Red Sox fans shed shirts in numbers as part of largest 'tarps off' demonstration in history of movement originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.While the "tarps off" movement seemed to have subsided in recent weeks compared to the beginning of the summer, Boston Red Sox fans revitalized the movement during their game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.Typically, the "tarps off" movement is kept to one or two sections to make the number of participating fans more dense. Boston's Friday night showing, however, was spread out across the Fenway Park stands from edge to edge.It can never hurt to take a look back at how the "tarps off" movement started, along with how vast Boston's effort looked.Here's how Boston displayed its take on the "tarps off" movement.SN's MLB HQ:Live MLB scores|Updated MLB standings|Full MLB scheduleRed Sox fans shed shirts in numbers during game vs. Blue JaysDuring their game against the Blue Jays on Friday, hundreds of Boston fans took their shirts off and waved the garments around in a circular motion. Some fans questioned their existence, while others knew this was the start of the famous "tarps off" movement.Each fan that stood up and partook created a domino-like effect, and the number of shirts in the air steadily rose at Fenway Park. Here's a look at the Fenway fanatics who took their tarps off on a warm July night:LMAO @TarpsOff at Fenway again! @BBisntBoring#redsox#tarpsoffpic.twitter.com/2TdBxwlzIp John Tackeff (@jtackeff) July 25, 2026The Red Sox fans have the tarps off early, and there is a LOT of themincluding one woman pic.twitter.com/zKQgIGlRRJ ' (@RomansReign617) July 25, 2026An absolutely alarming number of Red Sox fans have gone tarps off.It's not just one section of bros who all have the same haircut.It has broken containment. Thousands of tarps are being waved. Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) July 25, 2026MORE:What did Tarik Skubal say about the trade deadline?What is 'tarps off'?"Tarps off" is when a group of fans takes their shirts off and waves the article of clothing in a circle. The motion should emulate that of a rally towel.The key to an impactful "tarps off" showing is when a group of fans all partake in the deed while standing near each other in the same section. Along with that, volume is key. The louder the cheers and the more people who partake, the more likely a "tarps off" movement is to be noticed by an MLB team's broadcast or rally its team.MORE:Donald Trump takes jab at Mets during Georgia rallyHow did 'tarps off' start?In the MLB, the trend began at Busch Stadium when shirtless St. Louis Cardinals fans came together through a duo of sections in an attempt to rally their team to a walk-off win on May 15. A Stephen F. Austin University club baseball team is credited with starting the trend, and fans from across the stadium joined in after noticing the fun.Happening now at Busch Stadium. Several sections of shirtless men. Rooting for a walkoff. #stlcardspic.twitter.com/6fPD1LychB Aaron Belz (@belzpoems) May 16, 2026The Cardinals won on an 11th-inning walk-off single by Yohel Pozo, so the team leaned into the trend in future games. St. Louis hosted the Stephen F. Austin club baseball team the following week and let a shirtless member of the Lumberjacks team throw out the first pitch. Just one day later, the Cardinals announced that a designated section of the bleachers in right field would become a "dedicated high-energy fan section."Want to join the movement? Starting tonight, the upper right field bleachers at Busch Stadium will become a dedicated high-energy fan section, inspired by the Tarps Off atmosphere fans have brought to the ballpark.Any fan in the ballpark, regardless of seat location, can pic.twitter.com/wW2jPMNLkD St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) May 20, 2026The trend didn't fully start in baseball, though. It truly began in college football in 2025, when one Oklahoma State fan was dared to go to an empty section of the stadium and take off his shirt. More fans started joining him, and the "tarps off" trend became a theme, often at games with few fans in the stands hosted by bad teams. Oklahoma State went 1-11 in 2025 and had already fired coach Mike Gundy by the time its "tarps off" trend started.How the Oklahoma State shirtless fan frenzy all started How can you not love College Football?!(Via: abbymariiie/X, callistaperigo/X) pic.twitter.com/Yc1FWN6vQn Whistle (@WhistleSports) October 12, 2025Fans at Wisconsin, UCLA, Virginia Tech, and more soon joined in on the fun at their own home games, and the rest was history.MORE:MLB's best player year-by-year

CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 11: James Harden #1 and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrate a basket against the Detroit Pistons during the first quarter in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Rocket Arena on May 11, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesFor the third time in his illustrious career, LeBron James ripped the hearts out of Cleveland Cavaliers fans everywhere. This time is undoubtedly worse than in 2018 when he left for Los Angeles, which seemed expected. But James was saying and doing the things one would expect of someone making their way back to where it all began, a sentimental return to make even the coldest NBA hearts melt just a little.[Insert fart noise here]The Cavs waited patiently, or maybe impatiently behind the scenes, for James to decide what to do with his NBA career. They watched Dean Wade, a stout wing defender, leave for the Philadelphia 76ers (an omen of things to come, apparently). Keon Ellis, whom many around the league thought was a sneaky-good get last year, went to the Brooklyn Nets. Cleveland has not signed or traded for anyone new, with their only acquisitions being a second-round draft pick. James Harden is still a free agent, and the Cavs have the inside track on re-signing him.But the thunderous collapse of plaster and concrete around them is LeBron James with the rejection, signing with the Sixers on a deal similar in length and dollar amount to DeAndre Jordan. It was a catastrophic blow to the Cavs otherwise silent offseason.Now the pivot is on, and the options are bleak.Jonathan Kuminga is a perennial what-if prospect who has clashed with coaches and had trouble staying healthy, but he would certainly help. Max Strus and Dennis Schroder are reportedly still available via trade, though the Cavs may have to keep them now. There are trades out there, there always are, but the NBAs business for the summer is mostly done. The Cavs gambled that they were getting James, and bet wrong.Normally, a team that makes the Conference Finals running it back is fine. But these Cavs are not fine, nor were they dispatched in a way that makes you think they are close to the NBA Finals. In fact, they may not be a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference. The star power in the starting lineup will win them a lot of games, but their ceiling is certainly capped come playoff time, barring a dramatic acquisition or internal improvement from Evan Mobley.Meanwhile, James Sixers move to the top of the conference. The New York Knicks just won a championship. The Boston Celtics still have Jayson Tatum and find ways to win games. The Toronto Raptors are still probably getting Kawhi Leonard. Down in South Beach, Giannis Antetokounmpo is motivated with a better roster around him. We havent even gotten to the Detroit Pistons who were the top seed in the East last year or the Atlanta Hawks who won more games against the Knicks in the playoffs last season than anyone else.The Cavs have the talent to be a top-three seed in the East, if everything goes according to plan. They are also teetering toward being unequivocally broken, gutted at losing out on a player they desperately needed not only on the court but in the locker room. The players certainly will not admit that, but this is a team that now needs to do the one thing that has been terrible at for years: overcoming adversity.Blowing up teams is not as lucrative as it used to be. The Cavs cannot simply hit the eject button and wind up with a ton of first-round picks and young prospects for their top-end players. Jaylen Brown, an NBA Finals MVP and MVP candidate last season, was traded for the decaying corpse of Paul George and some subpar first-round picks. This is a different landscape for transactions.If you want something positive, the Cavs have locked up Donovan Mitchell for the long-haul with a contract extension. He is their bona fide star, the 1A to lean on and build around. Mobley is still young. Jarrett Allen is a bargain for what his contract is. Jaylon Tyson has some promise. Their cap sheet is a little cleaner than it was a few months ago. Cleveland should be a playoff team, but they have missed a lot of shoulds over the last few years. That heartburn still persists.The Cavs probably thought they should have landed James. Their offseason of inaction lends me to believe that they expected a better outcome, clearing the deck for the return of the King. Now they have to pick up the pieces and move on, pushing forward in a way they have never had to do before. This is the type of motivation that should be the kindling to stoke their internal fires, hitting that extra gear to prove to themselves that they didnt need James and the circus to come to town.Lets hope they dont miss that should next season.