COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. It was an old-school reminder to the way baseball used to be played, the way we looked at the game, and the stats that shaped our opinions Sunday afternoon atthe Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony.The new Hall of Fame trio of Jeff Kent, Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones were here to remind everyone that the traditional statistics should still matter. Runs batted in should not be considered a fluke stat in a box score. There really is a clutch element in a players psyche. And while everyone is engrossed with on-base percentage these days, even if some sluggers are only clogging the bases by drawing a rash of walks, future Hall of Fame manager Dusty Baker has a question for you:If driving in runs or scoring runs isnt important, future Hall of Fame manager Dusty Baker said, then why are we bothering to keep score?Kent, Beltran and Jones, who were inducted into the Hall of Fame with a record 60 Hall of Famers in attendance and 12,000 fans in attendance, certainly represented baseballs greatest values throughout their brilliant careers.They didnt celebrate drawing a walk with a runner on third base with less than two outs, instead wanting to drive them in, not letting the responsibility fall to someone else.They didnt sit out games when they werent feeling well, or treat the injured list like a paid vacation. They posted, season after season, oftentimes playing in pain, knowing that they were a whole lot more valuable to their teams at 70% than sitting on the bench.They didnt try to create a brand. They didnt try to draw attention to themselves. They played to win, game after game, season after season.Go ahead, check out their resumes: Kent, who hit the most home runs by a second baseman in history, hit at least 20 homers and drove in 100 or more runs in six consecutive seasons, and eight times in his career. Jones played more than 150 games in 11 seasons with Atlanta, including four seasons playing more than 160 games. Beltran, a nine-time All-Star, had eight seasons of at least 100 RBIs and seven seasons scoring 100 or more runs.And there wasnt a single whisper, rumor or innuendo that any of the trio used performance-enhancing drugs, with Kent talking about how he wanted to emulate Chicago Cubs great Ryne Sandberg, whose legendary Hall of Fame speech emphasized the importance of playing the game the right way.I never had the chance to meet Ryne, Kent said, but I watched him play every day because I wanted to be like him. He played with toughness, and he played with quiet fire. I hope he knows that a lot of us who came after him play that way as well.Andruw Jones: 'I took so much pride in my defense'Jones, the first player from Curaao to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, said it was his father who stressed the importance of showing up to work every day. It was no different than if you were a postal worker, a fisherman, or you made a living on the ballfield.Everything started with my dad, Jones said. My dad told me from the beginning, if a shrimp goes to sleep, the water, the storm, will take him away. So, when I put the uniform on, I showed up ready to play because I could go oh-for-4 and have an impact. Thats why I took so much pride in my defense. Every time I walked on that field, I was trying to do something special to help my team.You focus on the team, not yourself.Jeff Kent: Proud to be a run-producerKent, who hit .334 with 41 homers, 125 RBI with a 1.021 OPS during his 2000 MVP season with the San Francisco Giants, was proud to be a run-producer. If Barry Bonds walked ahead of him, he was determined to drive him in. He wasnt going to be satisfied taking a walk and passing on the responsibility to the next hitter. He embraced the responsibility.Tommy Lasorda, one of the best motivators in the game, said a simple truth that I lived by for my whole career, Kent said. Money lies in the RBIs ... It stuck in my brain forever, and it never left.If I was going to win, I knew I needed to produce runs. That became my focus, and as a middle infielder in my era, Im proud that I set the bar for run production. That focus on run production defined a big part of my career.Kent made the generations before him proud the way he acted on the field. He wasnt playing the game to make friends. He wasnt hanging around the batting cage and hugging opposing players. It was fine to talk and hang out in the off-season, but certainly not during the heat of competition.When you play this game, you have to play with a little hatred, Kent said. People call it cockiness or arrogance or confidence. They call it so much, but you have to play this game with a chip on your shoulder. Well, that chip on the shoulder is a little bit of anger. Youre mad. You just have to define your own way to stay mad.And, oh, how did he love to take that anger out on pitchers, saying that Baker was one of the greatest influences of his career, helping turn him into the most fierce-hitting second baseman in the game.I was just passing on the knowledge I got from Tony Perez, Hank Aaron and Bob Watson, Baker