Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras made an unprompted and tearful apology on Saturday for his role in two recent bench clearings, according to Tim Healey of the Boston Globe.Contreras was at the plate for both incidents against the New York Yankees last Friday and the Washington Nationals on Tuesday, the latter of which landed him a seven-game suspension from MLB. He is currently playing while appealing the suspension.Per Healey, Contreras alluded to a difficult week as a factor for his behavior:"Very emotional time for me," he said. "Those situations could have been avoided and controlled and handled better.""It's been a really tough week, emotional week for me. I hope that they understand how emotional it has been, and I'll prove myself with my actions on the field from here moving forward and show the kind of person that I truly am."Its unclear if Contreras specified why its been a difficult week, but one would assume it has to do with the recent earthquakes in his native Venezuela.Soon after his apology, Contreras continued a career season with a three-run homer against the Los Angeles Angels. He was widely considered a major All-Star snub, but could be in line to take a spot after the withdrawal of starter Vladimir Guerrero Jr.The first incident against the Yankees saw Contreras and pitcher Will Warren exchange words after the slugger took a high and inside fastball his elbow protector. Both benches and bullpens immediately cleared, though the situation didnt escalate further than some heated discussions.The Nationals incident was far more heated and controversial.The confrontation began when Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli struck out Contreras and yelled Sit down boy! Contreras changed his trajectory from the dugout to Cavalli and began exchanging words. This time, the bench clearing actually led to something that could actually be described as a brawl, with Conteras having to be pulled away from the scrum. Contreras, Red Sox pitcher Nate Eaton, interim Red Sox manager Chad Tracy and Nationals pitcher Miles Mikolas were all ejected from the game.The Red Sox made their outrage over Cavallis Boy comment clear after the game, which led to Cavalli apologizing and insisting he had no knowledge of the racial undertones associated with that phrase. Like Contreras, Cavalli was also suspended seven games. Mikolas also got five games while Eaton got three games.

In the last 2026 World Cup match in Philadelphia, Paraguay played a style that has been seen many times before at the citys football stadium. La Albirroja's physical approach in their 1-0 loss to France in the Round of 16 looked more like what might be seen on a Sunday in the fall from the NFLs Philadelphia Eagles, who play their home games at Lincoln Financial Field. Eagles coach Nick Siranni might have liked what he saw. Les Bleus sure didnt. "I had never played a match like this, with so many hits," France midfielder Manu Kon said. "I mean, cheap shots, shoves in the back. So, yes, it was complicated." Paraguay seemed to target star forward Kylian Mbapp, who converted a penalty kick in the 70th minute. Andrs Cubas grabbed Mbapp in the offensive third, resulting in mass confrontation in the 35th minute. Later in the first half, Matias Galarza made contact with Mbapp off the ball, sending him sprawling to the turf. And in the 77th minute, Juan Jos Cceres kicked the France forward in the right shin. None of these fouls resulted in yellow cards. In fact, France received the only three yellow cards issued during the match. Paraguay got one after the final whistle for dissent toward the referee. Paraguays tactics came as no surprise to its opponent. "We knew what kind of match it was going to be," Mbapp said. "We can also get our hands dirty. We know how to do it. We know how to play ugly football. Guess they were thinking we were going to show up in tuxedos, but we were ready. Even at that kind of game, we were better than them." Things remained heated both figuratively and literally, with the game played in scorching temperatures after the match. Players from both sides converged near the center circle, and Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill threw a ball at Mbapps back. "I tried to shake his hand, but since he didnt pay me any attention, I lost my temper," Gill said. Tempers werent exactly under control during the match, either. La Albirroja planned to make it tough. "From the very first moment, we set out to make our presence felt on the pitch to play hard," Gill said. "If the ball gets through, the man doesnt. And, honestly, I think the team handled itself well." France felt otherwise. "They pull out every trick in the book," France coach Didier Deschamps said. "Its not the kind of football that draws people to the stadium. Each team played the way they want. But there were insults from the other bench that I could do without." There also appeared to be bad words flying on the pitch, with Mbapp and Galarza verbally sparring at one point. It seemed, at times, as if the referee could have used some yellow flags, like in American football, in addition to yellow cards. "We fought a battle," Frances William Saliba said. "We won the battle." Reporting by The Associated Press.

