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LIV Golf Mexico City: Legion XIII Builds Historic 19-Shot Lead; Jon Rahm on Top

Defending LIV Golf Mexico City team champions Legion XIII has delivered a historic performance through two rounds at Club de Golf Chapultepec, building the largest lead after any round in LIV Golf history. Powered by captain and 36-hole individual leader Jon Rahm and a pair of low rounds from Tyrrell Hatton and Tom McKibbin, Legion XIII surged to 25 under at the halfway stage at LIV Golf Mexico City, opening a commanding 19-shot advantage over Fireballs GC entering the weekend. Korean Golf Club and Cleeks Golf Club are tied for third at 3-under, with Torque GC another shot back. Prior to Friday, the biggest lead by either an individual or team in league history was the 14-stroke win by Southern Guards GC – then called Stinger GC – in LIV Golf’s inaugural tournament in London in 2022. “Anytime you have to count and do some math to realize how many ahead you are, it’s an amazing thing,” Rahm said. “… I’m hoping we all keep playing to the same level, and come Sunday, the last few holes is not even a contest, and we have a 20-something, 30-something-shot lead. That would be amazing. “But you have to expect other teams are going to come in swinging and play good, so we still need to do what we’ve been doing and play really good golf.” Individually, Rahm is back in a familiar position atop the leaderboard, backing up his opening 6-under 65 with a 4-under 67, moving to 10 under for a one-shot lead. Rahm leads a trio tied for second at 9 under, including McKibbin, RangeGoats GC’s Matthew Wolff and Smash GC’s Harold Varner III. Fireballs GC’s Luis Masaveu sits alone in fifth at 8 under. First-round leader Victor Perez slipped into a tie for sixth after a 2-over 73, now three shots off the pace alongside Hatton and Wild Card player Richard T. Lee. Rahm, the league’s current points leader and reigning two-time Individual Champion, once again showed his ability to stay steady — even if Friday wasn’t as smooth as the scorecard suggested. “Today was a bit of a frustrating day,” he said. “I think whether it was the wind or the altitude, there was quite a few shots that were on a really good line and were very far off … there [are] things that can happen, but it doesn’t make it any easier.” Despite that, Rahm continues to give himself chances as he chases his second win of the year and fourth of his LIV Golf career. The outright lead Friday is the 16th (solo or tied) since joining the league prior to the 2024 season. “I’m clearly playing good enough, I just need to take advantage of the opportunities I’ve been giving myself,” he said. “As good as I’m playing, I still feel like it could be better.” Wolff delivered one of the rounds of the week so far with a bogey-free 6-under 65, which is no small feat given how he described his ball-striking. “I told my caddie after I finished up, I said, I would have never guessed that that round would be bogey-free,” Wolff said. “I feel really good with the putter, so I think that helped a lot.” Despite the clean card, Wolff admitted it was far from stress-free. A lengthy par save from 36 feet on the 12th hole highlighted his resilience. “Yeah, extremely,” he said when asked if the round was mentally draining. “It’s just stressful … it was kind of the opposite today. I was scrambling a lot.” Wolff also credited the energy of the Mexico City crowd while noting the added physical challenge of altitude. “All the kids and the fans are shouting ‘Wolff’… it’s great,” he said. “Altitude is hard, though… I was so out of breath.” McKibbin matched Wolff’s 65 to give Legion XIII two players inside the top three, while Varner stayed firmly in contention with a 5-under round. Masaveu continued his impressive week with a second consecutive 6-under round, keeping himself within striking distance entering the weekend. Further down the leaderboard, Marc Leishman produced the low round of the day, a 7-under 64, vaulting into a tie for 11th after opening with a 3-over 74. TOP OF THE LEADERBOARDS Individual Top 10 Team Top 3 This piece is courtesy of Mike McAllister in partnership with LIV Golf.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

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Los Angeles Dodgers’ Historic Start By The Numbers

