Deadspin | Confident Twins continue to display offense as Reds await Apr 15, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins third baseman Ryan Kreidler runs the bases on his three run home run against the Boston Red Sox in the ninth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images After a day off, the Minnesota Twins will look to keep their potent offense rolling on Friday night when they open a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds in Minneapolis. Minnesota won eight of nine games before falling 9-5 to the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday. The Twins are second in the American League in home runs with 26, and third in runs (103) and RBIs (98). Austin Martin hit his first home run of the season in the first inning against Boston. Ryan Kreidler added a three-run shot in the bottom of the ninth as the Twins tried to rally. Even though the team’s four-game winning streak ended on Wednesday, Martin said Minnesota is brimming with belief that it can be a contender. The Twins are tied for the most wins in the AL. “This stretch has given us the confidence that we’re able to compete with anybody on the field,” Martin said. “It’s just a matter if we take care of what we need to take care of.” Cincinnati, meanwhile, is tied atop the National League Central with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Reds managed only one hit in a 3-0 home loss to the San Francisco Giants on Thursday. Cincinnati will look for rookie sensation Sal Stewart to continue the torrid start to his career. He leads the team in batting average (.303), home runs (seven), RBIs (17) and OPS (1.094). “He’s a good hitter,” manager Terry Francona said. “First of all, his confidence is very high. He uses the whole field. There are a lot of reasons (for his success). He’ll take a bad swing but regroup. He doesn’t just give an at bat away. … It’s early; let’s let it play out. But he’s done a terrific job.” It will be a homecoming for Reds left-hander Brandon Williamson (1-1, 5.28 ERA) on Friday. The Fairmont, Minn., native is scheduled to make his first career start against the Twins. Williamson wasn’t involved in the decision of a 7-3 win against the Los Angeles Angels last Saturday. He racked up a career-high six walks in addition to allowing three runs and three hits over four innings. Minnesota is set to send right-hander Joe Ryan (2-1, 3.80 ERA) to the mound. In 2023, Ryan yielded four runs on five hits in four innings to take the loss in his lone career start vs. Cincinnati. In his previous outing, Ryan’s commanding performance set the tone in a 7-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. He threw a tidy 91 pitches over seven innings, surrendering two runs on two hits while striking out five. Ryan got ahead in the count and was pleased to let Toronto swing away. “If (hitters) want to hack early, get out early and (I get) to go more innings, please,” Ryan said about a lineup taking an aggressive approach against him. “That’s fine. I’m here to win baseball games.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Confident #Twins #continue #display #offense #Reds #await

Deadspin | Confident Twins continue to display offense as Reds await
Apr 15, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins third baseman Ryan Kreidler runs the bases on his three run home run against the Boston Red Sox in the ninth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

After a day off, the Minnesota Twins will look to keep their potent offense rolling on Friday night when they open a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds in Minneapolis.

Minnesota won eight of nine games before falling 9-5 to the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday.

The Twins are second in the American League in home runs with 26, and third in runs (103) and RBIs (98).

Austin Martin hit his first home run of the season in the first inning against Boston. Ryan Kreidler added a three-run shot in the bottom of the ninth as the Twins tried to rally.

Even though the team’s four-game winning streak ended on Wednesday, Martin said Minnesota is brimming with belief that it can be a contender. The Twins are tied for the most wins in the AL.

“This stretch has given us the confidence that we’re able to compete with anybody on the field,” Martin said. “It’s just a matter if we take care of what we need to take care of.”

Cincinnati, meanwhile, is tied atop the National League Central with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Reds managed only one hit in a 3-0 home loss to the San Francisco Giants on Thursday.

Cincinnati will look for rookie sensation Sal Stewart to continue the torrid start to his career. He leads the team in batting average (.303), home runs (seven), RBIs (17) and OPS (1.094).

“He’s a good hitter,” manager Terry Francona said. “First of all, his confidence is very high. He uses the whole field. There are a lot of reasons (for his success). He’ll take a bad swing but regroup. He doesn’t just give an at bat away. … It’s early; let’s let it play out. But he’s done a terrific job.”

