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Northern Irish rider Gary McCoy remains in the critical care unit in hospital after an incident during the Supersport qualifying session on the first day of practice for the North West 200 on Wednesday.
McCoy was transported to hospital by ambulance while Englishman Craig Neve was taken from the circuit by air ambulance after both were involved in an incident at Mill Road roundabout six minutes into the Supersport qualifying session.
In an update provided by his wife Leana, she confirmed he is still in the critical care unit in the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast where “he is being cared for brilliantly by the team”.
McCoy has suffered an extensive list of injuries including: 11 broken ribs, two fractures in his pelvis, a punctured right lung, a broken collar bone, a fractured right wrist, a broken left thumb and a small bleed in the brain.
Leana added: “I wanted to say on behalf of Gary and myself that we are so grateful for all of the kind messages, well wishes and support shown by everyone.
“Gary has a long way to go in terms of recovery but if there is one thing I have always said about my husband is that he is the most stubborn person I know and he’s proving that each day.”
Lancaster Desert Christian at Riverside Bethel Christian
Century at Banning
United Christian Academy at Environmental Charter
Loma Linda Academy at Nuview Bridge
Santa Maria Valley Christian at Lennox Academy
Bolsa Grande at Hawthorne
Rancho Alamitos at Hoover
Desert Christian Academy at Calvary Baptist
Redlands Adventist at Academy of Careers & Exploration
Pomona Catholic at Hueneme
Avalon at Loara
Downey Calvary Chapel at Compton Early College
Cal Lutheran at St. Genevieve
Note: Second Round in all divisions May 17; Quarterfinals in all divisions May 21; Semifinals in all divisions May 24; Finals in all divisions May 30-31.
Marinakis is the founder and chairman of Capital Maritime & Trading Corp, an international shipping company, and was voted Greek Shipping Personality of the Year by British publication Lloyd’s List in 2017.
He has also invested in the media and his company, Alter Ego Media, bought two of Greece’s best known daily newspapers – Ta Nea and To Vima.
In 2019, he launched a new television channel, One Channel, in Greece. Earlier this year, his Alter Ego Media company, the largest media organisation in Greece, floated on the Athens stock market.
As well as owning Forest, Marinakis bought Olympiakos in 2010.
Under his ownership, the Greek side have won 11 domestic league titles and the Europa Conference League in 2024. Portuguese side Rio Ave also come under his portfolio.
Marinakis also confirmed in December he had been in talks to purchase Brazilian side Vasco da Gama.
“We have a multi-club ownership and a lot see it as business. I don’t necessarily see it this way,” he said. “It’s very difficult to combine business with football, especially with big teams when you need to win trophies, you need to participate in Europe.
“It doesn’t necessarily mean that you can make money – the opposite in a lot of cases. We don’t have an unlimited budget, we are not a state company or a company that can afford each year to lose money.
“We need to find the balance between what we spend and what we can achieve.”
As he looks to extend his football empire, Marinakis has tempted Edu away from Arsenal.
Edu is yet to be officially announced by Forest, but he is widely expected to become their new global director of football to oversee all Marinakis’ clubs. The former Brazil international left the Gunners after five years in November, having been sporting director since 2022 and technical director previously.
He was at Wembley in April to watch Forest lose their FA Cup semi-final to Manchester City.
Edu’s anticipated appointment is a signal of Marinakis’ intentions and desire to elevate Forest to another level, after buying them in May 2017 from Fawaz Al Hasawi.
Forest had just avoided relegation to League One on goal difference, and Marinakis stated his ambition was a return to the top flight by saying the club “belongs to the elite of the Premier League”.
They achieved Premier League status for the first time in 23 years by winning promotion under Steve Cooper in 2022.
St. Pius X-St. Matthias at Academy of Careers & Exploration
Crossroads at Pomona
Beacon Hill at Twentynine Palms
Cobalt at Mesa Grande
Public Safety Academy at Garden Grove Santiago
Riverside Bethel Christian at Academy of Academic Excellence
St. Lestonnac at Environmental Charter
Cathedral City at Santa Rosa Academy
Ojai Valley at Animo Leadership
Gorman at Nuview Bridge
FRIDAY
DIVISION 2
Crean Lutheran at La Habra
West Ranch at Palm Desert
Sultana at Royal
Loyola at Sierra Canyon
Riverside Prep at Servite
Maranatha at Anaheim Canyon
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame at Etiwanda
La Salle at Gahr
Redlands East Valley at Oaks Christian
Torrance at Chino Hills
El Segundo at Fountain Valley
Bonita at Trabuco Hills
Millikan at Foothill
Westlake at San Clemente
South Hills at Mater Dei
Ventura at Simi Valley
DIVISION 4
Cerritos Valley Christian at Woodbridge
St. Bernard at Irvine
La Quinta at Thousand Oaks
Claremont at Apple Valley
Dos Pueblos at Katella
Valencia at Northview
Don Lugo at Trinity Classical Academy
Grand Terrace at Chino
Wiseburn Da Vinci at Saugus
Murrieta Mesa at Santa Monica
Burbank Burroughs at Ganesha
La Canada at Downey
Culver City at South Torrance
Sonora at Linfield Christian
Capistrano Valley Christian at Monrovia
California at Oxnard Pacifica
DIVISION 6
Arroyo Valley at Shadow Hills
St. Monica at Paramount
Crossroads at Hesperia
Rancho Verde at Rancho Mirage
Estancia at Alhambra
South El Monte at Foothill Tech
Orange County Pacifica Christian at Quartz Hill
Rio Hondo Prep at Muir
Banning at Cerritos
Leuzinger at Marshall
Savanna at Ridgecrest Burroughs
Windward at Santa Fe
Littlerock at Tustin
Adelanto at Heritage Christian
Pasadena at St. Bonaventure
Oakwood at Montebello
DIVISION 8
Colton, bye
Bolsa Grande at University Prep
Santa Ana at New Roads
Dunn at Duarte
Santa Maria Valley Christian at Fillmore
Lancaster Desert Christian at San Jacinto Valley
Azusa at Cate
Rosemead at Westminster La Quinta
Rancho Alamitos at Yeshiva
Beverly Hills at Pasadena Poly
Big Bear at Hesperia Christian
Calvary Baptist at Pioneer
Edgewood at Arroyo
Temecula Prep at Placentia Valencia
Rolling Hills Prep at San Bernardino
Cal Lutheran at Miller
Note: Second Round in all divisions May 20; Quarterfinals in all divisions May 23; Semifinals in all divisions May 27; Finals in all divisions May 30-31.
The Pakistan Super League (PSL), which was initially moved to the United Arab Emirates and then postponed indefinitely, is also making plans to reschedule its final eight matches.