Per usual, the Los Angeles Dodgers are cracking skulls and taking names, but they’re doing so at an even higher level this season. In defeating the Colorado Rockies on Friday night, Los Angeles marked its first 15-4 start since 1977. Here’s the Dodgers’ electric start to the 2026 MLB season by the numbers, entering Apr. 18’s slate of games: 0: Relievers Blake Treinen and Alex Vesia have each given up zero runs in eight appearances apiece. 0.50: Through his first three starts, two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani has recorded an 0.50 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, 18 strikeouts and held opponents to a .113 batting average (18 innings pitched). 1: The Dodgers’ offense leads MLB with 35 home runs, 320 total bases, a .287 batting average, a .364 on-base percentage, a .499 slugging percentage and an .863 OPS. 1.04: After leading MLB with 10 blown saves — and posting a 4.74 ERA — in 2025, left-handed reliever Tanner Scott sports a 1.04 ERA and 0.58 WHIP through his first 10 appearances this season. 1.05: The Dodgers’ combined 1.05 WHIP and 6.2 hits surrendered per nine innings leads the sport. 4: Of backup catcher Dalton Rushing’s nine hits, four of them are home runs; he owns a .529/.556/1.353 slash line. 5: The Dodgers have won five of their first six series. 6: Max Muncy leads the team with six home runs, which have all been solo shots. 8: In what was his second MLB start since June 6, 2025, Justin Wrobleski, who has been a primary reliever for the Dodgers, pitched eight scoreless innings and gave up just two baserunners (two hits) against the New York Mets on Apr. 13. 9: Los Angeles has held its opponents to two or fewer runs in nine games. 21: Outfielder Andy Pages has totaled a team-high 21 RBIs, while blasting five home runs, stealing three bases and sporting a .412/.453/.691 slash line. 52: The Dodgers have a +52 run differential, which is second in MLB. 78.9: At 15-4, Los Angeles owns the best record in the sport (78.9% winning percentage). 143: The Dodgers’ 143 OPS+ leads the majors. 188: Opponents are hitting just .188 against the Dodgers’ starting rotation, which also sports a mere 0.99 WHIP. Both statistics are first in MLB.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

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New York Mess: Mets’ 9-Game Losing Streak By The Numbers

There has been nothing Amazin’ about the New York Mets’ start to the 2026 MLB season. Not only are the Mets in last place in the National League East, but they’ve lost nine consecutive games and have fallen to 7-13 (35.0% winning percentage) on the year. That’s tied for the worst record in the sport. Here’s New York’s nine-game losing streak (April 8-17) by the numbers: 0: The Mets have been shut out in three of the nine games during this losing streak. 045: First baseman Mark Vientos is batting just .045 since New York’s last win (1-for-22). 1: Over the past seven days, they’ve hit one home run. 2: New York has lost two games with its opponents scoring no more than two runs. 5A: The first five losses in the skid came at home. 5B: Those initial five losses came against two teams that missed the playoffs last season: the Arizona Diamondbacks and Athletics. 6A: The Mets haven’t led at any point in six of the nine losses. 6B: Luke Weaver, whom the Mets signed to a two-year, $22 million deal in the offseason, has given up six runs over his past two appearances (1 ⅔ innings). 6.2: Opponents have scored a combined 56 runs against the Mets over this span (6.2 runs per game). 7: The Mets have scored a combined seven runs and drawn just six walks over their past five games, with both totals the worst mark in MLB over the past seven days. 13: Right-hander Kodai Senga has been unable to escape the fourth inning in each of his past two starts, surrendering a combined 13 earned runs, 19 baserunners (14 hits and five walks) and four home runs across 5 ⅔ innings. 16: New York has scored just 16 runs during this losing streak. 22: The Mets’ nine-game losing streak is their worst run in 22 years, with New York losing 11 consecutive games in 2004; they finished 71-91 and were managed by Art Howe in 2004. 167: Luis Robert is hitting .167. 810: Left-hander David Peterson owns a combined 8.10 ERA over his past two starts and, stretching beyond the Mets’ nine-game losing streak, has given up at least four runs in each of his past three starts.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

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2026 NFL Draft Rumors: Ty Simpson Status, Dexter Lawrence Trade Price, More