SportsLine's soccer experts have revealed their World Cup picks and World Cup predictions for Saturday, July 4

Pic by @Dbacks, via TwitterThe National League All-Star roster was announced tonight. The inclusion of Corbin Carroll wasnt really a surprise. He gets his third selection in four years, coming into tonight ranked 6th for bWAR among position players in the league, at 3.3 wins. But in addition, Eduardo Rodriguez was also named to the squad, and thats a bit of a surprise not least because this is his first selection in his 11th season in the majors. However, his 2.21 ERA is fourth in the NL, and his 3.7 bWAR is fifth among pitchers, so youd be hard-pushed to argue that Rodriguez does not deserve his spot. Through 86 games, Eduardos ERA is the lowest by a qualified pitcher on the Diamondbacks for 17 years, since Dan Haren 2.16 figure in 2009. Randy Johnsons 1.77 in 2000 is the only other which is better than the current campaign by Rodriguez. Its a startling and very welcome turnaround for Eduardo, who struggled to an ERA above five in both 2024 and 2025. After signing a four-year, $80 million contract in December 2023, he is now well on the way towards rescuing it from the abyss of all-time awfulness, on the edge of which this deal was certainly teetering. Hopefully itll continue for the remainder of its duration.Carrolls season has been almost as fabulous as the one he put up last year, which got him an All-Star selection, a Silver Slugger award and sixth place in the NL MVP voting. His OPS is just fifteen points down (.883 vs. 868) on the 2025 figure, and his ten triples not only lead the majors, they have propelled him to the all-time franchise career mark in that department. The honor pulls Corbin into a tie with team-mate Ketel Marte on three All-Star nominations. Among position players, only Paul Goldschmidt (6) and Luis Gonzalez (5) have more, with Randy Johnson (5) joining that pair from the mound.

Sunday at the 2026 FIFA Mens World Cup features two very unpredictable games in the round of 16. Brazil and Norway will open the day in New Jersey with Erling Haaland looking to continue his impressive scoring run against the five-time champions who suffered a real scare in the round of 32 against Japan. The second game takes us to Mexico City where England will need to play much better than it has so far at the tournament against a Mexico team that has won all four of its games without conceding a goal. Here is all you need to know for Sunday at the World Cup. When: Sunday, July 5, 4 p.m. ET Where: New York/New Jersey TV: FOX Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One This will be a matchup of elite attacking teams when Brazil and Norway meet at New York New Jersey Stadium in the round of 16. When looking at their histories against each other and at this stage of the tournament, there are lot of conflicting trends. Beginning with its 2-1 win over Brazil at the 1998 World Cup, Norway enters this game unbeaten in its last four games (two wins, two draws) against the five-time World Cup champions. Brazil, meanwhile, has won nine of its last 10 round of 16 games at the World Cup but has lost all six of its World Cup knockout games (including the 2014 third place game) against European opponents following its win over Germany in the 2002 final. Norway enters this game with the strongest team it has ever had. At this World Cup, Haaland is playing in his first major international tournament and has not disappointed, having scored five goals in three games, and he now has 60 goals for Norway in just 53 caps. In this game, the task for Norway is to absorb Brazils pressure and look to break out quickly on counter attacks. Stle Solbakken's team will likely sit in a mid-block and look for central midfielders Martin degaard and Sander Berge to lead quick transitions that typically are fed out wide before looking to set up Haaland. While Haaland has been excellent at the World Cup, the key to Norways success to this point has been its excellent play from out wide, especially on the left side. Left winger Antonio Nusa and left back David Mller Wolfe have both been dangerous in creating opportunities for themselves and for Haaland. Another issue for Norway is the current heat wave currently hitting the eastern part of the United States. Will that play a role? Can Norway handle the physical demands of playing in high temperatures? For Brazil, the team will likely need another big performance from Vincius Junior, who has been excellent at this World Cup with four goals and an assist. While Vini Jr. featured four years ago in Qatar, this World Cup was when he was supposed to spearhead Brazils attack. So far, he lived up to expectations. The problem for Norway, is that Brazil is historically always deep, and this team is no different. Even if Vin Jr. is held off the scoreboard, Brazil boasts several other top scoring options. In the narrow 2-1 win over Japan in the round of 32, Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli and Manchester United midfielder Casemiro were the goal scorers while Newcastle United's Bruno Guimaraes and Arsenal's Gabriel picked up assists. On the injury front, Brazil is missing two starters as both Lucas Paqueta and Raphinha are sidelined with hamstring injuries. The biggest question heading into this game is how Brazil will defensively try to stop Norway in transition. If Carlo Ancelottis team struggles with that, Norway can definitely pull off the upset. The problem for Brazil