Sports
Rangers, Mariners set to battle for AL West lead
Jul 9, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryce Miller (50) delivers a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images First place in the American League West will be on the line when the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers open a four-game series Friday in Arlington, Texas.
The Rangers hold a half-game lead over the defending division champion Mariners, who are two games behind streaking Boston in the chase for the AL’s third and final wild-card berth.
“It kind of feels like playoff games in July,” Rangers third baseman Josh Jung said. “The Seattle series this weekend is going to be really big because we haven’t faced them in about two months, and we’re facing all their (top pitchers), so it’ll be a good series.”
The teams met for a pair of series in April.
The host Rangers swept a three-game series from April 6-8, by scores of 2-1, 3-2 and 3-0. The division rivals met again April 17-19 in Seattle, with the Mariners taking two of three games. After the Rangers won the opener 5-0, Seattle bounced back with 7-3 and 5-2 wins.
The Mariners moved back into first place in the AL West earlier in the week, only to surrender their lead the next day.
“You have to keep your foot on the gas pedal, otherwise — look, everyone else wants it as bad as you do,” Rangers outfielder Brandon Nimmo said. ” … We’ll leave no stone unturned. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
Right-hander Bryce Miller (4-4, 2.27 ERA), a native of Mount Pleasant, Texas who attended Texas A&M, is scheduled to start Friday’s opener for the Mariners. The Rangers are set to send left-hander MacKenzie Gore (6-8, 4.80) to the mound.
Miller has lost four of his past five starts despite a 3.18 ERA over that span. He pitched in a 7-0 loss to visiting San Francisco last Friday despite giving up two earned runs (three overall) over 5 2/3 innings, with one walk and six strikeouts.
Miller, who missed the previous two series this season against the Rangers with a left oblique strain, is 0-3 with a 7.06 ERA in five previous starts versus Texas.
Gore is coming off a 7-6 victory at Atlanta on Saturday despite giving up five runs on six hits over 5 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out seven.
Gore is 2-1 with a 2.35 ERA in four career starts against the Mariners. This will be his third appearance against them this season. He pitched five scoreless innings of one-hit ball and struck out nine in a 3-0 victory on April 8 before taking the loss on April 19 when he allowed five runs in as many innings of a 5-2 defeat.
“At the end of the day, we’ve got another opportunity in Texas,” Mariners pitcher Emerson Hancock said. “You’ve got another chance to go in there, compete as hard as you can and maybe you get on a run from there.”
After their series in Texas, the Mariners will head to Los Angeles to face the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers.
“They’re all big games at this point and this is a big road trip,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Luis Rengifo blasts 2-run HR as Padres hand Marlins 10th-straight loss
Jul 24, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher German Marquez (33) throws against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images Luis Rengifo hit a tie-breaking pinch-hit two-run homer in the eighth inning and the visiting San Diego Padres held on for a 4-2 win against the Miami Marlins in the opener of their three-game series on Friday night.
Miami reliever Tyler Zuber (0-1) came back out for the eighth, and Ty France greeted him with an opposite-field double into the right-center field gap. After getting a strikeout, Zuber left a sweeper over the plate to Rengifo, who lifted it over the fence in right for a two-run homer and a 4-2 lead.
Manny Machado had two hits, an RBI and run scored and France also delivered a pair of hits for the Padres, who avoided falling a season-low four games under .500.
Padres starter German Marquez was lifted after just 2 1/3 innings and 37 pitches. He gave up one run and three hits, striking out four without a walk.
Five relievers followed, with Adrian Morejon (8-2) earning the win and Mason Miller securing his 26th save.
Joe Mack and Heriberto Hernandez homered and Xavier Edwards contributed two hits for Miami, which has lost 10 in a row.
Marlins starter Ryan Gusto went 3 1/3 innings, allowing one run and two hits, striking out four and walking one.
After the Marlins stranded the bases full in the first inning, Mack came up with two outs in the second and the rookie catcher pulled an inside fastball over the fence in right for his 10th home run of the season and a 1-0 lead.
Machado and France had back-to-back one-out singles in the fourth to put runners on the corners and end Gusto’s day. Cade Gibson entered and gave up a sacrifice fly to Jackson Merrill that tied the score 1-1.
Xander Bogaerts drew a four-pitch walk off Gibson to start the fifth. After he was bunted over to second, Michael Petersen came out of the bullpen and surrendered a two-out RBI single to left by Machado to score Bogaerts for a 2-1 lead.
Wandy Peralta replaced fellow San Diego left-hander Kyle Hart with one out in the fifth and Hernandez lined his first pitch over the fence in center to tie it at 2.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Noah Lyles blazes to 100m win at USA Outdoor Championships
Jul 24, 2026; New York, NY, USA; Noah Lyles celebrates after winning the 100m in 9.79 during the USATF Championships at Icahn Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Noah Lyles posted the world’s fastest 100-meter time of 2026 while winning the event at the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships on Friday in New York.
