Video shows Paige Bueckers cursing at an opponent
Paige Bueckers certainly has no problem returning fire at the opposition.
Bueckers and the Dallas Wings played on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Sparks. It marked the first game back for both teams after the WNBA’s three-week break for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.
Viral video from the game at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas showed Bueckers cursing at the Sparks bench in the middle of play. While Bueckers was perched in the corner during a Wings possession, she heard a Sparks player talking trash to her from the sideline.
Bueckers then proceeded to point at the offender and loudly told her to “Shut your a– up.” You can see the video at the link here.
The two-time All-Star guard Bueckers, 24, ended up leading all scorers on Thursday night with 19 points on 8/13 shooting. Combined with a 13-11-12 triple-double from teammate Jessica Shepard, Bueckers helped propel the Wings to an easy 97-77 victory over the Sparks.
Meanwhile, we know that Bueckers, the former No. 1 overall draft pick, is not afraid to mix it up with anybody in the league. Just this season alone, Bueckers has managed to successfully antagonize everyone from Angel Reese to Caitlin Clark.
Jalen Duren gets roasted after Pistons give big contract to Ausar Thompson
A Detroit Pistons player is getting paid this week … but not Jalen Duren.
Pistons forward Ausar Thompson has secured a sizable new extension from the team, Shams Charania of ESPN reported on Friday. Thompson is reportedly getting a five-year, $155 million rookie-scale extension from Detroit.
The news of Thompson’s big payday led to the restricted free agent center Duren getting cruelly roasted online. Duren is still in a contract stalemate with the Pistons that has now lasted for two-and-a-half months and counting.
Duren wya https://t.co/QbDETArKOy
— Dom2K (@Dom_2k) September 18, 2026
I need a camera on Jalen Duren. https://t.co/brTy6WSNL4
— Savage (@MSavage901) September 18, 2026
Jalen Duren rn pic.twitter.com/Eu5BoRfBCH
— Wavy (@vladdwavy) September 18, 2026
Jalen Duren right now pic.twitter.com/BNyGqw6d0l
— ParlayPlay (@parlay_play) September 18, 2026
Duren, 22, was an All-Star and an All-NBA selection for the Pistons last season. But after a very shoddy playoff performance tanked his value, Duren is now holding out for a number that Detroit is not willing to give. As a result, Duren is reportedly feeling disrespected and may play out the 2026-27 NBA season with the Pistons on the one-year qualifying offer (as he banks on a max contract coming from one opposing team next summer).
As for Thompson, 23, he has yet to make an All-Star team but has already emerged as one of the league’s elite perimeter defenders. Thompson was an All-Defensive First Team selection for the Pistons last season and also led the NBA in steals with 2.0 per game.
If Thompson can develop a reliable offensive game (as he averaged just 9.9 points per game last season on 53/25/27 shooting splits), $31 million per year for him will end up looking like a major steal. Meanwhile, we had indeed been hearing for weeks now that Detroit was leaning towards paying Thompson over Duren as their second-best player behind Cade Cunningham.
Fans react to the latest Aaron Judge injury news
New York Yankees fans are officially in panic mode over Aaron Judge.
The Yankees are placing their star slugger Judge back on the injured list, Jeff Passan of ESPN reported on Friday. Judge is headed to the 10-day IL due to a right calf strain.
Fans were left in shambles over the latest injury setback for the three-time AL MVP Judge. Many were already quick to proclaim the Yankees’ season over.
NOT THE JUDGE https://t.co/AerJT3eH24 pic.twitter.com/MY4oUhiLv3
— (89-64) (2-0) (@nsh__atl) September 18, 2026
Yankees fans rn https://t.co/XewCI0s8Yt pic.twitter.com/TFZzAEkdmF
— Fanatics Sports & Casino (@FanaticsSports) September 18, 2026
I have a bad feeling we won’t see Aaron Judge play baseball again this season.