The NFL Draft is a beast. Rumors flying all over the place. Trade talk concerning players across the sport, which could involve draft picks in the coming draft. We need a place to store this buzz. With that, here’s a tracker for the latest 2026 NFL Draft rumors: Dexter Lawrence trade price The New York Giants are seeking a top-10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft or a first-round pick plus more draft compensation in any trade for the star defensive lineman, according to the New York Post. Lawrence, who reportedly requested a trade earlier this month in hopes of signing a new contract, totaled career-lows in sacks (0.5), combined tackles (31) and quarterback hits (eight) in 2025. Still, the 28-year-old is a three-time Pro Bowler who logged nine sacks across 12 games in 2024. Lawrence has two seasons remaining on a four-year, $90 million contract. Ty Simpson a first-rounder? The Alabama quarterback is gaining traction to be selected in the first round, per CBS Sports. After serving as a backup for three seasons (2022-24), Simpson was Alabama’s starter for the 2025 season. He totaled 3,567 passing yards, 28 passing touchdowns, five interceptions and a 145.2 passer rating, while completing 64.5% of his passes that season. Simpson’s Tide reached the quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff before losing to Indiana. Most likely New York Jets pick The Jets, who own the No. 2 and 16 picks in the first round, are expected to select either Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese or Texas Tech linebacker David Bailey with the second pick, per CBS Sports. Last season, Reese logged 6.5 sacks, two passes defended and 69 combined tackles, while earning All-American honors; Bailey, who spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career playing for Stanford, racked up a Big 12-high 14.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, three passes defended and 52 combined tackles in 2025. Jeremiyah Love to the desert? There has been “significant buzz” surrounding the Arizona Cardinals selecting the Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back with the No. 3 pick, per SNY. Love, who finished third in the voting for the 2025 Heisman Trophy Award, rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns on 6.9 yards per carry last season, while tallying 280 receiving yards and three receiving scores. He rushed for 17.5 touchdowns per season from 2024 to 2025 on a combined 6.9 yards per carry.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

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San Diego Padres, Seidler Family Reportedly Nearing Record $4 Billion Sale

The family of late San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler is nearing a sale of the team, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Friday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Padres aren’t commenting publicly on the process. The Wall Street Journal first reported the imminent deal with private equity billionaire Jose E. Feliciano and his wife, Kwanza Jones. The team is expected to be sold for $3.9 billion in a record deal for a Major League Baseball team, easily topping the approximately $2.4 billion paid by Steven Cohen for the New York Mets in 2020. The 53-year-old Feliciano is the co-founder and managing partner of Clearlake Capital, a private equity firm based in Santa Monica, California. The firm was part of an investment group that purchased Premier League club Chelsea in 2022, with Los Angeles Dodgers minority owner Todd Boehly becoming the Blues’ chairman. Seidler’s family began to explore a sale of the Padres last November, two years after the death of the popular Peter Seidler. His brother, John Seidler, has served as the Padres’ chairman since then. Peter Seidler was part of a group that bought the Padres in 2012, and he became the team’s primary owner in 2020. He enthralled San Diego’s baseball fans with his free-spending eagerness to win the Padres’ first World Series, and general manager A.J. Preller built a series of exciting teams that have reached the MLB playoffs in four of the last six seasons — a first in team history. The Padres’ potential sale price reflects their value as San Diego’s only franchise in North America’s four traditional major sports leagues, leading to a passionate fan base in their attractive home at downtown Petco Park. The team has set attendance records in each of the past three seasons, capped last season by drawing a whopping 3,437,201 fans — the second-most in the majors to the Dodgers, who play in their much larger stadium in Chavez Ravine. Feliciano was born and raised in Puerto Rico before attending Princeton and Stanford. He co-founded Clearlake Capital two decades ago. Reporting by The Associated Press.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

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Texans Reportedly Sign DE Will Anderson Jr. to Record-Breaking NFL Contract

Want proof that the Houston Texans value star defensive end Will Anderson Jr.? Both sides have agreed to a three-year, $150 million extension, NFL Media reported on Friday. The contract includes $134 million guaranteed and a no-trade clause, with the $50 million average annual value an NFL record for a non-quarterback. Green Bay Packers superstar defensive lineman Micah Parsons held the previous record for the highest-paid non-quarterback in league history, signing a four-year, $186 million deal last summer ($46.5 million average annual value). Anderson, a two-time Pro Bowler who was the 2023 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, earned his first All-Pro honor in 2025, racking up 12.0 sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, three passes defended and 54 combined tackles; all five totals were career highs. Then, he racked up 3.5 sacks over Houston’s two postseason games, marking the second consecutive year that he did so. Moreover, Anderson ranked first among edge defenders with 70 hurries and third with 93 total pressures in 2025, according to Pro Football Focus. Anderson has averaged 11.5 sacks per year over the last two seasons (2024-25). The Texans traded up to select Anderson with the third overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft after a decorated collegiate career at Alabama, with whom he was a two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year and a two-time All-American. Anderson and the Texans are coming off a 12-5 season that saw them win the AFC South for a third consecutive year but also be eliminated in the AFC divisional round for a third consecutive season.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

