Sports News Daily

(Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)   The Atlanta Braves have remained a model of consistency in the National League. The team has won 32 games and leads the NL East by four games over the Miami Marlins and New York Mets. They own the second-best record in the National League behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. Their starting pitching has been a pillar of stability for them this season. But their best pitching performance this year has come from an unlikely source. Young right-hander Bryce Elder has emerged as the team’s ace this year and currently has an ERA of 1.92 over his first 11 starts. That’s the best ERA in all of baseball among qualified starters. On Twitter, MLB on FOX posted a graphic featuring the starters with the top-5 ERAs in the league. Here are your ERA leaders this season pic.twitter.com/uCF8maKpUA — FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 31, 2023 Elder made his Major League debut with the Braves last season. The Texas graduate appeared in 10 games and...

(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)   MLB games not broadcast exclusively by its national media partners are often televised by each team’s regional sports networks. Bally Sports, managed by Diamond Sports Group, is the regional network of the San Diego Padres . Or, shall we say, was. “MLB made the announcement official late last night: starting today, MLB will take over production and distribution of Padres games from Bally Sports. League press release said it will increase reach of broadcasts by 2 million homes in Padres territory. Same broadcasters,” MLB insider Chelsea Janes tweeted. MLB made the announcement official late last night: starting today, MLB will take over production and distribution of Padres games from Bally Sports. League press release said it will increase reach of broadcasts by 2 million homes in Padres territory. Same broadcasters. More: pic.twitter.com/9UxZGfacae — Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) May 31, 2023 The league will retain San Diego’...

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)   The Los Angeles Angels have been without their starting third baseman since mid-May. They placed Anthony Rendon on the injured list on May 15, retroactive to May 14, with a left groin strain. Groin strains are extremely unpredictable and have a rather high re-aggravation rate, so the team has been cautious with their expensive infielder. He is, however, nearing a return, per Sam Blum. A real update on Rendon from Phil Nevin: The hope is that he’ll return shortly after the off-day on Monday when the team is back home. https://t.co/78bFhQ2R2u — Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) May 31, 2023 There it is: the Angels are planning to have Rendon back by early next week. His pending return puts some pressure on Jared Walsh to produce if he wants to keep getting playing time. When Rendon is ready to come back, he will likely send Gio Urshela to first base, or at least that’s what the logic indicates. Rendon wasn’t having his best season in the...

(Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)   The Los Angeles Angels are, as of Wednesday afternoon, a competitive team. They are 29-26 so far, six games behind the Texas Rangers for the AL West’s top spot. They do look to be in a different tier than the Rangers and the Houston Astros, though, but the Angels are right there within striking distance. A big reason why they will have a chance is because they still employ prime Mike Trout. And, you know, prime Trout is a top-five hitter in baseball. He is capable of doing this to a baseball: MICHAEL NELSON TROUT. 476 (via @BallySportWest ) pic.twitter.com/ZBh6zVDNss — FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 31, 2023 On Wednesday afternoon, a Lance Lynn slider caught way too much of the middle part of the plate and Trout hit a laser to the left field seats for a home run. It was a two-run shot that put the Angels ahead, 2-0, in the first frame. While not quite at his best, Trout has been having an incredible season. He started the...

(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)   It’s crazy to think that the Miami Heat have never had a top-three roster in the Eastern Conference since Jimmy Butler signed with them. However, they’ve still made it to the NBA Finals twice and were one win away from another appearance last season. Butler has led them to the Eastern Conference Finals at least three out of four years since arriving in South Beach, establishing himself as one of the greatest playoff performers in recent NBA history. That’s why Nick Wright recently made a case for him being a top-5 player in the league right now, citing that it will all depend on how you value basketball. Here’s why we must value Jimmy Butler as a Top 5 player in the NBA. @getnickwright explains: pic.twitter.com/tux6KX0xWy — What’s Wright? with Nick Wright (@WhatsWrightShow) May 30, 2023   He compared him to reigning MVP Joel Embiid by pointing out that Butler always delivers and improves in the playoffs, as opposed to Emb...

(Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)   After running into some bumps in recent weeks, it now appears that the plans for the Oakland Athletics to build their stadium and relocate to Las Vegas are back on track. The 11-45 A’s won on Monday but have lost nine of their last ten games and are, by far, the worst team in the majors. Ownership didn’t want to stay in Oakland and is instead seeking a move to Las Vegas. After a few differences in opinion with Nevada lawmakers regarding the funding for a new stadium on the Las Vegas strip, they are now reviewing the team’s plan. “Nevada lawmakers are now reviewing the Oakland A’s ballpark funding bill. The team’s planned timeline: 2023: Legislation approved. 2023: MLB approves relocation. 2024-25: Construction begins. 2028: Construction complete. Spring 2028: Opening Day in Vegas,” Front Office Sports tweeted. Nevada lawmakers are now reviewing the Oakland A’s ballpark funding bill. The team’s planned timeline: 2023: Legislatio...

(Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images for Beautycounter)   After winning three straight games to start the Eastern Conference Finals and dropping the next three leading to a Game 7 against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden, the Miami Heat got the win and punched their ticket to the NBA Finals. The eighth-seeded Heat will now take on the top-seeded Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals in what will be a classic underdog story that might end with Jimmy Butler and company lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy when it’s all said and done. In the meantime, this matchup will be analyzed to death by pundits and media members as we await Game 1 of this series on Thursday, which will get underway in Denver at Ball Arena. With a few days left to celebrate the Heat defying the odds once again, Joy Taylor of Fox Sports, who is from Miami, couldn’t help but rub it in by joyfully dancing in front of her coworkers via Speak On FS1. I think it’s safe to say that @JoyTaylorTalks is happy about her Mia...

(Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)   Although the Miami Heat have done far better than most people expected, they know one thing is still true: the job is not done. That was very clear on Monday night during the celebration following their huge Game 7 win over the Boston Celtics. As Bam Adebayo held the Eastern Conference Finals trophy, he offered it to Jimmy Butler who stood beside him. But as pointed out on Twitter, via SportsCenter, Butler politely declined to hold it. He was seen on video saying, “I’ll hold the next one.” Jimmy Butler has his eyes on the prize (h/t @Demar305 ) pic.twitter.com/Jq2cap6VQ7 — SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 30, 2023 Butler has been a dominant force in these playoffs, once again earning the nickname “Playoff Jimmy.” However, he still has room for improvement and fans are hoping he shows it in the Finals against the Denver Nuggets. Of course, he’s not alone on his team. Other players, such as Adebayo, Caleb Martin, Gabe Vincen...

(Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)   On Monday, Chicago Cubs ace Marcus Stroman gave fans a nice Memorial Day present as he pitched a complete-game shutout against the Tampa Bay Rays, who have the best record in all of baseball. The veteran right-hander allowed just one hit and one walk as he struck out eight Rays hitters. The win helped the Cubs climb out of last place in the NL Central and in the National League as a whole. But Stroman has had a very impressive season so far, starting off with a 5-4 record and a 2.59 ERA. On MLB Network, former Cubs star Mark DeRosa commented on Stroman’s dominance and what makes him such a tough pitcher. . @STR0 is a showman With a 2.59 ERA and 0.99 WHIP on the year, @markdero7 talks about what makes the righty so special. #MLBCentral | @Cubs pic.twitter.com/P16O7oONh5 — MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) May 30, 2023 DeRosa talked about how Stroman has been able to step up for the Cubs in big spots. The team was recently swept by ...

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)   The Phoenix Suns had the winningest coach in the league since 2021, a former NBA Coach of the Year, and an elite motivator with strong ties to Kevin Durant. They let Monty Williams go, and not many candidates fill all those boxes, so their coaching search hasn’t been exactly ideal. And now that Nick Nurse has chosen the Philadelphia 76ers over them, Phoenix radio host John Gambadoro, via NBACentral, reported that they’re down to three finalists: Doc Rivers, Kevin Young, and Frank Vogel. The 3 finalists for the Suns’ head coaching position: Doc Rivers Frank Vogel Kevin Young “A hire could be made as early as the end of this week.” (Via @Gambo987 ) pic.twitter.com/eCnX4xmyFV — NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) May 30, 2023 Notably, the fact that Rivers is getting consideration after being fired by the 76ers is kind of shocking. No one has blown more series leads in the playoffs or lost more Game 7s than Rivers, and he’s not ...

