Broken blueprints: How Italy and Nigeria failed to qualify for 2026 FIFA World Cup As you read this, teams are taking shape, players are pushing to make it to their national sides, and coaches are scratching their heads to get strategies in place before the greatest show on earth rolls into town.Amid the noise, there is silence in two prominent parts of the world — countries that, not so long ago, were part of this carnival: Italy and Nigeria.Italy, the more decorated of the two, missed out on its third consecutive World Cup appearance — a phenomenon termed an ‘apocalypse’ by local media — as the four-time World Cup winner lost 1-4 on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in its final qualifier.The Germans offer a relevant precedent here. When Germany — then a three-time World Cup winner — was knocked out of the 2004 European Championships, it decided to tear its existing blueprint apart and build another from scratch.Its youth programme, called the Nachwuchsleistungszentrum, churned out stars like Toni Kroos, Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer and Mario Götze. A decade later, Götze — a product of Borussia Dortmund’s youth academy — volleyed his name into immortality as Germany became world champion yet again.Fantastic finish: Mario Göetze scored the winner in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, putting up a fine example of a finished product of Germany’s youth development programs. | Photo Credit: AFP Fantastic finish: Mario Göetze scored the winner in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, putting up a fine example of a finished product of Germany’s youth development programs. | Photo Credit: AFP A similar plan was conceptualised by Italy legend Roberto Baggio in his project ‘Renewing the Future’ after the Azzurri, then defending champions, crashed out of the 2010 World Cup in the group stage.But within 17 months, he chose to walk away.“A 900-page program was presented in December 2011, but it remained a dead letter for a year. So I drew my conclusions: I don’t like sitting in positions, but rather getting things done,” Baggio, resigning from the post of president of the technical sector of the Italian Football Federation, said.The years that followed still yielded some fruits of Baggio’s vision.Italy won Euro 2020, produced prominent European stars in Gianluigi Donnarumma — a treble winner with Paris Saint-Germain — Nicolò Barella, a two-time Champions League runner-up, and even Sandro Tonali, who helped Newcastle United win its first trophy in nearly half a century. Yet, with all of them in the squad, the ship could not be steadied against Bosnia and Herzegovina.A night to forget: Italy fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties to fall short in the race to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026. | Photo Credit: REUTERS A night to forget: Italy fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties to fall short in the race to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026. | Photo Credit: REUTERS Marcello Lippi, the last World Cup-winning coach of Italy, had once said, “A group of the best players does not necessarily make for the best team.”Italy had developed a DNA influenced by Giovanni Trapattoni’s zona mista (an Italian style of football prevalent in the 1960-70s) and Arrigo Sacchi’s 4-4-2 — both that were built on a simple creed: defence wins titles.That cathedral now looks to be crumbling — neglected and abandoned.Other major teams that missed the cutNo encore for SánchezChile, which reached the round of 16 in each of its last three World Cup appearances, missed out on the 2026 edition — the third consecutive time it has fallen short — potentially ending Alexis Sánchez’s chances of playing in the tournament again.Curtain call cut shortPoland legend Robert Lewandowski broke down after a 2-3 loss to Sweden in the playoffs saw his team miss out on a World Cup spot for the first time since 2014, denying the star striker a final dance on the biggest stage.Mbeumo misses the partyBryan Mbeumo will miss his first chance to play in a World Cup as his team, Cameroon — the 1990 quarterfinalist — failed to qualify for the expanded 48-team 2026 edition, set to be played in the USA, Mexico and Canada.Italian players are moving to foreign leagues, and the last time an Italian club won the Champions League was 16 years ago — the same year Italy last won the World Cup.In the current national team, four of the 11 regular starters — Donnarumma, Riccardo Calafiori, Tonali and Mateo Retegui — play outside Italy, with its main striker (Retegui) playing in Asia. In contrast, in the 2010 World Cup-winning squad, all players featured in Serie A.Off the field, the rot runs deeper. Gabriele Gravina clung to the Italian FA presidency despite Italy failing to qualify for Qatar 2022, until he was forced to walk the plank after the 2026 qualifying debacle.Who did Italy turn to as coach? Gennaro Gattuso — a fine player who, as a manager, had fallen short of expectations at nine clubs.For a country trying to return to the World Cup after 12 years, was that really the best step forward? Questions will arise and Italy will need answers, or risk going around in circles.For Nigeria, chaos has been the only constant. Too many cooks spoiled the broth for the African giant, as the Super Eagles were grounded before takeoff for the second World Cup cycle in succession.In the 2022 qualifying campaign, Nigeria replaced Gernot Rohr, who coached in the initial qualifiers, with Augustine Eguavoen before the penultimate round. The team fell to Ghana on the away goals rule.Not an American dream anymore: Nigeria had made a prominent mark when the USA hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time, in 1994. When the tournament returns to the same country this year, the Golden Eagles will only be able to watch in silence. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Photo Library Not an American dream anymore: Nigeria had made a prominent mark when the USA hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time, in 1994. When the tournament returns to the same country this year, the Golden Eagles will only be able to watch in silence. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Photo Library In the next World Cup cycle, the inconsistency gave way to further drama. Several players from the team that finished runner-up in the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) were promised real estate rewards, which reportedly never arrived.The team even boycotted the AFCON 2025 qualifier against Libya after being stranded at the airport for 12 hours.The following month, just two days before the World Cup African playoff semifinal against Gabon, the entire squad downed tools due to unresolved wage issues. Though the matter was eventually resolved — and Nigeria dragged itself past the finish line with a 4-1 extra-time win — the cracks were clear.Then came the revolving door of head coaches: José Peseiro, Finidi George, Augustine Eguavoen and Eric Chelle — four men in two years. Chelle remained in charge for the final stages of qualification, where Nigeria lost on penalties to the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the coach blaming voodoo for the exit. Talk about analysis.Beyond the quagmire of administration, the harshest blow came from the treatment table — Victor Osimhen’s injury ruled him out of several matches. The former Napoli forward even fell out of favour with George, who claimed Osimhen was faking his injury, before missing clashes against South Africa and Benin.The result: three matches, no wins. Nigeria drew twice with South Africa and lost to Benin. Without Osimhen, it earned only four points from a possible 15.Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign. | Photo Credit: AFP Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign. | Photo Credit: AFP His injury in the playoff final against DR Congo forced an early substitution, and Ademola Lookman followed 10 minutes later — leaving Nigeria to play most of the match without two of its most important strikers.DR Congo, on the other hand, was a study in stability.After failing to qualify for Qatar 2022, it offered a second roll of the dice to Sébastien Desabre as coach — and he repaid that faith by guiding the team to the World Cup after 52 years, beating Cameroon and Nigeria.When the FIFA World Cup was first conducted in the United States in 1994, Nigeria and Italy had some of the loudest fans, with the former reaching the round of 16, and the latter making the final.This time around, it will be their silence that rings loudest — a reminder that in football, failure is rarely accidental.Published on Apr 23, 2026 #Broken #blueprints #Italy #Nigeria #failed #qualify #FIFA #World #Cup

