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Deadspin | Spring training roundup: Chris Sale completes 6 innings as Braves rout Rays

Deadspin | Spring training roundup: Chris Sale completes 6 innings as Braves rout Rays

Mar 5, 2026; North Port, Florida, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale (51) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during spring training at CoolToday Park. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

Chris Sale pounded the strike zone and completed six innings as the host Atlanta Braves routed the Tampa Bay Rays, 11-2, on Monday in North Port, Fla.

The rangy southpaw, who just signed a contract extension through 2027, allowed five hits, did not walk a batter and fanned three. Sale threw 53 of his 75 pitches for strikes and only permitted one run, a homer by Nick Fortes with one out in the sixth.

The Braves scored four runs in the second and led 8-0 after five innings. Eli White, who hit a career-best 10 home runs in 2025, connected for a two-run blast in the fourth after singling in the second. He is hitting .414 this spring. Mike Yastrzemski went 3-for-4 with two runs and raised his batting average to .448, while Drake Baldwin slugged a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth.

Rays starting pitcher Nick Martinez, who was signed to a one-year, $13 million deal last month, was hit hard, allowing seven runs and 10 hits in four innings. The versatile 35-year old now has a 9.90 ERA this spring.

Blue Jays 5, Marlins 4 (6 innings)

George Springer led off the game with a home run and Toronto tacked on four runs in the third inning to edge host Miami in a rain-shortened game called in the bottom of the sixth in Jupiter, Fla.

Daulton Varsho keyed the four-run outburst with a two-run double down the right-field line. It was the fifth double of the spring for the veteran outfielder, who is hitting .432 in Florida.

Two Marlins went deep — Otto Lopez hit a solo homer in the first and Daniel Johnson connected for a solo shot in the fifth. Janson Junk, who emerged as a reliable starter for Miami in 2025, allowed four runs on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts in two innings.

Twins 5, Pirates 1

In only his second start of the spring, likely Opening Day starter Joe Ryan completed four innings as Minnesota defeated Pittsburgh in Fort Myers, Fla.

Ryan gave up one run on five hits and one walk, but fanned six Pirates in a 68-pitch effort. Luke Keaschall broke a 1-1 tie with a three-run home run in the third inning and, two batters later, Victor Caratini blasted a solo shot.

Pirates starter Noah Davis, who pitched four games with Boston in 2025, allowed all five Twins’ runs in four innings. Henry Davis contributed a run-scoring single in the top of the third for Pittsburgh.

Tigers 13, Phillies 6

Top prospect Kevin McGonigle blasted a three-run home run to highlight a seven-run Detroit first inning and the hosts cruised to victory over Philadelphia in Lakeland, Fla.

Spencer Torkelson hit a solo shot in the second inning and Jahmai Jones (2-for-4, 5 RBIs) added a bases-clearing double in the third. Starter Jack Flaherty allowed five runs and five hits in five innings.

Phillies’ minor leaguer Charles King was touched up for 10 earned runs in 1 2/3 innings. Felix Reyes and Otto Kemp hit three-run homers for all of the Philadelphia offense.

Red Sox, Orioles, cancelled

The scheduled evening game between Boston and Baltimore was cancelled due to impending weather in Sarasota, Fla. There will be no make-up date.

Padres 3, Giants 1

A pair of veteran starters wearing new uniforms this spring excelled as San Diego edged San Francisco in Peoria, Ariz.

Two-time All-Star Walker Buehler blanked the Giants for five innings, fanning seven and allowing three hits and two walks for the Padres. San Francisco newcomer Tyler Mahle continued his string of scoreless baseball, blanking the Padres on just one hit through four innings while striking out six.

San Diego broke a scoreless tie with a three-run sixth. Ty France capped the rally with an RBI single. Journeyman Buddy Kennedy and minor leaguer Jesus Rodriguez each had two hits for the Giants.

Athletics 3, Angels 0

Jeffrey Springs worked around six baserunners on and blanked Los Angeles for 4 2/3 innings as the Athletics prevailed in Mesa, Ariz.

Springs, who allowed six runs in 2 2/3 innings vs. the Chicago White Sox six days ago, walked three and permitted three hits, but fanned four and lowered his ERA to 7.94. Max Muncy belted his fourth home run of the spring in the fourth inning.

Angels minor leaguer George Klassen got the start and allowed three runs in 3 2/3 innings. Jo Adell went 2-for-3, but Los Angeles stranded 12 baserunners.

Diamondbacks 11, Reds 6

James McCann doubled, homered and drove in three runs as Arizona outslugged Cincinnati in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Reds starter Andrew Abbott (13.85 ERA this spring) did not retire a batter in either the Diamondbacks’ five-run third or four-run fourth. He pitched to four batters before being replaced in the third, then re-entered in the fourth, only to come out again after the first three hitters reached base in the fourth. He was charged with eight earned runs in two innings.

