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WNBA Free Agency: Grading Mabrey and Sykes signing in Toronto  The Toronto Tempo are coming out swinging in their very first WNBA free agency, signing the WNBA’s first million-dollar backcourt. Per ESPN, the Tempo are signing Marina Mabrey (who they cored this week) as well as Brittney Sykes to 2-year, max contracts.As the core player for the Tempo, Mabrey was eligible for .4 million this year, but likely negotiated a 2-year contract at the regular max of .19 million in year one with a slight bump up in 2027. The Tempo chose her from the Connecticut Sun in the expansion draft with the intention to core her.Sykes comes to Toronto by way of Seattle, where she was traded midseason in 2025. She’s a strong two-way shooting guard, a WNBA All-Star, and a 4x WNBA All-Defense selection. Her veteran presence was significant on the Washington Mystics at the beginning of last season, which is likely a big reason Toronto had sought her out.Grade for Sykes, Mabrey signings: B+For a team that started from zero on a compact timeline, the Tempo have been taking big swings. The idea of coming out competitively in year one is an intriguing experiment for an expansion franchise, something Golden State did well in 2o25. Right now, the Tempo have the 11th-best title odds in the WNBA in 2026, at +150,000, according to our friends at FanDuel, but they were always unlikely to win a championship in year one. These signings are about setting a standard of professionalism for a new franchise, and growing a culture to build upon.Bringing in Sykes as a veteran leader is definitely a good move to build culture on a new team, and pairing her with an instant fan-fav like Mabrey is just fun.Right now, the Tempo’s roster is still very small and very guard-heavy. The idea of spending a max contract on Sykes when you possibly could have spent that money on a solid frontcourt player raises eyebrows and creates a little bit of risk, but it’s still early in free agency. There is still a good chunk of money and lots of good players left on the market for Toronto to get the depth they need. Overall, the Sykes move is very fun for the new Toronto team, and both of these players should quickly become fan favorites in the new WNBA city.  #WNBA #Free #Agency #Grading #Mabrey #Sykes #signing #Toronto

WNBA Free Agency: Grading Mabrey and Sykes signing in Toronto

The Toronto Tempo are coming out swinging in their very first WNBA free agency, signing the WNBA’s first million-dollar backcourt. Per ESPN, the Tempo are signing Marina Mabrey (who they cored this week) as well as Brittney Sykes to 2-year, max contracts.

As the core player for the Tempo, Mabrey was eligible for $1.4 million this year, but likely negotiated a 2-year contract at the regular max of $1.19 million in year one with a slight bump up in 2027. The Tempo chose her from the Connecticut Sun in the expansion draft with the intention to core her.

Sykes comes to Toronto by way of Seattle, where she was traded midseason in 2025. She’s a strong two-way shooting guard, a WNBA All-Star, and a 4x WNBA All-Defense selection. Her veteran presence was significant on the Washington Mystics at the beginning of last season, which is likely a big reason Toronto had sought her out.

Grade for Sykes, Mabrey signings: B+

For a team that started from zero on a compact timeline, the Tempo have been taking big swings. The idea of coming out competitively in year one is an intriguing experiment for an expansion franchise, something Golden State did well in 2o25. Right now, the Tempo have the 11th-best title odds in the WNBA in 2026, at +150,000, according to our friends at FanDuel, but they were always unlikely to win a championship in year one. These signings are about setting a standard of professionalism for a new franchise, and growing a culture to build upon.

Bringing in Sykes as a veteran leader is definitely a good move to build culture on a new team, and pairing her with an instant fan-fav like Mabrey is just fun.

Right now, the Tempo’s roster is still very small and very guard-heavy. The idea of spending a max contract on Sykes when you possibly could have spent that money on a solid frontcourt player raises eyebrows and creates a little bit of risk, but it’s still early in free agency. There is still a good chunk of money and lots of good players left on the market for Toronto to get the depth they need. Overall, the Sykes move is very fun for the new Toronto team, and both of these players should quickly become fan favorites in the new WNBA city.

#WNBA #Free #Agency #Grading #Mabrey #Sykes #signing #Toronto

The Toronto Tempo are coming out swinging in their very first WNBA free agency, signing the WNBA’s first million-dollar backcourt. Per ESPN, the Tempo are signing Marina Mabrey (who they cored this week) as well as Brittney Sykes to 2-year, max contracts.

As the core player for the Tempo, Mabrey was eligible for $1.4 million this year, but likely negotiated a 2-year contract at the regular max of $1.19 million in year one with a slight bump up in 2027. The Tempo chose her from the Connecticut Sun in the expansion draft with the intention to core her.

Sykes comes to Toronto by way of Seattle, where she was traded midseason in 2025. She’s a strong two-way shooting guard, a WNBA All-Star, and a 4x WNBA All-Defense selection. Her veteran presence was significant on the Washington Mystics at the beginning of last season, which is likely a big reason Toronto had sought her out.

