NEW YORK – Five years ago so many big-league teams were tanking that the Atlanta Braves were able to pick off six major-league players in six separate trades in July, including the guy who would be their World Series MVP (Jorge Soler).

As the Braves land in Cincinnati for their weekend series against the Reds, so few teams are tanking this season that some executives around the game say trade chatter already began this month and demand could be especially high by deadline time in two months.

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Which means the Reds are on the clock, right?

“That’s a ways away,” Reds general manager Brad Meador said. “We’ve got to get there.”

More: Reds’ Rhett Lowder to make rehab start June 2. Return from IL next?

More: MLB players propose incentives for small-market teams who spend money and win

Smack in the middle of the toughest division in baseball so far, the Reds have the look of buyers as they escaped New York this week with another series win against the Mets, despite a 4-2 loss in the series finale.

Never mind that they missed a sweep against the NL East’s last-place team after stranding a whopping 17 men on base in that loss.

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A winning record, the return of Eugenio Suárez to the middle of the lineup, and high expectations for October baseball that haven’t changed since spring training figures to put the Reds in the middle of any trade talks their tight, thin wallets will allow.

And the sooner the better – as quickly as bullpen pieces and lineup upgrades make themselves available in a market that might involve other contenders focusing more on starting pitching.

Meador isn’t so sure about how early the trade markets might take shape compared to any other year.

“I will say this,” he said. “We are always checking in with every team. We’ve talked to every team within the last 10 days or so. But that’s constant. It’s constant conversation with teams: ‘What are you starting to think about?’ ‘What are you looking at?’ ‘Where do you guys see yourselves?’

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“But that doesn’t mean there’s something getting ready to happen.”

The Reds already have shown they won’t hesitate to make a move they can afford to fill a need, having made one of the few trades of the season so far when they acquired struggling starter Chris Paddack after he’d been designated for assignment by the Marlins.

Paddack has made two competitive starts for the Reds since then.

And now the health seems to be returning to the rotation with the news Rhett Lowder (shoulder) is about to start what might be a one-game minor-league rehab assignment next week and Nick Lodolo appears to be regaining form four starts into his season after opening on the injured list with a blister.

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“For us there might not be anything more important than to be healthy,” Meador said. “Hunter (Greene) threw a bullpen (Tuesday). He’s coming to Cincinnati this week and he’ll throw another one.

“Lowder threw three innings (Wednesday). We’ll get him out on a rehab and hopefully get him back in a week or so,” Meador added. “The healthier we get, the better we should be.”

When it comes to the trade deadline, that might time up with the season debut for Greene, who underwent elbow surgery in March to remove bone chips.

This week’s first bullpen session appears to keep that end-of-July timeline intact.

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Add that to a rotation that includes the two guys who beat the Mets this week – Lodolo and All-Star candidate Chase Burns – along with Wednesday’s starter Andrew Abbott, and it starts to look like a playoff-caliber rotation again.

(We’ll leave the bullpen discussion for another day.)

Abbott earned his fourth quality start this season with six innings of hard-contact, limit-the-damage pitching in which he allowed three runs – two of which were earned, on solo home runs by Juan Soto in the first inning and Eric Wagaman in the second.

Even after getting tagged with the loss, Abbott completed a rebound May that included a 3-1 record and 1.29 ERA.

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In beating the Reds, the Mets snapped a five-game losing streak and scored more than two runs for the first time in seven games.

The Reds have won five of their last seven, even with the loss Wednesday as they open a three-game series against the best-in-baseball Braves.

And even with a losing May that cost them the division lead they earned in April, Meador joined a chorus of Reds players in considering the team positioned well as it heads toward June.

“Look, we went through a tough stretch,” he said. “Our guys fought through it. They’re playing better now. And you just try to show up every day and focus on today.”

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds vs. Mets: Cincinnati drops series finale

Brittany Mahomes recently gave fans another sweet glimpse into family life after sharing adorable moments with her children on social media. The wife of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes first grabbed attention with a new photo of daughter Golden before later posting snaps from a fun Kansas City Current outing. While the family update featured all three kids, it was Golden who quietly stole the spotlight.

