Sports
Phillies, rolling since managerial change, open set vs. A's
May 4, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) celebrates with right fielder Adolis Garcia (53) after hitting a home run against the Miami Marlins during the third inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Cristopher Sanchez helped ignite the Don Mattingly era last week.
The left-hander will try to propel Mattingly and the Philadelphia Phillies to another victory Tuesday when the Athletics come to town for the opener of a three-game series.
Philadelphia’s front office fired manager Rob Thomson a week ago and replaced him with Mattingly. The move has paid immediate dividends, as the Phillies are 6-1 under their new skipper.
In Mattingly’s first series as interim manager, the Phillies swept the San Francisco Giants in a three-game set. Sanchez logged a solid outing in Game 2 of that series, allowing two runs in 6 2/3 innings during a 3-2 triumph.
“I think he just kept fighting and kept making pitches,” Mattingly said. “That’s a pretty good outing when a guy gives up two in the first and can come back like that and keep us in the game.”
Sanchez did not appear in the team’s four-game series against the Miami Marlins that concluded Monday, but other players stepped up, including Aaron Nola. The veteran right-hander worked six scoreless innings Monday in a 1-0 victory, while Bryce Harper took care of the offense with his seventh homer of the year.
“April’s behind us,” Harper said. “We’ve got to step forward and understand that we’re stacking days and playing better and just keep it going, no matter where we’re at, what’s happening in the game or anything. Just stack the days and be where we want to be at the end.”
The Athletics are coming off a 7-1 home win over the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday, although that was their only win of the three-game series. The A’s allowed 22 runs while losing the first two games of the weekend set.
“Today was a big game for us,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said following the Sunday victory. “Dropping these last two games, you could feel a difference in the club emotionally, I think. There was a feeling of, ‘Man, we should have won those games.'”
Colby Thomas, Zack Gelof and Tyler Soderstrom homered on Sunday for the A’s, who have scored at least five runs in each of their past five games.
“I think we approach the game the same every day,” Thomas said. “We just want to go out there and win. I’m sure everybody knows where we’re at in the standings (first place in the American League West), and we’re just going to try to continue to play like we have been playing.”
The A’s will give the nod on Tuesday to Luis Severino (2-2, 4.46 ERA), who is coming off a pair of solid outings. The Dominican right-hander allowed two runs in 13 2/3 innings over the outings against the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals while earning his first two wins of the year.
“Since (making a mechanical adjustment), I just feel more in command and feel like I can throw the ball wherever I want,” Severino said.
In three lifetime starts against the Phillies, Severino is 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA.
Sanchez has faced the A’s twice, allowing three runs in 8 2/3 innings over those two outings without recording a decision.
The Phillies are expected to activate closer Jhoan Duran before Tuesday’s game. The hard-throwing right-hander missed the past three weeks due to a left oblique strain.
The Phillies and A’s played a three-game set in West Sacramento, Calif., last season. The visitors won two of the three matchups.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Athletics acquire catcher Jonah Heim from Braves
May 3, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Atlanta Braves catcher Jonah Heim (20) during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images To shore up their catching situation, the Athletics acquired Jonah Heim from the Atlanta Braves on Monday, in exchange for cash considerations.
The A’s placed starting catcher Shea Langeliers on the paternity list and the switch-hitting Heim will replace him on the 26-man roster.
Earlier Monday, Heim, 30, was designated for assignment by the Braves. In 12 games, he was hitting .231 with one home run and eight RBIs. He had homered and drove in five runs in Sunday’s 11-6 Atlanta win at Colorado.
Heim had signed a one-year $1.5 million contract in February after serving as the Texas Rangers’ primary catcher since 2022.
Heim started his career with the Athletics in 2020, appearing in 13 games. He earned a spot on the Rangers’ roster in 2021 and moved into a starting role in 2022.
The Buffalo, N.Y. native earned All-Star honors in 2023, when he hit .258 with 18 home runs and 95 RBI’s. He posted an OPS of .755 for the surprise World Series champions.
For his career, Heim has played in 620 games and owns a batting mark of .225 with 69 home runs and 290 RBIs.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Red hot Knicks rout Sixers to take Game 1
May 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (25) drives to the basket against Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond (1) and forward Paul George (8) and guard Quentin Grimes (5) during the second quarter of game one of the eastern conference semifinal round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Jalen Brunson scored 27 of his game-high 35 points in the first half Monday night for the New York Knicks, who remained red-hot by routing the visiting Philadelphia 76ers 137-98 in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday night in New York.