Grade for Sykes, Mabrey signings: B+

For a team that started from zero on a compact timeline, the Tempo have been taking big swings. The idea of coming out competitively in year one is an intriguing experiment for an expansion franchise, something Golden State did well in 2o25. Right now, the Tempo have the 11th-best title odds in the WNBA in 2026, at +150,000, according to our friends at FanDuel, but they were always unlikely to win a championship in year one. These signings are about setting a standard of professionalism for a new franchise, and growing a culture to build upon.

Bringing in Sykes as a veteran leader is definitely a good move to build culture on a new team, and pairing her with an instant fan-fav like Mabrey is just fun.

Right now, the Tempo’s roster is still very small and very guard-heavy. The idea of spending a max contract on Sykes when you possibly could have spent that money on a solid frontcourt player raises eyebrows and creates a little bit of risk, but it’s still early in free agency. There is still a good chunk of money and lots of good players left on the market for Toronto to get the depth they need. Overall, the Sykes move is very fun for the new Toronto team, and both of these players should quickly become fan favorites in the new WNBA city.

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#WNBA #Free #Agency #Grading #Mabrey #Sykes #signing #Toronto

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RR vs RCB, IPL 2026 — Rajasthan Royals records its highest PowerPlay total <div id="content-body-70848820" itemprop="articleBody"><p>Rajasthan Royals added 97 runs in the PowerPlay against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday to register its highest PowerPlay total in the IPL.</p><p>The side’s previous best came last season against Punjab Kings when it posted 89 for one. RR’s score against RCB on Friday was also the highest during the field restrictions this season.</p><p>On Friday, Royals’ charge was led by Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who struck a 15-ball half century and took on RCB’s pacers Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Dhruv Jurel also chipped in with 27 runs off 10 balls at the top after Yashasvi Jaiswal’s early fall.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 10, 2026</p></div> #RCB #IPL #Rajasthan #Royals #records #highest #PowerPlay #total

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Quiz: Can You Match These Classic Rock Songs to the Bands Who Wrote Them?

Deadspin | Rangers’ Ezequiel Duran out to torment Giants again in rubber game  Aug 4, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA;  Texas Rangers shortstop Ezequiel Duran (20) hits a walk-off RBI double against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images   Ezequiel Duran will look to enhance his growing reputation as a Giants killer when the Texas Rangers complete a three-game series against San Francisco on Wednesday at Arlington, Texas.  Duran delivered a go-ahead two-run double in the eighth inning and game-winning two-bagger in the ninth as the Rangers beat the Giants 5-4 on Tuesday. He has gone 7-for-9 with a homer and five RBIs as the teams split the first two games of the set.  “Zeke Duran, what a couple games he’s had,” Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. “What a year he’s had. That was a fantastic fight back and a really good game for him.”  The stellar performances continue Duran’s startling run of production against the Giants: 17-for-31 (.548) with 11 RBIs in eight career games.  More important to Duran was delivering when the team needed big hits.  “I feel pretty good,” he said. “Everybody is doing an amazing job. We’re trying to go 100% every time and just win games.”  The Tuesday victory halted a season-worst six-game slide for the Rangers.  Before scoring two runs in the first inning, Texas had gone 40 innings without holding a lead, dating back to Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays.  Schumaker was paying close attention in the dugout as the Giants scored twice in the top of the ninth to tie the score. He saw the attitudes stay high before Duran’s winning double, which came on a ball hit over the head of right fielder Jung Hoo Lee, who fell on the warning track as the ball landed to his left.  “I’m glad we won the game,” Schumaker said. “A lot of things happened to where you could have gone, ‘Here we go again. We’re in a losing streak and finding ways to lose.’ That could have been the assumption in the dugout, but it wasn’t. That was really encouraging.”  Corey Seager had his first three-hit game of the season for the Rangers, inching his batting average up to .201. He was playing in his fifth game since returning from a back injury.  The Giants lost for the fourth time in five games.   Bryce Eldridge hit a tying two-run single in the ninth for San Francisco. Osleivis Basabe belted a two-run homer, and he has gone deep three times in six games since being promoted from Triple-A Sacramento.  San Francisco third baseman Matt Chapman (abdominal injury) has missed the past five weeks and could end up undergoing season-ending surgery.  Giants manager Tony Vitello said Chapman would visit a specialist in Philadelphia.  Chapman is batting .235 with seven homers and 42 RBIs in 84 games this season.  Left-hander Carson Whisenhunt (2-2, 6.63 ERA) will try to secure a series victory for the struggling Giants.  Whisenhunt, 25, has given up 10 runs in 8 1/3 innings while losing his past two outings. He yielded four runs and five hits while falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 26, then permitted six runs and seven hits over 3 1/3 innings against the San Diego Padres on Friday.  “Obviously, he stepped up, he got a couple chances,” Vitello said of Whisenhunt, who likely will receive a long look the rest of the season.  Whisenhunt will be making his 10th career appearance (all starts) and first against the Rangers.  Left-hander Cody Bradford will start Wednesday for Texas in his first major league appearance since 2024. He missed last season with an elbow injury and underwent Tommy John surgery 13-plus months ago.  Bradford, 28, made five minor league rehab starts — three for Double-A Frisco, two for Triple-A Red Rock — and had a 2.25 ERA over 12 innings.  Bradford went 10-6 with a 4.28 ERA in 34 appearances (21 starts) with the Rangers in 2023 and ’24. He has never faced San Francisco.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Rangers #Ezequiel #Duran #torment #Giants #rubber #gameAug 4, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Ezequiel Duran (20) hits a walk-off RBI double against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Ezequiel Duran will look to enhance his growing reputation as a Giants killer when the Texas Rangers complete a three-game series against San Francisco on Wednesday at Arlington, Texas.

