Team USA’s World Baseball Classic roster looks like the best they’ve ever put together, but it just took a hit.

Two-time AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal will pitch just once for USA and it’ll happen in pool play (March 7 vs. Great Britain). If USA advances to the championship round, as expected, Skubal won’t pitch.

“If they go to the finals, I think I’m going to try and lobby to just go watch and be with the guys,” he told reporters, including The Athletic, Monday.

That’s too bad. Those of us who had already started looking ahead figured Skubal could be the USA starter in either the semifinals or finals, giving a nice edge to the squad. After all, he’s won two straight Cy Young awards, two straight AL ERA titles and has a 2.04 ERA in six career playoff starts. 

Instead, if USA advances, it’ll be without Skubal. 

That gives the mantle of ace to Paul Skenes alone, instead of Skenes just being a “co-ace.” USA isn’t hurting for starters after Skubal or Skenes, either, as All-Stars Logan Webb and Matthew Boyd are also on the team. Fellow All-Star Joe Ryan is on the roster, though he’s currently dealing with a back injury, as is youngster Nolan McLean and his veteran Mets teammate Clay Holmes. 

The offense is headed up by Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, Bobby Witt Jr., Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber. 

This is to say that, yes, USA is still plenty talented and could well win the finals. Not having Skubal for the championship round is still a bit of a bummer.

Pool play kicks off next week in Tokyo, San Juan, Houston, and Miami, and the tournament will conclude with the Championship Game at loanDepot Park on March 17. Team USA won the 2017 WBC, but fell to Japan in the finals in 2023. The Americans are the favorite to win this year (-115, per Caesars), ahead of Japan (+350) and the Dominican Republic (+425).

Last season’s heart arrhythmia halted Yorkshire’s fresh start, though his team was cautious regardless of the issue.

The rising miler returns with greater optimism this time, targeting the Liverpool City Cup (1300m) at Randwick this Saturday.

After a nine-month absence, he began previously in The Hunter (1300m), whereas now it’s merely 10 weeks post his December 13 domination of The Ingham (1600m).

“He would be more forward than that race because he was coming off a long lay-off, where he’s only had a short let-up off the Ingham,” co-trainer Tom Charlton said.

“He will be more forward by design, but he will have a bit of improvement to come still.”

Handled methodically by the five-year-old’s team of Charlton and John O’Shea, his profile indicates a talent ascending sharply.

Eight wins in 11 races underline this, as he rebounded from The Hunter to take the Festival Stakes (1500m) and Ingham in succession, demonstrating depth beyond mere pace.

“He’s as tough as anything and just thrives on his work and racing,” Charlton said.

“He will most likely go to the Liverpool City Cup on Saturday. That will be his first-up run, and then probably the Ajax Stakes and Doncaster Mile.”

The Ingham success provided a Doncaster Mile (1600m) ballot exemption for Yorkshire, opening the door to a matchup against fellow stable star Linebacker.

Linebacker prevailed in the Randwick Guineas during his juvenile year and now approaches the premier mile through the Canterbury Stakes and George Ryder Stakes (1500m).

Linebacker shone by winning his Thursday trial at Randwick ahead of the Canterbury Stakes (1300m) there in a fortnight.

Visit betting sites offering the best racing betting markets for Yorkshire in the Liverpool City Cup.

Kara Braxton, a two-time WNBA champion who played in the league for about a decade, has died, the league said on Monday. She was 43.

The WNBA released a statement on Braxton’s death.

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Phoenix Mercury forward Kara Braxton (45) reacts on the court against the Seattle Storm during the first half in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals in the 2010 WNBA Playoffs at US Airways Center on Sept. 5, 2010. (Jennifer Stewart/USA TODAY Sports)

“It is with profound sadness that we mourn the passing of 2x WNBA Champion Kara Braxton,” the league said. “A 10-season veteran, Kara played with the Detroit Shock, Tulsa Shock, Phoenix Mercury, and New York Liberty. Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and former teammates at this time.”

