Author: PlayActionNews

HOUSTON — If he had not done it already, A’s rookie Nick Kurtz put an entire league on notice Friday night at Daikin Park.Kurtz became the 20th man in Major League Baseball history to hit four home runs in a game and the first rookie to accomplish the feat. He finished 6-for-6 with 19 total bases and eight RBIs, spearheading a 15-3 shellacking of the Houston Astros.Kurtz is the first player in baseball history to finish a game with at least six hits, six runs and eight RBIs. His 19 total bases matched a record set by Shawn Green on…

Hello and welcome to the 17th installment of our weekly two-start pitcher article for the 2025 MLB season.I’ll be here every Friday to highlight some of the best two-start pitcher options in fantasy baseball leagues for the upcoming week, as well as some streaming options to keep in mind.AdvertisementThinking ahead with your weekly strategy can give you an advantage on the waiver wire and hopefully be a difference-maker in the standings at the end of the season.This is a living document, so we’ll update the options below as the weekend moves along.Before we get into it, we’ll start with a…

Daniel OyefusiJul 25, 2025, 01:29 PM ETCloseDaniel Oyefusi covers the Cleveland Browns for ESPN. Prior to ESPN, he covered the Miami Dolphins for the Miami Herald, as well as the Baltimore Ravens for The Baltimore Sun.BEREA, Ohio — Shedeur Sanders said he’s not thinking about the limited practice reps he’s received as the Cleveland Browns’ four-way quarterback competition is underway in training camp.Sanders was regarded as one of the top quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL draft before surprisingly falling to the fifth round, where Cleveland took him with the 144th pick. He has seemingly been QB4 on the depth chart…

Caitlin Clark set another record for women’s sports as a signed Clark rookie card sold for $660,000.The previous record was $366,000, which was another Clark rookie card.There is another Clark card that could set the benchmark next month.A signed Caitlin Clark rookie card has broken the record for women’s sports collectibles. The card sold for $660,000 in an auction, breaking the previous record, which was another Clark rookie card.There is another Clark card that is currently in auction, and that could set a new standard for women’s sports.Clark Card Eclipses Another CC Record, Selling for Almost DoubleThe card, a signed…

The UFC returns to Abu Dhabi on July 26 where a former champion is back in action.Fans were critical after Petr Yan was booked against Marcus McGhee due to the big difference between their current standings in the bantamweight division.That being said, McGhee has been on a good run and you can never turn down an opportunity to watch ‘No Mercy’ compete.The former bantamweight champion has some big wins under his belt, with Yan beating Deiveson Figueiredo last time out.Before Yan stopped Jose Aldo to win the vacant title in 2020, he cemented his status as one of the very…

The Yankees optioned right-handed pitcher Scott Effross and infielder Jorbit Vivas to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after Friday's trade with the Colorado Rockies for third baseman Ryan McMahon.Will McMahon play for New York in Saturday's 1:05 p.m. game against the Philadelphia Phillies?"Yeah, I expect him available," Boone said after Friday's 12-5 loss.The 31-year-old Effross threw 23 pitches (13) strikes and allowed four runs on four hits in one inning, the ninth, where the Phillies (59-44) put Friday's game out of reach. He has allowed 10 runs on 16 hits while striking out six and walking three in 10.2 innings pitched over 11…

Eric MoodyJul 25, 2025, 12:30 PM ETCloseEric Moody is a writer for fantasy football, men’s and women’s basketball, and sports betting at ESPN. Eric joined ESPN in 2021 after working as a senior fantasy analyst at Pro Football Network. Prior to that, he spent much of his career as a manager at a Fortune 100 financial services company.Change is the one thing you can always count on, both in sports and in life. While consistency is what fantasy managers strive for, the reality is that player performance can swing wildly over a long season.Trying to keep up with all the…

With Bengals’ first-round draft pick Shemar Stewart finally under contract, only one 2025 selection remains unsigned.Browns running back Quinshon Judkins, the fourth pick in round two, is not under contract. And it’s not about whether he’ll receive a fully-guaranteed contract. The player taken before him did, and the four taken after him did.This is about the possibility, if not the likelihood, that Judkins will land on paid leave as soon as he signs and shows up, due to a recent arrest for misdemeanor domestic battery. His better move will be to resolve the case, negotiate an unpaid suspension, and then…

Luke Littler set up a semi-final showdown with Josh Rock at the Betfred World Matchplay after holding off Andrew Gilding to claim a narrow 16-14 victory at the Winter Gardens. The world champion never trailed but had to fire a 103.91 average and 18 maximums to pull clear of Gilding, who exits the tournament at the quarter-final stage for the second successive year. Littler edged the opening three sessions and briefly opened a five-leg advantage, only for Gilding to find a 72 checkout on the bullseye and take out a 160 finish as part of a run of three straight…

Jul 24, 2025, 07:00 AM ETWe have a new team atop our power rankings after the first week of the second half. Make way for Milwaukee!The Brewers were the biggest riser in Week 17, going from No. 9 in our final rankings before the All-Star break to No. 1 as we approach the end of July. The No. 2 team this week? A familiar foe of the Brewers: the division-rival Cubs, who are now one game behind Milwaukee for second place in the National League Central.Meanwhile, in the American League, the Tigers have been overtaken by the Astros and Blue…