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Deadspin | World Series star Trey Yesavage rejoins Blue Jays to face Red Sox  Feb 11, 2026; Dunedin, FL, USA;  Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage (39) throws a bullpen session for spring training practice at Blue Jays Player Development Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images   Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Trey Yesavage will try to duplicate his magic from late in 2025 when he makes his season debut Tuesday night against the visiting Boston Red Sox.  The Blue Jays dropped the opener of the three-game series against Boston 5-0 on Monday when they were held to two hits.  Yesavage began the season on the injured list with impingement in his right shoulder. He completed a minor league rehabilitation assignment, splitting four games (three starts) between Class-A Dunedin and Triple-A Buffalo, going 0-1 with a 7.50 ERA.  “He checked all of the boxes that we had hoped for,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “I wasn’t really looking at results, more looking at his stuff and the plan we had laid out since spring training.”  Yesavage went from Class-A to the majors in one swoop last season. He found himself back in the minors to start this season while working his way back to health, but this time he knew he would soon be back with Toronto.  “I think I’ve handled it well,” Yesavage told Sportsnet. “My mindset was kind of like how I was in the minors, play so they have to bring you up here and whatnot, so just still having that competitive nature and being able to prove that I should be here. The toughest part is it’s kind of slow. I wish I could have been up here sooner.”  In three regular-season starts in 2025, Yesavage went 1-0 with a 3.21 and 16 strikeouts in 12 innings. In the postseason, he posted a 3-1 mark with a 3.58 ERA in six games (five starts), including a 1-0 record and a 2.08 ERA in the World Series, when he struck out 12 and walked one in 8 2/3 innings.  Yesavage has not faced the Red Sox, who will start Payton Tolle (0-0, 1.50 ERA). The left-hander allowed one run in one inning in relief in his only appearance against Toronto, last Sept. 24.  Boston has won three straight for the first time this season, the past two for interim manager Chad Tracy, who replaced the fired Alex Cora.  Red Sox left-hander Ranger Suarez allowed one hit and one walk with a season-best 10 strikeouts in eight shutout innings on Monday. In three career appearances (two starts) against Toronto, he is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 17 1/3 innings.   “Today is who he is,” said Boston catcher Carlos Narvaez, who homered in the eighth inning. “That’s who has been the last five, six, seven years. We used all pitches, all locations, so that is fun.”  The Red Sox continued the process of reorganizing the coaching staff after six were let go with Cora’s departure.  One of the moves was shifting Jose David Flores from first base coach to bench coach, a position he held from 2022-24 at Triple-A Worcester, where Tracy was the manager.  “One of our most experienced guys left here as far as baseball knowledge,” Tracy said before the game on Monday. “So having him with me, next to me, as well as (pitching coach) Andrew Bailey in there, is important. He’s a great baseball man and one of my closest friends, so the combination of those two and having him by my side is huge.”  Pablo Cabrera will take over as first base coach and Jack Simonetty will become an assistant hitting coach.  Toronto put starter Max Scherzer on the injured list on Monday due to right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation.  “Doctor’s order was just get rest,” Scherzer said on Monday. “There’s nothing structurally wrong.”  Chase Lee was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo, and he allowed the homer to Narvaez in a 1 1/3-inning outing during his Toronto debut.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #World #Series #star #Trey #Yesavage #rejoins #Blue #Jays #face #Red #Sox