is that it is no secret how Norway plays. No team has been able to stop the Scandinavian side when it fields a top lineup. Haaland has scored goals in the last 13 consecutive competitive internationals he has played for Norway, scoring 25 goals in that run. This is a clash of two top offensive teams, but it will be decided on which team plays the best defense. Player to Watch While Brazil has many ways it can beat opponents, Norway is far more limited. Fortunately for The Vikings, its main weapon, Haaland, is one of the best forwards of his generation. If he can find openings in Brazils defense, it might be enough to spark an upset. He is certainly going to be the most consequential player in this game. When: Sunday, July 5, 8 p.m. ET Where: Mexico City TV: FOX Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One Sundays nightcap between Mexico and England features a matchup between two teams who have deep aspirations of making a deep run in this tournament. Played at the iconic Mexico City Stadium where Pel and Diego Maradona were crowned World Cup champions, this will be the biggest test either team has faced so far in this tournament. Entering this game, Mexico has been flawless at this World Cup, defeating all four of its opponents with clean sheets in every game. It has outscored its opponents 8-0 during the tournament. Mexicos star player has been winger Julin Quiones, who was the leading scorer in the Saudi Pro League for the 2025-26 season with 33 goals in 31 games for Al Qadsiah. But here at the World Cup, Quiones has three goals and an assist, with his best performance coming in the 2-0 win over Ecuador in the round of 32 where he shined against a team that conceded just five goals in 18 World Cup qualifiers in South America. But Mexico has several different scoring options. At age 35, forward Raul Jimnez has two goals and has been playing as if he was a decade younger. Chivas attacking midfielder Roberto Alvarado has three assists in this tournament and has been critical to keeping Mexico on the front foot in each game. Then there is midfielder Gilberto Mora, who at age 17 is the youngest player in the tournament and is a budding star. Mora earned the start against Ecuador and was dangerous throughout the first half. For Mexico to be successful against an English team that hopes to lift the trophy on July 19, it is going to require another big effort from its defense, which has been the best in the tournament. This will be, by far, the best attack Mexico has faced. Central defenders Csar Montes and Johan Vsquez, along with fullbacks Jorge Snchez and Jess Gallardo deserve a lot of credit for the teams defensive success for posting four clean sheets has been a total team effort. Javier Aguirre has his team playing with so much raw intensity that no team has been able to match it. England has a very tough assignment in this game. Mexico has not lost a competitive home game since 2013. The venue for this game gives Mexico one of the sports greatest home field advantages. The Three Lions have struggled since its 4-2 win over Croatia in its opening game. The scoreless draw with Ghana showed an offense that can sputter when Harry Kane in not on the top of his game. The win over Panama was pedestrian. In the round of 32 against DR Congo, England needed two late goals from Kane to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 win and avoid an embarrassingly early exit. For England, the team is deep with wingers, but none of the options have been consistent at this tournament and that makes it hard for head coach Thomas Tuchel to know who to start. For example, in the win over Croatia, starter Anthony Gordon struggled while Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford were excellent off the bench to propel England to the win. Then against DR Congo, England was on the verge of a loss before Gordon replaced Rashford in the 60th minute and assisted on both of Kane's goals. Tuchel faces a difficult task of getting his starting lineup right and, aside from the expected win over Panama, Tuchel has yet to do so in this tournament. Playing Mexico in Mexico City will be Englands toughest challenge so far, and Tuchel cannot afford to have England start the game poorly as digging out of a hole might be too difficult. Another difficult challenge for England in this game, apart from a good Mexico team and a large and mostly hostile crowd, is altitude. That has not been an issue with the location of its first four games, but now England will have to play at 7,220 feet above sea level and that has historically been very, very difficult for opposing teams to handle. It is not going to be easy for England, and Tuchel will need to be prepared with a starting lineup that is very fit and a roadmap of when to strategically use its substitutes. Player to Watch Along with Haaland, Kane is one of the best center forwards of his generation. Thus far in the tournament, Kane has been very effective in bailing England out of otherwise subpar performances. In this game, Kane will face the tournaments best defensive team that will be highly focused on stopping him. But even if Kane can be stopped from scoring, he can also be very valuable drifting back into midfield and helping create plays. If Kane struggles in this game, it could be a very long day for the Three Lions. On the other hand, if Kane can find the back of the net early, it will make life easier for England to deal with the crowd and the altitude the rest of the way.