The Knicks, who eliminated the Atlanta Hawks with a 140-89 win in Game 6 of a first-round series last Thursday night, became just the second team in NBA history to end one series and begin another with consecutive victories by at least 30 points.
In 1986, the Boston Celtics beat the Hawks 132-99 to end an Eastern Conference semifinal series before routing the Milwaukee Bucks 128-96 in Game 1 of the conference finals. The Celtics went on to win the NBA title.
These Knicks, who won the final three games over the Hawks by a combined 96 points, are the first NBA team to win three straight playoff games by at least 25 points apiece.
New York picked up Monday where it left off on both ends of the floor against Atlanta.
New York shot 63.1 percent (53-of-84), a franchise record for a playoff game. The Knicks shot 51.4 percent (19-of-37) from 3-point land, their best mark ever for a playoff game in which they hoisted at least 30 attempts.
The Knicks also allowed fewer than 100 points for the fourth straight game.
OG Anunoby had 18 points while Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges added 17 points each. Starters Towns, Bridges and Josh Hart all exited late in the third quarter while Brunson and Anunoby sat the entire fourth.
Paul George scored 17 points for the 76ers, who advanced to the conference semifinals by overcoming a three games to one deficit against the Celtics — the first such comeback in Philadelphia history.
Joel Embiid had 14 points while Tyrese Maxey scored 13 points. VJ Edgecombe and Kelly Oubre Jr. each added 12 points.
The 76ers took a one-possession lead five times in the first quarter, but Brunson hit the go-ahead basket for the Knicks every time, including the 3-pointer with 3:57 left that put New York up for good at 21-19.
The Knicks went ahead by double digits for good at 49-37 on Towns’ 3-pointer with 6:43 left in the second. Brunson ended the half on his own 11-3 run to extend New York’s lead to 74-51.
The Knicks led 109-78 at the end of the third and led by as many as 40 in the fourth.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Geno Auriemma on dispute with Dawn Staley: 'Feel like a dumbass'
Apr 3, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma and South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley argue at the end of a semifinal of the Final Four of the women’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma reflected Monday on his game-ending dispute with South Carolina coach Dawn Staley at the end of a Final Four defeat last month, saying, “I just feel like a dumbass for the way it played out.”
The Gamecocks prevailed 62-48 on April 3 in Phoenix, earning a spot in the national final and ending the Huskies’ perfect season.
As the final seconds ticked down, the two head coaches walked toward each other as though they were about to shake hands.
However, Auriemma didn’t put forward his hand, instead making a comment to Staley, who reacted angrily, and the two had to be separated. Auriemma was led away, but he soon came back past Staley, who continued to shout at him.
In his postgame interview, Auriemma complained about the Gamecocks’ physical play, adding, “Their coach rants and raves on the sideline and calls the referees some names you don’t wanna hear.”
His initial apology the next day didn’t mention Staley by name. Several days later, Auriemma apologized again, singling out Staley and saying he spoke with her about the incident. Staley issued a statement, saying she had moved on from the dispute.
On Monday, Auriemma said of actions on following the loss, “When I walked into the locker room afterward with the coaches, you are just shaking your head, thinking five more seconds, you couldn’t keep it in for five more seconds. … We are all human, and we all do dumb s—.”
The sports media and social media went after Auriemma in the days after the game.
“I didn’t see a lot of it, but (the reaction) is to be expected,” Auriemma said. “Maybe some of it was warranted and some of it was people lying in the weeds waiting for that for that moment.
“It doesn’t matter what you’ve done for the game, it’s what you just did. Unfortunately, that’s the world we live in today and it usually is one-sided. …
“I brought the criticism on myself, I didn’t bring the commotion that came after that on myself.”
Auriemma, 72, owns the all-time NCAA basketball record for coaching victories with 1,288. The Huskies have won 12 national championships during his tenure, the latest in 2025. The Final Four defeat to South Carolina last month snapped the Huskies’ 54-game win streak, and UConn ended the season 38-1.
–Field Level Media
Athletics acquire catcher Jonah Heim from Braves
Red hot Knicks rout Sixers to take Game 1