While players from England and Australia left India when the IPL was suspended, other overseas players and coaches remained. League leaders Gujarat Titans trained over the weekend.
Of the 10 English players taking part in the IPL, eight are centrally contracted to England. It is thought they will be left to take personal decisions on their return to India.
The England and Wales Cricket Board initially agreed to let any players taking part to remain for the entire competition, meaning all-rounder Jacob Bethell is not in the squad for the one-off Test against Zimbabwe.
Now the tournament has been rescheduled, there is yet to be a decision on whether players will be asked to return for the three T20s and one-day internationals against West Indies, which begin on 29 May.
There were seven English players at the PSL, along with a number of coaches. All overseas players and coaches at the PSL have returned home.
Last month, a deadly militant attack killed 26 tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir.
As a result, India launched air strikes inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir – triggering days of aerial clashes, artillery duels and, by Saturday morning, accusations from both sides of missile strikes on each other’s airbases.
Later on Saturday, US President Donald Trump announced a “full and immediate” ceasefire.
Corona High, armed with the best pitcher and having a team that has hit 39 home runs this season, was awarded the No. 1 seed for the Southern Section Division 1 baseball playoffs on Monday.
The defending champion Panthers (26-2) drew a first-round bye and will open the playoffs next Tuesday against the winner of Thursday’s first-round matchup between Cypress and host Los Osos.
Corona pitcher Seth Hernandez has a 17-0 lifetime record. He and shortstop Billy Carlson are likely top 10 picks in this summer’s amateur draft. Corona Santiago showed the Panthers are not unbeatable with a 1-0 league win earlier this season.
The 28 teams selected for Division 1 are filled with top pitchers, so the Panthers can expect lots of competition in their favorite’s role. The championship game will be played at Cal State Fullerton on May 30. Crespi is the No. 2 seed.
This is the first season teams were placed in divisional brackets based on computer power rankings at the end of the season. There will be nine divisional champions. A .500 or better record was needed to be considered for an at-large spot.
La Habra is seeded No. 1 in Division 2 and Colony is No. 1 in Division 3. Divisions 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 play on Thursday, the others on Friday.
In over a century of international football, Brazil’s football federation has largely shied away from trusting foreign managers with its top job.
Only three non-Brazilians have ever led the side, and they coached just seven games in all.
Uruguayan Ramon Platero was the first in 1925 and managed four games, Joreca from Portugal managed two games in 1944, with Argentine Filpo Nunez the last foreign appointment, managing a single game in 1965.
It has been a similar story in Brazil’s domestic league, Serie A. The sense had always been that only a Brazilian could truly understand what it means to play football there.
This culture changed soon after Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus, who was linked in recent reports, external as another candidate for the Brazil job, took over in 2019 at Flamengo.
His arrival initially came amid doubts that a pragmatic European system could bring success.
Jesus went on to lead Flamengo to the league title as well as the Copa Libertadores, with the Rio de Janeiro club experiencing one of their most successful seasons ever. His team won 43 of their 57 games before Jesus left in July 2020.
Since then there has been a domestic shift and acceptance of foreign coaching in the country – and this is now translating to the international stage.
“This is an important wall coming down,” Vickery told BBC Sport.
“Especially as it now seems that Ancelotti wants to do the job from Europe which is going to be very controversial.”
Ancelotti will be the first true European titan at the helm, with a decorated trophy cabinet that includes five Champions League titles and domestic trophy success in Italy, England, France, Spain and Germany.
MaxPreps.com records date to the 2004-05 school year, documenting Reseda High’s baseball team posting one losing record after another. There was 1-18 in 2006, 3-11 in 2013, 3-13 last season.
With at least 20 years of losing records, the Regents have stunned the City Section this season, winning the Valley League with an 11-1 record and going 12-7 overall to earn a No. 13 seed in the City Section Division II playoffs that begin on Tuesday.
Moving from the Valley Mission League has given the Regents relief, but credit also goes to second-year coaches Daniel Swartz and Albert Silvera, former Beverly Hills High teammates from the 1980s who took over a losing program. Silvera was a chef, Swartz a sports producer and together, they’ve helped create a success story.
Teaching a baseball class in the fall got the team better prepared for the spring season, enabling 11 seniors to be part of a special year.
Senior Don Barajas leads the team in hitting with 33 hits, including 10 doubles. He also has struck out 59 in 31 innings.
Reseda used to be part of the West Valley League in the 1990s, having to face Chatsworth and El Camino Real.
…. Southern Section baseball and softball pairings will be announced on Monday.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email [email protected].
The issue of having to wear a skort whilst playing camogie is not a new one, but there have been growing feelings of discontent with the current rules for quite some time now and recent protests have brought the controversy into the mainstream media.
The current rules governing playing gear for camogie state that it must include a skirt, skort (a pair of shorts with an overlapping fabric panel which resembles a skirt) or a divided skirt.
This is in contrast to women’s gaelic football where shorts are allowed.
A recent Gaelic Players Association survey, external highlighted how 70% of players experienced discomfort while wearing the skort, and that 83% of players wanted an option to choose to wear shorts.
Shorts are generally viewed as more comfortable and practical to wear especially when women are on their period and with the possibility of skorts riding up, they may prove a distraction whilst trying to compete at the highest level.
Cahair O’Kane, a journalist with the Irish News told the Conor Phillips Show that players “have concerns about how skorts appear in images from the wrong angle and skorts coming up”.
“Shorts a lot of the players feel eliminate the issue. What players want is simply the choice to wear shorts or skorts,” he added.
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. My name is EricSondheimer. As the prep baseball playoffs begin this week, let’s remind everyone we’re witnessing the making of the next great pitcher from Southern California.
Throwing strikes at 98 mph
Pitcher Seth Hernandez leads No. 1-ranked Corona.
(Nick Koza)
The Southern Section baseball playoff pairings will be announced on Monday, and 26-2 Corona is set to be the No. 1 seed in Division 1. It will be a last chance to take a look at standout pitcher Seth Hernandez, who enters the playoffs with a 17-0 record in two years of high school competition.
Southern California has produced Cy Young Award winners in Gerrit Cole (Orange Lutheran), Trevor Bauer (Hart), Jack McDowell (Sherman Oaks Notre Dame) and Bret Saberhagen (Cleveland), along with baseball’s current stars, Paul Skenes (El Toro), Max Fried (Harvard-Westlake) and Hunter Greene (Notre Dame)
Few exhibited in high school the pinpoint control along with being able to throw a fastball at 98 mph like Hernandez.
Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
Baseball
Venice received the No. 1 seed for the eight-team City Section Open Division playoffs that begin Wednesday. The semifinals are next Tuesday, followed by the championship game on May 24 at Dodger Stadium. Here are the complete pairings.