It will be a homecoming for Reds left-hander Brandon Williamson (1-1, 5.28 ERA) on Friday. The Fairmont, Minn., native is scheduled to make his first career start against the Twins.

Williamson wasn’t involved in the decision of a 7-3 win against the Los Angeles Angels last Saturday. He racked up a career-high six walks in addition to allowing three runs and three hits over four innings.

Minnesota is set to send right-hander Joe Ryan (2-1, 3.80 ERA) to the mound. In 2023, Ryan yielded four runs on five hits in four innings to take the loss in his lone career start vs. Cincinnati.

In his previous outing, Ryan’s commanding performance set the tone in a 7-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. He threw a tidy 91 pitches over seven innings, surrendering two runs on two hits while striking out five.

Ryan got ahead in the count and was pleased to let Toronto swing away.

“If (hitters) want to hack early, get out early and (I get) to go more innings, please,” Ryan said about a lineup taking an aggressive approach against him. “That’s fine. I’m here to win baseball games.”

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Confident #Twins #continue #display #offense #Reds #await

Sports news April 17, 2026

Apr 15, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins third baseman Ryan Kreidler runs the bases on his three run home run against the Boston Red Sox in the ninth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

After a day off, the Minnesota Twins will look to keep their potent offense rolling on Friday night when they open a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds in Minneapolis.

Minnesota won eight of nine games before falling 9-5 to the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday.

The Twins are second in the American League in home runs with 26, and third in runs (103) and RBIs (98).

Austin Martin hit his first home run of the season in the first inning against Boston. Ryan Kreidler added a three-run shot in the bottom of the ninth as the Twins tried to rally.

Even though the team’s four-game winning streak ended on Wednesday, Martin said Minnesota is brimming with belief that it can be a contender. The Twins are tied for the most wins in the AL.

“This stretch has given us the confidence that we’re able to compete with anybody on the field,” Martin said. “It’s just a matter if we take care of what we need to take care of.”

Cincinnati, meanwhile, is tied atop the National League Central with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Reds managed only one hit in a 3-0 home loss to the San Francisco Giants on Thursday.

Cincinnati will look for rookie sensation Sal Stewart to continue the torrid start to his career. He leads the team in batting average (.303), home runs (seven), RBIs (17) and OPS (1.094).

“He’s a good hitter,” manager Terry Francona said. “First of all, his confidence is very high. He uses the whole field. There are a lot of reasons (for his success). He’ll take a bad swing but regroup. He doesn’t just give an at bat away. … It’s early; let’s let it play out. But he’s done a terrific job.”

It will be a homecoming for Reds left-hander Brandon Williamson (1-1, 5.28 ERA) on Friday. The Fairmont, Minn., native is scheduled to make his first career start against the Twins.

Williamson wasn’t involved in the decision of a 7-3 win against the Los Angeles Angels last Saturday. He racked up a career-high six walks in addition to allowing three runs and three hits over four innings.

Minnesota is set to send right-hander Joe Ryan (2-1, 3.80 ERA) to the mound. In 2023, Ryan yielded four runs on five hits in four innings to take the loss in his lone career start vs. Cincinnati.

In his previous outing, Ryan’s commanding performance set the tone in a 7-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. He threw a tidy 91 pitches over seven innings, surrendering two runs on two hits while striking out five.

Ryan got ahead in the count and was pleased to let Toronto swing away.

“If (hitters) want to hack early, get out early and (I get) to go more innings, please,” Ryan said about a lineup taking an aggressive approach against him. “That’s fine. I’m here to win baseball games.”

