Sports
Wings' Paige Bueckers: Relationship with Azzi Fudd 'nobody's business'
Dec 7, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard Azzi Fudd (35) and Connecticut Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) celebrate after the game against the Louisville Cardinals at Barclays Center. Paige Bueckers and WNBA No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd are teammates again in Dallas, but the status of their relationship isn’t relevant to the Wings’ outlook in 2026.
The pair of former UConn teammates, who have been the team’s first-round picks in the last two WNBA drafts, announced that they were in a romantic relationship last July, months after winning the 2025 national championship with the Huskies.
When Fudd was asked about the relationship at her introductory press conference earlier this month, a member of the Wings’ public relations staff did not allow her to answer, stating that “We’re going to respectfully decline from commenting on our players’ personal lives.”
Bueckers said Monday, three days before Dallas’ preseason opener vs. Indiana on April 30, her focus is on basketball.
“There is something I want to address, and I only plan on addressing it once. If we continue to get asked about it, we will refer to this moment in time or use the time to deflect and talk about our teammates,” Bueckers said at Dallas media day. “‘Quite frankly, I believe me and Azzi’s personal relationship is nobody’s business but our own. And what we choose to share is completely up to us. … Me and Azzi have always been utmost professionals. We’ve always conducted ourselves as such. We’ve never let anything that happens off the court carry onto the court, and that’s what we’ll continue to do.”
Bueckers, the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year after averaging 19.2 points, 5.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game, also made it clear that she had nothing to do with the selection of Fudd.
“Azzi Fudd was the No. 1 draft pick because she earned it,” Bueckers said. “It had nothing to do with me and everything to do with who she is as a human being, as a basketball player, her resilience, her strength and her career-best year at UConn.
“Azzi is a great individual person, her own great individual person, and should be celebrated as such.”
Fudd averaged a career-best 17.3 points, 3.1 assists and 2.5 steals per game last season, making 48.1% of her shots and 44.7% of her 3-pointers as the Huskies, who were 38-0 before their Final Four loss to South Carolina.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Dan Lanning Has Oregon on the Verge of Something Special
It’s hard to find any real flaws in Dan Lanning’s first four seasons leading the Oregon football program.
He inherited a strong foundation left behind by Mario Cristobal but has taken the Ducks to new heights since taking over the flock.
Oregon has won 10-plus games in each of his first four seasons, including 13 in each of the last two seasons since the team made a leap up in difficulty by joining the Big Ten. The Ducks were the No. 1 seed in the 2024 College Football Playoff before making a quarterfinal exit and advanced to the 2025 CFP semifinals before running into the Indiana buzzsaw.
Since Lanning arrived for the 2022 season, Oregon’s 48-8 record is tied with Ohio State for the second-best in the country, trailing only Georgia.
This season, though, presents a new challenge for Lanning. Will Stein, his offensive coordinator the last three seasons, is now the head coach at Kentucky. Tosh Lupoi, his defensive coordinator for his entire Oregon tenure, is now the head coach at Cal.
Drew Mehringer and Chris Hampton were in-house promotions to replace them as offensive and defensive coordinator, respectively.
That makes this a year where Lanning can prove Oregon’s success has been firmly on his shoulders and that the Ducks will remain contenders as long as he’s in charge.
“Nobody’s going to have higher expectations for our team than us,” Lanning said Wednesday at Big Ten media days in Chicago. “We’re the guys in the building doing the work every single day. Certainly really proud of the team and the work they’ve put in. We have high expectations. We’ve got a lot that we want to accomplish.”
The good news for Lanning is that the 2025 roster is largely still intact in Eugene. Oregon returns 14 starters from last year’s team and sits 11th nationally in ESPN’s returning production rankings.
Lanning is already seeing the difference.
“Last year, I felt like we had a team that had a ton of talent. This year, we have a team that has a lot of experience returning,” Lanning said. “A lot of those young guys that played are guys that have great experience. I am excited to see what that looks like.”
Quarterback Dante Moore, who threw for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns last season, chose to run it back with the Ducks instead of almost certainly going to the New York Jets as the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft.
The public is clearly believing in Lanning’s squad, with Oregon tied for the third-best odds (+750) to win the national title this season, according to DraftKings.
Lanning likewise believes, telling ESPN on Wednesday that his team is “close” to bringing home the program’s elusive first national championship.
The 2026 season would be quite a time for him to break through and become the fifth active FBS coach who has won a national championship.
Sports
Behind Geraldo Perdomo, D-backs vie for sweep of Guardians
Aug 1, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo (2) acknowledges the bullpen while running the bases after hitting a home run during the seventh inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo picked a great role model in Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramírez.
Perdomo has repaid Ramírez for his friendship by powering the Diamondbacks to a pair of wins in their three-game series in Cleveland, strengthening their hold on a National League wild-card spot.
Arizona’s Merrill Kelly (8-8, 4.86 ERA) will be on the mound Sunday against Guardians counterpart Gavin Williams (10-6, 3.71 ERA).
Rain is expected throughout the afternoon in Northeast Ohio, making a postponement possible. The teams have three mutual off days on Sept. 10, 17 and 21.