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Zay Flowers: John Harbaugh Practices Were Reason for Ravens’ Injury Woes

Injuries to star players have been a common theme holding back the Baltimore Ravens of late, and wide receiver Zay Flowers thinks he knows why it has been a recurring issue. “We were in full pads all the time [under former head coach John Harbaugh]. However many practices in pads you can get, every single one. We’re doing one-on-ones in Week 17. Week 17, we’re doing one-on-ones, everybody out there, we’re tired; we’re still going. … You don’t manage that. Low-key, that’s why we had a lot of injuries, because of how we practiced,” Flowers said on “4th And South w/ Jarvis Landry & Leonard Fournette.” “The load was heavy.” The Ravens are coming off an 8-9 season that saw them miss the playoffs for the first time since 2021 and ultimately fire Harbaugh after 18 seasons at the helm. Quarterback and two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson, linebacker and three-time All-Pro Roquan Smith, cornerback and two-time All-Pro Marlon Humphrey, defensive lineman and two-time Pro Bowler Nnamdi Madubuike and tight end Isaiah Likely were among the many Baltimore players to miss multiple games due to injury in 2025. Over Harbaugh’s 18 seasons as Baltimore’s head coach (2008-25), the Ravens went a combined 180-113 in the regular season and 13-11 in the postseason, highlighted by winning Super Bowl XLVII and six AFC North division titles. While acknowledging that Harbaugh taught Flowers how to be “prepared” for games, the receiver feels that new head coach Jesse Minter — who was a defensive assistant under Harbaugh from 2017-20 — will have the players in a routine more conducive to success. “[Minter] knows how we worked with Harbaugh. So he’s like, ‘You’re going to get your work, but it’s going to be a little easier on your body. You’re going to be fresher for the game,'” Flowers said. Last season (2025), Flowers totaled a career-high in receptions (86), receiving yards (1,211) and receiving touchdowns (five). Flowers, whom Baltimore selected with the No. 22 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Boston College, has been a Pro Bowler and logged 1,000-plus receiving yards in each of the past two seasons.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

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Last Night in Baseball: A Near No-No For Guardians Thriving Rookie

