With Sunday’s Freedom 250 Grand Prix roaring through Washington, D.C., all eyes are on the victory circle. 

Winning in the nation’s capital is a monumental moment for any driver, but doing so during the United States’ 250th anniversary elevates the stakes. It has sparked endless creativity around what prize the winning driver will take home.

Kyle Kirkwood and Josef Newgarden share what they expect the atmosphere will be like at the Freedom 250 in D.C.

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IndyCar drivers Josef Newgarden and Kyle Kirkwood appeared on First Things First on Monday afternoon with Danny Parkins and Greg Jennings to discuss Sunday’s race. However, the conversation took a turn when the group tried to figure out what the prize should be.

Parkins made his pitch to the IndyCar drivers, jokingly suggesting that the winner should receive a bald eagle.

“It should be something very American,” Newgarden said in response. “Maybe there’s a bald eagle statue or something that you receive. I don’t know…I was thinking like you should get a horse or something just like a famous American horse like ‘great job, you won the race.’”

Sunday’s race carries far more weight than a typical IndyCar weekend. For American drivers like Newgarden and Kirkwood, there’s extra motivation in racing past historic landmarks like the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument. 

Newgarden is focused on honoring his country, well aware that a race of this magnitude is a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

“Oh, totally,” Newgarden responded when asked if there’s extra motivation. “I don’t think this will happen again. When are we going to be allowed to drive Indy cars in our nation’s capital again? It’s going to be an unbelievable opportunity.”

Kirkwood felt much the same way about what was driving him this weekend. For him, it isn’t just about winning a race, but it’s more about making sure an American driver comes out on top on such a historic stage for the country’s 250th anniversary.

“As a fellow American, I think for America’s 250, we want to see one of us win,” Kirkwood said. “There’s a few other Americans in the series, but we’re a diverse group right? We want to see an American win on the 250, so that’s a big deal for us too.”

While the winner might not walk away with a bald eagle, the stakes are plenty high when Sunday’s race kicks off. All eyes will be on Newgarden and Kirkwood to see if either can come away with a win.

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As NFL teams transition to Week 2 of preseason, training camp activities continue to roll on — and that means we’ve got plenty of injury updates.

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers advanced to live drills in his recovery from a knee injury, while Los Angeles Rams defensive end Myles Garrett remained off the practice field. Meanwhile, the New Orleans Saints are expected to be without rookie wide receiver Jordyn Tyson to start the season.

The Cowboys might not be done adding to the defense after the addition of Von Miller. They’re reportedly exploring the cornerback market and could be looking to reunite a familiar face with defensive coordinator Christian Parker.

Here’s what you should know about what happened in the NFL on Monday.

Garrett, Nacua Still Sidelined

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay provided injury updates on defensive end Myles Garrett and wide receiver Puka Nacua, stating both players could remain sidelined from practice for the remainder of the week. 

Nacua is dealing with soreness in his psoas muscle after exiting joint practice against the Dallas Cowboys last week. Garrett sat out practice due to knee swelling and worked out on a side field with training staff. 

With Los Angeles only scheduled to practice on Tuesday and Thursday for the rest of the week, McVay indicated both players likely will not return to practice until next week. McVay noted that while the issues are minor, the Rams are managing both veterans carefully. 

Are the Rams actually overrated?

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“Anytime you’re talking about a soft tissue, especially with a skill player or a knee with a guy that does some of the things that Myles is doing, we’re going to err on the side of caution, while not minimizing how important it is to get those guys out there,” McVay told reporters. 

McVay emphasized that the team is prioritizing complete health over a quick return to practice. 

“We want to make sure that it’s a return to performance, not just return to play,” McVay said.

Jordyn Tyson’s highly anticipated NFL debut will be put on hold to start the regular season. The New Orleans Saints’ 2026 first-round pick is expected to miss roughly two months after injuring his hamstring in practice last week, NFL Network reported on Monday afternoon.

Tyson was selected No. 8 overall by the Saints in the 2026 NFL Draft and was expected to play a major role alongside Chris Olave in the passing attack. However, a history of recurring hamstring issues from college has followed him into the pros, sidelining him once again.

Saints head coach Kellen Moore clarified that this new hamstring injury is separate from the issue Tyson dealt with in the spring. After he missed 17 games in college between a knee reconstruction, a collarbone fracture and hamstring strains, his durability remains a major question mark.

With Tyson now sidelined for the start of the season, the Saints must decide whether to place him on short-term injured reserve. If designated for return, he would be eligible to come off injured reserve after missing the team’s first four games.

Tyson reportedly looked great throughout the spring in training camp and was going to see high volume in Moore’s offense. With him now sidelined, the team will head into the season with Olave, Devaughn Vele and rookies Bryce Lance and Barion Brown.

Cowboys Explore CB Help

Fresh off agreeing to terms with veteran pass rusher Von Miller, the Dallas Cowboys may not be done making moves. The Cowboys are exploring cornerback options and could target free agent Adoree’ Jackson, according to ESPN.

Jackson spent last season with the Philadelphia Eagles and could reunite with newly hired Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker. The two overlapped in Philadelphia, where Parker served as the defensive backs coach under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.

The Cowboys’ defense is undergoing a complete revamp under Parker, but the secondary remains one of the team’s biggest concerns. The cornerback room is led by DaRon Bland and Cobie Durant, with the team also leaning on second-year corner Shavon Revel Jr. to step up.

Set to turn 31 this season, Jackson is coming off a solid year with the Eagles. He recorded 55 tackles, 40 of them being solo, plus an interception and 11 pass deflections, proving he can still thrive both inside and outside in a variety of defensive schemes.

In addition to showing interest in Jackson, details on Miller’s contract have emerged. Miller signed a one-year deal worth $5.5 million that can reach up to $7.5 million with incentives, according to The Athletic.