Sylmar came away as the Valley Mission League champions aided by a three-run home run from Rickee Luevano to beat Kennedy.
The Southern Section playoff pairings will be released Monday at 10 a.m. It’s the first time power rankings are being used to place teams into nine divisions. There’s expected to be first-round byes in Division 1.
Rising 2027 1B/OF/DH @jakekim_10 launches his 7th HR of the season—a no-doubt grand slam over the RF wall. Showing advanced approach and confidence, he continues to drive balls to all fields. Middle-of-the-order presence every program covets, and he’s only trending up. @LesLukachpic.twitter.com/sVAoFiAql3
— Harvard Westlake Baseball Tailgaters Club (@HWtailgaters) May 7, 2025
Softball
The Southern Section softball playoff pairings will be released at noon Monday.
The City Section softball pairings will be announced on Friday. Granada Hills, which has lost in the final to Carson the last two seasons, is the likely No. 1 seed. San Pedro ended Carson’s reign as Marine League champion.
Track
Newbury Park’s Nicholas Durbiano (second from left) ran a 10.54 100 meters qualifying time at the Southern Section Division 2 prelims.
(Nick Koza)
The Southern Section track and field finals are set for Saturday at Moorpark High. The most interesting competition could come in Division 3, where Servite and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame will engage in an all-out duel for the boys team title.
Pure Insanity! 🔥
Servite advances 6️⃣ runners in the 200 to CIF Finals!
Current Servite record holder in the event, Max Thomas ‘22 (USC), was on hand to witness the greatness being displayed on the track today. #credo#gofriarspic.twitter.com/bO3XCBIe9R
There is so much depth to call upon from both teams. Servite qualified six runners for the 200. Notre Dame qualified four athletes for the long jump. The two schools went one-two in the 4×100 relay. Notre Dame’s JJ Harel is in the high jump, long jump and triple jump. Servite athletes are favored to win the 100, 200 and 400 and both relays. It will come down to picking up points in other events.
The future in the 400 in crazy good. Freshman Jalen Hunter of Servite runs 47.63 at D3 prelims. Freshman Jace Wells of Servite runs 48.14. Soph Quincy Hearn of SO Notre Dame runs 48.26. Soph Brian Prince of Cathedral runs 48.27
Granada Hills sophomore Isabella San Jose dives off the block to begin the anchor leg of the Highlanders’ victorious 400-meter freestyle relay.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Granada Hills won the City Section boys and girls championships in swimming. Here’s the report.
Santa Margarita won the boys and girls titles at the Southern Section Division 1 championships. Here’s the report.
The state championships take place this weekend in Clovis.
Lacrosse
It will be Loyola taking on Mater Dei to decide the Southern Section Division 1 boys lacrosse championship Friday night.
This team will see you in the championship game.
No. 1 seed Loyola (20-3) leads from start to finish today, defeating [5] Foothill on the road, 11-9, to punch a ticket back to the CIF-SS Division I Finals! #LoyolaLax | #GoCubspic.twitter.com/5FZ9FSKRQJ
For girls, Mira Costa will take on Foothill. Here’s the schedule.
Volleyball
It will be Huntington Beach taking on No. 1 Mira Costa in the Southern Section Division 1 volleyball championship match on Friday at 7 p.m. at Cerritos College.
The City Section Open Division semifinals will be held Tuesday night, with Venice hosting Granada Hills and Chatsworth hosting El Camino Real. The championship will take place Saturday at Birmingham.
Freshman sensation
Freshman pitcher Carlos Acuna of Birmingham is 7-0 with a 1.09 ERA.
(Craig Weston)
Freshman pitcher Carlos Acuna of Birmingham has had a sensational start of his high school career with a 7-0 record going into the start of the City Section playoffs next week.
Will Burr is the new girls’ basketball coach at Harvard-Westlake. He’s won Southern Section titles at Oak Park and Viewpoint. He played basketball at Bishop Alemany and is a former classmate of head of athletics Terry Barnum. . . .
Joe Goyeneche has stepped down as football coach at St. Bonaventure and will be replaced by defensive coordinator Nathan Page. Former coach Jon Mack is serving as a consultant. . . .
Former Taft and St. John Bosco basketball coach Derrick Taylor is the new head coach at Blair in Pasadena. . . .
Former Newbury Park and Utah quarterback Cam Rising (left) announced he is medically retiring from football. He’s coaching Brady Smigiel of Newbury Park.
(Craig Weston)
Former Newbury Park and Utah quarterback Cam Rising announced he is medically retiring from football and has joined Newbury Park as its new offensive coordinator, where he’ll get to tutor Michigan commit Brady Smigiel. . . .
Brandon Alexander has been hired to be the first girls flag football coach at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame. Schools in the Mission League have been reluctant to add flag football, so this could be the start of an expansion. Harvard-Westlake is expected to add a team in 2026. . . .
Huntington Beach junior receiver Troy Foster has committed to San Diego State. . . .
Standout defensive lineman Richard Wesley of Sierra Canyon has committed to Oregon. He changed to become part of the class of 2026. . . .
Linebacker Shaun Scott of Mater Dei has committed to USC, giving the Trojans 28 commitments for the class of 2026. . . .
Windward basketball standout JJ Harris has committed to Loyola Marymount. . . .
It was an emotional moment for Loyola and Harvard-Westlake tennis players honoring Loyola captain Braun Levi, who was killed by a suspected drunken driver. Here’s a report on the schools uniting.
From the archives: Augie Lopez
Former Loyola baseball player Augie Lopez has helped USC move into playoff contention.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Former Loyola High catcher Augie Lopez has made a huge impact as a freshman for USC, helping the Trojans move into position to gain their first NCAA playoff berth since 2015.
He entered this past week hitting .338 with two home runs and 10 RBIs.
From NFHS.org, a story on how track and field officials can stay calm during championship events.
From the Los Angeles Times, a story on the life and legacy of Chet Lemon, a Fremont High grad and World Series hero who died at the age of 70.
From MaxPreps.com, a story on a Texas high school softball team setting a national record for most home runs.
Tweets you might have missed
Boys Volleyball: @CIFLACS West Valley All-League Selections. Chatsworth’s Noa Beauregard & Grant Chang Were Named Co-Players Of The Year. Chancellors Finished 10-0 In League & Received #2 Seed In CIF-LACS Open Division Playoffs. pic.twitter.com/9XXVaPswKL
The walk-off hit by Evan Rodriguez in the bottom of the seventh that gave Simi Valley a 3-2 win over rival Royal and made the Pioneers Coastal Canyon League champions. pic.twitter.com/3PdUQXou4r
Twenty-five years ago I did a story about teenagers trying to prevent drivers from driving drunk. It’s so sad that people still drive drunk and destroy lives. https://t.co/Yp8uSalx1F
Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at [email protected], and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.
