Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) throws a pitch in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
The San Diego Padres are the lone National League team that Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes has never faced as he eases into his third major league season.
That will change on Tuesday when Skenes (1-1, 9.53 ERA) matches up with the fellow right-hander Nick Pivetta (1-1, 6.75) of the Padres in the second contest of a three-game set in Pittsburgh.
After enduring his shortest and worst career outing on Opening Day against the New York Mets, Skenes rebounded on Wednesday. The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner threw five strong innings in an 8-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds. Skenes gave up a run on three hits and two walks, and he struck out five in a 77-pitch appearance.
“Still a work in progress, but nice to give some volume and be out there for more than two-thirds of an inning,” Skenes said, referring to the length of his March 26 start vs. the Mets in which he yielded five runs on four hits and two walks.
Pivetta, in his most recent start, also put together a major rebound start following a poor Opening Day outing.
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The 33-year-old Canadian gave up only one hit over five shutout innings, struck out eight and walked two to help the Padres beat the San Francisco Giants 7-1 on Wednesday. The performance came six days after Pivetta allowed six runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out three over three innings in an 8-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers.
“That first game, that was not Pivetta,” Padres catcher Freddy Fermin said after Pivetta’s most recent start. “(Against the Giants), he made adjustments and pitched in the right spots.”
Pivetta is 2-1 with a 2.17 ERA in six career outings (five starts) against the Pirates.
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While Skenes didn’t turn in a completely dominant effort vs. the Reds, the five-inning outing helped quell concerns for Pittsburgh that its ace was experiencing any sort of negative effects from having pitched in the World Baseball Classic.
“Just remembering what’s real and what isn’t real, I guess. Nothing matters except for the play. Nothing matters except for the game,” Skenes said. “I’m pretty insulated from a lot of stuff that’s out there. The stuff that I do see or hear, I don’t really care anyway, because it doesn’t have anything to do with the play. Throughout the week, basically just thinking about getting back to execution and executing my pitches. That’s it.”
Skenes will try to cool off a suddenly energized San Diego lineup, which powered a 5-0 shutout of the Pirates on Monday and has led the Padres to three consecutive wins. The Padres could have made it an even more lopsided result in the series opener had they not left 10 runners on base.
Skenes finally will get to face Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill, who was the runner-up to Skenes for NL Rookie of the Year in 2024. Merrill has been part of San Diego’s offense surge, collecting four hits, three runs, a homer and three RBIs in the past two games.
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“Good arm, good challenge,” Merrill said, according to MLB.com, about facing Skenes on Tuesday. “The Rookie of the Year stuff, that doesn’t matter anymore. But it’s fun for the game of baseball.”
Jake Ferguson’s fiancée, Haley Cavinder, and her twin sister, Hanna, have built their own brand that began with their TikTok videos. On Monday, the former Miami Hurricanes basketball player showed support for another former collegiate athlete who has built her own brand from social media.
Former LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne, revealed that she will be on the first ever cover of BoardRoom magazine. It will document her journey from being a student athlete to a business woman.
Thanks for the submission!
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“Suited up for the first @boardroom print cover ever;)👔 Thank you @boardroom & @richkleiman from capturing my journey from athlete to investor,” Dunne said.
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Haley Cavinder shared her love of Dunne’s latest accomplishment.
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“ate down 😍,” Cavinder said.
(Image via Instagram/@livvydunne)
Livvy Dunne posed in a beige blazer for the cover shoot, giving a business professional style. In the other photos included in the Instagram post, the former gymnast wore a black leather skirt with a white tank top.
Jake Ferguson and Haley Cavinder celebrated joint bachelor and bachelorette trip in Bahamas
In mid-March, Jake Ferguson and Haley Cavinder celebrated their upcoming nuptials with a joint bachelor/bachelorette trip to the Bahamas.
Haley Cavinder posted a recap of their trip to the Baker’s Bay Ocean and Golf Club. The exclusive club which is for members-only, allowed for the couple and their close friends and family to enjoy time at a private residence as well as some fun in the sun on the island. Cavinder showed her gratitude for everyone who helped them celebrate and made the trip special.