Deadspin | World Series star Trey Yesavage rejoins Blue Jays to face Red Sox
Deadspin | World Series star Trey Yesavage rejoins Blue Jays to face Red Sox  Feb 11, 2026; Dunedin, FL, USA;  Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage (39) throws a bullpen session for spring training practice at Blue Jays Player Development Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images   Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Trey Yesavage will try to duplicate his magic from late in 2025 when he makes his season debut Tuesday night against the visiting Boston Red Sox.  The Blue Jays dropped the opener of the three-game series against Boston 5-0 on Monday when they were held to two hits.  Yesavage began the season on the injured list with impingement in his right shoulder. He completed a minor league rehabilitation assignment, splitting four games (three starts) between Class-A Dunedin and Triple-A Buffalo, going 0-1 with a 7.50 ERA.  “He checked all of the boxes that we had hoped for,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “I wasn’t really looking at results, more looking at his stuff and the plan we had laid out since spring training.”  Yesavage went from Class-A to the majors in one swoop last season. He found himself back in the minors to start this season while working his way back to health, but this time he knew he would soon be back with Toronto.  “I think I’ve handled it well,” Yesavage told Sportsnet. “My mindset was kind of like how I was in the minors, play so they have to bring you up here and whatnot, so just still having that competitive nature and being able to prove that I should be here. The toughest part is it’s kind of slow. I wish I could have been up here sooner.”  In three regular-season starts in 2025, Yesavage went 1-0 with a 3.21 and 16 strikeouts in 12 innings. In the postseason, he posted a 3-1 mark with a 3.58 ERA in six games (five starts), including a 1-0 record and a 2.08 ERA in the World Series, when he struck out 12 and walked one in 8 2/3 innings.  Yesavage has not faced the Red Sox, who will start Payton Tolle (0-0, 1.50 ERA). The left-hander allowed one run in one inning in relief in his only appearance against Toronto, last Sept. 24.  Boston has won three straight for the first time this season, the past two for interim manager Chad Tracy, who replaced the fired Alex Cora.  Red Sox left-hander Ranger Suarez allowed one hit and one walk with a season-best 10 strikeouts in eight shutout innings on Monday. In three career appearances (two starts) against Toronto, he is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 17 1/3 innings.   “Today is who he is,” said Boston catcher Carlos Narvaez, who homered in the eighth inning. “That’s who has been the last five, six, seven years. We used all pitches, all locations, so that is fun.”  The Red Sox continued the process of reorganizing the coaching staff after six were let go with Cora’s departure.  One of the moves was shifting Jose David Flores from first base coach to bench coach, a position he held from 2022-24 at Triple-A Worcester, where Tracy was the manager.  “One of our most experienced guys left here as far as baseball knowledge,” Tracy said before the game on Monday. “So having him with me, next to me, as well as (pitching coach) Andrew Bailey in there, is important. He’s a great baseball man and one of my closest friends, so the combination of those two and having him by my side is huge.”  Pablo Cabrera will take over as first base coach and Jack Simonetty will become an assistant hitting coach.  Toronto put starter Max Scherzer on the injured list on Monday due to right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation.  “Doctor’s order was just get rest,” Scherzer said on Monday. “There’s nothing structurally wrong.”  Chase Lee was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo, and he allowed the homer to Narvaez in a 1 1/3-inning outing during his Toronto debut.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #World #Series #star #Trey #Yesavage #rejoins #Blue #Jays #face #Red #SoxFeb 11, 2026; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage (39) throws a bullpen session for spring training practice at Blue Jays Player Development Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Trey Yesavage will try to duplicate his magic from late in 2025 when he makes his season debut Tuesday night against the visiting Boston Red Sox.

The Blue Jays dropped the opener of the three-game series against Boston 5-0 on Monday when they were held to two hits.

Yesavage began the season on the injured list with impingement in his right shoulder. He completed a minor league rehabilitation assignment, splitting four games (three starts) between Class-A Dunedin and Triple-A Buffalo, going 0-1 with a 7.50 ERA.

“He checked all of the boxes that we had hoped for,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “I wasn’t really looking at results, more looking at his stuff and the plan we had laid out since spring training.”

Yesavage went from Class-A to the majors in one swoop last season. He found himself back in the minors to start this season while working his way back to health, but this time he knew he would soon be back with Toronto.

“I think I’ve handled it well,” Yesavage told Sportsnet. “My mindset was kind of like how I was in the minors, play so they have to bring you up here and whatnot, so just still having that competitive nature and being able to prove that I should be here. The toughest part is it’s kind of slow. I wish I could have been up here sooner.”

In three regular-season starts in 2025, Yesavage went 1-0 with a 3.21 and 16 strikeouts in 12 innings. In the postseason, he posted a 3-1 mark with a 3.58 ERA in six games (five starts), including a 1-0 record and a 2.08 ERA in the World Series, when he struck out 12 and walked one in 8 2/3 innings.

Yesavage has not faced the Red Sox, who will start Payton Tolle (0-0, 1.50 ERA). The left-hander allowed one run in one inning in relief in his only appearance against Toronto, last Sept. 24.

Boston has won three straight for the first time this season, the past two for interim manager Chad Tracy, who replaced the fired Alex Cora.


