Kamran Akmal suggested that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will soon make his debut for India in T20I cricket.© PTI

The San Francisco Giants have had a challenging 2026 season thus far, and Wednesday’s game against the San Diego Padres suggested that frustration may already be creeping in. To start the season, the Giants endured a home sweep at the hands of the New York Yankees and were out-scored 13-1 across those three games. Wednesday presented an opportunity to erase those recent memories, as they had taken the first two games of the set against their National League West rivals. That turned out not to happen, as the Padres prevailed 7-1 behind a strong start from Nick Pivetta.

As for those aforementioned frustrations, they most visibly belonged to veteran third baseman Matt Chapman. With two out and two on in the bottom of the fifth, Xander Bogaerts chopped one to Chapman, who had to make a hurried and somewhat off-balance throw to Casey Schmitt at first base. It didn’t go as planned:

That’s a high throw and an error on Chapman, but it appeared to be catchable on the part of Schmitt. Chapman apparently agreed, as during the ensuing mound visit, he appeared to tell Schmitt to “catch the f—ing ball.”

No doubt, Chapman was also thinking of a similar play in the first inning when Schmitt was charged with an error:

Those plays accounted for both Padre runs, at least until they pulled away in the later innings. After the game, Chapman addressed the mound visit incident with reporters. Via NBC Sports Bay Area:

“We’re all brothers here. It’s the heat of the moment. I already talked to Casey. It’s all good.”

As for Schmitt, he also weighed in post-game, via the San Francisco Chronicle:

“We’re trying to win games. I mean, obviously I’m not mad about it or anything. That’s baseball. I mean, those are things I should have done and didn’t.”

In Schmitt’s defense, he’s far more familiar with the other infield positions, and Wednesday marked just his 18th career start at first base. However, the utility infielder was pressed into regular duty at first base because of Rafael Devers‘ balky hamstring, which has limited him to DH thus far. As well, the organization determined that young first baseman Bryce Eldridge, the Giants’ top prospect, needed further seasoning at Triple-A to start the year. If it’s any consolation to Chapman, Schmitt shouldn’t be at first base much longer.

All of this, of course, isn’t a big deal or even anything all that unusual. It just happened to be caught by the lens and lip readers, which is why we’re talking about it. 

Manchester United face two fresh hurdles as Michael Carrick attempts to keep the club’s current run of form going after three weeks without a game

Michael Carrick faces the challenge of preserving Manchester United’s momentum once the club resumes competitive action. After the international break, United have an additional week’s hiatus while the FA Cup quarter-finals take place.

The squad is shortly due to embark on an intensive training camp in Ireland to maintain match sharpness. The players will head to Dublin on April 6 for a four-night stint ahead of the final seven fixtures of the campaign.

That said, there are already considerable obstacles in need of address. Fortunately for Carrick, though, two evolving situations lie beyond his remit as he attempts to concentrate efforts on matters on the pitch.

One such piece of business he’ll have limited influence over is Marcus Rashford‘s transfer future. MEN Sport examines that and more in the latest United headlines.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

Maguire charged over red card fracas

Harry Maguire’s immediate participation in Carrick’s plans has been put in doubt after he was charged by the Football Association. It was disclosed on Wednesday that the England defender faces potential further sanctions following his red card at Bournemouth last month.

Maguire, 33, received a straight red for tugging Evanilson’s shirt in the box before Bournemouth scored the resulting penalty to draw 2-2. However, it was his furious response to referee Stuart Attwell and fourth official Matt Donohue that resulted in him being charged.

“Harry Maguire has been charged after being sent off in the 78th minute of Man Utd’s Premier League match against Bournemouth on March 20,” read an FA statement. “It’s alleged that the defender acted in an improper manner and/or abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour towards the fourth official following his dismissal. Harry Maguire has until April 2 to provide a response.”

Maguire’s suspension meant he was already set to miss United’s fixture against Leeds on April 13. Nevertheless, his ban could be increased depending on the outcome of his charge and whether United opt to appeal.

Carrick also expressed his frustration over the incident, insisting his side should have been awarded a second penalty. Amad Diallo went down following a challenge from Adrien Truffert, but the VAR determined the contact wasn’t sufficient to warrant a spot-kick after Bruno Fernandes had already scored once from 12 yards.

England’s 2026 World Cup kits

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Various Prices

England Official Store

Buy Now on England Official Store

England and Nike have launched the new home, away and goalkeeper kits to be worn at this summer’s FIFA World Cup. You can get free delivery on all orders with the code: ENGFREEDEL

Advertisement

“We should have had another penalty,” Carrick told Sky Sports at the time. “Obviously, if you get one, you must get the other. It’s pretty much identical for me, two-hand grab.

