Sports
Surging Nationals to test MLB's top offense against Padres
May 22, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Washington Nationals designated hitter James Wood (29) scores a run against the Atlanta Braves in the tenth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images The surprising Washington Nationals return home on Friday night to open a three-game series against the slumping San Diego Padres.
The Nationals moved above .500 for the first time since the opening week of the season during a 4-2 road trip when they earned series wins against the Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Guardians. They are 10-6 since May 12.
After improving their road record to 19-12, the Nats now look to continue that success at home where they are 10-16.
The Padres have dropped four consecutive games after getting swept at home by the Philadelphia Phillies. After this three-game set in D.C., San Diego will seek some revenge when it plays three next week at Philadelphia.
Washington has been consistent offensively, led by James Wood. At the start of MLB play Thursday, the Nationals led the majors in runs (306) and doubles (110) while ranking among the top six in home runs (72), slugging percentage (.420), and OPS (.743).
“These guys just keep believing; they’re starting to figure out we have some good guys on the team,” Nationals manager Blake Butera said. “When you can go out and play the way we’ve played … you have to feel good about it.”
Wood shared second in the National League in home runs (15) and led the way in runs (50), walks (47), on-base percentage (.414) and OPS (.967).
Washington’s pitching has been part of the team’s surge as well. The Nationals had a 5.67 ERA through April 23. Since then, their ERA is 3.82 over the past 31 games, according to NatsJournal.com.
Offense has been hard to come by of late for the Padres, who have scored seven runs over their past five games while suffering a pair of 3-0 losses to the Phillies.
The Padres managed seven hits against Philadelphia pitching Wednesday and went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
“Just not taking advantage of some of the opportunities we did have,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said. “There’s a little credit to their pitching, but also we’ve got to figure out a way to be better in those situations, runners in scoring position.”
Friday will be a homecoming of sorts for Stammen, who was drafted by the Nationals in 2005 and spent seven seasons pitching for the team.
Another former Nationals pitcher starts for the Padres as right-hander Lucas Giolito (2-0, 2.70 ERA) opposes Washington left-hander Andrew Alvarez.
Signed as a free agent on April 22, the 31-year-old Giolito has won both of his starts. He tossed five shutout innings against the A’s on Saturday on four hits and five walks with two strikeouts.
“I signed here to help the rotation and help this team win games, and I know how to win,” Giolito said. “No matter how I’m feeling, I know how to grind through an outing.”
Giolito was Washington’s first-round draft pick in 2012 and pitched a handful of games for the team before being traded to the Chicago White Sox. He has faced the Nationals once, earning a win over 7 2/3 innings last season while pitching for the Boston Red Sox.
Alvarez, who has been pitching in long relief, takes the rotation spot left vacant when Jake Irvin (shoulder) went on the Injured list. Alvarez has a 2.84 ERA over his four relief appearances.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Reports: Giants QB Jaxson Dart, teammates clear air over rally in closed-door meeting
Eat Rutherford, NJ — May 9, 2025 — Jaxson Dart with Abdul Carter after Carter spoke to the media following practice at Giants Rookie Minicamp. Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart addressed teammates to clear the air over his appearance at a Republican-backed event in New York that featured President Donald Trump, according to multiple reports.
Dart introduced Trump last week at festivities supporting the campaign of Rep. Mike Lawler, who represents New York’s Hudson Valley in Congress and is running for a third term.
Dart’s presence and on-the-mic role at the rally sparked a reaction from Giants pass rusher Abdul Carter, the third overall draft pick in 2025 — the same year in which the Giants selected Dart with the 25th pick.
“Thought this (s—) was AI,” Carter wrote in a since-deleted post on X that showed the video featuring Dart’s introduction of the president. “What we doing, man?”
ESPN reported veteran quarterback Jameis Winston and edge rusher Brian Burns addressed the team in the same meeting with a goal of shifting the focus to keeping concerns and differences of opinion in house.
