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WNBA Makes Allisha Gray Announcement After Fever's Blowout Loss to Dream

WNBA Makes Allisha Gray Announcement After Fever's Blowout Loss to Dream

Yahoo12-06-2025
WNBA Makes Allisha Gray Announcement After Fever's Blowout Loss to Dream originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Indiana Fever came crashing back down to earth on Tuesday night. After logging back-to-back wins, including a 79-52 blowout victory against Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky, the Fever suffered an embarrassing loss at the hands of the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday, 77-58.
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Indiana had done well to fill the massive void left by Caitlin Clark amid her injury spell, which extended to four straight games on Tuesday. They won two straight games without the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year, but there's no denying that the Fever felt Clark's absence against the Dream.
It was Allisha Gray who led the charge once again for Atlanta in this one, as the two-time All-Star went off for a game-high 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block in 33 minutes of action.
Not long after the final buzzer, the WNBA announced Gray as the game's Top Performer.
Gray has kept her foot on the gas for the Dream since being named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week earlier this month. She has been pivotal to Atlanta's success this season, and there are currently no signs of the 6-foot guard slowing down anytime soon.
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Thanks to Gray's heroics, Atlanta has improved to 6-3 on the season and has strengthened their grip on the No. 3 spot in the WNBA.
Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (15) dribbles against the Indiana Fever in the first half at State Farm Arena. Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Fever, on the other hand, fall to 4-5 ahead of their big matchup against the defending champs, the New York Liberty, on Saturday. It remains to be seen at this point if Clark will be able to suit up for that highly anticipated clash.
Related: Sophie Cunningham's Behavior Before Fever-Dream Game Catches the WNBA's Attention
Related: Brittney Griner Reacts to Telling Detail From Caitlin Clark, Fever Game
Related: Fever's Aliyah Boston Sends Clear Message to Dream Player After Postgame Incident
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
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Column: For Chicago Cubs' slugger Kyle Tucker, an untimely seat on the bench in a wild-card race
Column: For Chicago Cubs' slugger Kyle Tucker, an untimely seat on the bench in a wild-card race

Chicago Tribune

time12 minutes ago

  • Chicago Tribune

Column: For Chicago Cubs' slugger Kyle Tucker, an untimely seat on the bench in a wild-card race

The Kyle Tucker saga took a sharp turn late Monday afternoon when Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell announced he would give his slumping slugger some time off to regroup. How long is unknown, but with the season winding down and every game increasing in importance, any game off for Tucker is a sad statement on how far his stock has dropped in the last month. And so it goes for the Cubs in a dismal stretch where they've basically conceded the National League Central to the Milwaukee Brewers, whom they trail by nine games after Game 2 of the doubleheader was postponed until Tuesday. Benching a starting National League All-Star outfielder in a pennant race is a step no one could've predicted only a month ago when Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong headed to Atlanta for the Midsummer Classic. 'We're going to have to take a little step back here, for sure, and just give him some days off to reset him hopefully, because he's frustrated and we're not coming up with solutions for him,' Counsell said. 'He's not coming up with solutions. So sometimes you have to take some steps back to go forward again.' The Cubs remain in good position in the NL wild-card race, and the addition of Owen Caissie gives Counsell another option while Tucker clears his head. Cubs fans have been pining for Caissie since he was called up last week in Toronto, but Counsell sat him in the Pittsburgh series before giving him a start in Game 1 on Monday. Caissie went 1-for-3 with his first major-league hit. Counsell said all weekend that Caissie was not a better option than his starting corner outfielders, even as Tucker and Ian Happ were slumping. Then why call him up in the first place? 'If we don't think there is any playing time at some point and we want to switch that out, that may be something we do,' Counsell said before Game 1. 'That's kind of what we landed on as the best choice at this point in the season for our roster.' Now it's presumably Caissie's chance to show why he can be a viable replacement for Tucker next year if Tucker leaves via free agency, as expected. Sitting your star in a race for a postseason spot when he's about to become a free agent is usually a bad sign for an organization, especially one that hopes to make a long-term commitment with that player. But Tucker's slump — 24 straight games without a home run, and a .148 average and .381 OPS in August — has forced Counsell to try something different. Only a few hours earlier on Monday, President Jed Hoyer was asked if Tucker needed a break, even a stint on the 10-day IL. Hoyer said Tucker is healthy and wouldn't be sent to the IL. 'You always try to think, 'Well, what things can help to do that,'' Hoyer said. 'We've had a lot of conversations about that.' Apparently, another conversation after Monday's game led to the decision to sit Tucker. 'It's not for a lack of effort either on the coaching side or Kyle's,' Hoyer said. 'He hasn't slugged in quite a while. He hasn't put a lot of balls in the air. His exit (velocity) is not high. I do think a lot of it is mechanical. If you look at his swing early in the year versus now, it's less connected and therefore less powerful. It's kind of the same thing as the team. 'He's too good of a player for it not to click. One of these days it's going to click and he's going to get hot again, and hopefully it's a torrid hot streak like it was in April. Everyone is seeing the same thing, including him. A lot of balls on the ground, not a lot of slug, and he'll keep working to get there.' After Hoyer's interview, Tucker went 0-for-4 in the Game 1 loss and was booed in his final two at-bats. He slammed his helmet to the ground after flying out in the eighth inning, when the boos increased in volume. Tucker was not available after Counsell's announcement. He said Saturday that his recent display of emotions is not indicative of the way he usually plays. 'It just kind of happens,' he said. 'Normally I don't show much emotion out there, just try to do my job. It's been tough the last two months or so… Just kind of move on, take the next at-bat and regroup.' Counsell was not happy with the booing, which is usually counterproductive for a fan base if it wants to see its superstar return next season. 'Kyle is frustrated as well,' Counsell said. 'The fans are frustrated and Kyle is frustrated and it's unfortunate. When you make outs, it doesn't look great, but he's trying. It's not clicking.' Before the benching was announced, Hoyer said Tucker's finger injury from early June might have led to the mechanical issues that had led to the power outage, and he felt confident that Tucker would get back on track. 'My guess is he's going to have a hot streak and end up where he usually is,' Hoyer said. Tucker admitted this was one of the worst stretches of his major-league career. He hasn't homered since July 19 and has no extra-base hits since July 30. His second-half slugging percentage is .239, after a .490 slug in the first half. Overall, his .447 slugging percentage is the lowest since his rookie season in 2018. 'I don't know how long it has been since I've hit a homer,' Tucker said. 'I probably haven't (had a homerless streak that long) since when I first got called up. Really I don't necessarily care if we're winning games.' Tucker normally eschews taking batting practice on the field before games, but decided to do it last week in Toronto as a way to get out of his slump. He tries to stick to his routines, but said it was done to try and increase his launch angle. 'I haven't really driven the ball in the air,' he said. 'And I was just trying to get that feeling back, trying to do it out on the field where you have the visual of what it's going to be like in the game and try to replicate that once the game starts. I had a few swings in Toronto that didn't end up as a hit or anything. But that's how baseball is sometimes. You just try to battle through it.' Now he'll have to battle through it while he's watching his teammates play the biggest series of the season against the red-hot Brewers, who have won 15 of their last 16. Tucker still figures to hit it big as a free agent in November, but unless things change in the final five weeks, it could be the end of the line for him in Chicago.