There is always baseball happening — almost too much baseball for one person to follow themselves. Don’t worry, we’re here to help you by figuring out what you missed but shouldn’t have. Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball: A near no-no for the Guardians Cleveland has had baseball long enough to have multiple no-hitters in its history — 14 of them, in fact — but the last one came all the way back in 1981. To give you some perspective on how long ago that was, it’s three years before the Guardians’ manager, Stephen Vogt, was born. And hell, Vogt was born 10 years before FOX Sports was first founded. It’s been a while, is the thing. On Thursday, the Guardians had a chance at their first no-no in 45 years, when rookie starter Parker Messick got through eight no-hit innings against the Orioles. It was just the 11th start of his career, as he made seven of them in 2025 without losing his rookie eligibility, and Thursday was his fourth of the current season. He has shined throughout his brief time in the majors — his combined ERA through his first 65.1 innings in the bigs is 2.07 — but has never been better than on Thursday. Messick tied a career-high with nine strikeouts, walked two and didn’t allow a hit through the first eight innings against Baltimore. He would enter the ninth inning already at 106 pitches — his first time over 100 in the majors, and also the first time he pitched into the eighth or ninth — and give up a hit on the first pitch of that frame to center fielder Leody Taveras. The Guardians kept Messick in the game at first, to pitch to shortstop Blaze Alexander and see if he could get out of this with a complete game, at least, but another single followed, and he was pulled. While Messick was charged with two runs on the day, those came about because the runners he bequeathed to closer Cade Smith both scored. Cleveland did not end up breaking the no-hitter drought, but on the bright side: Parker Messick. He’s been pitching like the kind of shutdown starter the Guardians — which are not exactly an offense-first team — need if they are going to thrive in the AL Central. That’s not nothing. Messick had help in securing the 4-2 W, most notably from star third baseman Jose Ramirez. Ramirez had a great catch in foul territory where he somehow managed to hold on to a ball that he snowconed while coming up against the wall… …and he was also responsible for the first two runs of the day for the Guardians, when he belted a middle-middle 96 mph four-seamer over the fence in right-center field in the bottom of the first inning. That’s 289 career homers for Ramirez now, who looks likely to become the ninth-ever player with 300 home runs and 300 steals at some point this summer. Padres sweep Mariners for eighth-straight W The Padres barely put up a fight for last year’s inaugural Vedder Cup between San Diego and the Seattle Mariners, but things are going very differently in 2026. The Padres won on Thursday, 5-2, sweeping the M’s and ensuring that the best result Seattle can get here is a season split with San Diego. A four-run second inning did the job for the Padres. First baseman Gavin Sheets hit a one-out double, which was followed by back-to-back singles from DH Miguel Andujar and catcher Luis Campusano. Second baseman Jake Cronenworth would then reach on a fielding error to load the bases, which allowed a ground out by left fielder Ramon Laureano to score another run. Right fielder Fernando Tatis would then hit a two-run single to make it 4-0, and while the Padres didn’t need another run for the dub, they got it in the seventh on an RBI single by third baseman Manny Machado. Mason Miller came in for the save and struck out the side to give San Diego its eighth-straight victory. Miller is on an absurd run at the moment: he now holds the second-longest scoreless streak in Padres’ history, as he passed Randy Jones in this outing and is now at 30.2 innings without allowing a run. (The Padres are wearing patches to honor Jones this season, as died in November at the age of 75.) Cla Meredith’s franchise record is 33.2 innings. Oh, and Miller is getting there by being dominant in a way that has literally never happened before. Miller has pitched in nine games and thrown 9.1 innings. He has 23 strikeouts against two (2!) baserunners. The last time he gave up a run in a Padres’ uniform was Aug. 5, 2025, in his second appearance with the team: he struck out 42 batters with nine walks, four hits and no runs allowed for the rest of the regular season. Caminero’s timely homer, for his mom Junior Caminero bashed 45 homers in 2025, so his going yard in 2026 isn’t exactly a shocker. However, the Rays’ third baseman promised his mother that he would hit a homer for her on her birthday, and like a good, devoted son, he delivered. This wasn’t just some random homer for mom, though. The Rays were down 3-2 to the White Sox in the ninth inning on the road when Caminero strode to the plate to leadoff the inning against new pitcher, Chicago closer Seranthony Dominguez. Dominguez missed with his first three offerings, and Caminero watched a 3-0 sinker up in the zone for strike one. Next came another 98-mph sinker, this time inside as it broke across the plate and right into the path of Caminero’s bat instead of underneath it. It barely made it over the wall, but it got out in a hurry and counts all the same. Tampa Bay would end up plating three runs that inning, and the White Sox couldn’t muster a response in the bottom of the frame. The White Sox are now just 6-13, while the 11-7 Rays are winners of six in a row and atop the AL East. Angels rout Yankees as Trout makes history Angels’ star center fielder Mike Trout was in position to make history against the Yankees on the road on Thursday — all he needed was one home run, and a couple of best-ever accolades would come his way. New York starter Max Fried pitched him carefully for most of the game, walking him twice early, putting Trout’s ability