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MILWAUKEE — Lower-body injuries have bothered Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras at times during his career.He was proactive in late May in coming out of a game when right hamstring tightness was bothering him. Although he missed three games, Contreras avoided the injured list.AdvertisementContreras is in a similar situation: day-to-day with left hamstring tightness after exiting Monday’s loss in the 10th inning. He felt a little better Tuesday and was not as sore, manager David Ross said. Contreras received pregame treatment on his hamstring and was seen riding an exercise bike outside the Cubs clubhouse Tuesday afternoon.Ross wanted to see how Contreras got through “some stuff” before determining whether he would be available off the bench against the Milwaukee Brewers.Advertisement“Very precautious,” Ross said. “It was smart on his behalf (to come out of the game).”Contreras clearly listens to his body, and the Cubs don’t want to push him and risk a more serious injury. Trade-deadline implications aside, Contreras has been the Cubs’ most valuable player and they can’t afford to lose him for an extended stretch.[ [Don’t miss] Which Cubs players are likely to get traded? Here’s where things stand with the deadline 1 month away. ]The Cubs still are formulating the returns of starting pitchers Marcus Stroman and Drew Smyly.Stroman (right shoulder inflammation) made a rehab start Sunday for Triple-A Iowa, and Smyly (right oblique strain) made one Monday for High A South Bend.Ross indicated he planned to meet with both pitchers Tuesday to map out their next steps. Stroman previously told reporters he felt he would need only one rehab start.Whether either pitcher needs another rehab start before coming off the IL has not been decided, Ross said.“I view them as really similar,” Ross said of their potential readiness.The Cubs can shift around the rotation after their upcoming four-game series in Los Angeles thanks to a day off Monday. They might need a fill-in start for left-hander Justin Steele, who shared on social media during spring training that he and his fiancée are expecting the birth of their first child this month.AdvertisementChicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.Right-hander Adrian Sampson has been a solid addition to the rotation, while Mark Leiter Jr. pitched well Saturday in relief of Alec Mills, who exited with a back injury seven pitches into his start and was placed on the IL on Sunday.[ [Don’t miss] Column: Red Sox rookie’s 1-star review of Wrigley Field hits a nerve with the Cubs ]Nelson Velázquez had a message for Steele in the dugout after hitting his first big-league home run Monday.“I did it for you too,” Velázquez told Steele.Steele had been frequently telling Velázquez he was waiting to see the rookie outfielder hit his first homer. Velázquez delivered in his 14th MLB game, homering to left field in the second inning — to provide run support for Steele.Cubs outfielder Nelson Velázquez is congratulated after hitting a home run during the third inning against the Brewers on Monday, July 4, 2022, in Milwaukee. (Morry Gash/AP)Velázquez’s milestone baseball was returned to him, and the Puerto Rican native plans to give it to his parents so they can put it in the family home.Velázquez’s opportunities have been limited since he was recalled June 20, used mainly off the bench and for spot starts during the last two-plus weeks. His defense, particularly his arm, and baseball IQ have stood out. He nearly threw out a runner at third Tuesday night after the runner tagged up on a flyout.Advertisement“The guy’s got a hose,” Ross said. “I didn’t get to see him much in spring and I didn’t know what kind of outfielder he really was, to be honest, and he’s made a good impression. He’s made some plays going back on balls and plays over toward the line. Moves well.”