Miller is heading into his age-37 season and has remained productive late into his career. He played last season in the NFC East at a high level with the Washington Commanders, posting 26 total tackles, 16 solo tackles, and nine sacks in 17 games.

The Cowboys likely added Miller as a rotational depth piece, as their defensive line is surrounded by talented pass rushers. Miller will be playing alongside Rashan Gary, Donovan Ezeiruaku, James Houston and 2026 first-round pick out of UCF in Malachi Lawrence.

Egbuka, McMillan Injury Updates

The injury update surrounding Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receivers Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan isn’t as promising as fans had hoped. 

Egbuka’s status for Week 1 is up in the air after missing nearly a full week of practice with a toe sprain. Head coach Todd Bowles offered little clarity, vaguely labeling Egbuka as “day to day, week to week,” according to our Greg Auman.

When asked about Egbuka’s status for Week 1, Bowles admitted he wasn’t sure “at this time.”

McMillan has missed two weeks of practice while nursing a knee injury, and there’s no timetable for his return to the field. Bowles described the issue to reporters as a “banged-up knee,” adding that the receiver remains “day-to-day, week-to-week” as well.

If Egbuka and McMillan aren’t on the field for the season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, the team will be relying heavily on veteran Chris Godwin. The offense will also look to incorporate young pass-catchers in second-year receiver Tez Johnson and rookie Ted Hurst.

Reinforcements are on the way for the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense as wide receiver DeVonta Smith is finally back on the practice field, per NBC Sports Philadelphia. He returned in a limited capacity for Monday’s practice after missing roughly two weeks with a hamstring injury.

With A.J. Brown out of the picture, the spotlight fully belongs to Smith. Entering the year as the unquestioned top target, he now leads a revamped receiving group featuring new additions that include Dontayvion Wicks, Marquise Brown, and 2026 first-round selection Makai Lemon.

Smith is coming off a productive 2025 season with the Eagles, hauling in 77 receptions for 1,008 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 13.1 yards per reception. A potential uptick in target volume positions Smith nicely for a career year ahead.

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers took a step forward in his rehabilitation, participating in full-speed 11-on-11 drills for the first time since tearing his knee. 

Nabers wore a red non-contact jersey typically reserved for quarterbacks during 11-on-11 work and caught three passes during 7-on-7 drills. 

Speaking to reporters after practice, Nabers emphasized a measured approach to his return. 

“I mean the most important thing right now is my health,” Nabers said. “So you know, I’m taking each step accordingly, or just you know making sure my body feels good with you know taking the next step week by week or day by day or whatever they want to do. So just letting them know how my body feels, just so I can take it more.”

The Chicago Bears are reportedly adding depth to their defensive line by signing edge rusher Marcus Davenport, according to CBS Sports. Davenport visited with the club on Sunday before finalizing the deal. 

The move keeps the 29-year-old in the NFC North after he spent the previous two seasons with the Detroit Lions and played for the Minnesota Vikings in 2023. Davenport appeared in eight games with seven starts in 2025, recording one sack and three quarterback hits while dealing with a chest injury. 

He missed the majority of the 2024 season after suffering a triceps injury. Selected 14th overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 2018 draft, Davenport spent his first five seasons in New Orleans and has recorded 25.0 career sacks, 28 tackles for loss, and 71 quarterback hits.

Injury News & Notes

• New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn announced that RB Breece Hall suffered a groin strain during Monday’s practice and played down the severity, calling it “not a big deal.”
• Jameson Williams is dealing with a minor shoulder injury; Lions coach Dan Campbell told reporters the injury was nothing serious.
• Bears RB Kyle Monangai reportedly suffered a hyperextended knee and is expected to miss multiple weeks. His availability for Week 1 is uncertain.
• Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell announced that LB/S Jamal Adams suffered a quad tendon tear and will be placed on season-ending injured reserve.
• Cleveland.com reported that veteran pass rusher Za’Darius Smith, who has been expected to sign with the Cleveland Browns, worked out for the Atlanta Falcons on Monday.
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles told reporters that QB Baker Mayfield and the rest of the starters will play in this week’s preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

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Keenan Allen isn’t ready to call it a career just yet. The six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver is set to return for his 14th NFL season.

Allen, 34, is signing a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts, the IndyStar reported late Monday. The deal is reportedly expected to be worth up to $8.32 million. 

Allen will now reunite with Colts head coach Shane Steichen. The two share a long history together from their time with the Los Angeles Chargers, where Steichen was an offensive assistant coach for seven of the first eight seasons of Allen’s career. Steichen was promoted to offensive coordinator in the 2020 season, when Allen recorded 100 receptions and eight receiving touchdowns. 

In addition to his six Pro Bowl selections over a 13-season career, Allen has recorded six 1,000-yard receiving seasons to build an impressive résumé. While he has spent the vast majority of his career with the Chargers, Allen also spent the 2024 season with the Chicago Bears.

The Colts are the third franchise stop of Allen’s career. He’s set to join a receiving room headlined by Josh Downs and Alec Pierce, joining a team that relatively lacked depth at the position. Pierce has also been sidelined through the opening weeks of training camp due to an ankle injury. 

Allen is coming off a productive season with the Chargers, where he filled a similar role to what is expected with the Colts. Even without being the top option on offense, Allen was able to haul in 81 receptions for 777 yards and four touchdowns.

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Shohei Ohtani homered twice to help spark a slumping Dodgers offense, Blake Snell struck out five over six innings, and Los Angeles beat the Colorado Rockies 11-5 on Monday night.

Max Muncy added a three-run homer as the Dodgers found the perfect way to break out of their recent funk — playing at hitter friendly Coors Field. They entered Monday averaging 3.4 runs per game over a stretch that saw them lose 11 of 16.