Brittany Mahomes melts over daughter Golden in adorable family moment

Brittany Mahomes recently shared a heartwarming photo of daughter Golden on Instagram, giving fans a fresh look at her youngest child. The 15-month-old was seen sitting on a patio step wearing a pink-and-white swimsuit with bow details while smiling brightly for the camera.

“The locks I can’t take it,” Brittany captioned the post. Golden, born in January 2025, is the youngest child of Brittany and Patrick Mahomes. The couple also shares daughter Sterling, 5, and son Bronze, 3. Brittany has often spoken openly about motherhood and raising three children, regularly sharing relatable parenting moments with followers.

Brittany Mahomes’ kids turn tiny cheerleaders during fun KC Current outing

Just days later, Brittany shared another family moment while attending a Kansas City Current game with her children. As co-owner of the National Women’s Soccer League team, Brittany often brings her family along, but this outing quickly caught fans’ attention. Sterling, Bronze, and Golden showed up in matching blue outfits to support the team and wore ear defenders during the game. Sterling and Bronze also added playful face paint, while Golden kept things simple in a matching outfit and bright bow. One touching moment showed Sterling holding her younger sister during the outing.

The Mahomes family has continued to share small but memorable moments with fans during the NFL offseason. Brittany, who remains active on social media, often posts updates about parenting, family outings, and special milestones involving Sterling, Bronze, and Golden. From beach vacations to game-day appearances, the family regularly gives followers a closer look at their life away from football. As Patrick Mahomes gears up for another season with the Chiefs, Brittany’s recent updates once again highlighted the close bond shared by their children and the family moments that continue to draw attention online. 

For eight straight overs, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi had the world on their feet and glued to their screens. The 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals batter cracked a 29-ball 97 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 Eliminator, with five fours and 12 sixes at a strike rate of over 334. Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar hailed 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for his sensational knock against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Eliminator, pointing out his “outstanding bat swing” and how well he clears his front foot for balls aimed at the legs, giving him the freedom to hit his sixes.

He also went past legendary West Indies batter Chris Gayle for most sixes in a T20 tournament, having smashed 65 sixes so far in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season.

Posting on X, Sachin wrote, “Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s bat swing has been outstanding. What’s even more remarkable is how beautifully he clears his front foot to create room for balls aimed at his legs. This freedom allows him to play the way he does. That innings was nothing short of spectacular!”

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s bat swing has been outstanding. What’s even more remarkable is how beautifully he clears his front foot to create room for balls aimed at his legs. This freedom allows him to play the way he does.

That innings was nothing short of spectacular!

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) May 27, 2026

India’s World Cup-winning all-rounder also hailed the “Boss baby” for breaking Gayle’s record, posting, “Boss baby breaks world boss’s record! Unbelievable, this kid is great to watch. #unreal #VaibhavSooryavanshi #SRHvsRR @IPL”

Boss baby breaks world bosses record! Unbelievable this kid great to watch 🔥 #unreal #VaibhavSooryavanshi #SRHvsRR @IPL

— Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) May 27, 2026

Former Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif also hailed the arrival of a “miracle, a future star”, saying that “cricket has so much to look forward to”.

“We are seeing a miracle, we are seeing a future star, we are seeing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the wonder boy. Jaw-dropping sixes, breaks Universal Boss Chris Gayle’s record of most sixes in his first full IPL season. And he’s just 15. The opposition players, owners, and the entire cricket world applaud. Cricket has so much to look forward to,” posted Kaif on X.

Sooryavanshi has also levelled with Gayle for most instances of hitting 10-plus sixes in an IPL innings, a total of four times. Three of these occasions have come this season, making him the first batter to hit 10-plus sixes in three IPL innings in a season.

The 15-year-old’s takedown of cricket legends one by one continues as he also surpassed Sri Lankan legend Sanath Jayasuriya‘s tally of seven powerplay sixes during the IPL 2008 clash between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), with eight sixes in the powerplay at Mullanpur.

Sooryavanshi is the batter with the most runs coming in the powerplay during an IPL season, with 490 runs, overtaking Australian legend David Warner, who scored 467 runs for SRH in the 2016 edition.

