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DODGER STADIUM (Los Angeles) – If the Brewers were looking for a boost of playoff confidence after getting swept by the Dodgers in last year’s National League Championship Series, taking three out of four from the reigning champs at Dodger Stadium might have provided it. “I think it lets everybody in the clubhouse know that we can play with these guys,” said Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers, who reached base five times in Sunday’s finale. The Milwaukee offense blitzed scuffling Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz for a comeback win Thursday before World Series hero Yoshinobu Yamamoto provided some October flashbacks on Friday in a Dodgers win. But the Brewers bounced back by holding the Dodgers’ slumbering bats at bay in the final two games. Jacob Misiorowski delivered a gem on Saturday and Logan Henderson out-dueled Dodgers deadline star addition Tarik Skubal on Sunday to take the season series, which could have postseason implications as both teams vie for a first-round bye. “I really wanted to win this game because it could matter,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Sunday. “But we didn’t. So now we’ve got to move forward, but I hope it doesn’t come back to bite us.” Here are four takeaways from the Brewers’ series win: Misiorowski considers last year’s postseason, during which he registered a 1.50 ERA and struck out nine batters in five innings of relief in his lone appearance of the NLCS against the Dodgers, “a real turning point” in his career. Misiorowski took the confidence he gained from that experience into an overpowering 2026 season that has been one of the most dominant ever from a starting pitcher. On Saturday, the NL Cy Young frontrunner returned to Dodger Stadium for the first time since last postseason and held the Dodgers to one run over six innings, bringing his MLB-best ERA down to 1.75. “I’ve never seen the first four pitches of a game, 104 [mph],” Roberts said. Misiorowski fired six straight fastballs to retire Shohei Ohtani to start the game. Ohtani got him back with an RBI triple in the third, the only run that he allowed. Two innings later, Misiorowski showed his maturity since his breakout rookie year. He is no longer just a hard thrower, as evidenced by his Houdini act in the fifth inning. With one out and the bases loaded, Misiorowski struck out both Ohtani and Freddie Freeman on sliders to escape. He told me it was the best his slider has ever felt and credited catcher William Contreras for making that adjustment. In three career appearances against the Dodgers, including last year’s playoffs, Misiorowski has a 1.59 ERA with 27 strikeouts and three walks. “He’s just matured tremendously,” Contreras said through an interpreter. “Last year, he was a little bit more focused on just throwing the ball hard. This year, he’s coming into the day with a game plan. He knows what he wants to do.” It’s the ninth inning during Dodgers home games when the home team is ahead, the lights flash and the sounds of trumpets fill the air as Díaz emerges from the home bullpen. It’s the exact scenario the Dodgers dreamed about when they gave Díaz $69 million this offseason …right up until he takes the ball. The three-time All-Star closer has been largely unrecognizable this year, particularly since returning from his three-month hiatus after undergoing an elbow procedure. He’s struggling to command his fastball, which opponents are hitting .379 against. His slider isn’t missing bats, either. Overall, Díaz is producing the highest walk rate and lowest strike rate of his career, leading to an ERA over 10.00 through 15 outings as a Dodger. Díaz had blown two of his last three save opportunities when he was called upon to preserve a two-run lead in the ninth inning in Thursday’s opener against the Brewers. A strikeout to start the ninth seemed auspicious. It was a red herring. Four straight singles followed, giving him his third blown save over his last four appearances. To this point, it has not cost him his role. “I know I’m struggling, so I want to do the best thing for our team,” Díaz said. “At the end of the day, if they give me the ball in the ninth, I will try to do my job. If they give me the ball in another inning, I’ll try to do my job.” Roberts, who said Díaz needs “a runway to find his way,” went back to his maligned closer on Friday. It was not pretty. Díaz loaded the bases on two walks and a hit-by-pitch, but a game-ending groundout preserved the save with no damage done.  In that respect, it marked progress. He believes he is trending in the right direction. Before that Friday outing, Díaz began to make some adjustments to his posture to try to get his momentum going straight to home plate. His pitching coaches also pointed out to him that his arm slot has dropped from last year. “Just try to lift it a little bit more,” Díaz told me. “I’m not that far away from where I was last year.” Asked after Thursday’s game if he might go another direction in the ninth, Roberts shot back emphatically. “Give me another option,” Roberts said. “I have to have other options. And to be quite honest, none of those guys really are throwing the baseball great.” While left-hander Tanner Scott would seem to be the most obvious choice, the Dodgers’ relief struggles go beyond their scuffling closer. Dating back to the start of July, their bullpen ranks in the bottom 10 in ERA. It’s probably not a coincidence that it’s also around the time that Ohtani stopped pitching while nursing his sore knee. The Dodgers haven’t been able to carry an extra pitcher the way they can when Ohtani is active on the mound (since two-way players don’t count against a team’s 13-pitcher roster limit). In addition, they’ve maintained their six-man rotation even after limiting Ohtani to one-way duties, which means operating with a seven-man bullpen. Los Angeles can survive that way when off days are built in, but it can be taxing in stretches like the one it’s in, where it has played 18 games over 19 days with few blowout wins or losses mixed in. That has meant pushing their top leverage arms more often than they would like, all while being without right-handers Blake Treinen, Brock Stewart and Will Klein in the ‘pen. Dodgers relievers surrendered four more runs (two earned) in Sunday’s loss, with the defense offering little help behind them. They’ll get a bit more coverage going forward, with lefty starter Justin Wrobleski going to the injured list and an eighth bullpen arm getting called up. “When you’re pitching in hot spots every night — it seems like every outing for our relievers has been a leverage situation — I think that makes it tougher,” Roberts said. “Margins are smaller. So, I think that we’ve got to find ways to kind of give them a little bit of margin, too.” That would require hitting, which the Dodgers have not done much of lately … The Dodgers are now 18-21 since the start of July. Their offense ranks in the bottom 10 in baseball in OPS over that stretch, and it hasn’t turned a corner in August. “I just don’t see the consistent plan of attack, one through nine,” Roberts said. “This has been four, five, six weeks of below-average production from our offense.” It hasn’t helped that outfielder Kyle Tucker, who’s making $60 million this year, remains a below-league-average hitter. His home-road splits are particularly confounding. He has looked mostly like himself on the road, where he has an .840 OPS. At Dodger Stadium, meanwhile, he has been one of the worst qualified hitters in baseball. Roberts said he can see the frustration building, enough so that Tucker was given Saturday’s game off against Misiorowski. “Just kind of reactions to at-bats, whether it’s the first at-bat of the game, and you’re really showing emotion – that’s a tell from a guy who doesn’t show a lot of emotion,” Roberts told me. “So, those things, as they build up for me that tells me that you need to watch a baseball game and kind of take some of that frustration, put it to the side.” On the Dodgers’ latest road trip, Tucker went 8-for-22 with two homers and a triple. Then he returned home and immediately regressed, going hitless in 19 at-bats this homestand. To make matters worse, he also dropped a fly ball against the wall in the eighth inning of Sunday’s loss, a blunder that was met by boos. The Dodgers’ offensive struggles extend further. Shortstop Mookie Betts has shown positive signs lately but remains a below-league-average hitter on the year. First baseman Freddie Freeman doesn’t have an extra-base hit in August, and outfielder Teoscar Hernandez and second baseman Tommy Edman have both struggled this month. The Dodgers have also grounded into more double plays than any team in baseball, one example of their aging roster. They added two more of those to their docket on Sunday, including a particularly costly one when Ohtani stepped to the plate with runners on the corners representing the tying run in the eighth inning Sunday. They scored just 10 runs over the four-game series and are averaging 3.33 runs per game in August.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Has the NFL ever had this much talent at wide receiver? That was a question we asked ourselves as we ranked the 10 best wide receivers ahead of the 2026 NFL season. A total of 20 pass-catchers logged at least 1,000 receiving yards in 2025, and 13 more reached the 800-yard mark. The stellar play at the position made picking just 10 wide receivers tough. However, the debate at the top was a bit more straightforward, as only two wide receivers received first-place votes, and five of us had the same four wide receivers in the top four of our lists. Without further ado, here are our top 10 wide receivers entering the 2026 season. Greg Auman: Could a new $35 million-a-year contract help give London the national acclaim he’s missed in his first four NFL seasons? Despite playing his career with a collection of not-exactly-great quarterbacks, he’s averaged just under 1,000 yards per season with 22 total touchdowns. Atlanta has now locked up its young core of skill-position talent with lucrative deals for Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts, though an elite quarterback might still be on the checklist. Kevin Stefanski is London’s first really good offensive-minded coach, so it’s easy to envision him getting double-digit touchdowns for the first time in 2026. If Atlanta is to end its eight-year playoff drought, London must stay healthy and lead the way in their passing game. Brooks: The big-bodied pass catcher has quietly joined the conversation as a top-10 receiver. Collins’ dominance on the perimeter stems from his superior size and strength against overmatched defensive backs. As a 6-foot-4, 222-pounder, Collins expands the strike zone for C.J. Stroud, making it easier for the Texans to produce big plays in the passing game despite an inconsistent flow from the unit. With three straight 1,000-yard seasons and a pair of Pro Bowl berths, Collins has earned the respect of his peers with a workmanlike game that has been impossible to contain. Henry McKenna: Brown’s numbers weren’t quite what you’d expect from an elite receiver in 2025. But at the same time, he was … fine. In fact, it says something about Brown that everyone thought the sky was falling in a season when he posted 78 catches, 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in a season when he played 15 games. Bottom line: Brown is a physically dominant receiver, as adept at using top speed and agility as he is at using his strength. Drake Maye just got paired up with the best receiver he’s played with in his life. And it’s likely that in Josh McDaniels’ offense, Brown will once again see his production explode. Eric D. Williams: Pickens appears on track for another elite season after putting together a career year last season (93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns). Even though Pickens had to settle for signing his franchise tender, where he’ll make $27.3 million on a one-year deal for 2026, the vibes are still good around Cowboys camp for the Georgia product. Pickens likely remains in good spirits because salaries for his position continue to skyrocket, which means if he has another productive season, he’ll likely secure the long-term contract he wants at the end of the year. Auman: Is Lamb even the best receiver on his own team? He missed three games last year, but Lamb had three touchdown catches and Pickens had nine, with more yards and catches per game. That aside, Lamb has been one of the most consistent receivers in the NFL — five straight 1,000-yard seasons, five straight Pro Bowls. Can he get back to his 2023 first-team All-Pro peak, with 12 touchdowns? If Dallas’ defense improves as expected, that means the Cowboys are behind less and should throw less, but Lamb is still a central part of their push to get back to the success of three straight 12-5 seasons from 2021-23. Having a presence in the playoffs again would be a great way to elevate Lamb’s profile. Brooks: As a hyper-competitive pass catcher featured in a dynamic offensive scheme, the three-time All-Pro is a headache for defensive coordinators around the league. St. Brown’s energy and relentless effort, combined with a polished overall game, make it nearly impossible to limit his touches or reduce his impact as a playmaker. As the Lions’ No.1 offensive weapon, he forces defensive playcallers to make tough decisions when crafting a game plan against a unit that also features Jahmyr Gibbs and Jameson Williams on the perimeter. Given the amount of one-on-one coverage he faces weekly, it is no surprise to see him punish opponents with a game-changing play. McKenna: If not for the quarterback shortcomings in 2025, we’d still consider Jefferson among the best 10 players in the NFL. It’s just that J.J. McCarthy’s struggles led to a series of systemic issues for Minnesota, dragging Jefferson down. And because he’s a team player (on and off the field), he barely let out a peep of frustration. But it’s clear to see that one of Jefferson’s prime years of production failed to materialize — and not because of him. No matter how you feel about Kyler Murray, you can plainly see that he’s an upgrade from McCarthy. In coach Kevin O’Connell’s offense, Murray should be able to feed Jefferson in the ways the WR deserves. With all the talent that Jefferson has, he could jump back to No. 1 on this list for 2026. Williams: It’s impressive how Nacua skyrocketed from an unheralded fifth-round selection three years ago to one of the best receivers in the league. The BYU product finished second in receiving yards (1,715) and tied for sixth in receiving touchdowns (10) in 2025. Since he entered the league in 2023, only J’Marr Chase has more than Nacua’s 4,191 receiving yards. Entering the final year of his rookie deal, Nacua needs to keep the off-the-field issues to a minimum, stay healthy and put up productive numbers. Brooks: The 2025 Offensive Player of the Year has quietly snatched the NFL’s WR1 crown in some circles. The ultra-polished pass catcher punished opponents from out wide a season ago, after touching defensive backfields from the slot in 2024. Given his versatility as a playmaker, precision as a route runner, and the Seahawks’ creative play designs, Smith-Njigba’s reign as the top pass catcher could extend into 2026 and beyond. Auman: Chase, still just 26, is only one year removed from an NFL receiving triple crown, leading the league in catches (127), receiving yards (1,708) and touchdown catches (17) in 2024. He had 10 more targets last year and still dropped off in every category, with nine fewer touchdowns. But a healthy Joe Burrow means a dangerous Chase, so that might be all it takes to return to his dominant best. Can Cincinnati’s defense stop being awful and let them get back in the playoffs? If Chase can get 12 touchdown catches this year — a fairly viable challenge — he’ll have 66 for his career, and the only players in NFL history with more in their first six seasons are Jerry Rice and Randy Moss.