Sports
Rays' Steven Matz looks for continued success against Guardians
Apr 21, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Steven Matz (32) throws a pitch during the first inning against Cincinnati Reds at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Pablo Robles-Imagn Images The Cleveland Guardians spent the weekend on a working vacation in Toronto, playing a series against the Blue Jays and attending Game 3 of the NBA playoff series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors.
Now, they’re back at home to begin a three-game set Monday against the surging Tampa Bay Rays.
Guardians left-hander Parker Messick (3-0, 1.76 ERA) takes on Rays lefty Steven Matz (3-1, 4.81) in a matchup of pitchers whose teams have won nine of their 10 combined starts in 2026.
Their trip started on a high note as Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan posed on the court before cheering for the Cavaliers, while Austin Hedges was one of several players featured on social media videos from the stands.
Cleveland then won its series opener over the Blue Jays — thanks to Angel Martinez’s first career multi-homer game — before dropping the next two. Starting pitchers Joey Cantillo and Slade Cecconi unraveled in the sixth inning on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
“That’s two nights in a row we’ve gotten burned in that pocket in the sixth inning,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “It’s a tricky situation because you don’t want to go to your bullpen too early, so you have to show some trust in your starters.”
The Guardians have won all five of Messick’s starts, each of which has occurred after a Cleveland loss — as will again be the case. The rookie had his first iffy outing in a no-decision against the Houston Astros on Tuesday, giving up three runs in five innings.
Messick made two late-season appearances against Tampa Bay last year, going 2-0 with a sparkling 0.69 ERA. He racked up 10 strikeouts without a walk over 13 innings, relying on his change-up to keep the Rays guessing.
“It’s been my pitch since I was a freshman in high school, so, hopefully, I can keep it rolling,” said Messick, who ranks third in the American League in ERA. “Every game is a new game, so I just trust myself to attack in a new way.”
Tampa Bay is rolling into town with a four-game winning streak, completing a three-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins with a 4-2 victory Sunday. Yandy Diaz belted a two-run homer in the third, coming to the plate after Jonathan Aranda stroked a two-run single.
Matz is still building up his arm after spending the past two years as a reliever with the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox. He took his first loss Tuesday against the Cincinnati Reds, giving up four runs in three innings.
“It’s just not who I am as a pitcher,” Matz said of his rough game against the Reds. “I’m a strike thrower and I just wasn’t able to do that.”
The 34-year old has been terrific in eight lifetime appearances against Cleveland, posting a 3-0 record and 1.71 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings. Matz’s wins all came against the then-Indians in 2016, 2019 and 2021.
Tampa Bay’s bullpen will be on call early as Matz has gotten through the sixth inning only once. Setup man Cole Sulser and closer Bryan Baker each pitched twice in the last two days against Minnesota, but the team traded for right-hander Casey Legumina after he was designated for assignment by the Seattle Mariners.
“With where the bullpen is right now, we need to be opportunistic,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “And Casey is a guy we like. Hopefully, this helps him and he can help us.”
In one of the more quirky splits this season, Tampa Bay is 11-1 against AL opponents and 5-10 against National League Central foes.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Eagles exercise fifth-year options on Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith
Jan 11, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (98) against the San Francisco 49ers in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images The Philadelphia Eagles locked up a pair of defensive starters through the 2027 season, picking up the fifth-year options of defensive tackle Jalen Carter and outside linebacker Nolan Smith on Monday.
The team faced a Friday deadline on the options for the two Georgia products.
Carter, 25, was the ninth overall pick in the 2024 draft. A Pro Bowl honoree each of the past two years, Carter is in line to make $27 million in 2027.
Smith, 25, was also selected in the first round two years ago, No. 30 overall. He is in line to receive around $13.7 million in 2027.
Both players were key performers in the Eagles’ run to the 2024-25 Super Bowl championship, as Smith had four sacks in the playoff run and Carter recorded two.
Carter has 108 tackles, 13.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and 13 passes defensed in 43 NFL games (27 starts). Last season, he logged 33 tackles, three sacks and a career-best seven passes defensed in 11 games, all starts, despite being slowed by shoulder injuries.
A triceps ailment limited Smith to 12 games, all starts, last year, and he had 31 tackles, three sacks and one fumble recovery. In 45 NFL games (22 starts), he has 91 tackles, 10.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two passes defensed.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Ty France drives in 4 runs as Padres push past Cubs
Apr 27, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres first baseman Ty France (25) scores ahead of the throw to Chicago Cubs catcher Moises Ballesteros (25) during the fifth inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images Ty France knocked in four runs Monday night and Manny Machado doubled twice and singled before leaving the game as the San Diego Padres rallied for a 9-7 win over the visiting Chicago Cubs.
