
By SuperWest Sports Staff
Sports
2026 MLB All-Star Game: Predicting the starting lineups for the Midsummer Classic
Voting has now closed in Phase 2 of the balloting for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia on July 14. There were two finalists at each position (six outfielders) that advanced based on the vote totals from Phase 1. Also, the top vote-getter in each league ran unopposed here, so Ernie Clement of the Blue Jays is the American League’s starter at second base while Shohei Ohtani starts at DH for the National League.
We’ll find out the full list of starters on Saturday, though we won’t know the lineup until the Monday before the game. Still, we can make predictions here.
Who will emerge as the starters? Let’s project both starting lineups before detailing each positional battle.
American League starting lineup
- Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Royals
- Mike Trout, CF, Angels
- Yordan Alvarez, DH, Astros
- Junior Caminero, 3B, Rays
- Cody Bellinger, LF, Yankees
- Byron Buxton, RF, Twins
- Shea Langeliers, C, Athletics
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B, Blue Jays
- Ernie Clement, 2B, Blue Jays
Aaron Judge is going to be injured well through the break. Trout might be, too, but he also might make it back. We’ll replace Judge with Bellinger and leave Trout in there. Let’s hope he makes it. He hasn’t played in an All-Star Game since 2019.
Starting pitcher: Cam Schlittler, Yankees
National League starting lineup
- Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF, Cubs
- Shohei Ohtani, DH, Dodgers
- Andy Pages, RF, Dodgers
- Freddie Freeman, 1B, Dodgers
- Max Muncy, 3B, Dodgers
- Brandon Marsh, LF, Phillies
- Drake Baldwin, C, Braves
- Mookie Betts, SS, Dodgers
- Ozzie Albies, 2B, Braves
Ronald Acuña Jr. is out with an injury and it doesn’t seem like he’ll make it back in time. We need a replacement, so I went with Crow-Armstrong, who leads MLB position players in WAR and is on pace for his second straight 30-30 season.
Starting pitcher: Cristopher Sanchez, Phillies
American League position battles
First base: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays) vs. Ben Rice (Yankees)
Something that hangs heavily over Phase 2 of the voting is how strongly Blue Jays fans stuffed the ballot box in phase one. Toronto players are all over the place here. That very well could carry over, but there’s also the possibility that this inspires backlash from other fan bases, causing them to vote for the non-Jays. I also wonder if enough Jays fans are frustrated with Guerrero and jumped ship? Still, Guerrero nearly doubled Rice’s vote totals in Phase 1.
Prediction: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Second base: Ernie Clement (Blue Jays)
The 30-year-old Clement surprisingly led all American League players with 3,232,932 votes in Phase 1 to earn a starting spot in his first All-Star Game.
Third base: Junior Caminero (Rays) vs. Kazuma Okamoto (Blue Jays)
Caminero should win this thing easily. He’s got an OPS of nearly 200 points better than Okamoto, for example, and he’s one of the brightest young stars in baseball. Okamoto got more votes in Phase 1, but it was really close, and I’ll say the backlash against Blue Jays ballot-stuffing carries the correct choice.
Prediction: Junior Caminero
Shortstop: Andrés Giménez (Blue Jays) vs. Bobby Witt Jr. (Royals)
Giménez doesn’t belong in the All-Star Game and Witt is arguably the best player in the AL, if not all of baseball (non-Ohtani division). I fear for the Jays stuffing here, but I’ll say sanity wins out, especially since Witt got nearly a million more votes in Phase 1.
Prediction: Bobby Witt Jr.
Catcher: Alejandro Kirk (Blue Jays) vs. Shea Langeliers (Athletics)
Similar sentiment here, but Langeliers doesn’t have nearly the same name recognition, fame or even talent as Witt. Kirk has only played in 19 games to date and has hit very poorly. Fortunately, Langeliers got significantly more votes in Phase 1.
Prediction: Shea Langeliers
Outfield
- Cody Bellinger (Yankees)
- Byron Buxton (Twins)
- Aaron Judge (Yankees)
- Jesús Sánchez (Blue Jays)
- Mike Trout (Angels)
- Daulton Varsho (Blue Jays)
Judge, Trout and Buxton were the top three in Phase 1 and have the most name recognition. Trout and Judge are surely safe while Buxton had less than 200,000 votes over Bellinger, so that spot seems like it might be in play. I’ll say it sticks to the status quo, though.
Prediction: Byron Buxton, Aaron Judge, Mike Trout
DH: Yordan Alvarez (Astros) vs. George Springer (Blue Jays)
Alvarez absolutely dwarfed Springer in voting in Phase 1 and is having the much better year. He’ll hold it.
