Yardbarker

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

EXPERTISE:

NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, Premier League, MLS, US Soccer, UFC

Packers lose starting guard Lane Taylor to season-ending knee surgery

Taylor joined the Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2013. His contract expires after the season.

Braves sign former World Series MVP Pablo Sandoval

The Braves began Monday in first place in the National League East standings with a 28-19 record. 

Billionaire Steve Cohen reaches agreement to buy Mets

Cohen, who currently owns 8% of the franchise, will assume 95% ownership of the Mets. The Katz and Wilpon families will retain the remaining 5%.

Reports: LSU's Neil Farrell expected to opt back in, play in 2020

LSU DL Neil Farrell has returned to team facilities and is planning to play in the 2020 college season after he opted out on Aug. 8.

Pac-12 football won't return until 'mid-to-late November' at earliest?

It's believed student-athletes, coaches and other personnel needed to kick off a football season would be covered under the conference's testing program.

Sam Horsfield withdraws from U.S. Open due to positive COVID-19 test

Rory Sabbatini is replacing Horsfield in the field.

Watch: Hamburg's Toni Leistner accosts opposing supporter after loss

Leistner stopped a post-match interview to rush into the stands and physically accost a fan.

Andy Murray receives wild-card entry into French Open

Murray has never won the French Open. He fell to Novak Djokovic in the final of the 2016 tournament.

NHL confirms seventh straight week of zero positive coronavirus tests

The league confirmed on Monday that 1,357 coronavirus tests administered over the past week returned zero positive results.

Athletics sign former All-Star Jake Lamb

Lamb hit .116 with five base hits, one RBI, a single double and 17 strikeouts in 18 games and 43-at bats before Arizona released him.

Mets' Brandon Nimmo rated the worst defensive center fielder in MLB

Nimmo is not a natural center fielder and has been playing out of position because the Mets lack options.

Browns TE David Njoku out at least three weeks with knee injury

Njoku, 24, tallied three receptions and, along with quarterback Baker Mayfield, was responsible for Cleveland's only touchdown of the blowout loss.

Adam Gase: Le'Veon Bell could be out 'a couple of weeks' with hamstring injury

Bell hurt his hamstring in the second quarter of the season-opening defeat. He tallied only six rushes for 14 yards and two catches before he was sidelined and replaced by veteran Frank Gore.

Virginia Tech suspends safety Devon Hunter indefinitely

Associate athletic director Pete Morris said that he cannot comment further on the redshirt junior "until the matter is resolved.”

Reports: Browns to sign kicker Cody Parkey to main roster

Following a blowout 38-6 loss at division rivals the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, the Cleveland Browns are moving on to a different placekicker for Thursday's home opener versus state foes the Cincinnati Bengals.

Report: Barcelona to relegate Luis Suarez to stands

While it's been made clear that superstar Lionel Messi isn't going anywhere during the transfer window, Suarez apparently isn't part of Barcelona's needed rebuild even as a backup option.

Seattle special teams coordinator Brian Schneider leaves Seahawks indefinitely

Seattle head coach Pete Carroll confirmed that special teams coordinator Brian Schneider has taken an indefinite leave from the organization for personal reasons. Special teams assistant Larry Izzo will temporarily replace Schneider.

MLB reports zero positive COVID-19 test results among players for 12 straight days

MLB and the MLB Players Association confirmed via a Friday joint statement that zero players returned positive coronavirus results over the last 12 days of testing.

Phillies' Zack Wheeler could lose fingernail following freak pants-related injury

Phillies manager Joe Girardi told reporters on Friday that it would be "fortunate" if Wheeler takes the bump against Miami on Monday. Girardi added that Wheeler's middle fingernail might need to be removed.

Memphis-Houston game in jeopardy due to coronavirus outbreak

Memphis might not be able to face the Houston Cougars next Friday as scheduled after the Tigers temporarily halted football activities on Friday due to a coronavirus outbreak within the program.

Rockets' Danuel House evicted from NBA bubble due to protocol violation

The NBA confirmed on Friday that Houston Rockets forward Danuel House has left the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex bubble site after he violated league guidelines. 

Viewership for NFL season opener drops 13 percent from 2019

Viewership for the 2020 NFL season opener between defending Super Bowl champions the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans was down from a year ago.  The

Mariners outright 2019 stolen base leader Mallex Smith to Triple-A Tacoma

The Seattle Mariners announced on Friday that the club demoted 2019 MLB stolen base leader Mallex Smith to the team's alternate training site.  

Report: Golden Knights agree to extension with goaltender Robin Lehner

The Golden Knights have a "handshake agreement" with goaltender Robin Lehner on a five-year contract extension that carries a $5 million average annual value.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski will call offensive plays

For the second season in a row, Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield will have offensive plays called by the team's head coach in Week 1.