Sports
US curler Korey Dropkin thrills crowds at Milan Cortina Games
[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Feb 8, 2026; Cortina d’Ampezzo, ITALY; Korey Dropkin of United States celebrates after defeating Sweden in mixed doubles round robin play during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Issei Kato/Reuters via Imagn Images CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — American curler Korey Dropkin’s animated displays of emotion have been electrifying fans throughout the mixed doubles competition at the Milan Cortina Games, with the 30-year-old saying he is just trying to have fun and be true to himself.
On Monday, Dropkin and doubles partner Cory Thiesse beat Olympic and world champions Italy 9-8 in the semi-finals, with Dropkin screaming in excitement, embracing his teammate and waving to fans at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium.
The victory set up a gold-medal showdown against Sweden and guaranteed the U.S. their first Olympic medal in mixed doubles curling.
Asked about showing his emotions during the tournament, a hoarse Dropkin told reporters: “It’s just me trying to be myself and live my dream, our dream on the ice. You don’t really get these opportunities every day, right? It’s every four years.
“Some people only get the opportunity to dream of it and we’re out there on the ice living it. So for me, win or lose throughout this event, it’s always just been about having fun, being loose, being myself and spinning on the ice, doing those little things, that’s me.
“That’s me, that’s childhood Korey that always had fun, got up, swept his own rocks, did some spins and twirls on the way back to the hack as he threw another stone and I don’t want to lose that feeling.”
Dropkin made comparisons with athletes in other sports when asked if his emotional approach aligned with the typically restrained sport.
“You don’t see football players, basketball players, baseball players always hiding their emotions,” he said.
“The TV’s always on them. You know when they’re pissed off and you know when they’re having a good time. Why not curlers too?”
For Thiesse, the win carried special significance as she became the first American woman to win an Olympic curling medal, though the men’s team has claimed gold and bronze in previous Games.
“I’m just so proud of the week that we’ve had. And I know how important it was for me to have people to look up to when I was growing up,” the 31-year-old said.
“I just hope that I can be kind of an inspiration for young girls in curling and any sport in the U.S. to just dream big and work hard to achieve your goals.”
–Reuters, special to Field Level Media
Sports
Rockies sign P Tomoyuki Sugano, put OF Kris Bryant on 60-day IL
Aug 31, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano (19) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the second inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images The Colorado Rockies signed right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano to a one-year contract on Tuesday and placed outfielder Kris Bryant on the 60-day injured list.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed for Sugano, however multiple media outlets reported it was worth $5.1 million.
Sugano, 36, signed a one-year, $13 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles ahead of last season after spending 12 campaigns with the Yomiuri Giants in Nippon Professional Baseball. He posted a 10-10 record with a 4.64 ERA in 30 games (all starts) with the Orioles.
Sugano joins a Rockies rotation that includes Michael Lorenzen, Kyle Freeland, Ryan Feltner and likely Chase Dollander.
Bryant, 34, is nursing a degenerative lumbar condition in his lower back. He played in just 11 games last season and 170 over the first four campaigns of a seven-year, $182 million contract with Colorado.
A four-time All-Star and 2016 National League MVP, Bryant is hitting .273 with 184 home runs and 548 RBIs in 1,054 career games with the Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants and Rockies.
–Field Level Media
Sports
RHP Justin Verlander returning to Tigers on 1-year, $13M deal
Sep 17, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Justin Verlander (35) watches from the dugout after pitching 7 innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images Three-time Cy Young Award winner and 2011 American League MVP Justin Verlander is returning to where the right-hander’s highly decorated career started, agreeing with the Detroit Tigers on a one-year contract worth $13 million guaranteed, the team announced on Tuesday.
Verlander, who turns 43 on Feb. 20, will receive $11 million in deferred payments starting in 2030 as part of the deal.
A nine-time All-Star, Verlander pitched last season for the San Francisco Giants in his lone campaign on a National League team. After a 0-8 start with a 4.99 ERA, he finished 4-11 with 3.85 ERA, 52 walks and 137 strikeouts in 152 innings over 29 starts.
For his career, Verlander is 266-158 with a 3.32 ERA, 1,004 walks and 3,553 strikeouts in 3567 2/3 innings over 555 regular-season games (all starts) for the Tigers (2005-17), Houston Astros (2017-20, 2022, 2023-24), New York Mets (2023) and Giants (2025). He missed the 2021 season after having Tommy John surgery in September 2020.
In 13 years with the Tigers, Verlander was 183-114 with a 3.49 ERA, 766 walks and 2,373 strikeouts in 2,511 innings over 380 regular-season games. He was the AL Rookie of the Year in 2006 and swept AL MVP and Cy Young honors in 2011.
Verlander is MLB’s active leader in wins (266, 37th all-time), complete games (26), losses (158), games started (555), strikeouts (3,553, eighth all-time), innings pitched (3,567 2/3), walks (1,004), hits allowed (3,046), earned runs allowed (1,317) and batters faced (14,607).
He has a playoff record of 17-12 with a 3.58 ERA, 74 walks and 244 strikeouts in 266 innings over 38 games (37 starts) with one shutout. He was on World Series championship teams with the Astros in 2017 — when he was voted American League Championship Series MVP — and 2022.
Verlander collected Cy Young Awards in 2011 with Detroit, and 2019 and 2022 with Houston. He made the AL All-Star team in 2007, 2009-13, 2018-19 and 2022.
Only Verlander and Hall of Famer Don Newcombe have won Rookie of the Year, MVP and Cy Young honors.
Detroit selected Verlander with the second overall pick of the 2004 MLB Draft out of Old Dominion University.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Yankees acquire IF Max Schuemann in trade with Athletics
Sep 8, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics third baseman Max Schuemann (12) throws the ball to first against the Boston Red Sox during the third inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images The New York Yankees acquired infielder Max Schuemann in a trade with the Athletics on Monday, sending right-handed pitching prospect Luis Burgos as the return.
Schuemann, 28, has appeared in 234 major league games over the 2024-25 seasons for the Athletics, who drafted him in the 20th round of 2018 MLB Draft.
He has a .212 career batting average and .306 on-base percentage with nine home runs, 18 doubles, 47 RBIs and 154 strikeouts to 69 walks. Last season, he hit .197 with two homers and 13 RBI in 101 games.
After largely playing shortstop (93 games) in 2024, Schuemann played his most games (39) at second base followed by third base (27) in 2025. He’s also played each of the outfield spots, bringing some real positional versatility to the Yankees.
Burgos, 20, was a Yankees undrafted-free-agent signing out of the Dominican Republic in June of 2024. He’s posted a 4-4 record and 3.39 ERA over 25 games (10 starts) in two seasons in New York’s farm system.
To make room for Schuemann, the Yankees designated outfielder Yanquiel Fernandez for assignment.
–Field Level Media
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