(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)   The Boston Celtics are once again on the wrong side of history. The winningest franchise in the history of the league failed to get the job done when it mattered the most, knocking on the door of glory again. However, as hurt as they may and should be after another failed postseason run, Celtics veteran Al Horford reaffirmed his love, respect, and admiration for the guys sharing the locker room with him. "I'm proud of the type of guys we have, the leaders we have. It's obviously very disappointing right now." Al Horford on losing Game 7 after huge win in Game 6 pic.twitter.com/UVPXxP6nNo — Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) May 30, 2023 The Dominican big man praised the leadership of some of his teammates, once again shedding light on the positive aspects of the season. That’s Al Horford 101 right there. Besides his steady contributions on both ends of the floor, one might say that he’s been the staple i...

(Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)   For many NFL players, the Pro Bowl is a well-deserved accolade. In a recent conversation, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens cited his disdain over not being selected last year. “I feel like l got snubbed, there wasn’t a lot of guys in there at the Pro Bowl that excited me,” Pickens said, per NFL.com. Steelers WR George Pickens sets Year 2 goal to make Pro Bowl: I feel like last year "I got snubbed" https://t.co/paz8frQzZ9 pic.twitter.com/5hjYgw1nCH — Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) May 30, 2023 As he looks to the 2023 season with Pro Bowl aspirations, Pickens will do everything he can in the offseason to better himself. In his first year with the Steelers, Pickens totaled 52 receptions, 801 yards, and four touchdowns. Pickens was the third-highest target-getter for the Steelers last season, behind just Diontae Johnson and Pat Freiermuth. With any luck, he’ll be able to have a more impactful presence on ...

(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)   Even though the New York Jets and Quinnen Williams have yet to sign a contract extension, the expectation has always been that the situation will figure itself out sooner rather than later. And now that the upcoming season is just around the corner, that hasn’t changed thus far. Not so long ago, HC Robert Saleh made it clear that he wasn’t worried the slightest about Williams’ contract situation, with GM Joe Douglas also affirming that they’ll get it done. Now, a report by The New York Post states that both parties are coming closer to a new deal. Per the report, the sense within the organization is that there will be a positive breakthrough in the next few weeks. The Jets have always been vocal about their love for their star defensive tackle, and he’s highly expected to become the league’s second-highest earner in his position, trailing only Aaron Donald. Recently, Daron Payne, Jeffrey Simmons, and Dexter Lawrence all agreed to ...

(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)   Houston Astros slugger Jose Abreu had an incredible MLB debut in 2014 with the Chicago White Sox. He hit 36 home runs that year and followed that with 30 in 2015. From 2014 to 2019, he hit no fewer than 22 in every season. Even in the shortened 2020 campaign, he had 19 and won the AL MVP award. After going yard 30 times in 2021, his output decreased to 15 in 2022. The White Sox opted not to bring him back, and he signed a multi-year deal with the Astros. His diminishing power left him with no homers on the season… until Sunday. It took Jose Abreu 280 ABs to hit a HR I’d be sprinting around the bases too pic.twitter.com/tMIE6mEMEP — David Mendelson (@DMendy02) May 29, 2023 After 280 at-bats with no home runs this year, Abreu went deep against Oakland Athletics lefty Sam Long for his first homer of the season. He was very, very happy and even sprinted around the bases. His teammates greeted him with cheers and joy in the dug...

(Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)   Boston is one of the ultimate sports towns on Earth, and the Boston Celtics have had plenty to do with that. For decades, they were the undisputed greatest franchise in the league, and not even ceding that much ground to the Los Angeles Lakers has been enough to change that status. That’s why Celtics guard Marcus Smart knows what’s at stake when they take the floor for Game 7 tonight. In a recent interview, the former Defensive Player of the Year acknowledged that making history would be huge for this group. Marcus Smart talks about the team watching the 2004 Red Sox documentary on their comeback from 3-0 to the Yankees in the ALCS. pic.twitter.com/S6rG536W3d — Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) May 29, 2023 The Celtics could join the 2004 Boston Red Sox as the only two teams in major sports history to come back from a 0-3 series deficit. NBA teams are 0-149 in that scenario and just three teams before them were able t...