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) Ryan Vilade and Richie Palacios hit home runs, Nick Fortes had four hits, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Cleveland Guardians 11-3 on Friday night.Shane McClanahan (9-6) allowed one run on two hits while striking out three and walking a pair in five innings. He improved to 7-1 in nine home starts this season. Chris Roycroft earned his first career save, allowing two runs on four hits in three innings.Fortes tied a career high in hits, drove in a pair of runs and scored twice as he extended his hitting streak to five games, going 11 for 19 in that span.Tampa Bays Nos. 4-9 hitters finished a combined 13 for 26 with 10 RBIs in the game.Joey Cantillo (8-6) allowed five runs over 3 2/3 innings and Austin Hedges hit a two-run home run in the ninth for the Guardians. Cleveland has dropped three consecutive games.Vilade hit his eighth home run of the season in the second to give Tampa Bay a 2-0 lead. Chase DeLauter and Brayan Rocchio doubled in the fourth to bring the Guardians to within one.Tampa Bay broke the game open in the fourth as the first six batters reached base to stretch the lead to 5-1. Fortes came home on Junior Caminero's base hit and an error at the plate by Hedges in the sixth to make it 6-1 before Fortes finished his night at the plate with a double to bring in Ben Williamson in the seventh.Chandler Simpson hit a sacrifice fly and Palacios capped the scoring for the Rays with a three-run home run in the eighth.Up NextCleveland will send RHP Tanner Bibee (4-9, 3.86 ERA) to the mound on Saturday against Tampa Bay RHP Nick Martinez (9-2, 2.59) for the second game of the three-game series.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Errol Spence Jr will return to boxing after a three-year layoff, facing Tim Tszyu in a middleweight main event from Australia.The fight will take place on Sunday, July 26, 2026 in Australia, which will allow it to air in prime time in the United States, on Saturday, July 25, 2026.Well have live results and full coverage on Saturday evening, so make sure to check back on the front page of badlefthook.com for that, and for now, heres how you can watch and join in the live discussion!How to watch Spence vs TszyuSpence vs Tszyu will be on Pay-Per-View and is available through both DAZN and Prime Video. For DAZN Ultimate subscribers, the fight is available at no additional cost, included with your subscription. Lower tier DAZN subscribers will have to buy the PPV.As a one-off purchase, the PPV will cost $79.99 (24.99).DAZN Ultimate is available at $44.99 for the month, and would also include the Anthony Joshua vs Kristian Prenga fight earlier in the day.The PPV show will start at 9 pm ET.Spence vs Tszyu PPV running order and lineupMain EventErrol Spence Jr vs Tim Tszyu, middleweights, 12 roundsMain Card UndercardStephen Fulton vs Liam Wilson, lightweights, 12 roundsAhmad Reda vs Paul Fleming, lightweights, 10 roundsCallum Peters vs Ivan Actis, middleweights, 10 rounds

A miserable season for the New York Mets may have just gotten worse.Juan Soto left the Mets 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday during the sixth inning with soreness in his left calf. Soto batted twice in the game and drew two walks before leaving for pinch-hitter Jorge Polanco. Following the game, Mets manager Andy Green told reporters (including ESPNs Jorge Castillo) Soto will undergo an MRI exam on his left calf on Saturday. He conceded that the star outfielder could go on the injured list. This story will be updated with more information.

Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Kazuma Okamoto is off to a solid start in his MLB career. And now a historic one as well.Okamoto clubbed his 23rd homer of the season on Friday against the Boston Red Sox, breaking Shohei Ohtanis record for long balls by a Japanese rookie in MLB. He jumped on a first-pitch sinker from Boston reliever Greg Weissert and dropped it in the center field stands.The homer was projected at 408 feet.Obviously, Ohtani is not famous for how many homers he hit in his rookie year, but it is at least a positive milestone for a player the Blue Jays gave a four-year, $60 million deal last offseason after a decade of standout play for the Yomiuri Giants. Ohtani posted his 22 homers as a rookie in 367 plate appearances at 23 years old, compared to Okamotos 411 PAs at 30 years old.Kazuma Okamoto has been one of the Blue Jays' better hitters this season.Brian Fluharty via Getty ImagesOkamoto hasnt quite been an All-Star with a slash line of .227/.309/.452 through 101 games, but those numbers at least qualify him to be one of the most productive bats in a profoundly disappointing season for the reigning AL champions.This record isnt settled, either. Munetaka Murakami, the other big Japanese power bat to enter MLB this season, was on pace to be the first to break Ohtanis record until he hit the injured list with a hamstring strain in May. Hes now back and sits at 20 homers.Based on their respective rate stats, Murakami seems to have a pretty good chance to finish with more homers than Okamoto this season and claim the record, but theres a lot that can happen in the final two months of the season.