Sean Burke put on a pitching clinic against a chippy Guardians offense. | Jamie Sabau-Imagn ImagesAfter two nights of being walked off, the White Sox reversed course, pushing to a 3-1 lead late and then locking the win up with zero drama. In the process, Sean Burke dazzled through six with a career-high strikeout night, Colson Montgomery celebrated a year since his debut by putting two of the three runs on the board, and Grant Taylor saved the lead by blanking Cleveland in the ninth.But before we break down the game, lets take a moment to celebrate Miguel Vargas, who was selected to represent the White Sox in the All-Star Game!A first-inning walk to Vargas would haunt Parker Messick as Colson Montgomery celebrated the first anniversary of his MLB debut with a broken-bat RBI double:Your browser does not support the video tag. Download the video.Burke dazzled in the second inning, with two strikeouts, then notched his 100th strikeout of the season in the bottom of the third with back-to-back Ks, blanking Cleveland once more.Burke collected his seventh strikeout in the bottom of the fourth, but in the next frame Austin Hedges knotted the game with a homer. Cleveland threatened to take the lead after a Steven Kwan one-out triple, but he was caught in a pickle after the Guardians called for an ill-advised contact play. Burke tidied things up with a punch out of Chase DeLauter, A rundown with Kwan and a strikeout kept Burke away from any further damage, ending the frame at 1-1.View LinkBurke smelled a career high in Ks in the sixth, striking out the first three batters he saw to push is total to 11. However, because Drew Romo couldnt find the ears on a K of Kahlil Watson, Watson scampered safely to first. Despite the speedster then stealing second and third, but Burke escaped the jam by coaxing Cooper Ingle to ground out to first.Your browser does not support the video tag. Download the video.The White Sox offense ultimately did enough for the win, but didnt act with enough haste to earn Burke a much-deserved win. Speaking of that sleepy offense, Colson Montgomery opened the eighth by driving in his second run of the game, a solo homer to make it 2-1:View LinkPeters doubled to start the ninth and advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt. Romo picked up a four-pitch walk, and with a sac fly, Vargas sent Peters home for a much-needed insurance run. Brandon Eisert was fabulous in his two innings of relief of Burke (and vultured the win from him), then handed the ball to Grant Taylor for the save. stepped in to close out the ninth. The win broke a a nine-game losing streak at Progressive Field for the White Sox over the last two years, and knotted the two clubs back up at the top of the AL Central.Who was your White Sox MVP?Colson Montgomery: 2 H, 2 RBITristan Peters: 2 H, 1 R, 1 BBMiguel Vargas: 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BBSean Burke: 6 IP, 11 K (career high), 1 ERpollcode.com free pollsWho was your White Sox Cold Cat?Junior Perez: 0-for-4Chase Meidroth: 0-for-5, 1 KBraden Montgomery: 1-for-4, 1 KRandal Grichuk: 1-for-3pollcode.com free polls

SEATTLE As the story goes, Ricardo Pepi hung up the phone on former U.S. mens national team coach Gregg Berhalter when he was informed that he didnt make the 2022 World Cup roster. Less than four years later, Pepi was driving in the car with his father when he received a WhatsApp notification from Mauricio Pochettino. The message? He was part of the 26-man squad heading to this summers tournament on home soil. "I showed it to him and he immediately started crying a little bit," said Pepi who was coached by his dad when he was a kid back in May ahead of the USA's World Cup campaign. "Being left off is obviously not nice, but [Ive been] using that in a good way to be able to be in this World Cup. I felt like it helped me grow. It matured me a little bit. So it was part of the process." Pepi has appeared in all four of the USAs World Cup games