The 11 runs were the most by LA since a 12-7 win over San Diego on July 2.

Snell (1-1) allowed two hits and one run in his second start since returning from elbow surgery that sidelined him for three months. The lefty ran his scoreless innings streak against the Rockies to 27 before allowing a run in the third. Colorado scored on three walks and a fielder’s choice.

Muncy extended the lead to 5-0 in the third with a homer that went an estimated distance of 461 feet. Ohtani had a solo shot in the fifth and a two-run homer in the sixth. He finished 4 for 5.

Ohtani has now hit safely in 21 straight games at Coors Field. Over the streak, he has nine homers and 24 RBIs while hitting .413.

Tomoyuki Sugano (12-6) lasted five innings and allowed six runs. The righty continues to struggle against his fellow countryman Ohtani, who went 2 for 3 against Sugano with a homer. He’s now 7 for 11 with four homers when facing Sugano.

Infielder/outfielder Troy Johnston pitched a scoreless ninth that included a walk and hitting Tommy Edman. Dodgers reliever Edwin Diaz gave up three runs in the ninth.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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 Pete Crow-Armstrong hit his first career walk-off homer, a two-run shot in the 10th inning, and the Chicago Cubs rallied for a 7-5 win over the crosstown White Sox Monday night at Wrigley Field.

The All-Star outfielder and MVP contender hit his fifth lead off homer of the season to start the game. Then he ended it when he led off the 10th by driving a 2-1 slider from Hagen Smith (2-1) deep into the right-field patio area. 

It was the 30th homer of the season for Crow-Armstrong, one short of his career best from last year. With 31 stolen bases this year, he also has back-to-back 30-30 seasons.

Crow-Amstrong took his left hand off the bat after he connected and pointed it skyward as he began walking down the first-base line. He turned toward the dugout and celebrated before starting his slow, exuberant home run trot.

Seiya Suzuki also homered for the Cubs and Jacob Webb (5-2) left the bases loaded in the top of the 10th to set the stage for Crow-Armstrong, who drove in automatic runner Carson Kelly. The Cubs’ leadoff batter finished 4 for 5 with a walk.

The Cubs snapped a two-game skid and ended the White Sox’s three-game winning streak. Randal Grichuk and Andrew Benintendi homered for the White Sox, who had won six of eight and took two of three from the Cubs on the South side earlier this season.

Reporting by the Associated Press.

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The Baltimore Orioles sold at the deadline, are under .500 … and would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. 

That’s the current state of affairs in the underwhelming American League, where five teams are fewer than two games behind the Orioles for the final playoff spot. Every AL team other than the Royals, A’s and Angels still feels like it’s in contention. 

That’s not the case in the National League, where three teams with winning records (Arizona, Miami, St. Louis) are chasing the final wild-card spot, which currently belongs to San Diego. 

All of those playoff hopefuls will need a late-season spark plug in order to make an October run. In this week’s Power Rankings, we identify one player from every team worth watching down the stretch. 

The Angels decided to keep Zach Neto at the deadline, but he has a .489 OPS since the break. It’s hard to envision the team taking strides forward until it gets its shortstop on track. 

It’d be fun to see Bryce Eldridge go on a late-season tear to bring some hope for the future in what has been a lost season in San Francisco. The rookie has 13 homers in 81 games. 

Rookie Bryce Eldridge has been a bright spot for the Giants in an otherwise lost season. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

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The A’s were never going to do much with Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers, Brent Rooker and Tyler Soderstrom all injured, but they certainly weren’t expecting right fielder Lawrence Butler to be a below replacement level player in the second season of his seven-year extension. He has looked better lately, so maybe he can turn it around. 

Could Zac Veen be a post-hype sleeper down the stretch? After raking in 100 games at Triple-A (.327/.402/.635), the Rockies outfielder is already providing a spark in his first four games back in the big leagues. 

As bad as things have gone in Kansas City, Jac Caglianone is on fire in August. The 23-year-old is slashing .407/.429/.759 with nine extra-base hits and 18 RBIs in 14 games this month as he continues his breakout. 

After struggling as a rookie, Jac Caglianone has broken out the power bat in his second season with the Royals.(Photo by Ryan Sun/Getty Images)

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Elly De La Cruz is 7-for-51 (.137) with one stolen base in August. The Reds need him to get back to being a dynamic force down the stretch if they want to challenge for a playoff spot. 

It took until August, but the Mets are finally playing some ball. A significant part of that is the uptick from Bo Bichette, who is starting to resemble the player the Mets envisioned. 

The Mariners mustered a big series win in Houston, but their road back to relevance won’t get any easier as their next three series are against the Brewers, Cubs and Phillies. Julio Rodríguez is heating up, and one of his annual late-season surges might be the only thing that can save Seattle. 

The Mariners need a late-season surge from Julio Rodríguez to help them sneak into the playoffs. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

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Acquired as part of the Mackenzie Gore trade with the Rangers, 24-year-old first baseman Abimelec Ortiz has five home runs in his first 13 games. 

Is Royce Lewis … back? The 27-year-old infielder has an OPS over 1.000 in August. After years of injuries, it would be a joy to see the former top overall pick find the form that made him such a captivating young talent a few seasons ago. 

Unmoved by their deadline additions, the Guardians are 9-19 to start the second half, and José Ramírez hasn’t looked like himself since returning from his hamate fracture last month. The Guardians aren’t going to do much if Ramírez is a league-average hitter. 

You simply can’t drop back-to-back series against the Angels and A’s when you’re trying to be taken seriously as a contender. Wyatt Langford, who had a 1.005 OPS in June and an .819 OPS in July, has a .597 OPS in August. The Rangers need to get him going again. 

