Terry McLaurin takes major step in his contract holdout
Wide receiver Terry McLaurin is taking a major step in his contract holdout with the Washington Commanders.
McLaurin has requested a trade, as reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN. The move comes as the teams remain far apart in contract talks.
McLaurin is in the final year of a three-year, $68 million contract he signed in 2022. While he did report to training camp, he has so far refused to take part in any practices until he gets a new contract, and has been placed on the physically unable to perform list by Washington. He recently made clear he is very frustrated with how the Commanders have handled talks.
Albert Breer of The MMQB reported Thursday that the two sides recently went a month without any contract dialogue, suggesting that little progress is being made on a new deal.
Since officially ending his holdout, McLaurin has sought to assure Commanders fans that he has no problem with them. The news of a trade request will be a huge disappointment, however, even if it is partly a negotiating tactic.
The 29-year-old wide receiver has had five consecutive seasons with 1,000-plus receiving yards. He led Washington with 82 catches for 1,096 yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns last season.
Twins traded nearly half their roster before MLB trade deadline
The Minnesota Twins sold off nearly half of their roster in a span of 24 hours prior to the MLB trade deadline in a shocking series of moves.
The Twins were easily the biggest sellers of the deadline. In a span of roughly 24 hours, Minnesota traded nine players from their 26-man roster, including several stars. Most of the players they moved even had team control remaining beyond the 2025 season.
#MNTwins trade tally:
— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) July 31, 2025
Carlos Correa
Jhoan Duran
Griffin Jax
Louis Varland
Brock Stewart
Willi Castro
Harrison Bader
Chris Paddack
Danny Coulombe
Ty France
They traded 40% of the roster, including the five best relievers and five players with 2+ years of team control remaining.
The biggest name the Twins moved was shortstop Carlos Correa, who returned to the Houston Astros in a huge deal. One day earlier, they moved All-Star closer Jhoan Duran in a major deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Twins were nowhere near finished. On Thursday, they shipped Harrison Bader to Philadelphia, Danny Coulombe to Texas, Willi Castro to the Cubs, Brock Stewart to the Dodgers, Griffin Jax to Tampa Bay, and Louis Varland and Ty France to Toronto. They also traded pitcher Chris Paddack to the Detroit Tigers earlier in the week.
Most of the Twins’ motivations appear to be financial. Bob Nightengale of USA Today stated that the organization is over $400 million in debt.
The Minnesota Twins, who are about $440 million in debt, erased a huge chunk of it by trading away virtually their roster in a matter of 12 hours.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 31, 2025
No wonder Carlos Correa wanted out.
The Twins have been up for sale since last October, but little progress has been made on any sale. A big part of that reason is believed to be the team’s troubling financial situation, which has turned off some potential buyers.
As of Thursday, the Twins were 51-57, and were clearly not likely to make the playoffs this season. This sell-off will make it much harder for them to make the postseason next year, but might make them more appealing to potential buyers.
Perhaps the most amazing part is the Twins actually held on to some pieces they could have traded. This firesale could have been even worse.
Rangers acquire top starting pitcher in trade with Diamondbacks
The Texas Rangers are the latest team to take an aggressive approach to the MLB trade deadline, even though they are no certainty to make the playoffs.
The Rangers are acquiring pitcher Merrill Kelly from the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to multiple reports. The 36-year-old pitcher is a free agent at the end of the season.
Texas gave up two minor league pitchers to land Kelly, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
The move is a bit of surprise, as the Boston Red Sox had been linked heavily to Kelly. The Rangers also do not having a glaring need in their rotation, but have opted to reinforce a position of strength with the move.
Kelly has been very good for Arizona this season despite the team’s struggles. He has a 3.22 ERA in 22 starts this season, and while not necessarily a power arm, he is excellent at limiting walks and hard contact. He also has playoff experience, as he posted a 2.25 ERA in 24 innings of work during the 2023 postseason.
The Rangers enter play Thursday with a 57-52 record and are tied with the Seattle Mariners for the final AL Wild Card spot. The strategy is clearly to lean hard on their starting pitching to try to turn that into a playoff spot.
Carlos Correa gave the Twins an ultimatum
Carlos Correa gave the Minnesota Twins something of an ultimatum when the possibility of a trade came up.
In an interview with Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, Correa said he and the Twins worked together on a trade when it became clear that Minnesota was no longer going in the direction he expected. However, he added that the Houston Astros were the only team he was willing to waive his no-trade clause for.
“I let them know there was only one team I would allow that to happen,” Correa said.