Gino Groover also went deep for Arizona, tagging a three-run shot in the fourth that made it 10-1. JJ Bleday, Nathaniel Lowe, Garrett Hampson and Rece Hinds all homered for Cincinnati.

Brewers 24, Dodgers 9

Milwaukee scored 10 times in the fifth inning and added nine more runs in the seventh, pummeling Los Angeles in Phoenix.

Brandon Lockridge singled and scored early in the fifth, then blasted a grand slam to center field to cap the first deluge. Lockridge went 3-for-5 and Brady Ebel added a late home run, while Jett Williams, Luis Rengifo and Luis Lara each delivered two hits. Starter Chad Patrick struggled, allowing six Dodger runs, including a pair of home runs in 3 1/3 innings.

Max Muncy and Teoscar Hernandez both hit their third home runs of the spring for Los Angeles. Hernandez’s blast came with two on in the third inning. Pitchers Tyler Glasnow (three runs), Jerming Rosario (five) and Blake Treinen (two) all worked in the Brewers’ fifth inning.

Nationals 12, Mets 6

Joey Weimer kicked off a six-run ninth inning with an RBI double and a run on a wild pitch, and Washington defeated host New York in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Viandel Pena contributed a two-run single to the late uprising and James Wood hit his first homer of the spring earlier on for the Nationals.

Cristian Pache and Christian Arroyo went yard for the Mets, with Arroyo’s two-run shot in the eighth tying the game at 6. David Peterson scattered four runs in a four-inning start.

Rangers 3, White Sox 2

Danny Jansen drove in all of host Texas’ runs with two doubles in a victory over Chicago at Surprise, Ariz.

Jansen’s second-inning hit drove in Josh Jung to open the scoring, and his eighth-inning drive knocked in Alejandro Osuna and Cooper Johnson. MacKenzie Gore threw 4 1/3 shutout innings for the Rangers.

Oliver Dunn hit a two-run homer for the White Sox in the ninth, but Chicago managed just four hits. Sean Burke permitted one run in 4 2/3 innings.

Cubs 5, Guardians 2

Cade Horton fanned 10 in five innings of one-run ball as Chicago downed host Cleveland in Goodyear, Ariz.

Scott Kingery’s two-run, second-inning homer put the Cubs on top for good. Matt Shaw added two hits and an RBI for Chicago, and Colin Rea got a four-inning save, yielding one run.

Guardians starter Gavin Williams struck out seven in 4 2/3 innings, but he was tagged for five runs. Juan Benjamin hit a solo homer.

Red Sox-Orioles (canceled)

The game between Boston and host Baltimore in Sarasota, Fla., was canceled due to inclement weather.

–Field Level Media

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When I arrived to cover the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2000, it was clear I was dealing with a star-studded roster.

The team boasted future Pro Football Hall of Famers; wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss and defensive tackle John Randle. Plus, there were a ton of other stars including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, center Matt Birk and running back Robert Smith. The Vikings were loaded with star power.

The talent around the team wasn’t relegated simply to the roster, however.

That summer I first laid my eyes on a 16-year-old high school junior named Larry Fitzgerald Jr. The son of a local media member and close friend of Vikings’ head coach Dennis Green, Little Fitzy was a ball boy during training camp and on game days. It turns out, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is very likely the most famous former NFL ball boy in history.

On reporting date, fellow reporter Kevin Seifert pointed out Fitzgerald to me and said “that’s a bad man.” Seifert didn’t say that about any of the actual Vikings that day.

Fitzgerald was already known as the best Minnesota high school prospect in years and he was considered one of the best high school players in the country. Seifert told me the buzz was that the kid was, no doubt, headed to the NFL in a half decade or so. Seifert was on the money. I’m not sure the Hall of Fame was mentioned or not.

But this weekend of course, that’s exactly where Little Fitzy is headed. He will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Fitzgerald will be remembered as one of the best and most productive wide receivers in league history after an incredible 17-season career with the Arizona Cardinals.

I have a ton of memories of being around Fitzgerald, but there’s one that stands out among them all.

One day after training camp, a nameless Vikings’ wide receiver camp body was getting extra work on a JUGS machine, catching balls. He was being tutored by Fitzgerald, who was showing this player how to properly approach the incoming ball. This was a child instructing a grown man an NFL team deemed good enough to attend training camp.

Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.

In addition to his incredible natural football ability, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. stood out for his politeness and good nature. You could tell he was a good kid from the first time you met him.