All eyes are on Paul Skenes as he tries to right the ship. Pittsburgh’s ace has a 5.62 ERA since the start of July, and the Pirates have won just three of his past 13 starts. Skenes’ velocity is down, he just threw 65 pitches in his last start, and he had his next start pushed back. Those are all ominous signs, but maybe he can figure it out in time to save Pittsburgh’s season. 

Despite his decrease in velocity and struggles on the mound, Paul Skenes and the Pirates say he’s not injured. (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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They don’t have Adley Rutschman or Taylor Ward anymore, but they still have the Polar Bear. Pete Alonso is hitting .380 with four homers in August and giving the Orioles a chance to sneak into the playoffs even after their deadline selloff. 

Framber Valdez signed a three-year, $115 million deal that gave him the highest average annual value of any left-handed pitcher in the sport, but his performances all year have been marred by inconsistency. The Tigers need Valdez to get in more of a rhythm with Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize gone. 

Their spectacular pitching has the Blue Jays still dreaming of October baseball. The offense, meanwhile, has been the worst in the American League. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. can’t be a below league-average hitter all season, right? … RIGHT? 

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has not hit a single home run at home all season. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)

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Considering how thin their rotation is — they rank 28th in starters ERA — the Astros can’t afford for Hunter Brown (3.67 ERA) to simply be solid. Free passes continue to be a problem that he’ll need to figure out quickly. 

Since returning from a leg injury in June, Eury Pérez has a 1.80 ERA over his past 10 starts. When Perez and Sandy Alcantara are pitching the way they are now, the Marlins have a chance against anyone. 

Rookie Joshua Báez, who just became the first player ever to homer in each of his first three at-bats, is already helping jump-start a Cardinals offense that had the lowest OPS in the sport in July. 

We know the Phillies’ top three starters give them a chance against any team they’ll see in October. But if they want to make it there, they’ll need to win some of the other games, too. On that note, Aaron Nola has a 2.91 ERA over his past four starts. 

The seemingly indomitable Red Sox have suddenly dropped seven of their past nine games and have scored more than four runs just once in that stretch. Adley Rutschman is 1-for-17 to start his Boston career, which obviously has to change if the Red Sox want to make a run. (Of course, getting Roman Anthony, who’s been out since early May with a finger injury, back for the stretch will also help.) 

The White Sox put a ton of faith in Luis Castillo to turn his season around when they traded for him at the deadline. In two starts with his new club, Castillo has already provided fodder for the believers (7 IP, 0 R, 10 K) and the doubters (4 IP, 5 R, 5 K). 

With the return dates for injured starters Zac Gallen, Ryne Nelson and Corbin Burnes unclear, what Brandon Pfaadt is doing right now is invaluable. He has a 1.09 ERA over his last eight starts and hasn’t allowed an earned run in any of his past four starts. 

The answer here is obviously Aaron Judge, whenever he gets back. For now, the Yankees can enjoy the spark provided by rookie George Lombard Jr., who’s giving them reason to get excited about the shortstop position again. 

Sweeping the Brewers? You have my attention, San Diego. The Padres have had the best offense in baseball since the break, and Jackson Merrill has looked a lot more like the phenom who gave Paul Skenes a run for his Rookie of the Year Award two years ago. 

After dropping three of four to the Brewers, the Dodgers are now 5-10 in August and 18-21 since the start of July. I’m putting the focus here on both of their major offseason additions: Edwin Díaz has a 10.66 ERA and has blown three of his past five save opportunities, while Kyle Tucker can’t hit at home. As talented as the Dodgers are, one of those two has to get right by season’s end if they want to three-peat. 

After a pedestrian start to the year, Alex Bregman has been MLB’s most valuable third baseman since the All-Star break. The Cubs are going to be hard to stop if Bregman continues hitting like this. 

The Braves have enjoyed this bounce-back campaign despite Austin Riley enduring the worst offensive season of his eight-year career. However, Riley has a .957 OPS in August. Can he keep it up? 

The Rays won nine straight games on the road before returning home to welcome the Orioles, who then took three straight at Tropicana Field. One of those losses went to Freddy Peralta, who remains in search of his old form. The two-time All-Star’s past two starts (10.2 IP, 5 R) were at least an improvement on his Rays debut disaster (3.2 IP, 7 R). 

After getting swept in San Diego, the Brewers had a statement series win in L.A. while playing without Brice Turang, who might need to manage his knee pain the rest of the year. Getting William Contreras going feels vital. The standout catcher has a meager .604 OPS in the second half, but he homered on Saturday and reached base twice Sunday. 

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Massive implications for the AL Central. The Brewers outmuscle the Dodgers. A surprising new AL wild-card team. Sunday’s MLB action provided all that and much more.

Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball:

White Sox Sweep Tigers…

The Tigers had been one of MLB’s best teams of late, despite dealing away top starters Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize at the trade deadline. Detroit had even gotten to the point where its run differential was the best in the AL, and had come a game within being at .500 again despite being 16 under to end May. Before heading into the weekend series against White Sox, it would not be difficult to find Chicago fans nervous about the matchup, since the Sox had been going in the opposite direction all month. Rather than Detroit continuing to surge forward and even overtake Chicago in the AL Central, however, the White Sox pulled off a three-game sweep and gave themselves a 5.5-game cushion over the Tigers.

Detroit was up 3-0 after two and then 4-1 after three, but Chicago added runs here and there — a two-run homer by catcher Drew Romo in the fifth, then a game-tying RBI single by shortstop Colson Montgomery in the sixth — before first baseman Munetaka Murakami hit the game-winner in the seventh.

Murakami’s 28th homer put Chicago ahead, and also extended the record for the most homers by a Japan-born rookie in MLB — Murakami is four dingers ahead of Blue Jays’ third baseman Kazuma Okamoto for that distinction now. In the ninth, third baseman Miguel Vargas would hit his own 28th long ball of the year, giving Chicago its first teammates with at least that many home runs since 2019, in the days of Eloy Jiménez and José Abreu.