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The first full weekend of NFL preseason action provided a pair of standout rookie quarterback performances while a pair of defensive linemen are making noise off the field. Los Angeles Rams rookie Ty Simpson and New York Jets rookie Cade Klubnik posted efficient outings, and the Cleveland Browns continued their quarterback rotation. Veteran pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence announced his upcoming retirement over the weekend, and Sean McVay provided an update on Aaron Donald, who worked out with the Rams for the second time this month. Here’s what you should know about what happened in the NFL this weekend. Rookie quarterbacks Ty Simpson and Cade Klubnik delivered strong initial performances during preseason games this weekend. Simpson completed 21 of 25 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns in a Los Angeles Rams victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday. “I definitely felt more comfortable than I ever had coming into a game,” Simpson said. It’s certainly a promising showing for Simpson, whom the Rams surprisingly took with the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, as he’s competing with Stetson Bennett for the backup role behind Matthew Stafford. Rams head coach Sean McVay liked what he saw out of his rookie quarterback. “I thought he took what the defense gave him,” McVay told reporters following Saturday’s game. “I thought he read the plays out, read with his feet. I thought he did a really good job overall. “I thought he kept the ball in play. That’s the biggest thing: Keeping the ball in play.” New York Jets rookie quarterback Cade Klubnik made a surprise start in Friday’s preseason opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after starter Geno Smith was held out due to a sore ankle. Klubnik delivered, though. He led the Jets to scoring drives on both of his possessions, finishing 5 of 7 for 56 yards before handing over quarterback duties. “I was definitely excited,” Klubnik told reporters. “I knew Geno was only going to play maybe eight to 10 plays and I was ready to go in early after that. “So in my mind, I just got to go in eight to 10 plays earlier.” Smith is expected to be the Jets’ starting quarterback for much of the season. However, if Klubnik, who the team took in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, continues to perform like he did on Friday, it’s reasonable to think that he could make a push to start games at some point this season. In fact, our Ralph Vacchiano floated the idea that Klubnik could start games for the Jets this season after the first week of training camp. Deshaun Watson outshined Shedeur Sanders in the Cleveland Browns’ preseason loss to the Chicago Bears on Saturday. Watson, who got the start, completed 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards with zero touchdowns or turnovers. Sanders, on the other hand, completed 6 of 11 passes for 79 yards with zero touchdowns and an interception. However, Browns head coach Todd Monken offered a measured perspective after the team’s quarterback competition moved into live action on Saturday. “I do believe the season is a marathon,” Monken said to reporters. “That marathon starts in Jacksonville. We are still in training.” The Browns plan to start Sanders next week against the Buffalo Bills as the competition continues. “Again, I did feel going into last game that it was relatively close in terms of both having an opportunity at the starting position, so it would be unfair to not go into the next game and give Shedeur that same opportunity,” Monken said. “We owe it to both players who have handled it well and competed at a high level.” Aaron Donald took another step toward a potential NFL comeback on Sunday, appearing on the league transaction wire after completing his second workout with the Los Angeles Rams this summer. Rams head coach Sean McVay addressed Donald’s potential return following Saturday’s preseason victory against the Chiefs. “He’s put himself in a position to be able to say yes or no,” McVay said to reporters. “I think he’s earned that right to have clarity on that. We’re not at that point quite yet.” McVay noted that internal discussions remain ongoing while Donald evaluates his physical benchmarks for the upcoming season. “I feel great about our football team as it currently stands, and I know he’ll add value if he decides to come,” McVay said. Veteran pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence confirmed that the 2026 season will mark the end of his 13-year NFL career. Lawrence, who spent 11 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys before joining the Seattle Seahawks, returned for one final campaign to defend Seattle’s title. “This will be my last year,” Lawrence told Yahoo Sports. “Through the grace of God, I’m able to play another year and soak it all up one more good time before I hang it up.” A v Lawrence has racked up 503 tackles, 67.5 sacks, 146 quarterback hits, 108 tackles for loss, 24 forced fumbles, 11 fumble recoveries in 157 career appearances (139 starts). Lawrence recorded six sacks during the regular season last year and added two fumble recoveries returned for touchdowns. After spending the entire offseason revamping their defense, the Dallas Cowboys are still making some moves on that side of the ball. The Cowboys have signed eight-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Von Miller. The 37-year-old had a productive year for the Washington Commanders in 2025, logging nine sacks and