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“the best trip ♥️ our circle >>,” Cavinder said.
Cavinder and Ferguson began dating in 2023 and announced their relationship a few months later. In April 2025, the Dallas Cowboys tight end proposed to Cavinder in Fort Myers Beach, Florida and plan to get married this offseason.
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz continued their tussle for the world number one spot as they opened their clay-court seasons with commanding second-round wins at the Monte Carlo Masters.
Fresh from completing the ‘Sunshine Double’ without dropping a set, Sinner needed only 64 minutes to complete a 6-3 6-0 demolition of Frenchman Ugo Humbert – conceding just six points in the second set.
It was an 18th successive Masters 1000 win for the Italian second seed, who has now won 36 consecutive sets at that level.
If Sinner goes all the way and wins in Monaco he will replace Alcaraz as the world number one when the rankings are updated on Monday.
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Alcaraz, the defending champion, opened his clay-court season with a 6-1 6-3 victory in 70 minutes against Argentina’s Sebastian Baez – a six-time ATP Tour champion on clay – later on Tuesday.
It was the Spaniard’s first match on clay since he triumphed over Sinner in last year’s enthralling French Open final, when he came back from two sets down and saved three Championship points en route to his second Roland Garros title.
Alcaraz, who had a 22-1 record on clay and won three titles on the surface in 2025, has held the number one spot since November.
“I’m going to lose number one in the world. I don’t know if it is going to be at this tournament or the next one,” said Alcaraz.
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“I’m defending a bunch of points that are going to be really difficult to defend. Even if I defend them, Jannik is going to add some points.
“I will just try to play my best and let’s see what happens, but for me the number one spot is not in my mind right now. I’m just trying to feel the best way on clay courts and let’s see how the clay swing goes.”
The gap between the pair is down to 1,190 points as the season moves on to the European clay-court swing.
Sinner has no ranking points to defend until the Italian Open at the start of May because he was serving a three-month suspension this time last year for failing two doping tests.
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He will need to reach at least the semi-finals and then better Alcaraz’s result in Monte Carlo if he is to swap ranking places with the seven-time major winner.
Sinner will face Argentine Francisco Cerundolo in the next round, while Alcaraz will play either Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina or France’s Terence Atmane.
You’ve probably seen the clip of Colton Gress, the Drive, Chip and Putt competitor, swinging cross-handed during Sunday’s competition. At first glance, his grip looks unconventional — but after speaking with two of GOLF’s Top 100 Teachers, it’s clear his swing works remarkably well because his mechanics are so solid.
How His Cross-Handed Grip Works
In a traditional grip, GOLF Top 100 Teacher Rick Silva explains, the lead and trail hands oppose each other — creating a stable “tug of war” that controls the clubface. A cross-handed grip can achieve the same effect. The player simply rotates their hands differently around the club so the wrists and forearms still work in opposition. It looks unusual, but biomechanically, the goal is the same.
“So for that to occur, the underhand or the right hand … he rolls his right hand underneath the grip so you can like see the undersides of his like fingernails,” Silva says.
How He Hits It So Far
Once the swing begins, GOLF Top 100 Teacher Joey Wuertemberger explains, Gress moves into the same positions as other elite ball strikers. He makes a big backswing with a full hip turn and massive shoulder rotation, which helps him build speed efficiently.
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That rotation is key to his power. His hip turn going back is deep, and his shoulder turn is even bigger, creating a lot of stored energy. Then, in transition, he unwinds his body expertly. His lower body leads — using the legs to shift and rotate — while his upper body stays slightly behind. This sequence — big turn back, powerful rotation through — is a major reason he generates so much power.
“As he comes down into the ball he’s got good upper body tilt, so his head is behind the ball and his arms are right in front of him,” Wuertemberger says. “So he delivers the club in a good, powerful position.”