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In a season which became known as the year of retirements on the ATP Tour, former British number one Dan Evans had his own thoughts about how long he had left playing.
Andy Murray deciding it was the right time to stop dominated the talk in British tennis last year, while his fellow Grand Slam champions Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem also brought the curtain down on their careers in 2024.
At Wimbledon in June, Evans spoke about the awareness he had of coming towards the end of his career and the “stark reality” of not being able to compete at the same level he once did.
So it is telling Evans – who turns 35 in less than a fortnight – is still ploughing on, albeit largely on the ATP Challenger Tour which sits below the main tour.
Less than two years ago, he was ranked a career-high 21st in the world, but is now 190th after briefly dropping outside of the top 200 earlier this year.
“I’m still trying to be a tennis player, although some people are letting it known they don’t think I am.”
Evans, competing in a Challenger event in Bordeaux this week before focusing on French Open qualifying, certainly still is a tennis player.
Dropping down a level demonstrates his clear love for the sport and, perhaps, a determination to spend as much time on court as possible having been banned for a year in 2017 after testing positive for cocaine.
Making the decision to stop playing professional tennis is, for many, the hardest they will make. There is no ‘perfect’ way to say goodbye.
Austin Reaves is the Lakers’ breath of fresh air, a sharpshooting respite from all the drama and dirge, a stirring journey from undrafted to indefatigable. My favorite, everybody’s favorite.
But it’s time.
If the Lakers are going to get where they need to be, they’ll have to get there without Austin Reaves. If the Lakers truly value the acquisition of a big man, they’re going to have to get rid of the little fella.
Damn, I hate writing these next three words.
Trade Austin Reaves.
Send him packing in a deal that brings the Lakers the sort of lob partner and rim protector whose absence knocked you out of the postseason. Use him as the most attractive asset that could lure the sort of behemoth that could help this group bully their way back into contention.
You say you want to build around Luka Doncic? Start with uprooting Reaves.
No. 1 Oklahoma City vs. No. 4 Denver Nuggets Denver 121, at Oklahoma City 119 (box score) at Oklahoma City 149, Denver 106 (box score) at Denver 113, Oklahoma City 104 (OT) (box score) Oklahoma City 92, at Denver 87 (box score) Tuesday at Oklahoma City, 6:30 p.m., TNT Thursday at Denver, TBD, ESPN Sunday at Oklahoma City, TBD*
No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 7 Golden State Golden State 99, at Minnesota 88 (box score) at Minnesota 117, Golden State 93 (box score) Minnesota 102, at Golden State 97 (box score) Monday at Golden State, 7 p.m., ESPN Wednesday at Minnesota, 6:30 p.m., TNT Sunday at Golden State, TBD* Tuesday, May 20 at Minnesota, 5:30 p.m., ESPN*
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Cleveland vs. No. 4 Indiana Indiana 121, at Cleveland 112 (box score) Indiana 120, at Cleveland 119 (box score) Cleveland 126, at Indiana 104 (box score) at Indiana 129, Cleveland 109 (box score) Tuesday at Cleveland, 4 p.m., TNT Thursday at Indiana, TBD* Sunday at Cleveland, TBD*
No. 2 Boston vs. No. 3 New York New York 108, at Boston 105 (OT) (box score) New York 91, at Boston 90 (box score) Boston 115, at New York 93 (box score) Monday at New York, 4:30 p.m., ESPN Wednesday at Boston, 4 p.m., TNT Friday at New York, TBD, ESPN* Monday, May 19 at Boston, 5 p.m., TNT*
*if necessary
DODGERS
From Jack Harris: At the end of a grueling 10-game trek around the country, and in search of their first winning trip this season, the Dodgers got exactly what they needed Sunday afternoon.
A strong start from right-hander Tony Gonsolin. A huge performance from the top of their lineup. And a thorough 8-1 rout of the Arizona Diamondbacks, splitting a four-game series at Chase Field this weekend to return home from this week-and-a-half-long trip with a 6-4 record that keeps them in first place in the National League West.
“Really good team win,” manager Dave Roberts said.
In a battle of two former All-Stars on Sunday, Gonsolin outdueled Arizona right-hander Zac Gallen, tossing five scoreless innings to earn his second win in three starts since returning from Tommy John surgery — and a back injury that forced him to miss the first month of the season — this year.
“His delivery looks really good,” Roberts said of Gonsolin, who has a 2.80 ERA in his first three starts this season while looking much closer to the 2022 All-Star version of himself than he did while pitching through his elbow injury in 2023.
Gunnar Henderson hit a two-run homer during Baltimore’s four-run sixth inning, and Maverick Handley got his first two career RBIs in the Orioles’ 7-3 victory over the Angels on Sunday.
Zach Eflin (3-1) pitched five innings of two-run ball in his return from a monthlong injury absence for the Orioles, who took two of three in this weekend series between last-place clubs. Baltimore finished its trip by winning for only the second time in eight games.
Matthew Lugo hit his first career homer as a pinch-hitter in the ninth for the Angels, who went 4-6 on their 10-game homestand.
Tyler Anderson (2-1) yielded one earned run over five innings for the Angels, who committed two errors and several other fielding gaffes.
From Anthony De Leon: Even on Mother’s Day — the day dedicated to relaxation and pampering for moms — the Sparks will take the hardwood in Torrance, sweating through defensive sets, refining footwork and hitting jumpers.
It’ll be a shortened practice, but practice nonetheless. There’s no time to pause. The WNBA season opener is less than a week away. The grind of pro basketball never lets up, and neither does the grind of motherhood.
Odyssey Sims’ latter role often kicks in when she steps off the court. When the final whistle sounds, her 5-year-old son, Jaiden, usually waits nearby — her best friend, “Mama’s baby.” He shares her wide grin. They move as one, even at the Sparks’ training camp.
“I’m used to bringing my son with me all the time,” Sims said. “He loves coming to the gym. … He has his moments where he’s like, ‘Mom, I’m ready to go.’ I’m like, ‘Son, it’s 10 o’clock, we haven’t even started.’”
UCLA earned a No. 9 NCAA softball national seed and will host a regional during its first season as a Big Ten member.
The Bruins (49-10, 17-5 Big Ten) lost to Michigan 2-0 in the Big Ten tournament title game, but still earned the right to host the Los Angeles Regional. UCLA is making a record 40th appearance in the NCAA tournament.
Regional No. 2 seed Arizona State, Regional No. 3 seed San Diego State and Regional No. 4 seed UC Santa Barbara also earn bids in UCLA’s regional, with the Regional No. 1 seed Bruins playing UC Santa Barbara at 4:30 p.m. PDT Friday (ESPN+) and Arizona State playing San Diego State at 7 p.m. Friday (ESPN2).