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Confident #Twins #continue #display #offense #Reds #await

Pratika Rawal eyes spot in India’s historic Lord’s Test against England <div id="content-body-70875198" itemprop="articleBody">Calling a place on the Lord’s honours board the “holy grail”, India opener Pratika Rawal says she is relishing the prospect of the historic Test in July.“When you do play, all the legends have scored their hundreds there; they have your names (on the honours board) when you score a hundred. I’m definitely really excited for that Test match, especially because I think it’s such a beautiful format and I crave that format a lot. I’m preparing well, putting in the hard work for that preparation,” Rawal told PTI on the sidelines of a visit to her alma mater Jesus and Mary College on Friday.Reflecting on her recovery, the 25-year-old said her academic grounding in psychology played a key role in dealing with the mental toll of being sidelined after India’s 2025 ODI World Cup triumph.ALSO READ | <a href="https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cricket/womens-cricket/icc-prize-money-pool-womens-t20-world-cup-2026-winner-runner-up-participation-news/article70857398.ece" target="_blank">ICC announces record prize money pool for Women’s T20 World Cup 2026</a>“I’m totally over that (the injury). The good thing about psychology is it teaches you how to understand yourself, how to understand your emotions and constant behaviour, and it has helped me entirely,” she said.“When I was in that injury phase, the first thing was to accept the fact that I’m injured right now. What are the things which are in my control? So it has helped me a lot and still helps me when I’m playing the game, when I’m dealing with that mental pressure,” she added.Rawal, who made a successful Test debut against Australia in March this year with a composed 63 at the WACA, is currently sitting out the ongoing T20 series against South Africa as part of a workload management programme aimed at keeping her injury-free for a demanding calendar.Her immediate focus, however, remains the landmark Test at Lord’s, which will mark the Indian women’s team’s first appearance at the iconic venue.“Definitely (I’m eyeing that match). I mean, first there’s a World Cup, which I think we want to do extremely well in, but right after that we’re playing a Test match,” she said.With England hosting the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup later this year, Rawal is eager to help India achieve a rare “double” by adding the T20 trophy to their 2025 ODI World Cup title. Despite her absence from the T20 side at present, Rawal said the team remains determined to build on its success in the 50-over format and make its mark in T20 cricket as well.ALSO READ | <a href="https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cricket/womens-cricket/pakistan-womens-cricket-league-proposal-psl-model-wahab-riaz-suggestion/article70857146.ece" target="_blank">Wahab Riaz wants a Women’s Cricket League in Pakistan on lines of PSL</a>“Everyone, for us, we have just one World Cup in ODIs. Now we want to make our name in T20s as well. So, just taking it one step at a time, preparing like champions. We were champions in ODIs, but we definitely want to be champions in T20s too,” she said.Reflecting on her journey from a student at JMC to an India regular, Rawal underscored her simple approach to the game.“The main thing, my USP, is taking one thing at a time. I don’t think too much about the future. This is what helps me keep calm. So it’s just one day at a time, one ball at a time,” she said.Rawal also confirmed she is “absolutely fine” physically and has begun specific preparations for English conditions, drawing from her experience of touring the country last year.“I’m absolutely fine now. I’ve already started preparing for the England tour. I’ve played there before, so I have an idea about the conditions, the swing and the bounce, so I’m just working according to that,” she concluded.Published on Apr 17, 2026</div> #Pratika #Rawal #eyes #spot #Indias #historic #Lords #Test #England

Apr 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York City FC forward Talles Magno (11) looks to shoot the ball defended by St. Louis City SC midfielder Miguel Perez (28) during the second half at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-Imagn Images

Is dynamic offensive threat Talles Magno finally ready to pay dividends in his second stint with New York City FC?

That question may be answered when NYCFC (3-2-2, 11 points) play host to Charlotte FC (3-2-2, 11 points) on Saturday at Citi Field in a matchup of teams part of the four-way fourth-place logjam in the Eastern Conference.

Magno first made noise as a high-profile teenager in 2021 for the eventual MLS Cup champions. He scored the winning goal as New York City topped Philadelphia Union 2-1 in the conference finals. A year later, Magno posted seven goals and 10 assists.

After being on loan for 17 months to Brazilian team Corinthians, Magno, now 23, returned this season but has yet to start an MLS match.

