The Panthers could turn to first-rounder Monroe Freeling to fill the vacant starting right tackle role

The Boston Red Sox will have to wait to try and match the longest win streak in franchise history.The Red Soxs game with the Baltimore Orioles was postponed on Tuesday due to significant rain and thunderstorms in the Boston area, the team announced. Instead, the two teams will play a doubleheader on Wednesday to wrap up the three-game series.That means that the Red Sox will have a chance to push their win streak to 16 games with a pair of victories on Wednesday. If they can pull that off, itll mark the longest win streak in franchise history.Caleb Durbin hit a late home run to lift the Red Sox past the Orioles 6-5 on Monday night. The comeback victory extended Bostons run of 14 straight wins, and snapped Baltimores seven-game win streak in the process. The contest was also just the second in MLB history in which both teams had win streaks of at least seven games and combined for at least 20 consecutive wins played each other. The last time that happened was back in 1884.Bostons 15-game win streak was set back in 1946. The team came close to breaking that record most recently in 2006, but the streak snapped at 12 wins.The Red Sox will take a 51-48 record into Wednesday afternoons contest with the Orioles, which has them in third in the AL East standings. Their last defeat came back on July 1 in a 10-2 loss to the Washington Nationals.

He's the dean of Southeastern Conference coaches who also has two national titles on his resume, so what Georgia's Kirby Smart says about the state of college football is bound to resonate far outside his own state. On Tuesday at SEC media days, Smart made clear that to become dean of SEC coaches and win those national titles, hes had to focus on the little picture more than the big one because its the only thing he truly can control. "Ive had questions about expansion, more SEC games, portal, college and federal legislation to navigate the NIL era were in. Players leaving, coaches leaving. Thats all people want to talk about," Smart said. "What we focus on in Georgia is what wins football games, and thats my passion and energy." At stake for the Bulldogs in 2026 is a chance to defend their SEC title Smart has four in 10 years between the hedges and to make a run at another natty, where both Georgia and the SEC as a whole have been shut out for the last three seasons. To reach either goal, the coach will need to find answers for an offensive line that lost two starters to the NFL draft and a receiving corps that got Isiah Canion from the transfer portal (Georgia Tech) but needs more to replenish a position missing four of last year's top five pass catchers. The constant will be Gunner Stockton, the quarterback who heads into his redshirt senior year as Georgia's highest-profile player. In a team-building moment bound to take on a life of its own, especially if Georgia plays well this year, Stockton found himself at the front of the raft on a whitewater trip with team leaders earlier this summer. "They said, OK, whos going to be in the front of the boat?'" Smart said. "They explained this might be the most risky position. You may fall out. When you go over a rapid, you may be the first to fall into that water. But he chose to jump into that seat." Stockton said that, indeed, he got wet that day, but it was a chance worth taking. Regarding his coach, and the way he deals with name, image and likeness payments, one of the many elements disrupting college sports while also reshuffling pecking orders in locker rooms across the country, the quarterback said Smart keeps it real. "He basically tells us the truth, which is that once you're out on the field, it doesn't matter how much someone makes, or doesn't make, everyone has to prove themselves," Stockton said. "Once you're on the football field, nobody really cares how much money you make." Smart Continues To Weigh In On The Sport's Biggest Issues For the record, Smart has had much to say about all the changes upending his sport. At a memorable appearance less than two months ago at the SEC annual meetings, he sounded off on several topics, including the backroom conversations about the league breaking off from the rest of the NCAA if college sports can't align behind a single set of rules. "Ive been a huge advocate that if we cant find the rules that everybody plays by, then we should play our own. Im not afraid of that," he said at that time. On other topics he discussed at the meetings: Smart wonders if the new nine-game league schedule will really produce gains in strength of schedule that the SEC is touting. He loves the SEC title game but recognizes it might have to go if the College Football Playoff is expanded beyond 12 teams: "When you take that revenue stream out, can we make it work? Is it sustainable to do without it would be my biggest concern," he said. He's not against players getting money, but he recognizes that college sports could be on an unsustainable path if it doesn't find some guardrails: "We're going to lose that if we keep spending because not everybody can spend at the rate that were spending." Heading into his 11th season with the Bulldogs, Smart has settled into the role as the league's elder statesman once held by his mentor, Nick Saban, who left following the 2023 season after 17 years at Alabama and 22 in the SEC. The 50-year-old Georgia coach recognizes he is in a changing industry and wants to play a role in shaping it. But at SEC Media Days, with the start of practice looming and the first game (against Tennessee State) only 46 days away, Smart felt his focus should be directed elsewhere. "I don't mind talking or speaking to it," he said. "All I'm saying is that at events like this, it eats the air and takes away from what actually wins and loses football games." Reporting by the Associated Press.