Texas A&M earned the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA Division I softball tournament on Sunday, edging four-time defending national champion Oklahoma for the top spot and leading seven Southeastern Conference teams seeded in the top eight.
Brian White scored on a header in the 70th minute and the Vancouver Whitecaps rallied to tie LAFC2-2 on Sunday to extend their unbeaten streak to 11 games across all competitions.
The Whitecaps (8-1-3) lead all MLS teams with 27 points and hold a five-point edge over Minnesota in the Western Conference. They are 6-0-5 during the streak.
On the tying goal, second-half substitution Ali Ahmed headed the ball into the center of the box and White headed it into the net. White also scored in the 26th minute to pull Vancouver within a goal.
From Kevin Baxter: Nareg Dekermenjian had Mother’s Day brunch with the Stanley Cup, which caused more than a little anxiety since no one was sure what hockey’s championship trophy liked to eat.
“I’m thinking all-meat diet for the Stanley Cup,” Dekermenjian said before sliding into a large corner booth at Stanley’s Restaurant (no relation to the Cup) in Sherman Oaks. “Anything less than that, I’m going to be very, very disappointed.”
As it turned out, the Cup was fasting so the plate in front of it remained empty. But then the trophy wasn’t the one being feted Sunday, Dekermenjian was. Last week he was named the winner of the NHL’s Future Goals Most Valuable Teacher Program, chosen from a field of hundreds of candidates from 31 of the league’s 32 cities.
For the fifth-grade teacher, who left a well-paying job as a financial advisor for a classroom four years ago, being honored by a visit from the Stanley Cup was a full-circle moment in several ways. For starters, it was an acknowledgment of the role hockey played in helping him adapt to his new country after his father, Edward, a jeweler in Lebanon who spoke only broken English, wagered everything when he left Beirut for the West Valley so his three children could have a chance at a better life.
Dekermenjian, the youngest, was just 5 and he immediately had trouble fitting in.
“Making friends or having some kind of link with the kids my age, coming from a different country, that was really different,” he said. So one day his mother, Zovig, pushed him out the door to join some neighborhood kids in a street-hockey game.
“I’m glad I did,” Zovig said Sunday. The game, it turned out, would change everything.
Pacific 1 Vegas vs. Pacific 3 Edmonton Edmonton 4, at Vegas 2 (summary) Edmonton 5, at Vegas 4 (OT) (summary) Vegas 4, at Edmonton 3 (summary) Monday at Edmonton, 6:30 p.m., TNT Wednesday at Vegas, 6:30 p.m., ESPN Friday at Edmonton, TBD, TNT* Sunday at Vegas, TBD, TNT*
C1 Winnipeg vs. C2 Dallas Dallas 3, at Winnipeg 2 (summary) Winnipeg 4, at Dallas 0 (summary) Dallas 5, at Winnipeg 2 (summary) Tuesday at Dallas, 5 p.m., ESPN Thursday at Winnipeg, 6:30 p.m., TNT Saturday at Dallas, TBD* Monday, May 19 at Winnipeg, TBD, ESPN*
Eastern Conference
Atlantic 1 Toronto vs. Atlantic 3 Florida at Toronto 5, Florida 4 (summary) at Toronto 4, Florida 3 (summary) at Florida 5, Toronto 4 (OT) (summary) at Florida 2, Toronto 0 (summary) Wednesday at Toronto, 4 p.m., ESPN* Friday at Florida, TBD, TNT Sunday at Toronto, TBD, TNT*
Metro 1 Washington vs. Metro 2 Carolina Carolina 2, at Washington 1 (OT) (summary) at Washington 3, Carolina 1 (summary) at Carolina 4, Washington 0 (summary) Monday at Carolina, 4 p.m., TNT Thursday at Washington, 4 p.m., TNT Saturday at Carolina, TBD* Monday, May 19 at Washington, TBD, ESPN*
* If necessary
THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
1909 — The Preakness Stakes is held in Maryland after 16 runnings in New York. As part of the celebration marking the return of the Preakness, the colors of the race’s winner were painted onto the ornamental weather vane at Pimlico Racecourse for the first time.
1917 — Omar Khayyam, ridden by Charles Borel, becomes the first foreign-bred (England) colt to win the Kentucky Derby with a 2-length victory over Ticket.
1924 — Walter Hagen wins the PGA championship with a 2-up victory over Jim Barnes.
1973 — 6th ABA championship: Indiana Pacers beat Ky Colonels, 4 games to 3.
1974 — The Boston Celtics beat the Milwaukee Bucks 102-87 to win the NBA championship in seven games.
1976 — 20th European Cup: Bayern Munich beats Saint-Etienne 1-0 at Glasgow.
1979 — Chris Evert’s 125-match winning streak on clay comes to an end when she loses to Tracy Austin in the semifinals of the Italian Open.
1980 — West Ham United wins the FA Cup, beating Arsenal 1-0 at Wembley Stadium; midfield playmaker Trevor Brooking scores winner with a rare header.
1982 — FC Barcelona of Spain win 22nd European Cup Winner’s Cup against Standard Liège of Belgium 2-1 in Barcelona.
1993 — Parma of Italy win 33rd European Cup Winner’s Cup against Royal Antwerp of Belgium 3-1 in London.
1995 — Martin Brodeur ties NHL record getting his 3rd playoff shutout in 4 games.
1996 — LPGA Championship Women’s Golf, DuPont CC: England’s Laura Davies wins by 1 stroke ahead of runner-up Julie Piers.
1996 — A three-way dead heat is run at Yakima (Wash.) Meadows, the 20th such finish in thoroughbred racing history there. In the day’s third race, a trio of $8,000 claimers — Fly Like A Angel, Allihaveonztheradio and Terri After Five — hit the wire together after a one-mile race.
2001 — English FA Cup Final, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff (72,500): Liverpool beats Arsenal, 2-1 with Michael Owen scoring twice for the Reds.
2006 — Laure Manaudou of France breaks Janet Evans’ 18-year-old world record in the 400-meter freestyle, finishing in 4:03.03 at the French national swimming championships. Manaudou beats the time of 4:03.85 set by Evans in winning the 400-meter freestyle at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
2006 — Justin Gatlin breaks the 100-meter world record with a time of 9.76 seconds at the Qatar Grand Prix. A week later, the International Association of Athletics Federations announces a timing error gave Gatlin a time of 9.76 seconds. His time of 9.766 seconds, should have been manually rounded up to 9.77, tying Asafa Powell’s world mark of 9.77.