said. Those guys taught us how to drive in runs. ... Those are some of the things I passed onto Jeff.Carlos Beltran: A legacy for future generationsIt was Kansas City Royals Hall of Famer George Brett who helped shape Beltrans career. He was just being elected into Cooperstown when Beltran broke in as a 21-year-old, and retired at 40, becoming the only switch-hitter to hit 300 homers and steal 300 bases in his career. Brett taught Beltran the importance of playing every day, and as hard as he could, and not only played all 162 games in 2002, but missed just one game in 2008 when he was 31 years old.Beltran went to Houston, became teammates with future Hall of Famers Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio, who reinforced the advice Brett gave him when he broke into the big leagues.You told me something very special, Beltran said, looking back at them on stage. You told me that in order for me to aspire to have a long career in baseball, I needed to learn how to play with pain. I saw the you guys grind, day in and day out. That was very special to me and was something that I carried for the rest of my life.Theres no way I could have lasted 20 years in the big leagues without learning how to play with pain.Beltran, fighting back tears speaking to his parents in Spanish, also was emotional about taking about what his homeland of Puerto Rico means to him. He waved a Puerto Rican flag to the thousands of Puerto Rican fans who wildly cheered.Beltran hopes that he made a difference in his career, just like Kent and Jones, and that their legacy will be an inspiration to young players in todays game.When I was growing up in Manati, Puerto Rico, many of these guys were teaching me the game of baseball, he said. I know some of you guys opened a lot of doors, and went through a lot of situations in hour career. Then, my generation was able to walk through those doors because you open the path for us.I just want to say thank you for making this game better ... I always say that every generation has the responsibility to continue to make the game of baseball better.Certainly, they did their job.Lets see if it rubs off on the next generation.Follow Bob Nightengale on X @Bnightengale.This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame class represented the sport's greatest values | Opinion

PHILADELPHIA Yankees left fielder Cody Bellingers first trip to Philly this month was a lot more enjoyable than this weekends return.Less painful, too.Forced out of Saturday nights game with left hamstring discomfort, Bellinger was placed on the 10-day injured list Sunday.Rookie outfielder Spencer Jones was recalled from Triple-A to take Bellingers roster spot.Bellinger got hurt rounding first base on his double in the eighth inning of the Yankees 3-1 win over the Phillies. He finished the half inning, then was replaced in left field for the home eighth by Max Schuemann.The slugger will return to New York on Monday for an MRI. Hes cautiously optimistic about returning to action sooner than later.Its a little tight, but I didnt wake up worse, so thats good, Bellinger told reporters before Sunday nights series finale against the Phillies.I just feel like I wont be able to put on the cleats for the next four days, at least. So being short a man for that long, theyll get a full roster up here and give the guys as much opportunity as they can.Manager Aaron Boone expressed confidence that Jones can capably fill in - at least until the August 3 trade deadline. General manager Brian Cashman may or may not use Bellingers injury as a catalyst to acquiring another outfielder.In 54 Triple-A games this year, Jones has slashed .273/.385/.557 with 14 homers and 52 RBIs.I think (Jones) is capable of having success up here, and I think hes ready to have success up here, Boone said. Now youve got to go do it, obviously, but Ill try to get him in matchups that are good and favorable. I feel like he can add something to our lineup.Along with Jones, Jose Caballero, Amed Rosario and Schuemann are candidates to fill in for Bellinger. Three-time MVP Aaron Judge, the Yanks starting right fielder, hasnt played since May 31 due to a fractured rib and likely wont return until September.You hate seeing your guys go out, but weve got a game tonight and its a game were capable of winning, Boone said. Weve faced our share [of injuries] here over the last several weeks, but I think weve also proven to ourselves we can win games, too.Here are other recent NJ.com posts to check out:-- Yankees trade rumors: Byron Buxton could change alls quiet on western front mode-- Yankees injuries: Latest on Cody Bellinger, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Carlos Rodon-- Austin Wells addresses Yankees catching upgrade rumors, Ryan Jeffers-- George Lombard Jr. on Yankees radar with Jose Caballero, Anthony Volpe in rut-- Mason Miller to Yankees? Here is David Bednars take on trade rumors, fellow Pittsburgher-- Yankees have MLBs newest villain. He shouldnt apologize for it. | Klapisch-- The LeBron James debate that dominates Yankees Aaron Boones family dinners just got more intense-- Aaron Judges six-word pep talk reignited Yankees Jazz Chisholm | Klapisch-- Can Yankees trade for Mason Miller? Scouts weigh in on what it would cost-- What scouts are saying about Spencer Jones future with Yankees | Klapisch-- Yankees trade deadline: AL exec delivers truth about 10 of their trade chipsRead the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