Correa had a full no-trade clause as part of his contract with Minnesota. That is why the Astros were essentially the only team linked with him, and part of why the Twins had to settle for a relatively modest return for the All-Star infielder, though the salary relief they will get from the trade was a major motivating factor for the organization.
Correa was even willing to move from shortstop to third base to facilitate the deal. The Astros will pick up the bulk of the $102 million remaining on his contract.
The 62-47 Astros are clearly all-in once again in pursuit of a World Series. That drove them to reunite with Correa, who is batting .267 with 7 home runs and 31 RBI this year.
FBI investigating massive robbery of Heat gear from team facilities
The FBI is investigating the theft of millions of dollars worth of game-used gear from the Miami Heat’s team facilities.
The federal investigation involves stolen game-used gear worn by the likes of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Shaquille O’Neal, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. The items were being stored by the team at Kaseya Center for use in a potential future team Hall of Fame.
The stolen items were sold over a multi-year period. Among the suspects of the investigation are a retired Miami police officer who later worked for the NBA’s security division.
In a recent appearance on “The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz,” Meadowlark Media’s Amin Elhassan said the stolen items were worth “many, many, many millions of dollars.” He added that it represents “one of the largest, if not the largest, memorabilia heists in the history of this country in any sport.”
Both the Heat organization and the FBI offered no comment on the investigation. The report indicates that federal investigators have been on the case for 18 months.
The Heat situation certainly brings back memories of what happened to the New England Patriots back in 2017 after their Super Bowl win. This appears to have been even more audacious and involved even more valuable items than that, most of which has been sold off now.
Carlos Correa traded to notable AL playoff team
Carlos Correa is headed back to his former team.
The Minnesota Twins agreed to a trade on Thursday to send Correa to the Houston Astros, according to multiple reports. Correa had a no-trade clause in his contract with the Twins, but he waived it to return to the place where he began his MLB career.
There had been talk leading up to Thursday’s trade deadline that the Astros were interested in bringing Correa back. Correa has only played shortstop during his career, but he is said to be willing to play third base in Houston with Isaac Paredes dealing with a severe long-term hamstring injury.
Correa signed a six-year, $200 million deal with Minnesota ahead of the 2023 season. The former No. 1 overall pick played for the Astros from 2015 to 2021. He wound up with the Twins during a very bizarre offseason in 2022-23, when multiple big contracts fell through due to concerns about his health.
Correa is batting .267 with 7 home runs and 31 RBI this year. He missed significant time last year with a foot injury but batted .310/.388/.517 with 55 runs, 14 home runs and 54 RBI across 86 games.
The Astros entered Thursday with a record of 62-47 and in first place in the AL West.
Ex-Pro Bowl RB announces retirement from NFL
A former Pro Bowl running back has announced his retirement from the NFL.
Latavius Murray announced on Thursday that he is calling it a career. Jordan Schultz shared a video recapping Murray’s football journey from high school through the NFL.
Veteran RB Latavius Murray is retiring from the NFL.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) July 31, 2025
Former 6th-round pick finished his career with over 8,000 yards and 61 TDs — and was highly respected by coaches and players, as you can tell in this video: pic.twitter.com/gDVUePVAYb
Murray last played in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills in 2023. He played in 16 games and finished with 300 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns.
In total, Murray played nine seasons in the NFL for six different teams. His career got off to a promising start with the then-Oakland Raiders, who drafted Murray in the sixth round out of UCF in 2013.
Murray broke out in 2015 with 1,066 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns. He made the Pro Bowl that season and had 12 rushing scores the following year, but he wound up having only the one 1,000-yard campaign.
In addition to the Bills and Raiders, Murray also had brief stints with the Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos. He finishes his career with 6,552 rushing yards, 1,620 receiving yards and 61 total touchdowns.
Shilo Sanders praised for his classy behavior at Bucs camp
Shilo Sanders may or may not make the Tampa Bay Buccaneers out of training camp, but he won quite a few fans with his classy behavior this week.
Videos emerged of Sanders signing autographs for fans at Buccaneers camp after practice. The rookie safety stuck around for an hour after practice to sign for fans, even though temperatures had soared into triple digits.
CLASS ACT: #Bucs rookie safety Shilo Sanders stayed after practice for an hour signing every possible autograph for fans.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) July 30, 2025
It was nearly 100° outside & Shilo made sure every fan felt like a million bucks.
