The Vikings’ offseason was several things, but boring was not one of them. After an initial quiet free-agency period, Minnesota still found a way to overhaul the roster over the last couple of months.

For some players, doors opened; for others, doors closed. For Levi Drake Rodriguez, somehow, both things happened.

Drafted in 2024, Rodriguez almost had a redshirt rookie season, but not only did he defend his roster spot last offseason, but he also claimed a significant role on the defensive line in his sophomore year. In the early stages of the offseason, Rodriguez was the fourth defensive lineman on the depth chart (with Jalen Redmond expected to return).

Then, the Vikings released both Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen. Suddenly, Rodriguez was a strong candidate for a starting job next to Redmond. Sure, the Vikings might add a player in the draft or in free agency, but they wouldn’t add two, would they?

Well, they did, drafting Caleb Banks in the first round and Domonique Orange in the third. On the projected depth chart, Rodriguez went from fourth to second and back to fourth.

In his rookie campaign, Rodriguez appeared in only two games and logged one tackle, playing six defense snaps and 11 on special teams. He was expected to have a steep learning curve, given that he played his college ball at Texas A&M Commerce. The jump from there to the NFL was gigantic.

As a sophomore, the defensive tackle made 16 appearances and even started two contests, playing 461 defensive snaps (45%) and 85 on special teams. The Vikings used him as the backup nose tackle, a position Hargrave mostly played, though it might not have been the veteran’s best usage.

In his playing time, Rodriguez registered a couple of sacks, 43 tackles, and 8 tackles for loss. A crucial play in his second season was a blocked field goal attempt in a three-point victory over the Detroit Lions in November. That play earned him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors.

He’ll certainly be at least a rotational player in his third season, but it remains to be seen how much and where he’ll play. It all depends on how quickly rookies Banks and Orange can acclimate to the NFL level.

Banks is, like Redmond, more of a defensive end in a base 3-4 defense, meaning he’s expected to line up between the nose tackle and an edge rusher. That nose tackle spot is where things could get interesting this summer.

Those at training camp practices should watch the rep splits between Orange and Rodriguez. particularly at nose tackle, right in the middle of the defensive line across from the center. Both could and will also get snaps in even fronts, when only two interior linemen are on the field, but the one higher in the nose tackle hierarchy will likely get more playing time in the upcoming season.

Rodriguez might not enter training camp with the same momentum he briefly had earlier this offseason, but that doesn’t mean his role has disappeared. If anything, the Vikings’ moves simply changed the challenge in front of him.

The former seventh-rounder already proved last season that he belongs on an NFL field. Now comes the next step: proving he can hold off highly-drafted competition and carve out a permanent role in Brian Flores’ defensive line rotation.

And given the way Rodriguez responded to long odds a year ago, counting him out now would probably be a mistake.

Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.

Janik Eckardt is a German sports nerd, who likes numbers and stats. He chose the Vikings to be his … More about Janik Eckardt

The sixth season of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) is set to begin with a major financial boost after league promoter Innovative Production Group FZ, LLC (IPG) secured fresh backing through a strategic merger with United States-based Flash Sports & Media Inc.

The all-stock merger brings IPG’s cricket league commercial rights portfolio, including the LPL, under NASDAQ-listed platform UGRO. Backed by the new structure, IPG has announced plans to invest $20 million into the LPL over the next two years as the tournament targets commercial growth, improved broadcast standards and wider international expansion across multiple cricket markets.

IPG merger brings institutional backing

IPG confirmed that it has completed its merger with Flash Sports & Media, placing its portfolio of T20 league rights under the publicly listed platform. The development is expected to strengthen the commercial structure of the LPL while providing access to institutional capital and governance systems aimed at long-term growth.

While Sri Lanka Cricket will continue to own the intellectual property rights of the tournament, IPG will retain exclusive commercial and media rights for the league. The company said the latest move would help scale the competition in a more structured manner while focusing on franchise growth and operational stability.

Two-year investment plan for LPL

As part of the expansion roadmap, IPG plans to invest $20 million into the league over the next two years. The company said the focus would be on improving league infrastructure, strengthening sponsorship integration and building recurring commercial revenue streams.

The investment will also be directed towards upgrading broadcast production standards to 4K and improving fan engagement initiatives. Officials said the objective is to create a sustainable commercial model that can support multiple cricket properties across emerging markets.

