Brandon Lowe hit two home runs, right-hander Zack Littell pitched into the eighth inning and the visiting Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 8-3 on Thursday afternoon.
Littell (3-5) allowed three runs, eight hits and one walk with two strikeouts and induced three double-play grounders in 7 1/3 innings.
Brandon Lowe had four RBIs and three hits, Josh Lowe had a home run among three hits and Kameron Misner added a homer for the Rays in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Addison Barger, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Nathan Lukes had solo homers for Toronto.
The Rays struck early against right-hander Kevin Gausman (3-4). Josh Lowe, playing for the first time since March 28 because of an oblique strain, lined a single to left to lead off the game. Brandon Lowe lofted the next pitch, a fastball at the top of the strike zone, into the Rays' bullpen in right.
Tampa Bay added a run in the second. Jose Caballero singled and Taylor Walls placed a bunt single down the third-base line. After a double steal, Danny Jansen singled to left to score Caballero but Walls was thrown out at home by Lukes.
Barger homered to right center on Littell's hanging splitter to make it 3-1 in the bottom of the second.
Gausman continued after Junior Caminero's 116-mph line drive hit him on the hip in the third inning. Gausman retrieved the ball on the first-base line and tagged Caminero.
The Blue Jays cut the lead to one with two outs in the third when Guerrero lined a hanging slider over the left field wall for his fifth home run of the year.
Misner homered to right center on a hanging slider to lead off the Rays' fourth. Josh Lowe hammered a one-out homer to center on a fastball in the fifth to make it 5-2.
Tampa Bay added a run in the sixth on Caballero's double and Chandler Simpson's two-out single. Mason Fluharty replaced Gausman, who allowed six runs, 10 hits and no walks with six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
Lukes homered with one out in the eighth. Bo Bichette followed with a double, his third hit. Manuel Rodriguez replaced Littell and got out of the inning for Tampa Bay.
Josh Lowe singled and Brandon Lowe homered in the ninth against Jose Urena.
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Ryan McMahon probably wasn’t the name every die-hard enthusiast of the Bronx Bombers was waiting in anticipation to be announced. In their pinstriped hearts, Yankee fans had already reserved third base for D-Backs’ slugger Eugenio Suárez. But before jumping to conclusions, let’s first browse through what advantages and pitfalls this newly minted Yankee comes with by lining up some pros and cons. Off the bat, one of the key reasons the Yankees had interest in McMahon was his defense. Since last season, defense has been a sensitive topic around the Bronx. While the hot corner hasn’t been a severe part of this concern, knowing that the Yankees’ defense isn’t going to get worse is mildly reassuring. McMahon has recorded four outs above average and four defensive runs saved this year. These numbers have declined since his stellar glove work in 2023, but still fairly solid. It also helps that the Yankees didn’t need to overpay for a third baseman, but McMahon’s upside can be easily offset by his major downside. Hitting .217/.314/.403 with 16 home runs, McMahon’s bat offers plenty more than that of Oswald Peraza, but it might not move the needle very much unless he can make his power play in the Bronx. With his left-handed bat and the Yankees’ short right porch, there is a chance this could work. Even more encouraging is the fact that McMahon has been a 20+ home run hitter for most of his career. His average exit velocity of 94 mph this season ranks him in the elite 98th percentile of hitters. However, this could be a little misleading. McMahon’s numbers seem to be heavily influenced by the mile-high altitude in Denver. Below you can see his home-away splits for this year: Away from Coors Field, McMahon’s performance has been abysmal. Also, his 127 strikeouts were the most in the National League up until his trade. His overall stats and splits aren’t exactly enamoring, but there might be a light at the end of the tunnel. McMahon’s bat has been heating up lately. In the past seven games, McMahon is hitting .292 with three home runs. Over the past two years, the Rockies' third baseman excelled in the first half and slumped heavily in the second. If this trend has reversed and he excels in the second half of this season, Yankee fans could be in for a real treat. Will McMahon be the addition that pushes the Yankees to the World Series this fall? Probably not, but one can always hope. Still, when Gerrit Cole returns next season, McMahon might be the piece that puts New York over the top. The 30-year-old one-time All-Star is signed through 2027, giving fans enough time to find out.