After 10,000 simulations, SportsLine's model reveals its top MLB picks today

Ryan Garcia and Oscar De La Hoya's long-running public feud has entered yet another chapter. De La Hoya, Garcia's co-promoter and the founder of Golden Boy Promotions, made his feelings known about Garcia's upcoming WBC welterweight title defense against Conor Benn earlier this month in an Instagram video. "Nobody is asking for this fight," De La Hoya said of the Sept. 12 championship bout. "The fans are definitely not wanting this fight. And if it were up to me, I would have picked Devin Haney for the rematch that's a much bigger fight."Garcia told Uncrowned's "The Ariel Helwani Show" on Tuesday that he was baffled by De La Hoya's public comments criticizing the Benn fight, particularly because Golden Boy is a co-promoter of the event alongside Zuffa Boxing."At the end of the day, I just want a structured team that's behind me and people that aren't going to talk down on me if I'm on their team," Garcia said. "At the end of the day, I don't understand why Oscar De La Hoya now I'm going to name names I don't understand why Oscar would have to go on Instagram live and say, 'Nobody wants to watch this fight.' It's like, what is the point of that? "Think about that. I'm your fighter. You shouldn't say things like that. That doesn't make sense. I have no problems with you. What is the point of saying that? To try to bash me and bring me down? That's only going to make me go higher. I don't understand what's your problem, bro. It doesn't make no sense, but you know what? I'm going to let peace be peace and keep it moving forward."Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs) and De La Hoya have been at odds with each other on multiple occasions since 2019. In the summer of that year, Garcia spoke out about his disappointment at the purses he was receiving despite his growing star power. When Avery Sparrow withdrew from a scheduled bout with Garcia in September 2019, and Garcia rejected Romero Duno as a replacement opponent, the dispute spilled into the public.Golden Boy President Eric Gomez and De La Hoya made comments about Garcia's unwillingness to fight Duno, which received a heated response on social media. On that occasion, the parties resolved matters swiftly and even agreed on a multi-year promotional extension.When Garcia and Golden Boy were embroiled in another public battle in 2023, though, things weren't smoothed out quite as well. Legal letters were exchanged between the two, Garcia attempted to exit his promotional deal, and the animosity was even visible at press conferences. Golden Boy's Oscar De La Hoya and Ryan Garcia continue to be at odds.Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy via Getty ImagesAlthough they ultimately worked through issues and have continued doing business, the relationship has remained strained. "No, of course not [I don't reach out to De La Hoya]," Garcia said. "I've already dealt with this for how many years? I can't keep on telling someone how disrespectful or unwise that decision is. At the end of the day, you do it because you're emotional, and I don't know what is the point of that. Everybody is excited about this fight. This fight is huge. I just don't understand why he would want to bash it.Golden Boy and Ryan Garcia Promotions have a co-promotional deal, which means De La Hoya's company financially benefits from Garcia's fight against Benn, and for at least one more fight after Sept. 12."Of course [De La Hoya] profits off [the Benn fight]," Garcia confirmed."Yeah [it bothers me when he says no one wants to see this fight] because it makes no sense. You're getting paid off it. I don't understand why you're talking s*** about it. It's like, bro, collect your check and move on. Like, what is the point of that? It makes no sense. You're getting paid. "If you're getting paid, why are you talking s***? It makes no sense, bro. And no one's even mad at you. I haven't even talked s*** about him in a long time. I don't understand where that came from. It's like, why are you putting my fight down, bro? I had no problems with you I still don't. I don't really care. I just don't understand why I really don't get it. I don't know the thinking process in that."Garcia told Uncrowned that he believes he is headed toward an exit from Golden Boy after completing his contract. Ironically, the star boxer intends to follow in De La Hoya's footsteps and get his own promotional company, Ryan Garcia Promotions, off the ground after hitting free agency.