Flash Sports & Media chief executive officer Bradley Nattrass stated that the merger would help the company execute projects across several cricket economies simultaneously. He indicated that centralised commercial operations and aligned franchise strategies would support stronger sponsorship deals, improved broadcast partnerships and greater audience engagement.

Chief financial officer Eric Sherb said the public-market structure would allow phased capital deployment while maintaining financial discipline and focusing on long-term commercial returns.

Expansion plans beyond Sri Lanka

Apart from the LPL, IPG also holds long-term agreements related to T20 leagues in Malaysia and Zimbabwe. The group confirmed that expansion into these markets forms part of a wider strategy to establish an integrated multi-market cricket business across South Asia and other emerging territories.

The company said the aim is to connect standalone leagues under one commercial platform that can centralise sponsorship opportunities and create long-term asset value across different competitions.

Officials added that future growth plans would focus on scaling operations, increasing media reach and developing a stronger international cricket entertainment network.

LPL 2026 schedule and venues confirmed

The sixth edition of the LPL will be held from July 10 to August 5. For the first time, matches will be played across four venues, including Colombo, Dambulla and Kandy, with the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo set to host games for the first time in league history.

The tournament is expected to feature several overseas players alongside leading Sri Lankan cricketers. The player registration window opened on May 4, while the player draft is scheduled to take place on May 24.

The LPL, operated by IPG under the patronage of Sri Lanka Cricket, has grown into one of the region’s prominent T20 competitions since its launch, attracting international participation and increasing commercial interest with each season.

After Rodri was drafted straight into the side on Saturday, City have a fully fit squad to choose from for the final two matches of the campaign.

Rodri is highly unlikely to start against Bournemouth having played an hour in the cup final and Guardiola is set to rotate his side given the hectic recent schedule.

It would be no surprise to see Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden come into the XI while Gianluigi Donnarumma will return in goal.

Might there be some changes in defence? None of John Stones, Nathan Ake, Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias were involved at Wembley.

Alex Eala vs Oleksandra Oliynykova at Strasbourg Open.– FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP, MARTIN KEEP/AFP PHOTOS

• Alex Eala opens her campaign at the WTA 500 Strasbourg Open in France against Ukrainian World No. 66 Oleksandra Oliynykova in the round of 32.

2026 Strasbourg Open schedule

8:00 p.m.**** – Alex Eala vs Oleksandra Oliynykova

Alex Eala to play at Strasbourg Open main draw

The Philippines’ Alexandra Eala returns the ball to Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, during their match at the Italian Open tennis tournament in Rome, Sunday, May 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Alex Eala has entered the main draw of the Strasbourg Open in France this coming week.

The Women’s Tennis Association website and the organizers confirmed Eala’s entry after initially being listed as a qualifier in the WTA 500 tournament.

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Eala will be facing a Ukrainian qualifier Oleksandra Oliynykova to start her campaign in France — her fifth tournament on clay.

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The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 playoffs race is showing no end to its drama, with seven teams competing for the three remaining slots as the tournament enters the final week of the league stage. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) became the first team to qualify after beating the Punjab Kings on Sunday, but Delhi Capitals’ victory over the Rajasthan Royals added another layer of complexity to the top-four battle. Now, a total of seven teams are vying for the remaining three slots in the playoffs. (IPL 2026 Points Table)

While the Royal Challengers Bengaluru have sealed their spot in the next round, only two teams have been eliminated so far: the Mumbai Indians and the Lucknow Super Giants. We take a look at the qualification scenarios for the remaining seven teams:

Gujarat Titans: The Shubman Gill-led side needs just one win from their remaining two matches to officially seal qualification and firmly challenge RCB for the top spot. Even if they lose both, they are highly likely to go through on points or net run rate (NRR) unless an impractical statistical shift occurs with the trailing teams.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: SRH control their own destiny. Two wins could potentially push them to 18 points, safely placing them in the top four and potentially allowing them to fight for a top-two spot. One win takes them to 16 points, which should comfortably clear the logjam below them due to their healthy, positive NRR.