— Mike Salvatore (@MikeSalvatore10) September 18, 2026
C-Mac was NOT well after hearing the Aaron Judge news pic.twitter.com/jarfF7TrVy
— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) September 18, 2026
Judge, now 34 years old, had recently made his return to the Yankees lineup after missing over three months due to a fractured rib. But Judge’s return lasted for just seven total games before he promptly got injured again.
A calf strain is a also bit more serious than what the Yankees originally said that Judge had been dealing with this time around. Those have a tendency to linger and require a level of caution that may not be necessarily conducive with high-intensity playoff situations.
Judge will technically be eligible to return for the final game of the regular season, but it is fair to assume that his absence might last for a bit longer than that. The Yankees are very close to being locked into a Wild Card playoff matchup with the rival Boston Red Sox, and they may have to plan to be without their eight-time All-Star slugger Judge for at least that series (if not more).
Aaron Donald reveals when he plans to make his season debut
Aaron Donald is ready to come sprinting out of the tunnel again.
The Los Angeles Rams defensive star Donald spoke with reporters after practice on Friday. During the session, Donald revealed that the plan is for him to make his season debut against the New York Giants on Monday night (per Adam Schefter of ESPN).
Donald, now 35 years old, retired from the Rams after the 2023 NFL season (which marked his 10th in the league). During his first stint with them, Donald cemented himself as one of the greatest defensive players ever, winning three Defensive Player of the Year Awards, making 10 Pro Bowl teams, earning eight All-Pro nods, and helping anchor the Rams to victory in Super Bowl LVI during the 2021 season.
But after spending two years out of the game, Donald came out of retirement to rejoin the Rams this offseason amid much fanfare. The former first-round draft pick ended up getting a one-year contract for sizable amount of money in order to make his grand return.
Still, Donald only finalized his comeback a couple of weeks ago and was not ready to suit up again right away. In fact, the Rams notably decided to leave Donald at home while they played the San Francisco 49ers in Australia during Week 1 (ultimately losing that game in a 27-7 laugher).
But now Donald appears ready for Week 2 against Jaxson Dart and the Giants. It will still take some time though for Donald to share the field with his new star partner on the defensive line Myles Garrett, who is set to miss the next several weeks after a concerning injury development.
Nick Saban has an interesting theory on Sam Leavitt’s injury
Nick Saban knows a thing or two when it comes to college football, and he had an interesting theory about LSU Tigers quarterback Sam Leavitt landing on the injury report.
Leavitt’s name surfaced on the report on Wednesday as doubtful, then was upgraded to questionable on Thursday. However, Saban insists that there isn’t anything wrong with Leavitt at all.
“If I was a betting man, I would say there’s absolutely nothing wrong with Sam Leavitt,” Saban said on The Pat McAfee Show. “So, I would be psychologically telling the defensive players that this doesn’t matter…I’m 100% expecting Sam Leavitt to play in this game.”
"If I was a betting man I would say there's absolutely nothing wrong with Sam Leavitt 😂😂
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 18, 2026
I'm 100% expecting Sam Leavitt to play in this game" ~ Coach Saban #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/MUIcskDGxH
Leavitt and LSU take on Ole Miss on Saturday in Oxford in a highly anticipated game. This marks the first time Lane Kiffin is returning to Ole Miss after his surprising exit to take the LSU job right before the College Football Playoff in 2025.
Saban and Kiffin worked together at Alabama from 2014 through 2016, when Kiffin was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Saban. So, the former Alabama coach might know exactly what Kiffin is trying to do.
Leavitt transferred from Arizona State this offseason, and he was regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in the entire country.
Leavitt has thrown for 574 yards with a pair of touchdowns and 4 interceptions in the first two games of his LSU tenure, and perhaps Kiffin is trying to catch Ole Miss off guard with this injury report play.
Or, maybe Leavitt really is nursing an injury. Either way, Saban isn’t buying it.
Jimbo Fisher reportedly wants 1 of his old jobs back
Jimbo Fisher hasn’t been a college football head coach since 2023, when he was fired by Texas A&M.
Fisher has a career head coaching record of 128–48 across 14 seasons, 8 with Florida State and 6 with Texas A&M.