Chicago would win, 7-5, and is now 5.5 up on the Tigers in the AL Central, at 65-58 — and the White Sox are also six games up on the Guardians and Twins. Minnesota was swept by the Phillies…

…While Guardians Lose Series To Padres

Cleveland, like the Twins, isn’t done yet, but things did just get more difficult for both teams. The Guardians lost to the Padres 5-0 on Sunday, dropping the series to San Diego. The scoring started early for the Padres, with third baseman Luis Rengifo and left fielder Gavin Sheets hitting back-to-back homers in the top of the second to put San Diego up 2-0.

Rengifo’s was a shot, too, 409 feet with an exit velocity just shy of 105 mph. Second baseman Jake Cronenworth would add on with another blast over 400 feet in the ninth to give the game its final score.

The aforementioned Mize, acquired at the deadline from Detroit, went six scoreless innings with just three hits allowed, bringing his ERA for the season down to 3.18. That’s two great starts in a row for the righty after a poor first impression with San Diego shot his ERA up from 2.70 to 3.40. The Padres are tied for the second NL wild-card with the Phillies, a game up on the Diamondbacks, three up on the Marlins and 3.5 ahead of the Cardinals. The Guardians, meanwhile, are 1.5 behind for an AL wild-card, but at 60-65 are looking up at seven other teams in those standings, and now sit six back of the AL Central leaders.

The Phillies Surge

With the Twins threatening late at home, second baseman Bryson Stott made a surprisingly great throw from the ground.

That very easily could have been either a run or a runner on third, at minimum, with two outs and the tying run at first. Stott managed to keep it in the infield, though, which would have been feat enough, but then got the out at second.

This came after Stott had swapped to second base from third, following a three-run eighth that gave Philadelphia the lead but also took starting second baseman Luis Arraez out of the game for a pinch-runner, Derek Hill, who would go on to score the third of those runs. Sometimes things just have a way of working out.

This loss knocked the Twins six back of the White Sox in the AL Central and also tied with the Guardians, 1.5 back of a wild-card spot. That last wild-card, by the way, is now held by a surprising team that sold at the trade deadline.

Orioles Can Sweep AL-Leading Rays

That team is the Baltimore Orioles — a visit to MLB-best Tampa Bay did not go the way it was maybe envisioned, as the O’s are a win away from sweeping the Rays right out of that designation. Baltimore won 10-2 Sunday, first going ahead to stay in the fifth when DH Pete Alonso hit his 23rd double of the season to drive in a pair and make it a 3-1 game.

The Orioles’ scoring did not stop there, however: a seven-run sixth served as a whole lot of insurance. 

Don’t let the 10 runs distract from Trevor Rogers’ performance on the mound, though. The lefty went six innings while giving up just the two runs, with six strikeouts against a single walk and a mostly scattered seven hits. The bullpen handled business the rest of the way, and Baltimore is now holding the third wild-card that, just days ago, belonged to a Tigers team that hadn’t slowed down despite trading two of its best pitchers. This season is ridiculous.

And the Orioles can make it a four-game sweep on Monday night against Tampa Bay, too.

Brewers Take 4-Game Series From Dodgers

One of those two pitchers, Tarik Skubal, took the mound for his new team on Sunday. The Dodgers acquired the two-time Cy Young Award winner not just because they could, but because Los Angeles needed the help in a rotation with Justin Wrobleski regressing and Shohei Ohtani without a timeline to return to the mound. Skubal was his usual quality self — seven strikeouts against two walks, one earned run and two runs allowed in six innings — but that wasn’t enough. Not with Jake Bauers around for Milwaukee.

Bauers came to the plate five times, and made it on base in all five plate appearances. Four hits, five total bases, a walk, two RBIs and a run. His third hit drove in the go-ahead run against Los Angeles…

…and then he came around to score later after an RBI double, to make it 4-1.

Bauers has a 19-game on-base streak now, and the Brewers won their third game out of four against the Dodgers to push their NL lead to three games over Los Angeles, powered not just by Bauer but also a seven-inning, one-run performance from starter Logan Henderson, who now has a 2.70 ERA for the season. 

That means the Dodgers are last among the three division leaders in the NL, which would have it playing in the Wild Card Series instead of getting a bye to the NLDS. That’s as things stand, though — there’s a lot of 2026 left and the Braves are just half-a-game ahead of the Dodgers, though, there are reasons to be concerned, as Rowan Kavner detailed.

The Mariners Aren’t Out Of It Yet

Things aren’t looking great for the Mariners, but Seattle has been in worse places. The M’s are 2.5 back of the Orioles for a wild-card and four back in the AL West after winning their series against the Astros this weekend. Left fielder Randy Arozarena put Seattle up 1-0 in the first with his 17th homer of the year…

…and the struggling Cal Raleigh managed to go yard with his 13th homer of the season later on, with what ended up being the game-winning hit.

Bryan Woo threw six innings and allowed just the two runs, lowering his ERA to 4.10. The Astros are in a better place than Seattle — Houston has a two-game lead over the Rangers in the AL West and are four ahead of the M’s even after dropping two of three to Seattle. But unlike the White Sox, this series didn’t give the Astros a stronger grip over their division.

Cardinals Down Cubs, Again

The Cubs won the first game of this series against the Cardinals, but St. Louis picked up victories on Saturday and Sunday. A six-run inning in the fourth put this one out of reach for Chicago, capped off by right fielder Jordan Walker’s 24th homer of the season.

Chicago could afford to lose a series — this is a wild-card team that still has more wins than all but one AL club, and is two victories behind both the Braves and Dodgers. But St. Louis absolutely needed these dubs: the Cards are still 3.5 games back of a wild-card spot as is, with the Marlins and D-backs closer to securing one of the three than they are.