(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)   It doesn’t get any better than an NBA Game 7. The Boston Celtics will look to punch their tickets to the NBA Finals for the second year in a row, and they’re one of the most popular franchises in the sports industry. That’s why it’s not surprising to see that courtside tickets for today’s must-win clash are going for as high as $35,000, according to TickPick. Courtside seats for tonight’s game are going for $35,841 on @TickPick pic.twitter.com/EWAUIJhYbm — NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) May 29, 2023 It’s only normal to see people paying up for a chance to witness history in the making. The Celtics can become the first team to come back from a 0-3 series deficit in the history of the NBA playoffs, not to mention the fact that a win in the NBA Finals would make them the winningest team in NBA history again. It’s crazy to see how much money some people are willing to spend on sports memorabilia, tickets, and whatnot, but some people ...

(Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)   The NFL is keeping close tabs on DeAndre Hopkins. The former Houston Texans star is now a free agent after being released by the Arizona Cardinals, and there’s no shortage of potential suitors lining up to make a run at him. That’s why Skip Bayless made a case for his beloved Dallas Cowboys to try and sign him, citing that Jerry Jones knows the team’s Super Bowl window might be closing and that he needs to make some moves. "It just makes too much sense." @RealSkipBayless wants DeAndre Hopkins to the Dallas Cowboys pic.twitter.com/S4lJqm2Bf8 — UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) May 29, 2023 Bayless pointed out the fact that just a couple of weeks ago, Hopkins was tied to a move to the Cowboys, adding that the team should do what they need to give their ‘pretty good, not great’ quarterback a chance to win football games. Skip also said that the Cowboys currently have more cap space than the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, s...

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)   For decades, NBA fans have complained about the league’s officiating, and it has even led to some conspiracy theories making the rounds. One conspiracy theory claims that certain teams in certain markets get the benefit of the doubt from the officials, putting other teams, especially those from small markets, at a disadvantage. On Sunday, it was revealed that the league had officially begun an investigation into referee Eric Lewis, who had officiated a nationally televised game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics at midseason. The NBA opened an investigation into longtime referee Eric Lewis involving a Twitter account that responded to numerous posts on league officiating and defended Lewis and other NBA referees, first reported by @TheSteinLine , confirmed by ESPN. More: https://t.co/RZQpyA6xvU pic.twitter.com/fEREs2Bhav — NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 28, 2023 In that contest, LeBron James was fouled while attempti...

(Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)   The Pittsburgh Steelers are a franchise that has had many legendary players over the years. One position where they have had a lot of success is at running back. From Franco Harris to Jerome Bettis to Le’Veon Bell. Each left their mark on the franchise and the running back position. Bell was a three-time All-Pro with the Steelers and was viewed as one of the best running backs in the league. Due to his production, he wanted to be paid as one of the best. He sat out the entire 2018 season in a boycott of his contract. He left for the New York Jets that offseason. According to Around The NFL, Bell regrets the “petty” way he left the Steelers. He is hoping to return and retire as a member of the Black and Gold. Le'Veon Bell regrets "petty" Pittsburgh exit, would like "a couple" preseason carries before retiring as Steeler https://t.co/kIIKOI0Lhf pic.twitter.com/2Sjt35IPR8 — Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) May 28...

(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)   Derrick White has made a lot of noise around the NBA in recent hours, leading his Boston Celtics to a big win over the Miami Heat on Saturday night. Just when everybody thought everything was lost for the Celtics, White grabbed a rebound off of Marcus Smart’s 3-point attempt and made a big bucket to beat the Heat. This was a memorable moment not only for him and his team but the entire NBA. Celtics reporter Jay King revealed that this was the second buzzer-beater in NBA history made by a player whose team was facing elimination and trailing at the time of the shot. From Celtics PR: Derrick White's buzzer-beater tonight was the second in NBA history by a player whose team was facing elimination and trailing at the time of the shot. The other? Michael Jordan over Craig Ehlo against the Cavaliers in the 1989 first round. — Jay King (@ByJayKing) May 28, 2023 White’s shot was already great, but to make things better, he emulated wh...