so far, starting two. He may get a massive opportunity on Monday against Belgium in the round of 16 catchup at Seattle Stadium due to starting striker Folarin Balogun's suspension after being shown a controversial red card in last weeks resilient win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. There are a few different ways Pochettino could adjust his lineup to account for Balogun's absence. The simplest option would be to keep the other 10 starters intact and plug in either Pepi or Haji Wright up top, even though each brings a different skill set. Or Pochettino could opt for a more creative tweak, similar to when he paired Pepi and Balogun together against Australia after Christian Pulisic was sidelined with a calf injury. We won't know Pochettino's tactical approach until kickoff, but if Pepi gets the start, his teammates have full confidence in him. "His tenacity and energy has been unreal to be honest," Tyler Adams told reporters ahead of training this week on the campus of the University of Washington. "Ive played with Pepi quite a bit, but what hes done against the ball has been huge for us and also for our wingers so they dont have to do necessarily as much work. Hes holding the ball up really well and when he gets in front of goal, we know he can score. "Obviously he hasnt done it yet, but we know that hes a good finisher in and around the goal." Pepi had a chance in the second half against Paraguay, but otherwise has struggled to make much of an impact this tournament. His recent club form, however, suggests that could change. The 23-year-old Texan is coming off a stellar season with PSV Eindhoven, helping the Dutch club win a third straight Eredivisie title. He scored 19 goals in 34 appearances across all competitions despite missing most of January and February with a broken arm. Before the injury, he had scored in six consecutive league matches. He regained his form after returning from injury, finishing the club season with six goals in his final five appearances. He carried that momentum into the Americans' pre-tournament friendly against Senegal and although he didn't score, his chemistry with Pulisic was evident as he recorded an assist and helped spark the attack. "Pepi is a killer," Pochettino told reporters in May. "He's a player that has the capacity to read where the space is to the ball, arrive to the ball, and have the possibility to score and to create chances, sometimes, from nowhere." And big European clubs have noticed. Earlier this year, for example, rumors swirled about a potential summer transfer to Fulham. It never materialized, but a strong performance against Belgium could reignite interest. "His finishing is really good he can be really important with his finishing for us," Sergio Dest, who plays with Pepi at PSV, said Saturday. "And also hes comfortable playing. He played some great games already. He fits in the team well. Hes a different type of striker, but now, if he plays [against Belgium], its his chance to show what hes capable of." Losing your leading goalscorer during the knockout stage of a World Cup might sound like the worst-case scenario, but the Americans arent stressed. Pochettino has built the group to value the team over individuals and its seeped into their identity. "One mans down, the next steps up," defender Chris Richards said after the win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. "Were more than just one player." Balogun, who spoke to the media on Friday, said he will do everything to support the team and Pepi in particular if his name is called. "Whatever he needs, whatever he needs," Balogun said. "Im not the sort of person whos going to bombard you Im quite a reserved person in general but whatever he needs. And not just him, but anyone in the team. They need any advice or anything in any way I can help. I'm more than happy to do that. "I've always said the team comes first, so whether I'm out there or not, it will be no different."