India captain Shreyas Iyer credited the team's fearless approach and the maturity of its young players after leading India to a 3-0 T20I series sweep over Zimbabwe, calling his first series win as captain a "special moment."India completed the clean sweep with a 35-run victory in the third and final T20I at the Harare Sports Club on Sunday. After posting 192/5, the visitors restricted Zimbabwe to 157/7.Speaking after the match, Iyer praised the energy and intent shown by the players throughout the series."As we saw how fearless they are, they are a young bunch of players who have been showing tremendous energy on the field and the intent, especially when you play back-to-back games. To have such kind of energy is what I require as a captain and as a team, and they could deliver today as well, back-to-back games. So, yeah, a special feeling for me to win the series over here in Zimbabwe. Clinical, 3-0. So it's going to be a special moment," Iyer said during the post-match presentation.When asked about his role as one of the senior players in the squad, Iyer said several teammates already had plenty of experience and that his job was to help them stay relaxed."I think if you see the record, I've played almost a similar amount of matches compared to all of them, which is around 55 to 60. So, I mean, experience-wise, there are many players who have tremendous experience because nowadays they play in the IPL as well," he said."So, yeah, they are special talent and the best you could get out of them, it's beneficial for the team as well. So every time I step onto the field, I see to it that how I can make sure that they are comfortable and relaxed because that's when you can get the best out of them," he added.India's batting was led by 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who scored 81 off 49 balls with eight fours and four sixes. Ishan Kishan made 29, Iyer scored 27 off 18 balls, and Rinku Singh added 25 off 14 deliveries to help India reach 192/5.Zimbabwe's chase never gained momentum after Yash Thakur dismissed Brian Bennett with the first ball of the innings before removing Dion Myers and Sikandar Raza in his opening spell. Mayank Yadav finished with 3/29, while Ravi Bishnoi and Ashok Sharma took one wicket each. Ryan Burl remained unbeaten on 54, but Zimbabwe fell 35 runs short.

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JULY 24: Muhammad Saidov throws a punch against Dustin Jacoby in their light heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Etihad Arena July 24, 2026 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)You only get one Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) debut!Six rookies stepped into the Octagon yesterday (Sat., July 25, 2026) at UFC Abu Dhabi inside Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Collectively, the newcomers went 5-1, with a couple of them leaving Abu Dhabi with memorable performances and a few others raising more questions than answers.Now that the dust has settled, lets grade their respective performances below:Magomed Zaynukov vs. Damian RzepeckiThere was a ton of hype surrounding Magomed Zaynukovs UFC debut a.k.a. John Pork and while it was not a picture-perfect performance, it was still a very solid first impression.Zaynukov collided with fellow rookie Damian Rzepecki in a battle of undefeated prospects, and it was ultimately Zaynukov who handed The Butcher the first professional loss of his career with a dominant unanimous decision.Rzepecki relentlessly marched forward throughout the fight, but Zaynukov consistently beat him to the punch with sharp counters, front kicks and a vicious assortment of elbows.Those elbows became the story of the fight in Round 2, as Zaynukov rocked the former FEN champion and opened a nasty cut above his right eye. Rzepecki continued advancing despite his increasingly bloodied face, but Zaynukov repeatedly punished him with elbows and front kicks while shutting down most of his takedown attempts.Rzepeckis toughness carried him to the final bell, but Zaynukovs accuracy, poise and damaging offense earned him a lopsided debut victory.Look, Zaynukov probably is not going to become a UFC champion, but that does not mean he cannot be useful. He might crack the Top 15 at some point, and even if he does not, he should be fun to watch because of his offensive style.For his second UFC outing, I would like to see John Pork take on Jai Herbert hopefully when UFC returns to Abu Dhabi in October.Final grade: BAs for Damian Rzepecki, it was a rough debut, but not a hopeless one.Yes, he got shut down. Yes, he was bloodied up. And yes, he clearly struggled to deal with Zaynukovs sharp counters and elbows.But Rzepecki also showed why he had hype coming into UFC. He is tough, aggressive and willing to walk through fire