Punjab Kings: The costly defeat to RCB means PBKS can only reach a maximum of 15 points by winning their final fixture against LSG. Because they cannot reach the 16-point safety threshold, a win is non-negotiable. Even then, they must hope that the likes of CSK, RR, and KKR fail to clear the 14-point mark cleanly with a better NRR. SRH are likely to end the campaign above PBKS, while DC can only muster a maximum of 14 points, which would be irrelevant if Punjab get to 15.

Rajasthan Royals: With four defeats in their last five matches, Rajasthan’s campaign is on the brink of a complete collapse. At present, their playoff destiny remains in their own hands. If RR win both of their remaining games, they will finish on 16 points, putting them ahead of PBKS, KKR, and DC. If they only win one, the situation will force them into an ugly NRR battle with CSK and DC, provided that either KKR or PBKS fail to reach 15 points.

Chennai Super Kings: After their recent setback against LSG, CSK find themselves in must-win territory. They must ideally win both remaining matches to reach 16 points. Winning just one match (14 points) leaves them completely dependent on RR, KKR, and PBKS not crossing the 14-point mark, as well as keeping their NRR above the competition.

Kolkata Knight Riders: KKR are the only side apart from PBKS who can reach 15 points. That gives them a slight advantage if other teams end up managing just 14 points. The Ajinkya Rahane-led side need to win both of their remaining matches and in that case, Net Run Rate (NRR) is expected to decide their future as many teams still remain in contention. However, just one win will take them to 13 points and it is very unlikely that it will be enough for them.

Delhi Capitals: By defeating Rajasthan, Delhi kept their campaign alive, but they only have one game left, capping their maximum possible tally at 14 points. To qualify, they must win their final match-and do so by a big margin-whilst heavily relying on CSK, PBKS, and RR to lose all of their remaining fixtures, and KKR not to win more than one. Furthermore, because of their severely compromised NRR (-0.871), they desperately need massive margins of victory or a total points collapse from the rest of the field.

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Runners from across the globe put their physical and mental stamina to the test on May 16: to conquer the Great Wall of China Marathon. The race that starts and finishes near the Huangyaguan fortress celebrated its 23rd anniversary this year. It is known for being a particularly gruelling course, but one that’s worth it. It is even on the Forbes Top 10 List of Marathons worth travelling for.

The New York Mets took the first Subway Series of the season over the New York Yankees in dramatic fashion on Sunday afternoon.

The Mets had runners on first and third in the bottom of the 10th inning with one out and rookie Carson Benge at the plate. Benge hit a chopper over Yankees reliever Tim Hill’s head.

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New York Mets’ Carson Benge celebrates with teammates after hitting into the game-winning fielder’s choice during the 10th inning against the New York Yankees in New York on May 17, 2026. (Seth Wenig/AP)

“Once it went over the pitcher’s head I kind of knew,” Benge said after the game.

Yankees infielders Anthony Volpe and Max Schuemann collided trying to make a play but neither could come up with the ball. Marcus Semien jetted home to score the game-winning run. The Mets won the game, 7-6.

The Yankees had a 6-3 lead going into the bottom of the ninth. Tyrone Taylor came up to the plate with Benge and Juan Soto on base. With two outs, he crushed a pitch to left field off David Bednar to tie the game. The next Mets heroics came in the following inning.

It was Taylor’s third home run of the season.

“I didn’t know it was going to stay fair,” Taylor said. “I kind of waited there to see if it would.”

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New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe watches New York Mets’ Luis Torrens react after hitting a two-run RBI double during the sixth inning in New York on May 17, 2026. (Seth Wenig/AP)

The Yankees went 2-7 on a nine-game road trip as they get set for a seven-game homestand against American League East rivals the Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays.

“Guys are playing tough and making the plays they need to but just coming up a little bit short,” Yankees slugger Aaron Judge said. “We’ve got to have a short memory, move on and get ready … because we’ve got a big division opponent coming in.”

Bednar blew a save for the second time in 12 chances and his ERA ballooned to a 4.95.

“Overall, it’s unacceptable, especially in that spot,” Bednar said. “It’s just very frustrating.”

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza applauded the team’s resiliency.

New York Mets’ Tyrone Taylor reacts after hitting a three-run home run during the ninth inning against the New York Yankees in New York on May 17, 2026. (Seth Wenig/AP)

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“We get down. We get punched in the face. We get back up,” he said. “Today was a perfect example when, like I said, we didn’t play our best game and we still are able to shake hands at the end.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.