2010 — Montreal follows up a monumental upset by pulling off another. The Canadiens, who eliminated the Washington Capitals, beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Montreal accomplishes what no team had done since the current playoffs format was adopted in 1994. And that is beat the Presidents’ Trophy winner and defending Stanley Cup champion in successive rounds as an eighth-seeded team.
2010 — Kelly Kulick, the first woman to win a PBA Tour title when she beat the men in January in the Tournament of Champions, wins the U.S. Women’s Open for her second women’s major victory in 15 days. Kulick beats Liz Johnson of 233-203 in the final.
2013 — Serena Williams beats Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-4 in the final of the Madrid Open to retain her No. 1 ranking and collect her 50th career title.
2013 — PGA Players Championship, TPC at Sawgrass: Tiger Woods wins his second PC, 2 strokes ahead of David Lingmerth, Jeff Maggert and Kevin Streelman.
2014 — LeBron James ties his playoff career high with 49 points, Chris Bosh makes the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 57 seconds left, and the Miami Heat beat the Brooklyn Nets 102-96 for a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
2019 — Manchester City beats Brighton, 4-1 to claim back-to-back English Premier League titles with 98 points, 1 ahead of runners-up, Liverpool.
THIS DAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1910 — Chief Bender of the Philadelphia Athletics pitched a 4-0 no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians.
1926 — Walter Johnson of the Washington Senators records his 400th career win when he defeats the St. Louis Browns, 7-4.
1937 — St. Louis’ Joe Medwick hit two home runs and two doubles to lead the Cardinals to a 15-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.
1955 — Sam “Toothpick” Jones of the Cubs got a no-hitter the hard way. In the ninth inning against Pittsburgh, he walked the bases full and then struck out the next three batters for a 4-0 victory.
1956 — Carl Erskine of the Brooklyn Dodgers pitched a 3-0 no-hitter against the New York Giants.
1958 — Willie Mays hits the first grand slam in the history of the San Francisco Giants.
1966 — Lou Brock’s RBI single in the 12th inning gave the St. Louis Cardinals a 4-3 victory over Atlanta in the opening of Busch Memorial Stadium. Felipe Alou hit two home runs for the Braves.
1969 — Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals becomes the seventh pitcher in National League history to strike out the side on nine pitches.
1970 — Ernie Banks hit his 500th home run off Pat Jarvis in Chicago’s 4-3 victory over Atlanta at Wrigley Field.
1989 — Rick Reuschel of the San Francisco Giants records his 200th major league win, beating Montreal, 2-1.
1999 — Boston Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez strikes out 15 batters for the second consecutive game in a 9-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners.
2000 — Boston’s Pedro Martinez, who had 17 strikeouts in his last start May 6 against Tampa Bay, struck out 15 in a 9-0 win over Baltimore, to tie an AL record set in 1968 by Cleveland’s Luis Tiant for most strikeouts over two games.
2001 — A.J. Burnett pitched an unlikely no-hitter — overcoming a record nine walks — to lead Florida over San Diego 3-0.
2004 — In one of the most remarkable at-bats in major league history, Alex Cora of the Dodgers fouls off 14 consecutive pitches and then hits the 18th pitch over the right field fence for a two-run home run off Cubs pitcher Matt Clement.
2008 — Indians second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera turned the 14th unassisted triple play in major league history, accomplishing the feat in the second game of a doubleheader against Toronto. Cabrera made a diving catch on a line drive by Lyle Overbay, touched second base and then tagged out Marco Scutaro to quickly end the fifth inning of Cleveland’s 3-0 loss in 10 innings.
2009 — Ryan Zimmerman extended his hitting streak to 30 games, getting a first-inning single in the Washington Nationals’ 9-7 loss to San Francisco.
2010 — Homer Bailey became the latest Cincinnati Reds starter to pitch a gem against the Pittsburgh Pirates, tossing his first career complete game in a 5-0 win. The Reds became the first team in the majors in nearly 10 years to pitch back-to-back, complete-game shutouts without a walk — Oakland’s Tim Hudson and Barry Zito did it on Sept. 9-10, 2000, against Tampa Bay.
2015 — The Mariners tie a team record by hitting six homers in an 11-4 win over the Padres at Safeco Field. Nelson Cruz hits his major league-leading 15th home run, while Mike Zunino hits two, and Kyle Seager, Justin Ruggiano and Logan Morrison complete the barrage.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
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Leicester Tigers have named former England and British and Irish Lions lock Geoff Parling as their new head coach from next season.
The 41-year-old has signed a long-term deal and replaces former Australia coach Michael Cheika, who leaves after just one season at Welford Road.
Parling, who won two Premiership titles as a Tigers player, is currently an assistant coach with Australia and will take over in August after working with the Wallabies for the series against British and Irish Lions.
“I was lucky enough to have some incredible moments in the Leicester Tigers jersey, made through hard work by good people, and so I am extremely proud to be coming back to lead the club,” Parling told the club’s website., external
“There are not many opportunities that would make myself and my family think about leaving Australia, the place we’ve called home for the past seven years, but coming back to Leicester Tigers is one that we are really looking forward to.”
Nareg Dekermenjian had Mother’s Day brunch with the Stanley Cup, which caused more than a little anxiety since no one was sure what hockey’s championship trophy liked to eat.
“I’m thinking all-meat diet for the Stanley Cup,” Dekermenjian said before sliding into a large corner booth at Stanley’s Restaurant (no relation to the Cup) in Sherman Oaks. “Anything less than that, I’m going to be very, very disappointed.”
As it turned out, the Cup was fasting so the plate in front of it remained empty. But then the trophy wasn’t the one being feted Sunday, Dekermenjian was. Last week he was named the winner of the NHL’s Future Goals Most Valuable Teacher Program, chosen from a field of hundreds of candidates from 31 of the league’s 32 cities.
For the fifth-grade teacher, who left a well-paying job as a financial advisor for a classroom four years ago, being honored by a visit from the Stanley Cup was a full-circle moment in several ways. For starters, it was an acknowledgment of the role hockey played in helping him adapt to his new country after his father, Edward, a jeweler in Lebanon who spoke only broken English, wagered everything when he left Beirut for the West Valley so his three children could have a chance at a better life.
Nareg Dekermenjian and his family eat lunch while the Stanley Cup sits in the middle of the table. Left to right are Edward, Ian, Zovig, Oliver and Nareg.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Dekermenjian, the youngest, was just 5 and he immediately had trouble fitting in.
“Making friends or having some kind of link with the kids my age, coming from a different country, that was really different,” he said. So one day his mother, Zovig, pushed him out the door to join some neighborhood kids in a street-hockey game.
“I’m glad I did,” Zovig said Sunday. The game, it turned out, would change everything.