to hit a home run for the fourth-straight game — and his fifth in four days — into question for most of the series-concluding matchup. Then, the seventh inning came, and reliever Angel Chivilli was on the mound instead. He threw one too many pitches in the strike zone, and did not fool Trout with an 89.7 mph changeup low in the zone following a much quicker slider in the same place a pitch before. The result? Explosive. Trout didn’t just hit a homer. He drove that pitch 446 feet to deep left-center field, with an exit velocity of nearly 115 mph. He crushed that changeup, and put the Angels up 7-4 in the process. With this dinger, Trout became the first-ever opposing player at Yankee Stadium — any version — to hit a home run in four-straight games, and as it was his fifth of the series as well, he tied the all-time lead for home runs by a visiting player in a series against the Yankees, joining George Bell (1990), Darrell Evans (1985) Hall of Fame slugger Jimmie Foxx (1933). Not wanting Trout to become the first-ever player to hit six long balls in a series against them, the Yankees then walked the red-hot slugger the next time up. It worked, sort of: the Yankees avoided another dinger from Trout himself, but that walk loaded the bases for right fielder Jo Adell, who hit a grand slam instead to get the game to its final score of 11-4. The dinger after an intentional walk; there’s nothing quite as satisfying. The Yankees lost, but: Aaron Judge Mike Trout obviously deserves attention for a series by a visiting player unlike any that has come before at Yankee Stadium, but living in his shadow a bit was the Yankees’ own star slugger, Aaron Judge. Judge went deep again on Thursday, too, giving him four home runs during the series. That also ties Judge with Cardinals’ outfielder Jordan Walker for the MLB lead, while putting him atop the American League — one ahead of Trout. Both had a bit of a slow start to the season, but Trout is now up to .246/.416/594 with seven dingers, and Judge is at .236/.321/.597 with eight, so, safe to say they seem to be coming out of their respective early funks. Brewers bunt three times in a row, win The Blue Jays and Brewers were both having trouble scoring runs on Thursday, with the game still tied up at 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh. So, Milwaukee decided that playing for one run wasn’t so bad when a single run might end up being all that was needed to win. They took this concept to the extreme, and bunted in three consecutive plate appearances. Garrett Mitchell pinch-hit and drew a walk to start the inning, and then the bunting began. Outfielder Greg Jones was out on a sacrifice bunt to move Mitchell over, and that was followed by a bunt for a hit from third baseman David Hamilton when the throw to first took Kazuma Okamoto off the bag. Milwaukee decided to roll the dice a third time, having shortstop Joey Ortiz attempt to bunt Mitchell home from third, and while Ortiz ended up out, the damage was done; the Brewers now led, 2-1. And that would end up being the final score. Hey, when you play for one run, that’s all you’ll get, but sometimes one run is enough. Oneil Cruz has your hardest hit of 2026 Not a home run, no, but Pirates’ center fielder Oneil Cruz tattooed this ball all the same. That’s an exit velocity of 119 mph for Cruz on this double off of Nationals’ lefty Foster Griffin. Cruz is no stranger to hitting baseballs very hard, but it is still funny that Cruz’s earlier hit, a single to center, came off the bat at “just” 94 mph. Guess he had to course correct a bit, and did he ever. Tigers walk it off for sixth-straight win What a game between the Tigers and Royals. It took a late rally for Detroit to come out ahead and notch their sixth-straight W, but they got there in the end. It took until the middle of the game for the scoring to truly get going, too, as it was just 2-1 Tigers through four innings, but then everything opened up. Detroit scored four runs in the fifth to extend the lead to 6-1, but then catcher Salvador Perez hit a sac fly to cut into the lead slightly, and a huge sixth inning put Kansas City ahead, thanks to a six-run effort. The Tigers clawed back a run in the seventh, but things could have gone better than that for Detroit, if not for this incredible sliding catch out in right-center field by Kyle Isbel. He had to consider not just his own place in the outfield relative to the wall, but also his incoming teammate, right fielder Jac Caglianone, who was also speeding to the fence to make the grab. The only way to make it work without incident was by sliding, and Isbel pulled it off — luckily, Calgianone knew enough to hop up against the wall to avoid running right into Isbel as he was defenseless on the ground. On top of this bit of run prevention, the Royals got the one they did give up back in the top of the ninth to make it 9-7, Kansas City, with three outs to go for Detroit. This was not an insurmountable lead: Royals’ closer Lucas Erceg came in for the save, but instead, he allowed a leadoff single to second baseman Gleyber Torres and a walk (after an ABS challenge) to rookie infielder Kevin McGonigle. It looked like Erceg might escape trouble after getting the next two batters out, but left fielder Riley Greene doubled in both Torres and McGonigle, and suddenly it was tied up 9-9. Third baseman Colt Keith, who entered the game earlier as a pinch-hitter, got an 89.8 mph changeup middle-middle from Erceg, and was not fooled. He laced it through the hole in the right side of the infield, and Greene came around to score the winning run. The Tigers were in real trouble for a bit very recently, but have turned things around from a 4-9 start to now be 10-9. Meanwhile, the Royals just made getting back to .500 or better more difficult thanks to Detroit getting the brooms out. But hey, it’s early on both fronts: Detroit was a mess a week ago, and now they’re surging!​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