The results speak for themselves. In Sunday’s competition, Gress hit his first drive 275.3 yards and his second drive 264.8 yards, showcasing the distance he can generate with his unconventional cross-handed swing.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Vikram Rathour (Image credit: BCCI/RR/IPL)
NEW DELHI: ‘See the ball and tonk the ball’ – that’s the approach young batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi follows against any opponent and any bowler in the world. As Rajasthan Royals gear up to face Mumbai Indians in a mouth-watering clash in Guwahati, the spotlight has once again shifted to the 15-year-old sensation, with much of the discussion centred around how he will tackle world-class pacer Jasprit Bumrah.Ahead of the clash, the Rajasthan Royals team management chalked out a plan on a board, leading to a light-hearted moment.
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Devdutt Padikkal press conference: Chinnaswamy pitch, Tim David’s power & RCB’s batting strategy
Sooryavanshi, who was looking at the board with Vikram Rathour, Rajasthan Royals’ batting coach, by his side, started with: “Koi to akele batting karega hi na, toh mai kar leta hun akele batting.”After Rathour nodded, Sooryavanshi added: “Aree 5 minute kam kar lunga sir,”.He then began teasing Siddhartha Lahiri, Rajasthan Royals’ performance coach, who was writing the batting plan on the board.“Your game plan is correct,” Sooryavanshi said.Lahiri jokingly replied: “Isko nikalo pehle mere paas se”.Rajasthan Royals will be aiming to register a third consecutive win when they take on five-time champions Mumbai Indians on Tuesday.Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, will be looking to bounce back after their loss to Delhi Capitals.Sooryavanshi has carried his form from last season into the current one.In two innings so far this season, he has scored 83 runs at an average of 41.50 and a strike rate of 237.14, with a 17-ball 52 against Chennai Super Kings as his best score. He has also carried his rich form from the U19 World Cup-winning campaign this year, where he scored 444 runs in seven innings at an average of 62.71 and a strike rate of 169.50, including a century and three fifties.Squads:Rajasthan Royals Squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel(w), Riyan Parag(c), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Brijesh Sharma, Ravi Singh, Shubham Dubey, Adam Milne, Dasun Shanaka, Kuldeep Sen, Sushant Mishra, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Kwena Maphaka, Vignesh Puthur, Aman Rao PeralaMumbai Indians Squad: Ryan Rickelton(w), Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Sherfane Rutherford, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Corbin Bosch, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mayank Markande, Trent Boult, Robin Minz, Raj Bawa, Ashwani Kumar, Hardik Pandya, Quinton de Kock, Will Jacks, Mayank Rawat, Raghu Sharma, Atharva Ankolekar, AM Ghazanfar, Danish Malewar, Mohammed Salahuddin Izhar.
Dach, 25, has been sidelined since March 17 with an upper-body injury. He’s expected to slot in as the fourth-line centre between Phillip Danault and Brendan Gallagher.
In 32 games this season, Dach has eight goals and 14 points.
Texier was dealing with a lower-body injury. The 26-year-old, has eight goals and 20 points in 46 games this season.
The Canadiens locked up a playoff spot this past weekend and sit third in the Atlantic Division.
Juan Brito was called up from Triple-A Columbus and will make his big league debut during Tuesday afternoon’s game against Kansas City. Brito is batting sixth and playing second base.
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“We’ve been excited about Juan for a really long time. And I feel like last year with his injuries, we would have seen him last year at some point, but we just couldn’t be more excited,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “Juan has historically been a good decision maker at the plate. He’s got the ability to make contact and he’s got the power to drive the ball out of the yard. So he’s a complete hitter from both sides.”
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Brito — who played in only 31 games last season due to thumb and hamstring injuries — is in his seventh professional season and fourth in Cleveland’s organization. He was 11 for 35 with five doubles and four RBIs in nine games this season for Columbus.
Brito played mostly at third base for the Clippers, but Vogt said he would primarily be at second base while Arias is sidelined.
Arias suffered the injury during the fifth inning of Monday night’s game. The shortstop appeared to get hurt while running to second base on his double to right field.
