Deadspin | Fire acquire South African D Mbekezeli Mbokazi

Deadspin | Fire acquire South African D Mbekezeli Mbokazi

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Oct 4, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Fire head coach Gregg Berhalter looks on before the game against Toronto FC at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

The Chicago Fire acquired defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi from South African side Orlando Pirates on Tuesday.

The 20-year-old South African center back is under contract through 2029 with an option for 2030. He will occupy a U-22 Initiative roster slot.

“We are excited to welcome Mbekezeli to the club as we further strengthen our back line,” said director of football and head coach Gregg Berhalter.

“In his young career, he has already shown high potential and proven himself to be a strong leader and competitor on the international level. We expect immediate impact and room to grow in the future.”

Mbokazi tallied two goals and two assists in 38 matches for Orlando in the South African Premiership. He has earned five caps with the national team, helping South Africa qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup — its first appearance since hosting the 2010 tournament.

–Field Level Media

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Deadspin | Always A Runner charges late to win Kentucky Oaks Always A Runner, with Jose L. Ortiz up, leads Meaning, with Juan J. Hernandez up across the finish line to win the 152nd running of these Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, Friday, May 1, 2026 in Louisville Ky. LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Always A Runner lived up to her name Friday evening as the Chad Brown-trained filly stormed down the stretch to take down rivals and claim the 152nd Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. In just her third start, she overcame a rough start from the ninth gate as she bumped with Prom Queen to her outside. Always A Runner, sired by Gun Runner, settled into the middle of the pack, staying there alongside the 5-1 favorite Zany as Explora led the field with a half-mile time of 46.85 seconds. Always A Runner was ninth out of 13 as the horses entered the final turn in the 1-1/8-mile race and started gaining ground. Jockey Jose Ortiz shuffled her wide at the top of the stretch, where she chased down Meaning and Counting Stars and pulled away to finish in 1:48.82 and stayed perfect for her young career. Owned by Three Chimneys Farm and Douglas Scharbauer, Always A Runner was one of four horses to go off at 5-1, with her win-pool bets making her the third choice. She paid .04 to win, .46 to place and .44 to show. Meaning, the fourth choice, finished a length back and paid .44 and .62. Counting Stars paid .36. This isn’t the only 3-year-old Brown is running off just two starts this weekend. He also has Emerging Market in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. Should the colt win, he would be the first to win the Derby off just two starts since 1883. The Kentucky Oaks was run at night for the first time. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Runner #charges #late #win #Kentucky #OaksAlways A Runner, with Jose L. Ortiz up, leads Meaning, with Juan J. Hernandez up across the finish line to win the 152nd running of these Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, Friday, May 1, 2026 in Louisville Ky.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Always A Runner lived up to her name Friday evening as the Chad Brown-trained filly stormed down the stretch to take down rivals and claim the 152nd Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.

In just her third start, she overcame a rough start from the ninth gate as she bumped with Prom Queen to her outside. Always A Runner, sired by Gun Runner, settled into the middle of the pack, staying there alongside the 5-1 favorite Zany as Explora led the field with a half-mile time of 46.85 seconds.

Always A Runner was ninth out of 13 as the horses entered the final turn in the 1-1/8-mile race and started gaining ground. Jockey Jose Ortiz shuffled her wide at the top of the stretch, where she chased down Meaning and Counting Stars and pulled away to finish in 1:48.82 and stayed perfect for her young career.


Owned by Three Chimneys Farm and Douglas Scharbauer, Always A Runner was one of four horses to go off at 5-1, with her win-pool bets making her the third choice. She paid $13.04 to win, $7.46 to place and $5.44 to show. Meaning, the fourth choice, finished a length back and paid $7.44 and $5.62. Counting Stars paid $5.36.

This isn’t the only 3-year-old Brown is running off just two starts this weekend. He also has Emerging Market in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. Should the colt win, he would be the first to win the Derby off just two starts since 1883.

The Kentucky Oaks was run at night for the first time.

–Field Level Media

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Deadspin | Shane McClanahan helps Rays blank hapless Giants May 1, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Shane McClanahan (18) throws a pitch during the first inning against San Francisco Giants at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Pablo Robles-Imagn Images Shane McClanahan crafted his second straight scoreless start, Yandy Diaz and Junior Caminero homered, and the Tampa Bay Rays opened a six-game homestand with a 3-0 win over the struggling San Francisco Giants on Friday night at St. Petersburg, Fla. In a season-longest six inning, the left-handed McClanahan (3-2) allowed five hits, struck out five and did not issue a walk. He pitched five scoreless against the Minnesota Twins in his previous outing, McClanahan was aided by two double plays to end his final two innings. Diaz slugged a solo home run in the second, but the designated hitter left the game for a pinch hitter in the seventh. Caminero added a massive solo in the fourth. Taylor Walls was 2-for-3 with a double, run and stolen base, though the Rays were outhit 6-5 by the visitors. Giants starting pitcher Robbie Ray (2-4) allowed just four hits in 6 1/3 innings, but three runs came across. He struck out five without a walk. Luis Arraez doubled for the club’s only extra-base hit as they lost their fourth straight game and were shutout for a majors-high seventh time. Leading off the bottom of the second and facing a 2-0 offering from Ray, Diaz belted his fifth homer to right on Ray’s four-seam fastball, taking it the other way an estimated 364 feet. The Giants failed to muster much against McClanahan through the first time through the order, but overaggressive baserunning by Arraez trying to turn his double into a triple led to right field Jake Fraley and shortstop combining to toss out the three-time batting champ at third base. Just as Diaz did two frames prior, Caminero opened the fourth with a 432-foot rocket to left on another four-seamer from Ray for a 2-0 lead. After Walls doubled to lead off the sixth and stole third, Chandler Simpson lifted a sacrifice fly for a 3-0 advantage. Over the seventh and eighth inning, respectively, Tampa Bay relievers Ian Seymour and Cole Sulser kept the Giants off the board. Closer Bryan Baker pitched a perfect ninth with a strikeout for his eighth save in 10 chances for the staff’s second shutout. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Shane #McClanahan #helps #Rays #blank #hapless #GiantsMay 1, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Shane McClanahan (18) throws a pitch during the first inning against San Francisco Giants at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Pablo Robles-Imagn Images

Shane McClanahan crafted his second straight scoreless start, Yandy Diaz and Junior Caminero homered, and the Tampa Bay Rays opened a six-game homestand with a 3-0 win over the struggling San Francisco Giants on Friday night at St. Petersburg, Fla.

In a season-longest six inning, the left-handed McClanahan (3-2) allowed five hits, struck out five and did not issue a walk. He pitched five scoreless against the Minnesota Twins in his previous outing,

McClanahan was aided by two double plays to end his final two innings.

Diaz slugged a solo home run in the second, but the designated hitter left the game for a pinch hitter in the seventh. Caminero added a massive solo in the fourth.

Taylor Walls was 2-for-3 with a double, run and stolen base, though the Rays were outhit 6-5 by the visitors.

Giants starting pitcher Robbie Ray (2-4) allowed just four hits in 6 1/3 innings, but three runs came across. He struck out five without a walk.


Luis Arraez doubled for the club’s only extra-base hit as they lost their fourth straight game and were shutout for a majors-high seventh time.

Leading off the bottom of the second and facing a 2-0 offering from Ray, Diaz belted his fifth homer to right on Ray’s four-seam fastball, taking it the other way an estimated 364 feet.

The Giants failed to muster much against McClanahan through the first time through the order, but overaggressive baserunning by Arraez trying to turn his double into a triple led to right field Jake Fraley and shortstop combining to toss out the three-time batting champ at third base.

Just as Diaz did two frames prior, Caminero opened the fourth with a 432-foot rocket to left on another four-seamer from Ray for a 2-0 lead.

After Walls doubled to lead off the sixth and stole third, Chandler Simpson lifted a sacrifice fly for a 3-0 advantage.

Over the seventh and eighth inning, respectively, Tampa Bay relievers Ian Seymour and Cole Sulser kept the Giants off the board.

Closer Bryan Baker pitched a perfect ninth with a strikeout for his eighth save in 10 chances for the staff’s second shutout.


–Field Level Media

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Deadspin | Stars’ Mikko Rantanen fined K for cross-checking Apr 20, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) looks on during the game between the Stars and the Wild in game two of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Stars forward Mikko Rantanen enters the offseason ,000 lighter, fined that amount Friday for cross-checking Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov on Thursday night. Minnesota defeated Dallas 5-2 in Game 6 to finish off a 4-2 win in the Western Conference first-round series. The incident occurred early in the third period with the game tied at 2-2 when Rantanen delivered a high hit while battling for a loose puck. He drew a two-minute penalty for roughing and Kaprizov was able to stay in the game. Rantanen, 29, recorded seven points (one goal, six assists) and 12 penalty minutes in six games in the series. He had 77 points (22 goals, 55 assists) in 64 games during the regular season, his first full campaign with Dallas. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Stars #Mikko #Rantanen #fined #crosscheckingApr 20, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) looks on during the game between the Stars and the Wild in game two of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Stars forward Mikko Rantanen enters the offseason $5,000 lighter, fined that amount Friday for cross-checking Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov on Thursday night.

Minnesota defeated Dallas 5-2 in Game 6 to finish off a 4-2 win in the Western Conference first-round series.


The incident occurred early in the third period with the game tied at 2-2 when Rantanen delivered a high hit while battling for a loose puck. He drew a two-minute penalty for roughing and Kaprizov was able to stay in the game.

Rantanen, 29, recorded seven points (one goal, six assists) and 12 penalty minutes in six games in the series.

He had 77 points (22 goals, 55 assists) in 64 games during the regular season, his first full campaign with Dallas.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Stars #Mikko #Rantanen #fined #crosschecking">Deadspin | Stars’ Mikko Rantanen fined K for cross-checking Apr 20, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) looks on during the game between the Stars and the Wild in game two of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Stars forward Mikko Rantanen enters the offseason ,000 lighter, fined that amount Friday for cross-checking Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov on Thursday night. Minnesota defeated Dallas 5-2 in Game 6 to finish off a 4-2 win in the Western Conference first-round series. The incident occurred early in the third period with the game tied at 2-2 when Rantanen delivered a high hit while battling for a loose puck. He drew a two-minute penalty for roughing and Kaprizov was able to stay in the game. Rantanen, 29, recorded seven points (one goal, six assists) and 12 penalty minutes in six games in the series. He had 77 points (22 goals, 55 assists) in 64 games during the regular season, his first full campaign with Dallas. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Stars #Mikko #Rantanen #fined #crosschecking

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