to make a fight ugly. That style can win fans, even if it did not win him this fight.The big concern is that his pressure did not come with enough defensive responsibility. Zaynukov was able to time him over and over, and against better UFC competition, that could get ugly fast.Still, Rzepecki is exciting, durable and should have a fun UFC career if matched properly.For his second outing, give me Rzepecki vs. Dom Mar Fan.Final grade: CAbubakar VagaevAbubakar Vagaev got the call to UFC largely because he is teammates with Khamzat Chimaev.And honestly, I still do not really understand why.Vagaev grinded out a competitive unanimous decision over Saygid Izagakhmaev in his UFC debut, earning three identical 29-28 scorecards. The former ACA champion immediately imposed his wrestling, repeatedly driving Izagakhmaev into the fence and controlling him on the canvas throughout the opening round.Izagakhmaev found more success as the fight progressed, landing the cleaner strikes in Round 2 and threatening multiple submissions after taking Vagaevs back and mounting him late in the third. However, Vagaevs persistent takedowns, clinch control and physical pressure were enough to sway all three judges.So, yeah, he won.But if UFC is all about exciting fights nowadays, why in the hell would it sign someone with 20 decision wins in 25 career fights?Beats me.Vagaev feels like he is going to be another boring Russian wrestler who floats around the roster, beats a few prospects, frustrates everyone and eventually gets released because nobody wants to watch him fight.That might sound harsh, but this debut did very little to change that perception.I guess he could fight Seok Hyeon Ko, who just lost at UFC Oklahoma City.Final grade: C-Muhammad SaidovOne of the biggest bright spots among the UFC Abu Dhabi rookies was Muhammad Saidov, who delivered a sensational debut by overwhelming longtime veteran Dustin Jacoby en route to a second-round technical knockout (watch highlights).And he did not fight scared at all.The undefeated Russian showed zero fear of Jacobys decorated kickboxing background, staggering him with a right hand in the opening round while mixing in creative spinning attacks and powerful kicks.Saidov turned up the pressure in Round 2, opening a cut near Jacobys left eye before hurting him with a body kick and dropping him with a perfectly placed head kick. Jacoby managed to return to his feet, but Saidov swarmed him with a relentless combination of punches and another head kick until the referee stepped in.That was a statement.Saidov improved to 10-0 with nine finishes, including seven knockouts, and in an absolutely dire Light Heavyweight division, he is a refreshing addition.He is powerful. He is crisp. He is dangerous. And most importantly, he is actually fun.There is obviously still plenty to learn about him, especially defensively and in extended grappling exchanges, but as far as UFC debuts go, this was excellent.For his second UFC outing, give me Saidov vs. Rodolfo Bellato.Final grade: A+Magomed TuchalovMagomed Tuchalov was the second-biggest favorite on the card, and he sure did not look like it.In fact, he lost the first round to Brendson Ribeiro, an opponent he was supposed to squash.Tuchalovs UFC debut got off to a painfully slow start, as he offered little beyond low kicks before Ribeiro dropped him with a right hand late in the opening round. That is not exactly what you want from a highly touted undefeated prospect against someone who has basically become a UFC jobber at this point.To his credit, Tuchalov did wake up.The undefeated Russian found his rhythm in Round 2, badly hurting Ribeiro with a right hand before mixing in multiple takedowns. Tuchalov then leaned heavily on his wrestling in the final frame, repeatedly planting Ribeiro on the canvas, controlling him from dominant positions, and briefly threatening an arm-triangle choke in the closing seconds.So, he won, but I am not sold.Maybe UFC jitters got to him. Maybe the debut moment was bigger than expected. Maybe he needed a round to settle in. Fine.I am still not buying it yet.Tuchalov was supposed to torch Ribeiro, and he did not. He showed toughness by recovering from the knockdown and found a path to victory, but nothing about this debut screamed future contender.Time will tell how he pans out, but I do not have a lot of faith after this one.For his second outing, give me Tuchalov vs. Julius Walker.Final grade: D-Abdul HusseinAbdul Hussein was the second fighter from Season 34 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) to compete inside the Octagon despite being cut during the team selection process.Poor Rodrigo Veraalso got cut, then got signed and won his UFC debut.Hussein, meanwhile, entered UFC Abu Dhabi as one of the top prospects on the regional scene, so his debut had some real hype attached to it.And for the most part, he delivered.Hussein came out aggressive, walking down veteran Cody Gibson early. But Gibson gave him an immediate Welcome to UFC moment, taking him down and locking up a tight guillotine before transitioning into a DArce choke.Hussein eventually escaped, but it was a