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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 to Sandy Alcantara in bid for series win vs. 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 #DodgersApr 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

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

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

Deadspin | Hawks F Mouhamed Gueye breaks foot during workout  Mar 21, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Mouhamed Gueye (18) reacts after a basket against the Golden State Warriors in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
   Atlanta Hawks forward Mouhamed Gueye fractured his left foot during a workout on July 8, the team announced Wednesday.  Gueye, 23, underwent surgery Tuesday at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex in Atlanta to repair the fracture. He will be re-evaluated in three to four months, according to the Hawks, who start the preseason on Oct. 5 against the visiting Memphis Grizzlies.  Gueye played a career-high 77 games last regular season (eight starts) and averaged 4.4 points and 3.6 rebounds in 15.3 minutes per game. He averaged 1.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 8.3 minutes as a reserve in six playoff games last season.   For his career, Gueye averages 4.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 15.4 minutes over 116 games (36 starts) since his rookie season of 2023-24.  The Charlotte Hornets selected Gueye in the second round (39th overall) of the 2023 NBA Draft out of Washington State. Six days later, he was part of a three-team trade involving the Boston Celtics that landed him in Atlanta.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Hawks #Mouhamed #Gueye #breaks #foot #workoutMar 21, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Mouhamed Gueye (18) reacts after a basket against the Golden State Warriors in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Atlanta Hawks forward Mouhamed Gueye fractured his left foot during a workout on July 8, the team announced Wednesday.

Gueye, 23, underwent surgery Tuesday at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex in Atlanta to repair the fracture. He will be re-evaluated in three to four months, according to the Hawks, who start the preseason on Oct. 5 against the visiting Memphis Grizzlies.


Gueye played a career-high 77 games last regular season (eight starts) and averaged 4.4 points and 3.6 rebounds in 15.3 minutes per game. He averaged 1.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 8.3 minutes as a reserve in six playoff games last season.

For his career, Gueye averages 4.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 15.4 minutes over 116 games (36 starts) since his rookie season of 2023-24.

The Charlotte Hornets selected Gueye in the second round (39th overall) of the 2023 NBA Draft out of Washington State. Six days later, he was part of a three-team trade involving the Boston Celtics that landed him in Atlanta.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Hawks #Mouhamed #Gueye #breaks #foot #workout">Deadspin | Hawks F Mouhamed Gueye breaks foot during workout  Mar 21, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Mouhamed Gueye (18) reacts after a basket against the Golden State Warriors in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
   Atlanta Hawks forward Mouhamed Gueye fractured his left foot during a workout on July 8, the team announced Wednesday.  Gueye, 23, underwent surgery Tuesday at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex in Atlanta to repair the fracture. He will be re-evaluated in three to four months, according to the Hawks, who start the preseason on Oct. 5 against the visiting Memphis Grizzlies.  Gueye played a career-high 77 games last regular season (eight starts) and averaged 4.4 points and 3.6 rebounds in 15.3 minutes per game. He averaged 1.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 8.3 minutes as a reserve in six playoff games last season.   For his career, Gueye averages 4.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 15.4 minutes over 116 games (36 starts) since his rookie season of 2023-24.  The Charlotte Hornets selected Gueye in the second round (39th overall) of the 2023 NBA Draft out of Washington State. Six days later, he was part of a three-team trade involving the Boston Celtics that landed him in Atlanta.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Hawks #Mouhamed #Gueye #breaks #foot #workout

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is in last days, and the main event for the entire month-plus of action is about to begin. The final between Spain and Argentina is set to take place on Sunday afternoon, with hundreds of millions of eyeballs glued to TV screens as we crown another champion of the world.

There’s no shortage of drama or emotion when it comes to Spain and Argentina. We have what is likely to be Lionel Messi’s last World Cup, while Spain is looking to anoint Lamine Yamal as the next Messi for both Barcelona, and the national team. Let’s dive into what we think will happen in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.

Mark Schofield: The 2026 FIFA World Cup has been dominated by superstars. Erling Haaland became a household name here in the United States thanks to a captivating blend of personality and skill. Kylian Mbappé continued his run at the record books with a dazzling string of performances. Jude Bellingham vaulted England deep into the knockout rounds with a legendary stretch of play. Lionel Messi is, well, Lionel Messi.

But through it all, even though Spain has a few premier talents on their roster, what makes La Roja dangerous is they look like the best team.

This is a side that yes, has Lamine Yamal but it is Mikel Oyarzabal leading the way in the goal chase, as the Real Sociedad forward who leads Spain in goals. Their buildup play has been masterful — a staple of Spanish teams year-after-year — but they have found the quality in the final third that was perhaps most evident on their second goal against France, this beauty off the foot of Pedro Porro following a lovely touch from Dani Olmo:

This is also a side that still has yet to concede a goal at the World Cup.

