Sports
Vikings Coach Says Corner Injury Going to be “Short Term”
Thankfully, a Vikings coach thinks that the issue is minor.
DC Brian Flores chatted with the media before yesterday’s practice. A question about James Pierre got asked, leading to the insight about the veteran’s status: “Yeah, it sounds like it’s a short-term thing. He was out at the walk through today. He’ll be part of individuals today. We’ll see if we can get him a couple snaps here and there.”
Vikings Coach Thinks James Pierre Dealing with Minor Injury
Adding Mr. Pierre is all about making the team as a whole better. Perhaps that sounds obvious, but it’s a point worth making. Pierre is a piece of the puzzle for how the secondary can matchup with the opposition.
Last year, the Vikings opted to sign Jeff Okudah to function as the CB3. Doing so made some sense given the former Lions’ draft history — he went very high — and upside as somebody capable of wrestling with the NFL’s huge receivers (Mike Evans, D.K. Metcalf, and so on). Prior to getting hurt, Okudah struggled in that job assigment; he then missed most of the season due to being hurt.
Opting for Pierre in free agency is meant to solve that problem for 2026. Byron Murphy is the slot specialist and Isaiah Rodgers the speed merchant. Pierre is offering a large frame to dance with beefy receivers.
The former Steeler shouldn’t be understood as a magic elixir who will make the other side’s long-and-strong receivers disappear. Rather, he’s somebody who is meant to make life difficult for them. Make ’em earn every yard; that’s the way Coach Flores wants to play defense. Nothing free.
In 2025, James Pierre offered some terrific football to the Pittsburgh Steelers. His fourteen games featured five starts, leading to a total of 376 snaps on defense. His statistics show 30 tackles alongside 1 interception and 11 passes defended.
More promising, perhaps, is that passes into his coverage resulted in just 42.9% being completed. Only 15/35 passes ended up being completed. These catches went for a combined 130 yards, averaging a modest 8.7 yards per catch. A grand total of zero touchdowns got completed into his coverage and passers combined for a passer rating coming in at 41.4.
Minnesota landed Pierre for a bargain contract coming in at $8.5 million across a pair of seasons. Seeing him replicate last year’s brilliance will make that contract look very spiffy.
The assessment on PFF is largely in agreement. The analytics website tossed over a sizzling 86.2 grade, good for 2nd overall among the 112 corners who qualified for the ranking.
Later on in the same presser, Coach Flores indicated that seeing a veteran miss time is an opportunity for the young lads. Guys such as Chuck Demmings can jump into the open snaps. Impressing the Vikings coaches (especially the DC) with these reps can lead to confidence about elevating the depth guys when the starting lineup gets depleted.
Do note, though, that the conclusion of the DC’s answer brings things around to an optimistic outlook for Pierre: “From what I understand, JP is going to be okay.”
James Pierre, 29, stands at 6’2″ and weighs 185 pounds. The Vikings want to give him a hearty workload in the upcoming season, so playing it cautious with his injury at the beginning of camp is the way to go.
Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.
Pressure on FIFA president Gianni Infantino intensified on Tuesday, with opposition emerging from within world football’s governing body as well as from external critics over his since-abandoned proposal to open the World Cup to private investment.
Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, appointed in 2019 by Infantino as FIFA’s chief of global football development, said in a statement on Tuesday that “the decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and beyond question”.
His remarks followed hot on the heels of an extraordinary internal email to FIFA staff, seen by AFP, in which secretary-general Mattias Grafstrom appeared to distance himself from Infantino on the issue.
Previously seen as close to Infantino, Grafstrom describes the fiasco surrounding the plan as “a sad and reproachable series of events”.
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He adds: “Individuals, unstable moments and unfortunate episodes come and go. The institution, its mission and its responsibility towards world football continue.”
FIFA had floated the plan last Tuesday, saying it could raise up to $4.2 billion based on a valuation of $20 billion for a new commercial subsidiary, called the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which it proposed would run events such as the World Cup and Club World Cup.
By Saturday it was dead in the water as Infantino announced the humiliating climbdown after widespread condemnation, as UEFA wielded the nuclear option of boycotting all FIFA competitions, including the World Cup.
Far from calming the waters or shoring up his presidency, Infantino has been swamped with criticism of his style of leadership and a previously smooth path to being re-elected unopposed to a fourth and final term next March in Rabat now looks a very rocky one indeed.
