Suns, Mavs, Sixers Advance to Second Round

The Phoenix Suns welcomed Devin Booker back to the floor and did exactly what they should've with him back, advanced past the New Orleans Pelicans with a 115-109 Game 6 win Thursday night. Chris Paul went a perfect 14-for-14 shooting, along with a 4-for-4 mark at the free throw line, for 33 points to lead the way. Paul had the most field goals without a miss in a playoff game, to go along with eight assists. The Suns overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to get the win, as DeAndre Ayton helped that rally with 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting. Booker played for the first time in nine days and had 13 points on 5-for-12 shooting to go with five rebounds and three assists over 32 minutes. Brandon Ingram led the Pelicans with 32 points as their season came to an end. The Suns found out later in the night who they will face in the next round, as the Dallas Mavericks edged the Utah Jazz, 98-96, to win the series, 4-2. Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson scored 24 points apiece. The Mavericks earned their first playoff series win since the 2011 NBA Finals. Brunson had the go-ahead three-pointer in the final minute, and then hit a sealing free throw late. Bojan Bogdanovic missed a wide open three-pointer at the buzzer to finish the defeat and the season for Utah. Doncic added nine rebounds, eight assists, two blocks, and two steals.  Spencer Dinwiddie added 19 points, while Dorian Finney-Smith had 18. The Jazz got 23 points from Donovan Mitchell in their final game of the season. The Philadelphia 76ers prevented history that they did not want to be a part of, avoiding a blown 3-0 series lead with a 132-97 rout of the Toronto Raptors in Game 6. Joel Embiid had 33 points and 10 rebounds to power the Sixers on the road. James Harden added 22 points and 15 assists for his most efficient performance of the series. Tyrese Maxey contributed 25 points, including a 5-for-12 mark from three-point range, while Tobias Harris added 19 points and 11 rebounds. The Sixers had dropped the past two games after going up 3-0 in the first round series. Chris Boucher had 25 points and 10 rebounds and Pascal Siakam finished with 24 in the Raptors' final game of the season. The Sixers will do battle with the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the second round on Monday night.

2022 NFL Draft Tracker

​​​First Round Jaguars DE Travon Walker (Georgia) Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan) Texans CB Derek Stingley Jr. (LSU) Jets CB Ahmad Gardner (Cincinnati) Giants​ DE Kayvon Thibodeaux (Oregon) Panthers​ OT Ikem Ekwonu (NC State) Giants​ OT Evan Neal (Alabama) Falcons WR Drake London (USC) Seahawks​ OT Charles Cross (Mississippi State) Jets​ WR Garrett Wilson (Ohio State) Saints​ WR Chris Olave (Ohio State) Lions​ WR Jameson Williams (Alabama) Eagles DT Jordan Davis (Georgia) Ravens S Kyle Hamilton (Notre Dame) Texans G Kenyon Green (Texas A&M) Commanders WR Jahan Dotson (Penn State) Chargers G Zion Johnson (Boston College) Titans WR Treylon Burks (Arkansas) Saints OT Trevor Penning (Northern Iowa) Steelers QB Kenny Pickett (Pittsburgh) Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie (Washington) Packers LB Quan Walker (Georgia) Bills CB Kair Elam (Florida) Cowboys OT Tyler Smith (Tulsa) Ravens C Tyler Linderbaum (Iowa) Jets​ DE Jermaine Johnson (Florida State) ​Jaguars LB Devin Lloyd (Utah) Packers​ DT Devonte Wyatt (Georgia) Patriots​ G Cole Strange (Chattanooga) Chiefs​ DE George Karlaftis (Purdue) Bengals CB Daxton Hill (Michigan) Vikings S Lewis Cine (Georgia)

Eagles Get Star Wideout A.J. Brown From Titans

The Philadelphia Eagles lost out on wide receiver Jameson Williams thanks to the Detroit Lions trading up to select him, so they went and traded for star receiver A.J. Brown from the Tennessee Titans. The Eagles sent the 18th and 101st overall picks to the Titans to complete the deal. Brown has been seeking a new deal, and has agreed to a four-year, $100 million extension with his new team. The contract extension includes $57 million in guaranteed money. The 24-year-old was entering the final year of his rookie contract, and was scheduled to make just under $4 million in 2022. He most recently had 63 catches for 869 yards and five touchdowns over 13 games last season. The wideout surpassed the 1,000-yard receiving mark in each of his first two seasons. His best season came in 2020, when he had 70 catches for 1,075 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Cardinals Acquire Marquise Brown From Ravens

The Arizona Cardinals made a splash to give Kyler Murray a new weapon on draft night, acquiring wide receiver Marquise Brown from the Baltimore Ravens. The Cardinals gave up the 100th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Murray and Brown reunite after playing at Oklahoma together in 2017 and 2018. Both players were drafted in 2019, going first and 25th overall respectively. The 24-year-old Brown has 2,361 yards and 21 touchdowns over 46 career NFL games. His best season came last year, where he set career highs with 91 catches for 1,008 yards. The Cardinals did lose a receiver in Christian Kirk to the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency. Brown became the first Ravens receiver to surpass 1,000 yards since Mike Wallace five years ago, and he can no doubt continue that trend with Murray throwing him the ball.

Giants Decline Daniel Jones' Fifth-Year Option

The New York Giants could very well be moving on from quarterback Daniel Jones after the 2022 season, as they have declined the fifth year option on his rookie contract. This move makes him a free agent after the 2022 season. This prevents him from making the guaranteed $22.39 million for next season. Jones was the sixth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Duke. Although, the 24-year-old has dealt with injuries over the past three seasons. He has thrown just 21 touchdowns over the past two seasons. His career high sits at 24 touchdowns for a single season. New York did pick up the fifth-year option on defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence, who is now guaranteed $10.8 million for the 2023 season.

Yankees, Twins Stay Hot in American League

The two hottest teams in the American League kept things going on Thursday afternoon, doubling up the Baltimore Orioles, 10-5, at Yankee Stadium. Aaron Judge went deep for the fifth time this season in a game that saw Baltimore commit five errors. Marwin Gonzalez added an RBI double during their four-run fifth inning, as all runs were unearned. Giancarlo Stanton added an RBI single off of Bruce Zimmerman, who suffered his first loss. The Yankees have won six in a row and eight of their past nine. They have also won seven straight home games and are the first AL team to reach 13 wins. It was also the third time in the past four games they have scored double digit runs, this after not scoring six in the first 15 games. And the Minnesota Twins stayed perfect on their homestand, sweeping away and blowing past the Detroit Tigers, 7-1, on Thursday afternoon. Carlos Correa totaled three hits and three RBIs, while Gio Urshela, Trevor Larnach, and Gilbert Celestino all had two hits. The Twins have now won seven consecutive games and are a perfect 6-0 on this homestand. They also swept away the struggling Chicago White Sox this past weekend. Cody Stashak got his first win in relief, this after taking over for starter Bailey Ober, who left in the fourth with a strained right groin. Griffin Jax threw three shutout innings in relief for his first career save. The Tigers committed four errors in the loss, helping the Twins pull away with four runs in the fifth. Tarik Skubal suffered his second loss after giving up six runs in six innings, as the Tigers dropped to 6-12 this season. Other key scores saw Brett Phillips with the go-ahead RBI single for a 2-1 Tampa Bay Rays win over the Seattle Mariners. Ronald Acuna Jr. returned with a hit and two stolen bases in the Atlanta Braves' 5-1 win over the Chicago Cubs. Kyle Tucker's pinch hit home run lift he Houston Astros over the Texas Rangers, 3-2. Alex Manoah went seven shutout innings in the Toronto Blue Jays' 1-0 shutout of the Boston Red Sox. The Los Angeles Angels finished the sweep of the Cleveland Guardians with a 4-1 win. Zack Wheeler went six shutout innings as the Philadelphia Phillies swept away the Colorado Rockies with a 7-1 rout. Andrew McCutchen haunted his former team with a homer and go-ahead single as the Milwaukee Brewers edged the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-2. Ha-Seon Kim had the tiebreaking three-run double as the San Diego Padres got past the Cincinnati Reds, 7-5. And Dakota Hudson went six shutout innings as the St. Louis Cardinals topped the Arizona Diamondbacks, 8-3.

Cardinals-Mets Suspensions Handed Out

The suspensions from the St. Louis Cardinals-New York Mets brawl on Thursday, including pitcher Genesis Cabrera and third baseman Nolan Arenado getting bans. The Cardinals' Arenado got a two-game suspension, while Cabrera was banned one game. Both players were also fined an undisclosed amount. This comes after Cabrera hit Mets outfielder J.D. Davis with a pitch in the eighth inning. The next half inning saw the Cards' third baseman charge the mound after a pitch came up and in. Benches would clear as the scuffle broke out. The Mets have been hit a major league leading 19 times this season.

Royals' Mondesi Suffers Torn ACL

The Kansas City Royals have suffered an injury to a young star, as shortstop Adalberto Mondesi suffered a torn ACL in his left knee. The 26-year-old played in just 35 games in 2021 because of injuries to his left hamstring and left oblique. The shortstop had started in 14 of 15 games this season. An MRI revealed the tear for the guy that has hit just 7-for-50 for a .140 average. Although, his speed was effective, going five-for-five on stolen bases. With this injury, Nicky Lopez is expected to move to shortstop, with Whit Merrifield moving from left field back to second base.

Braves Send Catcher Manny Pina to IL

​The Atlanta Braves have sent catcher Manny Pina to the 10-day injured list with left wrist inflammation. The move is retroactive to Monday. The catcher has hit just .143 so far, just 2-for-14, with one run scored and two RBI. The Braves called up catcher William Contreras, who started on Thursday against the Chicago Cubs. What makes that so special is that his catcher, Wilson Contreras, is the catcher of the Cubs. The two brothers carried out the lineup cards to home plate before game.