This is also his fifth fifty-plus score in the powerplay in the IPL, with only Warner (six such scores) ahead of him.

He has also joined Suresh Raina (87 against Punjab Kings in 2014) and Adam Gilchrist (74 against Delhi Daredevils in 2009) for fifty-plus scores made during the powerplay in an IPL knockout/playoff match.

This is Sooryavanshi’s fifth fifty in less than 20 balls, with only Abhishek Sharma (six) above him.

The 15-year-old’s 16-ball half-century tied with Raina’s 16-ball fifty (against PBKS in 2014) for the joint-fastest fifty in an IPL knockout/playoff match.

The twelve sixes smashed by him are also the most in an innings by a batter in IPL knockouts/playoffs, outdoing Shubman Gill‘s 10 sixes against Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2023. Sooryavanshi has the most sixes in an IPL innings by an Indian as well.

Ninety-seven runs by Sooryavanshi is the second-highest individual score for RR in an IPL knockouts/playoffs game, behind 106* runs by Jos Buttler against RCB in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2022.

In this season, Sooryavanshi has smashed 680 runs in 15 innings at an average of 45.33 and a strike rate of 242.85, including a century and four fifties, with a best score of 103. He has smashed 55 fours and 65 sixes in 280 balls faced. His balls-per-boundary-shot ratio is 2.3, and balls-per-six ratio is 4.3.

This is the most runs an uncapped batter has scored in an IPL season, overtaking his opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal‘s tally of 625 runs in the 2023 season. Also, he is the youngest to complete 600 runs in an IPL season.

Before the left-handed sensation arrived on the scene, no other batter in T20 history had smashed 600+ runs in a T20 tournament while also striking at 200-plus.

Put in to bat first, RR scored 242/8 in 20 overs, with Sooryavanshi (97 in 29 balls, with five fours and 12 sixes) and Dhruv Jurel (50 in 21 balls, with five fours and three sixes) playing crucial knocks. Praful Hinge (3/54) was the pick of the bowlers for SRH

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IPL 2026 News | RCB Outplay CSK For 2nd Win On Trot, Ruturaj Gaikwad & Co Suffer 3rd Loss

Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan (AP Photo)

Paris: There were seats for the taking on the show courts — Philippe-Chatrier, Suzanne-Lenglen and Simone-Mathieu — but not a patch of shade across the 34 acres of Roland Garros lay unoccupied on Wednesday, another 30-plus Celsius day at the French Open amid an unprecedented heat wave.Around the grounds, matches swung wildly and sets ran lopsided as players struggled with energy and concentration. For spectators, though, it was a different kind of endurance test. Hats, sunglasses and paper fans were out in force, as were glasses in hand — beer, wine or water — while they braved conditions through daylight that stretched, like the Seine, almost until 10 pm.It was the kind of day that carried the feel of an upset.For the most part, the fancied players held their ground, but second seed Elena Rybakina crashed out of the women’s draw.The 26-year-old Australian Open champion, who appeared to be troubled by the heat and conditions, went down 6-3, 1-6, 6-7 (4-10) to the inspired Ukrainian Yulia Starodubtseva. Rybakina, who lost nine of the last 10 games after taking the first set, was barely moving through the second and the early stages of the decider, where she fell behind 0-3.“I won’t say that physically I felt really bad. There were matches when I felt worse,” Rybakina said. “Definitely the energy was not there. I just couldn’t find the right balance on the ball. It was very slippery. In some moments I was just putting my legs, but it was everything out of rhythm. It’s tough to say. On the practices it was not as bad.”The afternoon, however, belonged to the Ukrainian. “Honestly hard to describe. I’m super happy,” the 26-year-old Starodubtseva said. “Elena is one of the top players. She’s had an incredible year. I’m super proud of myself that I was able to do this today. It was a hard third set, but I got it done.”Four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek, who beat Czech Sara Bejlek 6-2, 6-3 to advance to the third round, said the conditions took some getting used to. The Pole, who turns 25 on Sunday, said: “Sometimes I made some mistakes while playing high balls, because the ball was jumping quite high. It was not easy to judge if it’s the one you should go for or stay back and wait for the next one.”Poland’s Magda Linette did Swiatek a favour by knocking out her nemesis Jelena Ostapenko, setting up a third-round meeting with her third-seeded compatriot.Earlier on Lenglen, 13th seed Karen Khachanov looked stretched to the limit, but the 6 ft 6 in Russian held on for nearly four hours to script a 7-6, 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (4) win over Marco Trungelliti, who at 36 is the oldest man to debut in the top 100 in the Open Era.“It’s the warmest May in Paris in a long time,” the 30-year-old Russian said. “For players’ matches become more physical, mentally you have to be strong, that’s the dynamic of the match. Sometimes players have drops in terms of energy and concentration, that’s why it’s extremely important to hydrate and use ice towels. The conditions are also much faster, the ball is bouncing higher.”Eleventh seed Andrey Rublev walked on court intent on keeping things quick against Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli, who made it a point to put every ball back in play, dragging Rublev back and forth.“I knew that if I want to win, I will need to be the one who dictates,” he said after the 6-1, 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3) win. “The moments like when I was a bit relaxing or I was tight, he was straightaway taking advantage. When I was able to be more focused, going for the shot, I was having the opportunities.”