‘Take immediate steps’
That is a problem down the road. For now, he has others to confront.
Even though he had withdrawn the scheme, UEFA issued a letter through their lawyers in the US threatening legal action over what they had scathingly described as a “shabby, backroom, opaque deal”.
Both Grafstrom and Wenger as well as chief operating officer Kevin Lamour, who had slammed the plan on Friday, are mentioned in the letter as being knowledgeable about the FFE and instructed to keep all “relevant materials”.
“Dear Mr Infantino. UEFA hereby gives formal notice that it is actively considering legal action, arbitration, and/or regulatory complaints (together, the ‘Proceedings’) arising out of and in connection with the FFE plan proposed by FIFA and all related matters as further described below,” their lawyer Andrew Levander said in the letter sent last Friday and seen by AFP.
“You and FIFA are required to take immediate steps to identify, locate, and preserve all documents and electronically stored information described in this Notice that are in your or FIFA’s possession, custody, or control.
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“These obligations arise independently of any internal retention policy you or your organization maintain and supersede any routine document destruction or deletion policies that would otherwise apply.”
Several of UEFA’s member associations – Wales, Finland, Sweden and Serbia – have withdrawn their letters of support for Infantino and the English FA is strongly rumoured to be on the verge of also joining them.
The scant comfort for Infantino came from a handful of supporters, including 2030 World Cup co-hosts Morocco, as well as Kuwait, Qatar, where he has a house, and Lebanon, which granted him honorary citizenship in February.
However, it is the damning remarks by both Wenger and Grafstrom – who shadowed Infantino throughout the World Cup – that will twist the knife further.
Their criticism only adds to the impression that Infantino has lost the confidence of even his closest FIFA collaborators.
Read moreInfantino under growing pressure after FIFA scraps World Cup investor proposal
One of the most devastating blows to Infantino’s plan was the resignation on Friday of his special advisor Carlos Cordeiro, who is also close to US President Donald Trump.
Despite what UEFA’s lawyer wrote regarding keeping material pertinent to FFE, Wenger claims to have only learned about it through the media.
“I was not involved in this strategic plan,” the 76-year-old Frenchman said.
Grafstrom, for his part, tried to cheer up the staff by congratulating them on their work while admitting it had been “an extraordinary and challenging week”.
For Infantino, the challenge threatens to grow, and his stated purpose when he ditched the plan, to unite football, seems unlikely to be realised while he remains president.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
The Philippine men’s football team during the match vs Thailand in the 2026 Asean Hyundai Cup at New Clark City Athletics Stadium in Capas, Tarlac. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine men’s football team’s semifinal hopes in the Asean Hyundai Cup suffered a crucial blow after a 1-0 loss to Thailand on Tuesday at New Clark City Athletics Stadium in Capas, Tarlac.
Waris Choolthong scored in the 84th minute to hand the Philippines a stinging home defeat and left the hosts on the brink of elimination in Group B.
READ: PH bounces back in Hyundai Cup with dominant win over Laos
Goalkeeper Patrick Deyto was one of the reasons the match stayed scoreless until Choolthong came through for the visitors.
Coach Carles Cuadrat’s side remained on three points with one win and two defeats after three matches heading into its group-stage finale against Malaysia on Saturday in Kuala Lumpur.
The Philippines sits in fourth place behind Thailand, which stayed on top of the group with nine points, while Myanmar and Malaysia have six points apiece.
READ: Lack of key players helps doom Filipino booters vs Burmese
The defeat also left the Filipinos needing help to reach the semifinals.
They must beat Malaysia convincingly and hope Thailand defeats Myanmar.
Meanwhile, Thailand improved to three wins in as many matches without conceding a goal.
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Incoming Major League Soccer Commissioner Larry Berg sees his role as continuing the trajectory of the league under his soon-to-be predecessor, Don Garber.
The 30-team league that Graber grew during his 27-year tenure now looks to Berg to capitalize on the success of the World Cup this past summer and guide the transition to a new international schedule next year.
“I think one of the reasons that I raised my hand is I feel like I have the enthusiasm and the passion to hopefully have other people, in some cases, see it through my eyes and understand where we’re going and where it can go and what what it can be,” Berg told The Associated Press. ”I’m very proud of where we already are. I think we’ve come a very, very long way.”
Berg, a co-owner of LAFC, will formally take over as commissioner at the start of next year. Garber, who has served as the league’s commissioner since 1999, will help guide the transition before moving into a new role as chairman.
