Diamondbacks face the Pirates with 1-0 series lead
Pittsburgh; Saturday, 6:40 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Diamondbacks: Merrill Kelly (9-5, 3.32 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 118 strikeouts); Pirates: Andrew Heaney (4-9, 5.03 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 74 strikeouts)
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Diamondbacks -135, Pirates +113; over/under is 8 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Arizona Diamondbacks face the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 1-0 series lead.
Pittsburgh has a 29-25 record at home and a 42-62 record overall. Pirates pitchers have a collective 3.80 ERA, which ranks ninth in MLB play.
Arizona is 25-25 on the road and 51-53 overall. The Diamondbacks have a 40-9 record in games when they out-hit their opponents.
Saturday's game is the fifth time these teams match up this season. The season series is tied 2-2.
TOP PERFORMERS: Oneil Cruz has 14 doubles, two triples and 16 home runs while hitting .217 for the Pirates. Tommy Pham is 13 for 37 with four doubles, a triple and a home run over the past 10 games.
Corbin Carroll has 18 doubles, 13 triples, 21 home runs and 50 RBIs for the Diamondbacks. Eugenio Suarez is 9 for 35 with a double and seven home runs over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Pirates: 4-6, .230 batting average, 4.80 ERA, outscored by 18 runs
Diamondbacks: 5-5, .259 batting average, 3.70 ERA, outscored opponents by eight runs
INJURIES: Pirates: Chase Shugart: 15-Day IL (knee), Ryan Borucki: 15-Day IL (back), Endy Rodriguez: 60-Day IL (elbow), Enmanuel Valdez: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Justin Lawrence: 60-Day IL (elbow), Tim Mayza: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Jared Jones: 60-Day IL (elbow), Johan Oviedo: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Diamondbacks: Gabriel Moreno: 60-Day IL (hand), Jalen Beeks: 15-Day IL (back), Shelby Miller: 15-Day IL (forearm), Tommy Henry: 60-Day IL (elbow), Pavin Smith: 10-Day IL (oblique), Ryan Thompson: 15-Day IL (scapular strain), Ildemaro Vargas: 10-Day IL (foot), Christian Montes De Oca: 60-Day IL (elbow), Justin Martinez: 60-Day IL (elbow), Cristian Mena: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Corbin Burnes: 60-Day IL (elbow), A.J. Puk: 60-Day IL (elbow), Jordan Montgomery: 60-Day IL (elbow), Blake Walston: 60-Day IL (elbow)
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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New York Times
28 minutes ago
- New York Times
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New York Times
28 minutes ago
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Dane Brugler's 2026 NFL Draft summer positional rankings: Linebackers
Editor's note: This is the fifth installment of Dane Brugler's 2026 Summer Scouting series. Previous rankings: Edge rushers | Running backs | Defensive tackles | Tight ends If we are forecasting the deepest positions for the 2026 NFL Draft, linebacker has to be in the conversation. There are a few first-round hopefuls at the top of the list, led by Georgia's CJ Allen. But the quality should extend into Days 2 and 3 with promising linebacker talent. (Note: Asterisk represents draft-eligible underclassmen. Heights and weights are what NFL teams have on file for each player, with a 'v' representing verified measurements and 'e' for estimated measurements.) Advertisement Between his range, instincts and the fact that he dons Georgia's No. 3 jersey, Allen brings back immediate flashbacks of Roquan Smith patrolling the middle of the defense in Athens. Allen is quick to key, read and flow and shows the range to make plays outside the numbers. 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A former five-star recruit, he is a 20-year-old senior with rare physical traits and the son of a former Super Bowl champion linebacker. On top of his freaky tools, he was voted an 'Iron Buckeye' this spring for his training and discipline, and one member of Ohio State's staff told me Styles is 'one of the best leaders in the program.' Advertisement Styles isn't quite the speed demon that Isaiah Simmons was coming out of Clemson, but there are certainly similarities between the two as former safeties and rare size-speed athletes. Simmons has struggled to become a consistent NFL starter, but he was a top-10 draft pick because the NFL will always bet on athletic traits. Styles has a chance