“They gave me a roller-hockey stick and I just kind of fell in love with the sport immediately,” Dekermenjian said. “I’d never been really good at anything before, especially athletics. But I took to roller hockey.
“What it helped me do is create a lot of self-confidence and self-esteem, which is turn helped me in social situations.”
Dekermenjian went on to play at several levels, became a Kings season-ticket holder and now coaches his two sons on the concrete rink he built in their backyard. He’s also using hockey to break down social and cultural barriers at the Dixie Canyon Community Charter School in Sherman Oaks, where many of the nearly 700 students come from immigrant families new to the U.S.
Nareg Dekermenjian, a teacher in Sherman Oaks who won an NHL award, watches as Stanley Cup keeper Howie Borrow sets up the trophy.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
“We have a big melting pot here,” assistant principal Maria Silva said.
But if all those children speak different languages, wear different clothes and pack different foods for lunch, they all understand sports. Even hockey.
“One hundred percent,” said Dekermenjian, 41. “That’s kind of why I do it.”
There are parallels between the challenges athletes face and the ones students face. The grit and perseverance needed to make it through an NHL season is just as necessary to make it through an academic year. There are goals and victories and defeats and teamwork, both on the ice and in the classroom.
“That connects a lot of the dots for these kids that aren’t used to hearing it that way,” Dekermenjian said. “I actually show clips and videos of hockey games when teams are down by multiple goals and they don’t give up and then they come back, they pull the goalie, and they take it.
“That’s, I think, a better way of starting a session. Having these kids look at something so incredible and then looking at themselves and thinking, ‘You know what? I can do this.’”
Nareg Dekermenjian takes a selfie with his son, Oliver, and the Stanley Cup during lunch at Stanley’s Restaurant.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Silva said few teachers at Dixie Canyon are requested by parents more frequently than Dekermenjian, whom she calls Mr. Deker. She often stop by his class herself just to listen.
“I’m just captivated by the stories that he’s sharing. And I don’t want to leave,” she said. “I want to be a kid and listen to him too. When they announced that he won [the NHL award,] I definitely felt they got it right.”
The stories don’t always work, however. And when they don’t Dekermenjian, like a good coach, changes his game plan — as he did in his first year as a teacher after welcoming a shy Ukrainian girl named Maria, who understood little English.
“We’re going over U.S. history and I’m like, ‘What does this child need to know about the Constitution?’ There’s way more important lessons we need to teach,” he said.
Maria loved art so Dekermenjian asked her to draw each day and then, after class, he and a translator would discuss the meaning behind what she had drawn. She was soon thriving in her new environment.
When kids struggle, Dekermenjian said, the problem often isn’t the student, but rather an engagement issue with the teacher.
“Educators, we need to kind of step it up and engage them in nontraditional ways,” he said.
“I’ve seen it work in the classroom. So I do it more and more and the feedback has been overwhelming. I’m creating a bunch of hockey fans and Kings fans in the process, so everyone wins, I guess.”
Speaking of the Kings, that’s the second reason Sunday’s meal was a reunion with the Stanley Cup. The first time he met the trophy was in 2014, when he posed in front of it with his wife, Lori, and then-infant son Ian, who actually owes his existence to the Cup.
During the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs, Lori came up to Dekermenjian and suggested that if the Kings won the Cup, they should have a baby. Dekermenjian, uncertain whether he was ready to be a dad but certain the Kings had no chance to win the NHL title, agreed — and a little more than a year later, Ian was born. They have since added a second son, Oliver.
“It’s a full-circle thing,” he said.
“I definitely feel like I found where I need to be in life. And I’m 100% certain that I was meant to teach.”
On Sunday the NHL agreed, giving him an afternoon with the Stanley Cup to prove it.
New Zealander Ryan Fox clinched a place at this week’s PGA Championship in dramatic style with a 50-foot chip-in from the fringe of the green to win the Myrtle Beach Classic in a three-way play-off.
It was a first US PGA Tour title in 68 starts for the 38-year-old after he finished on 15 under alongside Canada’s Mackenzie Hughes and American Harry Higgs.
Fox earned his spot in the play-off when Hughes let a one-stroke lead slip with a bogey at the 18th and Higgs was only able to par the last at the tournament, which was played at the same time as the Truist Championship in Philadelphia, won by Austrian Sepp Straka.
He will now line up in the second major of the year which begins at Quail Hollow, North Carolina on Thursday.
Fox, whose father Grant played 46 times for the All Blacks and won the inaugural World Cup in 1987, previously played on the DP World Tour, winning three times including at the BMW PGA Championship in 2023 before trying his luck in the United States.
On the day when Mother’s Day was celebrated in America, he celebrated his win in South Carolina with his wife Anneke Ryff and two young daughters.
“So my wife sort of joked on Friday when I said, ‘What can I get you for Mother’s Day?’ And she goes, ‘Well, a trophy would be nice’. So I guess I lived up to my end of the bargain there,” said Fox, who also earns a two-year PGA Tour exemption.
“To have the wife and kids here is amazing.
“I haven’t transitioned probably as well as I would have liked over the PGA Tour. It was tough last year, I managed to just keep my card, and it’s been a scratchy start this year as well.
“In this game, you don’t get to win very often. You don’t get job security very often either.
“So it’s certainly nice to have that. And at the back of my mind, can feel like for the rest of the year, I can freewheel it a little bit. Hopefully that takes some pressure off.
“We’ll see how it goes in the next few weeks. But yeah, it’s feels like a monkey off my back, that’s for sure.”
OKLAHOMA CITY — UCLA earned a No. 9 NCAA softball national seed and will host a regional during its first season as a Big Ten member.
The Bruins (49-10, 17-5 Big Ten) lost to Michigan 2-0 in the Big Ten tournament title game, but still earned the right to host the Los Angeles Regional. UCLA is making a record 40th appearance in the NCAA tournament.
Regional No. 2 seed Arizona State, Regional No. 3 seed San Diego State and Regional No. 4 seed UC Santa Barbara also earn bids in UCLA’s regional, with the Regional No. 1 seed Bruins playing UC Santa Barbara at 4:30 p.m. PDT Friday (ESPN+) and Arizona State playing San Diego State at 7 p.m. Friday (ESPN2).
Texas A&M earned the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA Division I softball tournament on Sunday, edging four-time defending national champion Oklahoma for the top spot and leading seven Southeastern Conference teams seeded in the top eight.
Oklahoma won the SEC regular-season title by a game over Texas A&M in its first season in the conference. Texas A&M and Oklahoma tied for the conference tournament title after the championship game was canceled because of bad weather.
No. 3 seed Florida, a national semifinalist last season, and No. 4 Arkansas also represent the SEC. Oklahoma State, which has made five consecutive Women’s College World Series appearances, is in the regional with Arkansas.