Shilo was clearly raised right and is a class act👏pic.twitter.com/uuzaUlcNPZ
Sanders has been doing this on a regular basis, and was very popular among fans as a result.
Buccaneers S Shilo Sanders is a man of the people and is very popular amongst fans. Love to see this after practice 👏
— SleeperBucs (@SleeperTBBUCS) July 25, 2025
🎥: @PewterReport pic.twitter.com/3wEaT9kapZ
Sanders went undrafted, which was not a surprise, as he was not really viewed as a top-tier NFL prospect. He began his college career with South Carolina in 2019, then followed his father Deion to Jackson State in 2021, and then transferred to Colorado in 2023. The 25-year-old had 67 tackles, one sack, two fumble recoveries and two passes defended in the 2024 season with the Buffaloes.
The young safety may or may not make the Buccaneers, and as an undrafted free agent, he likely faces an uphill fight to land a roster spot. Even if he doesn’t, he made a lot of fans very happy during training camp.
Yankees acquire 2-time All-Star pitcher in trade
One of the top relief pitchers available on the trade market is headed to the New York Yankees.
The Yankees on Thursday acquired right-handed reliever David Bednar in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to multiple reports.
Bednar has spent the last five seasons in Pittsburgh and been one of the best relievers in baseball for much of that time. He has a 2.37 ERA and 17 saves in 42 appearances this year. Bednar has struck out 51 batters in 38 innings and does not have a blown save.
Bednar made back-to-back All-Star appearances in 2022 and 2023. The latter was his best season, as he posted a 2.00 across 66 appearances and had a career-high 39 saves.
Though he had a rough campaign in 2024 with a 5.77 ERA in 62 appearances, Bednar has bounced back this season.
The Yankees entered Thursday with a record of 59-49 and four games back of the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East. They have dealt with injuries in their bullpen all year, which is why they had made it a priority to find at least one top-tier reliever at the deadline. They have accomplished that with the addition of Bednar.
While the Yankees may have tried to pull off a much flashier blockbuster deal, Bednar should be a huge help for them down the stretch.
Fans said the same thing about Stephen A. Smith after ESPN arrests
Fans were all saying the same thing about Stephen A. Smith after multiple ESPN NBA analysts got into trouble recently.
This week, both Gilbert Arenas and Marcus Morris were arrested. The two had appeared on ESPN to provide NBA analysis as recently as May. Also on Wednesday, we learned that Shannon Sharpe had been fired. Sharpe was let go by ESPN after settling a lawsuit with a young woman who had accused him of sexual misconduct.
Seeing all three be part of negative headlines on Wednesday led people to joke that Smith is working in cahoots with the government.
Shannon Sharpe down.
— LakersSpin (@LakersSpin) July 30, 2025
Marcus Morris down.
Gilbert Arenas down.
The Feds have to at least TRY to not make it so obvious who their informant is. pic.twitter.com/EZXAIbpaed
Shannon Sharpe❌
— MC Gusto (@theMEZ9) July 30, 2025
Marcus Morris ❌
Gilbert Arenas❌
Stephen A. Smith was wearing a wire on first take ☠️😭 pic.twitter.com/eiqhvwDz3P
Shannon Sharpe, Gilbert Arenas and Marcus Morris Sr. all have one thing in common… pic.twitter.com/VOJMFJNsXQ
— Gojević (@gojevic) July 30, 2025
Those are all just jokes, of course, but fans have taken notice of all the trouble ESPN’s personalities have gotten into, with the exception of Smith.
Smith is on a $100 million deal with ESPN and knows to avoid trouble, unlike some of the other people at the network.
Yankees tried to trade for Paul Skenes
The New York Yankees took a big swing ahead of Thursday’s MLB trade deadline.
The Yankees asked the Pittsburgh Pirates about a trade for Paul Skenes and were even willing to include top outfield prospect Spencer Jones in a package for the ace pitcher. The Pirates, however, were completely unwilling to discuss Skenes in any deals, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Teams with good/great pieces consistently ask the Yankees about top OF prospect Spencer Jones . The Yankees are consistent on this too: They will only trade Jones (and others in package) for Paul Skenes, who’s not available and not going anywhere.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 31, 2025
Obviously, it cannot hurt the Yankees to ask about Skenes, who is one of the best pitchers in baseball already. It also makes sense for the Pirates to shut those talks down, as Skenes does not even become eligible for arbitration until 2027.
The Pirates are known for trading star players before they get too expensive, but Skenes is over a year away from his salary beginning to rise. The team wants to build around Skenes, and trading the former No. 1 pick would likely cause fan interest to crater.