to be a first-round pick for the same reasons. Once he sees it and gets going, Hill is a dogged chaser in pursuit — which was unsurprising to see on tape considering he led the Longhorns last season in tackles (113), tackles for loss (16.5) and forced fumbles (four). He does some of his best work as a blitzer, when there is less reading and more attacking, which allows him to unlock and chase. Hill is highly disruptive on the Oklahoma tape, especially as a pass rusher, because he is able to avoid blocks and track down the ball carrier. Hill can be quick to fill versus the run, but he tends to be too reactionary with his reads. And when his diagnose skills aren't on time, he finds himself stuck in the muck or flowing the wrong direction based on the mesh read. NFL scouts are hoping to see a jump this season in his anticipation (downhill and in coverage) and ability to punch off blocks. Hill arrived in Austin as a five-star recruit with a ton of fanfare, which he lived up to as a Freshman All-American in 2023 and second team All-American in 2024. Because of his resume and production, NFL hype has followed. NFL scouts don't currently view Hill as a slam-dunk first-round pick — as one scout put it to me: 'His traits are good, but I can't call any of those traits 'outstanding.'' But Hill is an easy player to like because of his size, speed and hunting skills. Advertisement Weeks is a classic run-and-hit linebacker, at his best when kept clean. He trusts what he sees, mirrors well laterally and closes in a flash to explode through his target. Weeks also has dynamic blitzing talent, and his athleticism shows when he drops into coverage. With a slightly undersized frame, Weeks can get lost in the trash at times when blockers impede his path. He can dip around blocks and isn't shy using his hands, but his pursuit speed with clean sight lines is what separates him from other linebackers. Last season, as a sophomore, Weeks moved into a starting role and immediately put himself on the NFL radar with his play speed and clean-up talent. He finished the 2024 season with a team-best 125 tackles plus double-digit tackles for loss and three forced turnovers (two fumbles, one interception). Weeks suffered a gruesome dislocated ankle and broken tibia in the bowl game and underwent offseason surgery. However, he is expected to be full-go by the end of summer — and the Tigers need his energy on defense. Aside from his talent, Weeks has the type of football character that will endear him to NFL coaches (Brian Kelly: 'Whit is our driver. … He's got incredible passion. It rubs off on our entire defense.'). Perkins gets where he is going in a hurry, regardless of alignment. He is a twitched-up athlete with the burst to win immediately or the speed to track down plays. He is fluid in everything he does, which helps him be effective as a rusher, dropper or chaser. This is the first play on the South Carolina tape and sums up Perkins' game: Despite the eye candy in the backfield, Perkins reads the tight end screen off play action and showcases burst to close for what should have been a tackle for loss. (He needs to become a better tackle-finisher on plays like this.) Over the last two seasons, Perkins evenly split his snaps between the edge, off-ball linebacker and a nickel role in the slot. You could argue that his best highlights have come while rushing off the edge, but he can't play there full-time at this size. Advertisement Does he have the take-on and diagnose skills to be a full-time off-ball player? Can he survive in a slot role at the next level? Or does he need a true hybrid position to maximize his skill set? The answers to those questions will be very different from coach to coach and scheme to scheme. As early as his true freshman season in Baton Rouge, Perkins put his name on the NFL radar — his level of athleticism sets him apart from the rest. Most expected him to leave after his junior season and be part of the 2025 NFL Draft, but a torn ACL last September changed those plans and NFL scouts are eager to see him back on the field. Despite Perkins' special athleticism, I don't think the phrase 'draft him and figure out where to play him later' applies here. Coaches need a specific deployment plan to understand how (or if) he fits the scheme, because he will be viewed as versatile by some but as more of a tweener by others. 