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Reports: Cubs missing key pieces for Japan series

MLB: Seattle Mariners at Chicago CubsApr 10, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (2) smiles after hitting game winning single against the Seattle Mariners during the 10th inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner will not travel to Japan for next month’s season-opening two-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, ESPN reported Thursday.

Hoerner, 27, still is recovering from surgery in October to repair a flexor tendon in his right forearm and will remain in Arizona to continue his rehab.

The report of Hoerner’s unavailability for the March 18-19 series in Tokyo comes one day after Chicago’s 670 The Score reported that top prospect and potential starting third baseman Matt Shaw won’t make the trip either.

Shaw, 23, sustained an oblique injury early in spring training and there’s reportedly “no way he’s going to be ready to go there and compete.”

Following the international series, Chicago has time for both players to get healthy before a four-game road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks from March 27-30.

Hoerner batted .273 with seven homers, 35 doubles, 48 RBIs and 31 stolen bases in 151 games with the Cubs last season. He won a Gold Glove award at second base in 2023.

A first-round pick by Chicago in 2018, Hoerner is a career .278 hitter with 29 homers, 217 RBIs and 102 steals in 548 games since making his debut in 2019.

Shaw, the Cubs’ first-round pick in 2023, has yet to make his major league debut. He batted .284 with 21 homers, 71 RBIs and 31 steals in 121 games in 2024 between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa.

Veteran Justin Turner, signed this month to a one-year deal, becomes the likely starter at the hot corner with Shaw sidelined. The Cubs could turn to Jon Berti or Vidal Brujan at second base.

–Field Level Media

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Lakers sign developing forward Ziaire Willaims

Mar 31, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams (1) controls the ball against Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (7) during the third quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesMar 31, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams (1) controls the ball against Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (7) during the third quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers announced the signing of five-year veteran forward Ziaire Williams on Sunday.

Terms were not released, but multiple outlets reported on Monday that the deal was for one year at a $3 million salary.

The 6-foot-9 Williams is reuniting with Bronny James, who he played alongside at California high school Sierra Canyon. The Lancaster, Calif. native earned McDonald’s All-America honors and was a consensus five-star recruit in the 2020 class.

The No. 10 overall pick in the 2021 draft out of Stanford by the Memphis Grizzlies, Williams is a career 8.7 points-per-game scorer, though he averaged a career high 10.2 points last season for the Nets, his second season in Brooklyn after three seasons in Memphis.

He reached career highs in games played and starts (63/45), points (632), field goals made (214), 3-point field goals made (103), rebounds (287), assists (84) and blocked shots (28) during his first season in Brooklyn.

Williams, 24, converted 85% (119 of 140) of his free throw attempts in 2025-26 and is an 82.4% career shooter from the stripe.

–Field Level Media

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DeWanna Bonner helps Mercury halt losing streak, avenge loss to Sun

Jul 19, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury forward-guard DeWanna Bonner (24) drives against Connecticut Sun center Olivia Nelson-Ododa (10) in the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn ImagesJul 19, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury forward-guard DeWanna Bonner (24) drives against Connecticut Sun center Olivia Nelson-Ododa (10) in the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

DeWanna Bonner scored a game-high 21 points and the host Phoenix Mercury ended a five-game losing streak with a 72-63 victory over the Connecticut Sun on Sunday.

The win avenged a 96-83 loss to the visiting Sun on Friday. But on Sunday, Phoenix led for nearly the entire game and used a fourth quarter run to pull away.

Phoenix (9-18) had a balanced performance, led by Bonner’s 21 points on 7-for-13 shooting. Kahleah Copper added 18 points and made all eight of her free throws. Monique Akoa Makani tallied 11 points and grabbed six rebounds. Alyssa Thomas added seven points and dished out 11 assists.

Connecticut pulled to within 63-62 on a Charlisse Walker-Leger 3-point play with 4:42 to play, but Phoenix responded with a 9-1 run to finish the game, with Bonner and Copper scoring eight of the pivotal points. Copper’s backdoor layup and pair of free throws most on the next two possessions immediately stemmed the tide.