Skenes has a 1.89 ERA in his first 45 MLB starts. If the Pirates traded him, he would be the most coveted player in the entire sport. The Yankees are not the only team that would be willing to sell the farm for him, but it just is not happening.
Ex-NFL star named as potential replacement for Shannon Sharpe at ESPN
Shannon Sharpe’s tenure with ESPN ended before it really had a chance to get started, and a fellow former NFL star who is close to him has been mentioned as a potential replacement.
Sharpe has been fired by ESPN less than two weeks after he settled his lawsuit with Gabriella Zuniga, a woman who accused him of sexual misconduct. Sharpe had been considered a huge addition to “First Take” alongside Stephen A. Smith, as he had previously built up a huge following by co-hosting FS1’s “Undisputed” with Skip Bayless.
Sharpe also has two successful podcasts: “Club Shay Shay” and “Nightcap.” He co-hosts the latter with Chad Johnson. The former NFL star wide receiver also makes regular appearances on “Club Shay Shay.”
In a story he published on Thursday, Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports floated the possibility of ESPN hiring Johnson. A source with knowledge of the dynamic between Sharpe and ESPN suggested hiring Johnson would be a “smart idea,” as it might help ESPN retain some of Sharpe’s audience.
ESPN is said to be undecided about whether to pursue Johnson.
Johnson spent a decade with the Cincinnati Bengals from 2001-2010. He also played for the New England Patriots for a brief period in 2011. Johnson had six straight seasons with 1,000-plus yards at one point and was known as much for his quirky personality as his Pro Bowl ability.
Johnson, 47, has had some great interactions with fans over the years, which is why he is a natural fit for a media role. The question is whether he is content simply doing his own thing or if a network like ESPN would have enough interest to make it worth his while.
Sharpe addressed his dismissal from ESPN during his podcast on Wednesday night. He said he has one major issue with the way the split played out.
Phillies acquire Gold Glove outfielder in trade with Twins
The Philadelphia Phillies remain extremely active leading up to the MLB trade deadline, and made another notable move on Thursday.
The Phillies acquired outfielder Harrison Bader from the Minnesota Twins on Thursday, according to multiple reports. The Phillies gave up two low-level prospects in the trade.
Twins acquired AA outfielder Hendry Mendez, who is ranked #17 in the Phillies farm system by Baseball America, and recent int’l signee Geremy Villoria, a 16 year old pitcher out of Venezuela. https://t.co/RHQSaMF0jH
— Bobby Nightengale (@nightengalejr) July 31, 2025
The Phillies have had trouble getting production from their corner outfield spots this season. Bader is likely to replace Max Kepler, who has hit just .203 with 11 home runs this season.
In contrast, Bader has hit .258 with 12 home runs. He is best known for his glove, having won a Gold Glove with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2021. The Twins signed him in the offseason and got good value for him.
This is the second big trade the Phillies and Twins have made with each other in the last 24 hours, as Philadelphia also landed closer Jhoan Duran in a bigger deal.
Tigers acquire All-Star pitcher in trade with Nationals
The Detroit Tigers have addressed one of their biggest needs as they gear up for a playoff run.
The Tigers on Thursday acquired veteran relief pitcher Kyle Finnegan in a trade with the Washington Nationals, according to multiple reports.
Finnegan has a 4.38 ERA and 20 saves across 40 appearances this season. The right-hander has blown six saves and been knocked around during the month of July.
Finnegan has posted an 11.25 ERA in 10 appearances in July. He was excellent for most of the season prior to that and had a 2.31 ERA across May and June.
The Tigers are hoping Finnegan can regain his pre-July form, as the 33-year-old was also named an All-Star for the first time in his career last season. Finnegan finished 2024 with a 3.68 ERA and career-high 38 saves in 65 appearances.
Detroit also acquired 35-year-old reliever Paul Sewald in a trade with the Cleveland Guardians earlier on Thursday. Sewald has a 4.70 ERA this season but has been limited to 18 appearances due to injuries.
The Tigers are 64-46 and have a nine-game lead over Cleveland in the AL Central. They may have missed out on their top trade deadline target, but adding to their bullpen was a major priority.
Russell Wilson does not regret cringeworthy ‘Mr. Unlimited’ video
It has been five years since Russell Wilson gave himself a new nickname in one of the most cringeworthy videos the internet has ever seen, but the veteran quarterback has no regrets.