Broken blueprints: How Italy and Nigeria failed to qualify for 2026 FIFA World Cup
As you read this, teams are taking shape, players are pushing to make it to their national sides, and coaches are scratching their heads to get strategies in place before the greatest show on earth rolls into town.
Amid the noise, there is silence in two prominent parts of the world — countries that, not so long ago, were part of this carnival: Italy and Nigeria.
Italy, the more decorated of the two, missed out on its third consecutive World Cup appearance — a phenomenon termed an ‘apocalypse’ by local media — as the four-time World Cup winner lost 1-4 on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in its final qualifier.
The Germans offer a relevant precedent here. When Germany — then a three-time World Cup winner — was knocked out of the 2004 European Championships, it decided to tear its existing blueprint apart and build another from scratch.
Its youth programme, called the Nachwuchsleistungszentrum, churned out stars like Toni Kroos, Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer and Mario Götze. A decade later, Götze — a product of Borussia Dortmund’s youth academy — volleyed his name into immortality as Germany became world champion yet again.
Fantastic finish: Mario Göetze scored the winner in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, putting up a fine example of a finished product of Germany’s youth development programs. | Photo Credit: AFP
Fantastic finish: Mario Göetze scored the winner in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, putting up a fine example of a finished product of Germany’s youth development programs. | Photo Credit: AFP
A similar plan was conceptualised by Italy legend Roberto Baggio in his project ‘Renewing the Future’ after the Azzurri, then defending champions, crashed out of the 2010 World Cup in the group stage.
But within 17 months, he chose to walk away.
“A 900-page program was presented in December 2011, but it remained a dead letter for a year. So I drew my conclusions: I don’t like sitting in positions, but rather getting things done,” Baggio, resigning from the post of president of the technical sector of the Italian Football Federation, said.
The years that followed still yielded some fruits of Baggio’s vision.
Italy won Euro 2020, produced prominent European stars in Gianluigi Donnarumma — a treble winner with Paris Saint-Germain — Nicolò Barella, a two-time Champions League runner-up, and even Sandro Tonali, who helped Newcastle United win its first trophy in nearly half a century. Yet, with all of them in the squad, the ship could not be steadied against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
A night to forget: Italy fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties to fall short in the race to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
A night to forget: Italy fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties to fall short in the race to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
Marcello Lippi, the last World Cup-winning coach of Italy, had once said, “A group of the best players does not necessarily make for the best team.”
Italy had developed a DNA influenced by Giovanni Trapattoni’s zona mista (an Italian style of football prevalent in the 1960-70s) and Arrigo Sacchi’s 4-4-2 — both that were built on a simple creed: defence wins titles.
That cathedral now looks to be crumbling — neglected and abandoned.
Other major teams that missed the cut
No encore for Sánchez
Chile, which reached the round of 16 in each of its last three World Cup appearances, missed out on the 2026 edition — the third consecutive time it has fallen short — potentially ending Alexis Sánchez’s chances of playing in the tournament again.
Curtain call cut short
Poland legend Robert Lewandowski broke down after a 2-3 loss to Sweden in the playoffs saw his team miss out on a World Cup spot for the first time since 2014, denying the star striker a final dance on the biggest stage.
Mbeumo misses the party
Bryan Mbeumo will miss his first chance to play in a World Cup as his team, Cameroon — the 1990 quarterfinalist — failed to qualify for the expanded 48-team 2026 edition, set to be played in the USA, Mexico and Canada.
Italian players are moving to foreign leagues, and the last time an Italian club won the Champions League was 16 years ago — the same year Italy last won the World Cup.
In the current national team, four of the 11 regular starters — Donnarumma, Riccardo Calafiori, Tonali and Mateo Retegui — play outside Italy, with its main striker (Retegui) playing in Asia. In contrast, in the 2010 World Cup-winning squad, all players featured in Serie A.
Off the field, the rot runs deeper. Gabriele Gravina clung to the Italian FA presidency despite Italy failing to qualify for Qatar 2022, until he was forced to walk the plank after the 2026 qualifying debacle.
Who did Italy turn to as coach? Gennaro Gattuso — a fine player who, as a manager, had fallen short of expectations at nine clubs.
For a country trying to return to the World Cup after 12 years, was that really the best step forward? Questions will arise and Italy will need answers, or risk going around in circles.
For Nigeria, chaos has been the only constant. Too many cooks spoiled the broth for the African giant, as the Super Eagles were grounded before takeoff for the second World Cup cycle in succession.
In the 2022 qualifying campaign, Nigeria replaced Gernot Rohr, who coached in the initial qualifiers, with Augustine Eguavoen before the penultimate round. The team fell to Ghana on the away goals rule.
Not an American dream anymore: Nigeria had made a prominent mark when the USA hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time, in 1994. When the tournament returns to the same country this year, the Golden Eagles will only be able to watch in silence. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Photo Library
Not an American dream anymore: Nigeria had made a prominent mark when the USA hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time, in 1994. When the tournament returns to the same country this year, the Golden Eagles will only be able to watch in silence. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Photo Library
In the next World Cup cycle, the inconsistency gave way to further drama. Several players from the team that finished runner-up in the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) were promised real estate rewards, which reportedly never arrived.
The team even boycotted the AFCON 2025 qualifier against Libya after being stranded at the airport for 12 hours.
The following month, just two days before the World Cup African playoff semifinal against Gabon, the entire squad downed tools due to unresolved wage issues. Though the matter was eventually resolved — and Nigeria dragged itself past the finish line with a 4-1 extra-time win — the cracks were clear.
Then came the revolving door of head coaches: José Peseiro, Finidi George, Augustine Eguavoen and Eric Chelle — four men in two years. Chelle remained in charge for the final stages of qualification, where Nigeria lost on penalties to the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the coach blaming voodoo for the exit. Talk about analysis.
Beyond the quagmire of administration, the harshest blow came from the treatment table — Victor Osimhen’s injury ruled him out of several matches. The former Napoli forward even fell out of favour with George, who claimed Osimhen was faking his injury, before missing clashes against South Africa and Benin.
The result: three matches, no wins. Nigeria drew twice with South Africa and lost to Benin. Without Osimhen, it earned only four points from a possible 15.
Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign. | Photo Credit: AFP
Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign. | Photo Credit: AFP
His injury in the playoff final against DR Congo forced an early substitution, and Ademola Lookman followed 10 minutes later — leaving Nigeria to play most of the match without two of its most important strikers.
DR Congo, on the other hand, was a study in stability.
After failing to qualify for Qatar 2022, it offered a second roll of the dice to Sébastien Desabre as coach — and he repaid that faith by guiding the team to the World Cup after 52 years, beating Cameroon and Nigeria.
When the FIFA World Cup was first conducted in the United States in 1994, Nigeria and Italy had some of the loudest fans, with the former reaching the round of 16, and the latter making the final.
This time around, it will be their silence that rings loudest — a reminder that in football, failure is rarely accidental.
Published on Apr 23, 2026
#Broken #blueprints #Italy #Nigeria #failed #qualify #FIFA #World #Cup

