LOS ANGELES (AP) Blake Snell is making his return to the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers after being sidelined for three months with loose bodies in his left elbow.He was set to start Tuesday night against the Kansas City Royals and right-hander Michael Wacha. Manager Dave Roberts said Snell is projected to throw about 75-80 pitches.The two-time Cy Young Award winner has made just one start this season, giving up four runs and six hits in three innings against Atlanta on May 9 before going on the injured list four days later.Snell is one of three Dodgers pitchers to have had surgery for loose bodies this season. Closer Edwin Daz had right elbow surgery in April and fellow two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal had left elbow surgery in May while with the Detroit Tigers. Both are back pitching. For the third consecutive season, Snell is returning from an injury in the second half. The NL West-leading Dodgers are looking for him to quickly get back on track, with the team having lost eight of its last 10 going into Tuesday.When he's going well, he's not really thinking about his mechanics and he's got a rhythm, Roberts said before the game. When he's not and he's searching, the game kind of comes to a standstill.Roberts can easily tell when Snell is in command on the mound.Theres a little swagger," the manager said. "Theres a little kind of standing a little taller.Snell made three rehab starts for Triple-A Oklahoma City and another for Single-A Ontario, going 0-0 with a 3.09 ERA. He struck out 19 batters for a 14.7 strikeout-per-inning rate.The 33-year-old left-hander had a 2.35 ERA last season, his first with Los Angeles after signing a $182 million, five-year deal. He helped the Dodgers win a second straight World Series championship, with three wins and a 3.18 ERA in six postseason games, including eight scoreless innings in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets.In other moves Tuesday, the team transferred reliever Blake Treinen to the 60-day IL. The 38-year-old right-hander has been out since June 20 while recovering from elbow inflammation. Roberts said he has not experienced a setback.Left-hander Charlie Barnes was sent down a day after he was added, but didn't appear in the series opener against the Royals. Barnes went 0-1 with a 6.30 ERA in four appearances for the Dodgers.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz may be in danger of missing the rest of the season because of his injured right thumb.Manager Mark Kotsay told reporters before his teams game against Tampa Bay on Tuesday that Kurtz needs to be in a brace for four weeks following a platelet-rich plasma injection on Aug. 4. Kotsay alluded to the fact that four weeks without mobility for Kurtz could make a return before the end of September difficult to envision.Kurtz, 23, went on the injured list with a sprained right thumb on July 11 and returned two weeks later. He struggled at the plate following his return, going 1 for 18 in seven games. Kurtz was expected to see a hand specialist in Los Angeles last week. The reigning AL rookie of the year is batting .256 with 21 home runs and 69 RBIs in his second season in the majors. Kurtz, a native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was selected as an All-Star but unable to participate in Philadelphia because of the injury. ___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

BATON ROUGE, LA - JUNE 17: Sam Leavitt of the LSU Tigers poses for a portrait on June 17, 2026 at the LSU Football Practice Facility in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Gus Stark/LSU/University Images via Getty Images)LSU Tigers quarterback Sam Leavitt is putting his foot injury firmly in the rearview mirror ahead of his debut season in Baton Rouge.Speaking about his recovery with the media, Leavitt acknowledged that the first several months were challenging, particularly after undergoing a second surgery to have the pins removed from his foot. He now has no hardware remaining and said the recovery process taught him an important lesson in patience.Delayed gratification was a big thing for me, Leavitt said.Leavitt explained that he initially expected his foot to quickly return to normal after the second surgery, but the recovery did not happen as quickly as he anticipated. Instead, he had to trust the process, continue working and figure out with LSUs medical staff what was preventing his foot from progressing.Once they identified the issue, Leavitt said his recovery took a significant step forward.Then it kind of just like popped from there, he said. And its just been incredible.Now, Leavitt said the injury rarely crosses his mind when he steps onto the field. He still has to warm up his foot before practice and maintain his nightly routine, but otherwise, he feels like his old self.I really dont think about it out on the field at all, Leavitt said.The LSU quarterback went a step further, saying he is currently at 100% and has been for the past few months.That is encouraging news for the Tigers as Leavitt prepares for the 2026 season. After spending the offseason recovering and adjusting to his new surroundings, he can now focus entirely on developing within LSUs offense and preparing for the season.Leavitt also made sure to credit LSUs medical staff for helping him through the recovery process.Im 100% right now, Leavitt said. Just want to show a lot of love to Dallas and the whole staff just constantly grinding, getting me back.After months of uncertainty and rehabilitation, Leavitt appears ready to move forward without the injury being a major factor in his preparation.

ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JULY 8: Kyle Harrison #52 of the Milwaukee Brewers delivers a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning at Busch Stadium on July 8, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesAfter a rough start to the series yesterday, the Brewers are looking to bounce back in game two against the Padres. They will try to do that behind Kyle Harrison tonight.The revolving door of the bullpen continued moving as they made another roster move before todays game. Bryse Wilson is back on the roster just three days after being designated for assignment and one day after electing free agency. He signed a one-year contract and is back on the active roster for tonights game. To clear a space for him, Lyon Richardson was designated for assignment. Also, Drew Rom was selected off waivers by the Athletics. Kyle Harrison makes his second start since returning from the IL tonight. This is his second start against the Padres this season. He pitched five shutout innings on May 14, allowing just five hits and striking out seven. Harrison is coming off another five inning start last Wednesday, where he struck out ten and allowed only one hit and one walk. He finished that start with eight straight strikeouts, but cramps prevented him from continuing that one.For the Padres, Walker Buehler makes the start. He has a 5.07 ERA and 4.37 FIP over 23 starts and 108 1/3 innings this season, along with 95 strikeouts compared to 45 walks. In his last start against the Diamondbacks, he pitched just four innings and allowed one run, six innings, and struck out three. The Brewers missed him the first time they played the Padres, and last faced him in 2024 when he was with the Dodgers. In three previous career starts, he has a 2.93 ERA and a .211 batting average allowed over 15 1/3 innings.With the Brewers still hurting on the left side of the infield, they are going with a less traditional lineup for todays game. Brice Turang will make his first start at shortstop since 2023 tonight. Meanwhile, Jihwan Bae will play second base and bat ninth in his Brewers debut. Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell, and Jake Bauers are batting second through fourth. William Contreras and Christian Yelich move up to fifth and sixth in the lineup, and Luis Lara and David Hamilton round out the lineup. Joey Ortiz gets another day of rest, but was available if needed yesterday.First pitch is at 8:40 p.m. It will be on Brewers.TV and the Brewers Radio Network.Kyle Harrison day: https://t.co/eycfmE2vgm: WTMJ#ThisIsMyCrew x @NicoletLawpic.twitter.com/bcu1uLzSS2 Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) August 11, 2026Back at it.Fans in the Padres home television territory can watch for free on https://t.co/HUkqcZyxVa. pic.twitter.com/I8cv9VLdOQ San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 11, 2026

Andy Pages is undoubtedly one of the best players on the Los Angeles Dodgers. Now in his third season with the organization, he has fully broken out. He earned his first All-Star selection for his performance both in the batters box and defensively in the outfield. Across 118 games, he has posted a .270 batting average, .337 on-base percentage, .794 OPS, 19 home runs and 76 RBIs.MORE: Dodgers All-Star reacts to wifes personal announcement during MLB seasonHowever, Pages does have his flaws, and the biggest problem he has had this year involves one of MLBs biggest changes, the Automated Ball-Strike system. Pages has challenged 24 total pitches this season and has been successful just 11 times, a 46% success rate that falls below the league average of 48%. He has also routinely challenged pitches early in games at moments where the run expectancy does not change much even if the call is overturned, making the challenges feel wasteful rather than strategic.His ABS decisions have started to frustrate manager Dave Roberts, who issued a warning before Tuesdays game against the Kansas City Royals, according to Jack Harris of the California Post. Roberts and the coaching staff have addressed several players, including Pages, about ABS challenge usage. Roberts also admitted the team is weighing whether they could potentially ban individual players from challenging altogether if the results do not improve.His comments make sense considering how the league has adapted to the ABS system. According to Baseball Savant, catchers have had a significantly higher success rate at 59% when challenging pitches. Banning hitters, especially ones who struggle with identifying the right moment to challenge, could be a smart approach moving forward. Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter

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Amid lawsuits regarding NCAA eligibility rules, particularly the new age-based model, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey reaffirmed the conferences rules remain in place. He also noted the league is monitoring the landscape.Colorado judge Charlotte Sweeney ruled members from the Class of 2022 can get another year of eligibility after the NCAA did not retroactively apply the age-based rule for that group. In a new statement Tuesday, the association doubled down on that stance and said it has no plans to do so. The decision is pending appeal after the judge denied the NCAAs request for a stay of the injunction pending appeal.$19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverageAs a result, a wave of athletes are now exploring a potential return to college athletics, though the ruling does not enjoin transfer portal rules or those related to roster limits under the House settlement. In a message to SEC members Tuesday, Sankey made clear schools should be careful of assumptions while exploring potential roster additions.Court filings and rulings related to the current NCAA eligibility landscape remain highly dynamic, Sankey wrote, via CBS Sports Jon Rothstein. As these various court proceedings continue, institutions should operate under existing NCAA rules, interpretations, and applicable Conference rules unless and until otherwise advised by the NCAA, the Conference, or a court order. Recent court rulings should not be interpreted as creating broader eligibility relief beyond the scope of the applicable orders.In addition, SEC eligibility rules, including those relating to intraconference transfers, remain in effect until fully or individually waived, or the rule is changed. If your institution is presented with a fact-specific eligibility question, please coordinate with your compliance office and Conference staff before acting or making commitments based on an assumption regarding an individuals eligibility.A slew of athletes across multiple sports are either integrating back into their respective programs or are exploring a potential return. Notably, in the Big Ten, two key Indiana football players Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt are going through that process in light of the court ruling. Athletes in basketball are also considering whether they want to come back.Greg Sankey: SEC actively evaluating these issuesIts important to note Sweeneys ruling is still pending appeal, though the injunction remains in place after Mondays order. As the landscape continues to shift, Greg Sankey said the SEC is keeping close tabs on what lies ahead. From there, the league will give more details, if necessary.SUBSCRIBE to the On3 NIL and Sports Business NewsletterWe are actively evaluating these issues and monitoring developments, including ongoing court proceedings and any appeals, Sankey said. We will provide additional information as circumstances warrant.After Sweeneys ruling Monday, members of the Class of 2022 also have an Aug. 14 deadline to file a response to the emergency motion, and the NCAAs reply brief is due no later than Aug. 17. The injunction remains in effect.

Subscribe to Yahoo Fantasy Football with Josh & HaydenApple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeFantasy Football Top 36 Rankings - Josh and Hayden cover each of their Top 36 ranked players and why Rounds 2 and 3 of Fantasy Football drafts are all WRONG. FOLLOW OUR NEW SOCIALS!IG: https://www.instagram.com/yahoofantasyjhTIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@jhfootballshowTWITTER: https://x.com/YahooFantasyJH 0:00 Fantasy Football Top 36 Rankings0:33 Round 1 Recap2:04 Omarion Hampton4:49 Chase Brown6:28 Derrick Henry9:53 Ashton Jeanty13:51 Brock Bowers21:08 Drake London23:52 Nico Collins27:37 George Pickens29:58 Malik Nabers33:51 A.J. Brown37:39 Jeremiyah Love42:45 DeVonta Smith46:05 Breece Hall49:11 Rashee Rice52:43 Trey McBride55:35 Josh Jacobs58:26 Josh Allen1:01:41 Kyren Williams1:04:51 Tee Higgins1:07:33 Zay Flowers1:10:47 Javonte Williams1:12:11 Travis Etienne Jr.1:15:25 Chris Olave1:17:16 Emeka Egbuka1:19:31 Jaylen Waddle1:21:59 Tetairoa McMillanLAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 15: Omarion Hampton #8 of the Los Angeles Chargers stands on the sideline during the national anthem prior to an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on September 15, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)Rounds 2/3 Are All Wrong VOD - Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images) Watch this full episode on YouTube

PHILADELPHIA Islam Makhachev and Ian Machado Garry have completed their first faceoff of UFC 330 fight week.Tuesday, Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC) and Machado Garry (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) had a somewhat tense, but composed and respectful staredown at the "Rocky Steps" the entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Philadelphia where the 1976 movie "Rocky" filmed its most iconic scene. The two headline UFC 330 (Paramount+) Saturday at Xfinity Mobile Arena.This will be Makhachev's first title defense at 170 pounds. He won the belt in November, dethroning Jack Della Maddalena in a unanimous decision. The move up to welterweight came after Makhachev dominated the 155-pound division, winning the belt in 2022 and going on to defend it four consecutive times.For Machado Garry, this will be his first crack at UFC gold. Machado Garry earned this shot with back-to-back decision wins over Carlos Prates and Belal Muhammad, which marked his comeback from his first professional loss, which came to Shavkat Rakhmonov in 2024. Co-main event title fighters Mackenzie Dern, the women's strawweight champ, and challenger Gillian Robertson also squared off at the museum Tuesday. Check out both in the video above.This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Video: UFC 330 title fighters face off at 'Rocky Steps'