Now I know, Messi and Argentina look inevitable. The comeback against Egypt. The comeback against England. It feels like they are marching to yet another title, even if they have yet to play a perfect 90 minutes. If they do against Spain, they will be tough to beat.

But … consider Luis de la Fuente. The Spanish manager has just two losses during his tenure in charge. One was a loss to Portugal, on penalties, in the UEFA Nations League.

The other was a loss to Colombia in a friendly.

James Dator: There’s always a degree of emotion that comes into play when picking a game like this, but I have to put aside the romanticism of Argentina and just focus on what makes logical sense — which is the reality that Spain has been playing this tournament on an entirely other level.

If you went back in time to mid-June and said “Lamine Yamal won’t be that impactful in the World Cup” the consensus would widely be that Spain would get eliminated in either the Round of 16 or the quarter-finals. Instead, we’ve witnessed La Roja play a peerless game that has befuddled everyone they’ve played against thus far.

Look no further than what happened to France in the semi-finals. That was a team dripping with unbelievable scoring talent, and they were befuddled against the Spanish defense. I don’t buy that this was some mammoth collapse by France, as much as Spain had built an impenetrable wall that never lost its shape. Some of the best footballers in the world tried everything to generate chances, yet only managed to get four shots on target. If that’s all you can get with Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembélé, well, I don’t like the chances of anyone else.

Even with Lamal not making an impact, the ever-present counterattack threat of Lamal going off freezes teams from taking risks. This plays directly into Spain’s strategy, and they will choke you out with the long game. It gives me pause whether Argentina can push the pace through their wing play and get the soft opportunities in the box that they were given late in the game against England. This is an entirely different beast to face, and I think Spain can run them out of the park.

#World #Cup #Final #instant #prediction #Spain #Argentina">World Cup Final instant prediction for Spain vs. Argentina  The 2026 FIFA World Cup is in last days, and the main event for the entire month-plus of action is about to begin. The final between Spain and Argentina is set to take place on Sunday afternoon, with hundreds of millions of eyeballs glued to TV screens as we crown another champion of the world.There’s no shortage of drama or emotion when it comes to Spain and Argentina. We have what is likely to be Lionel Messi’s last World Cup, while Spain is looking to anoint Lamine Yamal as the next Messi for both Barcelona, and the national team. Let’s dive into what we think will happen in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.Mark Schofield: The 2026 FIFA World Cup has been dominated by superstars. Erling Haaland became a household name here in the United States thanks to a captivating blend of personality and skill. Kylian Mbappé continued his run at the record books with a dazzling string of performances. Jude Bellingham vaulted England deep into the knockout rounds with a legendary stretch of play. Lionel Messi is, well, Lionel Messi.But through it all, even though Spain has a few premier talents on their roster, what makes La Roja dangerous is they look like the best team.This is a side that yes, has Lamine Yamal but it is Mikel Oyarzabal leading the way in the goal chase, as the Real Sociedad forward who leads Spain in goals. Their buildup play has been masterful — a staple of Spanish teams year-after-year — but they have found the quality in the final third that was perhaps most evident on their second goal against France, this beauty off the foot of Pedro Porro following a lovely touch from Dani Olmo:This is also a side that still has yet to concede a goal at the World Cup.Now I know, Messi and Argentina look inevitable. The comeback against Egypt. The comeback against England. It feels like they are marching to yet another title, even if they have yet to play a perfect 90 minutes. If they do against Spain, they will be tough to beat.But … consider Luis de la Fuente. The Spanish manager has just two losses during his tenure in charge. One was a loss to Portugal, on penalties, in the UEFA Nations League.The other was a loss to Colombia in a friendly.James Dator: There’s always a degree of emotion that comes into play when picking a game like this, but I have to put aside the romanticism of Argentina and just focus on what makes logical sense — which is the reality that Spain has been playing this tournament on an entirely other level.If you went back in time to mid-June and said “Lamine Yamal won’t be that impactful in the World Cup” the consensus would widely be that Spain would get eliminated in either the Round of 16 or the quarter-finals. Instead, we’ve witnessed La Roja play a peerless game that has befuddled everyone they’ve played against thus far.Look no further than what happened to France in the semi-finals. That was a team dripping with unbelievable scoring talent, and they were befuddled against the Spanish defense. I don’t buy that this was some mammoth collapse by France, as much as Spain had built an impenetrable wall that never lost its shape. Some of the best footballers in the world tried everything to generate chances, yet only managed to get four shots on target. If that’s all you can get with Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembélé, well, I don’t like the chances of anyone else.Even with Lamal not making an impact, the ever-present counterattack threat of Lamal going off freezes teams from taking risks. This plays directly into Spain’s strategy, and they will choke you out with the long game. It gives me pause whether Argentina can push the pace through their wing play and get the soft opportunities in the box that they were given late in the game against England. This is an entirely different beast to face, and I think Spain can run them out of the park.  #World #Cup #Final #instant #prediction #Spain #Argentina

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