Garber said the ideal candidate would unite the entire MLS ecosystem around a shared vision. And he believes the league will have that under Berg, who will become just the third commissioner in the history of the league.
“I think he’s convinced the ownership through a very comprehensive process that he has what it takes to do the two most important things, which is to create that vision, and then to get the owners to unite around it,” Garber said. “That requires great relationships. It requires the capability to put the plan together and do the work. … He (Berg) is super smart. He doesn’t lead with ego. He leads with understanding perspectives, and I think that’s a super important part of being the commissioner.”
The 60-year-old Berg, who has served as co-chair of the MLS sporting and competition committee, will divest his ownership interest in LAFC. He was formally introduced as the incoming commissioner on Tuesday at the league’s New York headquarters, a day after he received the required two-thirds of the votes from the owners.
“First of all, he loves soccer, and I think next to his family, soccer is the most important thing in his life. Second of all, he knows the league really well. We have 30 great owners, and all of them are very involved in the league. But Larry is, I think it’s safe to say, has been over the last five years the most involved owner,” Columbus Crew owner Jimmy Haslam said. “He understands what we do well, where we have opportunity. I think he has a great relationship with all the owners. Going through this process certainly enhanced that.”
Berg previously held ownership stakes in Italian club AS Roma, as well as English league team Swansea. Under Berg’s ownership, LAFC won the MLS Cup in 2022, and the Supporters’ Shield in 2019.
Under Garber’s watch, the league has expanded from 12 to 30 teams. He introduced the league’s marketing arm, Soccer United Marketing, encouraged the construction of soccer-specific stadiums and spurred the growth of an academy system to develop players in the United States.
Five clubs, Inter Miami, the home of Lionel Messi, LAFC, LA Galaxy, Atlanta United and NYCFC are valued at more than $1 billion, according to Forbes.
At the start, Berg will oversee the league’s shift to a new calendar, with the season running from on a summer to spring schedule to more align with its international counterparts. Currently the league plays a late winter to late fall schedule.
Following the conclusion of the current season, MLS will play a shortened 14-game “sprint season” in early 2027 before the league switches to its new schedule, kicking off in July with the league championship to be played in May 2028.
Berg will also be charged with negotiating a new media rights deal. The current contract with Apple TV ends in 2019. The league is also looking at changes to roster rules.
“This has been a passion my whole life. This sport and some of the great joys of my life have been involved in the LAFC and involved with the sporting competition committee,” Berg said. ”I have a lot of ideas. I feel like we’re at a point where a tremendous amount of success has been achieved with the games and the live gameday entertainment experience, etc. But as the World Cup showed, you can be incredibly happy and very successful, but somehow there’s always more. You want to get to that next step.”
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Atlanta Falcons superstar running back Bijan Robinson is used to making history on the field and has now reportedly done it off the field.
The Falcons and Robinson agreed to a three-year, $75 million contract extension on Tuesday, making him the highest-paid running back in NFL history, according to ESPN. The 24-year-old’s contract includes $37 million guaranteed at signing, with $51 million of the overall deal guaranteed.
Robinson had been present at the team’s facility but was “holding in” while waiting for a new contract and not practicing in team drills.
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Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson reacts after the Falcons’ 19-17 victory over the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Jan. 4, 2026, in Atlanta. (Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
The Falcons drafted Robinson with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Texas, and the Tucson, Arizona, native immediately became one of the best running backs in the NFL.
Robinson, who has not missed a game in his three-year career, became the centerpiece of the Falcons’ offense as a rookie. In 17 games, he ran for 976 yards and four touchdowns while catching 58 passes for 487 yards and four touchdowns.
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Bijan Robinson poses on the NFL Honors red carpet before Super Bowl LX at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, Calif., on Feb. 5, 2026. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
In 2024, his second season, he elevated his game to another level. Robinson ran for 1,456 yards and 14 touchdowns while catching 61 passes for 431 yards and one touchdown.
Last season, Robinson led the league in scrimmage yards as he continued in his role as the engine of the Falcons’ offense. The superstar running back ran for 1,478 yards with seven rushing touchdowns while catching 79 passes for 820 yards and four receiving touchdowns. Robinson made the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons.