Earlier this week, Carter attempted to downplay perception the draft-class peers were at odds over a political divide with another post to social media.
“Me & JD6 are good!” he wrote on X about Dart but since deleted the post. “We spoke earlier as Men. Yall can keep yall narratives.”
The Giants were 4-13 in the first season with Dart and Carter. They hired a new head coach — John Harbaugh — and he was put in an awkward position during the draft.
Harbaugh was called to defend the selections of linebacker Arvell Reese (No. 5 pick) and offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa (No. 10) instead of Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, the player wide receiver Malik Nabers openly lobbied for. Downs wound up being selected by the rival Dallas Cowboys in the No. 11 slot.
Nabers backtracked on the criticism after he said Harbaugh explained how the Giants’ defense would unleash Reese in a creative, matchup-based role.
Harbaugh and his younger brother, Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, were Trump’s guests at the White House in 2025. At the time, John Harbaugh coached the Baltimore Ravens.
John Harbaugh panned media members in Baltimore pressing about his decision to visit the White House at the time, and Harbaugh flipped the question, asking why the query didn’t focus on “a chance to go visit the president.”
“It was amazing. It was awesome. And I promise you I root for our president,” Harbaugh said in July 2025. “I want our president to be successful just like I want my quarterback to be successful and I want my team to be successful, and it was an amazing experience.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Kyle Busch battled illness for 'weeks' according to death certificate
May 23, 2026; Concord, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Motor Speedways’ main video board pay homage to deceased driver Kyle Busch before qualifying at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images NASCAR star Kyle Busch was potentially ill for “weeks” leading up to his untimely passing, his death certificate revealed Thursday.
The cause of death was confirmed to be triggered by sepsis, which developed from a bout of bacterial pneumonia, as family revealed following Busch’s death on May 21. Sepsis triggered clotting within blood vessels that cut off flow to vital organs.
Busch, a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion who is considered one of the best drivers of all time, was 41.
Busch experienced shortness of breath and was coughing up blood the day before his death, according to a 911 call obtained by USA Today.
He is survived by his wife Samantha, 11-year-old son Brexton and 4-year-old daughter Lennix. He was the younger brother of NASCAR Hall of Fame member Kurt Busch, 47.
The Busch family was on hand for Saturday’s Cup Series race at Charlotte, N.C., as NASCAR conducted a weekend of tributes to the late champion.
Those tributes will be ongoing, with rival driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. revealing he will compete in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Nashville this weekend with the same NOS Energy Drink paint scheme Busch used until 2017. Busch delivered 22 of his record 102 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victories with the paint scheme.
Busch accrued a record 234 wins across NASCAR’s top three series: 63 in the Cup Series, 102 in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and 69 in the Craftsman Truck Series. He won a trucks race at Dover, Del., just six days before his death.
The Las Vegas native was the NASCAR Cup Series champion in 2015 and 2019. He never won the Daytona 500 but claimed the pole for the first time this year before finishing 15th. His biggest wins included the 2008 Southern 500, the 2015 and 2016 Brickyard 400 and 2019 Coca-Cola 600.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Angels reinstate LHP Drew Pomeranz from injured list
May 12, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Drew Pomeranz (13) delivers a pitch in the seventh inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images The Los Angeles Angels reinstated left-hander Drew Pomeranz from the 15-day injured list on Thursday.
The 37-year-old reliever landed on the IL on May 13 with inflammation in his pitching elbow.
Pomeranz is 0-3 with a 7.20 ERA, eight walks and 12 strikeouts in 15 innings in his first season with the Angels.
He is 50-63 with 10 saves, a 3.87 ERA in 363 career games (144 starts) with eight teams since debuting in 2011.
The Angels optioned left-hander Tayler Saucedo to Triple-A Salt Lake in a corresponding move Wednesday night.
–Field Level Media
Reports: Giants QB Jaxson Dart, teammates clear air over rally in closed-door meeting
Kyle Busch battled illness for 'weeks' according to death certificate
