Sports
Phillies fire Rob Thomson, tab Don Mattingly as interim manager
Apr 26, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson (49) on the field during the game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images The Philadelphia Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson on Tuesday and named bench coach Don Mattingly as their interim skipper through the 2026 season.
USA Today reported Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, fired Friday, was offered the job and declined, opting to spend time with his family.
The floundering Phillies (9-19) have lost 11 of their last 12 games are tied with the New York Mets (9-19) for the worst record in the majors. Both were expected to compete for the National League East title this season.
The move comes one week after Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said he was not considering a managerial change. Yet.
“Put it this way. We’re not,” Dombrowski said last Tuesday. “But if we were, that’s not something we’ve ever shared. Rob Thomson’s been a good manager for us since (2022). We always look at everything that’s taking place, but no.
“Generally, I’ve said about 40 games of the season is when you start to say, ‘OK, where are we shaping up? Guys have had enough time.’ But there’s no magic in that number. Sometimes it’s a little bit more; sometimes it’s a little bit less. They’re not happy with their performances. Shoot, I’m responsible for putting the club on the field, so I’m not happy with the way it’s going. But I think you just balance that all the time on a daily basis.”
Thomson, 62, had an overall record of 355-270 since taking over for the fired Joe Girardi in 2022, reaching the playoffs in each of the past four seasons. His Phillies fell in six games to the Houston Astros in the 2022 World Series.
The Phillies signed Thomson to a contract extension through the 2027 season in December.
Mattingly was named the bench coach of the Phillies on Jan. 5, uniting the former New York Yankees great with his son, Philadelphia general manager Preston Mattingly.
The former manager of the Miami Marlins and Los Angeles Dodgers, Mattingly, 65, most recently served as the bench coach for the Blue Jays. He left the position after the 2025 season, which saw Toronto lose the World Series in seven games to the Dodgers.
Mattingly joined the Blue Jays in November 2022 as the bench coach for manager John Schneider. Mattingly’s contract expired at the end of the year, and he chose to seek a new opportunity.
Mattingly went 889-950 as manager for the Dodgers (2011-15) and Marlins (2016-22). He was named the 2020 National League Manager of the Year.
A six-time All-Star first baseman, Mattingly spent his entire 14-year playing career with the Yankees. He was the American League MVP in 1985 and the 1984 AL batting champion, and he won nine Gold Gloves.
Also on Tuesday, Philadelphia promoted third base coach Dusty Wathan to bench coach, and Triple-A Lehigh Valley manager Anthony Contreras has been promoted to third base coach.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Sydney Taylor's trey in final second lifts Sky past Aces
Aug 1, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Sky guard Sydney Taylor (12) celebrates with guard Natasha Cloud (9) after scoring a game winning three-pointer against the Las Vegas Aces during the second half of a WNBA game at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Rookie Sydney Taylor drained a 3-pointer Saturday with 0.9 seconds left and the Chicago Sky rallied to nip the visiting Las Vegas Aces 84-83.
A’ja Wilson drove for a layup with 3.2 seconds remaining that gave Las Vegas (20-9) a two-point lead. After a timeout, Taylor slipped around a screen and got off a clean look from the left wing for the last three of her team-high 29 points.
Natasha Cloud added 11 points for Chicago (11-18), which improved to 6-1 in its last seven home games and won for the first time in five games decided by three or fewer points. DiJonai Carrington came off the bench for 10, including a pair of foul shots that tied the game at 81 with 43.9 seconds on the clock.
Wilson starred in defeat for the Aces with a game-high 36 points and 12 rebounds. Jackie Young added 18 points and 11 boards, while NaLyssa Smith contributed 17 points.
The Sky, who outscored Las Vegas 29-18 in the fourth quarter, won despite making only 40.3% of their field goals.
The pregame storylines centered around the beginning of a five-game road trip for Las Vegas, while Chicago was hoping to carry over some momentum from a fourth-quarter comeback in its Thursday night home win over Connecticut.
Young got the Aces off the mark early with 10 first quarter points, helping them establish an 18-11 lead after draining a 3-pointer at the 2:15 mark. They took a 20-16 edge to the second period.
The Sky fought back in the second quarter to tie the game at 24 on Cloud’s 3-pointer with 6:26 remaining. However, Las Vegas was able to restore a five-point lead before Taylor’s floater with 1.5 seconds left sliced its lead to 40-37 at halftime.
Young’s 3-point play at the 1:58 mark of the third quarter gave the Aces their largest lead at 61-48. Even after Courtney Vandersloot played beat the buzzer with a jumper, Las Vegas still owned a 65-55 margin going to the fourth period.
Chicago’s Kamilla Cardoso tied Wilson for game-high rebounding honors with a dozen.
Las Vegas’ Chelsea Gray led all players with nine assists.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Unheralded Yealimi Noh charges into third-round lead at AIG Women's Open
Apr 26, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Yealimi Noh prepares to putt on the 18th hole during the final round of The Chevron Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images It has been a trying 2026 LPGA campaign for 25-year old Yealimi Noh.
The six-year pro entered play this week at the AIG Women’s Open in Lytham St. Annes, England, with three consecutive missed cuts, two of which were in major championships.
Noh’s fortunes have changed with a 2-under-par 69 in the third round of the Women’s Open to lead the final major of the year at 7-under 206 through three rounds at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club.