As it turns out, Fisher reportedly wants his old job back, this time at Florida State, according to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic.
“60-year-old Fisher, who led the Seminoles to the national title to cap the 2013 season and then oversaw the beginning of the program’s backslide a few years later before taking the Texas A&M job, really wants the job, we’ve heard.”
Feldman added that industry sources said Florida State brass is “looking into the possibility.” Fisher went 83-23 in eight seasons in Tallahassee.
Fisher has repeatedly said he wants to return to coaching, and that was again reported at the start of September.
Since leaving Texas A&M, Fisher has held several jobs, but none of them in the coaching circles. Fisher has spent time at SiriusXM, ACC Network and ESPN as an analyst and host.
The Florida State job could open anytime. Mike Norvell has been in the hot seat, and he faces even more pressure after athletic director Michael Alford was fired earlier in the week.
Then, a box truck outside Norvell’s house fueled even more rumors, although the Florida State coach said it was for a desk delivery.
Apart from all of that, Florida State moving on from Norvell only to bring Fisher back would be quite something.
Notable update emerges on Zay Flowers before Ravens-Saints
The Baltimore Ravens got off to a strong start with a 41-23 win in Week 1 over the Indianapolis Colts. However, star wide receiver Zay Flowers left the game early with a hamstring injury.
On Friday, a notable update emerged about Flowers. First, he was back at practice, although he didn’t do much during the session.
While WR Zay Flowers (hamstring) and LT Ronnie Stanley (toe) returned to practice Friday, both did very little during media viewing portion of practice.
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) September 18, 2026
Flowers stood and spoke to teammates and coaches. He did not do any running during media viewing.
Stanley stretched with the…
Flowers was initially listed as day-to-day, and NFL insider Ian Rapoport said the Ravens star would’ve returned if it were a playoff game.
Flowers was listed as a DNP on Wednesday and Thursday on the injury report.
.@ZayFlowers also back at practice ‼️ pic.twitter.com/KjZeQhuKkZ
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 18, 2026
Flowers got off to a strong start in Week 1 with five catches for 150 yards and a score, including a 54-yard touchdown catch that put the Ravens up 21-6 in the second quarter.
Flowers is also coming off the best season of his career in 2025, when he caught 86 passes for 1,211 yards and 5 touchdowns while playing every regular-season game.
The Ravens face the New Orleans Saints in Week 2 in Baltimore, and Flowers’ status should become clear sometime this weekend.
Steelers veteran has a strong message for Joey Porter Jr.
Plenty of questions are swirling around Pittsburgh Steelers’ young cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
Porter and the Steelers were in a contract standoff all offseason, and he sat out Week 1 after being ruled inactive. However, head coach Mike McCarthy said earlier in the week that a plan was in place, with hopes of having him ready for Week 2.
Porter then left practice early on Thursday, and veteran linebacker Patrick Queen sent a strong message of support for the young cornerback.
“I’m with Joey, whatever he’s doing. Whether it’s injury, whether it’s contract, whatever it is, I respect it,” Queen said. “I’m behind him 100%. I tell him every single time, ‘I respect how you go about your business every single day.’”
“Joey, whether he’s going through, whether it’s injury or it’s contract stuff, I respect him 100%.”
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) September 17, 2026
—Steelers ILB Patrick Queen on Joey Porter Jr pic.twitter.com/7xPBcWHPKa
It remains to be seen if Porter ends up playing for Week 2, and Thursday’s exit certainly raised more questions.
On Friday, Porter was on the field for team stretches.
Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. did go through the stretch line a day after exiting practice early with trainers.
— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) September 18, 2026
He did not do all that much during the period.
He was listed as NIR/conditiioning/back on Thursday's injury report.
One source told ESPN’s Brooke Pryor that they don’t know if “Porter ever puts on a Steelers uniform again.”
Regardless of what is happening with Joey Porter Jr., he has support from Patrick Queen.
Draymond Green calls out Danilo Gallinari for ‘disgusting’ Kawhi Leonard comments
Kawhi Leonard is officially with the Toronto Raptors, but former Los Angeles Clippers big man Danilo Gallinari certainly has some ill feelings towards Leonard.
After the NBA’s ruling regarding the salary cap circumvention, Gallinari said Leonard “deserves to pay the full amount,” and the ex-Clippers player even blamed Leonard, saying that he “altered the trajectory of my career.”
On Friday, Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green had a brutally honest take about the comments made by Gallinari during an episode of his podcast.
“I think wishing the NBA took $50 million from a player is disgusting… that also wasn’t his first time being traded, so for him to sit and act as if Kawhi Leonard ruined his career, that’s b*******,” Green said. “I think Gallinari would choose Paul George over himself and if you won’t, that’s crazy, that’s ridiculous. Kawhi Leonard does not have the power to trade a player, he can request… but he don’t have the ability to make that trade.”
Gallinari spent time with the Clippers, but he was part of the blockbuster trade that sent Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and picks to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a package featuring Paul George.
After that, Gallinari’s NBA career went downhill, hence his placing blame on Leonard.
Still, Green isn’t thrilled by Gallinari’s comments, especially since Leonard just wanted the Clippers to add more talent to the roster in an effort to make a run at an NBA title.
Gallinari last played in the NBA in 2024, but he apparently still has some harsh feelings about the fallout of the entire situation.
Jazz hand out massive $175 million extension to key player
The Utah Jazz had some money to spend after All-Star center Walker Kessler was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.
On Friday, the Jazz agreed to a massive deal with guard Keyonte George, giving him a five-year extension worth $175 million.
That puts George right over $31 million per season.
Just in: Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George has agreed on a five-year, $157.5 million rookie-scale contract extension with the franchise, sources tell me and @BannedMacMahon. pic.twitter.com/cmS7utNPGH
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 18, 2026
The Jazz selected George at No. 16 overall in 2023 after he played in colleg for Baylor. The 2025-26 season was a career-best as George averaged 23.6 points per game with 6.1 assists on a 45.6 field goal percentage.
The Jazz made waves by even allowing George to coach one of their games during the Summer League after the young guard drew up an outstanding play during practice.
Utah moved on from Kessler in a massive trade. The Jazz also selected Kansas Jayhawks star Darryn Peterson in the 2026 NBA Draft, so the young nucleus in Salt Lake City is taking shape and has fans excited for what is to come.
Utah also has Lauri Markkanen, veteran big man Jaren Jackson and 2025 first-round pick Ace Bailey, so there is a lot to like about what is happening with the franchise as they try to break their playoff skid.
Everyone said the same thing about Brian Daboll’s cringy press conference
Brian Daboll needed only a few sentences on Thursday to remind a lot of people why they already knew this speech.
Four days after the Tennessee Titans managed just 195 yards in a 23-10 home loss to the New York Jets, the first-year offensive coordinator opened his media session the same way he used to after Giants defeats.
“Relative to the last game, certainly not what we wanted. Not good enough. That starts with me,” Daboll said.
He then walked through the same post-loss checklist: Corrections first with the coaching staff, then the players; film on Monday; details stay in the meeting room; get ready for next week.
The phrasing was almost verbatim from his New York press conferences. It did not sound like a new coordinator assessing a new offense. It sounded like a coach reading from an old script.
That was the reaction. The comments themselves were familiar. The response to them was identical. Giants fans did not need a transcript. They had heard “not good enough” and “that starts with me” loss after loss in East Rutherford.
Daboll was hired in January to develop Ward after going 20-40-1 as Giants head coach. One ugly opener was not supposed to look and sound this familiar. The surprise wasn’t that he took the blame; it’s that he’s using the exact same script he read on repeat during his time in New York.
LSU updates QB Sam Leavitt’s status ahead of Ole Miss showdown
LSU upgraded quarterback Sam Leavitt from doubtful to questionable on Thursday’s SEC availability report ahead of Saturday night’s primetime game at Ole Miss.
Leavitt is managing an upper-body injury. He did not throw in Wednesday’s practice but took part in Thursday’s walk-through. The Tigers first listed him as doubtful on Wednesday night, a designation the SEC defines as unlikely to play, and roughly a 25 percent chance of availability.
First-year Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin did not address an injury to his starter during Monday’s news conference, nor during his radio show on Thursday. Leavitt did not appear limited last Saturday against Louisiana Tech, when he produced 366 total yards and four touchdowns after three first-half interceptions.
The Arizona State transfer has scored seven touchdowns in two games — two passing and five rushing — during wins over Clemson and Louisiana Tech. He has accumulated 574 passing yards and four interceptions, plus 135 rushing yards.
Ole Miss staff sources told ESPN they were skeptical the original listing fully reflected Leavitt’s status. Conference rules prohibit gamesmanship meant to hide a player’s true availability and allow fines of $25,000 to $100,000, with possible measures against head coaches.
The SEC will issue another report on Friday night and a final update 90 minutes before kickoff.
If Leavitt were not to play in Oxford, LSU could turn to freshman Husan Longstreet, listed as the backup, or sophomore Landen Clark.
Jack Campbell fought back tears after Lions’ 41-31 loss to Bills
Jack Campbell fought back tears in the visitors’ locker room on Thursday night after the Detroit Lions lost to the Buffalo Bills, 41-31, in the first regular-season game at the new Highmark Stadium.
The All-Pro linebacker and team captain blamed himself for a defense that allowed Josh Allen to score five total touchdowns and James Cook to rush for 135 yards. Detroit fell to 1-1 after giving up 30 or more points in consecutive games.
“I played terrible. It starts with me, and I feel like it’s on me. I gotta be better,” Campbell said, his voice cracking. “I ain’t got no other thing to do but look in the mirror and be better.”
Buffalo jumped to a 21-0 lead and led 27-10 at halftime. Cook broke a 35-yard run after tight end Dawson Knox blocked Campbell. The Bills finished with 203 rushing yards and 446 yards of total offense. The Lions rallied to within 10 points in the third quarter before Buffalo pulled away.
Campbell recorded six tackles and a QB hit. He led the NFL in run stops last season and signed a four-year extension in the offseason. He offered no excuses for a depleted secondary or the short week.
“Every time I lace up my cleats, I’m going 100 percent. Yeah, put it on me,” he said. “I’ve gotta be better, especially for the offense and for all these guys in the locker room.”
Linebacker Derrick Barnes said seeing Campbell so distraught made him want to raise his own standard. The Lions now have extra rest before hosting the New York Jets.
Campbell said he will study the film and not run from what he sees.
Reporter challenges Cam Ward to his face after ‘very good’ claim
Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward did not lower his own standard after a 23-10 home loss to the New York Jets in Week 1.
Asked on Wednesday to assess himself after coach Robert Saleh said he remains “at the floor of what it takes to be an NFL quarterback,” the second-year starter refused to retreat.
“I think I am a very good quarterback,” Ward said. “I think I do a lot of things different that a lot of quarterbacks can’t do. And there’s also stuff I have to get better at. I have great coaches around me to keep pushing me, and when the tide turns I am pretty sure it’s going to be a different story.”
A reporter then tested that claim to Ward’s face.
“Doesn’t a very good NFL quarterback have better results than you have?” the reporter asked.
Ward asked to hear the question again, then answered without heat.
“I think it comes with the game,” he said. “It comes with the defense you’re playing. It comes with what the DC’s philosophy is and every game’s not gonna be a shootout. It could be a bad passer rating, a bad completion ratio, but it’s all about the win and loss. We haven’t done that and that’s something we only focus on.”
The ledger is blunt. Ward completed 19 of 32 passes for 140 yards and one late touchdown against the Jets, posting an 80.2 rating as Tennessee managed 195 yards and 11 first downs.
As a starter, Ward is 3-15 after a 3-14 rookie season as the No. 1 pick in 2025. Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles is the next chance to change the argument.
Steph Curry has no interest in the LeBron James approach to free agency
Stephen Curry made his stance on the open market as clear as a pull-up three.
Asked on CNBC’s Squawk on the Street whether a free-agency tour like the one LeBron James just completed — leaving the Los Angeles Lakers and signing with the Philadelphia 76ers — appealed to him, Curry did not hesitate.