Lyles crossed the finish line in 9.79 seconds, nearly identical to the time that earned him the 2024 Olympic 100-meter gold medal (9.784).
“I think I made that ‘I’m still the world’s fastest man’ statement,” Lyles said, according to NBC Sports.
Ronnie Baker came in second at 9.88 seconds, the same time as the third-place finisher, Kenny Bednarek.
The previous best 100 time this year was 9.82, logged by Jamaica’s Oblique Seville last month.
Lyles, 29, is looking ahead to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and beyond.
“I am now on the other side of my career. I have spent a good 75% preparing for my exit,” he said, per NBC Sports. “Whether that’s how am I going to be making my money, how am I going to be running my business, who’s going to be helping me to run my business and then just how I’m going to have kids, have a family, grow and a lot of that stuff. So that’s what I’d say I’ve been focusing on.”
In the women’s 100, Sha’Carri Richardson prevailed in 10.77 seconds, equaling her best time of the season. Richardson took silver in the 100 at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“It just feels phenomenal to be back in a better place healthy — mentally, physically, emotionally,” she told NBC Sports. “It shows that hard work pays off.”
Kayla White was the runner-up in the women’s 100 at 10.90 seconds, and Tamari Davis took third place at 11.00.
Tyus Wilson matched his personal best while winning the men’s high jump at 2.29 meters. Scottie Vines claimed second place at 2.26 meters, and Shelby McEwen came in third at 2.20 meters.
Euphenie Andre logged a personal-best triple jump of 13.94 meters to claim the women’s title. Kayla Woods took second place in a personal-best 13.75 meters and Kayla Pinkard wound up third at 13.48 meters.
Annette Echikunwoke produced the winning women’s hammer throw distance on her first attempt, 75.47 meters. Rachel Richeson (73.02 meters) and Erin Reese (72.94 meters) rounded out the top three.
Nick Christie won the men’s half marathon race walk in 1 hour, 31 minutes, 57.11 seconds, topping Jordan Crawford (1:36:17.18) and Michael Mannozzi (1:50:52).
Lauren Harris captured the women’s half marathon race walk with a time of 1:38:35.56. Maria Michta-Coffey (1:47:44) and Angelica Harris (1:49:03) finished second and third, respectively.
The event is being held in New York for the first time since 1991 as it celebrates its 150th anniversary in the city where the inaugural edition was contested.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Azzi Fudd becomes first rookie to win WNBA 3-point contest
Jul 24, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Dallas Wings guard Azzi Fudd (35) shoots during the 2026 State Farm WNBA 3-Point Contest at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Simply making the WNBA 3-point contest wasn’t enough for Dallas Wings star Azzi Fudd. She made some history, too.
Fudd became the first rookie to win the 3-point event, catching fire in the championship round to defeat the Portland Fire’s Bridget Carleton 30-19 on Friday in Chicago.
The No. 1 pick in this year’s draft was the fourth rookie in history to compete in the contest. She made 20 of her 26 shots in the final round, with all but two of her final 10 shots going in.
“You say ‘only’ six shots, but I feel like that was a lot,” Fudd said after being told of her low number of misses. “But honestly, I was really nervous. I was excited.”
Fudd added, “It’s fun to do because — and I don’t want to sound cocky — but it’s easy to me, just the set shot. Take the ball from the rack. It really is muscle memory. It’s what I’ve been doing since I was young.”
She took home $60,000 for her win, getting $20,000 from the league and an extra $40,000 from Aflac and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association.
She advanced to the final with 24 points in the first round, second to Carleton’s 29.
While most of Fudd’s shots fell, Sabrina Ionescu’s final-round record of 37 points held up. Fudd is prepared to make a run at the mark in the future.
“If they’ll have me,” Fudd said. “I’d be honored to be here again. … That’s not up to me.”
But Fudd saved her best shooting for last, firing a shot across the bow of the greatest shooter of all time.
“Steph, if you’re listening, I’ve been asking for a rematch since high school,” Fudd said in challenging Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry to a shooting contest. “Maybe it’s our time to figure out a time and a place.”
The two of them faced off in a 3-point contest at Curry’s SC30 Select Camp in 2018 when Fudd was a high schooler. After beating all campers — boys and girls — Fudd got a shot at Curry but lost by four.
In the first contest Friday night, Team Washington downed Team Seattle 31-24 to win the Shooting Stars contest.
The four-team event featured three players on each squad — a WNBA legend, a current player in the league, and a high school player selected through the Nike EYBL youth basketball circuit.
The Washington squad of Hall of Famer Elena Delle Donne, current Mystics center Shakira Austin and high school player Jezelle “GG” Banks defeated the Seattle team of Hall of Famer Lauren Jackson, current Storm rookie Flau’Jae Johnson and high schooler Tatianna Griffin 31-24.
–Field Level Media
Luis Rengifo blasts 2-run HR as Padres hand Marlins 10th-straight loss
India’s move against Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat sparks legal debate