The final eight teams in the 64-team field will play in the WCWS from May 29-June 5 in Oklahoma City.
No. 5 seed Florida State, the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season champion, is the top-seeded team from outside the SEC. The Seminoles won the national title in 2018 and were runners-up in 2021 and 2023.
Florida State is followed by three more SEC teams. Texas, the national runner-up two of the past three seasons, is No. 6. Tennessee, with hard-throwing Karlyn Pickens, is No 7. South Carolina is No. 8 after being picked 15th out of 15 teams in the preseason SEC poll.
No. 10 seed LSU could be challenged. Nebraska, led by former Oklahoma pitcher Jordyn Bahl, also will be in the Baton Rouge Regional. Bahl was the Most Outstanding Player of the World Series in 2023.
Clemson, the ACC tournament champion after knocking off Florida State in the title game, is No. 11.
No. 12 seed Texas Tech, the Big 12 regular-season and tournament champion, features NiJaree Canady, the reigning National Fastpitch Coaches Association Player of the Year. Canady did not allow a run in 16 2/3 innings at the Big 12 Tournament and was named its Most Outstanding Player.
Arizona, which lost to Texas Tech in the Big 12 title game, earned the No. 13 seed.
Duke reached the WCWS for the first time last season and will host a regional this year as the No. 14 seed.
Another SEC team, Alabama, is the No. 15 seed.
Oregon (47-7), the Big Ten regular-season champion, was seeded 16th.
With Ulster having had to cut their cloth accordingly in a different financial landscape, there will be a concern that off-field struggles impacting on-field results becomes something of a spiral.
Already, the pattern of the season’s conclusion seeing plenty of experienced stalwarts heading out the door was set to be repeated.
John Cooney has been a talisman for the province since arriving from Connacht in 2017 but the 11-times capped Irish international has signed a three-year deal with Brive.
Lock Kieran Treadwell, who has also won 11 caps for Ireland, will return to Harlequins, while Andy Warwick and Alan O’Connor, who have represented Ulster a combined 421 times, are among the summer exits too.
All told, eight departing players accounted for 93 outings this season and, to date, the impressive signing of Northampton Saints number eight Juarno Augustus is the only confirmed arrival.
While more are set to come in, the loss of income associated with missing out on knock-out rugby in the URC and the Champions Cup next season will not make it any easier to build a competitive squad.
DENVER — The Colorado Rockies have fired Bud Black, the winningest manager in franchise history, after a 7-33 start that’s one of the worst in Major League Baseball history.
Colorado promoted third base coach Warren Schaeffer to be the interim manager, the team announced Sunday after a 9-3 win over San Diego. That victory wasn’t enough to save Black’s job after the Rockies lost 21-0 to the Padres on Saturday night. They also fired bench coach Mike Redmond. Hitting coach Clint Hurdle takes over as interim bench coach.
The Rockies have the worst 40-game start since the 1988 Baltimore Orioles, who were 6-34.
“Our play so far this season, especially coming off the last two seasons, has been unacceptable. Our fans deserve better, and we are capable of better,” said Rockies owner, chairman and CEO Dick Monfort in a statement. “While we all share responsibility in how this season has played out, these changes are necessary. We will use the remainder of 2025 to improve where we can on the field and to evaluate all areas of our operation so we can properly turn the page into the next chapter of Rockies Baseball.”
Colorado was 19 1/2 games out of first place in the NL West before Sunday’s win. The Rockies have been outscored by 128 runs so far this season. The only team since 1900 with a worse run differential through 40 games was the 2023 Oakland Athletics (-144).
The seventh manager in team history, Black initially found success with Colorado when he led the Rockies to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2017 and ’18. They haven’t finished with a winning record since and are coming off two straight 100-loss seasons. Colorado has a .353 winning percentage since 2023.
Black’s contract was set to expire following the season. He signed a one-year extension in October.
Black was 544-689 in nine seasons while wearing the purple pinstripes. He surpassed Hurdle last season for the team record in both games managed and wins.
The easygoing demeanor of Black seemed to be a good fit for a Rockies team relying heavily on youth. The lineup features a nucleus of Gold Glove winners Ezequiel Tovar and Brenton Doyle, along with the recent call-up of highly touted outfielder Zac Veen, who has since been sent back down. On the mound, they’ve promoted prized pitcher Chase Dollander, the ninth overall draft pick in 2023.
But little has gone right for Black and the Rockies. They allowed 10 or more runs in four straight games, culminating in the football-like 21-0 score Saturday.
A team owned by Monfort and run by general manager Bill Schmidt didn’t make any splash moves to bolster a spiraling club. Their payroll this season is listed at $125.7 million and is 20th in the league, according to Spotrac, a site that tracks payroll.
One reason for the Rockies’ free fall has been the health of slugger Kris Bryant, who’s struggled to stay on the field after signing a $182 million, seven-year contract ahead of the 2022 season. He’s currently on the injured list with lumbar degenerative disk disease.
Before taking over the Rockies, Black spent time in charge of San Diego. He was 649-713 in nine seasons with the Padres and was named the NL manager of the year in 2010.
In addition to his managerial stints in San Diego and Colorado, Black spent seven seasons as the pitching coach for the Angels, who made it to postseason three times and were World Series champions in 2002.
Before breaking into the managerial ranks, Black spent parts of 15 seasons on the mound after the left-hander was picked by Seattle in the 17th round of the 1979 draft. He spent time with the Mariners (1981), Kansas City (1982-88), Cleveland (1988-90, 1995), Toronto (1990) and San Francisco (1991-94). He finished 121-116 with a 3.84 ERA over 398 games.
Black was with the Royals when they won the 1985 World Series, making one start and a relief appearance against St. Louis.
Ex-England midfielder Danny Murphy and former Southampton manager Russell Martin discuss Nicolas Jackson’s sending-off as Chelsea lose 2-0 at Newcastle.
Brian White scored on a header in the 70th minute and the Vancouver Whitecaps rallied to tie LAFC2-2 on Sunday to extend their unbeaten streak to 11 games across all competitions.
The Whitecaps (8-1-3) lead all MLS teams with 27 points and hold a five-point edge over Minnesota in the Western Conference. They are 6-0-5 during the streak.
On the tying goal, second-half substitution Ali Ahmed headed the ball into the center of the box and White headed it into the net. White also scored in the 26th minute to pull Vancouver within a goal.
White is tied for the MLS goals lead with eight and has 13 goals across all competitions. He returned to the lineup Sunday after missing a victory last week over Real Salt Lake because of a tight hamstring.
Mark Delgado opened the scoring for LAFC (5-4-3) in the eighth minute, and Denis Bouanga connected on a penalty kick in the 19th.