dangerous start.Hussein had a much better second round, hurting Gibson several times and nearly submitting the UFC veteran with a front choke and an anaconda choke. Gibson was so drained from the exchanges that he told his coaches going into the third round that he had nothing left.Hussein eventually submitted Gibson with an arm-triangle choke to win his UFC debut (watch highlights).Of all the rookies who competed at UFC Abu Dhabi, Hussein is the one I am highest on. He is the most well-rounded, has a ton of experience, and showed he can deal with adversity against a veteran who knows exactly how to survive and make fights tricky.I will say Hussein looked tiny compared to Gibson, but that may just be because Gibson is 5-foot-10 for a Bantamweight. It is also worth noting that Hussein has competed at Flyweight before.Still, Hussein is very good.He survived danger, adjusted, hurt a veteran, and found a finish.That is a strong debut, and I think he has the best UFC future of this rookie class.Give me Hussein vs. Juan Diaz next.Final grade: A-For complete UFC Abu Dhabi results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.

Coach Kyle Shanahan walked onto the practice field and stood next to general manager John Lynch, watching his San Francisco 49ers practice for about 30 minutes. Shanahan's presence that has been a constant the past decade was a welcome sight on Sunday for the first training camp practice, coming less than two weeks after he got into a car crash that left him with a concussion and other injuries. "I know he cant stay away," star linebacker Fred Warner said. "I know hes given up his duties for a little bit, but that guys obsessed with ball. Im sure of course hes going to be around." While Shanahan made a cameo appearance at practice on Sunday, the Niners began preparations for the 2026 season without their leader in charge. Shanahan has ceded responsibility over the team to assistant head coach/offensive line coach Chris Foerster temporarily as he recovers from the crash he got into on July 14 in nearby Palo Alto. Shanahan suffered a concussion, broken ribs, a broken nose and broken hand in the crash and won't be back running the team until the concussion symptoms subside. Shanahan had a cast on his left hand, sunglasses to cover up his black eye and a new mustache that prompted Warner to complement him on his "disguise" as he watched practice. Shanahan interacted with a few players, including Warner, Kyle Juszczyk, Christian McCaffrey and Dre Greenlaw before leaving the field. "I knew it would be tough to keep him away from there," star tackle Trent Williams said. "Its going to be hard for him to get his rest. Hes not that type of person. It doesnt surprise me at all to see him out there." With a veteran-laden team and several coaches who have been with the organization for years, Foerster and Williams said it's almost as if the team is on "auto pilot" and not thrown off by Shanahan's absence. The training camp practice plan was put in place long before Shanahan's crash with the opening stretch of camp essentially a repeat of the installations from the offseason program. Foerster said he is leaning heavily on his assistants, especially coordinators Klay Kubiak, Raheem Morris and Brant Boyer. He said not much has changed other than he had to break the team after practice, he did a news conference and he got to make the call on small parts of practice such as whether to repeat or skip a play following a pre-snap penalty. Foerster has been in the NFL for more than three decades, starting as an assistant offensive line and tight ends coach in Minnesota in 1993 and had little problem taking command of the entire team. "Hes been doing this longer than everybody in that locker room been alive, probably except for me," Williams said. "Its like a hand-in-glove fit. Me personally, Im so proud of him just watching him even just be a head coach for a day, or no matter how long it is. We go so far back, hes family to me. Just seeing him in that position, Im just really proud." Foerster spent four seasons with Washington when Shanahan was offensive coordinator and Mike Shanahan was head coach and joined the 49ers in 2019. Foerster had resigned as offensive line coach in Miami in 2017 after a video on social media appeared to show him snorting three lines of white powder at a desk, but got a second chance with Shanahan. "Hes one of my best friends in the world by far," Foerster said. "Theres not many people that I call a friend for a lot of reasons, and Kyles one of them. He and his wife, Mandy, are like family to me. This organization did some things for me and pulled me in at a time in my life when nobody would really want to be with me. And Kyle, along with John and the whole York family have stood by me and that loyaltys never going to be forgotten. Hes a close, close friend, and it scares the crap out of you when something like this happens to somebody so close." Bosa Takes Field For Individual Drills Star defensive end Nick Bosa was on the field to start camp as he makes his return from a torn ACL suffered in Week 3 last season. Bosa only took part in individual