Rajasthan Royals’ Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (AP Photo)

Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi delivered one of the greatest batting exhibitions in IPL history during the 2026 Eliminator, smashing records at a staggering rate while dismantling Sunrisers Hyderabad with a jaw-dropping 97 off just 29 balls. Representing Rajasthan Royals in Mullanpur, the teenage sensation unleashed complete chaos on a flat batting surface, taking apart even seasoned operators like Pat Cummins with fearless strokeplay and unbelievable power-hitting. Sooryavanshi hammered 12 sixes during his explosive innings, repeatedly sending the ball deep into the stands as SRH’s bowlers ran out of answers. Cummins himself conceded four sixes to the 15-year-old and ended with forgettable figures of 0 for 64 in four overs. The RR opener narrowly missed breaking Chris Gayle’s all-time record for the fastest IPL century after falling on 97, just one hit away from surpassing Gayle’s iconic 30-ball hundred from 2013. But even without the century, Sooryavanshi rewrote several IPL records during the innings — including one of Gayle’s most iconic milestones. The teenager surpassed Gayle’s 14-year-old record for the most sixes in a single IPL season and now sits alone at the top with 65 maximums. Most sixes in an IPL season:

He also now holds the record for the most powerplay runs ever scored in a single IPL season, overtaking David Warner’s long-standing mark from 2016. Most powerplay runs in an IPL season:

The teenager smashed eight sixes inside the powerplay during the Eliminator, the most ever in the first six overs of an IPL innings. Most sixes in overs 1-6 in an IPL innings:

Sooryavanshi also became the first batter in IPL history to hit 10 or more sixes three times in a single season. Hitting 10+ sixes in an IPL innings most times:

His 11-plus sixes in the knockout clash also established a new record for the most sixes ever hit in an IPL playoff innings. Most sixes in an IPL knockout innings:

The innings further strengthened his remarkable IPL 2026 numbers, with Sooryavanshi now becoming the highest-scoring uncapped batter in a single IPL season. Most runs by an uncapped batter in an IPL season:

He also equalled his own record for the most sixes by an Indian batter in a single IPL innings. Most sixes in an IPL innings by an Indian:

At one stage, Rajasthan looked set for an even bigger total after racing to 180 for 2 in 13 overs, with Sooryavanshi turning the match into a one-man spectacle. His opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal was largely reduced to watching from the other end while the teenager launched balls across every part of the ground. Yet despite all the records and applause, the slow walk back to the pavilion after his dismissal perhaps summed up the night best. Sooryavanshi knew history was within touching distance, and even after producing one of the greatest IPL innings ever played, the 15-year-old still looked devastated at missing out on something even bigger.