The crowded race for the women's sports "capital"
The crowded race for the women's sports "capital"

Axios

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  • Axios

The crowded race for the women's sports "capital"

Mayor Andrew Ginther wants Columbus to be the women's sports capital, but he has stiff competition and some catching up to do. Why it matters: As leagues eye expansion, leaders around the country want to ride the wave, capitalizing on surging viewership and investment that comes with it. Driving the news: In his 2025 State of the City address, Ginther declared "our aspiration for Columbus to emerge as the nation's capital for women's sports." That announcement launched the Women's Sports Capital Ambition, a collaboration between Experience Columbus and the Greater Columbus Sports Commission (GCSC) meant to cultivate participation in women's sports, grow fandoms, host events and drive a variety of investments. Zoom in: Columbus' professional women's sports headliner is the Fury, part of the newly merged Major League Volleyball. Yes, but: Ginther's goals go beyond professionals. He said investment in women's sports is "about creating a pipeline for women to serve as the future business and civic leaders of this city." His speech cited an EY Global study that found 94% of C-suite women have played sports. The big picture: The mayor's office knows these lofty goals are "a big aspiration," Ginther's deputy chief of staff, Jennifer Fening, tells Axios. In July, the city awarded the GCSC a new $250,000 contract to work toward women's sports goals. "The first steps under the new contract will be to build supportive partnerships," like outreach to area universities, Fening says. The competition: Columbus isn't the only city investing and identifying opportunities for growth. Friction point: The increased attention still hasn't resulted in adequate pay for athletes. At the recent WNBA All-Star Game, players vented their frustration over ongoing collective bargaining agreement negotiations. Terri Jackson, executive director of the Women's National Basketball Players Association, thinks the battle between cities and fan bases can help. "Just keep talking about the game. Keep talking about the players … because these players are in a fight right now for an agreement that truly values them," she said. "It's a big moment for women's sports … if you love the game, just keep talking about it. Keep showing up."

Red Sox Pushed To Reunite With Hall of Fame Closer For Postseason Push
Red Sox Pushed To Reunite With Hall of Fame Closer For Postseason Push

Newsweek

time43 minutes ago

  • Newsweek

Red Sox Pushed To Reunite With Hall of Fame Closer For Postseason Push

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Boston Red Sox have put together one of the better teams in the American League this year. They're led by a solid mix of young talent and veteran stars. Boston isn't the top team in the league, but it still has a chance to come out of the AL to play in the World Series if everything goes right. The Red Sox recently added first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, and they could look to make a handful of other moves in the coming weeks before the postseason begins. FanSided's Christopher Kline recently urged the Red Sox to reunite with Los Angeles Angels closer Kenley Jansen, if the future Hall of Famer is designated for assignment, for the upcoming postseason push. ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 09: Kenley Jansen #74 and Taylor Ward #3 of the Los Angeles Angels celebrate a 7-4 win against the Athletics at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 09, 2025 in Anaheim,... ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 09: Kenley Jansen #74 and Taylor Ward #3 of the Los Angeles Angels celebrate a 7-4 win against the Athletics at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 09, 2025 in Anaheim, California. More"Lowe won't be the last prominent name DFA'd in the coming months. The Los Angeles Angels are dead in the water, which puts 37-year-old Kenley Jansen squarely on the radar for bullpen-needy contenders," Kline wrote. "Even if Boston calls up Uberstine and he clicks immediately, it wouldn't be hard to create room for Jansen. "Jansen spent the last two years in Boston before signing a one-year contract with the Angels. He was an All-Star in 2023. While it's fair to quibble with the idea of pairing Jansen and Aroldis Chapman, two 37-year-olds, as the bullpen's primary anchor points in October, the production speaks for itself. Chapman has arguably been the best closer in MLB this season." It's unclear if the Angels will opt to designate Jansen for assignment, though it would make sense because it could save Los Angeles some money. If the Angels opt to do so, the Red Sox would be the perfect landing spot. Adding the star closer as the setup man for Aroldis Chapman would give the Red Sox a very reliable one-two punch at the end of games. More MLB: Yankees' Jasson Domínguez Trade 'Feels Inevitable,' Claims MLB Writer

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