drills and was working on his own on the side during team drills. "I couldnt even tell that he had an injury or he came back from anything," Williams said. "Most people with a knee injury that catastrophic, you come back, you can see something. You can see it in the atrophy in the muscle and the leg. You can see something. Bosa looks better than he did before he got hurt." News And Notes OL Vederian Lowe left practice early with an ankle injury. ... CB Nate Hobbs was the only active player not taking part in practice. ... The Niners signed DT Kevin Givens a day after releasing Evan Anderson. Givens has played 70 games for San Francisco from 2019-25. ... Foerster said Connor Colby will get the first shot to win the starting left guard spot after starting six games as a seventh-round rookie last season. Reporting by the Associated Press.

INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY (Indianapolis) Restart time appears to be Heim Time. Corey Heim diced his way to the lead on a restart with 35 laps remaining and then held off the best of the best to capture the Brickyard 400 for his second career victory. Heim, who is running a part-time schedule with 23XI Racing, has just eight starts this year and has won two huge races this summer the road-course race at Naval Base Coronado and then on the hallowed grounds of Indianapolis. "I'm pretty out of breath,"Heim said after exiting his car on the TNT telecast. "That was a workout. It was a dream come true. Winning at the Brickyard? That's unbelievable." Here are my takeaways: 1. Restart Key To Heim Win Heim got a push from Joey Logano to jump out to the lead on the restart while the line of Denny Hamlin-Christopher Bell-Chase Briscoe couldnt coordinate their push well enough. It cost Hamlin four spots as he dropped to sixth while Bell was able to get to second. "Pushing is the name of the game, and Briscoe let me know he was going to push me, but he got on me way early, and then it was pushing me into Denny and then Denny is on the binders trying to not get a penalty [for jumping the restart]," Bell told me after the race. "The three of us just did not execute the restart very well. Fortunately, it worked out for me. Dennys probably not going to be very happy." After that, it was just up to Heim to first throw a block on Hamlin and then to hold off Bell, Joey Logano, Briscoe and Hamlin. And he did just that. "[Hamlin] has every right to be a little bit frustrated with me," Heim said. "He probably would have done the same thing." 2. Hamlin Left To Wonder Christopher Bell was right that Denny Hamlin wasnt pleased. "It's really more on us and the 20 [of Bell] and the 19 [of Briscoe] of just not orchestrating good pushes there," Hamlin said in his TNT interview after the race. "We came detached at the wrong time." Hamlin saw the win slip away, which couldnt have been a good feeling even if he is the co-owner of 23XI Racing, which has now won back-to-back Brickyard 400s with Heim and Bubba Wallace last year. "That's how you lose them," Hamlin said. "These restarts, when everyone kind of knows when you're going to go, it's about the pushes. "That's essentially where I got the lead from [Heim] the restart before. Just came back the other way around." 3. Larson's Indy Crashout Kyle Larson looked like he was going to have control early in the race, but he blew a left rear tire just when he was about to take the lead on Lap 44. The Hendrick Motorsports driver had no warning, and it was another sour end at a track that has been more sour than joy (except for his 2024 Brickyard 400 win). "Its obviously disappointing," Larson told me and other reporters after exiting the tracks medical center. "You go from 10th to the lead on a good start and then race strategy we set ourselves up well to gain a lot of points there and also set ourselves up to maintain that track position the rest of the race. "Its a bummer, but thats just part of racing." 4. Gilliland Wins Million Bucks Todd Gilliland finished 24th to win the $1 million in-season tournament, a bracket-based head-to-head challenge within the last five races. The Front Row Motorsports driver got to celebrate as his opponent, Ryan Blaney, got caught up in an accident and finished 26th. "My heart was pounding those last 25 laps," Gilliland said. "It was me, the 16 [of AJ Allmendinger] and the 12 [of Blaney]. ... Istill feel like we kind of earned it coming down the stretch. "The biggest thing for me that was really cool through this whole process was seeing how my team really elevated themselves, really grabbed another gear." Blaney wasnt thrilled, as he told the TNT broadcast after John Hunter Nemechek apologized to him for the contact that triggered the wreck: "He apologized and said he didnt mean to do it. It still happened. ... Its a shame it ended that way." 4 . Off Week Before Iowa The NASCAR Cup Series has its second and final off weekend since the start of the regular season before getting back into action at the 0.875-mile Iowa Speedway oval. It is another short track and part of a string of short-track races with 0.75-mile Richmond and 1-mile New Hampshire following Iowa.