Red Sox left-hander Ranger Suarez allowed one hit and one walk with a season-best 10 strikeouts in eight shutout innings on Monday. In three career appearances (two starts) against Toronto, he is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 17 1/3 innings.

“Today is who he is,” said Boston catcher Carlos Narvaez, who homered in the eighth inning. “That’s who has been the last five, six, seven years. We used all pitches, all locations, so that is fun.”

The Red Sox continued the process of reorganizing the coaching staff after six were let go with Cora’s departure.

One of the moves was shifting Jose David Flores from first base coach to bench coach, a position he held from 2022-24 at Triple-A Worcester, where Tracy was the manager.

“One of our most experienced guys left here as far as baseball knowledge,” Tracy said before the game on Monday. “So having him with me, next to me, as well as (pitching coach) Andrew Bailey in there, is important. He’s a great baseball man and one of my closest friends, so the combination of those two and having him by my side is huge.”

Pablo Cabrera will take over as first base coach and Jack Simonetty will become an assistant hitting coach.

Toronto put starter Max Scherzer on the injured list on Monday due to right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation.

“Doctor’s order was just get rest,” Scherzer said on Monday. “There’s nothing structurally wrong.”

Chase Lee was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo, and he allowed the homer to Narvaez in a 1 1/3-inning outing during his Toronto debut.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #World #Series #star #Trey #Yesavage #rejoins #Blue #Jays #face #Red #Sox

Feb 11, 2026; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage (39) throws a bullpen session for spring training practice at Blue Jays Player Development Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Trey Yesavage will try to duplicate his magic from late in 2025 when he makes his season debut Tuesday night against the visiting Boston Red Sox.

The Blue Jays dropped the opener of the three-game series against Boston 5-0 on Monday when they were held to two hits.

Yesavage began the season on the injured list with impingement in his right shoulder. He completed a minor league rehabilitation assignment, splitting four games (three starts) between Class-A Dunedin and Triple-A Buffalo, going 0-1 with a 7.50 ERA.

“He checked all of the boxes that we had hoped for,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “I wasn’t really looking at results, more looking at his stuff and the plan we had laid out since spring training.”

Yesavage went from Class-A to the majors in one swoop last season. He found himself back in the minors to start this season while working his way back to health, but this time he knew he would soon be back with Toronto.

“I think I’ve handled it well,” Yesavage told Sportsnet. “My mindset was kind of like how I was in the minors, play so they have to bring you up here and whatnot, so just still having that competitive nature and being able to prove that I should be here. The toughest part is it’s kind of slow. I wish I could have been up here sooner.”

In three regular-season starts in 2025, Yesavage went 1-0 with a 3.21 and 16 strikeouts in 12 innings. In the postseason, he posted a 3-1 mark with a 3.58 ERA in six games (five starts), including a 1-0 record and a 2.08 ERA in the World Series, when he struck out 12 and walked one in 8 2/3 innings.

Yesavage has not faced the Red Sox, who will start Payton Tolle (0-0, 1.50 ERA). The left-hander allowed one run in one inning in relief in his only appearance against Toronto, last Sept. 24.

Boston has won three straight for the first time this season, the past two for interim manager Chad Tracy, who replaced the fired Alex Cora.

Red Sox left-hander Ranger Suarez allowed one hit and one walk with a season-best 10 strikeouts in eight shutout innings on Monday. In three career appearances (two starts) against Toronto, he is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 17 1/3 innings.

“Today is who he is,” said Boston catcher Carlos Narvaez, who homered in the eighth inning. “That’s who has been the last five, six, seven years. We used all pitches, all locations, so that is fun.”

The Red Sox continued the process of reorganizing the coaching staff after six were let go with Cora’s departure.

One of the moves was shifting Jose David Flores from first base coach to bench coach, a position he held from 2022-24 at Triple-A Worcester, where Tracy was the manager.

“One of our most experienced guys left here as far as baseball knowledge,” Tracy said before the game on Monday. “So having him with me, next to me, as well as (pitching coach) Andrew Bailey in there, is important. He’s a great baseball man and one of my closest friends, so the combination of those two and having him by my side is huge.”

Pablo Cabrera will take over as first base coach and Jack Simonetty will become an assistant hitting coach.

Toronto put starter Max Scherzer on the injured list on Monday due to right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation.

“Doctor’s order was just get rest,” Scherzer said on Monday. “There’s nothing structurally wrong.”

Chase Lee was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo, and he allowed the homer to Narvaez in a 1 1/3-inning outing during his Toronto debut.

–Field Level Media

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Madrid Open 2026: Sinner criticises schedule after surging into quarterfinals <div id="content-body-70916313" itemprop="articleBody"><p>Jannik Sinner suggested the Madrid Open organisers should reconsider their tournament scheduling to avoid late-night finishes like the one Rafael Jodar experienced in the third round on Sunday.</p><p>In a rare 11:00 am start on Tuesday, Sinner moved past British 19th seed Cameron Norrie 6-2, 7-5 to reach the quarterfinals.</p><p>He explained he was put on first on Manolo Santana Stadium so that Jodar, his potential next opponent, would be scheduled in the afternoon to give the Spaniard time to recover from his three-set win over Joao Fonseca that ended at 1:00 am on Monday morning.</p><p>“It’s quite unusual for me,” Sinner told <i>Tennis TV </i>about his early kick-off.</p><p>“I don’t know the last time I played at 11. But for me it doesn’t matter what time. I try to do my best. For me, there was a question if it would be me or Jodar to play at 4. But I think it’s right he plays at 4, because he finished very, very late.</p><p>“But at the same time, I feel like we need to make some adjustments to the scheduling of the day. Two matches (starting) from 8pm is very late. Even though you have one day in between. But still it’s very, very late. You finish at 1:30am, and you need to eat, you need to have treatment, so it’s very late. But we try to adapt ourselves, our bodies, our minds, so from my side it was a good performance today.”</p><p>In his first-ever meeting with Norrie, Sinner won 81 percent of his first-serve points, and 63 percent of the points behind his second delivery on his way to notching a 25th consecutive victory at the Masters 1000 level.</p><p>“We know each other quite well. We practised a lot in the last tournaments, also. So, we both knew what to expect. I was serving well today in the important moments,” said Sinner, who awaits Jodar of Vit Kopriva in the last-eight stage.</p><p>The Italian World No. 1 is just the second man in series history to win his first 20 Masters 1000 matches of the season, joining Novak Djokovic, who achieved that feat twice, in 2011 and 2015.</p><p>Sinner is competing in Madrid for just the fourth time in his career and is bidding to reach the semifinals for the first time in the Spanish capital.</p><p>“This surface is very, very different than all the other surfaces, so it’s very tough to get the right feedback,” Sinner said after his win over Norrie.</p><p>“Sometimes you feel like you’re not playing your best but from the outside it seems that you are, and sometimes it’s also the opposite. But I’m very happy to be in the quarters again. It’s a tournament I haven’t played a lot, so it means a lot to me and I’m happy to be through in two sets.”</p><p>Meanwhile, last week’s Barcelona champion Arthur Fils advanced to the quarterfinals at the Caja Magica with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Argentine 25th seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry.</p><p>Fils, seeded 21 in Madrid, has made the quarter-finals in six of the seven tournaments he has contested so far in 2026 .The Frenchman will take on Lorenzo Musetti or Jiri Lehecka for a place in the final four.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 28, 2026</p></div> #Madrid #Open #Sinner #criticises #schedule #surging #quarterfinals

Deadspin | Japan hope to slay Brazil without star player in World Cup knockouts   June 24, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S.; Brazil’s Rayan reacts.  Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images    In a friendly in Tokyo last October, Brazil surrendered a two-goal halftime lead and watched Japan pull ahead for an eventual 3-2 victory.  Rayan, a 19-year-old forward, was not part of Brazil’s team that day, so perhaps he can be forgiven for admitting he doesn’t know much about the Japanese squad.  “I don’t know who their best player is,” Rayan said when a Japanese reporter asked him. “I’d have to watch the video to be able to tell you. We know that Japan is a very strong team and we have to work hard to give it our all and beat them.”  The Selecao will be on alert when they come face to face with the Samurai Blue in the round of 32 on Monday afternoon in Houston.  Options Rayan could have considered in his answer included Takefusa Kubo, a forward nicknamed “the Japanese Messi,” or perhaps Ayase Ueda, a Feyenoord striker with 18 goals for his national team. But Kubo hasn’t played since suffering a meniscus tear in Japan’s opener against the Netherlands, and Sunday he was ruled out for the Brazil clash.  Ueda and Daichi Kamada are tied for the team lead with two goals apiece in the group stage — and Ueda had the go-ahead goal in that 3-2 upset back in October.  Japan are nevertheless the clear underdogs going into this match. They finished second to Netherlands in Group F with a win over overmatched Tunisia and two draws. They don’t have the history that Brazil can boast, but Japan have qualified for the knockouts at three straight World Cups and four of the past five, though never advancing past the round of 16.   “Brazil are always a leading team. They have a very good chance of winning,” coach Hajime Moriyasu said Sunday. “Some people will say Japan are underdogs. We will play with that in mind. We will respect the opponents, but like last year (in the friendly win) we weren’t given a chance to win. This possibility to win — we can change history.”  After opening with a draw against Morocco, Brazil rang up 3-0 wins over Haiti and Scotland to win Group C. Vinicius Junior (four) and Matheus Cunha (three) have combined to score all of Brazil’s goals thus far, with Bruno Guimaraes earning assists on three.  They’ve made up for the absence of Neymar, who was not ready at the onset of the tournament as he rehabbed a calf injury suffered May 17 while playing for his club. Neymar made his first showing of the tournament Wednesday by subbing on for the last 15 minutes against Scotland.  For what it’s worth, Neymar scored his first goal for the Selecao against Japan in a FIFA Confederations Cup match in 2013, and in a friendly the following year the ex-wunderkind poured in four goals.  The Brazil faithful hope coach Carlo Ancelotti has the team on course for its record sixth World Cup win and first since 2002.  “We’re not perfect. We can improve. For example, our pace on the ball. We can be quicker,” Ancelotti said after the Scotland match. “But I’m pleased because the team has improved a lot since the first match. Now it’s a knockout competition. We need to show real grit.”  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Japan #hope #slay #Brazil #star #player #World #Cup #knockouts June 24, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S.; Brazil’s Rayan reacts. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

In a friendly in Tokyo last October, Brazil surrendered a two-goal halftime lead and watched Japan pull ahead for an eventual 3-2 victory.

Rayan, a 19-year-old forward, was not part of Brazil’s team that day, so perhaps he can be forgiven for admitting he doesn’t know much about the Japanese squad.

“I don’t know who their best player is,” Rayan said when a Japanese reporter asked him. “I’d have to watch the video to be able to tell you. We know that Japan is a very strong team and we have to work hard to give it our all and beat them.”

The Selecao will be on alert when they come face to face with the Samurai Blue in the round of 32 on Monday afternoon in Houston.

Options Rayan could have considered in his answer included Takefusa Kubo, a forward nicknamed “the Japanese Messi,” or perhaps Ayase Ueda, a Feyenoord striker with 18 goals for his national team. But Kubo hasn’t played since suffering a meniscus tear in Japan’s opener against the Netherlands, and Sunday he was ruled out for the Brazil clash.

Ueda and Daichi Kamada are tied for the team lead with two goals apiece in the group stage — and Ueda had the go-ahead goal in that 3-2 upset back in October.


Japan are nevertheless the clear underdogs going into this match. They finished second to Netherlands in Group F with a win over overmatched Tunisia and two draws. They don’t have the history that Brazil can boast, but Japan have qualified for the knockouts at three straight World Cups and four of the past five, though never advancing past the round of 16.

“Brazil are always a leading team. They have a very good chance of winning,” coach Hajime Moriyasu said Sunday. “Some people will say Japan are underdogs. We will play with that in mind. We will respect the opponents, but like last year (in the friendly win) we weren’t given a chance to win. This possibility to win — we can change history.”

After opening with a draw against Morocco, Brazil rang up 3-0 wins over Haiti and Scotland to win Group C. Vinicius Junior (four) and Matheus Cunha (three) have combined to score all of Brazil’s goals thus far, with Bruno Guimaraes earning assists on three.

They’ve made up for the absence of Neymar, who was not ready at the onset of the tournament as he rehabbed a calf injury suffered May 17 while playing for his club. Neymar made his first showing of the tournament Wednesday by subbing on for the last 15 minutes against Scotland.

For what it’s worth, Neymar scored his first goal for the Selecao against Japan in a FIFA Confederations Cup match in 2013, and in a friendly the following year the ex-wunderkind poured in four goals.

The Brazil faithful hope coach Carlo Ancelotti has the team on course for its record sixth World Cup win and first since 2002.

“We’re not perfect. We can improve. For example, our pace on the ball. We can be quicker,” Ancelotti said after the Scotland match. “But I’m pleased because the team has improved a lot since the first match. Now it’s a knockout competition. We need to show real grit.”


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Japan #hope #slay #Brazil #star #player #World #Cup #knockouts">Deadspin | Japan hope to slay Brazil without star player in World Cup knockouts   June 24, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S.; Brazil’s Rayan reacts.  Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images    In a friendly in Tokyo last October, Brazil surrendered a two-goal halftime lead and watched Japan pull ahead for an eventual 3-2 victory.  Rayan, a 19-year-old forward, was not part of Brazil’s team that day, so perhaps he can be forgiven for admitting he doesn’t know much about the Japanese squad.  “I don’t know who their best player is,” Rayan said when a Japanese reporter asked him. “I’d have to watch the video to be able to tell you. We know that Japan is a very strong team and we have to work hard to give it our all and beat them.”  The Selecao will be on alert when they come face to face with the Samurai Blue in the round of 32 on Monday afternoon in Houston.  Options Rayan could have considered in his answer included Takefusa Kubo, a forward nicknamed “the Japanese Messi,” or perhaps Ayase Ueda, a Feyenoord striker with 18 goals for his national team. But Kubo hasn’t played since suffering a meniscus tear in Japan’s opener against the Netherlands, and Sunday he was ruled out for the Brazil clash.  Ueda and Daichi Kamada are tied for the team lead with two goals apiece in the group stage — and Ueda had the go-ahead goal in that 3-2 upset back in October.  Japan are nevertheless the clear underdogs going into this match. They finished second to Netherlands in Group F with a win over overmatched Tunisia and two draws. They don’t have the history that Brazil can boast, but Japan have qualified for the knockouts at three straight World Cups and four of the past five, though never advancing past the round of 16.   “Brazil are always a leading team. They have a very good chance of winning,” coach Hajime Moriyasu said Sunday. “Some people will say Japan are underdogs. We will play with that in mind. We will respect the opponents, but like last year (in the friendly win) we weren’t given a chance to win. This possibility to win — we can change history.”  After opening with a draw against Morocco, Brazil rang up 3-0 wins over Haiti and Scotland to win Group C. Vinicius Junior (four) and Matheus Cunha (three) have combined to score all of Brazil’s goals thus far, with Bruno Guimaraes earning assists on three.  They’ve made up for the absence of Neymar, who was not ready at the onset of the tournament as he rehabbed a calf injury suffered May 17 while playing for his club. Neymar made his first showing of the tournament Wednesday by subbing on for the last 15 minutes against Scotland.  For what it’s worth, Neymar scored his first goal for the Selecao against Japan in a FIFA Confederations Cup match in 2013, and in a friendly the following year the ex-wunderkind poured in four goals.  The Brazil faithful hope coach Carlo Ancelotti has the team on course for its record sixth World Cup win and first since 2002.  “We’re not perfect. We can improve. For example, our pace on the ball. We can be quicker,” Ancelotti said after the Scotland match. “But I’m pleased because the team has improved a lot since the first match. Now it’s a knockout competition. We need to show real grit.”  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Japan #hope #slay #Brazil #star #player #World #Cup #knockouts

Travelers Championship 2026 - Final Round
Travelers Championship 2026 - Final Round

CROMWELL, CONNECTICUT – JUNE 28: Scottie Scheffler reacts to his putt on the 17th green during the final round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands on June 28, 2026 in Cromwell, Connecticut. (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)

#Scottie #Scheffler #Viktor #Hovland #set #Monday #playoff #Travelers">Scottie Scheffler, Viktor Hovland set for Monday playoff at Travelers  CROMWELL, CONNECTICUT – JUNE 28: Scottie Scheffler reacts to his putt on the 17th green during the final round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands on June 28, 2026 in Cromwell, Connecticut. (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)  #Scottie #Scheffler #Viktor #Hovland #set #Monday #playoff #Travelers

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