The Detroit Shock selected Braxton with the No. 7 overall pick of the 2005 draft out of Georgia. She was an All-Star for Detroit in 2007 and was a member of the championship-winning teams in 2006 and 2008.

New York Liberty forward Kara Braxton (45) and Indiana Fever center Jessica Davenport (50) battle for position during the second half at the Prudential Center. (Ed Mulholland/USA TODAY Sports)

She was with them when the team moved to Tulsa but was later traded to the Phoenix Mercury and eventually the New York Liberty. She was waived by the Atlanta Dream before the 2016 season.

“We mourn the loss of Kara Braxton, a former Liberty player whose presence and passion left a lasting impact on our organization and the women’s game,” the Liberty said. “Our hearts are with her family, friends, teammates, and all who were touched by her spirit. Her impact will not be forgotten.”

Detroit Shock players Plenette Pierson (23), Deanna Nolan (14), Cheryl Ford, Kara Braxton (45) and Elaine Powell (5) erupt as victory closes in to defeat San Antonio 76-60 for the WNBA championship at the Convocation Center on the Eastern Michigan University campus Oct. 5, 2008. (Mandi Wright/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

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Braxton averaged 7.6 points and 4.7 rebounds in 297 career games.

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West Indies vs Zimbabwe (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: West Indies delivered a crushing performance to beat Zimbabwe by 107 runs in their T20 World Cup Super Eights match in Mumbai, starting their campaign in dominant fashion. With this win, West Indies have overtaken South Africa to go top of the Group 1 points table in the T20 World Cup Super 8s. The Windies currently boast a superior net run rate (NRR) of +5.350, ahead of second-placed South Africa, who have an NRR of +3.800.

With only top two teams from the group making the semi-finals, India, currently third with a -3.800 NRR, could find it difficult to enter the knock-out stage if there is a tie on points at the end of this ongoing stage. After winning the toss and choosing to bowl, Zimbabwe were punished badly as the West Indies batters went on a scoring rampage at the Wankhede Stadium.Shimron Hetmyer was the star of the show, smashing a brilliant 85 off just 34 balls to help West Indies post a massive 254-6, the second-highest total ever in T20 World Cup history. Hetmyer was dropped early in his innings, and Zimbabwe paid a heavy price for that mistake. He raced to a fifty in just 19 balls and added a rapid century partnership with Rovman Powell, who also played a strong knock of 59 off 35 balls. After they got out, Sherfane Rutherford kept the scoring going with 31 not out, while Romario Shepherd and Jason Holder added quick runs at the end, with 38 runs coming off the final two overs.Chasing a huge target of 255, Zimbabwe had a nightmare start. They were reduced to 20-3 inside the first three overs and never recovered. Although Brad Evans fought hard with a late 43 off 21 balls, the rest of the batting collapsed under pressure. Zimbabwe were bowled out for 147 in 17.4 overs.Left-arm spinners Gudakesh Motie and Akeal Hosein dominated with the ball, taking four and three wickets respectively to seal an emphatic win. The match showed the big gap between the two sides on the day, with West Indies sending a strong message in the Super Eights stage.

Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams reclaimed his career on Jerry Jones’s team in 2025 — and he’s not going anywhere in 2026 free agency. Dallas re-signed Williams over the weekend, wiping a high-profile and veteran name off the board for the Minnesota Vikings if the club has interest in a veteran tailback in the first place.

With Williams gone, Minnesota’s best paths now run through a smaller pool of vets and draft depth.

Williams wasn’t inches from signing in Minnesota, but he could have been a quasi-affordable option.

Remaining Free-Agent RB Options for the Vikings

The list of free-agent options for Minnesota is now minus one.

Williams Back to DAL

Williams re-upping with the Cowboys is a done deal.

ESPN’s Todd Archer announced Saturday, “The Dallas Cowboys kept a key player to their offense Saturday, agreeing to a three-year deal with running back Javonte Williams that guarantees him $16 million, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The total deal is worth $24 million and includes a $6 million signing bonus, according to sources.”