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Atlanta Falcons RB Bijan Robinson carries the ball vs. the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Dale Zanine/Imagn Images)
Robinson is the third offensive weapon the team has extended this offseason. The Falcons signed star wide receiver Drake London to a four-year, $141 million contract extension and tight end Kyle Pitts to a three-year, $54 million contract extension in June.
Robinson will not be the last top running back to get paid, as Detroit Lions star running back Jahmyr Gibbs is also “holding in” for a new contract.
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Devin Haney looked set to take on Keyshawn Davis in a first defence of his WBO welterweight title, but in a drastic turn of events the fight has collapsed. Now, Haney has ruled out another potential opponent.
Haney became a three-division world champion when he outpointed Brian Norman Jr to capture the 147lb crown back in November, but whilst the Californian is yet to fight since, he was recently ordered to defend the belt against mandatory challenger, Keyshawn Davis.
A few days ago, after the end of the 30-day negotiation period, the rights to that bout were won by Top Rank in a live-streamed purse bid. Yet, soon after, Davis opted to withdraw from the contest, seemingly unhappy with the $2.13 million purse that he would receive for his title challenge.
As a result, Davis has dropped from #1 to #7 in the WBO welterweight rankings, with former champion, Norman, being moved into position as the number one contender, creating rumours that a rematch between he and ‘The Dream’ could take place.
However, on X, Haney shot down suggestions that he and Norman could run it back, with potential unification opportunities now seeming the more likely.
“It’s not happening. I tell you that right now.”
Instead, Haney could return to fight in Australia for a third time by accepting a unification against newly-crowned IBF welterweight world champion Liam Paro, with the other two world champions at 147lbs currently scheduled for alternate title defences.
Alternatively, WBA Regular champion Jack Catterall has thrown his name into the ring for a possible shot at the WBO champion, despite being well poised for a full WBA title challenge later this year.
Aggressive batting has become the norm in modern cricket, with high-scoring encounters now a regular feature across formats. Players such as Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Travis Head, and the latest entrant to the list, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, have grabbed headlines for taking the attack to bowlers from the very first ball. Sooryavanshi, who is just 15 years old and has already made his international debut, shot to fame after smashing a century off just 35 balls for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025.
As Sooryavanshi continues his rapid rise, it is worth noting that this brand of aggressive batting is far from a new phenomenon. In fact, legendary Australian batter Sir Donald Bradman still sits atop the list when it comes to extraordinary scoring feats.
The story dates back to November 2, 1931, when Bradman was playing a domestic match for Blackheath against Lithgow. While he finished the innings with a staggering 256 runs, the biggest highlight was the speed at which he reached his century, achieving the milestone in just three overs.
During that era, an over consisted of eight deliveries instead of the current six. As a result, Bradman brought up his hundred in just 22 balls. He smashed 33 runs in the first over, followed by 40 in the second and 27 in the third. His remarkable innings featured 14 sixes and 29 fours.
Years later, Bradman was asked about that unforgettable knock and what was going through his mind while playing one of the most astonishing innings of his career.
“It’s important, I think, to emphasise that the thing was not planned. It happened purely by accident and everyone was surprised at the outcome, no one more than I. Wendell Bill became one of my staunchest friends, and in later years he said he got more notoriety out of the two singles he scored in those three overs than anything else he ever did in his life,” Bradman had said, as quoted by Sportskeeda.
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PV Sindhu Seeded Ninth At BWF World Championships, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty Fifth
File photo of PV Sindhu© X/Twitter
Two-time Olympic medallist Indian shuttler PV Sindhu was on Tuesday seeded ninth in women’s singles, while the star men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty has been handed the fifth seeding for the upcoming BWF World Championships to be played at the Indira Gandhi Stadium here from August 17-23. Sindhu is the current Japan Open champion, while Satwik and Chirag are the 2022 Asian Games gold medallists. India have two entries each in all the five categories of the championships with at least one seeded entry in four of the five categories.
Apart from Sindhu and Satwik-Chirag, former world championships bronze medallist Lakshya Sen has been seeded 14th in men’s singles and the mixed doubles pairing of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto are seeded 15th.
While the players qualified for the prestigious championships based on their world rankings of April 28, 2026, the seedings were decided on the basis of world ranking on July 28, 2026.
Men’s singles world champion Shi Yuqi of China and South Korea’s women’s singles star An Se Young are the top seeds in their respective categories.
Women’s singles world champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan is seeded second while the third and fourth spots have gone to Wang Zhi Yi and Chen Yufei of China.
