Sports
Texas not planning to play 2 QBs as Quinn Ewers eyes return
Texas Head Coach Steve Sarkisian watches his team warm up ahead of the Texas Longhorns’ game against the ULM Warhawks at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Sept. 21, 2024. With Quinn Ewers on pace to return from his abdominal injury in the Longhorns’ next game, don’t expect to see Arch Manning on the field, despite the backup’s 2-0 record in Ewers’ absence, according to Texas coach Steve Sarkisian.
“When I was a starter, I never wanted the backup coming in the game, even for a play,” Sarkisian told reporters Wednesday on an SEC teleconference call.
“And I remember my senior year of college, I had been banged up and coaches wanted to run a quarterback draw. And they called the play and I scored a touchdown. So I’ve got respect for a guy that’s a starting quarterback and the rhythm that is needed to play with, so no that’s not something I’ve ever entertained.”
Manning went 26-of-31 passing (83.9 percent) for 324 yards in a 35-13 win over Mississippi State on Saturday, a week after a 51-3 home blowout over Louisiana-Monroe in the first start of his college career.
After suffering an abdominal strain that knocked him out of a 56-7 win over UTSA on Sept. 14, Ewers is reportedly on target to return on Oct. 12 when the No. 2 Longhorns (5-0, 1-0 SEC) face archrival Oklahoma for the first time in the Southeastern Conference.
Ewers reportedly practiced with the first team Tuesday, with the Longhorns on a bye before their big SEC showdown in Norman with the No. 19 Sooners.
“He’s just rehabbing as he has been. I think he’s been making steady progress one day to the next, which is a good sign,” Sarkisian told reporters Tuesday. “We haven’t had any setbacks. It’s been steady progress. I think he’s getting stronger and more comfortable and more confident, and so we’ll just kind of stay the course with that.”
Sarkisian had already made clear his desire to have Ewers back at the starting position as soon as possible, saying after Saturday’s win over the Bulldogs, “We need Quinn back because he’s our quarterback, and he’s our leader.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rangers place 3B Josh Jung (calf) on 10-day IL
Jul 21, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung (6) follows through on his single against the Chicago White Sox during the third inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-Imagn Images The American League West-leading Texas Rangers placed starting third baseman Josh Jung on the 10-day injured list on Saturday — retroactive to Wednesday — with a left calf strain.
In a corresponding move, the Rangers recalled infielder Josh Smith from Triple-A Round Rock before Saturday’s home game against the second-place Seattle Mariners.
Jung, 28, exited Tuesday’s game against the Chicago White Sox after three innings with a left calf issue and has not played since. In 92 games this season, the 2023 All-Star is hitting .294 with nine home runs and 35 RBIs. He is eligible to return to the active roster on Aug. 1.
Texas’ first-round pick (No. 8 overall) in the 2019 MLB Draft, Jung has hit .264 with 58 home runs and 196 RBIs in 417 games with the Rangers.
Smith, 28, is in his third stint with the Rangers this season, batting .230 with one run and eight RBIs in 40 games. The versatile five-year veteran has played five positions in 2026, mainly seeing time at second base (34 games/30 starts).
In 496 games with Texas since being acquired from the New York Yankees in 2021, Smith has hit .236 with 32 homers and 136 RBIs.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Astros put RHP Spencer Arrighetti (foot) on 15-day IL
Jul 8, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Spencer Arrighetti (41) throws a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images In the thick of the American League West and AL wild-card races, the Houston Astros placed right-handed starter Spencer Arrighetti on the 15-day injured list Saturday with nerve irritation in his foot.
Arrighetti, 26, left Friday’s start against the Chicago White Sox after one inning and 33 pitches due to the foot issue.
In a corresponding move, Houston recalled left-handed reliever Bryan King from Triple-A Sugar Land.
In 17 starts this season, Arrighetti is 7-5 with a 4.60 ERA, allowing six or more earned runs in three of his final four starts before the All-Star break. The 2021 sixth-round pick, who debuted with Houston in 2024, is 15-23 with a 4.66 ERA in 53 games (52 starts).
The 29-year-old King has made 42 relief appearances with the Astros in 2026, posting a 2-3 record with a 3.40 ERA. Across his three MLB seasons, all with Houston, he is 8-7 with a 2.91 ERA in 138 relief outings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Athletics activate star Nick Kurtz (thumb) from IL
![Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) takes first base as Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (16) misses a catch during the first inning] at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, July 8, 2026.](https://dailyfacthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/29355296.jpg)
Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) takes first base as Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (16) misses a catch during the first inning] at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. The Athletics activated All-Star first baseman Nick Kurtz from the 10-day injured list prior to Saturday’s road game against the Minnesota Twins.
Kurtz sustained a right thumb capsule sprain and was placed on the IL on July 10 and the injury forced him to miss the All-Star Game. He had been elevated to American League starter when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (back) of the Toronto Blue Jays backed out.
Kurtz is batting second and serving as the designated hitter on Saturday.
Kurtz exited a 6-1 loss at Detroit on July 8 after 1 1/2 innings after he appeared to hurt the hand while trying to field a throw in the bottom of the first. The following day, he was the designated hitter and went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in a 4-1 loss to the Tigers.
Kurtz, 23, is batting .266 with 20 homers and 66 RBIs in 92 games. He was the unanimous 2025 AL Rookie of the Year with a .290 batting average, 36 home runs and 86 RBIs in just 117 games.
Third baseman Max Muncy was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move. He was recalled by the A’s earlier this week and went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts in two games.
Muncy, 23, is batting .223 with five homers and 20 RBIs over 48 games. He has a .218 average in 111 big league games over the past two campaigns.
–Field Level Media
Rangers place 3B Josh Jung (calf) on 10-day IL
Astros put RHP Spencer Arrighetti (foot) on 15-day IL