Liberty coach Jamey Chadwell says he feels the best he has since the 2023 season while still dealing with some limitations for what has been called a "serious but treatable medical condition" that required surgery at the beginning of this year. Chadwell still has not revealed the exact issue, but said during Conference USA's football media day Tuesday that determining what it was and the treatment since has made a difference in how the 49-year-old coach feels going into his fourth season with the Flames. "I feel physically probably the best I've felt since '23," he said. "Now there's still some body, physical limitations Im going through that Im still working through, but as far as my mind and the way I was feeling compared to the last couple years, night and day." Chadwell said because of that, he is looking forward "more probably to this season than a long time, because I feel like Im back, at least health-wise, to what I was prior to." Last January, about six weeks after the end of the 2025 season, Liberty announced in a statement that Chadwell was recovering from a successful procedure to address the medical issue. He was able to return in time to lead the Flames through spring practice. "This is probably the best as far as physically, as far as inside, probably in the last two years that Ive felt," he said. "I had a lot going on the last two years and we couldnt figure out what it was." After his 13-1 debut with the Flames in 2023 that included the Conference USA championship before their only loss was to Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl, Chadwell said he spent the entire 2024 season going through blood work and other tests trying to figure out what was going on. The answer finally came right before the start of last season. "Not ideal, but it was a blessing to figure out what was going on," he said. Liberty went 8-4 in 2024, but finished 4-8 last season after losing its last four games by a combined 23 points. "When you don't know what's going on when you're trying to figure it out, you're thinking about everything," he said. "I'm disappointed that I allowed it to interfere with us last year. But it won't happen again." Liberty senior tight end Caleb Ryan said the way Chadwell has handled adversity, with players going alongside him during it, has brought the team closer together. "I think that fire in him is burning a little hotter this year, just wanting to go out there, put our best out there," Ryan said. Before replacing Hugh Freeze at Liberty, Chadwell was 39-22 in five years at Coastal Carolina with consecutive 11-win seasons. "Hes a guy that his players respect. Hes a true professional," said Western Kentucky's Tyson Helton, the longest-tenured C-USA coach going into his eighth season. "He seems great and he's excited, and got a lot of energy. ... I have tremendous respect for him." Reporting by the Associated Press.

While the league has faced plenty of deserved criticism this season and in years past, this one is on the players