Roki Sasaki is showing flashes of his ace potential once again, but is his elite upside worth the fantasy headache?

Clemsonbasketball is still in the running for one of the top guards in the 2027 recruiting class after four-star shooting guard Justin Wise trimmed his recruitment on Saturday.The North Oconee High School standout announced a list of six finalists that includes Clemson, Tennessee, Miami, Texas, Georgia, and Vanderbilt. The Tigers have been pursuing Wise since extending an offer in July 2025, and he remains one of only nine players in the 2027 class currently holding a scholarship offer from Brad Brownells staff.Wise has continued to establish himself as one of the nations premier backcourt prospects throughout the summer. The 6-foot-4 guard played for Jet Academy on the Nike EYBL Circuit, averaging 11.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He also shot nearly 36 percent from three-point range, showcasing the outside shooting that has become a key part of his game.His strong play carried over to the NBPA Top 100 Camp, where he was widely viewed as one of the events top performers. Wise impressed evaluators with his ability to play both guard spots, create offense for himself and teammates, score at all three levels, and make an impact without needing the ball in his hands every possession.Clemson's top moment against each 2026 opponent Part 2; Ross breakout Mike Comer, Getty Images https://t.co/rC0iCgJTw6pic.twitter.com/jtpp6Sh00R Clemson Wire (@Clemson_Wire) July 26, 2026The Georgia native has climbed near the top of the national rankings as a result. Rivals ranks him as the No. 29 overall player in the 2027 class, the No. 4 shooting guard nationally, and the No. 3 prospect in the state of Georgia.With Clemson surviving the latest cut, the Tigers remain in strong position as Brownell and his staff continue pursuing one of the most talented guards in the country. Wises recruitment is expected to be one of the most closely watched battles in the 2027 cycle.Contact us@Clemson_Wireon X, and like our page onFacebookfor ongoing coverage ofClemson Tigersnews and notes, plus opinions.This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson lands in final six for elite 2027 four-star shooting guard

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Mike Trout has his first four-hit game in more than five years while moving past Tim Salmon on the Los Angeles Angels career doubles and singles lists.Trout went 4 for 4 in the Angels 4-3 win over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday, finishing with a double and three singles.Trouts double was his 340th, moving past Salmon for second on the franchise list behind Garrett Andersons 489. Trout also is now fourth on the Angels all-time list with 1,014 singles, trailing Anderson (1,572), Darin Erstad (1,082) and Brian Downing (1,062).Trouts four-hit game was the 21st of his career and first since April 26, 2021, raising his average to .247.

Paul told The Athletic he had been trying to get Myers to come on the podcast for months; the invitation was not specifically tied to addressing James free agency. The 76ers, team sources said, had thought about the potential downside of Myers pitch being viewed as groveling publicly. But the upside of Myers and his four rings from Golden State speaking directly to Paul outweighed the potential minuses.New York TimesThis article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Bob Myers appearance on Rich Paul's podcast was planned months in advance