1. Styles 2. Deontae Lawson, Alabama (6-2 3/8, 218) 3. Jaishawn Barham, Michigan (6-3, 241) 4. Lander Barton, Utah (6-4, 236) 5. Bryce Boettcher, Oregon (6-0 5/8, 226) 6. Scooby Williams, Texas A&M (6-1 7/8, 220) 7. Xavian Sorey Jr., Arkansas (6-1 5/8, 228) 8. Ernest Hausmann, Michigan (6-1 1/8, 221) 9. Wesley Bissainthe, Miami (FL) (6-1 3/8, 226) 10. Eric Gentry, USC (6-6 5/8, 222) 11. Jake Golday, Cincinnati (6-4, 237) 12. Kendal Daniels, Oklahoma (6-4 1/8, 239) 13. Aiden Fisher, Indiana (6-0 1/4, 232) 14. Mohamed Toure, Miami (FL) (6-2, 235) 15. Wade Woodaz, Clemson (6-3 1/8, 230) 16. Kaleb Elarms-Orr, TCU (6-1 1/2, 233) 17. Caleb Wheatland, Auburn (6-1 3/8, 226) 18. Keyshaun Elliott, Arizona State (6-1 5/8, 231) 19. Jack Kelly, BYU (6-1 3/8, 242) 20. Justin Jefferson, Alabama (6-0 1/4, 218) 21. Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech (6-0, 232) 22. Jordan Pollard, San Jose State (6-0 1/8, 211) 23. Desmond Purnell, Kansas State (5-10 7/8, 231) 24. Triston Newson, Missouri (6-1 1/2, 215) 25. Namdi Obiazor, TCU (6-2, 233) 1. Allen 2. Hill Jr. 3. Weeks 4. Perkins 5. Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh (6-0, 225) 6. Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss (6-1, 210) 7. Arvell Reese, Ohio State (6-4, 240) 8. Austin Romaine, Kansas State (6-2, 245) 9. Taurean York, Texas A&M (6-0, 235) 10. Arion Carter, Tennessee (6-1, 235) 11. Teitum Tuioti, Oregon (6-3, 220) 12. Drayk Bowen, Notre Dame (6-2, 240) (Top photo of Sonny Styles: Robin Alam / ISI Photos / Getty Images)
New York Times
28 minutes ago
- New York Times
Bengals RB Zack Moss grapples with NFL future following broken neck
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'I've pretty much been a couch potato since November,' Moss said. With five NFL seasons and $9.2 million in career earnings, Moss needed to decide if he still wanted to be a football player. Playing in the NFL is scary enough. Playing in the NFL while rehabbing from a broken neck and raising two young children is downright terrifying. When Moss spoke with head coach Zac Taylor about his situation, the topic of retirement inevitably came up. Nobody would blame him if he decided to end it. It would be a heck of a run from Hialeah Gardens, Fla., to starting running back in the NFL. Moss immediately thought about Jess, Xavien and Promise. 'Like I told coach Taylor, if I wanted to be done, I could have stayed at home and not left my wife and two kids by herself,' Moss said. 'I could have made that call and called it a day. My intention is to be here, to do what I have to do rehab-wise and then go from there. Wherever it is at, make a decision from there. That's all I can do.' Deciphering what Moss can still do, along with making the ensuing roster decision, is far more complicated. Moss racked up 3,028 scrimmage yards and 21 touchdowns in 61 games over his career with the Bills, Indianapolis Colts and Bengals. Yet, he never experienced a game like Week 8 last year against the Philadelphia Eagles. 'I started losing feeling in my arm,' Moss said. 'Coming out of that game, I pretty much played that game with seven fingers.' Advertisement That was the first real sign of trouble. After a series of tests — triggered when he reported losing feeling in his fingers — the CT scan results finally arrived, and jaws dropped across the facility. 'I didn't know, no one knew,' Moss said. 'Friday before the Raiders game, it stunned everybody. I didn't know it was broken.' It was broken in three different places on his C6, according to Moss. He said he traced it back to Week 1 against the New England Patriots but never had any indication as time went by. It made him think about how much worse the situation could have been. 'Getting through that part still can be traumatic to some degree to say, you dodged so many bullets,' Moss said. 'Playing and then practice and going to chiropractors at the same time. Lot of variables that could have happened. Thankfully, it didn't.' Crazy to think he went through those two months unknowingly. 'We never had any tell outside of my neck just being really sore,' Moss said. 'That's the thing people don't know. I haven't really spoken about it because I really don't care too much. Team didn't know. I didn't know it was broken. That's the part where I say, so many different variables. If I knew my neck was broken, I probably wouldn't have played.' The fact he never complained about the sore neck and played through it was in line with Moss' personality. He's built his reputation as a tough guy and hard-nosed football player. He's the guy who would strap on the helmet and play through the pain because that's what football players do. 