“Either way, [the ref] got one wrong, but to give one and not give the other, I can’t get my head around it. I think it’s crazy. It’s a bit baffling, really. Because of that, they score, and then it’s chaos after that, really. We should have had another penalty, and the game would have been totally different.”

Barcelona’s cut-price Rashford clause expires

For months, many have been puzzled over what has prevented Barcelona from tying Rashford down to a permanent deal. The exclusive £26million fee written into his loan agreement at the Camp Nou was widely regarded as a steal, but that option is no longer available.

Advertisement

Cadena SER reported that the conditions of that arrangement lapsed at the end of March. This now means Barca will need to negotiate a fee for the player in the same manner as any other club.

This could indicate the Catalans aren’t fully committed to securing the England forward on a permanent basis. Alternatively, it might simply suggest Barcelona are still undecided at a time when the club’s financial situation is unstable.

Club legend and now sporting director Deco was recently questioned about Barca’s chances of signing Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez. He referred to the three months until summer as “like an eternity,” so it’s plausible he and other board members may hold a similar perspective regarding Rashford’s prospects.

It’s uncertain how much United might demand for their player or whether Barca might still receive a slightly more favourable deal as a gesture to Rashford, who wants the permanent switch. However, one certainty is that the Spaniards will be expected to pay a higher fee than the bargain sum available had they acted more promptly.

Reece Goodwin, the Pakenham handler, is confident this prep could restore Lovelycut’s success on the track.

The mare, aged four, resumes action in Saturday’s Geoff Murphy Handicap (1200m), lacking concrete future engagements, but a sharp performance first-up may lead her to the Adelaide carnival.

Having raced sparingly, Lovelycut has often demonstrated considerable promise. Her breakthrough came with a Sandown win near the end of her two-year-old stint, and in spring she resumed to claim second at Listed level, fourth in the Vanity Stakes (1400m) at Flemington, before settling midfield in the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield, missing the winner by under three lengths.

She was rested to mature, skipping autumn as a three-year-old, and returned last spring for three starts ending in a 1400m victory at Seymour.

Goodwin voiced his approval of the mare’s current condition.

“Off the back of last prep where she won over 1400 metres, she’s going to be suited at 1400 and 1600 this time around and Saturday is a good kick-off for her,” Goodwin said.

“She could have run in one of the 1100-metre races at Flemington last week, but I just thought 1200 would be a better kick off for her.

“She’s probably not as sharp as she was when she was a two-year-old, three-year-old and it looks a competitive race on Saturday as well, but she’s pretty good fitness wise.

“She’s there to run really well.”

Goodwin highlighted how Lovelycut has matured into a tougher mare suited to racing rigours.

Winter’s arrival means precise programming is vital.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what she can do through the winter,” he said.

“(The) Adelaide carnival could be on the radar depending on how she goes Saturday.

“If she was to win, or run really strongly, we would have to give strong consideration to that because she would go into the mid-80’s ratings wise, but there’s no set plans.

“She’s a highly-strung mare, so travelling her would take a bit out of her, so we want to make sure if we were to go there, it was worthwhile.”

Compare racing betting markets for the Geoff Murphy Handicap ahead of Lovelycut’s run.

The NBA fined the Portland Trail Blazers $100,000 and suspended assistant general managers Sergi Oliva and Mike Schmitz for two weeks without pay for violating league rules “governing contact with draft-ineligible players” in connection with the team’s scouting of Yang Hansen in December 2023, the league announced on Wednesday. 

The Blazers said they “self-reported” this matter to the NBA. 

“When this was brought to our attention the Portland Trail Blazers self-reported to the NBA,” the team said in a statement. “The team cooperated fully with the investigation and accept the league’s determination.”

The Trail Blazers traded for Hansen, the No. 16 overall pick in 2025, on draft night, sending No. 11 pick Cedric Coward to the Grizzlies in a package that also brought a 2028 first-round pick and two second-rounders back to Portland. Before landing with Portland, Hansen played two seasons for the Qingdao Eagles in China’s top professional league. 

Hansen, listed at 7-foot-1 and 270 pounds, was 19 at the time, and Portland general manager Joe Cronin said in July that the team “deeply” scouted him before selecting him in the first round. 

“We’ve been scouting him deeply for almost two years now,” Cronin said after the 2025 draft. “We had a scout identify him during one of his under-18 events. And then we sent Mike and Sergi, our two assistant GMs, over to China that fall to go scout him live. When they came back from that trip, they left very, very impressed. We were actually hoping he would be in last year’s draft (2024). He didn’t declare last year, so we continued to scout him for the last year.”