“When the Cowboys head to Indianapolis for the NFL scouting combine next week, they can turn their attention to Pro Bowl wide receiver George Pickens. The expectation is the Cowboys will put the franchise tag on Pickens at a cost of roughly $28 million before the March 3 deadline and then hope to work out a multiyear deal. Pickens set career highs last year in catches (93), yards (1,429) and touchdowns (nine).”

Williams entered the NFL in 2021 as the next big thing for the Denver Broncos, a scouting report that didn’t translate to immediate stardom. He never wholly struggled in Denver, but Williams did not pop off as a show-stopping bellcow back.

In Dallas last season, he began to reclaim his story. Now, he’ll stick around Arlington for three more years.

The Production in 2025

Williams revitalized his career in Dallas this season, amassing 1,338 scrimmage yards and 13 touchdowns, fueling championship runs for fantasy managers. Williams, who will turn 26 during draft weekend, was expected to garner significant attention in free agency and likely command around $8-10 million per year. The Cowboys settled on $8 million, which seems fair.

After failing to establish himself as the Denver Broncos‘ lead running back — despite being te 2nd-Round pick in 2021 — many had written him off. His resurgence in Dallas raises questions about whether the Broncos were utilizing him effectively. Probably not. One can’t break off 1,338 yards from scrimmage by accident.

Remaining FA Options at RB for Vikings

If one assumes the Vikings will scour free agency for an RB1, Williams back to Dallas makes the board a wee bit smaller. “Legal tampering” begins in two weeks, and Minnesota, in theory, could target these men:

• J.K. Dobbins (Denver Broncos)
• Rico Dowdle (Carolina Panthers)
• Travis Etienne (Jacksonville Jaguars)
• Breece Hall (New York Jets)
• Kenneth Walker III (Seattle Seahawks)

Dobbins is oft-injured, and he’s — you guessed it — recovering from a season-ending injury. Dowdle will turn 28 this summer and is probably past his prime. Etienne is the best pass-blocking running back from the group; the Vikings will probably love that. Hall is the almighty free-agent RB prize. And Walker is fresh off the steam of a Super Bowl MVP.

Will Minnesota Pursue an RB in March at All?

The Vikings currently have just over $20 million in 2026 cap dollars committed to Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, the RB1 and RB2 from 2025. That’s a lot of dough at running back already spoken for. While it’s tempting to glance at the availability of players like Etienne, Hall, and Walker, all those men will fetch contracts over $10 million per season. So, one must wonder if Minnesota has the budget for another veteran tailback.

Many expect Jones to be released, easing the pain a bit of a cash-strapped salary cap. But Minnesota would still be on the hook for $7 million in dead cap funds if so.

The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis opined on the possibility of Jones’s release last week: “This move would leave a major void. Jones has played nearly 60 percent of the team’s offensive snaps over the last two seasons. During that time, he ran for nearly 1,700 yards, caught 79 passes and served as a reliable pass protector on early downs.”

“Backfield mate Jordan Mason is an efficient runner, but he’s not a proven three-down guy. That’s why the Vikings could find themselves in the market for another back if they part ways with Jones. The more likely outcome would be a free-agent acquisition.”

April’s draft may be a more reasonable spot to find a running back of the future. Notre Dame runners Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, along with Jonah Coleman (Washington), Emmett Johnson (Nebraska), Mike Washington Jr. (Arkansas), and Nick Singleton (Penn State), headlining the 2026 class.

The PGA Florida Swing gets underway on Thursday with the 2026 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches at the PGA National Champion Course. Coming off two Signature Events, the Cognizant Classic field is missing some of the top names on tour, but it does feature past major winners like Adam Scott, Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka, who is playing in his third event since rejoining the PGA this season. 