Phoenix led, 18-12, after the first quarter as Bonner and Akoa Makani each scored six points.

They took control after trailing 27-26 as Leger-Walker scored a lay-up for the Sun with 4:24 left in the first half. The Mercury went on a 17-6 run to end the first half, with Bonner contributing a 3-point shot and an old-fashioned 3-point play to the run.

Phoenix led, 43-33, at the half and 54-49 after three quarters.

The Mercury won despite shooting just 2-for-15 (13.3%) from 3-point range and being outrebounded, 43-39.

Connecticut (7-19) saw a two-game winning streak end. Veteran center Brittney Griner scored 19 points for the Sun, shooting 7-for-12 from the field while pulling five rebounds. Olivia Nelson-Ododa’s double-double helped Connecticut stay close, as she tallied 12 points on 5-for-9 shooting while grabbing 12 rebounds.

Leila Lacan scored a career-best 26 points on Friday but scored just seven points on 2-for-9 shooting on Sunday while committing nine turnovers.

Connecticut shot 37.9% (22-for-58) overall and committed 21 turnovers in the loss. The 21 turnovers led to 22 Mercury points.

Bonner Leads Mercury to Revenge Win over Sun to Halt Losing Streak

–Field Level Media

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FaZe Vegas won't be denied at CDL Championship grand final

Jul 19, 2019; Miami Beach, FL, USA; A general view of custom PlayStation controllers sold by a vender during the Call of Duty League Finals e-sports event at Miami Beach Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn ImagesJul 19, 2019; Miami Beach, FL, USA; A general view of custom PlayStation controllers sold by a vender during the Call of Duty League Finals e-sports event at Miami Beach Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

FaZe Vegas completed an undefeated tournament run with a 5-2 victory over OpTic Texas on Sunday in the grand final of the 2026 Call of Duty League Championship in Las Vegas.

The victory was worth $800,000 in the $2 million prize pool, with OpTic Texas collecting $480,000.

American Chris “Simp” Lehr of FaZe Vegas was named tournament Most Valuable Player.

This was the final event and the world championship of the Black Ops 7 competitive season. Eight of 12 teams qualified for the CDL Championship in the regular season from Dec. 5, 2025 to June 29, led by first-place OpTic Texas (40-12, +69).

The playoff format was a double-elimination bracket, with all matches best-of-five except for Sunday’s grand final, which was best-of-nine.

OpTic Texas took the opening map, Colossus Hardpoint, 250-216. FaZe Vegas responded by capturing the next four maps to be on the brink of the championship.

Vegas won 6-5 on Raid Search and Destroy, 4-3 on Scar Overload, 250-194 on Scar Hardpoint and 6-5 on Den Search and Destroy.

Texas stayed alive with a 4-3 victory on Den Overload, before FaZe Vegas closed out with another close outcome, 6-5 on Hacienda Search and Destroy.

Zack “Drazah” Jordan paced FaZe Vegas with a match-high 153 kills for a plus-23 kill-death differential. Teammate Jordan “Abuzah” Francois of Belgium posted 151 kills and a match-best plus-40 K-D differential. All four Vegas players had positive differentials.

All four OpTic players were in the negative, with Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro recording a team-best 129 kills but also a team-worst 156 deaths for a minus-27 K-D differential.

FaZe Vegas went unscathed in the tournament, downing G2 Minnesota 3-1, the Riyadh Falcons 3-0 and OpTic Texas 3-2 in the upper bracket to advance to the grand final.

OpTic Texas opened with a sweep of the Miami Heretics 3-0, then topped the Paris Gentle Mates 3-1. After losing to Vegas and dropping to the elimination side of the bracket, Texas beat the Falcons 3-1 on Saturday to get another shot at FaZe.

Call of Duty League Championship prize pool

1. $800,000, FaZe Vegas

2. $480,000, OpTic Texas

3. $320,000, Riyadh Falcons

4. $160,000, Paris Gentle Mates

5-6. $80,000, Miami Heretics, G2 Minnesota

7-8. $40,000, Los Angeles Thieves, Toronto KOI

–Field Level Media

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