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Twins sluggers Royce Lewis and Matt Wallner, both currently on the IL with hamstring strains, are at different stages in the recovery process. Lewis is getting closer to a return to the Twins' lineup — and there appears to be a specific target date in the team's mind — while Wallner still seems to be weeks away from being activated.
Lewis began a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul this weekend, but it isn't going to be a situation where he plays in a couple games and then is back in MLB action. According to Dan Hayes of The Athletic, Lewis "likely won’t return to the majors until the team’s next homestand." That sets his projected return date at May 6 against the Orioles.
Lewis has been out since suffering the injury while running out a ground ball in spring training. The Twins want to be cautious with their oft-injured star and make sure he's back at full health before he makes his season debut in the big leagues. Lewis went 1 for 3 and played six innings at third base for St. Paul on Friday night, then went 2 for 3 and played seven innings on Sunday. He's scheduled to DH on Tuesday, and the indication is that he has to play consecutive full games in the field for the Saints before being activated.
Assuming Lewis doesn't suffer a setback and returns to Minnesota's lineup next week, his power and general career production (.825 OPS) should provide a big spark. Without Lewis, the Twins have used a combination of Brooks Lee, Jose Miranda (who was demoted to Triple-A a couple weeks ago), Willi Castro, and new acquisition Jonah Bride at third base.
Wallner is further away. He just returned to playing catch this weekend, almost two weeks after he strained his hamstring running to first base on April 15. According to Hayes, Wallner — who leads Twins hitters (minimum 30 plate appearances) with an .847 OPS — "could be out of the lineup well into May." In his absence, the Twins have operated with Byron Buxton, Harrison Bader, Trevor Larnach, and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. as their four outfielders.
Willi Castro, Luke Keaschall, and Michael Tonkin are the other Twins players on the IL at the moment. There's no exact timetable, but Keaschall is expected to be out for a while after suffering a non-displaced forearm fracture on Friday night.
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Yankees Have Trade Pieces for Tarik Skubal Deal
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Steelers work out two QBs amid Aaron Rodgers injury
With Aaron Rodgers dealing with a left wrist injury, the Pittsburgh Steelers worked out veteran quarterbacks Jason Bean and Tanner Mordecai on Tuesday, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. The Steelers currently have three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster and zero on their practice squad. Backup Mason Rudolph, and third-stringer Will Howard will both move up a spot on the depth chart for at least a week, leaving the Steelers without a third option should either of them get injured. Bean, 26, signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Kansas in 2024. He did not make the 53-man roster, but stuck around on the practice squad for the entire season. He was waived during final roster cuts this year and did not draw practice squad interest from the Colts or any other team. Mordecai is also a 26-year-old who entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie in 2024. Mordecai finished his college career at Wisconsin and signed with the 49ers last spring. He spent the season on San Francisco’s practice squad and was repeatedly cut and re-signed during training camp as the team balanced their other roster needs. He was waived due to injury a final time during roster cuts. The Steelers did not sign Bean or Mordecai, though that could be coming in the next few days as they continue to assess Rodgers’ wrist. They could also work out other available quarterbacks later this week.
Scotland media react to Scott McTominay display vs Denmark
Scott McTominay’s reinvention since leaving Manchester United has been one of the major stories of the last 18 months in European football. The midfielder has managed, in a single season, to transform himself into the driving force of the Napoli side that went on to win Serie A and restore their status among Italy’s elite. Having swapped Old Trafford for the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in 2024, he quickly became a focal point in Antonio Conte’s system and finished his debut campaign as the league’s Most Valuable Player after steering Napoli to the title. McTominay made 36 appearances for Napoli in 2024/25, scoring 13 goals and registering four assists, comfortably the best return of his senior career, sealing a Ballon d’Or nomination. However, this season has been more challenging for the Scotland international. Opposition sides have clearly adjusted to his late runs and aerial presence, while Napoli themselves have not found the same rhythm. McTominay has still chipped in with goals, but with only a handful of strikes so far and more time spent shuttling between roles than dominating games. Unfortunately it seems the form that lit up Italy has been harder to rediscover, a trend that had also been visible with Scotland after Euro 2024. That backdrop is what made Tuesday night at Hampden so significant. With Scotland needing to beat Denmark to leapfrog them and reach the 2026 World Cup, Steve Clarke’s side arrived into a tense, almost wary atmosphere. However, Scott McTominay took matters into his own hands, opening the scoring inside three minutes. Attacking a cross from Ben Gannon-Doak, the former United midfielder adjusted his body and sent an acrobatic overhead effort skidding into the bottom corner. The finish instantly shifted the mood inside Hampden and reminded everyone why Napoli built their title-winning midfield around him. He raced towards the main stand, arms outstretched, as team-mates piled in behind him and the stadium erupted. The Herald’s reaction to the goal described it as a goal: “which will live long in the memory of everyone who was fortunate enough to witness it”. However, from there, Scotland were forced to suffer. A lengthy VAR check eventually handed Denmark a penalty, converted by Rasmus Hojlund, before the visitors went down to ten men and the game descended into chaos. Lawrence Shankland, Patrick Dorgu, Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean traded goals in a breathless finale that finally ended 4-2 to Clarke’s side. For Scotland, the result ends 28 years of waiting and confirms their place at a World Cup finals for the first time since 1998, with Clarke writing himself into national folklore. For Scott McTominay, it is another landmark in a career that, unfortunately for Manchester United fans, has accelerated since leaving Old Trafford.
Quinnen Williams calls out teammates after Cowboys debut
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