Prediction: Yordan Alvarez
Starting pitcher: Cam Schlittler (Yankees)
The kid was great in the second half last season, had a historic playoff outing and now leads the AL with a 2.08 ERA in 18 starts. He’s been a godsend for a rotation that started the year with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon on the IL and then sent Max Fried there later.
National League position battles
First base: Freddie Freeman (Dodgers) vs. Matt Olson (Braves)
Olson is having a great year, but Freeman is on a total tear at the plate for the two-time defending champion Dodgers, a team with a massive fan base. The future Hall of Famer led by a pretty decent margin in Phase 1 and gets the nod here.
Prediction: Freddie Freeman
Second base: Ozzie Albies (Braves) vs. Bryson Stott (Phillies)
This was awfully close in Phase 1 and neither had a gaudy vote total. Albies is the correct choice, but I wonder about the motivation levels of the respective fan bases here with the Braves’ recent poor play and the Phillies’ surge. I’ll say Stott is held off, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he wins.
Prediction: Ozzie Albies
Third base: Max Muncy (Dodgers) vs. Alec Bohm (Phillies)
Muncy had more than double Bohm’s votes in Phase 1 and I’m not sure why things would change this time around.
Prediction: Max Muncy
Shortstop: CJ Abrams (Nationals) vs. Mookie Betts (Dodgers)
Abrams is having a much better year overall, but Betts has the MVP, rings and Hall of Fame pedigree, not to mention the Dodgers fan base behind him. Abrams got more votes in the first round, but Betts has gotten hot at the plate and might see a surge in votes. I’ll take him.
Prediction: Mookie Betts
Catcher: Drake Baldwin (Braves) vs. Will Smith (Dodgers)
First off, it’s insane to me that MLB puts the catcher below the infielders on the ballot. It even goes in “scoring” order with shortstop (6 on a scorecard) coming after third base (5), so why is catcher (2) behind? Ridiculous.
Anyway, sorry for the tangent. Baldwin led Smith by a decently hefty margin in phase one. He’s currently in a major funk at the plate, but I feel like he’s gonna take this round again. Maybe I’m only saying this due to predicting three Dodgers so far. I’m not sure. It’ll be close here.
Prediction: Drake Baldwin
Outfield
- Ronald Acuña Jr. (Braves)
- Michael Harris II (Braves)
- Teoscar Hernández (Dodgers)
- Brandon Marsh (Phillies)
- Andy Pages (Dodgers)
- Juan Soto (Mets)
Believe it or not, Soto — easily one of the most famous and recognizable stars in MLB and playing in a megamarket — ranked fifth here in Phase 1. With the Mets’ season seeming more and more lost by the day, it sure seems like he’ll get squeezed out. Pages led in Phase 1 and should be a cinch to get in, given who he plays for and how good he’s been. Similar sentiment applies to Marsh (second) and Acuña (third).
Prediction: Ronald Acuña Jr., Brandon Marsh, Andy Pages
Designated hitter: Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers)
As the NL’s leading vote-getter with 3,341,257 votes, Ohtani has already earned his place in the starting lineup as he makes his sixth consecutive All-Star Game appearance.
Starting pitcher: Cristopher Sanchez, Phillies
Two things work in favor of Sanchez. First off, the game is in Philadelphia and it seems likely that NL manager Dave Roberts would give bonus points for picking a starter to pitch at home. Secondly, the other tippy-top tier candidate (in a loaded field, mind you) is Jacob Misiorowski and he’s currently scheduled to pitch the Sunday before the All-Star Game, taking him out of the mix. Sanchez is a worthy pick regardless of these two items. They were simply the clinchers in what is a tough decision.
Sports
NFL.com Predicts Winner of Vikings QB Battle
If you ranked the Minnesota Vikings’ top storylines heading into July, the upcoming quarterback battle would probably take the cake — even if Kyler Murray remains the frontrunner to earn the spot. NFL.com came along to size up the competition this week, and according to Nick Shook, the job is Murray’s to lose.
Shook was actually pretty matter-of-fact about his prediction. He doesn’t consider the outcome very suspenseful.
Murray Has the Edge, But McCarthy Still Factors into the Long Game
Shook: Murray Will Win QB1
Shook analyzed which NFL players could most improve this season, mentioning Murray as a top candidate.
Along the way, he announced his QB1 prediction for the Vikings: “Murray’s shift from Arizona to Minnesota isn’t quite the discovery of an oasis, but it’s certainly a better situation for the former No. 1 overall pick than the one he inhabited in the desert.”
“After dealing with injuries and logging just five games in 2025, Murray is now playing under quarterback expert Kevin O’Connell and has the privilege of throwing passes to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jauan Jennings and T.J. Hockenson in a stable offensive scheme that helped Sam Darnold post a career year in 2024.”
If Darnold could explode in the Twin Cities, so can Murray — is the working theory for many.
“Yes, he’s going to win the job over J.J. McCarthy, and I believe he’ll form a beautiful partnership with O’Connell, the coach of a team that is a reliable quarterback away from a return to the playoffs. Expect Murray to become that quarterback and rebuild his reputation along the way,” Shook concluded.
Most of the World Agrees
By now, most Vikings fans and NFL followers understand that Murray will win the quarterback battle sometime this month or next, and he’ll get a chance to maintain that gig throughout the 2026 campaign. Per sportsbooks, he’s a -770 favorite as the calendar flipped to July, which implies an 88% chance of prevailing.
Murray started 87 games for the Cardinals over seven seasons, compared to McCarthy’s 10 since 2024, and Murray has all the necessary tools of a franchise quarterback. McCarthy may, as well, but there’s a reason Murray was drafted first overall in 2019, and McCarthy was chosen 10th in 2024 — Murray’s skills are just superior.
Of course, if Shook is incorrect and McCarthy scores the upset, it will have meant that he had seriously turned the corner in his development — even Murray couldn’t stand in his way. Many Vikings fans are secretly hoping for the outcome; it’s just unlikely, given Murray’s track record held up against McCarthy’s.
Cinema at Training Camp Regardless
Minnesota really hasn’t featured a real quarterback battle since 2014 — the dawn of the Mike Zimmer era. That summer, rookie Teddy Bridgewater, veteran Matt Cassel, and the once-promising Christian Ponder vied for the top job, with Cassel prevailing briefly before losing his title due to injury early in the 2014 season.
The Vikings, too, started to have a junior quarterback battle in 2024, but two things occurred: 1) Most fans understood that Sam Darnold would be the quarterback while McCarthy watched and learned indefinitely; 2) McCarthy tore his meniscus during the first preseason game, ending the battle on a sorrowful note.
Therefore, many newcomers to Vikings football have never experienced this — two guys battling it out in Eagan heat with the top prize of the QB1 scepter.
That’s coming to Vikings training camp in four weeks.
Golden Opportunity for a Long-Term QB1
Both combatants have the chance of a lifetime, believe it or not. The Vikings drafted McCarthy for this very task in April 2024 — to be the franchise quarterback for perhaps a decade. A host of injuries have dampened that forecast, and in his first year as a starter, McCarthy looked pretty damn shaky, sans a few clutch moments that generated intense highlights — and memes.
Murray, on the other hand, can be another Baker Mayfield, cast off by his employer in pursuit of something better, with the player landing elsewhere and seizing a QB1 job for the long haul. That happened to Mayfield in 2023, and now in Tampa Bay, he’s just their franchise quarterback. That can occur for Murray in the Twin Cities.
And if all else fails, the Vikings have a new general manager named Nolan Teasley, who would, in theory, have the opportunity to size up the 2027 NFL Draft for a new quarterback, a convenient time for it because the next class of signal-callers already appears to be overflowing with talent.
Rookies report to Eagan for Vikings training camp in 24 days.
Sports
Braves’ leaky bullpen cause for concern entering series vs. Mets
Jul 2, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Dylan Lee (52) throws against the St. Louis Cardinals in the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Braves’ recent struggles may be spilling into the bullpen, an area of the team that has been solid for most of the season.
Atlanta, which will open a four-game series on Friday night against the visiting New York Mets, saw its relievers melt down on Thursday and allow eight runs in an 11-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Braves have lost 14 of their last 19 games to see their lead in the National League East shrink to 2 1/2 games over the Philadelphia Phillies.
New York, which is in last place in the division, did not play on Thursday. The Mets lost a three-game series at Toronto and have dropped 10 of their last 12 games.
The Atlanta bullpen, which posted a 2.14 ERA in June, finished the final four innings on Wednesday without allowing a hit.
It was a different story on Thursday.
Dylan Lee, who entered the game with an 0.95 ERA, allowed three runs in one-third of an inning and saw his ERA grow to 1.64. Reliable Tyler Kinley gave up three runs in two-thirds of an inning, and Ian Hamilton and James Karinchak each gave up one run.
“Dylan has pitched a lot, so it’s something we’ve got to keep an eye on,” Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said. “We always talk about trying to keep those guys strong all the way through. (Lee) was good to go, and he’s been virtually untouchable this year.”
Atlanta setup man Robert Suarez is out with right elbow inflammation and won’t return until after the All-Star break.
This will be the second series between Atlanta and New York this season. The Mets won two of three games from June 12-14 in New York.
The Mets will send Christian Scott (2-0, 3.20 ERA) to the mound on Friday to face fellow right-hander Grant Holmes (4-4, 3.96) of the Braves.
Scott will make his second start since spending two weeks on the injured list with a hip impingement. He returned on Saturday to start against Philadelphia and threw 4 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out six in New York’s 6-2 victory. “I feel great,” Scott said afterward. “Felt like I attacked the zone pretty well for the most part. Just established my off-speed stuff early in the game and then kind of just rode the wave off of that.”
Scott, who made nine starts as a rookie in 2024, missed all of 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Since his return this spring, Scott has been reliable. In 10 starts, he has allowed more than three runs just one time — when he gave up four in 4 2/3 innings against St. Louis on June 11 before going on the injured list.
He has made one career start against the Braves, taking a loss after allowing three runs over six innings in 2024. Holmes has made 15 starts, but his inability to pitch past the fifth inning in four of his last five starts caused the Braves to temporarily move him into a long relief role. In his last appearance against San Francisco on Saturday, he allowed just one hit over four scoreless innings in his team’s 5-0 loss.
Holmes has made two career starts against the Mets, going 0-1 with a 2.00 ERA and striking out 13 in nine innings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Gervonta Davis names a legendary lightweight champion as his dream fantasy fight
Gervonta Davis has revealed the name of a past legend that he would have loved to have shared the ring with.
Davis has competed throughout multiple divisions in his career, claiming world honours at super featherweight, lightweight and super lightweight.
Since first becoming world champion just under a decade ago, ‘Tank’ has beaten the likes of Ryan Garcia, Rolly Romero and Isaac Cruz, winning 30 professional fights, with 28 of those coming by knockout.
The last 18 months have been difficult for Davis, having first been held to a controversial majority decision draw against Lamont Roach in March 2025, before a planned exhibition with Jake Paul in November was cancelled after ‘Tank’ was involved in legal trouble.
He has since lost out on his WBA lightweight title after being named champion in recess, but there are now rumours over a return to the ring, with names such as Devin Haney and Floyd Schofield mentioned as possible opponents.
While those are options for the future, a resurfaced clip has seen Davis reflect on one big name from history that he would have loved to have tested his skills against.
“In the past? My weight class? Pernell Whitaker.”
Whitaker was a four weight world champion from lightweight to light middleweight, and is widely viewed as one of the greatest defensive boxers of all time, prompting his induction in the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2006.
His final record stood at 40 wins from 46 professional fights, and a clash against Davis would have certainly been an intriguing match-up of styles.
Sports
Wimbledon 2026 men’s and women’s seeds list and tracker
Wimbledon is well underway and the upsets are starting to come thick and fast, with French Open champion and women’s fifth seed Mirra Andreeva the latest top seed to fall.
The 19-year-old Andreeva, who lifted her first grand slam title just last month in Paris, lost to former Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, who found the form of her 2024 title run to win 4-6 7-5 6-4 on Centre Court.
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On the men’s side, fourth seed and title contender Ben Shelton lost in a match tiebreak against Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen on Tuesday in the biggest upset of the tournament so far, while former semi-finalist Elina Svitolina has also made a premature exit.
Reigning champion and third seed Iga Swiatek survived an almighty scare in her first-round match against Taylor Townsend, while top seed Aryna Sabalenka now faces a tough third-round against Jelena Ostapenko.
Reigning men’s champion and top seed Jannik Sinner survived a scare of his own in the first round as he needed five sets to see off Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic, while seventh seed Novak Djokovic remains a possible semi-final opponent for the Italian.
Follow the top players’ progress with our seed tracker here:
Men’s seeds
after second round
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Jannik Sinner (ITA) – ✅ plays Jenson Brooksby (USA) in third round
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Alexander Zverev (GER) – ✅ plays Marcos Giron (USA) in third round
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Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) – ✅ plays Michael Zheng (USA) in third round
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Alex de Minaur (AUS) – ✅ plays Zachary Svajda (USA) in third round
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Taylor Fritz (USA) – ✅ plays Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) in third round
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Novak Djokovic (SRB) – ✅ plays Arthur Rinderknech [26] (FRA) in third round
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Daniil Medvedev – ✅ plays Jan-Lennard Struff in third round
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Flavio Cobolli (ITA) ✅ plays Karen Khachanov [19] in third round
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Alexander Bublik (KAZ) ✅ – plays Frances Tiafoe [17] (USA) in third round
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Casper Ruud (NOR) ❌ – knocked out first round by Hubert Hurkacz 4-6 2-6 6-7(7)
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Andrey Rublev ❌ – knocked out first round by Roman Safiullin (Q) 4-6 7-6(6) 6-3 3-6 6-7(12)
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Jiri Lehecka (CZE) ✅ – plays Jaume Munar (ESP) in third round
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Luciano Darderi (ITA) ❌ – knocked out first round by Ethan Quinn 7-6 7-5 6-2
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Jakub Mensik (CZE) ❌ – knocked out second round by Grigor Dimitrov 7-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4
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Learner Tien (USA) ❌ – knocked out by second round by Marton Fucsovics 6-7 6-4 7-6 6-3
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Frances Tiafoe (USA) – ✅ plays Alexander Bublik [10] (KHZ) in third round
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Francisco Cerundolo (ARG) ❌ knocked out first round by Jaume Munar 6-1 6-4 6-3
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Karen Khachanov – ✅ plays Flavio Cobolli [9] in third round
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Arthur Fils (FRA) ❌ – knocked out second round by Matteo Berrettini 6-4 7-5 3-6 6-3
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Tommy Paul (USA) – ✅ plays Hubert Hurkacz (POL) in third round
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Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) – ✅ plays Marton Fucsovics (HUN) in third round
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Rafael Jodar (ESP) – ✅ plays Shintaro Mochizuki (JPN) in third round
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Joao Fonseca (BRA) – ❌ knocked out by Roman Safiullin (Q) in third round 6-3 6-3 6-3
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Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) – ✅ plays Novak Djokovic [7] (SRB) in third round
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Cameron Norrie (GBR) ❌ knocked out first round by Michael Zheng (Q) 6-7 6-2 6-7 6-3 7-6
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Ugo Humbert (FRA) ❌ knocked out by Zizou Bergs 6-2 7-5 4-6 3-6 6-3
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Brandon Nakashima (USA) ❌ knocked out second round by Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4 6-7(6) 6-7(5) 7-6(6) 6-7(7)
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Tomas Martin Etcheverry (ARG) ❌ knocked out first round by Lorenzo Sonego 4-6 4-6 7-6(2) 6-7(4)
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Alejandro Tabilo (CHI) ❌ knocked out first round by Kamil Majchrzak 6-3 7-5 7-5
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Ignacio Buse (PER) ❌ knocked out second round by Jenson Brooksby 6-2 6-2 6-3
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Matteo Arnaldi (ITA) ❌ knocked out first round by Quentin Halys 6-3 1-6 6-7(5) 3-6
Jannik Sinner defeated Carlos Alcaraz in last year’s final (PA Wire)
Iga Swiatek is the defending women’s champion and the third seed (Getty)
Women’s seeds
after second round
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Aryna Sabalenka – ✅ plays Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) in third round
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Elena Rybakina (KAZ) – ✅ plays Elise Mertens [25] (BEL) in third round
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Iga Swiatek (POL) – ✅ plays Alexandra Eala [29] (PHI) in third round
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Jessica Pegula (USA) – ✅ plays Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (ESP) in third round
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Mirra Andreeva ❌ knocked out second round by Barbora Krejcikova 4-6 7-5 6-4
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Amanda Anisimova (USA) – ✅ plays Madison Keys [26] (USA) in third round
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Coco Gauff (USA) – ✅ plays Clare Liu (USA) in third round
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Elina Svitolina (UKR) ❌ – knocked out first round by Daria Snigur 5-7 2-6
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Linda Noskova (CZE) – ✅ plays Sorana Cirstea [17] (ROM) in third round
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Karolina Muchova (CZE) – ✅ plays Mananchaya Sawangkaew (THA) in third round
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Belinda Bencic (SUI) – ✅ plays Anna Kalinskaya [19] in third round
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Marta Kostyuk (UKR) – ✅ plays Emma Navarro [23] (USA) in third round
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Jasmine Paolini (ITA) – ✅ plays Maria Sakkari (GRE) in third round
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Naomi Osaka (JPN) – ✅ plays Daria Kasatkina (AUS) in third round
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Diana Shnaider ❌ – knocked out second round by Liudmila Samsonova 4-6 6-4 2-6
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Iva Jovic (USA) – ✅ plays Ekaterina Alexandrova [18] in third round
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Sorana Cirstea (ROU) ✅ – plays Linda Noskova [9] (CHZ) in third round
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Ekaterina Alexandrova – ✅ plays Iva Jovic [16] (USA) in third round
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Anna Kalinskaya – ✅ plays Belina Bencic [11] (SUI) in third round
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Maja Chwalinska (POL) ❌ – knocked out first round by Mananchaya Sawangkaew 2-6 7-5 6-2
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Marie Bouzkova (CZE) – ✅ plays Liudmila Samsonova in third round
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Leylah Fernandez (CAN) ❌ – knocked out first round by Janice Tjen 6-1 7-6
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Emma Navarro (USA) – ✅ – plays Marta Kostyuk [12](UKR) in third round
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Clara Tauson (DEN) ❌ – knocked out first round by Maria Sakkari 6-3 6-3
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Elise Mertens (BEL) – ✅ plays Elena Rybakina [2] (KHZ) in third round
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Madison Keys (USA) – ✅ plays Amanda Anisimova [6](USA) in third round
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Anastasia Potapova ❌ – knocked out first round by Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-2 6-3
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Ann Li (USA) ❌ – knocked out first round by Zeynep Sonmez 5-7 6-1 4-6
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Alexandra Eala (PHI) – ✅ plays Iga Swiatek [3] (POL) in third round
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Emma Raducanu (GBR) ❌ – withdrew due to injury
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Donna Vekic (CRO) ❌ – knocked out first round by Ashlyn Krueger 6-3 6-7(3) 4-6
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Katerina Siniakova (CZE) ❌ – knocked out second round by Nikola Bartunkova 6-3 3-6 7-5
Sports
Mark Kotsay says hope remains for Ryan Lasko spinal surgery recovery
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A top Athletics outfield prospect still can’t feel his lower half after spinal surgery was needed to repair fractured vertebrae following a scary collision with a teammate in Double-A ball.
Ryan Lasko, a 24-year-old outfielder in the Athletics system, was injured during a game with Double-A Midland RockHounds after diving to catch a ball while playing center field.
The problem was Lasko’s right field teammate was also barreling down to catch the ball. They both gave up their bodies for the potential catch and collided as they hit the turf.
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Ryan Lasko of the Athletics makes a jumping throw during a Spring Training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at HoHoKam Stadium on March 8, 2026, in Mesa, Arizona. (Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)
Lasko’s teammate, Devin Taylor, was able to get up and field the rolling ball that split the two defenders, but Lasko stayed on the ground in what was a pretty ugly crash.
After he was carted off, it was found that Lasko fractured his C6-C7 vertebra, according to MLB.com. He needed spinal decompression and stabilization surgery to repair the injury, and he was in stable condition.
However, due to swelling, Lasko still doesn’t have feeling in his lower half just yet.
REDS’ DANE MYERS CARTED OFF FIELD AFTER CRASHING INTO WALL MAKING ACROBATIC CATCH VS BREWERS

Ryan Lasko of the Midland Rockhounds poses for a photo during the Midland Rockhounds photo day at Momentum Bank Ballpark on Monday, March 30, 2026, in Midland, Texas. (John E. Moore III/MLB Photos)
Athletics manager Mark Kotsay discussed Lasko’s injury on Wednesday, saying that “there’s hope the feeling comes back.”
Lasko is one of the Athletics’ top prospects, entering the season as the franchise’s No. 18 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. He was taken by the Athletics’ in the 2023 MLB Draft in the second round.
While he opened the season in Double-A, Lasko made it to Triple-A Las Vegas last season.

Ryan Lasko of the Athletics bats during the second inning of a spring training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Hohokam Stadium on March 8, 2026, in Mesa, Arizona. (Diamond Images/Getty Images)
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This year, Lasko is slashing .209/.275/.360 with six home runs, five triples and 34 RBI.
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America’s most secretive golf club is revealing itself: Inside The Institute
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Nevada Football Wins vs. Top Programs in West
As we count down to the first college football game of the 2026 season, we continue our new series: The records of each top CFB program in the West against all the others in the region.
Some schools have met many times over the years, while others are beginning new rivalries in the wake of recent realignment.
For each opponent in the table below, we provide the total games played, wins, losses, ties, winning percentage, first year played, and most recent contest.
We continue with Nevada, which has played 447 games against regional foes, winning 187, losing 249, with 11 ties for a winning percentage of .430.
The Wolf Pack have recorded the most wins (28) against UNLV. They have played the most games (57) and lost the most games (34) against Fresno State.
Here is a breakdown of Nevada’s records vs. the region’s teams.
Nevada Football Wins vs. the Top Programs in the West
| Opponent | Games | W | L | T | Win % | First Game | Most Recent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 25.0 | 10/26/2012 | 11/23/2024 |
| Arizona | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 25.0 | 11/01/1924 | 09/12/2015 |
| ASU | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.7 | 10/12/1946 | 09/09/2006 |
| Boise State | 47 | 14 | 33 | 0 | 29.8 | 09/25/1971 | 10/24/2025 |
| BYU | 10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 40.0 | 09/28/1929 | 10/18/2014 |
| Cal | 35 | 5 | 29 | 1 | 15.7 | 11/15/1899 | 09/04/2021 |
| Colorado State | 20 | 5 | 15 | 0 | 25.0 | 10/19/1974 | 11/02/2024 |
| Fresno State | 57 | 22 | 34 | 1 | 39.5 | 11/10/1923 | 10/04/2025 |
| Hawai’i | 29 | 15 | 14 | 0 | 51.7 | 12/25/1920 | 10/26/2024 |
| UNLV | 51 | 28 | 23 | 0 | 54.9 | 11/22/1969 | 11/29/2025 |
| New Mexico | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 59.1 | 11/01/1941 | 10/18/2025 |
| New Mexico State | 17 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 88.2 | 10/24/1992 | 08/27/2022 |
| Oregon | 8 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 12.5 | 10/04/1947 | 09/07/2019 |
| Oregon State | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 40.0 | 11/26/1903 | 10/12/2024 |
| San Diego State | 17 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 41.2 | 11/11/1945 | 10/11/2025 |
| San Jose State | 38 | 24 | 12 | 2 | 65.8 | 11/30/1899 | 11/15/2025 |
| Stanford | 19 | 1 | 16 | 2 | 10.5 | 11/11/1899 | 11/14/1931 |
| UCLA | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 00.0 | 08/31/2013 | 08/31/2013 |
| USC | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 00.0 | 11/13/1920 | 09/02/2023 |
| Utah | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 55.0 | 11/28/1901 | 11/25/1945 |
| Utah State | 28 | 19 | 9 | 0 | 67.9 | 11/09/1904 | 11/08/2025 |
| UTEP | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75.0 | 11/04/2000 | 09/21/2019 |
| Washington | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.0 | 11/20/1903 | 10/11/2003 |
| WSU | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 25.0 | 08/31/2002 | 09/23/2017 |
| Wyoming | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 45.5 | 10/02/1937 | 11/22/2025 |
Sports
F1 Drivers to race LEGO Minicars at British Grand Prix
Formula 1 is bringing back one of its most popular fan experiences this weekend, with all 22 drivers set to take part in a LEGO minicar parade before the British Grand Prix.
The special parade returns after last year’s Miami Grand Prix, where drivers turned the traditional pre-race lap into a hilarious race that quickly went viral on social media.
This time, Formula 1 and LEGO are going even bigger.
Each of the 22 drivers will have their own LEGO minicar for Sunday’s parade at Silverstone. According to Formula 1, every car is built from 28,000 LEGO bricks, weighs 280 kilograms, and can reach speeds of up to 25 km/h.
The minicars were designed and built by a team of 20 designers and engineers at LEGO’s factory in the Czech Republic, with the entire project taking more than 6,400 hours to complete.
Formula 1 Chief Commercial Officer Emily Prazer said the success of last year’s event made bringing it back an easy decision.
“Last year’s F1 drivers’ parade in Miami with the LEGO big build cars was one of the most memorable and talked-about moments of the season, capturing the imagination of fans around the world and showing a different side of the sport.”
She added:
“This year, we’re building on that moment to create an incredible spectacle for fans attending the British Grand Prix and those watching globally.”
LEGO also expects this year’s event to be even bigger.
Chief Product and Marketing Officer Julia Goldin said fans and drivers had been asking for the return of the minicars.
“Fans and drivers alike asked, so now we are delivering. We wanted to go even bigger than last year and ensure we continue to surprise and delight our fans.”
The parade will take place 90 minutes before Sunday’s British Grand Prix, with drivers swapping their Formula 1 cars for LEGO creations before returning to business when the racing begins.
If last year’s Miami event is anything to go by, the parade could once again become one of the most memorable moments of the race weekend.
Sports
2026 World Cup parlay, best bets: Top picks for matches on Friday include Egypt, Argentina-Cape Verde
SportsLine’s team of experts have revealed their World Cup parlay and soccer predictions for Friday’s matches
The last three Round of 32 contests at the 2026 World Cup will take place on Friday, July 3 with defending champions Argentina in action against upstarts Cape Verde headlining the day’s matches. Egypt and Australia get the party started in the afternoon, while Colombia face Ghana in the final game of the day.
SportsLine experts like Jon Eimer, Martin Green and Brad Thomas have given their analysis for Friday’s game, and we’ve taken that into account when putting together a parlay with odds from FanDuel. Anyone following their World Cup betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
World Cup parlay for Friday
- Egypt to qualify for the next round vs. Australia (-148)
- Argentina-Cape Verde Under 3.5 goals (-215)
- Colombia-Ghana both teams to score: No (-182)
FanDuel parlay price: +280
Egypt to qualify for the next round vs. Australia
Australia were able to stun Turkiye for a 2-0 win but did not score a goal in either of their other group stage games. Meanwhile, Egypt put together strong performances across their three matches and found the back of the net at least once each time. Mohamed Salah is the best player on the pitch, and while I expect Australia to hold their own for some time, Egypt will ultimately prevail.
Argentina-Cape Verde Under 3.5 goals
There’s a good argument to be made to take Under 2.5 goals, but I’d recommend adding the extra goal to the total here. Cape Verde have been overlooked in this entire World Cup, and all they’ve done is stay in matches. They haven’t lost a match yet and they aren’t simply going to roll over just because Lionel Messi is on the pitch. I expect Argentina to win, but I can see this being a frustrating contest for La Albiceleste for about an hour or so. Eventually, Messi and Co. will break through this Cape Verde back line but I’d take the Under on 3.5 goals.
Colombia-Ghana both teams to score: No
This particular wager has hit in two of Colombia’s three group stage games, and they only allowed one goal to Uzbekistan. Ghana have scored two goals across their three group stage games, but they really should’ve done better against both England and Panama. Colombia’s back line has been one of the most underrated units over the last few years and I think they clamp down once again in the Round of 32.
Sports
Another Sweet Vikings Prediction Rolls In
Sportsbooks expect the Minnesota Vikings to finish in last place inside the NFC North this season, but ESPN came along this week and threw a wrench into that plan, claiming Minnesota will top the Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, and Chicago Bears to win the divison.
It came as part of a group of “bold predictions” from Benjamin Solak, with Minnesota winning the NFC North for the first time in four years.
Brian Flores Gives Vikings Cleanest Chance to Win the NFC North
Solak’s Bold Take
Solak unveiled 10 bold predictions on Wednesday, and the Vikings were represented. He wrote, “The Vikings will win the NFC North. If the Vikings’ defense remains a needle-moving unit, then a functional offense could return them to their 2024 status under QB Sam Darnold. Minnesota went 14-3 that year, losing the division in Week 17 to the Lions.”
“It’s unreasonable to expect another 14 wins in a division this tough, but Kyler Murray easily has the requisite talent to improve on Minnesota’s 9-8 season in 2025. Kevin O’Connell’s aptitude for adjusting his offense to his quarterback remains one of the league’s more impressive skills. It wasn’t just the Darnold year. He did it for Joshua Dobbs as a midseason trade acquisition in 2023.”
Minnesota stumbled into Murray in March for $1.3 million when the Arizona Cardinals released him.
“He did it for McCarthy last season, giving him far more out-breaking routes than he had given other passers. I have questions about the Vikings’ offensive line and running game, and Murray’s inconsistencies might prove too much for the offense to be truly trustworthy,” Solak continued.
“But I’m confident O’Connell will set him up for success, and Murray has huge earning potential on the free agent market in 2027. He’ll be motivated to perform.’
How It Could Happen
Here’s the easy way to agree with Solak’s take:
- The Vikings’ defense ranks second-best in the NFL since Flores arrived in 2023. The defense will be there, and it will be good. Even if the group regressed a bit without Jonathan Greenard, who was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in April, it likely won’t fall out of the Top 10.
- Minnesota has the weapons: Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jauan Jennings, T.J. Hockenson, Aaron Jones, and Jordan Mason. Most teams don’t have weapons of that caliber.
- Last season, the Vikings needed competent quarterback productivity. They didn’t get it. But they still finished with a 9-8 record. A competent Murray can drive the win total from nine to at least 11.
And there’s O’Connell. He enters Year No. 5 as a head coach with zero playoff wins. To a degree, he must win now or risk being put on the hot seat.
Why It May Not
What if Solak’s bold prognosication is wrong, and the Vikings finish closer to the NFC North basement than the pinnacle? It will mean that Murray did not take off in Minnesota, and his teammate, J.J. McCarthy, didn’t do much of anything, either.
The defense, too, would have to drop off further than most envision. Perhaps All-Pro kicker Will Reichard would lose some of his magic in this doomsday scenario.
Missing the playoffs would basically feel like a redo of last year — a competitive NFC North too tough to crack and an offense that never hit a groove.
That’s really the only blueprint for non-success.
At Least Reach the Postseason
Since his arrival in 2022, O’Connell’s winning percentage ranks among the league’s best. He even secured the NFL Coach of the Year award in 2024, and under his leadership, the Vikings have invariably performed as a legitimate contender.
Minnesota has played disciplined football under O’Connell, complemented by Flores’ powerhouse defense. Unlike teams influenced by poor coaching, the Vikings have played at a high level.
However, the next challenge is clear: O’Connell needs a playoff win. While he has proven capable of building a winning team from September to January, the benchmark has shifted to sustaining that success into January football.
Beyond that, expectations will evolve further. Can Minnesota defeat a formidable opponent like the Los Angeles Rams? Can O’Connell’s offense deliver on such a grand stage? Those questions set the stage for a compelling 2026 season. O’Connell has earned trust, but he has reached a point where that trust requires a January payoff.
Should the Vikings fail to qualify for the postseason, fans will undoubtedly be scrutinizing Black Monday for potential changes, including O’Connell. It’s the nature of the beast.
But according to Solak, they’ll win the division, and that’ll be that.
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