“Not at all,” he said. “I’ve always stated that I wanna be a lifer with Golden State. What we’ve built there, the fact that I get to run it back this year with Draymond and Coach Kerr. All the contract stuff is this NBA thing from year to year is so crazy. Things change really fast. But I do know my interest and mission to stay in Golden State and be competitive is there, and the contract stuff will take care of itself.”
Curry, 38, is entering the final year of a contract that will pay him about $62 million this season and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer if he does not extend. He has been eligible since August 29 for a two-year, $136.7 million maximum extension that would keep him with the Warriors through the 2028-29 season, his age-41 campaign.
Golden State has presented him with a menu of options that includes a full max, a shorter deal, or even a reduced number designed to preserve future cap space.
The two-time MVP has not wavered on destination. After the Warriors’ play-in loss to the Phoenix Suns last April, he said he would “for sure” be interested in an extension.
Earlier this month on the Dubs Talk Podcast, he added there is “no question” he wants to finish his career in Golden State and that the paperwork will happen “in its right time.”
Curry’s comments leave little room for the kind of multi-team courtship James embraced this summer. He wants another run with Steve Kerr and Draymond Green and believes the contract will follow that mission, not the other way around.
Josh Allen pulls a wild move on the sideline during his monster 4-TD half
Josh Allen has apparently figured out how to achieve peak performance.
Allen and the Buffalo Bills faced the Detroit Lions on Thursday for the very first game at the new Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y. The Bills star quarterback Allen welcomed his team’s new stadium in style, completely carving up a hapless Lions defense during the first two quarters.
He threw for 163 yards and three touchdowns in just the first half alone. Allen also added 40 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown to bring his TD total for the half to four.
FOUR touchdowns for Josh Allen before the half
— NFL (@NFL) September 18, 2026
DETvsBUF – on Prime Video
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/lI4OWKUnvL
At one point during the first quarter, Allen was shown on the sideline pulling a deranged move. The Amazon Prime broadcast showed Allen doing some warmup throws while [checks notes] chewing on a packet of smelling salts.
Josh Allen rocking smelling salts in his mouth like a dart?? pic.twitter.com/sIDl3lMfOH
— Donny Dreamboat (@deathbycontent) September 18, 2026
Smelling salts, which release ammonia, can boost energy and alertness but are obviously extremely strong. But Allen was so locked in on Thursday that he was chewing on a packet of them like it was a Starburst candy.
The former NFL MVP Allen already destroyed the vaunted Houston Texans defense in Week 1 to the tune of four total touchdowns en route to a 36-31 victory for the Bills. Then on Thursday against another strong opponent in Detroit, Allen needed just two quarters to rack up four more touchdowns (while also doing his best Aaron Rodgers impression along the way).
Mets’ Jared Young gets carted off after scary collision with teammate Nolan McLean
New York Mets first baseman Jared Young was involved in a very scary incident on Thursday.
Young was manning first in the top of the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field in Queens, N.Y. Phillies outfielder Justin Crawford hit a little dribbler to the right side that rolled over into no man’s land.
Mets pitcher Nolan McLean ran off the mound to try to field it but had some confusion with Young as to whose ball it was. Young initially went to cover the bag but finally dove for the ball in a last-ditch effort to record the out.
As Young did so, a still-charging McLean collided with him. While McLean was upended, Young got the worst of the collision as he took a knee to the head from McLean.
Really scary scene right now at Citi Field. Jared Young is in the process of being carted off after accidentally being struck full force in the head by Nolan McLean on this play. He appeared to be out cold for a moment following the play. pic.twitter.com/UnjheoAzIG
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) September 18, 2026
Here is another angle of the frightening play.
Horrible collision between Nolan McLean and Jared Young in the @Mets vs @Phillies game. Hope Young is ok. pic.twitter.com/Ck8KkB54aS
— SB LIX Champs! (@TankAndIdgie) September 18, 2026
Young would have to be carted off the field and was replaced in the game by Mets teammate Mark Vientos. Fortunately though, Young gave a thumbs-up sign to the crowd as he was being carted away.