Duran delivered a go-ahead two-run double in the eighth inning and game-winning two-bagger in the ninth as the Rangers beat the Giants 5-4 on Tuesday. He has gone 7-for-9 with a homer and five RBIs as the teams split the first two games of the set.

“Zeke Duran, what a couple games he’s had,” Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. “What a year he’s had. That was a fantastic fight back and a really good game for him.”

The stellar performances continue Duran’s startling run of production against the Giants: 17-for-31 (.548) with 11 RBIs in eight career games.

More important to Duran was delivering when the team needed big hits.

“I feel pretty good,” he said. “Everybody is doing an amazing job. We’re trying to go 100% every time and just win games.”

The Tuesday victory halted a season-worst six-game slide for the Rangers.

Before scoring two runs in the first inning, Texas had gone 40 innings without holding a lead, dating back to Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Schumaker was paying close attention in the dugout as the Giants scored twice in the top of the ninth to tie the score. He saw the attitudes stay high before Duran’s winning double, which came on a ball hit over the head of right fielder Jung Hoo Lee, who fell on the warning track as the ball landed to his left.

“I’m glad we won the game,” Schumaker said. “A lot of things happened to where you could have gone, ‘Here we go again. We’re in a losing streak and finding ways to lose.’ That could have been the assumption in the dugout, but it wasn’t. That was really encouraging.”

Corey Seager had his first three-hit game of the season for the Rangers, inching his batting average up to .201. He was playing in his fifth game since returning from a back injury.


The Giants lost for the fourth time in five games.

Bryce Eldridge hit a tying two-run single in the ninth for San Francisco. Osleivis Basabe belted a two-run homer, and he has gone deep three times in six games since being promoted from Triple-A Sacramento.

San Francisco third baseman Matt Chapman (abdominal injury) has missed the past five weeks and could end up undergoing season-ending surgery.

Giants manager Tony Vitello said Chapman would visit a specialist in Philadelphia.

Chapman is batting .235 with seven homers and 42 RBIs in 84 games this season.

Left-hander Carson Whisenhunt (2-2, 6.63 ERA) will try to secure a series victory for the struggling Giants.

Whisenhunt, 25, has given up 10 runs in 8 1/3 innings while losing his past two outings. He yielded four runs and five hits while falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 26, then permitted six runs and seven hits over 3 1/3 innings against the San Diego Padres on Friday.

“Obviously, he stepped up, he got a couple chances,” Vitello said of Whisenhunt, who likely will receive a long look the rest of the season.

Whisenhunt will be making his 10th career appearance (all starts) and first against the Rangers.

Left-hander Cody Bradford will start Wednesday for Texas in his first major league appearance since 2024. He missed last season with an elbow injury and underwent Tommy John surgery 13-plus months ago.

Bradford, 28, made five minor league rehab starts — three for Double-A Frisco, two for Triple-A Red Rock — and had a 2.25 ERA over 12 innings.