Hansen became something of a social media darling when his game footage playing for the Qingdao Eagles was introduced to the masses. He also had his moments in Summer League, but he has struggled to make an impact during his rookie year. In 41 games, he’s averaging 2.3 points and 1.6 rebounds in 7.2 minutes per game while shooting just 31% from the field. 

Winners of seven of their last nine, the Blazers are 39-38 and currently the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference standings. 

Sanjiv Goenka and Rishabh Pant (X)

Lucknow Super Giants found themselves under early pressure in IPL 2026 after a disappointing six-wicket defeat to Delhi Capitals at home, a result that not only exposed batting concerns but also sparked conversation off the field. LSG struggled to get going with the bat, folding for just 141 in their opening game. The top order failed to deliver, with captain Rishabh Pant scoring 7, Aiden Markram managing 11, and Nicholas Pooran contributing only 8. While the bowlers made early inroads, Delhi turned the chase around through a composed unbeaten 70 from Sameer Rizvi and a steady 39 not out from Tristan Stubbs, sealing the game with 2.5 overs to spare. However, it was what followed after the match that drew just as much attention. LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka was seen in an on-field conversation with Pant, with head coach Justin Langer also part of the discussion. While no audio was available, the visuals suggested an intense exchange, and the clip quickly gained traction across social media. The moment inevitably brought back memories of a similar incident involving Goenka and former LSG captain KL Rahul during the 2024 season. That episode, widely viewed as a public fallout after a defeat, had drawn criticism at the time, and comparisons resurfaced following the latest visuals. Despite the speculation, Goenka struck a measured tone in his public response. Taking to X after the game, he backed his side and urged patience.

Sanjiv Goenka post

“This is a long season, and moments like these are part of building something meaningful. I have full confidence in our captain and the team to respond with strength. To our fans, thank you for your support at Ekana today, we will come back stronger. The story of @LucknowIPL this season is far from written,” he wrote. On the tactical front, Pant’s decision to promote himself to the top of the order also became a talking point. Having largely operated in the middle order in recent seasons, the move did not pay off in the opener. Pant was run out for 7 at the non-striker’s end after Mukesh Kumar got a fingertip deflection onto a powerful straight drive from Mitchell Marsh. When asked if he would continue opening alongside Markram and Marsh, Pant kept his options open. “It’s a 50-50 call,” he said after the match. With questions emerging around team balance, batting roles, and the early loss, LSG now face a crucial phase as they look to settle into the season and respond strongly in the games ahead.

As Brett Veach prepares for the NFL Draft and works to position the Chiefs for a return to contention, the general manager is also staying quiet about a widely speculated wedding involving one of the team’s top players.

During a sitdown with ESPN at this week’s NFL meetings in Arizona, Brett Veach sidestepped questions about whether he received an invitation to Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s upcoming wedding. 

“We’ll see,” Veach said during his appearance on “The Schrager Hour” podcast. “Couldn’t say either way.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards held at Dolby Theatre March 26, 2026, in Los Angeles.  (Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images)

“That’s like the hardest-hitting question you’ll ever ask me.”

Veach quickly shifted the conversation back to the draft, and then made clear he wouldn’t be sharing any wedding details.

“Off the record, you can ask me who we’re picking nine [during this month’s NFL draft]. I’m going to tell you who we’re picking nine. I cannot disclose anything about the wedding,” he said.

Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach speaks to the media during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium Feb. 24, 2026, in Indianapolis.  (Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images)

Kelce and Swift revealed their engagement in a joint Instagram post in August 2025. “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married,” the couple captioned a series of photos.

TRAVIS KELCE’S DAD SHARES DETAILS OF SON’S PROPOSAL TO TAYLOR SWIFT

According to multiple reports, Kelce and Swift plan to wed June 13 in Rhode Island.

Last month, Kelce and the Chiefs reached a deal for the Pro Bowler to return for his 14th season in Kansas City. 

“I’m still in love with this game. I still love going to work and putting on the pads, grinding it out and just playing the game,” Kelce told “The Pat McAfee Show.”

At the NFL Scouting Combine in February, Brett Veach struck an optimistic tone about Travis Kelce’s potential return for 2026, calling the three-time Super Bowl winner an “icon.”

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift react during Game 4 of the Edmonton Oilers-Florida Panthers Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena  June 12, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

“Travis is the best,” Veach said in Indianapolis. “He’s an icon, and hopefully he comes back. We’ll just kind of let that process play out. It’s not your typical 27-year-old [and] first time at free agency. Travis has done everything and has accomplished everything.

“He’s about to get married. He’s got a lot going on, so I don’t think there’s an element of us not trying to get something done. You need to have some sort of deadline [or] timeline, but, at the same time, he’s Travis Kelce.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The Chiefs’ decade-long playoff streak ended last season, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes sustained a season-ending ACL injury in Week 15.

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