As you read this, teams are taking shape, players are pushing to make it to their national sides, and coaches are scratching their heads to get strategies in place before the greatest show on earth rolls into town.

Amid the noise, there is silence in two prominent parts of the world — countries that, not so long ago, were part of this carnival: Italy and Nigeria.

Italy, the more decorated of the two, missed out on its third consecutive World Cup appearance — a phenomenon termed an ‘apocalypse’ by local media — as the four-time World Cup winner lost 1-4 on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in its final qualifier.

The Germans offer a relevant precedent here. When Germany — then a three-time World Cup winner — was knocked out of the 2004 European Championships, it decided to tear its existing blueprint apart and build another from scratch.

Its youth programme, called the Nachwuchsleistungszentrum, churned out stars like Toni Kroos, Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer and Mario Götze. A decade later, Götze — a product of Borussia Dortmund’s youth academy — volleyed his name into immortality as Germany became world champion yet again.

Fantastic finish: Mario Göetze scored the winner in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, putting up a fine example of a finished product of Germany’s youth development programs.
| Photo Credit:
AFP

lightbox-info

Fantastic finish: Mario Göetze scored the winner in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, putting up a fine example of a finished product of Germany’s youth development programs.
| Photo Credit:
AFP

A similar plan was conceptualised by Italy legend Roberto Baggio in his project ‘Renewing the Future’ after the Azzurri, then defending champions, crashed out of the 2010 World Cup in the group stage.

But within 17 months, he chose to walk away.

“A 900-page program was presented in December 2011, but it remained a dead letter for a year. So I drew my conclusions: I don’t like sitting in positions, but rather getting things done,” Baggio, resigning from the post of president of the technical sector of the Italian Football Federation, said.

The years that followed still yielded some fruits of Baggio’s vision.

Italy won Euro 2020, produced prominent European stars in Gianluigi Donnarumma — a treble winner with Paris Saint-Germain — Nicolò Barella, a two-time Champions League runner-up, and even Sandro Tonali, who helped Newcastle United win its first trophy in nearly half a century. Yet, with all of them in the squad, the ship could not be steadied against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

A night to forget: Italy fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties to fall short in the race to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS

lightbox-info

A night to forget: Italy fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties to fall short in the race to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS

Marcello Lippi, the last World Cup-winning coach of Italy, had once said, “A group of the best players does not necessarily make for the best team.”

Italy had developed a DNA influenced by Giovanni Trapattoni’s zona mista (an Italian style of football prevalent in the 1960-70s) and Arrigo Sacchi’s 4-4-2 — both that were built on a simple creed: defence wins titles.

That cathedral now looks to be crumbling — neglected and abandoned.

Other major teams that missed the cut

No encore for Sánchez

Chile, which reached the round of 16 in each of its last three World Cup appearances, missed out on the 2026 edition — the third consecutive time it has fallen short — potentially ending Alexis Sánchez’s chances of playing in the tournament again.

Curtain call cut short

Poland legend Robert Lewandowski broke down after a 2-3 loss to Sweden in the playoffs saw his team miss out on a World Cup spot for the first time since 2014, denying the star striker a final dance on the biggest stage.

Mbeumo misses the party

Bryan Mbeumo will miss his first chance to play in a World Cup as his team, Cameroon — the 1990 quarterfinalist — failed to qualify for the expanded 48-team 2026 edition, set to be played in the USA, Mexico and Canada.

Italian players are moving to foreign leagues, and the last time an Italian club won the Champions League was 16 years ago — the same year Italy last won the World Cup.

