/3 innings. The 28-year-old yielded six hits and issued two walks while striking out 13 against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals.
The Reds perform better, though, against southpaws. They are hitting .243 with a .329 on-base percentage and a .432 slugging percentage vs. left-handers, compared to .224/.303/.379 when facing right-handers.
Rogers has faced the Reds twice, starting both times, and he allowed eight runs and 10 hits in 9 1/3 innings while going 0-1. He last went against Cincinnati on July 14, 2024, when he was with the Marlins. Rogers threw 5 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on two hits and three walks and earning a no-decision in a 3-2 Miami win.
Cincinnati is returning home after a 3-4 road trip. Manager Terry Francona’s team struggled in May and June but will look to build off the Thursday win against one of the game’s best pitchers.
Rookie Sal Stewart, who leads the Reds with 17 home runs and 60 RBIs, is riding an eight-game hitting streak. The corner infielder is batting .353 (12-for-34) during that stretch with three homers and six RBIs. He homered on Thursday against Misiorowski, the major leagues’ hardest thrower.
“That kid’s got pretty special stuff, but Sal stayed short to right field, and he’s strong enough to get rewarded for it,” Francona said about the right-handed hitter.
Brady Singer (3-7, 5.12 ERA) will start for the Reds, with the 29-year-old right-hander hoping to end a 10-start slump that has seen him win just once. Singer is 1-6 with a 5.21 ERA in that span. Most recently, he lost 9-4 to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday after surrendering five runs on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Singer owns an 0-2 record with a 15.63 ERA in just 6 1/3 innings over two starts against the Orioles. Baltimore batters have racked up 14 hits off him but only one homer.
Reds ace Hunter Greene has yet to pitch this season but is expected to make his first start on Saturday. He is recovering after having bone chips surgically removed from his elbow in spring training.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Reports: Rockets F Tari Eason agrees to 5-year, $81.5M contract
May 1, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (17) reacts after a made basket against the Los Angeles Lakers during the third quarter of game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason has agreed to a five-year, $81.5 million contract to return to the team, according to multiple reports on Thursday night.
Eason, 25, is a restricted free agent. He earned $5.7 million for the 2025-26 season in the final team option year of his rookie deal, per ESPN, which first reported the contract agreement. The fifth year of the new contract is a player option, per The Athletic.
He averaged 10.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.2 steals and a career-high 25.8 minutes in 60 games (career-high 34 starts) last season. Eason averaged 13.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 2.5 steals and 32.5 minutes in six playoff games (four starts).
For his career, Eason averages 10.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 23.6 minutes in 221 regular-season games (55 starts) since 2022.
Houston selected Eason with the 17th overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Paige Bueckers leads Wings to close win over fading Sun
Jul 2, 2026; Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) passes the ball against Connecticut Sun forward Diamond Miller (1) in the first half at PeoplesBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images Paige Bueckers scored a game-high 25 points and Jessica Shepard made two key free throws in the final seconds as the Dallas Wings came back from 11 points down in the fourth quarter to beat the Connecticut Sun 86-83 on Thursday in Hartford, Conn.
The Sun led by 13 points in the second quarter, by eight at halftime but by just seven after an uneven third period. Dallas closed to within 72-68 on Azzi Fudd’s jumper with 5:05 to play and to 74-72 on a layup by Bueckers with 3:08 left.
Dallas (12-8) tied the game at 78 on Li Yueru’s 3-pointer with 1:51 remaining and then took the lead on a three-point play by Bueckers with 1:17 to play. The Sun responded with a basket and free throw by Aaliyah Edwards on the ensuing possession that tied the game again. Fudd and Edwards traded buckets before Bueckers converted one of two free throw chances with 25.9 seconds left to put the Wings up by a point.
The Sun’s Leila Lacan missed a contested jumper in the lane with 5 seconds left, and the rebound was taken by Shepard, who was fouled and made both free throws with 3 seconds to play. Connecticut’s final 3-point attempt from Edwards from the corner bounced off the rim and away, allowing the Wings to escape with the victory.
Shepard finished with 14 points while Alanna Smith added 11 for Dallas, which snapped a two-game losing streak.
Lacan led the Sun (4-16) with 18 points. Charlisse Leger-Walker had 14, Brittney Griner amassed 13 points and 11 rebounds and Edwards and Olivia Nelson-Ododa scored 11 points apiece as Connecticut had a two-game winning streak snapped.
The Sun racked up the final seven points in the first period to take a 22-16 lead after 10 minutes of play. Connecticut expanded its advantage to 32-20 after a three-point play from Kennedy Burke with 5:23 left in the second quarter but Bueckers’ floater with 42 seconds remaining in the first half allowed the Wings to pull to within 43-35 at the break.
Bueckers and Lacan scored 12 points each to lead their respective teams before halftime.
Griner’s turnaround jumper four minutes into the third quarter rebuilt the Sun’s lead to a baker’s dozen.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Active 76ers add LeBron James to wish list
Feb 19, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Anfernee Simons (22) shoots against the Toronto Raptors during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images The Philadelphia 76ers, after dealing for former NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown and agreeing to a contract with free agent guard Anfernee Simons, apparently aren’t done with their offseason makeover.
The 76ers are attempting to land the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, LeBron James, ESPN reported on Thursday.
James is an unrestricted free agent, and he told the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this week that he would play elsewhere next season.
Per the report, the other leading contenders for James’ services are two of his former teams, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, as well as the Golden State Warriors. James will be in no rush to choose his new home, according to ESPN.
On Wednesday, the 76ers agreed to send Paul George, two first-round picks (2028, which could be a swap more favorable to Boston, and an unprotected 2031 pick), and two second-round picks (2028 and 2030) to Boston in exchange for Brown.
The deal can’t be officially announced until Monday.
On Thursday, Simons agreed to a two-year, $12.3 million deal with the 76ers.
The 27-year-old guard, who played with Brown in Boston for part of last season, will have a player option in the second season, per ESPN.
Simons joined the Celtics last July in the trade that sent Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers, and he averaged 14.2 points per game while shooting 39.5 percent from 3-point range in 49 games.
Simons was on the move again in February, dealt to the Bulls in exchange for forward Nikola Vucevic, but a left wrist injury limited the guard to just six games with Chicago before ending his season. For the season, Simons averaged 14.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 55 games (five starts).
A first-round pick (No. 24 overall) of the Trail Blazers in the 2018 draft, Simons will give the Sixers’ bench an offensive lift it was lacking last season. He has averaged at least 17 ppg four times and is a career 38.5 percent 3-point shooter.
Over eight NBA seasons, Simons has averaged 14.9 points, 3.2 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 444 games (218 starts).
–Field Level Media
Reports: Rockets F Tari Eason agrees to 5-year, $81.5M contract
Taylor Swift wedding guest list: Everyone we expect to be there
