Yardbarker

Mike Santa Barbara

Mike Santa Barbara is a Wilmington, Delaware native (Yes, it's a real place) with over a decade of sports writing experience. A diehard Philadelphia sports fan, he has two dogs named after Flyers and cried real tears when the Eagles won Super Bowl LII. You can follow him on Twitter at @mike__sb.

Hoops Summit standout may aid South Carolina's repeat bid

What the reigning NCAA champions do have is an embarrassment of riches when it comes to talent, and the standout of this year's Nike Hoop Summit, Joyce Edwards, proved why. 

White Sox hurler's transition to starter paying historic dividends

Chicago White Sox starter Garrett Crochet has been one of the few bright spots for the club this spring.

Watch: Save of the Year contender helps Denver win Frozen Four title

On the biggest stage, Matt Davis, the netminder for No. 2 Denver, made arguably the best save of the year.

Coyotes hoping to be the Browns of the NHL?

The Arizona Coyotes' inevitable move to Salt Lake City may not be the death of hockey in the desert, nor the Coyotes.

Watch: Josh, Bo Naylor make unique history on National Siblings Day

Brothers Josh and Bo Naylor had a historic night to remember, helping the Guardians come from behind to beat the White Sox, 7-6, on National Sibling Day, no less. 

Authorities believe they've uncovered how Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter pulled off theft

The ongoing drama involving Los Angeles Dodgers Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, accused of stealing millions from the star, took a dramatic turn on Wednesday. 

Watch: Orioles top prospect records first RBI but looks shaky in MLB debut

Baltimore Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday made his MLB debut on Wednesday against the Boston Red Sox. While he unceremoniously struck out in his first official at-bat, he soon made up for it while making history in the process. 

Bucks HC Doc Rivers shares ominous comments about star Giannis Antetokounmpo's status

The Bucks' situation is becoming increasingly desperate.

How might the Coyotes fare in Salt Lake City?

While the league seems intent on having a franchise in Arizona, if shaky plans for a new arena in Phoenix fall through, the Coyotes could be on the move to Salt Lake City as soon as the 2024-25 campaign

Iowa's Caitlin Clark reflects on 'sad' end to her collegiate career

Caitlin Clark walked off a college court for the final time on Sunday, but not in storybook fashion following Iowa's 87-75 loss to South Carolina in the

South Carolina's dominating traits were on full display against Iowa in NCAA championship win

South Carolina weathered Caitlin Clark's massive first quarter before wearing Iowa down with its depth and defense to win a championship for the ages.

No. 1 UConn fends off Alabama, earning shot at back-to-back titles

UConn did what UConn does in the Final Four, wearing down Alabama to move on to Monday's championship game.

Men's NCAA Final Four takeaways: UConn remains relentless while Purdue outlasts NC State

The 2024 men's NCAA national championship participants are set after an entertaining and competitive Final Four. 

Stephen Strasburg's saga with Nationals should serve as a cautionary tale

Stephen Strasburg and the Washington Nationals have figured out how to land the plane smoothly, finally, but his story is one that should give other teams pause, particularly given the seeming rise in significant pitching injuries.

Purdue outlasts NC State, advances to NCAA title game

The Purdue Boilermakers will compete for the national championship. 

Iowa-UConn Final Four matchup draws record viewership

Women's sports are thriving, and anyone needing proof needs to look no further than this year's NCAA tournament. 

Women's NCAA Final Four takeaways: South Carolina still unstoppable, Iowa survives UConn

South Carolina dominated NC State and Iowa survived against UConn in Friday's women's Final Four games. Here are some takeaways from the action.

Controversial call helps No. 1 Iowa survive No. 3 UConn in Final Four

No. 1 Iowa will play undefeated South Carolina for the NCAA championship, but not without controversy. 

Watch: UConn defense smothers Iowa star Caitlin Clark

In the first half of Friday's Final Four matchup with No. 1 Iowa, the Huskies did the impossible: stop Caitlin Clark. 

South Carolina's historic third quarter secures Final Four win over NC State

No. 1 South Carolina will play for the national championship. The undefeated (37-0) Gamecocks used a historic third quarter to top No. 3 NC State, walking away with a 78-59 victory on Friday. 

Insider reveals 'favorite fit' for former Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.

Several quarterback-needy teams will likely target former Washington standout Michael Penix Jr. in this month's NFL Draft, but ESPN's Mina Kimes has one fit that stands out as the strongest in her mind. 

Latest MLB uniform snafu affects Brewers, Rangers

The failed rollout of MLB's new uniforms has claimed its latest victims.  Two teams are still waiting for Nike and Fanatics to deliver special-edition threads, according to local reporters.

Are the Sacramento-bound A's the worst franchise in sports?

Lost at the bottom of the sports world, these franchises need a fresh coat of paint or five.

Run-in with fan over Shohei Ohtani home run ball isn't helping Dodgers' image

As the illegal gambling scandal involving Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter swirls, the Dodgers have become involved in another controversy.

A's reported deal to move to Sacramento could backfire on team

A report indicated that the Oakland A's are close to finalizing a deal to play in Sacramento as soon as the 2025 season. That move could backfire on the team.