Editor's note: USA TODAY Sports is on the ground for the 2026 WNBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago and provided live coverage of Friday's 3-point contest and Shooting Stars competition here.CHICAGO Dallas WingsguardAzzi Fudd is ready for her rematch against Stephen Curry. After becoming the first-ever rookie to win the WNBA All-Star 3-point contest on Friday, July 24, Fudd confidently called out the Golden State Warriors sharpshooter, asking him to name a "time and a place."Steph if you're listening, I've been asking for a rematch since high school," Fudd said following her record-setting performance at the 2026 WNAB All-Star weekend in Chicago. "Maybe it's our time."Fudd previously won a 3-point contest at Curry's SC30 Select Camp in 2018 as a 15-year-old high school student. She went on to become the first high school sophomore to be named theGatorade Player of the Year. And her accolades don't stop there. She won a national championship at UConn in 2025 and was drafted No. 1 overall by the Dallas Wings earlier this year. Now, add WNBA 3-point champion to Fudd's resume. More: Azzi Fudd dominates WNBA All-Star 3-point contest final: Full resultsAzzi Fudd on having a rematch with Steph Curry in a 3-point contest:"Steph if you're listening, I've been asking for a rematch since high school so maybe it's our time to figure out a good time and a place" pic.twitter.com/SorOAMc6lb Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) July 25, 2026Fudd made 20 of 26 shots during her final run, including eight of her final 10 3-pointers, to beat out Portland Fire forward Bridget Carleton for the trophy. She has her sights set on Curry next. Curry previously competed in a thrilling 3-point showdown against New York Liberty guardSabrina Ionescuat the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend. Ionescu went first and put up a score of 26 after her first round. Curry followed with 29 points to win. He shared a friendly hug with Ionescu before being presented with the championship belt.Ionescu won the 2023 and 2025 WNBA 3-point contest. Her nearly perfect run in 2023, where she knocked down 25 of 27 three-point shots during her final run, set an all-time record for either theNBAorWNBA.Curry has a couple 3-point contest wins under his belt, hoisting the trophy in 2021 and 2015. In the meantime, Fudd said she's already opening to competing next year to defend her title: If theyll have me. Id be honored to be here again thats not up to me. WNBA All-Star scheduleFriday, July 24WNBA Live:9 a.m.-6 p.m. ET at McCormick PlaceSkills Night:6 p.m. ET at Wintrust Arena. Features the WNBA Shooting Stars and WNBA 3-point contest (ESPN)Saturday, July 25WNBA Live Presented by AWS:9 a.m.-6 p.m. ET at McCormick PlaceWNBA All-Star Game:6:30 p.m. ET at the United Center (ABC, Disney+)WNBA All-Star game 2026 rosterTeam CoopHead Coach:Becky HammonGeneral Manager:Cynthia CooperStartersDallas WingsGPaige BueckersNew York LibertyFBreanna StewartIndiana FeverGKelsey MitchellMinnesota LynxFNatasha HowardGolden State ValkyriesFGabby WilliamsReservesAtlanta DreamFAngel ReeseToronto TempoGMarina MabreySeattle StormCDominique MalongaLos Angeles SparksGKelsey PlumLas Vegas AcesGJackie YoungWashington MysticsGSonia CitronTeam SpoonHead Coach:Cheryl ReeveGeneral Manager:Teresa WeatherspoonStartersIndiana FeverGCaitlin ClarkLas Vegas AcesCA'ja WilsonMinnesota LynxGOlivia MilesIndiana FeverCAliyah BostonDallas WingsFJessica ShepardReservesAtlanta DreamGRhyne HowardAtlanta DreamGAllisha Gray:New York LibertyFJonquel JonesCourtney WilliamsGMinnesota LynxWashington MysticsFKiki Iriafen:Los Angeles SparksFNneka OgwumikeReach USA TODAY National Womens Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at @CydHenderson.The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Azzi Fudd challenges Steph Curry to 3-point contest rematch after win