The draw for the championships will take place here on Wednesday and the final seedings could change in case any of the seeded players withdraw before that.
South Korea’s Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae are at the top of the men’s doubles seeding chart with China’s Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning got the top billing in women’s doubles.
Their compatriots Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping are seeded number one in mixed doubles.
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Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai says he has “cleared” the situation with team-mates Curtis Jones and Kostas Tsimikas after a video emerged last week showing the trio seemingly arguing over the captain’s armband.
The incident came after the 1-0 pre-season win against Wrexham at Yankee Stadium in New York.
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Following the full-time whistle Jones, Szoboszlai and later Tsimikas argued with each other as the team walked across the pitch to applaud supporters.
During the match Szoboszlai gave the captain’s armband to Tsimikas rather than Jones when he was subbed off, and during the argument the Greece left-back was filmed throwing it to the floor.
In the 4-2 defeat by Leeds on Sunday, Szoboszlai gave the armband to Jones.
“It was never a debate between us three,” said the Hungary captain. “We just discussed something on the pitch. Which actually, after, you guys [the media] make it very big. But next time we will manage to do it in the changing room. Nobody was angry at no-one. It’s all cleared – we are cool.”
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With regular captain Virgil van Dijk absent for the United States tour and Joe Gomez injured in the first game, Szoboszlai led the side for the majority of their trip.
Meanwhile, Szoboszlai revealed that new manager Andoni Iraola is yet to discuss the vice-captaincy, with the vacancy open following the departure of Andy Robertson to Tottenham Hotspur.
“No, there hasn’t been any conversation. Obviously we have Virgil as the captain. We have Ali [Alisson]. We have Joe Gomez. So there was no conversation at all. Obviously Ali is not here and Joe is injured. It was a very proud moment to have it and let’s see. It’s not my choice. It’s not fixed,” the 25-year-old said.
“If you get offered the vice-captain at Liverpool, you’re going to take it. It would be a proud moment for me. But I respect everybody, so either way, whoever it’s going to be we’re going to follow them.”
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Speaking to the media in Chicago shortly before the Reds travelled back to the UK, Szoboszlai said he “can’t wait” for the new season.
“I feel we are ready to go again and take motivation from the last season, because it was not the best,” he said. “We didn’t end up where we wanted to, so now we’re going to go for it again.
“It’s not my job to tell you who we have to sign or if we have to sign someone. If the guys above and the manager decide to sign someone, we are very happy and will welcome them. If they decide not to, then we have to do something special with this squad.”
‘Mac Allister definitely coming back’
The Liverpool players return to training from Wednesday before taking on Monaco in a friendly at Anfield on Sunday (14:30 BST).
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Szoboszlai was full of praise for 19-year-old Trey Nyoni, who has been one of the standouts of pre-season so far. The midfielder only managed 229 minutes under former boss Arne Slot last season but has put himself in line to play a more prominent role under Iraola.
“I always knew that he’s a good player. In training, he showed his quality many times,” said Szoboszlai. “Also when he had the chance to play in some cup games or even in the Premier League. He’s a very good player. The squad is short, so we need everybody.”
And Szoboszlai agreed it is a clean slate for everyone in the squad before Liverpool begin their Premier League season at Newcastle United on 23 August.
“It’s a new manager. Everyone is motivated. I think I see in everybody’s eyes that he wants to play – and if you want to play, you have to give your best,” he said.
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“And from there on, the manager is going to decide who is going to play. But everybody is on zero right now.”
Szoboszlai also clarified he did not mean to cause confusion when he said “if Alexis (Mac Allister) comes back” in a media conference on Thursday.
“That’s my English, guys. It’s not ‘if’ – it’s ‘when’ he comes back. So now I make it clear. He’s coming back and he’s going to be part of the team as much as I know.”
May 29, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays infielder Yandy Diaz (2) celebrates after a home run during the seventh inning against Los Angeles Angels at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Pablo Robles-Imagn Images With the dust settled from the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline, there are plenty of new faces in new places as well as lots of speculation over the biggest winners and losers.
It can also be a good time to make a futures wager, but perhaps not for the reason you think.
Deadline deals typically have less of an impact on the remainder of the regular season than they are credited for. There just aren’t that many games left, and even the biggest stars won’t make more than a two-win difference over a stretch of just 50 games. Where they become more important is in the postseason, where every inning and every at-bat becomes far more significant. So the ideal wager identifies where the market is overvaluing potential regular-season trade impact, or undervaluing potential playoff implications.