In winning its ninth straight home game, San Diego reached four Chicago pitchers for 14 hits. Machado scored three runs before departing after his sixth-inning at-bat, possibly due to a left leg injury.
Nick Castellanos gave the Padres a 6-5 lead in the fifth when he stroked a two-run single off reliever Ben Brown (1-1), scoring Machado and France. In the seventh, France bounced a two-run triple into the left field corner that plated Xander Bogaerts and Miguel Andujar.
Randy Vasquez (3-0) got the win despite allowing a season-high five runs on five hits in five innings, walking three and fanning four. Closer Mason Miller finished the game in a non-save situation, allowing two ninth-inning runs that ended his scoreless streak at 34 2/3 innings dating back to last season.
Cubs starter Matthew Boyd lasted just four-plus innings, leaving after Machado doubled to start the fifth. Boyd was charged with five runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out four.
Chicago has lost three in a row immediately after a 10-game winning streak. San Diego has won six of its past eight.
San Diego, which entered the night with just three first-inning runs in 27 games, doubled that total as Boyd struggled with his fastball command. In a frame that featured two walks, Jackson Merrill nicked him for an RBI single and France drilled a two-run ground-rule double.
Chicago answered using the long ball. Seiya Suzuki belted a solo shot to start the second, his fifth of the year, all in the past seven games. Then Moises Ballesteros cracked a grand slam with two outs in the third, his fifth of the year, to make it 5-3 Cubs.
The Padres pulled a run back in their half of the third when Andujar’s fielder’s-choice grounder scored Machado, who led off with a double.
San Diego capped its scoring in the eighth when Gavin Sheets, who replaced Machado in the cleanup spot, walloped a solo homer to right, his fourth of the year.
Suzuki and Dansby Swanson each bagged two of the Cubs’ eight hits.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Nikola Jokic's triple-double extends Nuggets' series with Wolves
Apr 27, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones (21) drives to the net against Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) and guard Ayo Dosunmu (13) as forward Cameron Johnson (23) and guard Jamal Murray (27) and guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (1) defend in the first quarter during game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Nikola Jokic recorded 27 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds as the host Denver Nuggets stayed alive with a 125-113 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of a first-round Western Conference playoff series on Monday.
Jamal Murray scored 24 points, Spencer Jones posted a playoff career-high 20 points and Cameron Johnson finished with 18 for third-seeded Denver, which had lost three straight following a Game 1 home victory.
Game 6 in the best-of-seven series is Thursday night in Minneapolis.
Both teams had key players missing Monday night. Anthony Edwards (knee) and Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles) were out for the sixth-seeded Timberwolves, and Ayo Dosunmu and Mike Conley started in their absences.
Dosunmu had 18 points after pouring in 43 on Saturday the Timberwolves’ Game 4 victory.
Julius Randle led Minnesota with 27 points and nine rebounds. Bones Hyland and Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 15 apiece. Jaden McDaniels, loudly booed whenever he possessed the ball, added 13 points, and Naz Reid contributed 12 points for the Timberwolves, who committed 25 turnovers.
Jones made his second career playoff start in place of Aaron Gordon (calf).
The Nuggets built a 10-point lead in the first quarter, but Minnesota cut it to 34-33 early in the second. Denver closed the half on a 7-2 run to take a 60-51 lead into intermission, and then quickly expanded the advantage early in the third.
After the score was 63-54, Jones hit a trio of 3-pointers and a running dunk that made it 78-59 midway through the frame. The Timberwolves got within 82-67, but Murray and Tim Hardaway Jr. converted three-point plays, Johnson hit from deep and Christian Braun dunked to make it 95-72.
It was 106-84 before Minnesota made a push. Randle hit a hook shot, Dosunmu had a steal and a layup and Hyland made a layup to cut the gap to 13. After Jokic sank two free throws, Randle converted a three-point play and Reid’s jumper got the Timberwolves within 10.
Braun drained a trey, Murray dunked and Jokic had a layup that resulted in a three-point play, making it an 18-point game with 3:33 to go, and Denver closed it out.
–Field Level Media
Eagles exercise fifth-year options on Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith
Ty France drives in 4 runs as Padres push past Cubs