A 1-Hit Shutout

The Royals aren’t in the postseason race, and neither are their weekend opponents, the Angels. But a one-hit, complete-game shutout is still a notable achievement, and it’s one that Kansas City southpaw Noah Cameron pulled off.

Cameron had a perfect game going until a walk in the bottom of the sixth, and a no-hitter until the bottom of the seventh, when first baseman Vaughn Grissom singled with one out in the inning. Cameron didn’t get yanked from the game at that point nor fall apart, though: he sat the rest of the opposition down in order until the game was done.

How’d He Do That?

Rafael Devers blasted his 25th homer of the year on Sunday, in what was otherwise a forgettable game for the Giants — San Francisco lost, 13-7, to the Rockies. This dinger, though, you have to see it.

The Giants’ DH hit this one “just” 380 feet, but basically hit it off his shoetops. Inside-and-low doesn’t even begin to cover it, but Devers got to it, anyway, and shot it deep to right. 

Yankees Win It In Extras

The Blue Jays had been threatening in the AL wild-card race despite the low lows they have suffered this season, and Toronto still is a threat. However, this weekend represented a lost opportunity: the Jays could have won this series against the Yankees after forcing the game into extras with a run in the ninth, but instead, New York finished the job in the 10th.

This wasn’t a matter of bunting the starting runner even closer to scoring or anything like that, either: DH Ben Rice demolished a low in the zone slider 438 feet, and 108.5 mph off the bat, to give the Yankees a 4-2 lead.

While the Jays scored a run in the bottom of the inning, one is that Toronto managed, and the chance for a W escaped. The Blue Jays are still just a game back of the Orioles for that last wild-card, but New York has strengthened its hold on the top spot; it’s now eight games up, with the second-best record in the American League.

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Ohio State and Oregon were 1-2 in The Associated Press Top 25 released Monday, giving the Big Ten Conference the top two teams in the preseason rankings for the first time in 65 years and just the second time ever.

The Buckeyes received 40 first-place votes and Oregon received 14 in voting by 69 media members who cover college football.

Ohio State will go into a season No. 1 for the ninth time, and first since 2015. The Buckeyes are now tied with Alabama for second-most preseason No. 1 rankings behind Oklahoma’s 10.

Oregon has its highest preseason ranking in program history after having opened No. 3 four times.

Georgia, Notre Dame and Texas round out the top five. Defending national champion Indiana starts at No. 6 and is followed by Miami, Texas A&M, Mississippi and Oklahoma.

Notre Dame received six first-place votes, Indiana got eight and Miami one.

This is the first year a conference has held down the top two spots in the preseason poll since Oklahoma and Nebraska of the Big Eight were 1-2 in 1987.

The last time the Big Ten had the Nos. 1 and 2 teams in the preseason was 1961, when Iowa and Ohio State topped the poll. The Hawkeyes lost four of their last five games after a 4-0 start and finished that season unranked. The Buckeyes went 8-0-1 and ended the season No. 2 behind unbeaten Alabama.

The Big Ten has won three straight College Football Playoff championships (Michigan, Ohio State, Indiana) and will be going for an unprecedented fourth straight national title. This is the fourth consecutive year the Big Ten has had two of the top three teams in the preseason rankings.

The Southeastern Conference leads all conferences with nine teams in the preseason Top 25, marking the third straight year it has had at least that many. Five of the top 10 teams are from the SEC for the first time since 2013.

Four Big 12 teams are ranked, with conference champion Texas Tech the highest at No. 12. The Atlantic Coast Conference has three ranked teams, with the Hurricanes joined by No. 19 SMU and No. 24 Louisville. There are no Group of Six schools in the Top 25.

Here are the full rankings. Also receiving votes in the preseason poll: were Clemson with 112, Florida with 51, Boise State with 43 and Arizona with 32, among those with a sizable chunk. These teams were followed by TCU with 11, Navy and South Carolina with 10, Illinois (9), Oklahoma State (8), Vanderbilt (8), Pittsburgh (7), Virginia Tech (6) and Minnesota (5). Receiving fewer than five votes were UNLV, New Mexico, Georgia Tech and Louisiana with four each, James Madison and Auburn with three votes, Memphis and California with two, and Liberty, Western Michigan, Tulane and Virginia with a single vote.

25. Missouri, SEC
24. Louisville, ACC
23. Houston, Big 12
22. Iowa, Big Ten
21. Utah, Big 12
20. Tennessee, SEC
19. SMU, ACC
18. Penn State, Big Ten
17. Washington, Big Ten
16. Michigan, Big Ten
15. USC, Big Ten
14. BYU, Big 12
13. Alabama, SEC
12. Texas Tech, Big 12
11. LSU, SEC
10. Oklahoma, SEC
9. Ole Miss, SEC
8. Texas A&M, SEC
7. Miami (FL), ACC
6. Indiana, Big Ten
5. Texas, SEC
4. Notre Dame, IND,
3. Georgia, SEC
2. Oregon, Big Ten
1. Ohio State, Big Ten

Top-ranked Buckeyes

The offense is loaded. Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin was the most accurate passer in the nation by a wide margin last season, Jeremiah Smith leads the nation in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns over the last two years and Bo Jackson is coming off a 1,000-yard rushing season as a freshman.

There is little concern about the defense even though eight starters must be replaced for a second straight year. At least six transfers are projected to start or play major roles.

Ohio State will get tested early and often. The Buckeyes visit Texas on Sept. 12 and five of their nine conference games are against preseason ranked teams, including at Indiana and against Oregon at home.

The Buckeyes have ended a season No. 1 in the AP poll six times (1942, 1954, 1968, 2002, 2014, 2024).

