Sports
Spring training roundup: Offseason acquisitions shine as Tigers, Orioles tie
Mar 12, 2026; Lakeland, Florida, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander (35) throws during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images Offseason acquisitions Justin Verlander and Chris Bassitt set the tone on the mound as the Detroit Tigers and Baltimore Orioles battled to a 1-1 tie in spring training action Tuesday at Lakeland, Fla.
The 43-year-old Verlander, who won his first of his three Cy Young Awards with the Tigers in 2011, returned to Detroit this offseason and struck out six while walking none over 4 1/3 innings of one-run work to lower his spring ERA to 5.40.
Bassitt, 37, signed with the Orioles after spending the last three years with Toronto. He was even better in his start, allowing no runs on three hits with four strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings to lower his ERA to 2.51.
Bryan Ramos provided Baltimore’s only run with a fifth-inning homer, while Detroit’s sole run came on an eighth-inning wild pitch from Jose Espada which scored Max Clark. The teams each stranded eight runners and were a combined 0-for-16 with runners in scoring position.
Yankees 3, Rays 2
Jacob Morales’ two-run single in the ninth pushed New York past Tampa Bay in Port Charlotte, Fla.
J.C. Escarra (3-for-4) added a solo homer for the Yankees, who preserved their one-run lead when Kervin Castro worked around the tying run at second base with no outs for his second save.
Raynel Delgado cut the 3-1 lead in half with a ninth-inning single, and Ben Williamson drove in a run with an RBI groundout. Ryan Pepiot issued more walks (three) than strikeouts (two), but he allowed just one run over five innings to maintain his spring ERA at an impressive 0.90.
Mets 5, Marlins 5
Bo Bichette drove in all five New York RBIs with two extra-base hits, but Jacob Jenkins-Cowart’s eighth-inning homer helped Miami come away with a tie in Jupiter, Fla.
Bichette, who signed a three-year, $126 million contract in January, hit his unofficial first homer as a Met and surpassed his RBI total (three) from his first 11 spring games combined. Sean Manaea tossed four perfect innings in his start.
Jenkins-Cowart’s three-run homer paired with an Esteury Ruiz sacrifice fly helped the Marlins rally from a 5-1 deficit in the final three innings. Ace Sandy Alcantara (5.63 ERA) continued an underwhelming spring showing, allowing two runs over four innings.
Red Sox 4, Braves 3
Nate Eaton’s two-run single in the fourth put Boston ahead for good in its defeat of Atlanta in Fort Myers, Fla.
Carlos Narvaez recorded the other two RBIs on a groundout and a single for Boston, which got a two-hit day that included a triple from Trevor Story. The No. 1 Red Sox prospect per MLB Pipeline, Payton Tolle, preserved the win with five strikeouts over four scoreless relief innings for a hold.
Brett Wisely, Kyle Farmer and Jordan Groshans each had RBI singles for the prospect-laden Braves squad. Reynaldo Lopez struck out six and allowed three runs over 3 2/3 innings but still has a 2.84 ERA this spring.
Nationals 1, Cardinals 0
Jake Irvin tossed five scoreless frames to set the tone for Washington’s four-hit shutout of St. Louis in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Irvin struck out five and scattered three hits, while Brady House plated the only run of the game on a first-inning double, his sixth of spring.
The Cardinals got a similarly strong start from former Dodgers and Red Sox pitcher Dustin May, who allowed one run over five innings. The top four hitters in the Cardinals’ lineup were 0-for-12 with six strikeouts.
Phillies 2, Twins 0
Adolis Garcia knocked in both runs of Philadelphia’s shutout victory over Minnesota in Clearwater, Fla.
The former Ranger, signed to be Nick Castellanos’ replacement, went 4-for-4 with a homer, accounting for over half of the Phillies’ seven hits. Jesus Luzardo’s five shutout innings headed the combined shutout by five different pitchers and lowered his ERA to 2.31.
Brooks Lee had two of Minnesota’s six hits, all of which were singles. Bailey Ober suffered a tough-luck first loss of spring, allowing one run on two hits over four innings.
Astros 10, Pirates 2
Top-11 Houston prospects Brice Matthews and Zach Cole cranked back-to-back homers to spark a runaway victory over Pittsburgh in Bradenton, Fla.
Shay Whitcomb added a pair of RBI singles for the Astros, who also got a two-run single from Cavan Biggio, who signed a minor league contract with his dad’s longtime team this offseason. Lance McCullers Jr. (3.38 ERA) allowed one run over four innings.
After a strong start to spring, Pirates starter Mitch Keller was lit up for six runs over four innings of work, striking out six but walking four. Pittsburgh mainstay Bryan Reynolds provided the team’s only run-scoring hit of the day, an RBI single in the third.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Healthy Sonny Gray pitches Red Sox to sweep of Tigers
May 6, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Sonny Gray (54) delivers in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images Sonny Gray pitched five scoreless innings in his return to action and the visiting Boston Red Sox completed a three-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers with a 4-0 victory on Wednesday night.
Gray (3-1) came off the injured list and gave up four hits while recording two strikeouts. Gray strained his right hamstring in a start last month against the Tigers.
Tyler Samaniego struck out three in two innings. Zack Kelly and Greg Weissert each pitched an inning to complete the shutout.
Masataka Yoshida had two hits and scored a run. Caleb Durbin supplied an RBI double.