When Wilson was with the Seattle Seahawks in 2020, he shared a video on social media that poked fun at his reputation for being a boring guy. Wilson said he has an alter ego he calls “Mr. Unlimited.”
The nickname was bad, but the way Wilson kept saying the word “unlimited” was enough to make almost anyone’s skin crawl.
how did Mr. Unlimited allow himself to be limited in an offense so long this vid 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/whrflpDCUw
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) August 5, 2020
Wilson, who is preparing for his first season with the New York Giants, sat down for an interview with WFAN’s “Boomer & Gio” show at training camp on Thursday morning. Toward the end of the chat, Wilson was playfully asked if he wishes he could take back the “Mr. Unlimited” video.
Wilson laughed and said he has no regrets.
“I would still do it, man. I got kids saying ‘Unliiimited,’” Wilson said proudly.
Russ has no regrets about Mr. Unlimited 😆@GioWFAN @WFANmornings pic.twitter.com/sP58wfsUeL
— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) July 31, 2025
You have to admire Wilson for owning the video, especially with all the grief has been given about it over the years.
Wilson is coming off a season in which he threw for 2,482 yards, 16 touchdowns and 5 interceptions while leading the Pittsburgh Steelers to the playoffs. Giants fans will call him whatever he wants if he can help the team turn their recent misfortunes around.
Padres trade their top overall prospect for All-Star reliever
The San Diego Padres made an aggressive move to improve their bullpen ahead of the MLB trade deadline on Thursday, and they gave up their best prospect to do it.
The Padres have acquired former All-Star relief pitcher Mason Miller in a trade with the Oakland A’s, according to multiple reports. San Diego will also receive left-handed starting pitcher J.P. Sears while the A’s get shortstop Leodalis De Vries and right-handed pitchers Braden Nett, Henry Báez and Eduarniel Nuñez.
Miller, an All-Star in 2024, has been Oakland’s closer this season. He has a 3.76 ERA with 20 saves and 3 blown saves in 38 appearances. Miller has struck out 59 batters in 38 1/3 innings.
Sears is 7-9 this season with a 4.95 ERA, which is slightly above his career ERA of 4.48. The 29-year-old has made 22 starts this season after starting 32 games in both 2024 and 2023.
While the Padres kept their own closer, Robert Suarez, in the deal, many feel they gave up far too much. De Vries was San Diego’s top prospect and is ranked the No. 3 overall prospect in baseball by MLB.com. Nett was the third-ranked prospect in the Padres organization.
The Padres entered Thursday with a record of 60-49. They have climbed to within three games of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West, and they obviously feel they are a legitimate contender.
San Diego’s bullpen should be better in the short term, but many believe they are going to regret giving up De Vries without getting more in return.
Hulk Hogan had been diagnosed with form of cancer before death
Hulk Hogan died last Thursday at the age of 71, and some new information has emerged about the health issues the wrestling legend had been dealing with.
Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, died following a medical episode at his home in Clearwater, Fla., on July 24. Medical personnel were dispatched to the scene for what was described as a cardiac arrest.
According to records from Pinellas County Forensic Science Center that were obtained by the New York Post, Hogan’s official cause of death was acute myocardial infarction, which is more commonly referred to as a heart attack. Hogan also had a history of atrial fibrillation (AFib), which is characterized by an irregular heartbeat.
The documents also showed that Hulk had previously been diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). CLL is a type of cancer that affects the white blood cells
There had been no known public acknowledgment from Hogan or anyone in his camp that the former WWE champion had been battling cancer.
There had been rumors in recent months that Hogan underwent a significant heart procedure, though his representatives denied that. Longtime radio personality Bubba The Love Sponge Clem, who was once friends with Hogan, claimed on his radio show in June that Hulk was in the hospital dealing with some sort of life-threatening condition.
A rep for Hogan said at the time that Hulk had been receiving medical treatment to address lingering neck and back issues but was doing well.
Hogan was arguably the most famous professional wrestler of all time. His popularity in the 1980s led to the rapid growth of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), which is now known as World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
Hogan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. He was removed in 2015 over a scandal but reinstated again several years later. Hogan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame a second time in 2020 as a member of the New World Order (NWO), which he joined in 1996 when he made a heel turn while wrestling in World Championship Wrestling (WCW).
A six-time WWE Champion, Hogan remained a brand ambassador for the organization up until his death.
Shannon Sharpe shares his reaction to being fired by ESPN
ESPN has cut ties with Shannon Sharpe in the wake of the scandal he was embroiled in, and the Hall of Fame tight end says he has only one major issue with the decision — the timing.