The latest 2026 Cognizant Classic odds via FanDuel Sportsbook list Lowry as the +1600 favorite, followed by Scott and Ryan Gerard at +1900. Koepka is +3000 after missing the cut in his last prior event, the WM Phoenix Open. Before locking in any 2026 Cognizant Classic picks, or making any PGA DFS picks on sites like FanDuel or DraftKings, be sure to see the golf predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

SportsLine’s proprietary model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, simulated every PGA Tour event 10,000 times and reveals golf betting picks that have a history of being extremely profitable. 

This same model has also nailed a whopping 16 majors entering the weekend, including the 2025 Masters — its fourth Masters in a row — as well as this year’s PGA Championship and Open Championship. Anyone who has followed its sports betting picks could have seen massive returns on betting sites. 

New users can also target the DraftKings promo code, which offers $200 in bonus bets if your first $5+ bet wins:

Now that the 2026 Cognizant Classic field is locked in, the model simulated the tournament 10,000 times, and the results were surprising. Head to SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard. 

2026 Cognizant Classic predictions 

One major surprise the model is calling for at the Cognizant Classic 2026: Lowry, the favorite this week and the 2019 Open Championship winner, doesn’t even crack the top 3. He’s a golfer to fade this week. Lowry hasn’t won an individual event on the PGA Tour since that major championship, though he did team up with Rory McIlroy to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in 2024. Lowry finished T8 at Pebble Beach earlier this month, but that marked his first top-10 finish since May of 2025. See who else to fade here. 

Another surprise: The model is extremely high on Daniel Berger as a +3300 longshot, saying he’s a top-six contender despite not being in the top 10 on the odds board. Berger struggled in his past two events, though he does have a pair of top-20 finishes this season — one at the Sony Open and another at the WM Phoenix Open. He has three top-five finishes at this event, which used to be known as the Honda Classic, including one in 2022. See who else to pick here. 

New users can also check out the latest FanDuel promo code and get $100 in bonus bets at FanDuel if your first $5+ bet wins:

How to make 2026 Cognizant Classic picks

The model is also targeting four other longshots with odds of +3000 or higher as top-10 contenders. You can only see the model’s picks here. 

Who will win the 2026 Cognizant Classic, and which massive longshots will stun the golfing world? Check out the 2026 Cognizant Classic odds below and then visit SportsLine to see the projected leaderboard, all from the model that’s nailed 16 golf majors, including three in 2025.

2026 Cognizant Classic odds, favorites 

Get full 2026 Cognizant Classic picks, best bets and predictions here. 
(odds via FanDuel and subject to change)

Shane Lowry +1600
Adam Scott +1900
Ryan Gerard +1900
Nicolai Højgaard +2200
Rasmus Højgaard +2500
Keith Mitchell +2500
Michael Thorbjornsen +2500
Brooks Koepka +3000
Christiaan Bezuidenhout +3000
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen +3000
Aaron Rai +3300
Daniel Berger +3300
Thorbjørn Olesen +3300
Will Zalatoris +3500
Max McGreevy +3500
Davis Thompson +3500
Max Homa +4000
Kristoffer Reitan +4000
Mac Meissner +4000
Haotong Li +4000
Alex Smalley +4000
Chris Kirk +4000
Richard Hoey +4500
Jordan Smith +4500
Patrick Rodgers +5000
Stephan Jaeger +5000
Mackenzie Hughes +5000
John Parry +5500
Sami Valimaki +5500
Seamus Power +5500
Johnny Keefer +5500
Doug Ghim +6000
Austin Eckroat +6000
Tom Kim +6000
Kevin Yu +6000
Matt Wallace +6000
Ricky Castillo +6000
Nico Echavarria +6000
Sam Ryder +6000
Kris Ventura +7000
Dan Brown +7000
Michael Brennan +7000
Garrick Higgo +7000
Eric Cole +7000
Emiliano Grillo +7000
Vince Whaley +7000
Jesper Svensson +7500
Lee Hodges +7500
Matt Kuchar +7500
Gary Woodland +7500
Billy Horschel +8000
S.H. Kim +8000
Joel Dahmen +8000
Kevin Roy +8000
Steven Fisk +8000