Sports
Royals, Orioles close outs series with runs at a premium
Apr 27, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (13) runs to first base after a hit during the sixth inning against the Houston Astros at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images The team that’s able to generate some offense — any offense — might be in the best shape when the Kansas City Royals and host Baltimore Orioles meet in the rubber game of their three-game series on Sunday afternoon.
Both teams have recorded a shutout in the series. The Royals responded from a 3-0 loss on Friday night by winning 4-0 on Saturday night.
The Orioles could get a boost from prospect Coby Mayo, an infielder who is back in Baltimore. He’ll try to make an impact in this go-around, though he entered Saturday’s game as a pinch hitter and ended up 0-for-2.
The Royals have made moves as well, recalling catcher Luke Maile from Triple-A Omaha because of concerns about Salvador Perez’s availability due to a sore left hip. Maile is a nine-year veteran who spent spring training with the Royals.
“The pitching staff has always been super consistent here, so to kind of be on the other side of it, to be with these guys, is awesome,” Maile said of his first big-league assignment with Kansas City.
With Saturday’s game running late because of a 57-minute rain delay after the first inning, it could be a chance for Maile to be in the lineup, especially if Perez isn’t ready to return. Perez last played Thursday at Tampa Bay as the designated hitter, while Freddy Fermin has been logging time behind the plate.
Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said that Perez can be considered day-to-day in hopes he can avoid the injured list.
The Royals starting pitcher on Sunday will be right-hander Michael Lorenzen (3-3, 3.48 ERA). He has worked six innings in each of his past two starts, giving up one run each time.
Lorenzen didn’t face the Orioles in the teams’ series last month in Kansas City, but he’s 0-1 with a 4.09 ERA in three career appearance (two starts) against Baltimore.
The Orioles hope veteran right-hander Kyle Gibson (0-1, 22.09 ERA) will fare better on Sunday than he did in his season debut on Tuesday against the visiting New York Yankees. Gibson gave up five homers and nine runs in 3 2/3 innings.
Gibson is 11-6 with a 4.00 ERA in 28 career outings covering 155 1/3 innings against the Royals. It’s the team he has faced the most in the majors.
The Orioles have options when it comes to pitching because they were off Thursday and they have another off day Monday. Veteran right-hander Charlie Morton has moved to the bullpen in an attempt to get him on track.
“I honestly don’t know how to look at it other than take the opportunity to take the ball when it’s given to me and try to go get outs,” Morton said.
So Morton could be available for Sunday’s game. He helped the Orioles get through Tuesday’s lopsided loss to the Yankees by working 2 1/3 innings out of the the bullpen.
“Kind of the way our rotation is right now, too. You kind of never know what’s going to happen,” Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said. “He had a really good outing his last time when he went 2 1/3 and threw the ball great. Hopefully, he can build on that.”
Kansas City leads the season series against Baltimore 3-2.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Yankees option RHP Elmer Rodriguez to Triple-A
May 5, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Elmer Rodriguez (71) pitches against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images The New York Yankees optioned right-hander Elmer Rodriguez to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre on Monday.
Rodriguez, 22, was recalled Sunday before the second game of a split doubleheader against the Los Angeles Dodgers to fill the designated 27th roster spot. He did not pitch in the game.
After making his major league debut April 29, Rodriguez is 0-2 with a 4.76 ERA over 17 innings across four starts.
–Field Level Media
Sports
St. Louis City sign D Jaziel Orozco to contract extension
Mar 1, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; St. Louis CITY SC defender Jaziel Orozco (99) controls the ball against the San Diego FC during the second half at Snapdragon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Abe Arredondo-Imagn Images St. Louis City SC signed defender Jaziel Orozco to a contract extension through the 2028-29 MLS season.
The deal announced Monday with the 22-year-old Mexico native includes an option for 2029-30.
Orozco has recorded one goal in 17 appearances for St. Louis since signing with the club in 2025. He appeared in four matches for Real Salt Lake in 2022.
“Jazi has put in consistent performances this season and it is clear he has a good understanding of what is being asked of him tactically,” sporting director Corey Wray said. “Over the last six months, he has shown qualities that we value with his tactical flexibility and versatility both in and out of possession. We are excited to keep him at the club for years to come and help him continue developing as a player.”
St. Louis will return from the FIFA World Cup break on Wednesday night against the host Los Angeles Galaxy.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Commish: SEC conversations 'real' about split from NCAA
Jul 20, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at the Tampa Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images SEC commissioner Greg Sankey kicked off conference media days in Tampa on Monday with a clarification for anyone doubting the seriousness of internal conversations about splitting from the NCAA.
“So they’re real. People have talked about that,” Sankey said. “They’ve opined about the frustrations that bring them to the point of saying we should look at something significantly different. I do not believe that is a leverage point. I think that’s just honest communication.
“I would prefer that stay in a meeting room or on a videoconference, not be part of the D1.ticker the next morning, but I don’t control all of that. What I think is important is those comments represent a high level of frustration with the circumstance in which we find ourselves. We have regulated ourselves more progressively than other colleagues by choice, across our league. We’ve had different academic eligibility restrictions in the past. So we have different transfer restrictions in the past. Some of what you hear comes out of a culture that we can regulate ourselves.”
Sankey said the NCAA must function “in a healthy manner” or risk simmering frustrations becoming more significant.
As the top official in one of the most consistently successful sports conferences, Sankey openly shared the SEC is at odds with portions of the NCAA membership on several matters. Those include possibly discontinuing conference championship games — Sankey wants the SEC to keep the league title game — the size of the College Football Playoff and how other leagues handle scheduling.
“We had what I’ll call an unsatisfactory conversation with members of the College Football Playoff staff and some of their advisers in Destin,” Sankey said of the challenging nine-game SEC schedule compared to less-challenging paths to the playoff for some peers. “That’s rehashing from a couple months ago, that’s not a secret. That’s a reminder of that process needing to continually improve.
“My confidence is that people will act with integrity. I do think we have questions about the understanding of the strength and rigor associated with competing in the Southeastern Conference.”
Legislative discussions are part of Sankey’s new reality, with visits to Capitol Hill and video calls to maintain a voice at the table around the Protect College Sports Act.
Introduced with support from former Alabama head coach Nick Saban and others with direct or indirect college sports ties, the bipartisan bill drew immediate opposition from the SEC and Big Ten in June before Congressional hearings were held.
Among the passionate pleas from Sankey on behalf of the SEC to Congress are national standards for eligibility and transfer limits, expectations for student-athlete health and safety, supporting educational opportunities, providing scholarship protections and overseeing agent activity. Provisions to the proposed bill remain under discussion, and Sankey believes the current framework of the legislative measure is far from perfect.
“We support the effort behind the Protect College Sports Act. However, we believe changes to the act are necessary to make it most effective,” he said. “If Congress is going to act, and again I believe it should for the reasons identified, we have one opportunity to get this legislation right. If Congress passes a bill and it’s signed into law, we won’t be returning to DC in a year or two asking and receiving help to correct the gaps that exist. That’s why it’s important that these commonsense areas be addressed now before the bill becomes law.”
–Field Level Media
Yankees option RHP Elmer Rodriguez to Triple-A
St. Louis City sign D Jaziel Orozco to contract extension