Bulldogs best of the SEC

The beat goes on for Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs. They’re in the preseason top five for the ninth straight year. The two-time defending SEC champion Bulldogs are favored to play in a sixth straight conference title game and appear in the CFP for the sixth time in 10 years.

Texas, the preseason No. 1 last year, opens in the top five for the third straight year. No. 8 Texas A&M is in the preseason top 10 for the first time since it was No. 6 in 2022, the year that marked the beginning of the end for coach Jimbo Fisher.

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Pete Golding’s first full season as Mississippi head coach starts with the No. 9 Rebels in the preseason top 10 for the second time in three years and third time since 1970. No. 10 Oklahoma is in the preseason top 10 for the first time since 2022, when it was in the Big 12.

What about the Hoosiers?

Indiana is the seventh returning national champion in 40 years, and second in three years, to be ranked outside the top five in the preseason (Michigan went into the 2024 season ranked No. 9 after winning the national title).

The Hoosiers became the first team in the modern era to go 16-0, and they return lots of talent and signed a top-10 transfer class. The move from Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 NFL draft pick Fernando Mendoza to TCU transfer Josh Hoover at quarterback apparently put doubts in the minds of voters.

Poll nuggets

— Ohio State will try to become the 12th team to start and finish No. 1 since the AP preseason poll debuted in 1950. The last team to do it was Alabama in 2017.

— Notre Dame has its highest preseason ranking since it was No. 2 in 2006. The Fighting Irish, who have a Heisman candidate in quarterback CJ Carr, bring a 10-game winning streak into the season and are still smarting from being left out of the playoff.

— Lane Kiffin’s first LSU team is No. 11 after finishing 7-6 and unranked under Brian Kelly and Frank Wilson.

— Ten of the 12 CFP teams last season are ranked. The two that aren’t are James Madison and Tulane from the Group of Six.

— No. 23 Houston has its first preseason ranking in four years and third since 1991.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Connor Zilisch won 10 O’Reilly Series races last year but has struggled this year as a rookie in the NASCAR Cup Series. 

Currently, he sits 34th in the Cup standings. 

However, after the 2027 season, the 20-year-old will leave Trackhouse Racing and will join Hendrick Motorsports.

Zilisch will replace Alex Bowman, who already has announced his retirement after next season. Hendrick has signed Zilisch to a multi-year deal and Ally will remain as sponsor of the No. 48 car.

“Connor is a truly gifted young racer,” said HMS owner Rick Hendrick in a news release. “His talent behind the wheel is exceptional, but I’m even more impressed by the person he is.

Connor Zilisch has struggled in his rookie Cup season, but brighter days could be in the future with his move to Hendrick.

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“When someone with that kind of ability and character becomes available, you do everything you can to bring them into your organization. We have tremendous confidence in Connor, and we believe he’s the right driver to build on the legacy of the No. 48 Ally team for many years to come.” 

Zilisch’s contract at Trackhouse is up after the 2027 season. He signed with the team in January 2024 and spent 2025 driving for JR Motorsports in the O’Reilly Series.

“This is one of those moments you dream about as a kid,” Zilisch said in a news release. “Hendrick Motorsports has always represented the standard in our sport, and being entrusted to help continue that legacy means everything to me.

“The chance to drive a Chevrolet for Mr. Hendrick, carry the colors of an incredible partner like Ally and compete alongside some of the best drivers and people in racing is what you work so hard for. 

“I’m grateful for the confidence they’ve shown in me, and it’s my job to prove they made the right decision.” 

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I hope you had some fun this weekend watching NFL preseason games. There were guys out there grinding for jobs, players who might someday emerge as key contributors for the teams where they earn a roster spot. 

That said, I wasn’t focused on the bubble guys. I was interested in the stars. And some key things were happening this week in the preseason games — and the greater NFL news cycle. This is Sound Smart, where I try to spin forward, dive deeper, think outside the box and read between the lines.

1.

The Los Angeles Rams protected Ty Simpson and played it nice and safe. Almost boring, in fact.

The first-round quarterback had 84% of his passes travel 15 yards or fewer and 72% for 10 yards or fewer. In the first three quarters, there were a lot of rollouts and passes behind the line of scrimmage so that Simpson barely needed to think — operating the basics and letting everyone else do the work for him. 

I suspect that’s why coach Sean McVay said the following about the team’s preseason playcaller, Nate Scheelhaase: “I thought the coaches did a really good job putting guys in good spots. I thought [Scheelhaase] called a really good game.”

The beauty of a preseason game is that defenses are as simple as can be. That makes life easier for the playcaller and the QB. In the final 10 minutes, Simpson and his coaches started to ramp up the difficulty and use more of the field — with a little more intermediate throwing and some targets toward the middle of the field.

Ultimately, he saw pressure on only three of his 25 dropbacks. He had a tight-window throw on 8% of his passes. It looked easy for Simpson because it was very easy for Simpson — a stone’s throw away from 7-on-7 drills. It seems like the reaction has been unanimously positive about Simpson, perhaps because of his statistics. And while I’m excited about his long-term prospects on the whole, I’m not sure I saw anything particularly outstanding. 

But here’s the thing: At least Simpson played in control. At least he made the easy stuff look easy.

Because I can think of somebody who didn’t.

2.

I was startled by Ward’s film. 

I hate to get worked up about preseason film, but I can’t really stop myself here. There was an astonishing lack of accuracy. There was an astonishing lack of … everything.

If there’s one thing we know about the preseason, it’s that it’s deeply deceitful. I’ll never forget in 2015 when Sam Bradford absolutely tore apart preseason defenses with former Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly calling the plays. And I thought it meant something. 

It didn’t.

Bradford was a mess and Kelly got fired after going 6-9. With Ward and the Titans, the same (but opposite) can be true here, where the second-year QB’s preseason calamity won’t translate to the regular season. But let’s just look at the numbers, because it’ll help contextualize my alarm.