Noh carded rounds of 67 and 70 to open the tournament to sit just two shots off the pace set by South Korea’s Haeryn Ryu. Her status looked bleak Saturday after taking a bogey 6 on the par-5 seventh hole to fall six shots off the pace of the fast-starting Ryu.
However, Noh made an unlikely birdie at the par-3 ninth hole, which was the start of three consecutive birdies for the one-time LPGA Tour winner. The San Francisco-area native added another birdie at 16 while charging into the lead.
Ryu cooled off and struggled to a 3-over 74 and plummeted into a five-way tie for second place at 4 under for the tournament.
“I don’t know, golf is just crazy,” Noh said about her turnaround from recent struggles. “It’s been making me realize it more and more. It only takes one round for your whole mindset and whole game to change.
“Yeah, I had a really rough couple months. Not even just missing cuts, but just not playing good golf or rounds. And Thursday, I was just really happy to shoot under par and just really set me up for the week.”
Ryu, who is seeking her third consecutive major this season, is tied in second place with Germany’s Esther Henseleit, Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul, Japan’s Shiho Kuwaki and Lucy Li.
Noh, who had 26 putts in her round, appeared to salvage the day with an early break.
“I had a little bit of a rough start a couple bogeys on the front nine,” she said. “Actually a chip-in par save on the second, which was nice. Yeah, I just fell out of tempo a little bit and then got it together for the back nine, and it was really solid. Had some good par saves.”
Ryu got to 9 under with birdies at the third and fourth holes, then bogeyed six of her next 10 holes. After hitting 31-of-36 greens and converting 2-of-3 from the sand over the first 36 holes, Ryu stumbled to 11-of-18 and 0-of-2 respectively on Saturday.
She still will take a positive attitude into Sunday. Two major titles will do that.
“Before I got the major win and then always I’m doing like more pressure and want to more not good for my mindset,” Ryu said. “But these days, after got two wins, I’m still calm because this is a major. Yeah, it’s such a different (feeling than) before I got two wins.”
Henseleit posted the best round of anyone in the top-7 with a 4-under 67.
She went out in 31 and only needed 26 putts on Saturday, knocking in several of considerable length.
“I mean, you have so many long putts so your speed has to be really good,” Henseleit said. I feel like if there is a strength in my putting the speed control on the long ones is that, so I guess it kind of suits my game.”
Li carded a 2 under 69, while Thitikul shot an even-par 72 and Kuwaki shot a 1-over 73.
The day’s best round belonged to Japan’s Ayaka Furue, who carded a 6-under 65. She moved up six spots and is tied for eighth place at 2-under 211.
World No. 1 Nelly Korda shot her second 1-over 73 of the week and is at 1 over for the tournament, tied for 16th place.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Lynx put 9-game winning streak on line vs. surging Fever
Jul 28, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve talks with guard Olivia Miles (5) during a game against the Toronto Tempo in the second quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve appreciates the WNBA’s history.
On Sunday afternoon, Reeve and fans everywhere will be able to witness the league’s present — and its future.
Star players like Indiana’s Caitlin Clark and Minnesota’s Olivia Miles will square off when the Fever (19-10) play the Lynx (24-6) in Minneapolis. The Lynx have won nine games in a row, while the Fever have won five straight.
Clark and Miles have been huge reasons for their teams’ success.
“We knew a time when we had (Sue Bird) and Diana (Taurasi), and that sort of thing,” Reeve said. “This next era of guard play — Caitlin Clark will be a big part of that. Olivia Miles will be a big part of that.”
It’s no surprise that both players are receiving buzz as Most Valuable Player candidates.
Clark is averaging 21.6 points, 8.0 assists and 4.1 rebounds for Indiana. She is shooting 44.6% overall, 35.5% from 3-point range and 86.8% from the free-throw line.
In her most recent game, Clark notched a triple-double with 26 points, 10 assists and 10 boards. She helped Indiana pull away for a 112-98 road win against the Portland Fire on Friday.
Fever coach Stephanie White said her players still could reach another level of improvement.
“I thought we had some moments where we were really good,” White said. “Obviously, when we get 31 points off of turnovers, I think that’s really good for us. We had some moments where our execution was really good.
“We’re still a work in progress, and a coach is never going to be happy. I liked some of the adjustments we were able to make and execute, and now we’ve got to just continue to work toward growing it for 40 minutes of consistency.”
Meanwhile, Miles has wasted no time showing her skills since the Lynx drafted her No. 2 overall during the offseason. The dazzling rookie playmaker is averaging 19.4 points, 5.8 assists and 4.7 rebounds, and she is shooting 49.2% overall, 37.3% from beyond the arc and 87.2% from the charity stripe.
Miles and the Lynx welcomed another superstar back to the lineup when Napheesa Collier returned in July. In her first three games since returning from offseason ankle surgery, Collier is averaging 18.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
Miles’ no-look passes and slithery drives to the paint have caught the league’s attention.
That includes Clark, who joined Miles in Chicago for the WNBA’s All-Star weekend.
“I’ve always been a fan of hers, even when she was in college,” Clark said. “She just plays with incredible pace. It’s never too fast, it’s never too slow.
“You can see her creative juices flowing on the floor. … (It’s fun to see) the way she’s come into the league, and just been pretty flawless, in a way.”
The Lynx are 11-4 at home this season and the Fever are 8-5 on the road. The teams will meet again in the final two games of the regular season on Sept. 22 in Indianapolis and Sept. 24 in Minneapolis.
–Field Level Media