CHICAGO (AP) The St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs were delayed by fog at Wrigley Field for 15 minutes after the sixth inning Saturday night.The Cardinals led 2-0 when play was stopped.The crowd of 38,872 joined in singing John Denvers Take Me Home, Country Roads as the delay began. The song has emerged during the World Cup soccer tournament, with U.S. players joining tens of thousands of fans in singing it at the end of matches.The rare Saturday night game at the iconic North Side ballpark started an hour late due to rain, then fog billowed in from the north starting in the second inning and got denser. Players seemed to struggle tracking fly balls, but there were no misplays.The umpires conferred with St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol and Chicago's Craig Counsell, then the delay was announced on video boards as the result of weather in the area.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

In 1776, the French played a pivotal role in helping the Americans gain independence. Now 250 years later, on the fourth of July and in the city of Philadelphia where the Declaration of Independence was signed, France used that as a motivator and, through hard work and perseverance, it came out victorious against a stubborn Paraguay with a hard-fought 1-0 win thanks to Kylian Mbapp's penalty shot. This wasnt a classic French win, but it was a gritty one, born out of necessity as opposed to style. There was some drama and an unnecessary scuffle, but the two-time champions came through. As a result, France is once again in the quarterfinal stage of the World Cup. It is its fourth straight appearance in the last eight. And now comes a tasty matchup against Morocco on Thursday in Boston. For Paraguay, it leaves with its head high, with the remarkable win over Germany as a great gift to take back to Asuncin. Here are my takeaways. 1. Great Teams Find A Way To Win I will get to Paraguays plan and how it made it difficult against France in a moment, but theres no doubt that, despite the win, today was a wake-up call for France. It knows that it has to do more in order to persevere. France won but struggled to find its identity. Think about this. Per FotMob, France attempted the most shots outside the box at the World Cup due to Paraguays low-block. France has to figure out how to break these teams faster than in this match. I think this win came as a result of Deschamps halftime talk, pushing his team to be more adventurous. Thats why Dsir Dous introduction in the 61st minute was key. The PSG star won the penalty with a wonderful, individual dribbling run inside the box and forced the foul inside the box. Sometimes, you have to let your players express themselves and be risky in attack. And thats exactly what happened. 2. Good On Mbapp For Staying Cool The French superstar and captain scored the penalty that made it 1-0 and sealed the victory for his team. It was his 7th goal of the tournament, making him level with Lionel Messi but also, and amazingly, he is now one goal behind Messis all-time World Cup scoring record (20) with 19 goals. The fact that it's Messis sixth World Cup and this is only Mbapps third is unbelievable. But was also impressive is Mbapp not falling into some of the gamesmanship of Paraguay's defenders. He kept his composure at the end of some tough physical contact that was meant to fluster and throw off the star. He often did it with either a smile or a smirk, knowing that it was all part of the strategy to get under his skin. 3. Paraguay's Defensive Strategy Was Right Call Paraguay knows who it is and what it can and cannot do. And against France, clearly a stronger team with the ball, it decided to create a formidable wall, denying the two-time World Cup champion from making a shot on target until the 55th minute. It packed the box with six to seven players and never allowed Mbapp, Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembl to get into rhythm. It often broke passes and did a lot of off-the-ball work to keep the French at bay, relying fully on the counter. The Guaran ended up losing as, due to the heat and Frances inevitable talent, it was just too hard to continue with the same level of vigor and resilience. Regardless, even though it bows out of the competition, it can be very proud of what it achieved at this tournament. 4. Do Les Bleus Need A Plan B As It Goes Further? Next for France is Morocco, a team that loves to play with the ball, so the Atlas Lions will be a better-suited matchup than Paraguay due to the opponents philosophies. But after that, who knows? Deschamps knows that other teams might prove to be extremely stubborn in the final third and make it very difficult to get the ball moving. France is the kind of team that doesnt need to adjust just because of its core of talent, especially the attacking line. However, if any other opponent takes on France and imitates Paraguays strategy, Les Bleus have to find a more direct approach in the future. It also has to protect the ball in a better way as the latter stages showed careless work in the midfield. I think Morocco who lost to France in the 2022 semifiinals will look at this and take multiple notes.

After surviving a brutal, physical clash with Paraguay in the sweltering heat, William Saliba and Les Bleus must prepare for an even tougher quarterfinal test against Morocco