Jaguars GM sheds light on Travis Hunter’s injury return timeline
Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter saw his first year in the NFL end early after undergoing season-ending LCL surgery.
Hunter was placed on Injured Reserve after playing the first seven games of the season, and he was later ruled out for the year due to the surgery.
Hunter has been working hard to be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 season, and Jaguars GM James Gladstone gave an update on the timeline for the 2025 first-round pick.
“He’ll be, for all intents and purposes, a limited participant through the offseason program with eyes on [a] return to play at full tick in training camp,” Gladstone said, via Jeremy Bergman of NFL.com.
Hunter, who was a two-way star while playing both cornerback and wide receiver at Jackson State and Colorado, was selected second overall in 2025. Hunter then won the Heisman Trophy in his final college season, beating out Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty.
Hunter then played both sides in the NFL, catching 28 passes for 298 yards with one touchdown and registering 15 tackles with three pass deflections.
However, fans criticized the Jaguars for using Hunter on offense and defense, blaming that role for his injury in his rookie year.
Whether or not that changes going forward remains to be seen, but the expectation is that Hunter should be full-go by the time training camp begins.
Angel Reese calls deja vu after being traded by the SKy
The Chicago Sky traded away star forward Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream, ending the two-year run with the former No. 7 overall draft pick.
Reese now joins the Dream after missing the playoffs in each of her first two seasons in the WNBA. The Dream finished with the third-best record in the WNBA in 2025 before losing to the Indiana Fever in the first round of the playoffs.
After the trade, Reese called it deja vu and even spoke of her college career.
“Transferring from Maryland and going to LSU and winning a championship. It feels like deja vu right now,” Reese said. “Being a part of Chicago my first two years and going to Atlanta, I feel that urge right now that I’m going to win again.”
Angel Reese is happy to get back to winning again with the Dream 💪 pic.twitter.com/SB1BWSNlGN
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 9, 2026
The Dream sent two first-round picks to the Sky for Reese, so it was a hefty price to pay for the former LSU star.
Reese played two seasons at Maryland, which is also the city where she went to high school. She then transferred to LSU before the 2022-23 season, and the Tigers won the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
The Dream have made the playoffs each of the past three seasons, although all of them have ended in a first-round loss. Reese is hoping to change that narrative as she begins a new chapter in her career.
Wild Chet Holmgren stat emerges after Thunder clinch No. 1 seed
The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 128-110 on Wednesday at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, Calif.
In doing so, the Thunder have locked up the top seed in the Western Conference and the best overall record in the NBA for the second straight season. The defending NBA champions are rolling heading into the playoffs with just two games remaining in the regular season.
As such, a wild state has emerged about Thunder star Chet Holmgren: He has never finished worse than a No. 1 seed in his basketball career.
Holmgren spent four seasons playing in high school at Minnehaha Academy, and they finished as the top seed every season. He then spent one year at Gonzaga, and the Bulldogs were the top seed in that NCAA Tournament.
Now, the Thunder have clinched their third straight No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
This is a WILD fact 😨 pic.twitter.com/AWRbgrFQOE
— FIBA Basketball (@FIBA) April 9, 2026
Holmgren, the No. 2 selection in the 2022 NBA Draft, missed his entire rookie season due to a Lisfranc injury to his right foot, which is why that 2022 season isn’t on this graphic.
Other than that, Holmgren has become accustomed to being a No. 1 seed, and that tradition continues going into the 2026 postseason.
Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs made a run for the top seed, but the Thunder sealed the deal with the victory on Wednesday night, and they will wait to see who they will face in the first round.
Eli Manning had a hilarious reaction to a rage bait post
Eli Manning never misses with his self-deprecation.
It is a quality that has made Manning one of the most likable football personalities out there, and he showed it again in his response to one of those apparent rage-bait posts on social media.
A Dov Kleiman post on X featuring nine former and current NFL quarterbacks, along with a question asking who the worst among them is, caught Manning’s attention.
The two-time Super Bowl champion was not part of Kleiman’s post, and Manning acknowledged it with his familiar brand of humor.
“I’m so happy I am not in this photo!” Manning wrote.
I’m so happy I am not in this photo! https://t.co/uloMoYic70
— Eli Manning (@EliManning) April 8, 2026
The 45-year-old Manning last played in the NFL in 2019, but he’s still waiting for that call to Canton. It doesn’t seem to bother him, however. During his time in the league, the former Ole Miss Rebels quarterback passed for 57,023 yards and 366 touchdowns against 244 interceptions.
The four-time Pro Bowler appears to be genuinely happy with his legacy, with or without a Gold Jacket. He is still a legend, at least in the eyes of New York Giants fans, who will forever look up to him as a football demigod.
Beating Tom Brady twice in the Super Bowl surely brings one a lot of peace.
Video: Pope Leo tries a basketball trick with the Harlem Globetrotters
Pope Leo may have to pray a little harder to master a particular basketball trick.
The Supreme Pontiff recently got a visit at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City from the Harlem Globetrotters, and tried to spin the ball on his fingertip with the help of one of the members of the renowned exhibition basketball team.
Pope Leo watched as he waited for the spinning basketball to be transferred to his right index finger. The ball stayed on his finger for a few seconds as the Globetrotter held his hand in position before it fell off. A smiling Pope Leo then shook the hands of the members of the Globetrotters, as seen in the video below.
Pope Leo XIV enjoyed a lighthearted moment Wednesday as he welcomed the Harlem Globetrotters to St. Peter's Square. https://t.co/RZFeTRWbg6 pic.twitter.com/MvaUETTzlX
— ABC News (@ABC) April 8, 2026
The 70-year-old Pope Leo could use some practice to master spinning the ball on his finger, but he surely has more pressing matters to tackle.
Being from Chicago and known to be a sports fan (particularly of the Chicago White Sox), Pope Leo surely has some appreciation for basketball.
Although the Chicago Bulls are nothing to write home about these days, as they’re about to miss the NBA Playoffs for the fourth consecutive year, he knows what it was like when Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen led the team to all those NBA championships in the 1990s.
Fernando Mendoza is unfazed by a concern about his NFL future
Most signs point to the Las Vegas Raiders selecting Fernando Mendoza with the top overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. What is much less certain, however, are Mendoza’s chances of becoming a star in the pros.
One concern surrounding Mendoza is whether the Indiana Hoosiers product will be able to adapt to a pro-style offense after heavily relying on RPO concepts in college.
The 2025 Heisman Trophy winner addressed that concern during a recent appearance on “Football 301 with Nate Tice.”
“The RPO narrative can definitely be seen as a knock,” Mendoza said, as transcribed by Eduardo Razo of Heavy.com. “However, I’ve actually had four different offensive coordinators and four different systems, from pro-style my freshman year to run-and-shoot, to pure Air Raid, and last year, a more multiple-front approach.”
The 22-year-old Mendoza also believes his experience operating in an RPO scheme will benefit him as he tries to learn the nuances of playing under center in the NFL.
“I also think the RPO forces you to make split-second decisions, reading defenders and how they move, and reacting in real time,” added Mendoza.
Assuming that Las Vegas does pick Mendoza, new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak will have a big responsibility in developing Mendoza. It may not happen right away, but Mendoza, given his skill set and intelligence, does project to be someone who can excel under Kubiak, who just helped the Seattle Seahawks win the Super Bowl last season.
Macklin Celebrini had an honest reaction to Connor McDavid’s unreal night
Macklin Celebrini had a front-row view of Connor McDavid’s greatness on Wednesday.
Unfortunately for him, it also came at the expense of his team, as McDavid made the San Jose Sharks look helpless.
The Edmonton Oilers superstar needed just two periods to complete a hat trick against the Sharks.
After Celebrini broke a scoreless tie with a power-play goal 4:27 into the first frame, McDavid responded with a goal on the man advantage. It was all McDavid from there, as the three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner scored four more points, including two goals in the second period.
McDavid’s speed was a major headache for the Sharks, and that was acknowledged by Celebrini after the Sharks’ 5-2 loss to Edmonton.
“He’s the best player in the league, and he’s also the fastest, so if you don’t really slow him down, he’s just gonna skate by you,” Celebrini told reporters, via Tony Farias of KNBR.
“I mean, I watched it. I loved watching it when I was a fan, but super frustrating when you play against it.”
With his incredible evening, McDavid added to his league-leading points total. He now has 133, six more than Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov, who has 127 points through Wednesday. If his lead holds, McDavid will collect his sixth Art Ross Trophy, though everyone in hockey knows what he’s really missing.
Khaman Maluach doesn’t hold back vs. Cooper Flagg in an intense moment
Khaman Maluach and Cooper Flagg are friends, but the cordiality ends when they face each other on the court.
The two former Duke Blue Devils one-and-dones met again on Wednesday, as Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks visited Maluach and the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz.
It was an entertaining game with plenty of good moments, including a highlight rejection at the rim by Maluach on Flagg in the fourth quarter.
With the Mavericks looking to take the lead with over six minutes left in regulation, Flagg got away from the defense of Suns guard Devin Booker before taking off for what seemed to be a huge throwdown.
But Maluach was there as the Suns’ last line of defense, challenging Flagg at the rim and emphatically erasing the Mavs rookie’s dunk attempt. It was a clean swat with no foul called, as Flagg went down to the floor.
The Suns quickly went on a counterattack, but Maluach got left behind as he prioritized giving Flagg a vicious staredown.
KHAMAN MALUACH MEETS COOPER FLAGG AT THE RIM AND STARES HIM DOWN 😤 pic.twitter.com/XRU44RNXim
— PHNX Suns (@PHNX_Suns) April 9, 2026
Maluach and the Suns also got the last laugh over the Mavericks, as they scored a 112-107 win in their final home game of the 2025-26 NBA regular season. He only had 4 points on 2/5 shooting, but came up huge on the other side of the floor with 14 boards (11 defensive) and 3 blocks in 30 minutes.
As for Flagg, he had a forgettable night, as he needed 18 shots from the field to get to 11 points, though he recorded 11 rebounds and 6 assists.
Fans roast Oregon coach for odd question he asks recruits
New Oregon Ducks quarterbacks coach Koa Ka’ai has no chill with his ice-cold question to recruits.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Koa Ka’ai revealed that he asks a particular question he uses to determine whether a recruit has it or not: “Do you like Chocolate ice cream or vanilla ice cream?
Ka’ai doesn’t ask that question to determine what kind of desert he’d buy for a recruit. He says it reveals a lot about a player’s character and their decision-making under pressure.
“The minute the kid pauses, I don’t really want that kid because you need to have some type of conviction right, wrong or indifferent,” Ka’ai told reporters. “So whether you like chocolate or you like vanilla, I don’t really care. But if you sit there and say, ‘Ah, coach, I don’t know what I want, is it melted? Is it not? What’s the brand?’ So on and so forth.
“What is this kid going to do on third down in front of 110,000 [fans]? He’s probably going to think about it more than he should. He’s not going to have conviction.”
NEW: Oregon QB coach Koa Ka’ai evaluates recruits with a simple question: “Chocolate or vanilla ice cream?”
— College Transfer Portal (@CollegeFBPortal) April 8, 2026
Any hesitation… and coach doesn’t want him.
“If you pause on ice cream,” Ka’ai says, “what are you going to do on 3rd down in front of 110,000 fans?” 😳 pic.twitter.com/2LgXHcqUOH
Meanwhile, the internet has caught up to Ka’ai’s strange tactic, with fans online reacting to it.
🤣 🤣 🤣 If the kid’s lactose intolerant, he gives him a swift kick to the nuts.
— Don Povia (@HHReynolds) April 8, 2026
Probably the dumbest take in history.
— Champagne Joshi (@JoshWalkos) April 8, 2026
Literally doesn’t translate to football in the slightest. Exactly why you’re getting bounced first round next year 💀
— dessicstedthyroidmuncher (@bpc157andT4yum) April 8, 2026
This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard a coach say.
— College Football Pulse (@js_ace_football) April 8, 2026
Prolly pausing because the question is stupid as hell.
— jmali✨ (@JBresean) April 8, 2026
It is an odd way to draw a conclusion about a player’s personality, but Ka’ai gets some points for being honest about his reasoning behind it.
His goal is simply to find someone who’s not just good at throwing a spiral, but also capable of handling the mental rigors that come with playing the most important position in football.
At the end of the day, Ka’ai’s technique will be judged by the quality of play Oregon’s quarterbacks show on the field.
Paul Skenes has ominous comments after Konnor Griffin’s extension
Paul Skenes had a very interesting choice of words this week.
The Pittsburgh Pirates officially agreed on Wednesday to a monster extension with shortstop phenom Konnor Griffin. The 19-year-old Griffin is getting a new nine-year deal from the Pirates for an immense sum of money that marks the largest contract in Pittsburgh franchise history (read the full details here).
Speaking with reporters later in the day on Wednesday, the Pirates ace pitcher Skenes was asked about Griffin’s extension and said that he was “super happy” for Griffin and his family. But Skenes also closed out his remarks with an ominous comment.
“He’s gonna be the face of the Pirates for a long time,” said Skenes of Griffin.
“He’s gonna be the face of the Pirates for a long time.” -Paul Skenes on Konnor Griffin pic.twitter.com/9mlXBTUgFY
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 8, 2026
Of course, the 23-year-old reigning NL Cy Young winner Skenes is the undisputed face of the Pirates right now. But he has yet to agree to a long-term extension of his own with Pittsburgh and (as things currently stand) can leave in free agency after the 2029 MLB season.
Skenes has already voiced some frustrations with the Pirates, who have not had a winning season since 2018 (when Skenes was 15). Recent reports have also linked the righty Skenes to one major-market team, so his comments this week anointing his teammate Griffin as the long-term face of the Pirates will only draw further scrutiny.
Kendrick Perkins takes a ruthless shot at Evan Mobley
Evan Mobley is the latest NBA big man to find himself in the crosshairs of Kendrick Perkins.
The ESPN analyst Perkins drew attention on Wednesday with his ruthless swipe at the Cleveland Cavaliers big man Mobley. On “NBA Countdown,” Perkins called out the Cavaliers for supposedly being “soft” and compared Mobley in particular to a Hostess cupcake.
“The whispers around the NBA is that the Cleveland Cavaliers is soft,” said Perkins. “They’re sponsored by Hostess cupcakes because they creamy in the middle. I’m looking at Mobley.”
Kendrick Perkins on the Cavaliers
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) April 8, 2026
"The whispers around the NBA is that the Cleveland Cavaliers is soft. They're sponsored by hostess cupcakes because they creamy in the middle. I'm looking at Evan Mobley" https://t.co/cTpjyVwgDi pic.twitter.com/zcdTa6sBIr
Mobley, 24, was an All-Star in 2025 and also won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award that year. But he has experienced a slight regression in his numbers this season (18.2 points and 8.9 rebounds per game), and his lanky frame (6-foot-11 and 215 pounds) is often getting exposed by more physical matchups.
On the season as a whole, the Cavaliers are just fourth in the Eastern Conference at 51-27 after finishing last season first in the East at 64-18. The urgency for Cleveland to win now has only increased as well with the team’s major blockbuster move for 36-year-old James Harden at the trade deadline.
That being said, Mobley still got off pretty easy from Perkins there. In the recent past, Perkins has ripped Giannis Antetokounmpo as a “coward” and has also (ironically) called on multiple other NBA bigs to lose weight.
Sophie Cunningham shares her SI Swimsuit photos
Sophie Cunningham is continuing to get buckets during the WNBA offseason.
The WNBA guard Cunningham officially revealed on Wednesday that she is one of the models for this year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition. In a joint post with SI, Cunningham shared her photos from the shoot.
Cunningham also shared a behind-the-scenes video from the shoot along with fellow WNBA star Napheesa Collier and track and field star Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, both of whom posed for SI Swimsuit this year too.
Fan accounts on X shared screenshots of Cunningham from the video as well.
sophie cunnigham for sports illustrated 2026 pic.twitter.com/KSd9zWmlCD
— siren crave (@sirencrave) April 8, 2026
The 29-year-old Cunningham, who is officially listed at 6-foot-1 and 165 pounds, rose to prominence last WNBA season after standing up for Indiana Fever superstar teammate Caitlin Clark during a game. She later managed to turn her newfound fame into a number of fitting endorsement deals.
While Cunningham is currently an unrestricted free agent, she continues to do very well for herself in other regards. Cunningham was recently in the news again after revealing her one big rule for dating.
Tyrese Haliburton excites fans with a major update
Tyrese Haliburton can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.
The Indiana Pacers star point guard Haliburton excited fans with the message that he posted to his X page on Wednesday night. Haliburton revealed that he has now progressed to playing 5-on-5 for the very first time since his Achilles injury last June.
“Played 5 on 5 today for first time since June,” wrote Haliburton.
Played 5 on 5 today for first time since June
— Tyrese Haliburton (@Hali) April 8, 2026
The two-time All-Star Haliburton, 26, achieved immortality last year by leading the Pacers to an improbable NBA Finals run as the No. 4 seed. But the run came at a cost as Haliburton tore his right Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, who eventually defeated Indiana to win the NBA title.
Haliburton is now taking the entire 2025-26 season to recover, and his absence has certainly been felt tremendously by the Pacers. Indiana now holds the second-worst record in the entire NBA at a rancid 18-61.
The good news though is that the Pacers have an excellent chance at a high pick in the loaded 2026 NBA Draft and also added a talented new center in Ivica Zubac at the trade deadline. Haliburton has had a challenging recovery, featuring significant weight gain and also a strange illness that forced him to be sent home by the Pacers. But based on his return to 5-on-5 play, Haliburton appears to be an all-systems-go for Opening Night of the 2026-27 season.
Kevin Durant had the cruelest trash talk for Dillon Brooks
Dillon Brooks may have finally met his match.
Brooks and the Phoenix Suns battled on Tuesday night against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz. During the second quarter of the contest, Durant went viral for his absolutely cruel trash talk for Brooks, who served as his primary defender on Tuesday.
As the ball was about to be inbounded, the NBC television broadcast caught Durant telling Brooks, “My worst season is better than your best season.” Here is the video.
Kevin Durant to Dillon Brooks: "My worst season is better than your best season."
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 8, 2026
(h/t @BrickCenter_)pic.twitter.com/pu9QxiRQG3
Durant came out and backed up his trash talk too. He finished with a team-high 24 points (compared to just 10 points for Brooks) as the Rockets pulled away from the Suns in the fourth quarter and won by a final of 119-105.
Meanwhile, Durant was also factually correct with his smack talk. Durant’s worst season came during his 2007-08 rookie year with the then-Seattle SuperSonics in which he averaged 20.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. That tops the career year that Brooks is currently having with the Suns in 2025-26 with 20.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.
Durant and Brooks were notably traded for each other last summer in the blockbuster swap between the Rockets and the Suns. They have prior history with one another as well (most notably, a heated scuffle last year), but it is safe to say that Durant came out on top during Tuesday’s meeting.
NBA investigating Kings for possible tanking after bizarre Doug Christie move
Another NBA team is under scrutiny for potential tanking (in perhaps the strangest saga yet).
The NBA is investigating the Sacramento Kings after a bizarre move by their head coach Doug Christie during Tuesday’s game against the Golden State Warriors. With just over three minutes left in the fourth quarter at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., the Kings were clinging to a 101-100 lead.
With the Warriors bringing the ball up the floor, Christie directed his team to intentionally foul. Sacramento thus fouled Golden State guard Seth Curry, who was off the ball in the frontcourt.
The Warriors were in the bonus at the time though, so the unusual decision led to free points from the foul line for Golden State. Here is the strange video.
The Kings were INTENTIONALLY fouling Seth Curry in crunch time to lose the game…
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) April 8, 2026
We've NEVER seen this level of tanking pic.twitter.com/fU9q7d4JEV
After the game, which the Warriors won 110-105, Golden State star Draymond Green called out the Kings for the move. Green said that Sacramento should be fined for what he saw as a measure of intentional tanking.
"I saw [the Kings] foul Seth Curry with three minutes to go for no reason! In the penalty!"
— KNBR (@KNBR) April 8, 2026
Draymond Green wants the NBA to start punishing teams for tanking.
"I get fined when I do wrong. Just fine the hell out of people. We love taking money from players. Keep fining the… pic.twitter.com/xI8bNpyI4L
Shams Charania of ESPN reported on Wednesday that the league was “looking into” the Kings over the bizarre intentional foul. However, Sacramento’s stance is that Christie simply made a “mistake,” thinking that his team had a foul to give when in reality they did not.
The Kings did have a use-it-or-lose-it timeout at their disposal that would have evaporated at the three-minute mark, and the intentional foul allowed them to call it. But for Christie to a) not use it during his own team’s possession and to b) forget that his team was in the penalty during a clutch situation definitely set off some alarm bells.
Sacramento is currently tied for the worst record in the Western Conference right now at 21-59 and the fourth-worst record overall. The NBA has already punished multiple teams in recent months for their apparent tanking measures, and now they have opened up an investigation into the Kings to see if they meet the criteria for discipline as well.
Anthony Davis calls out Pelicans for snubbing him
Anthony Davis still has some feelings toward the New Orleans Pelicans over his exit and its aftermath.
Davis publicly asked the Pelicans for a trade in 2019, and the way he engineered a move to the Los Angeles Lakers left many fans with a bad taste in their mouths. At the time of the trade, Davis said he might eventually return to New Orleans later in his career, but that is no longer a consideration.
In an appearance on “The Draymond Green Show,” Davis expressed his shock at not receiving any tribute from the franchise in his first game back in New Orleans with the Lakers, and that the snub ruled out any chance of him ever going back.
“You know what’s crazy? When I went back, I did not get a tribute. That was the final straw for me,” Davis said. “I told (Pelicans owner Gayle Benson), ‘Miss B, I want to get out of here, here are the reasons.’ Miss B was cool. Me and Miss B are still cool to this day. I told her, this might not be the end. Later on in my career, who knows, if I was to come back and we try to do something special as I’m older and more mature, win a couple championships. I left that door open. When I went back that first game and got no tribute, I said, oh, that door’s closed. There’s no way possible.”
Davis remains the franchise leader in points, rebounds, and blocks, but time has not healed the wounds that were opened when he demanded a trade. Pelicans fans were still booing him as recently as 2025, over six years after the deal.
On the other hand, it’s hard to see Davis returning to the franchise even if they had paid him some sort of tribute. He is just trying to stay healthy at this point, while the Pelicans have not won a playoff series since he left.
Blue Jays’ minor league team scored 8 runs without a single hit
The Toronto Blue Jays’ Double-A affiliate had one of the wildest innings imaginable during their game on Tuesday.
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats scored 10 runs in the second inning on just one hit during Tuesday’s game against the Portland Sea Dogs at Hadlock Field in Portland, Me. Even more amazingly, the first eight runs came without the benefit of a hit or an error, and all scored with two outs.
Walks were the main culprit for Portland. Pitcher Hayden Mullins started the second by issuing two walks, a strikeout, and then a wild pitch. A sacrifice fly scored New Hampshire’s first run, but was the second out of the inning.
After that, things went off the rails. Mullins walked three batters in a row, the last one coming with the bases loaded. He was then pulled in favor of reliever Jorge Juan, who hit a batter, threw a wild pitch, issued a walk, hit another batter, threw another wild pitch, then issued two more walks. By this point, seven runs had scored in the inning.
Juan was then pulled for Cade Feeney, who uncorked yet another wild pitch to bring in the eighth run. New Hampshire’s Ismael Munguia then drove in two with a single, which was the only hit of the inning.
🤯 8 runs on 0 hits???
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) April 7, 2026
🤯 10 runs on 1 hit???