There was no I’m-going-to-be-a-star attitude. He was genuine and he worked his tail off with the rest of the ball boys. There was no entitlement. It was as if he was using his time around an NFL camp as an internship for his future. He passed with flying colors.

I’ve always cherished following his career from his days at Pittsburgh in college to his days of dominating the NFL and I’ve enjoyed running into him over the years now and again.

Enjoy Canton, Little Fitzy, you’ve earned it.

#Larry #Fitzgeralds #Hall #Fame #induction #years #making">Larry Fitzgerald’s Hall of Fame induction is 25 years in the making  When I arrived to cover the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2000, it was clear I was dealing with a star-studded roster.The team boasted future Pro Football Hall of Famers; wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss and defensive tackle John Randle. Plus, there were a ton of other stars including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, center Matt Birk and running back Robert Smith. The Vikings were loaded with star power.The talent around the team wasn’t relegated simply to the roster, however.That summer I first laid my eyes on a 16-year-old high school junior named Larry Fitzgerald Jr. The son of a local media member and close friend of Vikings’ head coach Dennis Green, Little Fitzy was a ball boy during training camp and on game days. It turns out, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is very likely the most famous former NFL ball boy in history.On reporting date, fellow reporter Kevin Seifert pointed out Fitzgerald to me and said “that’s a bad man.” Seifert didn’t say that about any of the actual Vikings that day.Fitzgerald was already known as the best Minnesota high school prospect in years and he was considered one of the best high school players in the country. Seifert told me the buzz was that the kid was, no doubt, headed to the NFL in a half decade or so. Seifert was on the money. I’m not sure the Hall of Fame was mentioned or not.But this weekend of course, that’s exactly where Little Fitzy is headed. He will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.Fitzgerald will be remembered as one of the best and most productive wide receivers in league history after an incredible 17-season career with the Arizona Cardinals.I have a ton of memories of being around Fitzgerald, but there’s one that stands out among them all.One day after training camp, a nameless Vikings’ wide receiver camp body was getting extra work on a JUGS machine, catching balls. He was being tutored by Fitzgerald, who was showing this player how to properly approach the incoming ball. This was a child instructing a grown man an NFL team deemed good enough to attend training camp.Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.In addition to his incredible natural football ability, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. stood out for his politeness and good nature. You could tell he was a good kid from the first time you met him.There was no I’m-going-to-be-a-star attitude. He was genuine and he worked his tail off with the rest of the ball boys. There was no entitlement. It was as if he was using his time around an NFL camp as an internship for his future. He passed with flying colors.I’ve always cherished following his career from his days at Pittsburgh in college to his days of dominating the NFL and I’ve enjoyed running into him over the years now and again.Enjoy Canton, Little Fitzy, you’ve earned it.  #Larry #Fitzgeralds #Hall #Fame #induction #years #making

Follow Sportstar for extensive coverage of the tenth edition of the TNPL, from live scores and match reports to exclusive analysis and features.

TOSS

Tiruppur Tamizhans won the toss and chose to bowl first.

PLAYING XIs

Nellai Royal Kings: Athish SR(w), D Santhosh Kumar, Ajitesh Guruswamy, U Mukilesh, Rithik Easwaran, Sonu Yadav(c), Muhammed Adnan Khan, Ramalingam Rohit, Emmanuel Cherian, NS Harish, Rocky Bhasker

Tiruppur Tamizhans: Tushar Raheja(w), Amit Sathvik, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Mohamed Ali, Uthirasamy Sasidev, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore(c), M Mathivannan, S Mohan Prasath, R Silambarasan, Esakkimuthu A, T Natarajan

Published on Aug 09, 2026

#TNPL #Live #Allround #batting #display #propels #Nellai #Royal #Kings">TNPL 2026 Live: All-round batting display propels Nellai Royal Kings to 206/8  Follow Sportstar for extensive coverage of the tenth edition of the TNPL, from live scores and match reports to exclusive analysis and features.TOSSTiruppur Tamizhans won the toss and chose to bowl first.PLAYING XIsNellai Royal Kings: Athish SR(w), D Santhosh Kumar, Ajitesh Guruswamy, U Mukilesh, Rithik Easwaran, Sonu Yadav(c), Muhammed Adnan Khan, Ramalingam Rohit, Emmanuel Cherian, NS Harish, Rocky BhaskerTiruppur Tamizhans: Tushar Raheja(w), Amit Sathvik, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Mohamed Ali, Uthirasamy Sasidev, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore(c), M Mathivannan, S Mohan Prasath, R Silambarasan, Esakkimuthu A, T NatarajanPublished on Aug 09, 2026  #TNPL #Live #Allround #batting #display #propels #Nellai #Royal #Kings

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