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MIAMI (AP) Pinch-hitter Luis Rengifo hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth inning and the San Diego Padres beat Miami 4-2 on Friday night, extending the Marlins losing streak to 10.Ty France and Manny Machado each had two hits for the Padres, who are 3-5 on their 10-game road trip following the All-Star break. San Diego finished with five hits but drew seven walks.The Marlins, who were a season-best 10 games over .500 following their win over Seattle on July 9, have fallen to 52-52. It is the Marlins longest slide since they lost 10 straight in June 2011.France doubled off Tyler Zuber (0-1) to lead off the eighth. Zuber struck out Jackson Merrill before Rengifo drove a sweeper from the Miami reliever over the wall in right to snap a 2-all tie.Adrian Morejon (8-2) got the last out in the seventh and followed with a scoreless eighth before Mason Miller closed for his 26th save.Joe Mack and Heriberto Hernndez homered for Miamis runs.Machados RBI single in the fifth put San Diego ahead 2-1. Xander Bogaerts drew a leadoff walk and advanced on a sacrifice bunt before Machado hit a two-out line drive that fell in left.Miami tied in the bottom half on Hernndezs drive, tying him for the team lead with 14 homers.Mack put the Marlins on the board in the second when he drove the first pitch from Padres starter Germn Mrquez over the wall in right for his eighth homer.The Padres tied it on Merrills sacrifice fly off reliever Cade Gibson in the fourth.Gibson relieved starter Ryan Gusto, who completed the first 3 1/3 innings in the bullpen game for Miami. Gusto allowed one run and two hits and struck out four.Mrquez was on a limited workload and exited after 2 1/3 innings and 37 pitches. The right-hander gave up one run and three hits, while striking out four and walking one.Up nextLHP JP Sears (2-3, 4.38) will start for the Padres on Saturday against Marlins RHP Eury Prez (5-7, 3.53).___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Team Wisco was propelled to victory in the Brewers Alumni Legends game by none other than former Brewers pitcher Ryan Wolf. You would expect Wolfs game-winning move to be have come from his left arm. After all, he did win a playoff game for the Brewers as a starting pitcher in 2011. Despite that, and a combined 1,642 home runs scored by everyone else playing in the game, Wolfs moment came as he hit a two-run homer. How did Wolf achieve this feat?Honestly, I kind of blacked out, he said after the game.Wolfs home run celebration sent the crowd into a frenzy. He replicated Prince Fielder's 2009 Bowling ball celebration with the rest of Team Wisco. It was Wolfs fifth career home run and first one in a Brewers uniform. It was not, however, his first at American Family Field. In 2001 he hit a home run as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies.It wasnt his only achievement of the night though, Wolf also pitched in the game and gave up no runs, cementing his performance as Brewers Alumni Legends game Shohei Ohtani. Wolfs efforts earned him the inaugural Brewers Alumni legends Game MVP award, which he was presented after the game. He leaves American Family Field not only with the title, but a gold medal and a three-tier trophy nearly as tall as he is. When asked how he planned on getting it home, Wolf revealed that he is not heading home after the game and instead embarking on a trip to Rome. He joked he plans to carry the trophy around Europe, like its the Stanley Cup. He did, however, realize that he would be leaving American Family Field without one thing: his home run ball. I didnt even think about that, he said. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: As expected, the MVP of the Brewers alumni game was...Randy Wolf?