Perdomo is 6-for-10 with a homer, four RBIs and two runs in the series, but said his favorite part of the weekend has been catching up with fellow Dominican Republic product Ramírez.
“This is a guy I love and he’s my brother, we always keep in touch,” Perdomo said. “He’s one of my biggest mentors I have in baseball. I always enjoy my time playing against him, so to get a ‘W’ against him means more than anything.”
A seven-time All-Star, Ramirez took an interest in Perdomo early in his career, developing a close bond despite being seven years older at age 33. Both have often said they value their close friendship.
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, who began his managerial career in Cleveland’s farm system and keeps close track of the Guardians, is a fan of both players.
“Jose has taken Geraldo under his wing and I think that’s great,” Lovullo said. “That’s a good man to look up to and call a friend.”
Ramírez still is rounding into form after missing five weeks with a broken left hamate bone that required surgery. He is 0-for-6 with three walks against Arizona and 7-for-37 in nine games since being activated off the injured list.
While the Diamondbacks are surging with 14 wins in their last 19 games, Cleveland is playing its worst ball of the season with a 2-8 mark since July 22. Arizona has outscored its hosts 16-9 in the two contests.
The Guardians have fallen out of first place in the American League Central and into a tie for the final wild-card spot with the Minnesota Twins. Instead of being a buyer at the trade deadline, thrifty Cleveland could wind up going in the other direction.
“We’re going through it right now,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “We’re really in it. But we’re going to keep working hard and come out of it. That’s what we do here, and we’ve done it time and time again.”
Williams is working on a franchise-record string of four straight games with 11-plus strikeouts and one or fewer walks.
Over his last four starts, the hulking righty has amassed 45 strikeouts and just two walks over 27 innings. His record during the span is 1-2 with a 3.00 ERA, as five of the 15 hits allowed have been home runs.
Williams’ lone appearance against the Diamondbacks was a road victory on Aug. 18, 2025, as he tossed 5 1/3 scoreless innings.
Kelly has only pitched against Cleveland once in his eight-year career, throwing seven shutout innings with eight strikeouts for the Texas Rangers in a home win on Aug. 24, 2025.
The 37-year-old was outstanding in July, posting a 3-0 record and 1.95 ERA over five starts. Kelly equally was as bad in June, losing all five of his outings while giving up 23 earned runs in 28 1/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Marlins regaining steam ahead of series finale vs. Mets
Jul 28, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara (22) throws in the third inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images A 12-game losing streak bookending the All-Star Break threatened to undo all the progress the Miami Marlins made getting back into the wild-card race throughout June and the first week of July.
Fortunately, the Marlins still had more time to reverse the course of their season.
Miami will look to continue their timely surge Sunday afternoon when they visit the New York Mets in the finale of a four-game series between the National League East foes.
Sandy Alcantara (11-6, 3.82 ERA) is slated to start for the Marlins against fellow right-hander Robert Stock, who will make his season debut after being promoted from Triple-A Syracuse.
The Marlins remained hot Saturday as Tyler Phillips earned the win by tossing five efficient innings in a 6-2 victory.
The win was the fifth in the last six games for the Marlins dating back to Monday night, when they snapped the 12-game skid with an 8-7 walk-off win over the Philadelphia Phillies.
The hot week makes it more likely the Marlins will either stand pat or add at the trade deadline, which arrives Monday at 6 p.m. ET. Miami resides 1 1/2 games behind the Phillies in the race for the last NL wild-card spot.
“I think everyone wanted to be that person that had the big hit or made the big pitch,” Phillips said of the Marlins, whose losing streak was preceded by a 26-8 stretch from June 1 through July 9. “It just wasn’t working out for us in that moment. Finally got that one out of the way against a good team in Philly and from there you just continue to build and continue to trust the process.”
While the Marlins recovered from their 12-game losing streak, the sight of Stock on the mound Sunday will be a reminder that the Mets’ season was derailed by their 12-game skid from April 8-21.
At 47-65, the Mets are on pace for 94 losses — their most since 2003, which was also the last time they finished last in the NL East.
Stock will start in the rotation spot that could have been occupied by Clay Holmes, who is ready to return from a broken right leg suffered May 15. But with Holmes a candidate to be traded, the Mets asked him to make one more rehab start instead for Double-A Brooklyn.
“I get both sides,” Holmes said. “I know there are other factors.”
Alcantara earned the win Tuesday after tossing seven scoreless innings in a 1-0 victory over the Phillies. He has allowed one run or fewer in four of his last seven starts.
Alcantara is 6-5 with a 2.96 ERA in 18 starts against the Mets.
Stock made his most recent start for Syracuse on July 25, when he gave up one run with six strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings. The 36-year-old made two relief appearances for the Boston Red Sox last season — his first big league action since 2021, when he was 0-2 with an 8.00 ERA in three starts between the Mets and Chicago Cubs.
Stock threw two scoreless innings of relief in his lone appearance against the Marlins on Sept. 16, 2020, when he was pitching for the Red Sox.
–Field Level Media
Dan Lanning Has Oregon on the Verge of Something Special
Behind Geraldo Perdomo, D-backs vie for sweep of Guardians