'That's something people don't know about Zack is how tough he is,' Bengals running backs coach Justin Hill said. 'When he was in Indy, he played I don't know how many games with a broken arm. That's just who he is. He's one of the toughest people I've ever been around.' Moss went home to Utah and didn't need surgery. The plan was to let it heal on its own and avoid the complications that can come with a neck operation. That's been the case. He was cleared in the spring for the neck issue. In Moss' absence last year, Chase Brown emerged as one of the best young backs in the NFL, ranking fifth in the NFL in yards from scrimmage Weeks 9-17. The run game, specifically, and portions of the offense, generally, are now schemed to Brown's strengths. Cincinnati drafted Texas Tech's Tahj Brooks in the sixth round in April. They also brought back Samaje Perine as a complementary big-body back. Advertisement Where Moss fits would have been murky even without his injury. The Bengals could have released Moss, but instead agreed to a reduced salary from $3.5 million to $1.8 million, via Over The Cap. However, it guaranteed an extra $375K, notable considering Moss' situation. Moss accepted the deal, despite being docked in pay. 'Some people make things difficult,' Moss said. 'I didn't. I didn't partake in that. We did what we thought was best at that moment in time and called it a day and move on from that point.' Notably, he said he didn't hear much from the organization in the process. 'I pretty much went through that by myself, technically,' Moss said, admitting that wasn't by choice. 'That was just what happened. Didn't happen. Not going to say much more than that. We didn't have much communication on, 'What am I thinking, what am I doing?' None of that happened. It was just, 'See how the bone heals' and that was it.' When Moss determined he wanted to keep playing football, a bigger problem emerged. His conditioning is a significant issue. It wasn't being overweight, but rather being out of football shape due to a lack of activity following the injury. When he reported to training camp, the Bengals placed him on the Non-Football Injury list, linking the reason for his non-participation to conditioning, rather than his neck. As with his entire situation, it's complicated. There's more to any possible return than getting into football shape. Moss also needs to mentally prepare to step into the A-gap and take on a blitzer or run downhill in goal line, trusting he can avoid taking on the same risk he avoided last season. It's one thing to be told the neck is healed, it's another to think about your family depending on that proving true. You have to be wired a particular way to play in the NFL in the first place due to the brutality of football, both physically and mentally. Moss now fights that defining inner drive to contemplate the bigger picture. Advertisement 'You just want what's best for Zack,' Hill said. 'We care about his safety. He just had his second kid. That's a big part of his brain. That's what's so scary for him. You never know what could happen at the end of the day. We are all trying to do our job at a high level but we got to go home and see our families and raise our kids and be husbands and fathers and brothers. Just rooting for Zack and hope this plays out the best for him.' Right now, it plays out with Moss working on his conditioning on side fields. Without advancement, it's hard to see a world where he holds his spot on the roster. He says he still wants to play, but at some point, he has to prove he still can. There's another timeline where he's at home telling bedtime stories to Xavien and rocking Promise to sleep. He says he isn't thinking about that option now. The fact he's not tells the story of how badly he wants to keep going. Moss has taken on the philosophy he knows as well as anyone: You can only control today. You never know what will come next and which play will be your last. 'I don't have any expectations, honestly,' Moss said. 'That's not how I live my life. I just don't put expectations on anything because I don't want to be let down. Just going to allow my body to tell me when it is ready, and then we will go from that, and leave it up to people who have to make decisions on that. I can't make those decisions. I just do what I got to do and things go from there.' (Top photo of Zack Moss: Sam Greene / The Enquirer / USA Today via Imagn Images)