Rajasthan Royals’ Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (AP Photo)

Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi once again left the cricketing world stunned after his breathtaking 97 off just 29 balls helped Rajasthan Royals knock out Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 Eliminator. The teenage sensation smashed 12 sixes during a jaw-dropping innings that nearly saw him break Chris Gayle’s record for the fastest century in IPL history. But despite the records, milestones and Player of the Match award, Sooryavanshi insisted his focus remains firmly on helping Rajasthan Royals win the trophy. Speaking after the match, the young opener revealed that he prefers not to overthink situations and instead focuses only on playing the game in front of him. “(Do you celebrate the happiness or is it more like ‘what’s gone is gone, now think ahead’?) When we win, we just take the positive intent forward and move on to the next match. And we try to win the next match in the same way and reach the finals.” Even after producing one of the greatest innings ever seen in an IPL playoff match, Sooryavanshi admitted he keeps his thinking simple before games. “(What’s your mindset going into the next game?) I do think a little bit, but not too much. I just try to play the game I’m in and not overthink. But if I feel there’s something I need to work on, then I look at that.” The RR opener also opened up on the amount of preparation that goes into his fearless batting approach. Despite only being 15, Sooryavanshi explained that he carefully studies opposition bowlers, the pitch and boundary dimensions before going out to bat. “(Tell us about your preparation before the match.) I just think about who the bowlers are in the opposition team, how I can face them on this wicket, how big the boundaries are, just these kinds of things. I just try to stay positive with my intent. When I do that, the bowlers stay under pressure. So I try to continue that and dominate the game.” That positive intent completely overwhelmed the SRH bowling attack in Mullanpur. On a true batting surface, Sooryavanshi toyed with the likes of Pat Cummins and repeatedly launched the ball into the stands as the Australian captain and his leadership group desperately searched for answers. Anything pitched full was smashed straight back over the bowler’s head, while short deliveries disappeared over third man and fine leg with astonishing ease. The teenager eventually fell for 97 after getting caught at third man off Praful Hinge, narrowly missing out on what could have been the fastest century in IPL history. However, Sooryavanshi revealed after the match that he was not even aware of the record during his innings. “(On the ball he was dismissed, was he aware about the record?) I found out only after I got out. At that time, my only focus was to contribute as much as I could because centuries will keep happening, but right now the focus is on how to win the trophy.” The youngster also explained that he prefers concentrating on his own plans rather than worrying about what the opposition might be trying to do against him. “If I feel I’m having trouble somewhere, I work on that. I don’t think about what the opposition is planning, that’s their plan. I focus on what my plan is, and I just try to play normal cricket.” Even without the century, Sooryavanshi’s innings rewrote IPL history. He broke Gayle’s 14-year-old record for the most sixes in a single IPL season and now has a staggering 65 maximums in IPL 2026. At just 15 years old, Sooryavanshi continues to produce innings that feel almost impossible, yet the teenager himself remains remarkably calm, grounded and entirely focused on winning matches for Rajasthan Royals.

Bengals coach Zac Taylor said earlier this offseason that Shemar Stewart‘s development is a “priority” for the team.

The Bengals drafted Stewart in the first round in 2205, but his rookie season was marred by missed time, because of a contract dispute, as well as injuries. He had a lingering ankle injury early in the season and a torn posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in Week 9.

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He appeared in eight games with six tackles and a sack.

“Last year I would go out there, and I’m saying, ‘I somewhat know what I need to do, but I’m not 100 percent sure,’” Stewart said this week, via Jay Morrison of SI.com. “And then I go out there and I overthink. Then I don’t make a play. Then it’s just a whole lot of things because I’m just too up in here.”

Stewart has formed a close relationship with defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery, which he thinks will help in his development.

“I think I got my first ‘good job,’ from Jerry,” Stewart said. “That’s my guy. He never gave up on me. Always held me close even though when I wasn’t performing good, he always stood by me.”

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Stewart does not project as a starter for the Bengals with free-agent signee Boye Mafe and Myles Murphy expected to hold those spots. But the Bengals still have big expectations for Stewart.

“I’ve still got a lot of work to do, but I’m so excited to play with these guys,” Stewart said. “We got two monsters added to the room, so I can’t wait to see how this year turns out.”