A report surfaced on Wednesday that Sharpe is out at ESPN less than two weeks after he settled his lawsuit with Gabriella Zuniga, a woman who accused him of sexual misconduct. Sharpe shared his reaction to the news during the latest episode of his “Nightcap” podcast, which was released on Wednesday night.
Sharpe said he is “at peace” with ESPN’s decision but that he feels badly that the news came out before Saturday, which is when his brother Sterling Sharpe will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Sterling, a former wide receiver, and Shannon, a former tight end, are the first brothers to ever be enshrined in Canton.
“My brother’s going to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I really want it to be about him and I want it to be about my family,” Sharpe said. “I said this coming out would overshadow everything that he’s worked his entire life for. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen that way. I profusely apologized to him earlier today.
“I really enjoyed my time at ESPN. They gave me an opportunity to bring my audience that saw me really just grow. They saw me ‘Lakers in 5’ and they saw me say all these analogies that my grandparents gave me. I was able to bring that to ESPN and I’m very, very grateful for that. They did what they felt what they needed to do and I’m at peace with that. I just wish this thing could’ve waited until Monday, because I hate the fact that I’ve overshadowed my brother.”
Shannon Sharpe starts off his NightCap podcast tonight addressing being fired by ESPN🚨
— SOUND | Victor Baez (@itsavibe) July 31, 2025
"I will not be returning to ESPN, I found out this information a little earlier in the week… I just wish this thing couldve waited until Monday"
Shannon did not want the news to overshadow… https://t.co/kBX4vmgXS4 pic.twitter.com/JEfWp7XAOh
Sharpe was on ESPN for about a year and a half following his departure from FS1 show “Undisputed,” which he co-hosted with Skip Bayless.
Sharpe and Zuniga were in a tumultuous consensual sexual relationship after first meeting at a gym. Zuniga had sued Sharpe in April seeking $50 million over his alleged mistreatment of her. The lawsuit led to great embarrassment and negative attention for Sharpe, who announced on April 24 that he was stepping away from ESPN.
At the time, Sharpe said he would be back on ESPN in the future. The 57-year-old does not seem surprised that the network had other plans, though he wishes those plans were kept under wraps until after Saturday.
Blue Jays land former Cy Young winner in trade
The Toronto Blue Jays have made a big addition to their pitching staff as they look to cling to their lead in the AL East.
The Blue Jays have agreed to a deal to acquire Shane Bieber from the Cleveland Guardians, according to multiple reports. Cleveland will receive pitching prospect Khal Stephen in the trade, which is pending a physical.
Bieber is working his way back from Tommy John surgery and has not pitched since April 2024. The right-hander made his latest rehab start for Double-A Akron against the Erie Seawolves on Tuesday and looked solid. Bieber allowed three hits and struck out seven across four innings.
Bieber, 30, has been one of the best starting pitchers in baseball when healthy. He was named an All-Star in 2019 and 2021 and won the AL Cy Young Award in 2020, when he went 8-1 with a 1.63 ERA in a pandemic-shortened season.
The Blue Jays entered Thursday with a record of 64-46 and a four-game lead over the New York Yankees in the AL East. They were in need of another starting pitcher, and Bieber offers tremendous upside if he can remain healthy.
Brittney Griner ejected following heated confrontation with WNBA official
Brittney Griner was ejected from the Atlanta Dream’s game against the Dallas Wings on Wednesday night after she had another heated exchange with a WNBA official.
Griner was called for a foul while fighting for a rebound early in the third quarter of Atlanta’s 88-85 win at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas. She was unhappy with the call and began arguing about it with referee Angelica Suffren, who assessed Griner a technical foul.
Rather than walking away, Griner continued to express her displeasure and tried to get into Suffren’s face as the ref was heading to the scorer’s table. A Dream came over to remove Griner from the situation, but it was too late.
Griner received a second technical foul and was ejected.
Brittney Griner received 2 techs and was ejected from the game for arguing with the referee 👀 pic.twitter.com/eNvjLhvE2o
— WNBA Got Game (@wnbagotgame) July 31, 2025
It looked like contact was made with Suffren, which is likely why the second technical was called. The contact appeared to come when the Atlanta staffer stepped in to separate Griner from the official.
Griner, who finished with 4 points and 4 rebounds, continued to yell toward Suffren as Griner made her way to the locker room.
Griner has a history of berating officials when things don’t go her way. She even interrupted her own halftime interview during a game earlier this year to curse at an officiating crew.