playing in every single regular-season game for the first time since 2018. Miller is just one of many new faces on Dallas’ defense this offseason. The Cowboys kicked off the offseason by poaching defensive backs coach Christian Parker from the Philadelphia Eagles to make him their defensive coordinator. They also traded for Green Bay Packers edge rusher Rashan Gary and signed Los Angeles Rams cornerback Kobie Durant before using first-round picks on safety Caleb Downs and edge rusher Malachi Lawrence in the 2026 NFL Draft. Just seven months after tearing his Achilles, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle remains hopeful that he’ll be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season. While Kittle has yet to practice in a full capacity in training camp, he expressed optimism that he’ll be able to play in the Rams’ season-opening matchup against the Rams on Sept. 10. “I have a chance,” Kittle told reporters on Sunday. “We’re running around a lot, hitting top speeds. Hopefully, we’re back in pads practicing sooner than later. Just trying to check the boxes and not be a dumbass.” Kittle also said he’s “very confident” he won’t open the 2026 season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List. If the 49ers placed him on the list, he would be forced to miss the first four games of the regular season. Kittle’s comments are much-needed good news for San Francisco, which has been dealt a slew of injuries so far in training camp. Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall has already undergone season-ending surgery, while running back Christian McCaffrey has missed a week’s worth of practices due to a hamstring injury.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Former MLB pitcher Tommy John, who passed away on Sunday, made one of the most significant impacts in the history of baseball. Fifty-two years ago, John underwent a surgery that proved to be revolutionary. He underwent a groundbreaking procedure performed by Dr. Frank Jobe to repair his UCL, and the successful reconstructive procedure became famously known as Tommy John Surgery. More than half a century later, the procedure continues to leave a lasting mark, saving countless careers. What was once considered a career-ending injury for pitchers is now a routine procedure that allows athletes to make full recoveries. As we remember Tommy John, here are five of the most impactful Tommy John surgery recoveries in baseball history. One of the biggest success stories from Tommy John surgery is two-time Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom. Shortly after the New York Mets drafted him in the ninth round of the 2010 MLB Draft, deGrom underwent the procedure in October 2010. He went on to make history as the first pitcher to win back-to-back Cy Young Awards after undergoing Tommy John surgery, doing so with the Mets in the 2018 and 2019 seasons. He’s continued to pitch at an elite level into his late 30s as well, getting named an All-Star for the fifth time in his career in 2025. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2020, Justin Verlander returned with a vengeance in 2022. He not only anchored the Houston Astros to their second World Series title, but he also claimed his third career Cy Young Award. Winning the award placed Verlander in elite company. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2020, he joined a rare group of pitchers to capture a Cy Young Award following the procedure.  Verlander went 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA and 185 strikeouts as a 39-year-old coming off Tommy John surgery in 2022. Recently acquired Los Angeles Dodgers ace Tarik Skubal also underwent Tommy John surgery, but that was back in 2016 while pitching in college for Seattle University. Since fully recovering, Skubal has put together one of the most dominant stretches of pitching in recent baseball history. Pitching for the Detroit Tigers for the majority of his career, he captured consecutive Cy Young awards in 2024 and 2025. He became just the third pitcher in history to win the award multiple times after undergoing Tommy John surgery. One of the biggest “what-ifs” in baseball history is former Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg. After one of the most memorable debuts ever, where he struck out 14 batters, he suffered a major setback, needing Tommy John surgery after just 12 starts. But he was still able to pitch at an elite level when he returned from the surgery in 2011. He led the National League in strikeouts in 2014 and was named an All-Star three times (2012, 2016, 2017). The highlight of Strasburg’s career came in 2019, though. He finished fifth in Cy Young voting that year before leading the Nationals to a World Series title. Strasburg posted a 1.46 ERA alongside a perfect 5-0 record during that stretch. Long before Gagné set the record for 84 consecutive saves, he was a minor league starter whose career was derailed by Tommy John surgery in 1997. His comeback and move to the bullpen became one of the greatest post-surgery success stories in baseball history. Gagné made history in 2003 as the first reliever to win a Cy Young Award after having Tommy John surgery. He delivered one of the most dominant closing seasons ever, going 55-for-55 in save opportunities with a 1.20 ERA and 137 strikeouts in just 82 ⅓ innings in 2023.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports