Sports

Braves, keeping historic pace, face Reds’ winless Chris Paddack

Published

1 day ago

29 May 2026

May 28, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) celebrates while running the bases after hitting a grand slam against the Boston Red Sox during the sixth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images

After a disappointing 86-loss season a year ago, the Atlanta Braves were optimistic about improving in 2026. More than a third of the way through the year, though, Atlanta’s start to the campaign has been historic.

Ahead of their series-opening road game against the Cincinnati Reds on Friday, the Braves (38-19) own the best record in the majors and have won 15 series through 57 games — the second-most in franchise history. The club’s 1897 team, then located in Boston, had 16 series wins after 57 games.

Looking to help prolong the team’s dominance, Atlanta’s Grant Holmes (3-2, 3.78 ERA) will make his 11th start of the season on Friday. Holmes struck out 10 batters on Saturday, allowing two runs across five innings in a 2-0 home loss to the Washington Nationals.

“I thought Grant did a nice job,” Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said postgame. “Certainly, we’ll take that every time, giving up two solo homers and that’s it. You walk two guys and punch out 10 and lose, it was just a weird one.”

In four career appearances (two starts) against the Reds, Holmes is 0-1 with a 5.14 ERA.

The Braves, who lead the majors in RBIs (293) and hits (507), posted their fifth double-digit scoring output on Thursday in a series-clinching 10-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox. Ronald Acuna Jr. hit a grand slam while Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies also went deep.

Cincinnati, meanwhile, enters play winners in five of its past seven after a forgettable start to the month of May. The Reds had dropped 13 of 17 prior to the recent hot stretch.

In search of their first home series win against the Braves since April 23-25, 2019, the Reds will send Chris Paddack (0-6, 6.86 ERA) to the mound in the opener. Paddack, who was released by the Miami Marlins on May 10, has seen a slight improvement in a pair of starts since joining Cincinnati, pitching to a 4.50 ERA.

Last time out, the 30-year-old right-hander yielded three runs across five innings, striking out five and walking three in an 8-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

“I think what he’s showing is that there’s something to like there,” Reds manager Terry Francona said of Paddack. “It was just that a couple of times, he got ahead 0-2 and left pitches that had way too much of the plate (on Saturday).”

For the eighth-year veteran, playing on his fourth team since the beginning of the 2025 season, Paddack is hoping for a career revival with Cincinnati.

“I try to stay in the present,” Paddack said. “I don’t look too far ahead, definitely don’t look at the past. It’s frustrating, being 0-6, still searching for that first win. Mentally it can be draining, but the coaches are patting me on the back, the players are there for me. I believe in myself.”

Paddack is 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA in five career appearances (four starts) against the Braves. He pitched at Atlanta with the Marlins on April 15, allowing two runs in 4 2/3 frames, striking out four in a 6-3 loss.

–Field Level Media

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Aaron Rai’s stunning PGA Championship win was story about fathers and sons

Published

14 minutes ago

30 May 2026

NewsAdmin

Aaron Rai’s long, winding journey to his PGA Championship win at Aronimink started, as so many unlikely stories do, with his parents and sacrifices.

Rai’s parents immigrated to England from India and Kenya. His father, Amrik, was an amateur tennis player who gave up his own dream of playing professional tennis to put golf clubs in Aaron’s hands at the age of four. Rai’s mother, Dalvir, worked multiple jobs to help the family cover membership and tournament fees.

Amrik knew very little about golf but observed his son’s natural swing, set out to teach himself the mechanics of the game, and created an environment where Rai could grow at his own pace. When he was 7, Rai was gifted a set of Titleist 690 MB irons by his father. Amrik cleaned those irons with a pin and baby oil to prevent rust. When they weren’t being used, they were protected by iron covers, which Rai still uses to this day as a nod to his upbringing. Rai mostly practiced with his father growing up. He played on a customized course with his dad that grew in length as he did. He didn’t play off ladies’ tees until he was 12. He and his father were building toward something. That environment Amrik created made Aaron Rai comfortable being Aaron Rai, playing how he played and doing things his own way, believing they’d lead him to where he wanted to go.

“I think my dad played a really big role in that. For the most part, it was just the two of us who used to go onto the golf course and practice together, probably up until I was 13 or 14,” Rai said after winning the PGA. “So I think he was very much an advocate to really just stay in your lane, focus on the things that you can do. And I didn’t really mix with a lot of other junior golfers, which didn’t give me a perspective of what was normal. So I think he kind of sheltered me to be able to develop in a way that made sense for me, in a way that I guess was a little bit unique with two gloves, with iron covers, et cetera.

“I think by the time he probably allowed me to play more kind of club golf, play professional golf, I felt like I was strong enough in why I did certain things to be able to continue to move that forward. I knew the reasons why I do them. I believe in the reasons why I do them.”

Rai’s PGA Championship win resonated because he’s different. In a sheltered world of privilege, Aaron Rai ascended the professional golf ladder with humility, grace, and kindness. As players left Aronimink after Rai had blown past them, they were all thrilled that Rai was the one who had bested them — that one of the best people on the PGA Tour now had a career prize.

“You won’t find one person on the property who’s not happy for him,” Rory McIlroy said.

What has endeared Aaron Rai to his peers, those who work at the PGA Tour and now golf fans at large, was imprinted on him by his parents at a very young age. The humbling nature of golf has only reinforced what Rai has long believed: That being a good person is more important than putting the ball in the cup.

“I think a lot of that has come from upbringing, my mom, my dad, my siblings,” Rai said. “Golf in itself is an extremely humbling game. There’s so much hard work and discipline that goes into acquiring the skills to become better, but you also realize that nothing is ever given in this game at any point, whether it’s a tournament, whether it’s a practice round, whether it’s even away from a tournament week. All of these things have to be done diligently and require focus.

“It’s very humbling as well. So I think you put all of that together, the game requires the focus and attention, but the humility just goes hand in hand with the game and my upbringing as well.”

Rai’s road to becoming one of the biggest longshot major winners in recent memory started with his working-class parents in Wolverhampton. His dad walked many miles of that journey alongside, believing a moment like the one that unfolded outside Philadelphia would come.

But as it turns out, his father missed his winning moment. Amrik loves to travel around the U.K. in his camper and had fallen asleep before Rai had finished running away from the best players in the world.

“He was actually asleep,” Rai said on “5 Clubs.” “He’s got a camper van and he loves being out in that and traveling around the U.K. in his camper van. Also, with the time difference that was there, he had actually fallen asleep for the last hour, hour and a half of that round. So when I got back into the clubhouse after finishing, I tried calling him. But it didn’t go through, and I figured he was asleep.

“I just left him a voicemail to just say thank you more than anything else.”

As Aaron Rai basked in the glow of his major championship victory, he was asked to reflect on the sacrifices his parents made to get him to that point, and on the working-class upbringing that helped shape a different kind of major champion.

He started to become emotional as he thought about how his parents had boosted him up on their shoulders, as all good parents do for their children.

“It’s probably hard for me to really express everything that I feel towards them. I think I’ll get way too emotional to speak,” Rai said. “Starting with my dad, he was with me every day that I went to practice from the age of 4, 5 years old. He actually quit his job and started to focus on my golf from a really young age. I used to read a lot about golf. He used to obviously be really active in everything he did with me around the game. My mom has been absolutely incredible as well. She works extremely long hours to just provide for the house really, especially with my dad also not working as much.

“Obviously, I would love to share this with them. It would be amazing if they were here. I can’t put into words how much they’ve done in terms of the support, in terms of the care, in terms of love. Again, I wouldn’t be here without them at all.”

Later in the evening, with his champion’s duties finished, Rai tried his father again. This time, he answered.

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Maja Chwalińska reaches First Grand Slam Last 16 at Roland Garros

Published

26 minutes ago

30 May 2026

NewsAdmin

Maja Chwalińska reaches First Grand Slam Last 16 at Roland Garros

Polish qualifier Maja Chwalińska continued her dream run at the French Open by stunning Maria Sakkari 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career.

The world No. 114 looked in serious trouble after losing the opening set and falling a break behind, but produced a remarkable comeback to eliminate the former Roland Garros semifinalist.

Chwalińska has become one of the surprise stories of this year’s tournament, building momentum with every match and proving she belongs on one of tennis’ biggest stages.

Speaking after the match, Chwalińska admitted she was overwhelmed by the moment.

“I don’t know what’s going on, to be honest,” she said with a smile while thanking the Polish fans for their support.

The 23-year-old also spoke about her long friendship with fellow Polish star Iga Świątek, revealing the pair have known each other since they were ten years old.

“She’s a great champion and a huge inspiration for all of us in Poland,” Chwalińska said.

For a qualifier who arrived in Paris with little attention, this has become the tournament of her life.

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Stanley Cup Final 2026 scores, schedule: Where to watch Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes

Published

40 minutes ago

30 May 2026

NewsAdmin

Just two teams remain in the NHL playoffs as the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights will meet in the 2026 Stanley Cup Final. Both teams rolled through the conference finals, but there should be more fireworks in the final.

After going 12-1 in the first three rounds, the Hurricanes are in their first Stanley Cup Final since 2006, when they won the first championship in franchise history. To this point in the postseason, Carolina’s defense has been a meat grinder that no team has been able to solve. The Canes have surrendered just 21 goals, and they’ve dominated in just about every statistical category. When Carolina has allowed the odd-scoring chance, Frederik Andersen has been there to slam the door with a .931 save percentage and three shutouts.

Offensively, the Canes have been carried by their second line featuring Taylor Hall, Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake. That trio has combined for 23 goals and 24 assists in just 13 games. That has taken pressure off of bigger stars like Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis, but those two will have to step up against Vegas.

Few teams can match the Hurricanes defensively, but the the Golden Knights are one of them. Over the last two rounds, Vegas has allowed just 20 goals in 10 games, and four of those games were against the Colorado Avalanche. In goal, Carter Hart has caught fire at the right time of year as his save percentage is now up to .922 in the postseason.

Stanley Cup Playoffs 2026: Bracket, scores and schedule as Hurricanes face Golden Knights in Stanley Cup Final

Austin Nivison

In his first season with the Golden Knights, Mitch Marner has had an enormous impact, and he’s one of the biggest reasons his team is in the Stanley Cup Final. Marner leads all playoff performers with 21 points, but Vegas has gotten contributions from up and down the lineup. Brett Howden is tied for the team lead in goals with 10, and defenseman Shea Theodore has chipped in with 11 points.

As the Stanley Cup Final begins, here is the full schedule and broadcast information.

2026 Stanley Cup Final schedule

(1) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (1) Vegas Golden Knights

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Report: Bulls coach search includes BYU’s Kevin Young

Published

54 minutes ago

30 May 2026

NewsAdmin

Mar 3, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; BYU Cougars head coach Kevin Young works the sideline against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the first half at Fifth Third Arena. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

The rebuilding Chicago Bulls reportedly have expressed interest in BYU head coach Kevin Young for their head coaching vacancy.

ESPN reported Friday that “early conversations” with Young are part of a wide net being cast to replace Billy Donovan, who stepped down on April 21 after six seasons.

Chicago also parted ways last month with executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley. The Bulls finished 31-51 this season and missed the playoffs for the eighth time in the past nine seasons.

Young, 44, has guided BYU to a combined 49-22 record with two NCAA Tournament appearances since being hired in April 2024 after Mark Pope left to coach Kentucky.

The Cougars reached the Sweet 16 and finished No. 13 in the final poll in Young’s first season in Provo. They were ranked as high as No. 7 last season.

Young was an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns (2020-24) before taking over at BYU, including three seasons as the associate head coach. He was an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers from 2016-20 and has been the head coach of multiple teams in the NBA G League.

–Field Level Media

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First Ravindra Jadeja, Then Jofra Archer: Riyan Parag Called Out For Tactical Blunders Against GT

Published

1 hour ago

30 May 2026

NewsAdmin

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar slammed Rajasthan Royals’ management for poor decision-making after the team’s seven-wicket loss to Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2026 on Friday. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi once again impressed against GT’s fiery bowling attack, smashing 96 off 47 balls. Riding on his knock, RR posted 214/6 in 20 overs. However, the total proved insufficient as Gujarat Titans chased it down in 18.4 overs to book a place in the final. The chief architect of GT’s victory was skipper Shubman Gill, who produced a brilliant knock of 104 off 53 balls.

During RR’s innings, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was forced to retire hurt but later returned to bat, remaining unbeaten on 45 off 35 balls. Manjrekar criticised the Royals for sending Jadeja back in and also questioned their decision to promote pacer Jofra Archer ahead of Donovan Ferreira.

Notably, Ferreira, who came in at No. 8, played a stunning cameo, remaining unbeaten on 38 off just 11 balls. His innings included four sixes and two boundaries.

“Still can’t get over the poor call by RR to put Jadeja back in after he had retired hurt & then have Jofra Archer come before Donovan Ferreira,” wrote Manjrekar on X (formerly Twitter).

Still can’t get over the poor call by RR to put Jadeja back in after he had retired hurt & then have Joffra Archer come before Donovan Ferreira.

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) May 30, 2026

After the match, RR skipper Riyan Parag felt his team posted a competitive total against GT, describing the score as defendable.

“It was a par score; it was defendable. I felt that after the heavy roller, it got better in the second innings. In the first innings, the bowlers got some grip, and the slower ones did well. I thought 230 would have been a par score. A score around 240 would have been challenging, but we needed the openers early. It didn’t happen, which became tough for us,” Parag said after the match.

“To sum it up in one sentence, there were many positives. We weren’t supposed to qualify, given that many players were young and inexperienced, but many youngsters performed well and can only improve from here,” he added.

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URC: Stormers 44-21 Cardiff – South Africans defeat Welsh to seal semi-final spot

Published

1 hour ago

30 May 2026

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Stormers: Willemse; Senatla, Nel (capt), du Plessis, Zas; Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Khan; Mchunu, Venter, Fouche, Smith, van Heerden, de Villiers, Dixon, Roos.

Replacements: Kotze, Matongo, Porthen, Moerat, Ackerman, Theunissen, Ungerer, Matthee.

Cardiff: Winnett; Beetham, B Thomas, Jennings, Adams; I Lloyd, Mulder; Barratt, Belcher (capt), Assiratti, McNally, Thornton, Botham, D Thomas, Basham.

Replacements: D Hughes, Southworth, Sebastian, Nott, Lawrence, E Lloyd, Bevan, Bowen.

Yellow card: Assiratti 32, Sebastian 64

Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)

Assistant referees: Andrew brace & Andrew Cole (Ireland)

TMO: Leo Colgan (Ireland)

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Gilas women’s 3×3 keeps core for World Cup stint in Poland

Published

2 hours ago

30 May 2026

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Kacey Dela Rosa Gilas Pilipinas Women Fiba 3x3 Women's Asia Cup

FILE–Gilas Pilipinas women’s Kacey Dela Rosa, left, celebrates during a win over Japan in the Fiba 3×3 Women’s Asia Cup in Singapore.-Gilas clinched a spot in the 3×3 Women’s World Cup on Sunday, April 12, 2026, after defeating host Singapore in the battle for third place. –Photo from SBP

MANILA, Philippines—The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas officially named the four women flying to Warsaw, Poland in July to represent Gilas Pilipinas Women in the Fiba 3×3 Women’s World Cup.

Gilas kept its core of Kacey Dela Rosa, Mikka Cacho and Afril Bernardino intact, plus the returning Camille Clarin.

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Clarin just returned after tearing her right ACL back in March of last year during the Fiba 3×3 Asia action against Australia.

READ: Gilas women’s 3×3 chasing outright Olympic berth

Clarin rejoined the national team earlier this month in the 3×3 Women’s Series 2026 in Chengdu.

Unfortunately for Gilas, they weren’t able to qualify for the main draw of the games.

The Philippines clinched a ticket to Warsaw last month when it finished third in the World Cup Qualifiers in Singapore.

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Jaylen Johnson confident despite facing elimination

Published

2 hours ago

30 May 2026

NewsAdmin

Jaylen Johhnson Rain or Shine vs Barangay Ginebra PBA semis

Rain or Shine import Jaylen Johnson scores on a gimme during Game 5 of the PBA semifinals against Barangay Ginebra.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Jaylen Johnson doesn’t seem worried after Rain or Shine was sent to the brink of elimination following a Game 5 loss to Barangay Ginebra on Friday.

The Elasto Painters suffered a 111-104 loss and now trail 2-3 in their semifinals series.

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“[My] confidence is still super high. I trust the team and staff,” said the burly reinforcement. “My back has been against the wall all my life. I love this situation. The best things come out of it.”

READ: Tempers flare anew in Ginebra-Rain or Shine Game 5 clash

Johnson left it all on the floor for the Elasto Painters with 22 points and 14 rebounds.

Unfortunately for Rain or Shine, Ginebra just had too much firepower with Justin Brownlee and RJ Abarrientos combining for 63 points.

“We wanted to fight as hard as we could. We didn’t end up how we wanted to but we’re going to fight every time and in the next game, we’ll go get them,” said Johnson.

The Elasto Painters force a do-or-die game on Sunday.

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Small lifestyle changes yield huge benefits for heart health, says research

Published

2 hours ago

30 May 2026

NewsAdmin

By Kath Hudson 29 May 2026

Making small changes to exercise, diet and sleep yields huge heart health benefits / shutterstock_PerfectWave

Small improvements to sleep, diet quality, and physical activity, made in combination lead to a significantly reduced risk of major cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and strokes, according to new research.

Sleeping for 11 minutes more, doing an additional 4.5 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and eating an additional quarter of a cup of vegetables were associated with a 10 per cent reduction in major cardiovascular events.

The optimal combination of behaviours were also established: sleeping for eight to nine hours per night, completing more than 42 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day, and a modest diet quality score. This combination was associated with 57 per cent lower risk of major cardiovascular events compared to people with the least optimal health profile.

Dr Nicholas Koemel, lead author and research fellow at the University of Sydney, said: “This is very encouraging news because making a few small, combined changes is likely more achievable and sustainable for most people when compared with attempting major changes in a single behaviour. I would encourage people not to overlook the importance of making a small change or two to your daily routine, no matter how small they may seem.”

The research team plan to build on these findings to develop new digital tools that support people in making positive lifestyle changes and establish sustained healthy habits.

Behaviour change expert, Dr Heather McKee, applauds the approach of small, consistent changes: “We’ve spent years designing health advice for ideal conditions, not real life. This research reinforces what behavioural science has shown for decades: people don’t fail because they don’t care, they fail because the changes aren’t sustainable.

“Eleven more minutes of sleep, a few minutes of movement, an extra portion of vegetables. These sound trivial, but repeated daily, they can shift the trajectory of someone’s health. Small changes are not insignificant. Small changes stick.”

The study called Combined Variations in Sleep, Physical Activity, and Nutrition and the Risk of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events was published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

Data was analysed from a sub-study of UK Biobank, a cohort study of 502,629 adults aged 40-69, who were recruited from 2006 to 2010. It is the first study to assess the impact of sleep, physical activity and diet combined.

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Steelers legend Jerome Bettis reacts to Mike McCarthy hire, Mike Tomlin exit

Published

2 hours ago

30 May 2026

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For the first time since 2007, the Pittsburgh Steelers made a head coaching hire this offseason, bringing in Mike McCarthy, and team legend Jerome Bettis is excited about the move.

Mike Tomlin stepped down after 19 years as the head coach, winning a Super Bowl and never having a losing season in his tenure, leaving big shoes to fill. Bettis said that he is excited for what McCarthy brings to the table.

“I think he’s definitely a fundamentals-type coach. He’s won a championship, so he’s a championship-caliber head coach. He knows what success looks like,” Bettis told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.

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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers listening to head coach Mike McCarthy during practice

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers listens to head coach Mike McCarthy during NFL practice in Pittsburgh on May 20, 2026. (Gene J. Puskar/AP)

McCarthy was the head coach of the Green Bay Packers in 2011, when they beat the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV with Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback. Now, over a decade and a half later, he is beginning a new chapter as the Steelers head coach, with Rodgers once again his quarterback.

“We’re excited that he’s starting the next chapter of the Steelers organization in terms of a leadership perspective. I think there’s a lot of excitement for what he brings to the table,” Bettis said.

Bettis said that Tomlin had a “hell of a run” as the Steelers head coach. He said he knew the possibility existed of Tomlin stepping away simply because of how long his tenure was.

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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin standing on the sidelines at Acrisure Stadium

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin stands on the sidelines before an AFC Wild Card Round game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Jan. 12, 2026. (Barry Reeger/Imagn Images)

“I was surprised, but in the same breath, I was not. He had been there 19 years. I mean that’s a hell of a run in terms of the timetable. So, you knew that he had put a lot of time in with the organization. It’s never a great time to walk away. So, it was surprising in that no one expected it,” Bettis said.

“I didn’t definitely didn’t expect it to happen, but I knew that the possibility always exists when it’s been 19-20 years of being with an organization.”

Bettis said he is thankful for what Tomlin did for the organization.

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Jerome Bettis speaking on SiriusXM at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans Louisiana

Jerome Bettis speaks on SiriusXM during Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, La., on Feb. 5, 2025. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

Bettis is one of the best running backs in Steelers history. Nicknamed “The Bus,” Bettis is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In 13 seasons in the NFL, with the last 10 with the Steelers, Bettis ran for 13,662 yards and 91 touchdowns while catching 200 passes for 1,449 yards and three touchdowns. He was an integral part of the Steelers’ Super Bowl XL win over the Seattle Seahawks, as he ran for three touchdowns during their playoff run.

Bettis will be playing in the American Century Tournament from July 10-12 at Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe. It will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Ryan Canfield is a digital production assistant for Fox News Digital.

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