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Everything to Know for INDYCAR’s 42nd Annual Visit to Long Beach

LONG BEACH, Calif — The 2026 INDYCAR schedule has some shiny new street venues. Racing along the streets of Arlington around the home of the Dallas Cowboys. Racing along the streets of Washington, D.C., around some of the most recognizable national landmarks. And as those shiny new venues create a spotlight, here comes the Long Beach Grand Prix, which can puff out its chest and its iconic fountain turn and scenic Shoreline Drive. This place can boast something the others don’t — 41 years of INDYCAR history. This event has regularly been recognized as the second-biggest event on the INDYCAR circuit behind the Indy 500. During the years of the split, this was arguably the biggest race on the CART calendar. “This place has been it for many years,” Graham Rahal, who will make his 19th start at Long Beach, told me Thursday. “On the [CART] Champ Car side, this race and Surfer’s Paradise [in Australia] were kind of it, and that is still the case today. “Other than Indy, this place always carries the weight. It’s pretty awesome for sure.” This 1.968-mile, 11-turn street course will see 90 laps of INDYCAR racing Sunday, with FOX coverage beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET, following the NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway. There are five drivers among the 25 in the field who have won at Long Beach. “This is still one of the major … races of the year,” two-time race winner and six-time INDYCAR champion Scott Dixon told me Thursday. “[This race] has 40 years of longevity, typically always the same date, and that’s huge. “Arlington set a new standard with attention to detail, the track condition, the hospitality, all that stuff, was definitely next level.” Here’s what to know about the Long Beach weekend. Besides Dixon, who are the other past Long Beach winners in the field? Dixon, Alexander Rossi, Will Power and last year’s winner Kyle Kirkwood — who currently leads the series championship standings — have all won twice at the track. Josef Newgarden has won once. Rossi, notably, was inducted into the track’s “Walk of Fame” on Thursday. Rossi — a California native — had several family members there for the induction. The ECR driver, who won at Long Beach in 2018 and 2019, admitted it is a little weird to be enshrined like that while he still hopes to race for several more years and add to his number of wins. “It’s very cool [to be honored],” Rossi told me after the ceremony. “I think it’s a good reminder to put some things into perspective. “But ultimately, it’s also weird when you’re still doing it. So I hope I have to make their life difficult, and they have to add some years [to the plaque].” What it has taken to be good at Long Beach in recent years is the same as over the last couple of decades, Rossi said. “This race has always been fairly straightforward from a tire life and strategy standpoint,” Rossi said. “The track has stayed very consistent from a surface architecture. It has been resurfaced in some areas, but ultimately, but it’s still the same racetrack as it was when I won here six years ago. “So really, it’s up to me and the team to execute in order to get back to Victory Lane.” Can Former Pole Sitter Felix Rosenqvist Turn Season Around? Felix Rosenqvist sat on the pole at Long Beach in 2024, and he’s hoping this track being a good one for him will be the place where he can have a rebound race in 2026. Rosenqvist hasn’t finished better than 12th in the opening four races. He finished fourth at Long Beach a year ago. “It’s been a little bit of a rough start for us. So nice to come back here to a track, where, normally, when I come here, I know that I can be quick,” Rosenqvist told me Thursday. The Meyer Shank Racing No. 60 car driver, who will have a Green Day-themed paint scheme as part of his organization’s SiriusXM partnership, said the team has improved in some areas. “We’ve actually improved everything we wanted to improve — which is pit stops and strategy and just the small details have been really good,” Rosenqvist said. “We just haven’t really had much speed, which has never really been a problem previously.” What are the qualifying rules for the final round? Oh yes, the always changing rules for the Fast Six, the final round of qualifying where the top-six drivers from the second round duke it out for the pole. After the first street race of the season, INDYCAR experimented with instead of a timed round where drivers could make as many laps as possible to post a fast time, it opted for single-car, single-lap runs. That worked well except the driver slowest among the six in the previous round went out first in the final round and appeared to have an advantage. [DRIVER’S EYE: How drivers navigate Long Beach’s unique 11-turn track] So at Long Beach, INDYCAR will allow the fastest driver from the second round to choose when he will go out in the Fast Six, and then the second-fastest will get to choose his spot and so on. That makes where a driver finishes in the second round possibly important because if you can be the fastest (instead of worrying about just being in the top-six), you have the advantage of choice in the order for the final round. Anything else unique about the street course rules? Teams and drivers are getting used to the new rule this year that they must use at minimum two sets instead of one set of the alternate soft tires during a street race. What have they learned? It isn’t always clear-cut strategy that will work for all drivers. “It’s been very split throughout the field who believes in the alternates,” Christian Lundgaard, driver of the No. 7 car for Arrow McLaren said during a virtual news conference this week. “Obviously, I think that depends a lot on car setup, how your car is treating the tires. “We see cars that are more abusive to the tires and more cars that are nicer to the tires. You see different strategies in the race.” The strategy at Long Beach likely will be to come in and change tires twice, using two sets of the alternate soft tires and one set of the hard primary tires during the race. But if a driver punishes the tires too much, a third stop will be necessary to use four sets of tires overall during the event. “The [alternate] needs to have a higher degrade to it,” Dixon told me. “They’re both pretty consistent. “That could really switch up how this weekend rolls because it now makes the two-stopper very achievable [because the alternates last longer]. Because last year, that just wasn’t a possibility from the longevity of the of the soft tire. This one could get super interesting.” Who are the favorites? Kirkwood — who drives the No. 27 car for Andretti Global, a team known for its street-course prowess — has won the last two races so he is going to be the favorite. And then Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou because, well, he’s Alex Palou and he’s won 10 of the last 21 INDYCAR events. If anyone is going to catch those two, it could be Lundgaard, who finished third at Long Beach a year ago behind Kirkwood and Palou. The Arrow McLaren driver also finished second to Palou in the most recent INDYCAR race a few weeks ago at Barber Motorsports Park. You can see more of my thoughts on predictions by reading this on the FOX Sports Super 6 contest for Long Beach. OK, enough about Long Beach, what about Indy 500 entries? That will be a topic of discussion in the garage and it is becoming pretty clear that there will be 33 entries. There have been 31 announced entries and the other two most likely will be Jacob Abel and Katherine Legge. Legge’s manager Klint Briney confirmed that Legge’s entry is possible. “We’re working hard behind the scenes to get Katherine back in the Indy 500 field this year after missing 2025,” he told me. “She certainly brings a unique story and perspective to the grid.” Having 33 cars is a mixed bag because that means no drama on bump day, but for the drivers who could be on the bubble, that is something that at least allows them to breathe. “God bless, I’ll sleep a lot better,” said Rahal, who was the last driver to make it in on the first day of qualifying last year and was the last driver to make the 2024 field, when he was told it will likely be 33 entries. “I’ve never been a fan of guaranteed entries, … but what I hope people understand is it isn’t an indication of where the sport is at. “It’s not easy to get cars and it’s not easy to get engines.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