Wild Top Flames in OT

The Minnesota Wild set the tone for their potential Stanley Cup Playoff push with a thrilling overtime victory on Thursday as they near season's end, topping the Calgary Flames, 3-2, at home. Kirill Kaprizov scored on the power play just 44 seconds in to overtime. The game-winner gives the Wild their 52nd win of the season, moving them to 111 points. They move past the St. Louis Blues for sole possession of second place in the Central Division. If they pick up any points in their game on Friday against the Colorado Avalanche, they will secure the second place spot. The Blues losing to the Las Vegas Golden Knights will also help that cause. Jonas Brodin and Frederick Gaudreau both scored for the Wild, who got 31 saves from Cam Talbot. Johnny Gaudreau got his 40th goal of the season for the Flames. The Florida Panthers are bringing the President's Trophy home with them in what they hope will be the first of two trophies this season after a 4-0 shutout of the Ottawa Senators on Thursday. Carter Verhaeghe scored twice in the win, as they secured home ice advantage in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Spencer Knight made 27 saves to record his second career shutout.  The Nashville Predators' 5-4 shootout win over the Colorado Avalanche sealed the best record for the Atlantic Division champs. They at at 58-17-6, good for 122 points on the year. Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett also scored for the Panthers, who ended the Senators' four-game winning streak.  The Panthers got this win despite resting starters Jonathan Huberdeau, Aleksander Barkov, and Claude Giroux. Other key scores saw Patrice Bergeron net a hat trick in the Boston Bruins' 5-0 shutout of the Buffalo Sabres. Oliver Bjorkstrand had a goal and an assist in the Columbus Blue Jackets' 5-2 upset of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Jesperi Kotkaniemi had a goal and two assists as the Carolina Hurricanes doubled-up the New Jersey Devils, 6-3. And Semyon Varlamov made 26 save as the New York Islanders downed the Washington Capitals, 5-1.

Kings' Dustin Brown to Retire After Season

Los Angeles Kings forward Dustin Brown is moving on from the National Hockey League, announcing that he will retire following this season. The forward made the announcement ahead of their regular season finale on Thursday. The 37-year-old has played in a franchise-record 1,295 regular season games over 18 NHL seasons. He was a first-round draft pick in 2003, spending eight seasons as their captain. Brown helped the Kings to Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014.  He has totaled 325 goals and 387 assists, to go with nine goals and 19 assists in 63 Stanley Cup Playoff games. The Kings will battle the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the playoffs.

Bucks Finish Off Bulls in Five; Warriors Move on Past Nuggets

The Milwaukee Bucks rolled on their home floor in Game 5 on Wednesday night, advancing to the second round with a 116-100 rout of the Chicago Bulls. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 33 points and nine rebounds to lead the Bucks to the 4-1 series win. Three of their wins was by an average of 23.3 points without Khris Middleton. The Bucks' All-Star suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in Game 2. The Bulls were playing without backcourt Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso, who were in health and safety and concussion protocols respectively. They only got 11 points from DeMar DeRozan and trailed by as many as 29 points on the road. The Bucks move on to battle the Boston Celtics in the second round, with Game 1 coming on Sunday. The Golden State Warriors are starting to remind fans of the time they were in the NBA Finals every year, and they are one step closer following a 102-98 Game 5 win over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday. The win moves them on to the second round, as Steph Curry returned to the starting lineup with 30 points. That included 11 points in the fourth quarter, helping his team rally from an eight-point deficit. Nikola Jokic had 30 points on the night, including 12 in the final 3:46 to keep things close. He fell just short of a triple-double with 19 rebounds and eight assists. The Warriors were coming off a five-point loss in Denver last weekend and did not want to go back to Denver for Game 6. Klay Thompson remained sharp with 15 points and nine rebounds in the win.

Stars Take Final Playoff Spot

The Dallas Stars may have fallen in overtime, 4-3, to the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday, but they clinched the final playoff spot in the West. The Stars escaped with a point, which is all they needed, as they clinched a Wild Card in the West. Joe Pavelski had two assists and set a career high in points this season at 37 years old. Jani Hankanpaa scored on the first shot of the game for the Stars. Travis Boyd ended up getting the game-winner in the extra period for the Coyotes. The Las Vegas Golden Knights were the only team that could reach the Stars, but they fell in a shootout to the Chicago Blackhawks to seal their fate.

Benches Clear in Cardinals-Mets; Ohtani, Angels Win Fourth Straight

The St. Louis Cardinals avoided the sweep at home by doubling up the New York Mets, 10-5, on Wednesday afternoon, but that is not what everyone is talking about. Tensions continued to rise between these two teams, and then boiled over when a pitch came up and in on Nolan Arenado. Arenado charged the mound at reliever Yolan Lopez, which sparked a bench-clearing brawl at Busch Stadium. Mets outfielder J.D. Davis left in the top of the eighth after being hit in the left foot, and Arenado's hit was clearly retaliation. Lopez threw a 94mph fastball up and in that Arenado dodged, and then he charged the mound for the second time in his career. As for the game, Jake Woodford got the win in relief, as the Cardinals snapped a season-high three-game losing streak. The Los Angeles Angeles relied on the bat rather than the arm of Shohei Ohtani in their 9-5 home win over the Cleveland Guardians. Ohtani did get his second win by going five innings and striking out four, while adding an RBI double at the plate. Mike Trout had a pair of RBI doubles himself, as the Angels moved in to first place in the AL West at 12-7. Taylor Ward pulled his team away in the second with a grand slam, helping them move past the Seattle Mariners early on. Jose Ramirez took Ohtani deep for a two-run shot in the first, but that was the only runs they could get against him. Zach Plesac gave up the grand slam and suffered his second loss of the season. The Angels have now won four of six on their homestand and will look for their first four-game sweep of Cleveland since 1982. Other key scores saw Xander Bogaerts record four hits as the Boston Red Sox snapped their slid with a 7-1 rout of the Toronto Blue Jays. Drew Rasmussen struck out nine over six innings in the Tampa Bay Rays' 3-2 win over the Seattle Mariners. Giancarlo Stanton hit his 350th home run in the New York Yankees' 5-2 victory against the Baltimore Orioles. Bryce Harper had three hits as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Colorado Rockies again, 7-3. Chad Pinder's leadoff homer was enough as the Oakland Athletics blanked the San Francisco Giants, 1-0. And the Arizona Diamondbacks took their second straight from the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3-1.

Veteran Outfielder Jon Jay Retires

Outfielder Jon Jay retired from Major League Baseball on Wednesday, this after 12 MLB seasons. Jay does have a World Series ring, winning it with the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2011 season. He made the announcement with an Instagram post, which is very 2022 of him. He has not played since getting released by the Los Angeles Angels in March 2021. The 37-year-old was a career .283 hitter with 37 home runs, 341 RBIs, and 55 stolen bases. He spent the first six seasons with the Cardinals, but also played for the San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox, and the Angels.

Pirates' Kevin Newman to Miss 3-5 Weeks With Groin Strain

The Pittsburgh Pirates took an injury blow on Wednesday, announcing that shortstop Kevin Newman will miss three to five weeks with a groin strain. The news comes after he left yesterday's game with left groin soreness, and he was diagnosed with the strain following an MRI. He has started 13 of 17 games this season for the Pirates. With him out, Hoy Park, Diego Castillo, and Cole Tucker will fill the void at the shortstop position. Newman is hitting .250, with 12 hits, for the Pirates, who sit at 8-10 following Wednesday's loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Cardinals Pick Up Kyler Murray's Fifth-Year Option

The Arizona Cardinals are staying committed to quarterback Kyler Murray for now, picking up his fifth year option on Wednesday. The deal is for the 2023 season and is worth $29 million. Murray was the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, and was set to enter the final year of his rookie contract. That made him eligible for a contract extension, which he has been vocal about wanting. Reports from ESPN also stated that he would not play in the 2022 season without a new contract. The 24-year-old won the Rookie of The Year Award and is a two-time Pro Bowler. He helped the Cardinals to their first playoff appearance since 2015 last year.

Jaguars Give Cam Robinson Three-Year Extension

The Jacksonville Jaguars have locked in left tackle Cam Robinson, giving him a three-year contract extension worth $54 million. Robinson was set to play the 2022 season on the franchise tag for a guaranteed $16.7 million. He will now make $18 million per season through the 2024 season. The tackle was taken 34th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. He did play on the franchise tag in the 2021 season and made $13.75 million. The Jaguars are now not expected to take an offensive tackle in Thursday's NFL Draft with the top pick, making Aidan Hutchinson or Travon Walker likely to go No. 1 overall.

Heat Advance Past Hawks; Morant Wins It For Grizzlies

The Miami Heat had to go it without Jimmy Butler, but that did not stop them from moving on at home, slipping past the Atlanta Hawks in Game 5, 97-94, on Tuesday. Victor Oladipo had 23 points, while Bam Adebayo posted a double-double of 20 points and 14 rebounds. The Heat were without their star Butler due to a knee injury. Trae Young struggled again and averaged just 15.4 points per game this series on 32% shooting. He was just 2-for-12 on this night with 11 points De'Andre Hunter kept the Hawks close with 35 points, while Kevin Huerter and Danilo Gallinari added 12 points apiece. The Heat will await the winner of the Philadelphia 76ers-Toronto Raptors series to face in the second round. The Memphis Grizzlies' comeback was highlighted by Ja Morant playing hero, as his layup with just over a second to play gave them a 111-109 Game 5 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Morant's layup capped off a comeback from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter, as they took a 3-2 series lead. The Comeback Player of The Year had 30 points and 13 rebounds, and got this layup right off an inbounds play. Desmond Bane added 25 points, while Brandon Clarke came off the bench with 21 of his own. Karl-Anthony Towns had 28 points and 12 rebounds in the loss, as the T'Wolves move on to host Game 6 on Friday. Anthony Edwards stayed productive with 22 points for a T'Wolves team that led by as many as 13 on the night. They also trailed by 11 early on, as the Grizzlies jumped out to a 13-2 lead in the first before needing to rally late. One other Game 5 saw the Phoenix Suns jump ahead 3-2 with a 112-97 win over the New Orleans Pelicans behind Mikal Bridges' 31 points.

Hurricanes Win Division; Leafs' Matthews Reaches 60 Goals

The Carolina Hurricanes secured the Metropolitan Division the simplest way to do so, and that's by beating the second place team in regulation with a 4-3 victory against the New York Rangers. Vincent Trochek had a goal and an assist, as the 'Canes stayed ahead of New York with their 53rd win Rookie Pyotr Kochetkov impressed with 31 saves in net, giving the Hurricanes their fifth straight victory. Sebastion Aho, Teuvo Teravaninen, and Jordan Martinook also scored in the win. The Hurricanes have now won consecutive division titles and set franchise records with their 53 wins and 114 points. Kochetkov was making his second career start and third appearance, moving to 3-0-0 in his career. Chris Kreider did post his 52nd goal of the season for the Rangers, who have dropped two straight and three of seven. The Toronto Maple Leafs shut out the Detroit Red Wings, 3-0, on Tuesday night, but it was Auston Matthews that took the headlines. Matthews scored twice, getting to 60 goals on the season. He is just the third player in the league's salary cap era to record 60 goals in a season. His first goal came in the first period, with the second one finding the back of the net in the second. The 24-year-old had gone five games without a goal, and now joins Steven Stamkos and Alex Ovechkin to reach that number since the mid-1990's.  At one point this season, he also had a stretch of 51 goals in 50 games. The Leafs are locked in to the No. 2 seed and will face either the Boston Bruins or Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round. Other key scores saw Connor McDavid post a goal and three assists in the Edmonton Oilers' 5-1 road win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Nashville Predators clinched a playoff spot despite a 5-4 overtime loss to the Calgary Flames. The Dallas Stars got the winning goal in the seventh round of the shootout to top the Las Vegas Golden Knights, 3-2. The Colorado Avalanched tied a team record for points in a season with their 5-3 victory against the St. Louis Blues. Jake DeBrusk got the game-winner as the Boston Bruins doubled-up the Florida Panthers, 4-2. And Steven Stamkos reached 100 points for the first time to lead the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Columbus Blue Jackets, 4-1.

Rizzo Clubs Three Home Runs; Bassitt Deals as Mets Blank Cardinals

The New York Yankees' offense had a field day at Yankee Stadium Tuesday night, rolling to a 12-8 win over the Baltimore Orioles. Anthony Rizzo went deep three times in a game for the first time in his career, taking the major league lead in long balls. Aaron Judge added a home run on his birthday, while Joey Gallo finally found the seats with a homer. Luis Severino got his second win after pitching a no-hitter in to the sixth inning before Jorge Mateo ended that with a single. Rizzo now sits with eight home runs, as he snuck one in just inside the foul pole in the eighth inning for a three-homer game. Gallo's slump was at 23 games without a long ball, while Judge celebrated his 30th birthday the right way. Gleyber Torres' three-run triple added to the fun, as the Yankees scored in double figures for a second straight game. One night after a rally, there was no comeback needed for the New York Mets on Tuesday, as they shut out the St. Louis Cardinals, 3-0, on the road. Chris Bassitt threw six shutout innings, striking out six in the process, as they moved to 14-5 on the season. The Mets have now won a franchise record six straight series to start the season. Bassitt earned his sixth win, as Drew Smith, Adam Ottavino, and Edwin Diaz closed things out. Jordan Hicks allowed two runs on two hits in just two innings, but was pulled in the third after being struck in the wrist with a line drive. X-rays came back negative for Hicks, who was making his second career start. Starling Marte had two RBIs, including one on a hit by pitch, while James McCann doubled home a run in the win. Other key scores saw George Springer force extras with a blast and then Ramiel Tapia walk things off in the 10th for a 6-5 Toronto Blue Jays win over the Boston Red Sox. David Peralta's go-ahead shot in the eighth sent the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 5-3 upset of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Carlos Rondon had nine strikeouts over six innings in the San Francisco Giants' 8-2 rout of the Oakland Athletics. Mike Trout stayed hot with a long ball in the Los Angeles Angels' 4-1 home win over the Cleveland Guardians. The Seattle Mariners used a seven-run fourth to double-up the Tampa Bay Rays, 8-4. And the Kansas City Royals sent the Chicago White Sox to their eighth straight loss with a 6-0 shutout.

Braves' Eddie Rosario Out 8-12 Weeks

The Atlanta Braves will be without the pop from the bat of Eddie Rosario for a while, as he is expected to miss eight to 12 weeks to correct some vision issues. The move was announced before Tuesday's win over the Chicago Cubs. The team officially placed him on the injured list with blurred vision and swelling in his right eye. The MVP of last year's NLCS helped the Braves to their first World Series title in 26 years last season. Although, he is just 3-for-44 for an .068 average, no home runs, and one RBI this season. The swelling is coming from his right retina, and he was examined on Monday. Rosario came over from Cleveland in 2021 and re-signed with a two-year contract last off-season.

Broncos Re-Sign Melvin Gordon For One Year

The Denver Broncos are bringing back veteran running back Melvin Gordon, giving him a one-year contract on Tuesday. The two sides agreed on a deal that includes performance incentives.  He is the the third unrestricted free agent to say with Denver, joining safety Kareem Jackson and defensive tackle DeShawn Williams. The 29-year-old is expected to share carries with Javonte Williams, with Mike Boone still in the group as well. The team of course added star quarterback Russell Wilson this off-season, which was even more incentive for Gordon to stay. The eight-year veteran had 203 carries last season, leading the team with 918 rushing yards.  He missed just one season in Week 13, which was a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.  Gordon has led the Broncos in rushing each of the past two seasons, scoring 20 touchdowns in 31 games.  Over seven NFL seasons, he has compiled 6,144 rushing yards for 53 touchdowns and 284 catches for 2,244 yards and 14 scores.

Celtics Finish Sweep of Nets; Raptors Stay Alive

The mess that is the Brooklyn Nets came to an end on Monday night, as the Boston Celtics finished off their four-game sweep on the road with a 116-112 win at the Barclays Center. Jayson Tatum had 29 points before fouling out, while Jaylen Brown added 22 of his own. The Celtics become the first team to advance to the second round this season, and the only first round sweep. Marcus Smart contributed 20 points and 11 assists, as the second-seeded Celtics await the winner of the Milwaukee Bucks-Chicago Bulls series. Kevin Durant posted 39 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds for Brooklyn, who once again played without Ben Simmons. Seth Curry added 23 points, while Kyrie Irving had 20 of his own, but it was not enough. The Nets found themselves in the Play-In Tournament while Durant was hurt, Simmons never hit the floor after the James Harden trade, and Irving missed time while refusing to get vaccinated. That left them vulnerable for the Celtics to jump all over in this series, and the road team led by as many as 15 points on Monday before finishing them off. The Toronto Raptors are one step closer to history, forcing a Game 6 on Monday night with a 103-88 road upset of the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 5. Pascal Siakam had 23 points to lead his team at the Wells Fargo Center, while Precious Achiuwa added 17. The Raptors played without Fred VanVleet, who was injured in Game 4. They are looking to become the first NBA Playoff team to rally from a 3-0 series deficit and advance. Joel Embiid continued to play through a thumb injury, which he will undergo surgery for this off-season, and had 20 points and 11 rebounds on the night. James Harden continued to struggle with just 15 points on 4-of-11 shooting. Toronto has now won two straight and will host Game 6 of the series on Thursday. The other Game 5 saw Luka Doncic score 33 points as the Dallas Mavericks went ahead 3-2 with a 102-77 rout of the Utah Jazz.

Grizzlies' Ja Morant Named Most Improved Player

The Memphis Grizzlies are trying to fight past the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round, but for Monday, they got to celebrate Ja Morant being named the league's Most Improved Player. The 2020 Rookie of The Year is the first Grizzlies player to win the award, and the first to win both Rookie of The Year and Most Improved Player. Morant set career highs with 27 points per game, 5.7 rebounds per game, 1.2 steals per game, and 49.3% shooting. His scoring average went up by 19.1 points per game in the same amount of minutes. He was one of three Grizzlies to get votes for the award, joining Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. The second-seeded Grizzlies went 56-26 this season, and are tied 2-2 with the Timberwolves heading in to Game 5 on Tuesday.

Mets Rally Past Cardinals Late; Gonzalez's First HR Lifts Giants

The St. Louis Cardinals had a late-game rally wiped away by the New York Mets, who scored five times in the ninth for a 5-2 road win Monday night. Domonic Smith hustled out an infield single that scored two runs, giving the Mets the lead and a comeback win. Brandon Nimmo added insurance with a two-run blast, while Mark Canha had an RBI single. Third baseman Nolan Arenado had a rare throwing error that kept the inning alive, making all five runs unearned. Max Scherzer struck out 10 batters over seven innings and allowed just two hits. Miles Mikolas was just as good, going seven shutout innings with five strikeouts.  Trevor May got his first win despite giving up the go-ahead two-run single to Tyler O'Neill in the eighth. The San Francisco Giants wrapped up their road trip with a rare one-game series, doubling up the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday night, 4-2. Luis Gonzalez hit his first career major league home run, a two-run shot with two outs in the ninth to give his team the win. The victory gives the Giants a solid 8-3 record over their four-city road trip, which included a sweep of the Washington Nationals over the weekend. This one game was part of a makeup for a postponed series due to a lockout, as the Giants will return for a doubleheader in September. Joc Pederson smacked his sixth home run of the season, and now has three home runs and a double over the past two games. Corbin Burnes did go 6.2 shutout innings, striking out 11 and giving up just two hits. It was his second straight double-digit strikeout game, as he struck out 10 batters on April 19th against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Other key scores saw Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Matt Chapman go deep in the Toronto Blue Jays' 6-2 win over the Boston Red Sox. Bryce Harper went yard to power the Philadelphia Phillies over the Colorado Rockies, 8-2. Walker Buehler went the distance with 10 strikeouts in his first career shutout as the Los Angeles Dodgers blanked the Arizona Diamondbacks, 4-0. Taylor Ward homered twice in the Los Angeles Angels' 3-0 shutout of the Cleveland Guardians. And Marcus Semien and Corey Seager both drove home runs as the Texas Rangers topped the Houston Astros, 6-2.

DeBrincat Leads Blackhawks Over Flyers

Only one game on the NHL schedule Monday night saw the Chicago Blackhawks take care of the Philadelphia Flyers at home, 3-1. Alex DeBrincat posted his 41st goal of the season, finding the back of the net in the third period. That helped support Kevin Lankinen, who made 33 saves on the night. Jonathan Toews added a goal and an assist, as the Blackhawks won for just the fifth time in 20 games. Erik Gustafsson added a goal of his own, while Dominik Kubalik had an assist in his 200th NHL game. Kevin Hayes had the lone goal for the Flyers, who lost for the 12th time in the past 16 games.

Bengals' Tee Higgins Missing Time Following Surgery

The Cincinnati Bengals are allowing wide receiver Tee Higgins get ready for the 2022 season, as he will miss offseason workouts while recovering from shoulder surgery. The procedure took place following the Super Bowl in February, with the injury being to his left shoulder. Higgins was seen at the Cincinnati Reds home opener with a brace on his left shoulder. He is expected to sit out "a couple months" according to head coach Zac Taylor. The wideout missed games three and four of the season with a shoulder issue, but played every remaining game. The former 2020 second-round draft pick posted 74 catches for 1,091 yards and six touchdowns over 14 games. He posted four catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns in their Super Bowl loss to the Los Angeles Rams

Pelicans Even Series With Suns; Nuggets Avoid Sweep

The eighth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans were 10 games under .500 this season, but they are now tied with the top-seeded Phoenix Suns after a 118-103 Game 4 win on Sunday night. Brandon Ingram had 30 points on the night, including 16 during a big third quarter. Jonas Valanciunas added a big double-double of 26 points and 15 rebounds, as the two teams split both games on their home floors thus far. The Suns were still without Devin Booker due to his hamstring issue, which is going to keep him out until at least the next series. Chris Paul had just four points over 35 minutes to go with 11 assists and three turnovers. Deandre Ayton led the Suns in the loss with 23 points and eight rebounds, while JaVale McGee added 14 points of his own. The Pelicans outscored the Suns, 35-23, in the third quarter including Ingram making seven of his 10 shots in those 12 minutes. The series shifts back to Phoenix for Game 5 on Tuesday night. Nikola Jokic claimed after Game 4 that he felt that the Denver Nuggets did not deserve to get swept, so they didn't, as they avoided the sweep with a 126-121 home win over the Golden State Warriors. Jokic led the charge with 37 points at home, while Will Barton had the go-ahead three-pointer with 8.3 seconds to play. The Nuggets are looking to become the first team to come back from a 3-0 series deficit and win.  Teams trailing 3-0 in a best of seven series in NBA Playoff history are 0-143. Although, this is the Nuggets team that overcame consecutive 3-1 series deficits in the Orlando NBA Bubble in 2020 to beat the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers. Monte Morris added 24 points, including five makes from three-point range, all of which came in the third quarter. Aaron Gordon chipped in 21 points, and then on defense held Jordan Poole to just 11 points. Steph Curry led the Warriors with 33 points off the bench for a fourth straight game, making 13-of-23 shots. Although, Curry was just 3-for-11 from three-point range, and missed four free throws for the first time in his career. The Warriors will return to their home floor with a shot to advance again in Game 5 on Wednesday night. A couple of Game 4 routs saw the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat take 3-1 series leads with 119-95 and 110-86 blowouts of the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks respectively.

Lightning Snap Panthers' Win Streak; Leafs Top Caps in Shootout

The Tampa Bay Lightning pulled out all the stops from their offense on the road Sunday night, putting an end to the Florida Panthers' win streak with an 8-4 road upset. The Panthers saw their franchise-record winning streak end at 13 consecutive games. Nikita Kucherov had two goals and three assists, while Steven Stamkos added two goals and two assists of his own. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 37 saves for Tampa Bay, who has won three straight of their own. During their mild three-game winning streak, the Lightning have posted 22 goals. Victor Hedman chipped in four assists, while Brayden Point and Cal Foote both scored. The Lightning remain within reach of the second place spot in the Atlantic Division. That second place spot remains with the Toronto Maple Leafs for now, as they got a 4-3 shootout win over the Washington Capitals on Sunday. Alexander Kerfoot got the winning goal in the seventh round of the shootout, as the Leafs took advantage of the home team suffering a big loss. The Caps lost star Alex Ovechkin to an injury early in the third period, as he was ruled out with an upper-body injury. His status remains uncertain after he went crashing in to the boards. The Caps blew a two-goal lead, but still got to 100 points on the night, although, could not move in to third place in the Metropolitan Division. They remain behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for third place with three games remaining. Ilya Mikheyev scored in the third, followed by Jason Spezza tying it for the Leafs with 57.3 seconds to play. Erik Kallgren made 34 saves over regulation and overtime, and then earned his first NHL shootout win. Other key scores saw Noah Cotes post two goals and an assist as the Philadelphia Flyers downed the Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-1. Adam Lowry, Blake Wheeler, and Kyle Connor all scored as the Winnipeg Jets sent the Colorado Avalanche to their fourth straight loss, 4-1. Nick Blankenburg's first NHL goal highlighted the Columbus Blue Jackets' 5-2 upset of the Edmonton Oilers. Dmitry Kulikov scored with 1.3 seconds left in overtime to lift the Minnesota Wild past the Nashville Predators, 5-4. Erik Haula scored twice in the Boston Bruins' 5-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Max Domi's go-ahead tally led the Carolina Hurricanes' to their fourth straight win, 5-2, over the New York Islanders. The St. Louis Blues spoiled Ryan Getzlaf's final home game with a 6-3 road win against the Anaheim Ducks. And the Las Vegas Golden Knights blew a two-goal lead and then fell to the San Jose Sharks in a shootout, 5-4.

Twins, Astros Win on Walk-Off Long Balls

Two teams won in thrilling fashion in extras on Sunday, including the Minnesota Twins sweeping away the Chicago White Sox with a 6-4 win at home. Byron Buxton won the game with a 469-foot long ball, a three-run shot, in the 10th. The game-winner was his second homer of the game, helping the Twins overcome a 10th-inning deficit.  The White Sox have now dropped seven straight games, falling three games under .500 early on in the season. Yasmani Grandal had the go-ahead RBI single for the White Sox in the top half of the 10th. Liam Hendriks surrendered that lead for his second loss of the season. Buxton sent it to the second deck in left field for his third walk-off hit, and his first since September 5th, 2020. The potential MVP candidate Buxton is hitting .351 with six home runs and 11 RBIs. The Houston Astros mirrored that type of win, as Jeremy Pena sent them to a big 8-7 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in 10 innings. Pena went deep to dead center field for a two-run shot, helping his team erase a 7-6 deficit in the 10th. The rookie's game-winner helped the Astros snap their four-game skid, as well as the Blue Jays' four-game winning streak. Jordan Romano had the blown save for his first loss, this after he had converted a franchise-record 31 straight saves. The Blue Jays' closer leads the league with eight saves, but it was his first blown save since April 8th, 2021. Michael Brantley had a three-run shot in the Astros' win, while Blake Taylor earned his first victory on the mound. Zack Collins and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. both had long balls for the Jays, who are tied atop the AL East at 10-6. Other key scores saw Jesse Winker's single in the 12th give the Seattle Mariners a 5-4 walk-off win over the Kansas City Royals. Christian Yelich's sacrifice fly in the ninth was the difference as the Milwaukee Brewers shut out the Philadelphia Phillies, 1-0. Cody Bellinger homered twice in the Los Angeles Dodgers' 10-2 rout of the San Diego Padres. Gerrit Cole had nine strikeouts over 6.2 innings as the New York Yankees blew past the Cleveland Guardians, 10-2. Tylor Megill pitched in to the seventh with seven strikeouts as the New York Mets topped the Arizona Diamondbacks, 6-2. And the Cincinnati Reds snapped their 11-game skid with a 4-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

White Sox's Eloy Jimenez Out 6-8 Weeks

The Chicago White Sox are in the midst of their first slump of the season, and it got worse on Saturday with a 9-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins, and they lost outfielder Eloy Jimenez. Jimenez was carted off at Target Field with a hamstring injury, and will miss six to eight weeks with a right hamstring strain. The injury occurred while he was attempting to beat out a ground ball at first base. The team will provide a further update on Tuesday when they kick off a seven-game homestand, but they are not expecting this to be season-ending. The outfielder played in just 55 games last season due to a ruptured left pectoral tendon. Through 11 games this season, he was hitting .222 with one home run and seven RBIs.

Free Agent Michael Conforto Undergoes Surgery

Free agent outfielder Michael Conforto is working on getting healthy, as he underwent shoulder surgery this past week. The goal is for the 29-year-old to be ready to go for the 2023 season. He spent the first seven years of his career with the New York Mets, but he turned down an $18.4 million qualifying offer from them last November. Conforto reportedly got injured while training in January during baseball's lockout. The former All-Star in 2017 hit .232 last season with 14 home runs and 55 RBIs over 125 games. The outfielder did miss time early in the season with a hamstring injury. The former 10th overall draft pick is a career .255 hitter with 132 home runs and 396 RBIs.

Giants' Mike Yastremski Lands on COVID IL

The COVID injured list is still a thing in Major League Baseball, and the San Francisco Giants had to use it on Sunday, placing outfielder Mike Yastrzemski on there. The team did not add anyone to the roster for Sunday's blowout of the Washington Nationals, as this was announced right before the series finale on Sunday afternoon. They could add a 28th player to their roster before their road series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday. Yastrzemski is the first Giants player to test positive for COVID-19 this season, and is out for 10 days. He can return sooner if he provides two negative tests. The 31-year-old is hitting .267 with a home run and three RBIs this season.

Bears' Byron Pringle Arrested For Reckless Driving

New Chicago Bears wide receiver Byron Pringle is not making the best first impression, as he was arrested on Saturday by Florida Highway Patrol. The 28-year-old was charged with reckless driving with a suspended license. This came about after police pulled him over for doing donuts on a public road. Reports say that there was an adult passenger and a male juvenile child in the left rear seat. The license was suspended since February 10th for financial responsibility. He was placed under arrested around 6:15pm EST on Saturday and was "verbally confrontational." The Bears signed Pringle as a free agent last month with a one-year, $4.125 million contract.

Gobert's Jam Helps Jazz Spoil Luka's Return; Celtics Go Up 3-0 on Nets

The Utah Jazz played spoiler to the return of Luka Doncic for the Dallas Mavericks, tying their first round series at two-apiece with a 100-99 home win on Saturday afternoon. Rudy Gobert had the go-ahead dunk with 11 seconds left, as the two teams have now split the home games on both floors. Spencer Dinwiddie missed a three-pointer at the buzzer to seal the fate heading in to Game 5 on Monday night. Jordan Clarkson led the Jazz with 25 points, while Donovan Mitchell added 23 points and seven assists. Gobert finished with 17 points and 15 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive glass. Doncic returned for the Mavs for the first time this series and posted 30 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists. Jalen Brunson chipped in 23 points, and Dorian Finney-Smith, Dwight Powell, and Reggie Bullock all had 11 apiece. The Boston Celtics are now one win away from sweeping away the "mighty" Brooklyn Nets, impressing again on the road in Game 3 on Saturday with a 109-103 victory. Jayson Tatum had 39 points, while Jaylen Brown added 23, giving the Celtics a 3-0 series lead at the Barclays Center. The Celtics' defense came in clutch in this one, forcing 21 turnovers, which led to 37 points.  Tatum recorded six of the team's 13 steals in the win. Kevin Durant had just 16 points, while taking only 11 shots, while adding eight rebounds and eight assists. Kyrie Irving didn't add much else, finishing with 16 points of his own. The Nets are expected to debut Ben Simmons for Game 4 on Monday night, but that being enough to overcome a 3-0 deficit, which no one has in NBA Playoff history, seems unlikely. Other Game 4 scores saw Karl-Anthony Towns rebound with 33 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves evened the series at two-apiece with a 119-118 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. And Pascal Siakam posted a playoff career-high 34 points as the Toronto Raptors avoided a sweep with a 110-102 victory against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Raptors' Scottie Barnes Takes Home Rookie of The Year

Before the Toronto Raptors hosted the Philadelphia 76ers for Game 4 on Saturday afternoon, they got the news that forward Scottie Barnes was named the NBA's Rookie of The Year. Barnes edged Cleveland Cavaliers' Evan Mobley and Detroit Pistons' Cade Cunningham for the award. There was only a 15-point difference between Barnes and Mobley, marking the smallest gap in over 20 seasons. The rookie did return to the floor for Game 4 after missing Games 2 and 3 with a sprained left ankle. The award winner received 48 first-place votes and 358 points overall, while Mobley had 43 first-place ballots. The fifth overall pick out of Florida State averaged 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.08 steals, 0.74 blocks, and 35.4 minutes over 74 games for the Raptors. He led all rookies in minutes, ranked third in points and rebounds, and fifth in assists, steals, and blocks. The fact that his team made the Playoffs, while the Cavs and Pistons were left out played a big role in this as well.

Panthers Win 13th Straight in OT; Pastrnak Leads Bruins Over Rangers

The Florida Panthers set a franchise record with their 13th straight win on Saturday night, needing overtime to earn a 3-2 home victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Brandon Montour scored 2:26 in to overtime, giving the Panthers the longest winning streak of the season in the league. It is the NHL's longest winning streak overall since the Columbus Blue Jackets won 16 straight in the 2016-2017 season. The victory also gives interim coach Andrew Brunette his 50th win in 71 games with the team. Claude Giroux had a goal and two assists, while Aleksander Barkov added a goal and an assist. Sergei Bobrovsky made 34 saves on the night in the Panthers' 57th win of the season. Justin Holl and Mitch Marner scored for the Leafs, who got 32 saves from Jack Campbell. David Pastrnak's 39th goal of the season powered the Boston Bruins at home for a 3-1 win over the New York Rangers. Pastrnak's tally gives him the team lead, as he also added an assist after missing eight games with an undisclosed injury. Taylor Hall and Trent Frederic both scored for the Bruins as well. All of that supported Linus Ullmark, who made 30 stops in the Bruins' 48th win for their 101st point. The Bruins had lost four of their previous six games coming in to play. Mika Zibanejad had his 29th goal of the year for the Rangers, but they suffered their 22nd loss in regulation. Igor Shesterkin had 32 saves of his own, but New York fell behind the Carolina Hurricanes for first place in the Metropolitan Division. Other key scores saw the Tampa Bay Lightning get six goals from six players in a 6-2 rout of the Nashville Predators. Seth Jarvis scored in overtime as the Carolina Hurricanes won their third straight, 3-2, over the New Jersey Devils. Evgeni Malkin scored twice as the Pittsburgh Penguins skated past the Detroit Red Wings, 7-2. Dillon Dube's two goals helped the Calgary Flames double-up the Vancouver Canucks, 6-3. The St. Louis Blues blew a big lead and then won in overtime, 5-4, against the Arizona Coyotes. Roope Hintz scored twice to lift the Dallas Stars over the Seattle Kraken, 3-2. And Alexander Edler's tiebreaking goal gave the Los Angeles Kings a 4-2 home win against the Anaheim Ducks.

Miguel Cabrera Reaches 3,000; Rays No-Hit Red Sox, Walk-Off in Extras

Miguel Cabrera finally reached the history he wanted to get out of the way, recording his 3,000th career hit in the Detroit Tigers' 13-0 shutout of the Colorado Rockies on Saturday afternoon. Cabrera singled off of Antonio Senzatela in the first inning, becoming the 33rd player to reach that feat. Of those 33, he is one of just seven that has also hit 500 home runs, but one of three players to also hit .300. He is just one of three Detroit Tigers to get to 3,000 hits, joining Ty Cobb and Al Kaline. The former Triple Crown and two-time MVP is also the seventh foreign-born player to achieve this, and the first Venezuelan. Cabrera ended up scoring on a Spencer Torkelson three-run home run in the first inning, and added a two-run single later in the day.​ The Tampa Bay Rays no-hit the Boston Red Sox through nine innings, but that was not enough, as they needed extras to walk off for a 3-2 home win on Saturday. Kevin Kiermaier capped off a three-run 10th with a walk-off two-run home run, the first walk-off shot of his career. The Rays had a combined no-hitter through nine innings, but with the game scoreless, they still had work to do. Matt Wissler gave up the first hit, which was an RBI triple to Bobby Dalbec, which gave the Red Sox the lead. Christian Vazquez added a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead. Despite the Red Sox having no hits after nine innings, Major League Baseball doesn't record it as a no-hitter until the game is over and there is no hits allowed. Hansel Robles took the loss for the Red Sox, as Randy Arozarena scored on an error before Kiermaier's blast. Other key scores saw Gleyber Torres' walk-off RBI single give the New York Yankees a 5-4 win, but everyone is talking about the classless fans that were throwing debris at Guardians' outfielders, which caused an altercation immediately after the game. The San Diego Padres snapped their 10-game skid against the Los Angeles Dodgers, walking off in the 10th for a 3-2 win. Mike Trout homered twice, but the Los Angeles Angels fell to the Baltimore Orioles, 5-4. Ty France had five hits and five RBIs in the Seattle Mariners' 13-7 rout of the Kansas City Royals. Jazz Chisolm recorded four hits and fell short of the cycle as the Miami Marlins topped the Atlanta Braves, 9-7. George Springer had a leadoff home run against his former team as the Toronto Blue Jays edged the Houston Astros, 3-2. And the Chicago Cubs drove home 21 runs, including five RBIs for Alfonso Rivas, in a 21-0 shutout of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Orioles' John Means Needs Tommy John Surgery

The Baltimore Orioles did not get the news they were hoping for with Opening Day starter John Means, who needs Tommy John Surgery as of Saturday. The news came before their game against the Los Angeles Angels Saturday night. Means updated his fans on social media, this after going on the 10-day injured list on April 15th. The team will transfer him to the 60-day injured list on Sunday. The 28-year-old made two starts this season, posting a 3.38 ERA over eight innings. The former All-Star in 2019 went 6-9 with a 3.62 ERA last season. His shining moment thus far was throwing a no-hitter against the Seattle Mariners on May 5th, which was nearly a perfect game if it weren't for a wild pitch on strike three.

Young's Late Shot Lifts Hawks; Suns Win Without Booker

Trae Young had another slow start in this year's NBA Playoffs, but he got hot when it mattered most and sent the Atlanta Hawks to a 111-110 Game 3 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night. Young drove and hit the game-winning floater with 4.4 seconds to play, as the Hawks now trail the first round series, 2-1. The winning basket helped the Hawks overcome a 16-point deficit, including being down 14 in the fourth. Jimmy Butler missed the potential game-winning jumper at the buzzer to seal the result. Miami went on a 21-0 run in the third quarter, giving the Heat an 84-68 lead on the road. Although, Miami did lose Kyle Lowry to a leg injury, and the Hawks then got hot down the stretch. The Hawks' star Young had 24 points, while Bogdan Bogdanovic added 18 and DeAndre Hunter had 17. Butler was coming off a 45-point Game 2 and had 20 in his defeat, as Tyler Herro led the road team with 24 points. The Phoenix Suns played their first game without Devin Booker on Friday night, and that did not stop them from taking a 2-1 series lead with a 114-111 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Chris Paul had 28 points, including 19 in the fourth quarter, as the Suns went on the road to take this Game 3. DeAndre Ayton had a dominant double-double with 28 points and 17 rebounds. Paul added 14 assists on the night and scored 15 of the Suns' first 23 points in the fourth quarter. Mikal Bridges had 17 points, while JaVale McGee was an efficient 7-for-8 from the floor for 15 points. Brandon Ingram led the Pelicans with 34 points and CJ McCollum had 30 in the loss. The Pelicans will host Game 4 of the series on Sunday night. The only other Game 3 saw the Milwaukee Bucks trounce the Chicago Bulls, 111-81, on the road to take a 2-1 series lead.

Hornets Fire Head Coach James Borrego

The Charlotte Hornets have been a fun team to watch over the past two seasons, but no accomplishments came of that, which led to them firing head coach James Borrego on Friday. The team makes the move after four seasons with Borrego, with the last three being him moving on from Kemba Walker leaving in 2019. Borrego went 138-163 over four seasons with the team. He did see 10-win improvements over the past three seasons, from 23 to 33 to 43 victories this season. The 44-year-old saw the likes of Miles Bridges, LaMelo Ball, and Devonte' Graham emerge in to All-Star caliber players. The coach led the Hornets to the Play-In Tournament this season, where they were blown out by the Atlanta Hawks, 132-103. It was the second year in a row that the Hornets lost their first Play-In Tournament game as a 10-seed.

Oilers Clinch Playoff Spot With Win Over Avs

The Edmonton Oilers still had a lot to play for at home Friday night, and that fueled them in a big 6-3 upset of the first place Colorado Avalanche. The win clinches the Oilers a playoff spot in the West, as the sit in second place in the Pacific Division. Evander Kane had three goals and an assist on Friday, recording his fourth career hat trick. Star Connor McDavid contributed three assists, while Evan Bouchar, Kailer Yamamoto, and Kris Russell all socred for the Oilers. Edmonton has now won four in a row and are 12-0-1 over their past 13 home games. Mike Smith made 34 saves in net for the Avs, giving up two goals to Valeri Nichushkin and another to Nathan MacKinnon. Kane remains red hot since joining the Oilers mid-season, posting 20 goals over 39 games with them. Other key scores saw Kirill Kaprizo become the first player in Wild franchise history with at least 100 points in a season as they beat the Seattle Kraken, 6-3. Vitek Vanecek made 19 saves in his fourth shutout of the season as the Washington Capitals blanked the Arizona Coyotes, 2-0. And Tim Stutzle scored in the shootout to give the Ottawa Senators a 2-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Golden Knights' Robin Lehner Done For Season

The Las Vegas Golden Knights are falling out of the playoff conversation, and now their goalie depth was affect on Friday, as they are without Robin Lehner for the rest of the season. Lehner is undergoing season-ending surgery for a lower-body injury. The injury occurred on March 8th against the Philadelphia Flyers. He left the team's road trip at the time for more testing and missed several games. The goalie returned on April 3rd, going 2-2-1 with a 3.21 goals against average and an .889 save percentage. The team was forced to pull him after the first period on Wednesday against the Washington Capitals, this after allowing one goal on 13 shots. He has also dealt with a shoulder injury throughout this season. Logan Thompson will be the starting goalie moving forward for Vegas, who is two points out of a playoff spot with four games remaining.

Dodgers Win 10th Straight Over Padres; Chapman Comes up Clutch For Jays

The Los Angeles Dodgers kept the number that they have on their division rivals San Diego Padres, rolling to a 6-1 road win on Friday night. Mookie Betts and Max Muncy both went deep in the Dodgers' 10th straight win over the Padres. Betts had two long balls on the night, while Muncy drove home three runs in their 10th win of the season. The two home runs was the first two of Betts' season in his 20th multihomer game, as he was hitting .178 coming in to play. The Dodgers started this winning streak against the Padres on August 24th and have outscored them, 57-23, in that span. Julio Urias got his first win of the season, lasting five inning and combining with five relievers to throw a four-hitter. Matt Chapman came up big for the Toronto Blue Jays on the road, as they sent the Houston Astros under .500 with a 4-3 victory Friday night. Chapman had the go-ahead RBI double with two outs in the ninth, scoring Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the winning run. Hector Neris gave up the double in the ninth, getting his first loss, as the Astros dropped their third straight, all at home. The Astros got two singles in the ninth, but stranded runners at the corners with strikeouts to Jason Castro and J.J. Matijevic.  Jordan Romano earned his eighth save of the season in the Blue Jays' ninth win. Justin Verlander made his first start against the Blue Jays since no-hitting them in 2019, giving up three runs on four hits over six innings. He kept the Jays hitless until the fourth, struck out five batters, and walked one. Other key scores saw Aaron Judge homered twice in the New York Yankees' 4-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians. The Chicago White Sox continued to struggled with errors in a 2-1 upset loss to the Minnesota Twins. Xander Bogaerts' three hits led the Boston Red Sox over the Tampa Bay Rays, 4-3. The Philadelphia Phllies snapped their four-game losing streak with a 4-2 home win against the Milwaukee Brewers. Starling Marte scored the winning run in the 10th as the New York Mets edged the Arizona Diamondbacks, 6-5. And Julio Rodriguez and Jarred Kelenci each drove home two runs in as the Seattle Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals, 4-1.

Dodgers' Treinen, Giants' Desclafani Land on Injured List

Two National League West teams took an injury hit to their pitching staff on Friday, including the Los Angeles Dodgers ending Blake Treinen to the injured list with shoulder discomfort. The Dodgers' setup man was placed on the injured list before Friday's game against the San Diego Padres. The severity of the injury is not yet known, as the 33-year-old was originally going to take a few days off to rest. Over the past two seasons, he has a 2.48 ERA in 99 appearances, but will not be able to return from the IL until next Friday. He last pitched on April 14th, and with him out, the likes of Daniel Hudson, Brusdar Graterol, and Alex Vesia will take over the setup role. The San Francisco Giants made a similar move, sending right-handed pitcher Anthony DeSclafani on the injured list with ankle inflammation. Manager Gabe Kapler made the announcement before their 7-1 win over the Washington Nationals on Friday. DeSclafani allowed five runs on nine hits over five innings to the New York Mets on Thursday. He is expected to undergo an MRI on Monday. For the 2022 season, he is off to an 0-1 start with a 6.08 ERA. In addition to that, the Giants sent Steven Duggar to the 60-day injured list with a left oblique strain.

Cubs Place Clint Frazier on IL

The Chicago Cubs placed outfielder Clint Frazier on the injured list on Friday after he underwent surgery for appendicitis. The 27-year-old has appeared in 10 games this season for the Cubs, He signed with the team last winter in free agency. Frazier was the fifth overall pick by the New York Yankees in 2013, but he dealt with injuries throughout his entire time with the team. Over 238 career games, he has a .753 OPS, but is hitting just .143 over 21 at-bats this season.

White Sox's Tim Anderson Suspended For Flipping Off Fans

Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson took the Kyrie Irving rout of dealing with fan criticism on Wednesday, and now he is receiving the punishment, as he was suspended on Friday. Anderson was seen flipping off fans in Cleveland during their game against the Cleveland Guardians. He is appealing the ban is and will play until it's resolved, as he was in the lineup for their 2-1 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Friday. Anderson made three errors in the first two innings of the White Sox's 11-1 loss to the Guardians, and then went on to make his sixth error in three games on Friday. The 28-year-old was clearly frustrated but claims to have apologized for his actions. The shortstop had just 10 errors all of last season, so this is not familiar territory. He is hitting .300 with one home run and five RBIs this season, and is coming off a season that saw him make his first All-Star team.

NFL Adding to Christmas Day Schedule

The National Football League is adding to their Christmas Day schedule, especially with this year's falling on a Sunday.  The league will have three games on Christmas for the first time, two in the afternoon, and one at night. CBS and FOX will host the afternoon games, with NBC taking on the night game NFL vice president of broadcasting Mike North made the announcement on Friday on WGR Radio with Sal Capaccio. It is the third straight year that the league had games on Christmas, as they had two this past season. This also changed up the rest of the weekend, with eleven games coming on December 24th and then a Monday Night game on December 26th. There have been 24 games played on Christmas, including two playoff games in 1971.

Grizzlies Rally For Series Lead; Warriors Go Up 3-0 on Nuggets

The Memphis Grizzlies stunned the Minneapolis crowd in Game 3 on Thursday night, rallying from a 26-point deficit to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, 104-95. Desmond Bane led the comeback with 26 points, including seven makes from three-point range. Brandon Clarke added 20 points of his own, with 16 of them coming in the second half.  Ja Morant wasn't as flashy in this one, but still posted a triple-double of 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. The T'Wolves were led by D'Angelo Russell's 22 points and eight assists, helping them build their biggest lead by the second quarter. The comeback gives the Grizzlies a 2-1 series lead and they will stay on the road for Game 4 on Saturday night. The Golden State Warriors to their new big three yet again on Thursday, going up 3-0 in the series with a 118-113 win over the Denver Nuggets. Steph Curry and Jordan Poole scored 27 points apiece, while Klay Thompson added 26. Thompson made six shots from three-point range, while Andrew Wiggins had the go-ahead three in the fourth. NBA teams down 3-0 in NBA Playoff history is a combined 0-143 all time. Nikola Jokic had 37 points and 18 rebounds in the Nuggets' seventh straight playoff loss. Aaron Gordon added 18 for a Nuggets team that had lost by an average of 16 points per game in their past six postseason games. The other Game 3 saw Jalen Brunson stay hot with 31 points as the Dallas Mavericks took a 2-1 series lead with a 126-118 road win over the Utah Jazz.

Suns' Devin Booker Has Grade 1 Hamstring Strain

The Phoenix Suns will be without star Devin Booker for longer than expected, as the guard was diagnosed with a Grade 1 hamstring strain on Thursday. The team expects him to miss two to three weeks of action, this after he was suppose to just miss Games 3 and 4 of their first round series. This news comes after he underwent an MRI, this following an early exit to their Game 2 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. He appeared to have suffered the injury in the third quarter while challenging a dunk by Jaxson Hayes. The star has dealt with hamstring issues over the past two seasons, including playing through the injury during last year's NBA Finals. The Suns were 8-6 without him this season, and Game 3 is in New Orleans on Friday.

Bucks' Khris Middleton Out For Rest of First Round Series

The Milwaukee Bucks will have to fend off the Chicago Bulls without Khris Middleton in the first round, as he is expected to miss the remainder of the series with a left knee injury. Middleton was diagnosed with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee on Thursday. He is expected to be reevaluated in two weeks, this after undergoing an MRI. The injury occurred in their Game 2 loss to the Bulls, as he went down in the fourth quarter at home. The Bucks will miss him, as they are 86-34 with Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jrue Holiday play together. Although, they did outscore opponents by 7.8 points per 100 possessions without Middleton this season. The three-time All*Stars posted 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists this season. The Bucks and Bulls are tied up at one-apiece heading in to Game 3 on Friday night.

Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren Enters NBA Draft

The projected top overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft has officially entered his name in the hat, as Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren entered the NBA Draft on Thursday. The No. 1 prospect is expected to go number one overall on June 23rd thanks to his three-point shooting and shot blocking abilities. The 19-year-old averaged 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks per game for the Bulldogs last season. He shot 60% from the floor and 39% from three-point range for the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Penguins Move in to Third Place; Stamkos Becomes TB Leading Scorer

The Pittsburgh Penguins shifted themselves in to third place on Thursday night with a 4-0 shutout of the Boston Bruins. Casey DeSmith got the start in place for injured starter Tristan Jarry and made a career-high 52 saves on their home ice. He was supported by Jake Guentzel posting a hat trick in their 44th win of the season. Guentzel finished off the hat trick with an empty netter, his 40th goal of the season. The win moves the Penguins past the Washington Capitals for third place in the Metropoltian Division. They are also now tied up with the Bruins at 99 points. The Bruins' loss helped the Tampa Bay Lightning extend their third place lead in the Atlantic Division with an 8-1 rout of the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Steven Stamkos netted his 34th goal of the season, becoming the Lightning's all time leading scorer in franchise history. The former first overall pick in the 2008 NHL Draft has 365 goals and 588 assists for 954 career points. He moved past Martin St. Louis in franchise history, scoring on an assist from Nikita Kucherov, who got his 600th career point. Alex Killorn, Ondrej Palat, and Ross Colton all had three points, with Colton and Killorn scoring two apiece. The Lightning also got the 10th goal of the season from Pat Maroon, as they set a season high in goals scored. Andrei Vasilevskiy got his first win in seven starts after making 35 saves in their 47th win. Other key scores saw Chris Tanev score the go-ahead goal as the Calgary Flames clinched the Pacific Division by doubling up the Dallas Stars, 4-2. Kevin Fiala scored twice and the Minnesota Wild secured second place in the Central with a 6-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Andrew Copp scored three in the first period as the New York Rangers skated past the New York Islanders, 6-3. They stayed ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes, who rallied past the Winnipeg Jets, 4-2. And the Florida Panthers clinched the best record in the East with their 12th straight win, 5-2, over the Detroit Red Wings.

Mets First to 10 Victories; Yankees Rob Cabrera of Chance at 3,000

The New York Mets are off to a solid start this season, becoming the first team to 10 victories on Thursday afternoon with a 6-2 win over the San Francisco Giants. Carlos Carrasco pitched in to the eighth inning and struck out seven on the night. Eduardo Escobar got his first home run with the Mets, while Francisco Lindor also went deep. The Mets took three of four from the Giants this series, sitting atop the NL East at 10-4. Carrasco got his first win as he allowed just four hits and walked none. It was his longest start since he went 7.2 innings for the Cleveland Indians on May 4th, 2019. At one point, the starter retired 18 batters in a row after Thairo Estrada had an RBI single in the second. The Detroit Tigers avoided the sweep on Thursday afternoon with their first shutout of the season, blanking the New York Yankees, 3-0, but that's not what fans are talking about. Instead, fans are clamoring over the fact that the Yankees intentionally walked Miguel Cabrera in the eighth inning, despite him being one hit away from 3,000 for his career. The situation made sense, as it set up a lefty-lefty matchup with the bases loaded, although, Austin Meadows made them pay with a two-run double. Cabrera went 0-for-3 on the day with two strikeouts, this after recording three hits on Wednesday to inch closer to the feat. Michael Pineda was solid in his Tigers debut, going five scoreless innings to get the win. Robbie Grossman had three hits and an RBI on the day, but the crowd of 21,529 was waiting for number 3,000, and they'll have to wait at least one more night. Other key scores saw Kevin Gausman go eight innings and strike out eight as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Boston Red Sox, 3-2. Josh Naylor had two hits and an RBI to power the Cleveland Guardians to a 6-3 victory against the Chicago White Sox, and a series sweep. Pablo Lopez threw seven shutout innings and struck out nine as the Miami Marlins blanked the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-0.

Dodgers' Trevor Bauer Has Leave Extended

And we continue to move along with this Trevor Bauer situation, as the Los Angeles Dodgers starter had his administrative leave extended to at least April 29th on Thursday.  The Player's Association and Major League Baseball were the ones to make this call. He was placed on seven days paid leave on July 2nd under the sexual assault and domestic violence policies. There has been multiple extensions since then. Bauer has not pitched since June 29th, 2021. At the time, he had gone 8-2 with a 2.59 ERA over 17 appearances in his first season with the Dodgers. This came after he received a three-year, $102 million deal with the team. He was paid the $28 million of his salary for the 2021 season. The former Cy Young winner has denied that he has ever abused the woman accusing him. The incident allegedly took place in February 2021, but Los Angeles prosecutors have declined to pursue charges.

Rangers Place Jon Gray on IL

The Texas Rangers are sending starting pitcher Jon Grady to the injured list with a left knee sprain as of Thursday. Gray is expected to miss at least one start and will not officially go on the injured list until Friday. The injury occurred during his start against the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night. That was his second start, coming off the injured list after missing time with a blister on his right middle finger. Rangers manager Chris Young said an MRI showed the sprain. Gray claims the injured occurred on the first pitch of the night, but he still went five innings. Texas gave Gray a four-year, $56 million contract in the off-season, but he is 0-1 with a 7.00 ERA so far this year.

Embiid's Late Shot Gives Sixers 3-0 Lead; Celtics Go Up 2-0

The Philadelphia 76ers had the best kind of deja vu in Toronto on Wednesday night, going up 3-0 in their first round series with a 104-101 overtime win over the Toronto Raptors. Joel Embiid had the go-ahead three-pointer with 0.8 seconds to play, getting back at the Raptors for their Game 7 buzzer beat against them in 2019. Embiid finished with 33 points and 13 rebounds, helping his team rally from a 17-point deficit. James Harden added 19 points and 10 assists before fouling out in regulation. Tyrese Maxey chipped in 19 points, while Tobias Harris had 11 points and 12 rebounds on the night. O.G. Anunoby had 26 points and Gary Trent Jr. added 24, but that was not enough to cut in to their series deficit. Toronto has a lot of work to do as they get set to host Game 4 on Saturday. The Boston Celtics rallied in the fourth quarter to go up 2-0 in their first round series with a 114-107 victory against the Brooklyn Nets.  Jaylen Brown had 22 points, including 10 in the final 12 minutes, helping the Celtics rally from a 17-point deficit of their own. Jayson Tatum chipped in 19 points, Al Horford had 16, Daniel Theis scored 15, and Payton Pritchard had 10, including eight in the fourth. The late push helped overcome Kevin Durant's 27 points, although, he did struggle at 4-for-17 shooting. Durant and Kyrie Irving were held to a combined 1-for-17 shooting in the second half. Bruce Brown had 23 points and Seth Curry scored 16 in their second straight loss at the TD Garden. The series shifts to the Barclays Center for Game 3 on Saturday night. The other Eastern Conference First Round action from Wednesday saw DeMar DeRozan post 41 points as the Chicago Bulls even their first round series with a 114-110 road win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Suns to Be Without Booker For Two Games

The Phoenix Suns are coming off a home loss heading on the road in the first round, and now they will be without star Devin Booker for at least Games 3 and 4. Booker is expected to miss two games with a mild right hamstring strain, which was suffered in Game 2 of the series. This news comes after he underwent an MRI, this following an early exit to their Game 2 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. He appeared to have suffered the injury in the third quarter while challenging a dunk by Jaxson Hayes. The star has dealt with hamstring issues over the past two seasons, including playing through the injury during last year's NBA Finals. The Suns were 8-6 without him this season, and Game 3 is in New Orleans on Friday.

Villanova's Jay Wright Announces Retirement

The Villanova Wildcats men's basketball team got a sudden coaching change on Wednesday evening, as head coach Jay Wright announced his retirement from the game. This comes just weeks after he led the team to the Final Four in this year's NCAA Tournament, which was won by the Kansas Jayhawks. The 60-year-old Wright has coached the Wildcats since 2001, winning two National Championships in that time. Those titles came in came in 2016 and 2018, as he also made four Final Four appearances. Wright took home the Naismith Coach of The Year Award in 2006 and 2016, and was inducted in to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021. Fordham's Kyle Neptune will take over as the team's head coach, this after serving 10 seasons under Wright as the video coordinator and assistant coach. The 37-year-old Neptune coached the Fordham Rams to a 16-16 record in his lone season, which was a 14-win improvement for them.

Duke's Banchero Enters Draft; Kentucky's Tshibwe Staying

The Duke Blue Devils star freshman Paolo Banchero has made the decision to enter the NBA Draft, doing so on Wednesday. Banchero made the announcement on social media and plans to hire an agent. The Associated Press ranks him as the No. 2 draft prospect going in to June's event. The star averaged 17.2 points and 7.8 rebounds over 39 games this past season. He reached the 20-point mark 15 times, and failed to reach double figures just twice. The freshman joins Mark Williams as two top Duke players to enter the Draft. One player that is not entering the draft is Kentucky Wildcats star Oscar Tshiebwe, who announced on Wednesday that he is returning to the school next season. Tshiebwe made the announcement on SportsCenter, and says he is looking to improve his NBA Draft stock. This news comes after he took home the Wooden Award last season. He is the first player to win that award and then return the following season since North Carolina's Tyler Hansborough did it in 2008. During his first season at Kentucky, he posted 28 double-doubles, including 16 straight, and averaged 17.1 points and 15.1 rebounds. The forward transferred to Kentucky midway through the 2020-2021 season from West Virginia and became the first Wildcat to win the Wooden Award since Anthony Davis in 2012.

McDavid Leads Oilers Over Stars; Theodore, Knights Win in OT

The Edmonton Oilers inched closer to a Stanley Cup Playoff spot on Wednesday night, taking care of the Dallas Stars at home, 5-2. Connor McDavid led the charge with a goal and two assists, powering Edmonton to their third straight win. Evander Kane, Derek Ryan, Zach Hyman , and Jesse Poljujarvi all scored for the Oilers. The Oilers continue to take care of home ice, improving to 11-0-1 in their past 12 home games. Evan Bouchard added two assists, while Mike Smith made 34 saves for the second place team. Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz scored for the Stars, who have dropped three of their past four games. The Las Vegas Golden Knights helped their Wild Card chances at home, topping the Washington Capitals, 4-3, in overtime. Shea Theodore scored 2:09 in to overtime, beating Caps goaltender Ilya Samsonov. The Knights now sit with 89 points and are two points back of the Dallas Stars for the second Wild Card spot. They also sit three points behind the Los Angeles Kings for third place in the Pacific Division. Alec Martinez, Evgenii Dadonov, and Chandler Stephenson all scored for the Knights. Robin Lehner made 12 saves in the first period but did not return, as Logan Thompson went on to make 13 saves over the final two periods. Thompson did not face a shot in overtime, but gave up two goals to Alex Ovechkin. The Knights snapped a mild two-game losing streak, where they scored just twice in that span. Other key scores saw Philliip Grubauer make 25 saves as the Seattle Kraken upset the Colorado Avalanche, 3-2. And Alex DeBrincat's 40th goal of the season gave the Chicago Blackhawks a 4-3 overtime win over the Arizona Coyotes.

Ohtani Deals For Angels; Freeman Homers Against Braves Again

Shohei Ohtani was so good on the road Wednesday night that he had the opposing team's fans rooting for him as the Los Angeles Angels blanked the Houston Astros, 6-0. Ohtani took a perfect game in to the sixth inning and struck out 12 batters in the shutout. Jason Castro's one out single broke up the perfect game bid, this after Niko Goodrum was booed by his own crowd for attempting to break it up with a bunt. The right-hander went six innings and tied a career high in strikeouts while walking one and allowing just the one hit. All six of the Angels' runs came in the first inning, but it was all they needed on this night. Freddie Freeman struck again, haunting his former team as his new team the Los Angeles Dodgers took the three game series from the Atlanta Braves with a 5-1 win on Wednesday. Freeman went deep in the first inning for a two-run shot, his second long ball of the series. Tony Gonsolin got the start and threw six shutout innings for the third time in his career. He added three strikeouts and one walk, getting his first win, this after starting 13 of 15 games last season and posting a 3.23 ERA. Freeman was 3-for-4 on the day, this after going deep in his first at-bat against them on Monday night. Charlie Morton gave up four runs on six hits and three walks over 5.1 innings in his second loss. Other key scores saw Brandon Belt go deep on his birthday in the San Francisco Giants' 5-2 win over the New York Mets. Johan Camargo had four hits, including a three-run shot, as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Colorado Rockies, 9-6. Jurickson Profar got things going with a long ball as the San Diego Padres blanked the Cincinnati Reds, 6-0. The Toronto Blue Jays used a five-run second to get past the Boston Red Sox, 6-1. Francisco Mejia had a homer in three RBIs as the Tampa Bay Rays won a shortened game over the Chicago Cubs, 8-2. Jordan Lyles struck out six batters over five innings in the Baltimore Orioles' 5-0 shutout of the Oakland Athletics. And the Cleveland Guardians swept the doubleheader from the Chicago White Sox, outscoring them, 13-2, in the twin bill.