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The injury comes at an inopportune time for Arias, who was 5 for 14 with two home runs and four RBIs in his last five games.
Arias is expected to miss at least a month due to the injury, which has been classified as a moderate hamstring strain.
Brayan Rocchio and Daniel Schneemann will be the primary shortstops. Rocchio had been playing second base during the first two weeks of the season.
The New York Yankees (7-2), ranked first in the AL East, face the Athletics (3-6), ranked fifth in the AL West, in the first matchup of their three-game series. The Yankees are favored with a moneyline of -235 and a point spread of -1.5 at BetMGM. Starting pitchers are Aaron Civale (1-0) for the Athletics with a 3.60 ERA and Cam Schlittler (2-0) for the Yankees with a 0.00 ERA.
How to watch New York Yankees vs. A’s
Time: 7:05 p.m. ET / 4:05 p.m. PT
Where: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
TV channels: YES, NBC Sports California (Local affiliates)
Multi-club ownership organisation Bay Collective has reached an agreement to aquire a majority stake in Sunderland Women.
Already the majority owners of American club Bay FC, the organisation is led by former Football Association director Kay Cossington.
Investment will go into improving infrastructure, the academy and building the staff and player pool at Sunderland with a “goal of growing sustainability”.
Sunderland currently sit eighth in the Women’s Super League 2 with two games remaining in the season.
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They have a history of producing some of England’s most successful footballers, including ex-captain Steph Houghton and European champions Jill Scott, Beth Mead and Lucy Bronze.
“We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Sunderland AFC and to write the next chapter for Sunderland Women, a club with such a proud history and strong identity,” said Cossington.
“We are committed to honoring Sunderland Women’s DNA and legacy, protecting what makes this club and community so special, and supporting the players, staff, and the academy with cutting-edge resources, infrastructure, and training models tailored to the unique needs of women athletes.
“This is a partnership for the long-term, and our ambition is to strengthen Sunderland Women’s connection with fans and partners while creating a platform for sustained success at the highest levels of the women’s game.”
Alex Iwobi has shared his thoughts on Nigeria’s newly released 2026 kit, admitting he prefers the previous design despite the latest collection already being used by the team.
The new kit, unveiled by Nike, has generated mixed reactions among fans due to its bold and modern look. The home jersey features a bright light green colour with darker panels, while the away kit comes in white with striking green flame-like patterns.
The Super Eagles have already worn the new designs in recent friendly matches, including a 2-1 win over Iran and a 2-2 draw against Jordan in Turkey.
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Speaking on the Alexander Yaa Digg podcast before the Iran match, the Super Eagles midfielder gave his first impression of the training kit, describing it as eye-catching and unusual.
“The training kit is bright green, looking like highlighters with the pink stripe on the side. That’s the new kit for training,” Iwobi said.
The Fulham star also gave his personal opinion on the new design, suggesting he still prefers the old version.
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“Let me know what you think of the new kit. Me, personally, I think I prefer the old one, but we will see if this one can bring us luck in today’s game,” he added.
Despite the mixed reactions, the new kit represents a fresh look for Nigeria, blending tradition with a modern style as the team prepares for future competitions.
Dec 21, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; The New York Giants fans react before the game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
New York Giants nose tackle Dexter Lawrence requested a trade to start the week, and it didn’t take long for the Minnesota Vikings to be named as a possible landing spot.
Minnesota could chase a true game-wrecker for Brian Flores’ defensive front.
Yahoo Sports‘ staff put together trade destinations for Lawrence, who is seeking a contract extension, as the guaranteed money on his current deal has expired.
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Lawrence Would Change the Shape of the Vikings’ Defense
Would you trade a 1st- or 2nd-Rounder to get Lawrence?
Nov 3, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) reacts during pregame introductions before a matchup with the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium, soaking in the atmosphere as one of the league’s premier interior defenders and a centerpiece of New York’s defensive identity entering the 2024 season. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images.