There is not a bigger sporting event in North America than the Super Bowl, and tickets are only getting more expensive every year. There is also a ridiculous secondary market for tickets where seats sell for well above the original face value. It is usually fans or ticket resellers going for a quick profit. But as was reported on Friday, sometimes it can be players in the NFL looking to make a profit. According to multiple reports, including the Associated Press and ESPN, more than 100 players are facing fines and potential suspensions for selling their allotment of tickets to this year's Super Bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs for above face value. Players are reportedly facing fines of one-and-a-half times the face value they originally paid for the tickets, while they are also prevented from purchasing tickets to the Super Bowl for the next seasons. The Associated Press obtained a memo from the NFL detailing the violation and investigation. That memo was as follows: “Our initial investigation has determined that a number of NFL players and coaches, employed by several NFL Clubs, sold Super Bowl tickets for more than the ticket’s face value in violation of the Policy. This long-standing League Policy, which is specifically incorporated into the Collective Bargaining Agreement, prohibits League or Club employees, including players, from selling NFL game tickets acquired from their employer for more than the ticket’s face value or for an amount greater than the employee originally paid for the ticket, whichever is less. We are in the process of completing our investigation into this matter, but the investigation has revealed that club employees and players sold their tickets to a small number of ‘bundlers’ who were working with a ticket reseller to sell the Super Bowl tickets above face value.” If players are not willing to pay the fine, they could be facing suspension from the league. It seems unlikely that any of the players — none of whom have been named, or their teams — would refuse to pay such a fine. It's also one of those moments where you can say, professional athletes — they're still normal people trying to make a quick buck. The most logical answer here is perhaps some of the players caught up in this are younger players who have not yet struck it rich on a big contract or perhaps even practice squad players who are not making top dollar.
The Las Vegas Raiders just stunned the league by releasing defensive tackle Christian Wilkins after only one year with the team. After signing a four-year, $110 million contract, he struggled with injuries in 2024. This was supposed to be a big bounce-back year for Wilkins, but after a dispute between the two sides in regard to how to handle his foot injury, the team decided it was best to part ways. Now, a premier interior disruptor is suddenly available. Assuming his medicals get checked out soon, there should be a lot of interest around the league. Where should he land? Dallas Cowboys Dallas has needed a dominant interior presence for quite some time. Osa Odighizuwa is an awesome threat, but he is only solid against the run. Alongside him, the team will be banking heavily on 2023 first-rounder Mazi Smith, who has been disappointing so far. With Dallas looking to return to the playoffs, adding a stud like Wilkins could give Dallas one of the best defensive lines in the NFL. San Francisco 49ers The 49ers added some young bodies in CJ West and Alfred Collins, yet neither offer a proven, all-around talent like Wilkins could if healthy. The 49ers defensive line was horrid outside of Nick Bosa in 2024, but by adding Wilkins, the team would now have a solid cast of starters with Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams, Wilkins and Kevin Givens/Jordan Elliott. Miami Dolphins A return to Miami makes a ton of sense for both sides. The Dolphins know exactly how to use Wilkins, he knows the building and players, and the transition would be very easy. Miami needs help in the interior defensive line; by plugging Wilkins back into his old role, he could offer the quickest path to high-level impact. Detroit Lions With Levi Onwuzurike out with injury and Detroit needing more juice on the defensive line, adding a proven disruptor like Wilkins could make some sense. He could provide more depth while he gets fully healthy, and he can join a legit Super Bowl contender. His energy and mentality could be a good fit for a Dan Campbell-led squad. Jacksonville Jaguars The Jaguars defense is average in the interior, but they have excellent edge-rushers who would benefit greatly from a strong disruptor up the middle. Wilkins could balance the front, help in the run defense and allow more one-on-ones for their premier edge-rushers. For a team that wants to return to the playoffs as soon as possible, adding a veteran like Wilkins could be a worthy bet to make.
Stars' division rival Colorado Avalanche swings trade with Sharks, moving former first-rounder Oskar Olausson. The Dallas Stars will be watching closely as the Colorado Avalanche reshaped their roster with a move that could impact the Central Division playoff race, trading former first-round pick Oskar Olausson to the San Jose Sharks in a prospect swap that sends Daniil Gushchin to Colorado. This trade, announced on Friday, is viewed as a classic "change of routine" deal for two young forwards who needed fresh opportunities. For the Avalanche, it's a chance to add Gushchin, a skilled Russian winger who has a lot of potential. For the Sharks, it's a shot at reviving Olausson's career in a system that's still rebuilding and has a ton of young players. Olausson, drafted by Colorado in the first round in 2021, has struggled to secure a full-time NHL role. Last season, he scored 11 goals and 26 points in 61 games with the AHL's Colorado Eagles. In San Jose, he's expected to see a much bigger role. How the Oskar Olausson trade between the Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks could affect the Dallas Stars Gushchin, meanwhile, has been a bright spot for San Jose's development system. The 5-foot-8 forward has tallied 105 points in 112 AHL games over the past two seasons and earned 12 NHL games this year. One Western Conference scout told reporters, "Both these guys needed new homes, and this could quietly be one of those trades that pays off in a year or two." For the Dallas Stars, this swap might not seem like headline news now, but it could tip the balance in the Central Division if Gushchin quickly earns NHL minutes in Colorado's middle six. I think Dallas will be watching closely, because any added scoring punch for the Avalanche means the Stars may need to tweak their own depth to keep pace.
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