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Villanova, Notre Dame Hoops Off to Rome for ‘Eternal City Tip-Off’ Season Opener

The Villanova and Notre Dame men’s and women’s basketball teams are officially set for a one-of-a-kind season opener on an international stage. Pope included. The Fighting Irish’s and Wildcats’ teams will play in the “Eternal City Tip-Off” in Rome on Nov. 1 to start the 2026-27 season. The doubleheader will make history in a couple of categories: the first men’s international season opener and the first Division I basketball game played in Italy. While next season officially begins on Nov. 2, the NCAA approved this special men’s and women’s event starting in Rome a day early. So why, specifically, are these two Catholic universities playing halfway across the world? Simply, Pope Leo XIV (whose real name is Robert Francis Provost). And, he plans to have an audience with the teams during their trip. The Pope — an American-born sports fan who resides in Vatican City in the heart of Rome — is an alumnus of Villanova in the class of 1977. What’s more, his roots are in Chicago, which is relatively close to Notre Dame’s campus in South Bend, Indiana. His recent election inspired the Eternal City Tip-Off. [MEN’S NCAA BASKETBALL: Illinois, Duke Highlight Way-Too-Early Top 25] The Villanova men’s program has seven Final Four appearances and three national titles, with its most recent in 2018. Led by coach Niele Ivey, the Notre Dame women also have three national titles. The Fighting Irish clinched an Elite Eight appearance this season but ultimately fell to No. 1 seed UConn. The Eternal City Tip-Off will be the second time in four seasons the Notre Dame women’s team has competed abroad. In 2023, The Fighting Irish played South Carolina in Paris. The men’s teams will meet for the first time since 2016, and their game will air on FOX and lead into the network’s NFL coverage. The women’s team will play for the first time since 2018 with that matchup being broadcast on FS1.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports