William Byron Ends With A Strong Top-Five Finish At Talladega
William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports had an up-and-down day during the Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Beginning the race from the 16th position, Byron quietly rode with the pack during the race's first stage until the first set of pitread more...
Ryan Blaney's Bad Luck Continues With Talladega Crash
Source: NASCAR.com
Team Penske's Ryan Blaney looked to have a quality finish for the Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, but left the race early after unfortunate circumstances. In the first stage, Blaney started from the ninth position, but quickly shuffled back to the middle part of the pack as other racers passed him. The No. 12 Ford driver then rode around until pit stops were occurring around laps 41-43. On lap 43, Kyle Busch tried merging onto pit road but lost control of his car, making contact with Brad Keselowski, who went up the track and in front of Blaney. With no place to go to avoid crashing, Blaney suffered damage and had to be towed back to the garage. Although his team attempted to repair the damage on Blaney's car, they decided the damage was too severe to repair, leaving Blaney out of the race. Blaney would end up placing 37th with a DNF due to an accident for the second consecutive Talladega race.Kyle Larson Has A Career-Best Performance At Talladega
Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson finished Sunday's Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in the second position. Starting from the 25th position, Larson quietly kept up with the pack for most of the first stage and kept his car clean. Afterread more...
Ian Machado Garry Gets Back On Track With UFC Kansas City Win
Source: UFC
Ian Machado Garry got back in the win column when he defeated Carlos Prates via unanimous decision in the main event of UFC Kansas City on Saturday. Machado Garry dominated the first three rounds, and Prates won the fourth and the fifth rounds. In the fifth round, Prates unleashed multiple punches against Garry on the feet and on the ground, but with both fighters being fatigued, Machado Garry survived the late scare. In 25 minutes of action, Machado Garry landed four takedowns and 126 significant strikes. With this win, Machado Garry's MMA record is 16-1, and he improved to 9-1 in the UFC.Brad Keselowski's Talladega Run Ends Early After Crashing
Source: NASCAR.com
Brad Keselowski of RFK Racing had high hopes for a strong performance at Talladega Superspeedway, but ended with disappointment through a finish of 36th during Sunday's Jack Link's 500. Beginning the race from the 22nd position, Keselowski quickly made his way up through the field at the start of the first stage. The No. 6 Ford driver made it as high as the top three, but never made it to the lead. After riding with the pack for most of the first stage, the first round of pit stops came up, and Keselowski looked to pit with other Ford drivers on lap 43. Unfortunately, Kyle Busch got up to the side of Keselowski and lost control of his car, colliding with the No. 6 Ford and causing a multi-car crash. Keselowski sustained too much damage from this incident and was unable to continue, settling for a 36th-place finish, his worst result at Talladega since October 2016, when he failed to finish due to an engine failure.Carlos Prates Suffers His First UFC Loss
Source: UFC
Carlos Prates lost a unanimous decision to Ian Machado Garry in the main event of UFC Kansas City. Prates entered this bout with an undefeated UFC record of 4-0. Machado Garry soundly won the first three rounds, before Prates had a late resurgence to try and turn the tables. Prates almost finished Machado Garry in the fifth round, but it ultimately wasn't enough. In 25 minutes of action, Prates landed 63 significant strikes. With the loss, Prates is now 21-7 as a pro and 4-1 in the UFC.Zhang Mingyang Still Undefeated In The UFC
Source: UFC
Zhang Mingyang extended his win streak to 12 when he defeated former title challenger Anthony Smith in the co-main event of UFC Kansas City on Saturday. The turning point of the fight came when Mingyang landed a hard elbow that caused a deep cut on Smith's head. With blood pouring, Smith was fading fast, so he decided to shoot for a takedown. Mingyang stuffed the takedown and finished Smith on the ground with punches. In 4:03 of action, Mingyang landed 63 significant strikes. Anthony Smith Retires After UFC Kansas City Loss
Source: UFC
On Saturday, former title challenger Anthony Smith suffered a first-round TKO loss to Zhang Mingyang in the co-main event of UFC Kansas City. Smith then hung up his gloves inside the Octagon and announced his retirement at 36 years of age after 59 professional fights. It was Smith's third loss in a row and fourth loss in the last five fights. In 4:03 of action, Smith landed only 10 significant strikes. Smith ends his career with a professional record of 37-22 at the time of his retirement.Giga Chikadze Takes Unanimous Decision Loss
Source: UFC
Giga Chikadze was not able to get back in the win column as he lost his UFC Kansas City main card bout with David Onama via unanimous decision. Chikadze had his moments in the fight, in the striking exchanges to be exact, but Onama made an adjustment in the second round and started wrestling and taking down Chikadze, ultimately winning a unanimous decision. In 15 minutes of action, Chikadze landed 43 significant strikes. With the loss, Chikadze fell to 15-5 as a pro and 8-3 in the UFC.Giga Chikadze Takes Unanimous-Decision Loss
Source: UFC
Giga Chikadze was not able to get back in the win column as he lost his UFC Kansas City main card bout with David Onama via unanimous decision. Chikadze had his moments in the fight, in the striking exchanges to be exact, but Onama made an adjustment in the second round and started wrestling and taking down Chikadze, ultimately winning a unanimous decision. In 15 minutes of action, Chikadze landed 43 significant strikes. With the loss, Chikadze fell to 15-5 as a pro and 8-3 in the UFC.David Onama Extends Win Streak At UFC Kansas City
Source: UFC
David Onama picked up a unanimous decision victory over Giga Chikadze on the main card of UFC Kansas City on Saturday. Onama used his wrestling skills to get the better of Chikadze. Chikadze was winning the striking exchanges, but then in the second round, Onama adjusted and started wrestling. In the end, Onama won the fight by 29-28, 29-28, 29-28 unanimous decision. In 15 minutes of action, Onama landed three takedowns and 49 significant strikes. This was Onama's fourth consecutive and biggest victory in his career thus far.Michel Pereira Drops Decision At UFC Kansas City
Source: UFC
Michel Pereira suffered a unanimous decision loss to Abus Magomedov on the main card of UFC Kansas City on Saturday. From the opening bell, Pereira didn't look like himself. Usually, he's an explosive, fast starter, but this time around, he looked slow and tentative. Magomedov was in control for most of the fight. In 15 minutes of action, Pereira landed 73 significant strikes. It was the second straight loss for Pereira, who was also defeated in a main event opportunity this past October when he was dominated by Anthony Hernandez.Erik Swanson Starting Rehab Assignment On Tuesday
Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Erik Swanson (forearm) is slated to report to Low-A Dunedin on Tuesday to begin a rehab assignment. The right-hander has been sidelined at the start of the campaign due to carpalread more...
Abus Magomedov Extends His Win Streak
Source: UFC
Abus Magomedov extended his win streak to three when he defeated Michel Pereira via unanimous decision on Saturday's UFC Kansas City main card. Just a few minutes into the first round, Magomedov had already landed a few heavy shots on the striker, one of which was a left hook which dropped Pereira. Magomedov was in control the whole fight, as Pereira was uncharacteristically tentative and slow. In 15 minutes of action, Magomedov landed a takedown and 78 significant strikes. With the victory, Magomedov improved to 28-6-1 as a pro.Wade Miley Exits Rehab Outing On Sunday
Wade Miley (elbow) exited his rehab outing on Sunday with an undisclosed injury. The southpaw was only able to tally two outs before exiting the contest. Before leaving, Miley allowed one hit and a run and did not tally a strikeout. In his first rehab outing with High-A Dayton, Miley struggled as he allowed nine hits and six runs across two 1/3 innings of work. The veteran pitcher is slowly working his way back from a UCL surgery on his left elbow. Last summer, Miley logged just seven innings of work to the tune of a 6.43 ERA with a 1.43 WHIP. During the 2023 campaign, the southpaw held a strong 3.14 ERA with a 1.14 WHIP across 120 1/3 innings of work. When eventually cleared to return, Miley should be in the mix for a depth role in the Cincinnati rotation.Source: WDTN.com
Cincinnati Reds left-handed pitcher Yordan Alvarez Smacks Third Home Run
Yordan Alvarez went 2-for-4 with a home run and a double in his team's 7-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday. The 27-year-old drove in three runs while scoring and walking once in the contest. Alvarez victimized Royals starting pitcher Kris Bubic in the top of the third inning with a 436-foot blast that he deposited over the right-center field wall at 110.6 MPH to score the Astros' first runs of the day. His double was also struck well, leaving the bat at a scorching 109.1. It hasn't been the best start for the lefty slugger, as he holds an underwhelming .213 average (19-for-89) through his first 26 outings. However, he may be coming around as he's displayed a better eye at the plate over the last ten days.Source: ESPN
Houston Astros designated hitter Nicolas Dalby Gets Finished For The First Time
Source: UFC
Nicolas Dalby suffered a second-round knockout loss to Randy Brown on Saturday's main card of UFC Kansas City. The turning point of the fight was when Dalby suffered a severe nose break early into the contest. After hurting Dalby in the second round, Brown landed a counter right hand that knocked the Danish fighter out cold. In 6:39 of action, Dalby landed 26 significant strikes. With the loss, Dalby is now 23-6-1 with one NC as a pro and 7-5-1 with one NC in the UFC. Roman Anthony Dealing With Foot Injury
Roman Anthony (foot) is dealing with a minor foot injury. The top prospect fouled a ball off his foot on Friday and was held out of action over the weekend. However, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic noted that the team does not anticipate him hitting the injured list. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as he is viewed as one of the top prospects in the sport. Through the early part of the Triple-A campaign, the 20-year-old has enjoyed an impressive start to the season. Through his first 23 games, Anthony has posted a stellar .313/.451/.588 slash line with five doubles, five home runs, and two stolen bases. If Anthony can return to the lineup this week, he should still be in the mix for an early MLB debut this summer.Source: Jen McCaffrey
Boston Red Sox outfield prospect Andrew McCutchen Picks Up Four Hits In Loss
Andrew McCutchen went 4-for-4 with a home run in Sunday's 9-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was his third homer of the season, and the veteran added three singles for his fourth multi-hit performance of the year. McCutchen has been hitting well in recent days, notching at least one hit in six of seven games with four extra-base hits (two doubles, two home runs) during the stretch. The 38-year-old is having a bit of a resurgent season thus far, slashing .276/.368/.447, with increased quality of contact and a palatable 17.2% strikeout rate after a career-high in that statistic a season ago (25.8%). Moreover, McCutchen is registering a hard-hit ball 49.2% of the time with an average exit velocity of 91.2 MPH. Both figures would be career-bests if they hold.Source: ESPN
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Randy Brown Gets Back In The Win Column
Source: UFC
Randy Brown got back in the win column by scoring a second-round knockout win over Nicolas Dalby on the main card of UFC Kansas City on Saturday. Brown landed some devastating shots in the second round, hurting Dalby. Dalby responded with wild punches, but Brown landed a perfect counter right hand that knocked Dalby out. In 6:39 of action, Brown landed 54 significant strikes. Now 4-1 in his past five outings, Brown is likely going to fight against a top-15 opponent in his next fight.Slade Cecconi Throws Bullpen On Sunday
Slade Cecconi (oblique) threw a bullpen session on Sunday. Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt noted that the 25-year-old "looked really good." This is an excellent sign for Cecconi as he has yet to make his 2025 season debut. Cecconi is working his way back from a left oblique strain he suffered in March. Last summer, the Miami product logged 77 innings to the tune of a 6.66 ERA with a 1.42 WHIP. He appeared in 20 games and was given the starting nod in 13 of them. Under the hood, Cecconi generated a modest 4.52 xERA with a .256 xBA, which placed him in the 24th and 25th percentile, respectively. Fantasy managers should expect Cecconi to embark on a rehab assignment if he continues to progress well. When cleared to return, he will likely make his season debut out of the bullpen.Source: Cleveland Guardians
Cleveland Guardians right-handed pitcher Geraldo Perdomo Homers, Swipes Two Bags
Geraldo Perdomo went 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in Sunday's 6-4 win over the Atlanta Braves. The 24-year-old added two steals and scored twice in the outing. Perdomo's batting average has dropped a bit from his blistering start earlier in the month, but he's still been impactful, registering four home runs, four doubles, 21 RBI, 15 runs scored, and six steals. His current home run total is one more than he blasted in 2024, but in far fewer at-bats. He's also vastly improved his plate discipline, walking a robust 16.5% of the time with a strikeout rate in the 96th percentile (9.4%). Perdomo has seen his hard-hit percentage jump by eight points (33.3%) from a season ago.Source: ESPN
Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Ikram Aliskerov Gets First-Round TKO Finish At UFC Kansas City
Source: UFC
Ikram Aliskerov scored a first-round TKO win over Andre Muniz on Saturday's UFC Kansas main card opener. Aliskerov was a massive betting favorite in this fight, even though he was coming off a knockout loss to former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker his last time out. With a few seconds left in the first round, Aliskerov landed a left hook that dropped Muniz. Aliskerov quickly pounced on Muniz and started landing devastating shots, forcing the referee to stop the fight. In 4:54 of action, Aliskerov landed 44 significant strikes. With this win, Aliskerov's MMA record is 16-2, and he improved to 3-1 in the UFC.Matt Wallner Could Miss Most Of May
Matt Wallner (hamstring) could miss most of May due to his left hamstring strain. Team president Derek Falvey noted that the severity of his injury could keep him sidelined for the upcoming month. Wallner exited their contest on April 15 with this injury and was then placed on the 10-day injured list. Before his injury, Wallner was enjoying a solid start to the campaign, holding a .263/.373/.474 slash line with five doubles, two triples, and one home run. Under the hood, the 27-year-old has generated a .351 xwOBA with an elite 76.5 mph bat speed, which are both above the average marks. In addition, Wallner has also drawn walks at an impressive 13.4 percent rate. While he remains sidelined, Trevor Larnach and DeShawn Keirsey should see time in right field.Source: Bobby Nightengale
Minnesota Twins outfielder Andre Muniz Gets TKO'd At UFC Kansas City
Source: UFC
Andre Muniz suffered a first-round TKO loss to Ikram Aliskerov on Saturday's UFC Kansas City main card opener. With less than a minute in the first round, Aliskerov landed a left hook that hurt Muniz. Muniz took a few seconds to react before falling back into the fence. Aliskerov jumped on Muniz, quickly finishing Muniz. In 4:54 of action, Muniz landed 16 significant strikes. Muniz is now 6-3 under the UFC banner.Ceddanne Rafaela Racks Up Five RBI In Rout Of Guardians
Ceddanne Rafaela went 2-for-4 with a home run and five RBI in his team's 13-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday, adding a double and a sac fly. Rafaela hadn't collected an extra-base knock or driven in a run in over a week, so it was nice to see him do so in their bludgeoning of the Guardians. He had four hard-hit balls, too, with three of them exceeding 100 MPH. The Curacao native's average hasn't caught up, but he's making better contact overall this season, with an xBA of .257 and modest increases in exit velocity (89.6 MPH) and hard-hit rate (43.7%). Furthermore, he's cut his strikeout percentage (16.8%) and raised his walk rate from a season ago.Source: ESPN
Boston Red Sox outfielder George Kirby Set To Throw Live Batting Practice On Monday
George Kirby (shoulder) is slated to throw live batting practice on Monday. This will be the first time he faces live hitters since being shut down with this shoulder injury in March. The 27-year-old was diagnosed with right shoulder inflammation. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status after his session, as this is an important step in his recovery process. If he continues to perform well, he could eventually be cleared to embark on a rehab assignment in the coming weeks. Last season, the right-hander held a strong 3.53 ERA with an impressive 1.07 WHIP across 191 innings of work. While he only tallied 179 punchouts, his elite control gave him significant value in all formats. When he does return, he will carry a solid SP2 value as he should improve your WHIP ratio.Source: Daniel Kramer
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Connor Norby Collects Three Hits, Homers
Connor Norby went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in Sunday's 7-6 loss to the Seattle Mariners. He added a double, a single, and two runs scored. The 24-year-old knocked in all three runs in one swing with a three-run blast -- his first homer and RBIs of the season -- in the top of the eighth inning to bring Miami within one, but it was the last runs they'd muster in the contest. Norby is swinging a hot bat since returning from the injured list, notching at least one hit in six of nine games with two three-hit efforts. He's striking out at an undesirable 34.3% clip and has yet to draw a walk, but holds a .303 average and is already one off of his stolen base total from last season in 145 fewer at-bats.Source: ESPN
Miami Marlins infielder Ivan Demidov Has Historic Outing In Game 4
Source: ESPN
Montreal Canadiens right wing Ivan Demidov recorded two power-play assists in Sunday's 5-2 defeat to the Washington Capitals. Juraj Slafkovsky and Cole Caufield benefited from Demidov's playmaking talents, while Lane Hutson also logged assists on both plays. The 19-year-old Russian became the first teenager in franchise history to register multiple points in a playoff contest, getting on the score sheet for the first time in the postseason. Montreal now faces elimination in the next game, where Demidov may play a significant role again. He has stepped in for Patrik Laine (upper body) on the top power-play unit, and it's unclear whether Laine will be available after sitting out two contests.Timo Meier Records Two Points Sunday
Source: ESPN
New Jersey Devils winger Timo Meier was involved in both of the team's goals in Sunday's 5-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. The Swiss forward registered a goal and an assist in the second period. Meier's efforts helped New Jersey cut a three-goal deficit to one, but the team once again struggled to match Carolina's offense. The Devils have scored only seven goals in the series, while the Hurricanes have lit the lamp 14 times. Meier has contributed to three of those goals. After opening the postseason with a pair of scoreless performances, he has tallied one goal and two assists. New Jersey will need more from him on Tuesday night in Game 5, as the team faces elimination.