In the current national team, four of the 11 regular starters — Donnarumma, Riccardo Calafiori, Tonali and Mateo Retegui — play outside Italy, with its main striker (Retegui) playing in Asia. In contrast, in the 2010 World Cup-winning squad, all players featured in Serie A.

Off the field, the rot runs deeper. Gabriele Gravina clung to the Italian FA presidency despite Italy failing to qualify for Qatar 2022, until he was forced to walk the plank after the 2026 qualifying debacle.

Who did Italy turn to as coach? Gennaro Gattuso — a fine player who, as a manager, had fallen short of expectations at nine clubs.

For a country trying to return to the World Cup after 12 years, was that really the best step forward? Questions will arise and Italy will need answers, or risk going around in circles.

For Nigeria, chaos has been the only constant. Too many cooks spoiled the broth for the African giant, as the Super Eagles were grounded before takeoff for the second World Cup cycle in succession.

In the 2022 qualifying campaign, Nigeria replaced Gernot Rohr, who coached in the initial qualifiers, with Augustine Eguavoen before the penultimate round. The team fell to Ghana on the away goals rule.

Not an American dream anymore: Nigeria had made a prominent mark when the USA hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time, in 1994. When the tournament returns to the same country this year, the Golden Eagles will only be able to watch in silence.
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu Photo Library

lightbox-info

In the next World Cup cycle, the inconsistency gave way to further drama. Several players from the team that finished runner-up in the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) were promised real estate rewards, which reportedly never arrived.

The team even boycotted the AFCON 2025 qualifier against Libya after being stranded at the airport for 12 hours.

The following month, just two days before the World Cup African playoff semifinal against Gabon, the entire squad downed tools due to unresolved wage issues. Though the matter was eventually resolved — and Nigeria dragged itself past the finish line with a 4-1 extra-time win — the cracks were clear.

Then came the revolving door of head coaches: José Peseiro, Finidi George, Augustine Eguavoen and Eric Chelle — four men in two years. Chelle remained in charge for the final stages of qualification, where Nigeria lost on penalties to the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the coach blaming voodoo for the exit. Talk about analysis.

Beyond the quagmire of administration, the harshest blow came from the treatment table — Victor Osimhen’s injury ruled him out of several matches. The former Napoli forward even fell out of favour with George, who claimed Osimhen was faking his injury, before missing clashes against South Africa and Benin.

The result: three matches, no wins. Nigeria drew twice with South Africa and lost to Benin. Without Osimhen, it earned only four points from a possible 15.

Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign.
| Photo Credit:
AFP

lightbox-info

Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign.
| Photo Credit:
AFP

His injury in the playoff final against DR Congo forced an early substitution, and Ademola Lookman followed 10 minutes later — leaving Nigeria to play most of the match without two of its most important strikers.

DR Congo, on the other hand, was a study in stability.

After failing to qualify for Qatar 2022, it offered a second roll of the dice to Sébastien Desabre as coach — and he repaid that faith by guiding the team to the World Cup after 52 years, beating Cameroon and Nigeria.

When the FIFA World Cup was first conducted in the United States in 1994, Nigeria and Italy had some of the loudest fans, with the former reaching the round of 16, and the latter making the final.

This time around, it will be their silence that rings loudest — a reminder that in football, failure is rarely accidental.

Published on Apr 23, 2026

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#Broken #blueprints #Italy #Nigeria #failed #qualify #FIFA #World #Cup

Tag FIFA FIFA World Cup 2026 how italy failed to qualify for fifa world cup 2026 italy football italy football crisis lewandowski nigeria football nigeria out of fifa world cup nigerian football crisis no nigeria in fifa world cup sanchez why is nigeria not playing in fifa world cup 2026 why italy is not playing in fifa world cup 2026 why italy not playing in fifa world cup 2026 why nigeria not playing in fifa world cup

Deadspin | Desperate Senators hope to capitalize on chances in Game 3 <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28775170.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28775170.jpg" alt="NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Ottawa Senators at Carolina Hurricanes" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 20, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis (24) and Ottawa Senators right wing Drake Batherson (19) battle in the first overtime period in game two of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images  </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>The math is very simple for the Ottawa Senators as they prepare to host the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series on Thursday night.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>Ottawa trails the series 2-0, and only four times in NHL history has a team come back from down 3-0 to win a playoff series. The last occurred in 2014 when the Los Angeles Kings rallied to stun the San Jose Sharks.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>The Senators fell behind the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-0 in the first round last April before falling in six games.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>“We feel a lot better than being down 2-0 last year,” Ottawa forward Drake Batherson said on Wednesday. “We’ve got a lot of confidence. We’re excited to get in front of our fans. We all can’t wait.”</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>The Senators have certainly generated chances on offense, putting 61 shots on Frederik Andersen in the first two games, but only two of those have found the back of the net. Dylan Cozens tied Game 2 late in the second period, and no one scored again until Carolina’s Jordan Martinook ended the 3-2 thriller at 13:53 of the second overtime.</p> </section><section id="section-6"> <p>Linus Ullmark was stellar in defeat, making 46 saves after stopping 27 of 29 shots in Game 1.</p> </section><section id="section-7"> <p>“We’ve got a couple of days to regroup, not just physically, but mentally, as well,” Senators coach Travis Green said, referring to the aftermath of the Monday marathon. “After losing a game like that, I think that’s going to be important. And I think we played better the second game than the first game, and we’ve got to play better again.”</p> </section><br/><section id="section-8"> <p>Ottawa would benefit from the return of defensemen Tyler Kleven and Artem Zub. Kleven, who took a puck to the face on April 2, practiced in a regular jersey on Wednesday. Zub, who scored a career-high 30 points (five goals, 25 assists) this season, sustained an undisclosed injury in Game 1. He did not play in Game 2 and did not practice on Wednesday.</p> </section> <section id="section-9"> <p>The Hurricanes, meanwhile, are the first team in NHL history to take a 2-0 lead in its first best-of-seven series in six straight postseasons.</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>“We did our job,” Martinook said. “Every home team you want to hold court in your building. We won our two at home, and now we go up there, and they’re going to try and do the same. So, it’s on us to go in there and put our best game forward and get the next one.”</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>Hurricanes forward Logan Stankoven has carried his hot streak into the playoffs. He ended the regular season on a career-best eight-game point streak, then had a goal and an assist in Game 1 and a goal in Game 2.</p> </section><section id="section-12"> <p>The line of Taylor Hall, Stankoven and Jackson Blake has nine of Carolina’s 14 points, so Carolina will be looking to spread out the scoring in Game 3.</p> </section><section id="section-13"> <p>Another area needing improvement for the Hurricanes is faceoffs. The Hurricanes won just 36.3% (29-for-80) of the faceoffs in Game 2 after taking 43.6% (24-for-55) in Game 1.</p> </section><section id="section-14"> <p>“I can’t tell you, but we have to do better,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said when asked what has gone wrong. “There’s understanding how refs are dropping pucks. There’s a million things that go into it. We have to be better.”</p> </section><section id="section-15"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section></div> #Deadspin #Desperate #Senators #hope #capitalize #chances #Game

Deadspin | Marlins turn to Sandy Alcantara in bid for series win vs. Dodgers Apr 24, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara (22) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the sixth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images A pair of early-season workhorses will square off when the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Miami Marlins on Wednesday afternoon in the finale of a three-game series. The Marlins will send National League innings leader Sandy Alcantara (3-2, 3.05 ERA) to the mound, and the Dodgers will counter with fellow right-hander Tyler Glasnow (3-0, 2.45), who has reached 100 pitches in three of his last four starts. In 41 1/3 innings over six starts, Alcantara has averaged an MLB-best 13.69 pitches per inning, as he appears close to finding his Cy Young Award form from 2022. After not pitching in 2024 following Tommy John surgery, he had a 5.36 ERA in 31 starts last season. Alcantara ended a three-start winless streak when he allowed three runs over six innings in a 9-4 victory at San Francisco on Friday. In eight career starts against the Dodgers, he is 2-5 with a 9.57 ERA, allowing 11 home runs over 36 2/3 innings. The pitching staff has kept the Marlins competitive in the series. Five pitchers held the Dodgers to two runs through eight innings of a defeat in the series opener on Monday, while five pitchers combined to give up one run in a 2-1 victory on Tuesday. The concern is at closer with right-hander Pete Fairbanks going on the 15-day injured list Tuesday after experiencing nerve irritation that led to hand numbness during his blown save Monday. Tyler Phillips pitched a scoreless ninth Tuesday for his second save. “We feel like we have a lot of confidence in a number of the pitchers that we have down there,” Miami manager Clayton McCullough said, while suggesting he might close games by committee. Glasnow was in line to start for the Dodgers on Tuesday but swapped spots with right-hander Shohei Ohtani in order to get an extra day of rest after heavy usage of late. In his best outing during an impressive run to start the season, Glasnow gave up one hit over eight scoreless innings in a 3-0 victory at San Francisco on Thursday. He has allowed two earned runs or less in four of his five starts. “I haven’t really had the slider, especially early in the season, and (Thursday) it felt really good,” said Glasnow, who gave up his lone hit in the fourth inning. “I think just showing that early, trying to throw it for strikes and then using it as a put-away option as well was helpful. It was like a mix of everything. I think that’s why I did pretty well.” In four career starts against the Marlins, Glasnow is 1-1 with a 4.03 ERA. He has not faced them since 2023, when he gave up one run over seven innings while earning the win. The Dodgers’ offense continues to be in a lull, with one run or less in three of their past eight games. Los Angeles scored its lone run in the eighth inning Tuesday on a single by Will Smith for one of his three hits. Ohtani is expected to return to the top of the order Wednesday after he did not hit Tuesday for the second time in his five starts on the mound. Freddie Freeman has not homered over his last 18 games. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Marlins #turn #Sandy #Alcantara #bid #series #win #Dodgers

#Deadspin #Marlins #turn #Sandy #Alcantara #bid #series #win #Dodgers">

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Apr 24, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara (22) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the sixth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

A pair of early-season workhorses will square off when the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Miami Marlins on Wednesday afternoon in the finale of a three-game series.

The Marlins will send National League innings leader Sandy Alcantara (3-2, 3.05 ERA) to the mound, and the Dodgers will counter with fellow right-hander Tyler Glasnow (3-0, 2.45), who has reached 100 pitches in three of his last four starts.

In 41 1/3 innings over six starts, Alcantara has averaged an MLB-best 13.69 pitches per inning, as he appears close to finding his Cy Young Award form from 2022. After not pitching in 2024 following Tommy John surgery, he had a 5.36 ERA in 31 starts last season.

Alcantara ended a three-start winless streak when he allowed three runs over six innings in a 9-4 victory at San Francisco on Friday. In eight career starts against the Dodgers, he is 2-5 with a 9.57 ERA, allowing 11 home runs over 36 2/3 innings.

The pitching staff has kept the Marlins competitive in the series. Five pitchers held the Dodgers to two runs through eight innings of a defeat in the series opener on Monday, while five pitchers combined to give up one run in a 2-1 victory on Tuesday.

The concern is at closer with right-hander Pete Fairbanks going on the 15-day injured list Tuesday after experiencing nerve irritation that led to hand numbness during his blown save Monday. Tyler Phillips pitched a scoreless ninth Tuesday for his second save.

“We feel like we have a lot of confidence in a number of the pitchers that we have down there,” Miami manager Clayton McCullough said, while suggesting he might close games by committee.

Glasnow was in line to start for the Dodgers on Tuesday but swapped spots with right-hander Shohei Ohtani in order to get an extra day of rest after heavy usage of late.

In his best outing during an impressive run to start the season, Glasnow gave up one hit over eight scoreless innings in a 3-0 victory at San Francisco on Thursday. He has allowed two earned runs or less in four of his five starts.

“I haven’t really had the slider, especially early in the season, and (Thursday) it felt really good,” said Glasnow, who gave up his lone hit in the fourth inning.

“I think just showing that early, trying to throw it for strikes and then using it as a put-away option as well was helpful. It was like a mix of everything. I think that’s why I did pretty well.”

In four career starts against the Marlins, Glasnow is 1-1 with a 4.03 ERA. He has not faced them since 2023, when he gave up one run over seven innings while earning the win.

The Dodgers’ offense continues to be in a lull, with one run or less in three of their past eight games. Los Angeles scored its lone run in the eighth inning Tuesday on a single by Will Smith for one of his three hits.

Ohtani is expected to return to the top of the order Wednesday after he did not hit Tuesday for the second time in his five starts on the mound. Freddie Freeman has not homered over his last 18 games.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Marlins #turn #Sandy #Alcantara #bid #series #win #Dodgers">Deadspin | Marlins turn to Sandy Alcantara in bid for series win vs. Dodgers

Apr 24, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara (22) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the sixth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

A pair of early-season workhorses will square off when the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Miami Marlins on Wednesday afternoon in the finale of a three-game series.

The Marlins will send National League innings leader Sandy Alcantara (3-2, 3.05 ERA) to the mound, and the Dodgers will counter with fellow right-hander Tyler Glasnow (3-0, 2.45), who has reached 100 pitches in three of his last four starts.

In 41 1/3 innings over six starts, Alcantara has averaged an MLB-best 13.69 pitches per inning, as he appears close to finding his Cy Young Award form from 2022. After not pitching in 2024 following Tommy John surgery, he had a 5.36 ERA in 31 starts last season.

Alcantara ended a three-start winless streak when he allowed three runs over six innings in a 9-4 victory at San Francisco on Friday. In eight career starts against the Dodgers, he is 2-5 with a 9.57 ERA, allowing 11 home runs over 36 2/3 innings.

The pitching staff has kept the Marlins competitive in the series. Five pitchers held the Dodgers to two runs through eight innings of a defeat in the series opener on Monday, while five pitchers combined to give up one run in a 2-1 victory on Tuesday.

The concern is at closer with right-hander Pete Fairbanks going on the 15-day injured list Tuesday after experiencing nerve irritation that led to hand numbness during his blown save Monday. Tyler Phillips pitched a scoreless ninth Tuesday for his second save.

“We feel like we have a lot of confidence in a number of the pitchers that we have down there,” Miami manager Clayton McCullough said, while suggesting he might close games by committee.

Glasnow was in line to start for the Dodgers on Tuesday but swapped spots with right-hander Shohei Ohtani in order to get an extra day of rest after heavy usage of late.

In his best outing during an impressive run to start the season, Glasnow gave up one hit over eight scoreless innings in a 3-0 victory at San Francisco on Thursday. He has allowed two earned runs or less in four of his five starts.

“I haven’t really had the slider, especially early in the season, and (Thursday) it felt really good,” said Glasnow, who gave up his lone hit in the fourth inning.

“I think just showing that early, trying to throw it for strikes and then using it as a put-away option as well was helpful. It was like a mix of everything. I think that’s why I did pretty well.”

In four career starts against the Marlins, Glasnow is 1-1 with a 4.03 ERA. He has not faced them since 2023, when he gave up one run over seven innings while earning the win.

The Dodgers’ offense continues to be in a lull, with one run or less in three of their past eight games. Los Angeles scored its lone run in the eighth inning Tuesday on a single by Will Smith for one of his three hits.

Ohtani is expected to return to the top of the order Wednesday after he did not hit Tuesday for the second time in his five starts on the mound. Freddie Freeman has not homered over his last 18 games.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Marlins #turn #Sandy #Alcantara #bid #series #win #Dodgers

Chelsea forward Mykhailo Mudryk has approached the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to appeal against a four-year ‌doping ban handed to him by England’s Football Association (FA), British ⁠media reported on Wednesday.

The Ukrainian was charged with anti-doping rule violations in June last year ‌after a sample taken in 2024 produced an adverse finding ‌for a prohibited substance, reported ‌to ⁠be meldonium. Mudryk had said that ⁠the adverse finding came as a “complete shock” as he had never knowingly used a banned substance.

Having joined ‌Chelsea in January 2023 for an initial fee of €70 million ($81.83 million), Mudryk was provisionally suspended in ‌December 2024 and the 25-year-old has not played since.

“CAS confirms it has received an appeal by ⁠Mykhailo Mudryk against the FA, filed on 25 February 2026,” it said in ‌a statement to the BBC and the Times.

“The parties are currently exchanging written submissions, and a hearing is yet to be scheduled.”

The FA said it could not comment because the ‌case is ongoing. Reuters has contacted CAS for comment.

Meldonium is the same substance Maria Sharapova tested positive for, ⁠with the Russian tennis player initially being ⁠banned by the International Tennis Federation for two years before an ‌appeal led to her suspension being reduced to 15 months.

Published on Apr 29, 2026

#Chelseas #Mudryk #appeals #CAS #fouryear #doping #ban #Reports">

Chelsea’s Mudryk appeals to CAS over four-year doping ban – Reports Chelsea forward Mykhailo Mudryk has approached the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to appeal against a four-year ‌doping ban handed to him by England’s Football Association (FA), British ⁠media reported on Wednesday.The Ukrainian was charged with anti-doping rule violations in June last year ‌after a sample taken in 2024 produced an adverse finding ‌for a prohibited substance, reported ‌to ⁠be meldonium. Mudryk had said that ⁠the adverse finding came as a “complete shock” as he had never knowingly used a banned substance.Having joined ‌Chelsea in January 2023 for an initial fee of €70 million (.83 million), Mudryk was provisionally suspended in ‌December 2024 and the 25-year-old has not played since.“CAS confirms it has received an appeal by ⁠Mykhailo Mudryk against the FA, filed on 25 February 2026,” it said in ‌a statement to the BBC and the Times.“The parties are currently exchanging written submissions, and a hearing is yet to be scheduled.”The FA said it could not comment because the ‌case is ongoing. Reuters has contacted CAS for comment.Meldonium is the same substance Maria Sharapova tested positive for, ⁠with the Russian tennis player initially being ⁠banned by the International Tennis Federation for two years before an ‌appeal led to her suspension being reduced to 15 months.Published on Apr 29, 2026 #Chelseas #Mudryk #appeals #CAS #fouryear #doping #ban #Reports