Astros' Jose Altuve Lands on Injured List

As expected, the Houston Astros sent star second baseman Jose Altuve to the injured list on Wednesday with what is being called a hamstring strain. This comes two days after Altuve was taken out of the game following a stumble while hustling down the first base line. The injury occurred in the eighth inning of their 8-3 home opening victory over the Los Angeles Angels. Astros manager Dusty Baker said Altuve even apologized for suffering this injury. The second baseman is a seven-time All-Star and a former AL MVP, but he is hitting just .167 with a home run and three RBIs over nine games this season.

Nationals Place Sean Doolittle on IL

The Washington Nationals took a hit to their bullpen, placing relief pitcher Sean Doolitte on the injured list with a sprained elbow. The two-time All-Star has had a solid start to his 2022 season after returning to the Nats. Doolittle won the World Series with the Nationals in 2019, but played with the Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds last season. He started this season by retiring 16 of the 17 batters he has faced, including the first 15 he faced. His streak of retired batters ended during their 6-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 1 of a doubleheader on Tuesday. The 35-year-old reportedly felt sore while warming up, which he first felt on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Braves Acquire Chavez Back From Cubs

The Atlanta Braves are quickly bringing back a familiar face, acquiring relief pitcher Jesse Chavez back from the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday. The 38-year-old won the World Series with the Braves in 2021, and now is back, as Atlanta sent Sean Newcomb the other way in the deal. Chavez appeared in 30 games for the Braves last season, posting a 2.14 ERA. He went on to pitch in seven Postseason games and did not give up a run. So far this season, he allowed four runs over 5.2 innings for the Cubs. The 29-year-old Newcomb was designated for assignment on Tuesday after giving up four runs over five innings in three games.

49ers' Deebo Samuel Requests Trade

The San Francisco 49ers' contract situation with wide receiver Deebo Samuel took a left turn on Wednesday, as he has reportedly requested a trade from the team. The news comes from ESPN's Jeff Darlington, who claims that Samuel told him this news. Samuel is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and he declined to give specific reasons as to why he wants out. The wideout had a breakout season in 2021, becoming just the third player in NFL history with at least 1,000 receiving yards, five receiving touchdowns, and five rushing touchdowns. He did not partake in the team's offseason conditioning program, which started on Tuesday. The deals that Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill, and Stefon Diggs could definitely play a role in him wanting more. The 26-year-old has earned it, getting 1,770 yards from scrimmage and averaging 18.2 yards per catch while receiving All-Pro honors. He has definitely seemed to have moved on, unfollowing the team on Instagram after this news.

Pelicans Rally Past Suns After Booker Goes Down

The New Orleans Pelicans took advantage of a big night from Brandon Ingram and an injury to Devin Booker to upset the Phoenix Suns in Game 2, 125-114, on Wednesday night. Ingram had  37 points to go with 11 rebounds and nine assists, as the Pelicans evened the series at one-apiece. The win was New Orleans' first playoff win since 2018. Booker was having a big night with 31 points, but left in the third quarter with right hamstring tightness. The Suns were trailing by three when he left, and then New Orleans pulled away in the final 12 minutes. CJ McCollum added 23 points for the Pelicans, who shot 57% from three-point range. Ingram was 12-of-21 on the night, and now his team will get ready to host Game 3 on Friday night. Two other Game 2s on Wednesday saw Ja Morant post 23 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds as the Memphis Grizzlies bounced back to tie the series at one with a 124-96 rout of the Minnesota Timberwolves. And Jimmy Butler went off for 45 points as the Miami Heat went up 2-0 on the Atlanta Hawks with a 115-105 home win.

Nets' Kyrie Irving Fined $50K For Sunday's Antics

There is already plenty of drama between Kyrie Irving and the Boston Celtics' faithful through one game of the first round series, and that led to Irving getting fined $50,000 by the league on Tuesday. The league sent the fine down after the point guard flipped off the TD Garden twice during Sunday's Game 1 loss. The NBA officially said in a statement that Irving made "obscene gestures on the playing court and directed profane language toward the spectator fans." Irving explained the whole situation as him giving the "same energy" back to the crowd that he was receiving. The Nets went on to lose the game, 115-114, on Jayson Tatum's layup at the buzzer. The Celtics had Irving on their team from 2017 to 2019, and they have not liked him since, including a water bottle being thrown at him last season. Game 2 of the series is Wednesday night.

Panthers Win 11th Straight; Bruins Snap Blues' Streak

The Florida Panthers needed overtime, but that's okay, as they extended their winning streak to 11 straight games with a 3-2 road win over the New York Islanders. Aleksander Barkov led the charge with a hat trick, scoring all three of his team's goals. That included the game-winner in overtime, giving him his third career hat trick. Sergei Bobrovsky made 24 saves, while Jonathan Huberdeau chipped in three assists in the Panthers' 55th win. Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Sebastian Aho both scored for the Isles, who dropped their second straight. Ilya Sorokin had to make 30 saves in the loss, as he dropped his fifth straight start. The Boston Bruins put an end to the St. Louis Blues' run on Tuesday night, going on the road to secure a 3-2 overtime victory. Charlie McAvoy scored the game-winner in overtime, as the Bruins moved in to third place in the Atlantic Division with the Tampa Bay Lightning falling at home. McAvoy's game-winner came just 48 seconds in to the extra period, as Jeremy Swayman got the win after making 20 saves. Jake DeBrusk and Taylor Hall also scored in the Bruins' second straight win. Boston had dropped three in a row before this run of consecutive victories. Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich both scored for the Blues, who saw their nine-game winning streak come to an end. This was the Bruins; first game in St. Louis since earning a 5-1 win in Game 6 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, which the Blues won in seven games. Other key scores saw Ryan Strome score twice as the New York Rangers moved in to first place with their third straight shutout, 3-0, over the Winnipeg Jets. Mikael Granlund scored in the shootout to give the Nashville Predators a 3-2 victory against the Calgary Flames. Adam Gaudette had a shootout goal, but the Vancouver Canucks got a point despite a 4-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators. Phillip Danault had the go-ahead goal in the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 road win over the Anaheim Ducks. Jack Campbell got his 30th win of the season as the Toronto Maple Leafs topped the Philadelphia Flyers, 5-2. Cam Talbot made 26 saves as the Minnesota Wild blanked the Montreal Canadiens, 2-0. And Jakub Vrana scored twice as the Detroit Red Wings upset the Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-3.

Fried Pitches Braves Past Dodgers; Mets Sweep DH From Giants

Max Fried pitched shutdown baseball on Tuesday night as the Atlanta Braves slowed down the Los Angeles Dodgers for one night with a 3-1 road win. Fried was perfect through five innings and lasted seven on the night, allowing no runs and two hits with eight strikeouts in the win. He faced the minimum amount of batters through six innings, and has now gone at least even scoreless innings in three of his past six starts. This was also the second time he has allowed two hits or less over at least seven scoreless innings. The Braves' ace is off to a hot start, continuing on from last season, where he had a 1.74 ERA after the All-Star break. The Dodgers saw their seven-game winning streak come to an end, as Walker Buehler gave up all three runs over five innings. The New York Mets swept away the San Francisco Giants in a doubleheader at Citi Field with two close home victories to move to 9-3 on the year. The twin-bill kicked off with Francisco Lindor hitting the walk-off RBI single in the 10th for a 5-4 victory. The walk-off hit came after he nearly threw a ball away at first in the top half of the 10th, which would've allowed a run to score, but replays kept the game tied. Adam Ottavino got his first win, with Jarlin Garcia getting his first loss after giving up the game-winner. The nightcap saw Max Scherzer strike out 10 batters in the Mets' 3-1 home win. Scherzer didn't allow a hit until the sixth inning, moving to 3-0 on the year as he combined with two relievers to allow just two hits. Darin Ruf's RBI single knocked Scherzer out in the sixth after he walked consecutive batters. The right-hander threw a season-high 102 pitches and walked three on the night. Other key scores saw the Los Angeles Angels use a five-run fifth inning to top the Houston Astros, 7-2. C.J. Cron's three-run shot powered the Colorado Rockies past the Philadelphia Phillies, 6-5. The Boston Red Sox got just three hits but still edged the Toronto Blue Jays, 2-1. Adam Wainwright struck out six over 5.2 innings as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Miami Marlins, 5-1. Wander Franco's first home run of the season was the difference in the Tampa Bay Rays' 6-5 victory against the Chicago Cubs. The Oakland Athletics topped the Baltimore Orioles, 2-1, in front of the smallest home crowd in 42 years. Robbie Ray went six innings and got a trio of home runs in support for a 6-2 Seattle Mariners win over the Texas Rangers. And Corbin Burnes got his first win of the season as the Milwaukee Brewers got past the Pittsburgh Pirates, 5-2.

Rockies, Kyle Freeland Agree on Five-Year Extension

The Colorado Rockies have given left-handed pitcher Kyle Freeland a five-year contract extension, doing so on Tuesday afternoon. The deal is worth $64.5 million and does include a sixth-year player option. The 28-year-old is now locked in with the Rockies through at least the 2026 season. This will be the most guarantee money a Rockies pitcher has received since Mike Hampton got $121 million in the early 2000's. Freeland joins German Marquez and Antonio Senzatela as starters the Rockies have locked in over the past few years. His best season came in 2018, where he posted a 2.85 ERA over 202.1 innings and finished fourth in the NL Cy Young Award voting. That ERA elevated over four over the past couple seasons, but he missed the final two months of last season with a shoulder injury. Freeland has been good over his past 18 starts, posting a 3.24 ERA over 100 innings to earn this deal.

Rangers Designate Greg Holland For Assignment

The Texas Rangers are moving on from All-Star reliever Greg Holland, designating him for assignment on Tuesday just two weeks in to the season. Holland has giving up three home runs over five appearances this season for the 2-8 Rangers. The 36-year-old had a 7.71 ERA over 4.2 innings with five strikeouts and one walk. The move was made before Tuesday's game so they can make a roster spot for Jon Gray, who was activated off the injured list. The former three-time All-Star had eight saves and a 4.85 ERA over 57 appearances last season for the Kansas City Royals. Despite not great numbers there, he did have 8.57 strikeouts per nine innings and a .229 opponent batting average. His past two seasons were in Kansas City, but he was an All-Star for them in 2013 and 2014, along with in 2017 as a member of the Colorado Rockies.