What a wild inning for the @FisherCats! And the @BlueJays prospects scored 9 of those runs with 2 outs 😲 pic.twitter.com/A3y7L0FKtg
The game was sloppy all around. The first two innings alone featured 13 walks, five wild pitches, and four hit batters. Fisher Cats manager John Tamargo was also ejected in the second inning.
New Hampshire wound up winning 12-7. Eight of the Fisher Cats’ nine hitters walked at least once, and the one that didn’t reached on a hit by pitch anyway.
Minor league baseball can create some very bizarre and unusual moments. At least Portland did not give up three runs on one walk, so it could have been worse.
MLB hands down suspensions from Angels-Braves brawl
Major League Baseball has handed down suspensions stemming from Tuesday’s brawl between the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels.
Angels DH Jorge Soler and Braves pitcher Reynaldo Lopez both received seven-game suspensions for their roles in Tuesday’s brawl. No other players were suspended, and both Soler and Lopez are planning to appeal.
Los Angeles Angels DH Jorge Soler and Atlanta pitcher Reynaldo López have been suspended seven games for the big brawl in Anaheim last night in which Soler charged the mound and López punched him while holding a baseball in his hand.. Both are appealing.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 8, 2026
Soler fundamentally sparked the brawl when he ran out to the mound, upset with the Braves for coming up and in on him in the first pitch of an at-bat during Tuesday’s game. Both Soler and Lopez took some major swings at each other, with Lopez doing so while still holding the baseball (video here).
The suspension is ultimately more severe for Soler than for Lopez. Soler is an everyday player, while this essentially means Lopez will miss a turn through the rotation. This is standard precedent for MLB. When Tim Anderson and Jose Ramirez infamously squared off in 2023, it was Anderson who got the longer suspension for throwing the first punch, even though Ramirez took a bigger and more effective swing.
Notably, Braves manager Walt Weiss was not punished. If anything, MLB should probably commend him for his role in keeping things from getting worse.
Dianna Russini issues response to photos of her with Mike Vrabel
The Athletic report Dianna Russini responded after photos were published of her and New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel.
Page Six published photos showing Vrabel and Russini apparently holding hands and hugging two weekends ago at a resort in Arizona. People close to Russini told Page Six that the two were there as friends with a larger group, though other eyewitnesses disputed that anyone else was there. The photos sparked a furor on social media and launched speculation about the nature of the relationship between the reporter and the Patriots coach.
Russini and Vrabel both denied anything inappropriate took place.
“The photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day,” Russini said in a response to Page Six. “Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues.”
Vrabel’s own statement said the photos depicted a “completely innocent interaction” and do not deserve any further response.
Russini is the top NFL reporter at The Athletic. Both Russini and Vrabel are married with children.
Dodgers icon Davey Lopes dies at 80
Davey Lopes, a four-time MLB All-Star and Los Angeles Dodgers icon, has died at the age of 80.
Lopes died following complications from Parkinson’s disease, according to TMZ Sports. He had been receiving care in his native Rhode Island and died surrounded by his family. The Dodgers confirmed his death in a post on social media.
The Dodgers mourn the loss of Davey Lopes, who passed away today at age 80. Lopes was a member of the team’s record-setting infield of the 1970s and 1980s and one of the finest basestealers in MLB history. Our condolences go out to his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/dJkOk0CWbP
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 8, 2026
Lopes is best remembered for his playing career, particularly with the Dodgers from 1972 to 1981. He made four All-Star teams and was part of the club’s 1981 World Series championship. He also played for the Oakland A’s, Chicago Cubs, and Houston Astros during the twilight of his career.
In addition to his playing career, Lopes had a lengthy coaching career. He managed the Milwaukee Brewers from 2000 to 2002, and spent nearly three decades in various coaching roles. He won a second World Series title in 2008 as first base coach for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Lopes stole at least 40 bases in a season six times during his career. He stole a career-high 77 bases in 1975, but also had a power element to his game as he hit 28 home runs for the Dodgers in 1979.
In total, Lopes was a .263 career hitter with 155 home runs and 557 stolen bases during a 16-year career.