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Chelsea forward Mykhailo Mudryk has approached the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to appeal against a four-year ‌doping ban handed to him by England’s Football Association (FA), British ⁠media reported on Wednesday.
The Ukrainian was charged with anti-doping rule violations in June last year ‌after a sample taken in 2024 produced an adverse finding ‌for a prohibited substance, reported ‌to ⁠be meldonium. Mudryk had said that ⁠the adverse finding came as a “complete shock” as he had never knowingly used a banned substance.
Having joined ‌Chelsea in January 2023 for an initial fee of €70 million ($81.83 million), Mudryk was provisionally suspended in ‌December 2024 and the 25-year-old has not played since.
“CAS confirms it has received an appeal by ⁠Mykhailo Mudryk against the FA, filed on 25 February 2026,” it said in ‌a statement to the BBC and the Times.
“The parties are currently exchanging written submissions, and a hearing is yet to be scheduled.”
The FA said it could not comment because the ‌case is ongoing. Reuters has contacted CAS for comment.
Meldonium is the same substance Maria Sharapova tested positive for, ⁠with the Russian tennis player initially being ⁠banned by the International Tennis Federation for two years before an ‌appeal led to her suspension being reduced to 15 months.
Published on Apr 29, 2026

#Chelseas #Mudryk #appeals #CAS #fouryear #doping #ban #Reports">Chelsea’s Mudryk appeals to CAS over four-year doping ban – Reports

Having joined ‌Chelsea in January 2023 for an initial fee of €70 million ($81.83 million), Mudryk was provisionally suspended in ‌December 2024 and the 25-year-old has not played since.

“CAS confirms it has received an appeal by ⁠Mykhailo Mudryk against the FA, filed on 25 February 2026,” it said in ‌a statement to the BBC and the Times.

“The parties are currently exchanging written submissions, and a hearing is yet to be scheduled.”

The FA said it could not comment because the ‌case is ongoing. Reuters has contacted CAS for comment.

Published on Apr 29, 2026

#Chelseas #Mudryk #appeals #CAS #fouryear #doping #ban #Reports

Deadspin | Rockies strive to do the difficult: Stop Reds’ Elly De La Cruz Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) follows through on a two-run home run in the eighth inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds won the opening game of the series, 7-2. Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz will look to continue his historic start to the season when the Reds host the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night in the second game of a three-game series. The star shortstop had a pair of clutch defensive plays to go with his 3-for-4 night at the plate on Monday. De La Cruz homered and drove in four runs in Cincinnati’s 7-2 victory. The homer was the 10th for De La Cruz, who became the first major leaguer since 1900 with at least 10 home runs and at least eight stolen bases before May. De La Cruz has stolen his eight bases in 10 attempts. His 10 homers are tied for most by any major league switch-hitter before May since 1900, as he joined Seattle’s Cal Raleigh (2025), Oakland’s Nick Swisher (2006), and Houston’s Lance Berkman in 2002 and 2006. Defensively, De La Cruz made a spectacular throw across his body from deep in the hole to throw out Kyle Karros by a half-step in the second inning Tuesday and started a key double play on a bad-hop grounder hit by Hunter Goodman to end the seventh inning. “The win. That’s the best part. That’s the best part,” De La Cruz said after the game. “You play to win. We come with the same mentality every day. We’re just trying to win.” The Reds have won eight of their past 10 games to remain in first place in the National League Central. Cincinnati will send left-hander Brandon Williamson (2-2, 5.40 ERA) to the mound on Wednesday. He has struggled with command recently, issuing 14 walks in 20 1/3 innings in April. Williamson often has labored to put batters away and failed to pitch deep into games. He has not exceeded 5 1/3 innings in four of his five starts. Williamson will try to improve on his most recent outing, when he allowed five runs on seven hits last Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays in a 6-1 loss. Williamson’s spot in the rotation could be in jeopardy as another left-hander, Nick Lodolo, prepares to make his 2026 season debut. Lodolo has been sidelined since beginning the season with a blister on his left index finger. He has started twice against the Rockies in his career and has a 3.38 ERA and 11 strikeouts with no decisions. Colorado will counter with right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano (2-1, 3.42 ERA), making his sixth start of the season, third on the road and first career start against Cincinnati. Sugano has allowed two or fewer runs in four of his five starts. In his most recent outing against the San Diego Padres last Wednesday, Sugano earned the win after allowing just one run over 5 2/3 innings in an 8-3 victory, marking the first time this season he did not surrender a home run. With Kyle Freeland coming off the injured list and starting on Tuesday, Sugano is pitching on a full week of rest. The Rockies squandered several scoring opportunities on Tuesday, stranding 10 runners and going just 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position as their three-game winning streak ended. “Bunch of runners on base. Situational baseball not good,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer lamented. “Runner on third base, less than two outs, 0-for-3. Plenty of chances, boys kept going, but just didn’t get the job done when it was needed.” Mickey Moniak leads the Rockies with eight home runs and is slugging .655, while Edouard Julien was 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs in Tuesday’s loss. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Rockies #strive #difficult #Stop #Reds #Elly #Cruz

#Deadspin #Rockies #strive #difficult #Stop #Reds #Elly #Cruz">

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Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) follows through on a two-run home run in the eighth inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds won the opening game of the series, 7-2.

Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz will look to continue his historic start to the season when the Reds host the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night in the second game of a three-game series.

The star shortstop had a pair of clutch defensive plays to go with his 3-for-4 night at the plate on Monday. De La Cruz homered and drove in four runs in Cincinnati’s 7-2 victory.

The homer was the 10th for De La Cruz, who became the first major leaguer since 1900 with at least 10 home runs and at least eight stolen bases before May.

De La Cruz has stolen his eight bases in 10 attempts. His 10 homers are tied for most by any major league switch-hitter before May since 1900, as he joined Seattle’s Cal Raleigh (2025), Oakland’s Nick Swisher (2006), and Houston’s Lance Berkman in 2002 and 2006.

Defensively, De La Cruz made a spectacular throw across his body from deep in the hole to throw out Kyle Karros by a half-step in the second inning Tuesday and started a key double play on a bad-hop grounder hit by Hunter Goodman to end the seventh inning.

“The win. That’s the best part. That’s the best part,” De La Cruz said after the game. “You play to win. We come with the same mentality every day. We’re just trying to win.”

The Reds have won eight of their past 10 games to remain in first place in the National League Central.

Cincinnati will send left-hander Brandon Williamson (2-2, 5.40 ERA) to the mound on Wednesday. He has struggled with command recently, issuing 14 walks in 20 1/3 innings in April.

Williamson often has labored to put batters away and failed to pitch deep into games. He has not exceeded 5 1/3 innings in four of his five starts. Williamson will try to improve on his most recent outing, when he allowed five runs on seven hits last Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays in a 6-1 loss.

Williamson’s spot in the rotation could be in jeopardy as another left-hander, Nick Lodolo, prepares to make his 2026 season debut. Lodolo has been sidelined since beginning the season with a blister on his left index finger.

He has started twice against the Rockies in his career and has a 3.38 ERA and 11 strikeouts with no decisions.

Colorado will counter with right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano (2-1, 3.42 ERA), making his sixth start of the season, third on the road and first career start against Cincinnati. Sugano has allowed two or fewer runs in four of his five starts.

In his most recent outing against the San Diego Padres last Wednesday, Sugano earned the win after allowing just one run over 5 2/3 innings in an 8-3 victory, marking the first time this season he did not surrender a home run. With Kyle Freeland coming off the injured list and starting on Tuesday, Sugano is pitching on a full week of rest.

The Rockies squandered several scoring opportunities on Tuesday, stranding 10 runners and going just 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position as their three-game winning streak ended.

“Bunch of runners on base. Situational baseball not good,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer lamented. “Runner on third base, less than two outs, 0-for-3. Plenty of chances, boys kept going, but just didn’t get the job done when it was needed.”

Mickey Moniak leads the Rockies with eight home runs and is slugging .655, while Edouard Julien was 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs in Tuesday’s loss.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Rockies #strive #difficult #Stop #Reds #Elly #Cruz">Deadspin | Rockies strive to do the difficult: Stop Reds’ Elly De La Cruz

Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) follows through on a two-run home run in the eighth inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds won the opening game of the series, 7-2.

Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz will look to continue his historic start to the season when the Reds host the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night in the second game of a three-game series.

The star shortstop had a pair of clutch defensive plays to go with his 3-for-4 night at the plate on Monday. De La Cruz homered and drove in four runs in Cincinnati’s 7-2 victory.

The homer was the 10th for De La Cruz, who became the first major leaguer since 1900 with at least 10 home runs and at least eight stolen bases before May.

De La Cruz has stolen his eight bases in 10 attempts. His 10 homers are tied for most by any major league switch-hitter before May since 1900, as he joined Seattle’s Cal Raleigh (2025), Oakland’s Nick Swisher (2006), and Houston’s Lance Berkman in 2002 and 2006.

Defensively, De La Cruz made a spectacular throw across his body from deep in the hole to throw out Kyle Karros by a half-step in the second inning Tuesday and started a key double play on a bad-hop grounder hit by Hunter Goodman to end the seventh inning.

“The win. That’s the best part. That’s the best part,” De La Cruz said after the game. “You play to win. We come with the same mentality every day. We’re just trying to win.”

The Reds have won eight of their past 10 games to remain in first place in the National League Central.

Cincinnati will send left-hander Brandon Williamson (2-2, 5.40 ERA) to the mound on Wednesday. He has struggled with command recently, issuing 14 walks in 20 1/3 innings in April.

Williamson often has labored to put batters away and failed to pitch deep into games. He has not exceeded 5 1/3 innings in four of his five starts. Williamson will try to improve on his most recent outing, when he allowed five runs on seven hits last Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays in a 6-1 loss.

Williamson’s spot in the rotation could be in jeopardy as another left-hander, Nick Lodolo, prepares to make his 2026 season debut. Lodolo has been sidelined since beginning the season with a blister on his left index finger.

He has started twice against the Rockies in his career and has a 3.38 ERA and 11 strikeouts with no decisions.

Colorado will counter with right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano (2-1, 3.42 ERA), making his sixth start of the season, third on the road and first career start against Cincinnati. Sugano has allowed two or fewer runs in four of his five starts.

In his most recent outing against the San Diego Padres last Wednesday, Sugano earned the win after allowing just one run over 5 2/3 innings in an 8-3 victory, marking the first time this season he did not surrender a home run. With Kyle Freeland coming off the injured list and starting on Tuesday, Sugano is pitching on a full week of rest.

The Rockies squandered several scoring opportunities on Tuesday, stranding 10 runners and going just 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position as their three-game winning streak ended.

“Bunch of runners on base. Situational baseball not good,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer lamented. “Runner on third base, less than two outs, 0-for-3. Plenty of chances, boys kept going, but just didn’t get the job done when it was needed.”

Mickey Moniak leads the Rockies with eight home runs and is slugging .655, while Edouard Julien was 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs in Tuesday’s loss.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Rockies #strive #difficult #Stop #Reds #Elly #Cruz

Other major teams that missed the cut

No encore for Sánchez

Curtain call cut short

Mbeumo misses the party

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