Vikings on Shortlist for Lawrence per Yahoo
Lawrence asked for a trade on Monday afternoon, and within hours, the world speculated about his next employer.
Yahoo Sports explained the Vikings as a fit: “The Vikings need help on the interior of their defensive line after releasing Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen this offseason, and a gap-shooting space-eater like Lawrence in the middle could really help unspool all the funky disguises and blitzes returning defensive coordinator Brian Flores likes to deploy.”
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“Plus, one knock (however slight) on the Vikings’ recent defenses is there hasn’t been a true star you can set your clock to. Lawrence certainly qualifies. This would be a big swing for de facto general manager Rob Brzezinski, and landing Lawrence could go a long way toward him sealing up the permanent gig for a team with designs on contending in the NFC.”
The Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, and Tennessee Titans were also mentioned in the publication.
The Lawrence Bio
At 28 years old, Lawrence has amassed an impressive 30.5 sacks, 103 quarterback hits, 40 tackles for loss, and 15 forced fumbles in 109 career games. A three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, he is the type of interior defender offenses must game plan around.
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Widely regarded as the NFL’s best nose tackle and considered by many to be in contention for the title of best defensive tackle overall, Lawrence’s trade request on Monday sent shockwaves throughout the league, as a player of his caliber changing teams could rapidly alter the competitive landscape.
This is Lawrence’s Pro Football Focus scorecard over the last seven seasons:
2019: 76.2
2020: 79.7
2021: 68.6
2022: 91.6
2023: 92.9
2024: 89.9
2025: 75.6
How Much via Trade?
This is the tricky part. Giants fans on social media absolutely insist that Lawrence is worth a 1st-Round pick but also a player or mid-round selection. Yet, he’ll turn 29 this fall, is fending off a bad elbow, and hasn’t logged a full sack in a game since October 2024.
ESPN’s Jordan Raanan tweeted Monday, “Asked around the league and the general consensus appears to be that IF the Giants were willing to trade Dexter Lawrence, the return would be in the range of late first-round pick to second-rounder.”
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For the Vikings, a deal for Lawrence could look something like this if Raanan has it right:
Vikings Receive — Dexter Lawrence Pick No. 37 (Round 1)
It will also be telling to see if a bidding war drives the price for Lawrence up.
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Dec 5, 2021; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence (97) celebrates after bringing down Miami Dolphins running back Salvon Ahmed during second-half action at Hard Rock Stadium, showcasing his power and burst at the line of scrimmage in a road matchup during the 2021 campaign. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports.
CBS Sports‘ Carter Bahns noted Monday, “On the heels of a serious injury and the letdown campaign that followed it, however, the Giants would be hard-pressed to ask for much more than half of that trade package. Run defense-needy teams ought to still value Lawrence enough to swap a first-round pick for him, but anything more than that would be gravy for the Giants until he proves to be back in prime form.”
“At that price, why not continue working towards a long-term deal that keeps him around? If the negotiations get uglier in the months to come, though, or if Lawrence’s request sparks the interest of potential buyers, there are a handful of teams who would be unsurprising if they showed interest.”
Allen + Hargrave Out
Why do the Vikings need a defensive tackle like Lawrence? Well, the club released two starting DTs last month, with Jonathan Allen later signing in Cincinnati and Javon Hargrave picking the Green Bay Packers. At the moment, Minnesota has Jalen Redmond, Levi Drake Rodriguez, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Taki Taimani, Elijah Williams, and Jaylon Hutchings lined up at the position. Most expect interim general manager Rob Brzezinski to explore a defensive tackle in the draft.
Feb 3, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Josh Sweat (94) and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (97) participate in NFC practice ahead of the Pro Bowl at Las Vegas Ballpark, working through drills alongside top players from across the conference during the league’s annual all-star showcase. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
Or — the Vikings could invest in a sure thing with Lawrence.
The only drawback? Age. Minnesota has one of the NFL’s oldest rosters during the 2026 offseason. Trading for Lawrence would not change that.
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