With that in mind, here are three futures wagers to play right now.
AL East Winner: Tampa Bay (+100, BetMGM)
The Tampa Bay Rays entered the week with only a 2 1/2 game lead on the New York Yankees, and the free-wheeling Boston Red Sox — who entered five games back of Tampa — overshadowed both teams at the deadline.
But catcher Adley Rutschman, who has had recurring injury issues in recent seasons, is far from a surefire success at Fenway Park. As good as Boston has been recently, there’s almost certainly a regression coming.
Meanwhile, the Yankees disappointed their fans with a relatively inactive deadline despite a litany of injury woes in their lineup. If anything, you’d favor the Rays to add a game or two to their advantage between now and whenever Cody Bellinger and Aaron Judge can return.
Getting the division leaders at even money to hold on is a good wager, no doubt made less expensive by bettors overreacting to Boston’s deadline moves.
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While the Los Angeles Dodgers went out and got Tarik Skubal, the Atlanta Braves mainly made moves on the fringes.
Even so, Skubal can only pitch every fifth day. And Walt Weiss’s group is playing as well as anyone after recovering from a June swoon, and recently got Ronald Acuna Jr. back into the lineup after the 2023 NL MVP missed six weeks with a hamstring strain. With the Washington Nationals and Miami Marlins both selling at the deadline, there’s reason to believe the Braves could have an easier run to the end of the season than the NL Central’s Milwaukee Brewers and thus have the best shot to beat the Dodgers to the top NL spot.
NL Top Playoff Seed: Atlanta Braves: (+700, FanDuel)
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The Houston Astros have the game’s best hitter in Yordan Alvarez and are one of baseball’s hottest teams. Even so, their recent charge to the top of the AL West could be fool’s gold. Their -26 run differential and 556 runs allowed are both easily the worst among teams currently holding a playoff spot. And as it stands, it’s division title or bust in terms of getting in.
They have a couple of games on two challengers in the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners. But their inability to prevent runs could be magnified down the stretch.
To Miss The Playoffs: Houston Astros (+132, FanDuel)
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Following a tenacious performance at Sandown, Andy Win is now being considered for the Grand National Steeplechase.
The gelding, Andy Win, claimed the $250,000 Grand National Hurdle (4200m) at Sandown on Sunday and has secured qualification for the more demanding steeplechase event.
Trainer Shane Jackson has indicated that if Andy Win recovers well from his recent success, he will be aimed at the $350,000 Grand National Steeplechase (4500m) on August 16, part of the all-jumps program at Ballarat.
Andy Win, a $3 chance under jockey Tom Ryan, won by 1-¼ lengths from Ardakan ($5.50), with Embezzler ($10) a further 13 lengths behind in third.
Jackson suggested that Andy Win’s earlier qualification for the bigger jumps at Coleraine on July 20 might have contributed to the horse being tentative over some fences early in the race.
“We’ll let the horse tell us, but that was the plan coming here,” Jackson said regarding the potential start at Ballarat.
“We ran today with the option of the Grand National Steeplechase at the end of the season.”
“That’s why he had a trial over them and that’s why he probably jumped a few like fences early on in the race, he jumped them a bit careful.”
“After jumping two flights, I thought we were in trouble.”
“He wasn’t travelling at all and he’s had a long hard season, but I do believe if the track was softer, and a slower tempo, he would be more comfortable.”
“I’m glad we’ve qualified him over fences because, the slower tempo in a steeplechase might be right up his alley.”
Jackson was quick to praise jockey Tom Ryan for his efforts in getting Andy Win across the line.
“I don’t think there’s any jockey, apart from Tom Ryan that would have won on him today,” Jackson stated.
“He looked gone up the back and he had to keep him up to the job.”
“Maybe the ground wasn’t quite soft enough for him and there was a lot of speed, but he toughed it out.”
“What a thrill.”
This victory marks Jackson’s second Grand National Hurdle triumph, following Highland Blaze’s win last year.
Highland Blaze had been preparing for a return to Sandown but suffered an injury to a suspensory tendon in a narrow defeat at Flemington last month.
“He did a suspensory, but he’ll be back,” Jackson confirmed. “It’s not career ending and we’ve started the rehab process already.”
With the Grand National Steeplechase approaching, consider checking out betting sites for competitive racing betting markets.
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