FANTASY BASEBALL WAIVER WIRE PICKUPSZebby Matthews (SP Twins): Rostered in 13 percent of Yahoo leaguesWhile I've mostly lost my enthusiasm for Matthews as a long-term mixed-league starting pitcher since the start of the year, there's probably never been a better time to roster him than right now. He's set to make his next start at home Friday against an injury-riddled A's lineup, followed by back-to-back outings against the Royals. That's about as kind of a schedule as a starter can get at the moment.Baseball is back!MLB returns toNBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, Opening Day and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.Ignoring the schedule, it's easy to see why Matthews is widely available in fantasy leagues at this point. He might have been unlucky to post a 5.56 ERA in his 16 starts for the Twins last year, given his nice 24.9 percent strikeout rate and 6.8 percent walk rate. This year, though, he's fanning just 19.5 percent of the batters he's faced, and he's clearly earned his 5.40 ERA while giving up 15 homers in 70 innings. His velocity is down a bit more than one mph, and his formerly excellent slider is just an average pitch as a result. He still has very good command, but it's just not enough against quality lineups.Fortunately, Matthews won't be facing any of those until mid-August comes around. The A's are without Nick Kurtz, Brent Rooker and others, and they're dead last in the majors when it comes to scoring runs on the road. Kansas City's best bats aren't 100 percent, and the Royals don't hit a whole bunch of homers even when things are going well. Matthews probably won't remain worth rostering after the stretch is over, but he's a smart short-term pickup.Nolan Schanuel (1B Angels): Rostered in 10 percent of Yahoo leaguesThis is previously covered territory, since Schanuel was featured in the very first Waiver Wire article of the year. That proved to be a false start; Schanuel soon came down with a mysterious ankle injury that he played through for at least a month before going on the IL in late May. The Angels brought him back after just 13 days, even though everyone knew he wasn't 100 percent, and he missed some additional games and treaded water until June 19, when he finally seemed to turn things around. He's since hit .352/.430/.477 with two homers and five doubles in 23 games.Schanuel's success during the surge is partly BABIP driven, but he seems deserving. Of the 196 batters with 75 plate appearances during the timeframe, Schanuel is 28th with a .374 xwOBA. He's fanned just 11 percent of the time. He's not matching exit velocities with most of the players around him on the list and he probably never will, but his current 33 percent hard-hit rate is up nicely from 29 percent last year and 25 percent in 2024. He's currently fourth in the majors with a 25.3 percent line drive rate.While Schanuel did a fair amount of sitting against lefties early on, he's now playing full-time and hitting third against right-handers. He doesn't offer the power upside one likes from a corner infielder, and it's also a bummer that, probably because of the ankle, he's gone without a steal this year after collecting 10 as a rookie and five last year. Still, Schanuel figures to keep hitting for a solid average and is a better position for runs and RBI while batting in a premium spot. Ryan Zeferjahn (RP Angels): Rostered in two percent of Yahoo leaguesLet's stick with the Angels here and the newest favorite for saves in the team's bullpen. Despite giving up a homer to the Tigers' Riley Greene leading off the ninth, Zeferjahn notched his third save of the year Sunday. That came two days after Kirby Yates, who seemed to be reemerging as the preferred choice in the ninth, blew a save and took a loss a loss in the ninth.The big reason Zeferjahn wasn't getting save chances prior to Sunday was poor control, but he's locked it in lately. Since July 8, he's made five straight appearances without walking or hitting a batter, striking out seven in 5 1/3 innings during the process. In his previous 35 appearances this year, he'd walked 31 (three intentionally) and plunked seven batters in 40 2/3 innings. Maybe it won't last, but even with his wildness, he's been more reliable than the typical Angels reliever since debuting in 2024. With his high-90s fastball and mid-80s slider, he's amassed a 30 percent strikeout rate (32 percent this year) and posted a 4.05 ERA in 120 career innings.Things still could get complicated in an Angels bullpen that has been wide open all year. The rehabbing Ben Joyce could finally return from shoulder surgery at the beginning of August and blow away the rest of the competition. Also, Zeferjahn has been mentioned as a trade candidate, since his strikeout ability would make him really intriguing for contenders looking to load up for October. Zeferjahn will make the major league minimum through next year and won't be eligible for free agency until after 2030, so the Angels would want a significant return. For now, though, the best guess is that he'll stay put and remain a factor in the ninth for the Halos.Waiver Wire Quick Hits- Called up to make his major league debut last Friday, Tommy White is getting some attention while filling in for Kurtz on the A's, but I'd rather have Schanuel. The 2024 second-round pick has some power, but it's neutralized by his tendency to hit the ball on the ground. He was basically just a league-average hitter at Triple-A Las Vegas this year.- Pittsburgh's Mason Montgomery went from earning his first save in his final appearance before the All-Star break to opening a game against the Guardians in his first appearance of the season half. He's probably the Pirates' best option at the end of games right now, so even though he's a tough sell in shallow leagues right now, he's just another or two save chances away from being a smart pickup.

Athletics infielder Joshua Kuroda-Grauer's hot start to his MLB career has been paused due to an unusual injury. In Monday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Kuroda-Grauer fouled a pitch directly into his groin. He remained in the game, and managed to hit a single. But after that at-bat, Donovan Walton replaced Kuroda-Grauer as he went to receive an ultrasound to determine the severity of his injury. Then, on Tuesday, the Athletics announced, Kuroda-Grauer had to undergo surgery for a "ruptured testicle" and will be placed on the 10-day injured list. Before the injury, Kuroda-Grauer had a .417 batting average in his first 16 MLB games. He was called up from AAA Las Vegas on June 29 to help the Athletics with injuries to infielders Jacob Wilson and Zack Gelof. He handled responsibilities at both shortstop and third base, while hitting seven extra base hits and four RBIs. Now he's picked up his own injury, which could end his run at the major league level for now as Wilson has returned from injury and Gelof is also on his way back. It's unfortunate timing for Kuroda-Grauer, who had hit his first MLB home run in Monday's game before rupturing his testicle. Kuroda-Grauer will be eligible to return from the injured list on July 30.