Detroit starter Jack Flaherty (0-3) gave up four runs, two earned, in five innings while recording a season-high 10 strikeouts. Riley Greene led the offense with two hits.
Flaherty struck out the first five batters he faced. The Tigers threatened in the bottom of the inning as Greene led off with a double and Zach McKinstry and Spencer Torkelson drew two-out walks. Jace Jung, just recalled from Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday, then hit a sinking liner that right fielder Wilyer Abreu snared with a sliding grab.
Boston took the lead in the third. Marcelo Mayer reached on an infield hit and Flaherty hit Carlos Narvaez with a pitch. Durbin then smacked a double to left, scoring Mayer. One out later, Willson Contreras hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Narvaez.
Detroit had a pair of baserunners in the bottom of the inning as Matt Vierling and Greene hit singles. Dillon Dingler flied out to center, ending the threat.
The Red Sox pushed their lead to 4-0 in the fourth. Masataka Yoshida had a one-out single and Ceddanne Rafaela drew a walk. With two out, third baseman Colt Keith made an error on a Narvaez grounder, allowing both runners to score.
In the seventh, Boston loaded the bases on three walks by Drew Anderson.
Brant Hurter retired the next two batters on a strikeout and groundout to leave the runners stranded.
Kelly issued two one-out walks in the eighth, then struck out Greene and Dingler.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Sabres' power play tallies twice to topple Canadiens in Game 1
May 6, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram (4) celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period against the Montréal Canadiens in game one of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images Ryan McLeod and defenseman Bowen Byram each converted on the power play to lift the host Buffalo Sabres to a 4-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference second-round series.
Buffalo went 2-for-3 with the man advantage after going 1-for-46 on the power play over its previous 13 games.
By scoring his fourth goal, Byram matched the franchise record for most in a postseason by a defenseman set by Mike Ramsey (1983) and equaled by Jason Woolley (1999) and Alexei Zhitnik (1999).
McLeod and Josh Doan each collected a goal and an assist. Jordan Greenway also tallied and Alex Lyon made 26 saves for the Sabres, who host Game 2 on Friday.
Selke Trophy finalist Nick Suzuki scored a power-play goal, Kirby Dach also tallied and Jakub Dobes turned aside 12 shots for the Canadiens.
Montreal defenseman Lane Hutson hit the post in his bid to open the scoring early in the first period. He then lost his footing and the puck at his own blue line, leading to a 3-on-1 opportunity and Zach Benson feeding Doan on the doorstep for an easy conversion at 4:31 of the period.
McLeod converted from a sharp angle along the goal line to give Buffalo a 2-0 lead with 6:34 remaining in the first period.
Suzuki answered at left post to halve the deficit with 45 seconds to play in the first period, but Greenway regained the two-goal advantage at 3:32 of the second. He unleashed a shot from above the left circle that caromed off Dobes’ glove and into the net. Tyson Kozak drove to the net to provide a bit of a screen on the play.
The Sabres made it 4-1 at 9:01 of the second. McLeod knocked down a Canadiens’ clearing attempt, allowing Byram to collect the puck and use a screen from Doan to wrist a shot past Dobes.
Dach used a second effort to chip the puck from a sharp angle past Lyon to trim Montreal’s deficit to 4-2 with 3:29 remaining in the second period.
The Canadiens outshot the Sabres 11-1 in the third period, but could not get any closer.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Joe Gibbs Racing lawsuit vs. Spire, Chris Gabehart gets trial date
Oct 25, 2025; Martinsville, Virginia, USA; Joe Gibbs Racing competition director Chris Gabehart before NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 Practice and Qualifying at Martinsville Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Greg Atkins-Imagn Images Joe Gibbs Racing desired an earlier trial date for its lawsuit against Spire Motorsports and Chris Gabehart, while the defendants wanted a later trial date.
Neither side got what it wanted on Wednesday, as the judge presiding over the case split the difference and settled on a January start date, according to motorsport.com.
JGR is pursuing more than $8 million in damages due to allegations of misappropriation and tortuous interference by Gabehart, who left JGR to work for Spire.
JGR had been in pursuit of a November trial start, citing concerns about evidence and a desire to begin discovery as soon as possible. The defendants, in contrast, targeted next May, arguing that depositions could interfere with the current NASCAR season.
United States District Court Judge Susan C. Rodriguez of the Western District of North Carolina directed each party to “meet and confer and submit to the Court within 10 days a joint proposal as to pretrial deadlines as discussed,” indicating all parties are required to adhere to an agreed-upon schedule for all activities leading up to the trial date.
With Spire having a better-than-expected season after hiring Gabehart, JGR had filed an amendment to its original lawsuit earlier this week to address damages sustained through the use of “trade secrets.”
Spire driver Carson Hocevar is sitting in sixth after securing his first career NASCAR victory — and Spire’s first NASCAR win since 2019 — on April 26 at Talladega. Daniel Suarez, a new Spire driver this season, is in 14th in the standings. None of Spire’s three drivers last year finished in the top 20 of the standings.
“This sudden improvement in Spire’s Cup Series performance of course comes on the heels of Gabehart misappropriating JGR’s Confidential Information and Trade Secrets and providing Spire the same or similar services he provided JGR in the last year,” the amended filing says.
The judge in the case has also granted partial expediency on the issue of discovery, providing faster access to certain phone records directly related to the nature of Gabehart’s relationships with JGR and Spire, according to the report.
–Field Level Media
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