Bradford went 10-6 with a 4.28 ERA in 34 appearances (21 starts) with the Rangers in 2023 and ’24. He has never faced San Francisco.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Rangers #Ezequiel #Duran #torment #Giants #rubber #game">Deadspin | Rangers’ Ezequiel Duran out to torment Giants again in rubber game  Aug 4, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA;  Texas Rangers shortstop Ezequiel Duran (20) hits a walk-off RBI double against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images   Ezequiel Duran will look to enhance his growing reputation as a Giants killer when the Texas Rangers complete a three-game series against San Francisco on Wednesday at Arlington, Texas.  Duran delivered a go-ahead two-run double in the eighth inning and game-winning two-bagger in the ninth as the Rangers beat the Giants 5-4 on Tuesday. He has gone 7-for-9 with a homer and five RBIs as the teams split the first two games of the set.  “Zeke Duran, what a couple games he’s had,” Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. “What a year he’s had. That was a fantastic fight back and a really good game for him.”  The stellar performances continue Duran’s startling run of production against the Giants: 17-for-31 (.548) with 11 RBIs in eight career games.  More important to Duran was delivering when the team needed big hits.  “I feel pretty good,” he said. “Everybody is doing an amazing job. We’re trying to go 100% every time and just win games.”  The Tuesday victory halted a season-worst six-game slide for the Rangers.  Before scoring two runs in the first inning, Texas had gone 40 innings without holding a lead, dating back to Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays.  Schumaker was paying close attention in the dugout as the Giants scored twice in the top of the ninth to tie the score. He saw the attitudes stay high before Duran’s winning double, which came on a ball hit over the head of right fielder Jung Hoo Lee, who fell on the warning track as the ball landed to his left.  “I’m glad we won the game,” Schumaker said. “A lot of things happened to where you could have gone, ‘Here we go again. We’re in a losing streak and finding ways to lose.’ That could have been the assumption in the dugout, but it wasn’t. That was really encouraging.”  Corey Seager had his first three-hit game of the season for the Rangers, inching his batting average up to .201. He was playing in his fifth game since returning from a back injury.  The Giants lost for the fourth time in five games.   Bryce Eldridge hit a tying two-run single in the ninth for San Francisco. Osleivis Basabe belted a two-run homer, and he has gone deep three times in six games since being promoted from Triple-A Sacramento.  San Francisco third baseman Matt Chapman (abdominal injury) has missed the past five weeks and could end up undergoing season-ending surgery.  Giants manager Tony Vitello said Chapman would visit a specialist in Philadelphia.  Chapman is batting .235 with seven homers and 42 RBIs in 84 games this season.  Left-hander Carson Whisenhunt (2-2, 6.63 ERA) will try to secure a series victory for the struggling Giants.  Whisenhunt, 25, has given up 10 runs in 8 1/3 innings while losing his past two outings. He yielded four runs and five hits while falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 26, then permitted six runs and seven hits over 3 1/3 innings against the San Diego Padres on Friday.  “Obviously, he stepped up, he got a couple chances,” Vitello said of Whisenhunt, who likely will receive a long look the rest of the season.  Whisenhunt will be making his 10th career appearance (all starts) and first against the Rangers.  Left-hander Cody Bradford will start Wednesday for Texas in his first major league appearance since 2024. He missed last season with an elbow injury and underwent Tommy John surgery 13-plus months ago.  Bradford, 28, made five minor league rehab starts — three for Double-A Frisco, two for Triple-A Red Rock — and had a 2.25 ERA over 12 innings.  Bradford went 10-6 with a 4.28 ERA in 34 appearances (21 starts) with the Rangers in 2023 and ’24. He has never faced San Francisco.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Rangers #Ezequiel #Duran #torment #Giants #rubber #game

The 2026 MLB trade deadline had a bit of everything, a generational superstar on the move and a true depth of important players landing on new teams. Now that the dust is mostly settled, it’s time to see how these players perform for their clubs. A number of clubs can credibly claim they got exactly what they wanted at the deadline and came out better for it.

Which team won the trade deadline?

Even while there is no doubt who the biggest star was moved before the deadline, the Dodgers acquiring Tarik Skubal, there is no guarantee as to who will make the biggest difference this season. The Dodgers are already full of stars, and Skubal is only going every fifth day. A player like Clay Holmes going to the Cubs might make a bigger difference to a team still trying to make a run. Or Adley Rutschman, an emerging star at catcher, who is going to theoretically propel the Red Sox every day through the final stretch.

Which player will make the biggest difference?

#MLB #Reacts #Fallout #trade #deadline">MLB Reacts: Fallout from the trade deadline  Not every trade deadline pays out the way fans want. Some end with more of a whimper than a bang. This was not one of those years.The 2026 MLB trade deadline had a bit of everything, a generational superstar on the move and a true depth of important players landing on new teams. Now that the dust is mostly settled, it’s time to see how these players perform for their clubs. A number of clubs can credibly claim they got exactly what they wanted at the deadline and came out better for it.Which team won the trade deadline?Even while there is no doubt who the biggest star was moved before the deadline, the Dodgers acquiring Tarik Skubal, there is no guarantee as to who will make the biggest difference this season. The Dodgers are already full of stars, and Skubal is only going every fifth day. A player like Clay Holmes going to the Cubs might make a bigger difference to a team still trying to make a run. Or Adley Rutschman, an emerging star at catcher, who is going to theoretically propel the Red Sox every day through the final stretch.Which player will make the biggest difference?  #MLB #Reacts #Fallout #trade #deadline

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