INDIANAPOLIS About two hours before Stephanie White appeared for her regular pregame media availability on Tuesday, graphite-colored storm clouds rolled over Gainbridge Fieldhouse and the city skyline. The Indiana Fever coach later produced more thunder than any of them.Railing against calls for her firing and an online community thats trying to create narratives that simply dont exist, White made an impassioned two-minute statement defending her relationship with the Fever players, occasionally pounding the table and leaving the dais without taking questions.The hate, the fear-mongering, the divisiveness, the stuff thats trying to hijack our league will not win, White said, banging her fist to underscore the last three words. It wont win. We are united. We are connected. We will not be divided. Every day these women put their ass on the line. Every day. When they go low, we go high. Love will win. Grace will win. Humility will win. And kindness will win.I stand by them, I will always stand by them. Everybody else can go to hell.Whites comments appear to be yet another byproduct of the increasingly infamous flagrant foul committed by the Chicago Skys DiJonai Carrington on Saturday, in which Carrington effectively clotheslined the Fevers Sophie Cunningham on a first-quarter layup attempt, earning an ejection.In the immediate aftermath of the Fevers 90-86 win, White who previously coached Carrington with the Connecticut Sun said she didnt believe Carrington intentionally came out to get (Cunningham) across the neck. She added that the Sky guard is going to play her butt off, man and that easy layups shouldnt be expected with Carrington on the floor.Backlash ensued swiftly. Indiana lieutenant governor Micah Beckwith posted on X that White should be fired because no solid coach would ever take the side of the opposing teams player who committed a flagrant foul on one of your own players.Barstool Sports president Dave Portnoy also chimed in on Monday, saying Carrington assaulted Cunningham and insinuating White was too timid in response.Get her out of there, Portnoy said. Fire her ass today. Stop defending the other players.The breaking point arrived around 6:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, when a visibly emotional White sat down for pregame remarks ahead of the Fevers game against the New York Liberty.You know, this isnt necessarily for the people in this room, White began. This is more for an online community thats trying to create narratives that simply dont exist. Trying to create a fabrication or distortion of who I am, of what Im about.Our players success, our players health and wellness, our players safety is always a top priority for me. One of the things I pride myself on is my relationships with players.Of the Carrington foul, White said she didnt see the play in real time and didnt have the benefit of replays before arriving for her postgame remarks. Was it egregious? Absolutely, she said. When you have a chance to watch that, over and over on replay, you can see that.From there, White went on the counterattack.I take personally any suggestions that I dont 100 percent always have my players back, White said. I ride with them 10 toes down all the time. All the time. They know that. Its a shame that we cant have an opportunity to talk about what great basketball theyre playing. Because they are fg playing.Indeed, the Fever entered Tuesdays game against the Liberty with six wins in their last eight games, rounding into form as a potential championship contender. But the on-floor success has often been subsumed by controversies.First came an uproar over the Fever potentially skirting WNBA injury report rules as star guard Caitlin Clark worked her way through a back injury early in the season. Then Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas put her hand to Clarks throat during a June 24 game without incurring a foul in real time; the WNBA reviewed the play and retroactively issued a flagrant 2 foul and suspended Thomas for a game, while Thomas reported receiving online harassment and death threats over the play.Cunningham has been a lightning rod herself, due to comments she made in an ESPN story published in July in which she said she did not support transgender athletes competing in womens sports. White, Clark and others with the Fever have been asked to respond to Cunninghams beliefs since, and other voices in the league have weighed in as well.Within a half hour of Whites comments Tuesday evening, Fever team president Kelly Krauskopf issued a statement of support for her head coach.Coach White has done a tremendous job leading the Fever, and for the second consecutive season has us in great position for a playoff push, Krauskopf said. She has kept our team focused and united, all while under the brightest spotlight our team and our league have ever experienced. She has full support of leadership.In a bitter coincidence, it was only a day earlier that White stood on the Fevers practice court and eloquently spoke about how her team has handled the non-basketball discourse that has piled up during the season. There were a lot of people trying to divide the team, she said then, noting that the Fever had done a good job keeping those vibes outside the locker room.Nothing that any one of us ever does is going to please everyone, all the time, White said at Mondays practice. I hope that the biggest thing we learn is how to be responsive instead of reactive, in certain situations. Its really easy, especially for young people, or those who arent in it every day, to react to everything that happens. Its also dangerous to react to everything that happens.But sometimes, the clouds roll in hard, and theres no avoiding some thunder.This article originally appeared in The Athletic.Indiana Fever, WNBA2026 The Athletic Media Company