(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)   Nikola Jokic and his Denver Nuggets are getting ready for the 2023 NBA Finals. After sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, they’re waiting for their next rival. Nikola Jokic knows that he’s about to start the biggest series of his career, but still keeps it in perspective that there are bigger things than basketball in life. Jokic, specifically, talks about his family, his daughter, and the importance they have over his basketball career. “I knew that even before that basketball is not the [main] thing in my life and probably never going to be. And to be honest, I like it because I have something more at home that is more important than basketball.” Basketball isn't the most important thing in Nikola Jokić's life pic.twitter.com/zLYXxdfhX0 — NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 28, 2023 The Serbian center is having a terrific playoff run, confirming that he’s arguably one of the three best players in the N...

(Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)   After a tumultuous 2022-23 NBA season, the Dallas Mavericks are working to bounce back next season and show the world that they can challenge for an NBA championship. They paired up Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, but this experiment didn’t deliver the best results. While their offense was incredibly efficient, the defense was their biggest weakness. They’re now focused on bringing in the best players to build around Doncic and Irving and one analyst has suggested a good target for the Mavs. Former NBA player-turned-analyst Chandler Parsons shared his thoughts on this move, calling it a good one for his former team. Should the #Mavs trade for Deandre Ayton? #RunItBack with @ShamsCharania @MichelleDBeadle @ChandlerParsons & @bansky pic.twitter.com/MiAx8TcNo5 — FanDuel TV (@FanDuelTV) May 28, 2023 Parsons explains that Ayton can play physically, can be a tough matchup in the post, and can be a solid third option for the Ma...

(Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for HBO)   The Boston Celtics are finally in the position they wanted to be in after going in an 0-3 hole against the Miami Heat. Following a dramatic win over the Heat on Saturday night, the 17-time NBA champions tied their Eastern Conference Finals series, sending it back to Boston for the final match. Everybody said the pressure was on the Heat to win Game 6 at home and advance to the Finals, but now the situation appears to have changed. At least that’s what Charles Barkley believes, as he claims the Celtics are on the verge of making history and not accomplishing that would be a big failure. “All the pressure right now goes back to the Celtics" Chuck on Miami & Boston in Game 7 pic.twitter.com/b4CAefFnPt — NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 28, 2023 The Celtics have played better in the last three games and have all the momentum as they head home to Boston. Not winning game 7 would be considered a failure for them. They are j...

(Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)   The Boston Celtics pulled off a big win on Saturday night, stunning the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center, and forcing a Game 7 in this incredible series. The Celtics were on a mission, and even when the Heat threatened to steal this game, they responded and took a big win. After this thriller was over, many fans reacted to it. Some hyped up the Boston Celtics for being one win away from doing something unique in the NBA and others blasted the Heat for losing their 3-0 advantage. BOSTON FORCES GAME 7 IN A THRILLER pic.twitter.com/zbCSQEywjb — NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 28, 2023 Game of the year. Espy Award worthy. — OnlyVirals (@OnlyVirals) May 28, 2023 Y’all thought it was over?! — Bolade (@IAMBolade) May 28, 2023 Is Game 7 a must win game for the Celtics? — Adam Elmayan (@ProMikeZagurski) May 28, 2023 What a game! Well done Celtics. — Majid Hassan Mohamed (@MajidHassanMoh2) May 28, 2023 The Boston Celtics ar...

(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)   The Denver Broncos are going to be one of the most polarizing teams of the 2023 season. After a disappointing season that saw them miss the playoffs, Denver is hoping to return to relevancy. The one player that will impact their success is quarterback Russell Wilson. He was thought to be one of the star quarterbacks in the NFL. But he has not played at that level in a few seasons. Broncos head coach Sean Payton will now be tasked with helping Wilson return to an elite level. Payton will not take it easy on Wilson this year. He has a history of being tough on his players but getting the best out of them. According to Good Morning Football, former NFL linebacker K.J. Wright says Payton will let his players know how he feels about them. "After a loss, if you played bad Sean Payton will let you know loud and clear how he feels about you…" @KJ_WRIGHT34 lets us know how he thinks Russell Wilson will do with such a different...