“There’s a few things he needs to take care of,” coach Pascal Jansen said. “Physically, he’s not at the level yet where he needs to be in order to be competitive enough with the guys that are the starters at the moment.”

Magno flashed his scoring ability on Tuesday, achieving the first hat trick of his professional career while leading NYCFC to a 5-2 win over Westchester SC in a U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 match.

“I’m working very hard on getting my opportunity to start, given everything that’s possible for the team,” Magno said through an interpreter on Thursday. “I’m working with Pascal to see what I can do to get that opportunity.”

In the meantime, Nico Fernandez (five goals), Maxi Moralez (five assists) and Agustin Ojeda (two goals, one assist) have been supplying firepower for NYCFC.

After a hot start, New York City has gone 0-2-1 in its last three MLS matches. That includes last week’s 2-0 loss at Western Conference leader Vancouver.

Charlotte FC have been heading the other direction. They played four straight matches without a loss before falling last week at home to Eastern Conference leader Nashville SC, 2-1.

Pep Biel paces Charlotte with four goals and two assists while Archie Goodwin has notched three goals.

Charlotte FC also are coming off a 6-0 U.S. Open Cup win on Wednesday over Charlotte Independence as six players dented the net.

NYCFC topped Charlotte FC in the opening round of the MLS playoffs last year, holding them to one goal in the three-match series.

“Some of the players might feel scars because of that,” coach Dean Smith said. “There may be some scars where people have some things to prove but for me, it’s just a new season, new game.”

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Talles #Magno #awaiting #NYCFC #act #Charlotte #visit">

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Apr 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York City FC forward Talles Magno (11) looks to shoot the ball defended by St. Louis City SC midfielder Miguel Perez (28) during the second half at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-Imagn Images

Is dynamic offensive threat Talles Magno finally ready to pay dividends in his second stint with New York City FC?

That question may be answered when NYCFC (3-2-2, 11 points) play host to Charlotte FC (3-2-2, 11 points) on Saturday at Citi Field in a matchup of teams part of the four-way fourth-place logjam in the Eastern Conference.

Magno first made noise as a high-profile teenager in 2021 for the eventual MLS Cup champions. He scored the winning goal as New York City topped Philadelphia Union 2-1 in the conference finals. A year later, Magno posted seven goals and 10 assists.

After being on loan for 17 months to Brazilian team Corinthians, Magno, now 23, returned this season but has yet to start an MLS match.

“There’s a few things he needs to take care of,” coach Pascal Jansen said. “Physically, he’s not at the level yet where he needs to be in order to be competitive enough with the guys that are the starters at the moment.”

Magno flashed his scoring ability on Tuesday, achieving the first hat trick of his professional career while leading NYCFC to a 5-2 win over Westchester SC in a U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 match.

“I’m working very hard on getting my opportunity to start, given everything that’s possible for the team,” Magno said through an interpreter on Thursday. “I’m working with Pascal to see what I can do to get that opportunity.”

In the meantime, Nico Fernandez (five goals), Maxi Moralez (five assists) and Agustin Ojeda (two goals, one assist) have been supplying firepower for NYCFC.

After a hot start, New York City has gone 0-2-1 in its last three MLS matches. That includes last week’s 2-0 loss at Western Conference leader Vancouver.

Charlotte FC have been heading the other direction. They played four straight matches without a loss before falling last week at home to Eastern Conference leader Nashville SC, 2-1.

Pep Biel paces Charlotte with four goals and two assists while Archie Goodwin has notched three goals.

Charlotte FC also are coming off a 6-0 U.S. Open Cup win on Wednesday over Charlotte Independence as six players dented the net.

NYCFC topped Charlotte FC in the opening round of the MLS playoffs last year, holding them to one goal in the three-match series.

“Some of the players might feel scars because of that,” coach Dean Smith said. “There may be some scars where people have some things to prove but for me, it’s just a new season, new game.”

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Talles #Magno #awaiting #NYCFC #act #Charlotte #visit">Deadspin | Talles Magno awaiting NYCFC second act as Charlotte FC visit