The 31-year-old Young, a four-year MLB veteran who is batting a career-high .268 this season, appeared to be knocked out cold for a moment there. The Mets later announced that Young had been taken to a local hospital for further evaluation but did have feeling in his extremities.
Report: Sonny Gray could pull a shocker this offseason
Instead of securing the bag this offseason, Sonny Gray might potentially be walking away from the bag.
The Boston Red Sox pitcher Gray could possibly retire after this season, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reported on Thursday. Cotillo notes that Gray has touched on the potential of retirement in recent interviews and adds that the Red Sox do not believe that Gray is making an empty threat.
However, Cotillo does add that some in the industry project that Gray’s strong 2026 campaign could put him in a position to receive a new contract in the range of three years and $75 million (if Gray decides to keep pitching). You can read Cotillo’s full report on the situation here.
Gray is 36 years old now but is still very much at the top of his game. A three-time MLB All-Star, Gray has enjoyed a big-time resurgence this season, leading Major League Baseball with 17 wins to go along with a 2.76 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP through 27 starts.
As it stands right now, Gray has a $30 million mutual option with the Red Sox for the 2027 campaign. But with a $10 million buyout clause, Gray can easily decide to opt out and test free agency.
Gray is a 14-year veteran in an MLB landscape where pitchers can sometimes last into their early 40s. The right-hander also drew trade interest from some prominent teams at this year’s deadline, but he may stunningly be considering the possibility of walking away after the season.
Kiké Hernandez pulls a deranged move during Dodgers’ division title celebration
Nobody is safe when Kiké Hernandez is around.
The Los Angeles Dodgers officially clinched the NL West division title on Thursday with an 8-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio. It marked the 13th time in the last 14 seasons that the Dodgers had won the division.
During the Dodgers’ celebration in the visitors’ clubhouse, plenty of shenanigans ensued. But the single most unhinged moment came courtesy of the veteran utilityman Hernandez.
The Spectrum SportsNet broadcast caught Hernandez appearing to shove a bottle of champagne down the back of the shorts of star Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Here is the wild video.
It appears Kiké Hernández shoved a bottle of champagne down Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s shorts during the Dodgers division title celebrationpic.twitter.com/zE3vycFEaj
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) September 17, 2026
Yamamoto is a two-time MLB All-Star who was the World Series MVP last year as the Dodgers won their second straight championship. But it appears that Hernandez is very much an equal-opportunity prankster.
Hernandez has not done much for the Dodgers this season, appearing in just 34 games thanks to elbow and oblique issues and batting a forgettable .230. But Hernandez usually saves his best antics for the back half of the year, and that continued on Thursday (this time at the expense of poor Yamamoto).
Ex-Knicks big man Michael Sweetney dies at age 43
Former New York Knicks lottery pick Michael Sweetney has died.
Sweetney died this week at the age of 43. India Sweetney, Michael’s wife, made the tragic announcement over social media on Thursday, saying that the family was “deeply saddened” by the news.
The Knicks also reacted to the news of Sweetney’s death in a post to X.
The Knicks are saddened to hear about the passing of Michael Sweetney.
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) September 17, 2026
Michael was an incredible person who will be missed by many. Our thoughts are with his family. pic.twitter.com/T071Ie4SnL
Sweetney, a Washington, D.C. native, played his college ball at Georgetown from 2000-03. He was a two-time All-American with the Hoyas, averaging 18.2 points and 9.2 rebounds per game over his three seasons there.
Then in 2003, Sweetney was selected by the Knicks with the No. 9 overall draft pick. He spent two seasons with New York and then the next two seasons with the Chicago Bulls, averaging 6.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game overall in the NBA.
Sweetney then went on to spend nearly a decade playing professionally overseas in China, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and Uruguay, After retiring as a player in 2017, Sweetney went into a career in coaching, including serving as an assistant coach for Yeshiva University in New York, N.Y. and as head coach for Golda Och Academy in West Orange, N.J.