On 12 dropbacks, Ward attempted a tight-window throw on 8% of his passes. (Just like Simpson.) That should speak to an easy day for Ward: no risky or high-difficulty throws.

So you’d think he would’ve been completing his passes, right?

Wrong!

He completed 41.7% of his passes (5-for-12). Even worse, he had a completion percentage over expected of -26.3%, second worst among all 91 passers who took 12 or more dropbacks this first week of preseason. His success percentage (23.1%) was second worst among those same 91 QBs. His expected points per dropback was tied for eighth-worst — alongside Colts QB Anthony Richardson, whose play is currently bad enough that Indianapolis can’t seem to find a trade partner.

Cam Ward (1) and new Titans coach Robert Saleh (right) can’t feel good about the QB’s outing this past weekend. (Photo by Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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You’re probably also thinking that maybe Ward didn’t have receivers Carnell Tate, the fourth overall pick this year, or Wan’Dale Robinson, the team’s $70-million free agent acquisition. You’d — again — think wrong. And Tate, whose training-camp highlights have often appeared on the Titans’ X account this summer, saw three targets for zero receptions.

This was a tremendously bad outing for Ward.

It was also a small sample size — in preseason. But it looked too much like the lowest lows from Ward’s rookie season. I had hoped he was getting past all that. For now, let’s try to chalk it up to preseason. Let’s hope it’s just a whole bunch of nothing. 

Because, man, what the heck happened out there?

3.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Chicago Bears might have the most compelling and polarizing passing attack in the NFL (and I’ll have more to say about them in a story later this week). But while Chicago’s rushing attack may get neglected by the media, it has the head coach’s attention. 

Ben Johnson gets excited anytime he has the opportunity to coach or discuss the ground game. And so it was interesting to hear first-year offensive coordinator Press Taylor relay Johnson’s philosophy on the run game.

“I don’t think Ben’s ever mentioned the word efficiency,” Taylor said last week. “We talk about explosives. We are trying to attack a defense. I think there’s a perception — a lot of people are going to run the ball. ‘We’re going to stay efficient. We’re going to control the clock. We are looking to attack a defense.’ 

“We’re looking to attack fronts to expose space, to create run lanes, to create explosives. We don’t look at the run game as a way to stay on track. We look at the run game as a way to attack defenses and really be explosive and continue to just put our foot on the gas.”

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Nick Wright, Chris Broussard and Kevin Wildes discuss Ben Johnson’s goal for the Bears to become the highest-scoring offense ever.

All eyes are on quarterback Caleb Williams, whose flair for late-game heroics was incredible last season. He’s a former No. 1 overall pick, and his arm talent is otherworldly. He has the rare ability to generate explosive plays at any moment.

And while we don’t often think about D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai in the same way, it seems like Taylor and Johnson would like us to. The 2026 season will be about further establishing that identity.

4.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Despite not having the new contract that he wants, Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez had been a willing participant in training camp. In fact, his presence had been infuriating newcomer A.J. Brown — to the point where the star receiver admitted he was looking forward to joint practices because the competition was getting too fierce between teammates.

The underlying takeaway is that Gonzalez is among the best cornerbacks in the league. (And from my vantage point, he’s the best.) He should get paid as such.

But when those joint practices started last week, Gonzalez was not on the field.

It sure seemed like that was the cornerback’s first flex of leverage in his contract negotiations with the team. And he didn’t stop there. He wasn’t on the field for the team’s first preseason matchup against the Colts at Gillette Stadium.

Patriots coach Mike Vrabel addressed Gonzalez’s absence.

“Christian was unavailable — physically unavailable for the practice. That’s the clarification,” Vrabel told reporters after the team’s preseason game. “Just like other players that I told to have treatment, and everybody has a plan here, there were other guys that were in that same category.”

The “clarification” is still quite vague. 

And that’s often how it goes when a player is holding in.

If there was anything that would further entrench Gonzalez, it was the news that Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon, represented by the same agent, Reggie Johnson, signed a $132-million, four-year deal.

New England’s defense can’t afford to start the season without Gonzalez. The Patriots will need their best defensive player on the field when they kick off the NFL season in a rematch against Seattle on Sept. 9. They need to get a deal done. And it’ll probably have to be a deal that’s more lucrative than what Witherspoon got.

5.

EAGAN, Minn. — This was one heck of a statement from Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy about six-time Pro Bowl safety Harrison Smith, who retired after last season.

“I would say obviously having Harry [Harrison Smith] back there, a guy who’s gonna probably tell you every single play that’s coming — it’s been different [not having him],” Murphy said at the Vikings’ practice facility in Eagan last week. “But obviously, we got guys stepping in. We got communicators like 44 [Josh Metellus], even the young guys are stepping in. So we got guys that still are communicators.”

Harrison Smith walks off the field after his final NFL game last January. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

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Minnesota’s defense is still incredible, starting at the top with DC Brian Flores, who seems destined to — sooner or later — find his way back into a head coaching position. Flores has been no less ruthless this camp, doing what he can to terrorize the two quarterbacks — and amping up the degree of difficulty, with help from stars like edge rusher Dallas Turner, as each QB tries to prove himself.

Two weeks ago, I saw firsthand how quickly Flores’ defense can shut down the Vikings’ offense, with both Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy failing to complete a single pass in the 2-minute drill. Murray’s offense went three-and-out and McCarthy threw an interception.

Even so, Smith won’t be an easy guy to replace. And you get the sense that maybe they won’t have to. There have been rumors about a possible Smith return, but Minnesota isn’t counting on it. Instead, they’re counting on Metellus, who’s beginning his seventh year with Minnesota.

“It’s crazy, man, to be following after a guy for so many years,” Metellus told me. “And then you get to a position where you follow him so much that you just like step into his road, almost naturally.”

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