The Chicago White Sox were on the wrong side of major-league history Monday when AJ Pollock’s long fly to right-center went from a potential hit to an inning- and momentum-ending triple play.Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton made the catch at the wall for the first out of the seventh inning and fired back to the infield. Neither Adam Engel, who began the play on second base and raced to third, nor Yoán Moncada, who began the play at first, tagged up.AdvertisementThird baseman Gio Urshela tagged out Moncada between second and third, then stepped on second to complete the first 8-5 triple play in major-league history.At the time, the game was tied. The Sox went on to lose 6-3 in 10 innings.AdvertisementSox manager Tony La Russa said he reviewed the sequence “about 10 times” later that night.[ [Don’t miss] Column: A tragic event in Highland Park became just another day at the ballpark — and in America ]Asked before Tuesday’s game if the Sox are a good fundamental team, La Russa said, “We’re a work in progress, but I see progress.”“To be in the position that we are in,” he added, “if you take every game from the first three months into this one and you walk into that clubhouse and the guys are thinking about the next day, ready to compete, or you watch a game where you’re down for five or six innings, there ain’t no way that I’m negative about this team.“But you’re realistic that we’re a work in progress and we’ve got to be improved. But as a staff, as a manager — unless it’s not true — I’m never going to not recognize where their heart and souls are. If you make a mistake, it’s bad managing, bad coaching. We’ll fix it. That’s why I believe in these guys, and we’ll get better bit by bit. Hopefully sooner rather than later.”Engel told reporters Monday that “everyone did the right thing but me.”La Russa disagreed, saying Tuesday, “Responsibility starts with the manager.”He also noted that Buxton made an “outstanding” play.“That’s one thing that makes you stop because the guy is out there and he and (Sox center fielder Luis) Robert, they’re like twins,” La Russa said.AdvertisementDescribing the actions Tuesday, Moncada said through an interpreter: “I saw the ball for a little bit and then I put my focus on the lead runner because that’s what we do. As soon as I saw him taking off, I just went after him. I didn’t see when the center fielder caught the ball.“It’s not worth it to point fingers and who to blame. Everybody wants to do their best and keep their focus on the game.”La Russa said the team concentrated on baserunning this spring.[ [Don’t miss] Column: Could White Sox be sellers at the trade deadline? Next 2 weeks vs. AL Central foes may tell the tale. ]“One of the things we were able to do in that shortened spring training (because of the lockout) was stress baserunning,” he said. “And (bench coach) Miguel Cairo, who was a very good baserunner, he was in charge of it. (Catcher) Seby (Zavala) had the play (getting tagged out venturing a little too far after rounding second on a hit June 27 against the Los Angeles Angels) and he almost had it again (later in the road trip).“And the day after he had it, we had guys out at second base reading balls. So that’s what you do. You make a mistake, you figure it out, you work on it and you turn the page.”La Russa stressed the importance of not taking away aggressiveness.Advertisement“That’s the worst thing you can do,” he said. “I’m much more upset when a guy doesn’t take the extra base because he’s sitting back on his heels. That happens more often, that’s more of a problem. When in doubt, be aggressive.“But there’s a point where you see, I can’t get the extra base and I stop. You mix in aggressiveness with good sense. If you’re afraid to make a mistake, then you lose.”Catcher Yasmani Grandal said he’s in line to begin a rehab assignment Wednesday with Double-A Birmingham.Grandal said he’ll be a designated hitter for the Barons “throughout the weekend” and then go to Triple-A Charlotte, where he’ll add catching. He said the schedule is to return to the Sox “right at the start of the second half.”Grandal has been on the injured list retroactive to June 12 with lower back spasms.Left fielder Eloy Jiménez has been on the IL since April 24 with a torn right hamstring tendon. He suffered the injury trying to beat a throw to first base against the Twins at Target Field.AdvertisementHe had been rehabbing with Charlotte but was back in the Sox clubhouse Tuesday.Injured White Sox left fielder Eloy Jiménez jokes with teammates before a game against the Cubs on May 4, 2022, at Wrigley Field. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)“Looks in good shape,” La Russa said. “He played enough down there (17 games), they say he’s ready to go. We’re different when he’s around.”Jiménez wasn’t reinstated Tuesday, but La Russa said “yeah” when asked if Jiménez would be playing soon.“I talked to (assistant general manager/player development) Chris Getz (on Tuesday), and he did enough in the minor leagues to play in the outfield,” La Russa said when asked how often Jiménez would play the outfield or DH. “You just go day to day. I don’t know how realistic it is to play him three straight days in the outfield. (Wednesday is) a day game, so he may be activated, might play, not sure. I’m worried about (Tuesday).“Bottom line is he’s a very important guy to us. So whatever it takes to get him right, he’s a high priority.”

The Chicago Bulls offered support to victims of the Highland Park shooting and called for change after a gunman killed seven people and wounded more than 30 others during a Fourth of July parade.The Bulls hold close ties to the Highland Park community. They practiced for more than 20 years in Deerfield, less than 10 minutes from the site of the shooting, and Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were among many Bulls players and coaches to live in Highland Park during their tenure with the team.Advertisement“Over the years, Highland Park has been home to many members of Bulls nation, including a number of Bulls players and staff,” a team statement read. “Our connection with the community is personal, and it holds a particularly special place in our hearts. We are grieving with the community and everyone affected, and we support them as we all mourn this tragedy.”News of the shooting broke near the end of Bulls practice at the Advocate Center on Monday, prompting summer league coach John Bryant to cut the training session short.AdvertisementBryant said the team spent the opening minutes of Tuesday’s practice reflecting on the tragedy.“It’s hard because it’s in your backyard,” Bryant said. “I told the team just to reflect on their lives. How fortunate we are to wake up today. How fortunate we are to come in and play a game and get paid and really to think about the people who didn’t get that opportunity.“I think that put in perspective because we play a game, we kind of lose sight of that as young people. We think we’re invincible. And it’s hard because real life happens all the time outside of our bubble of basketball.”In its statement the team called for increased action to combat gun violence. The Bulls previously partnered with other city teams to form the Chicago Sports Alliance, which directs grants to organizations such as the Chicago Crime Lab.“Gun violence inflicts pain on our friends, neighbors, families, businesses and communities,” the statement concluded. “This situation is one that we’ve been in too many times, saying what feels like the same words and expressing the same sentiments. The Chicago Bulls are committed to change and using the resources in our power to make a difference and help solve this epidemic of gun violence.”

BOSTON — Former NFL Pro Bowl wide receiver Demaryius Thomas is the latest in a growing list of football players diagnosed with CTE.His family said Tuesday that researchers found that Thomas, who died in December at age 33, suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver was dealing with depression, anxiety and other CTE symptoms at the time of his death.AdvertisementCTE, a degenerative brain disease which can only be diagnosed posthumously, has been found in more than 100 former NFL players as well as semi-pro and high school soccer players. Hall of Fame linebacker Junior Seau had CTE when he died in 2012 of a gunshot wound to the chest.Hall of Famers Ken Stabler, Frank Gifford and Mike Webster also were diagnosed with CTE.AdvertisementBoston University CTE Center researchers discovered that Thomas was at stage 2 following a brain study through the Concussion Legacy Foundation. Thomas’ family released the findings of the study.“Once I became aware of CTE and began to familiarize myself with the symptoms, I noticed that Demaryius was isolating himself and I saw other changes in him,” Katina Smith, Demaryius’ mother, said in a statement. “He was just so young, and it was horrible to see him struggle. His father and I hope all families learn the risks of playing football. We don’t want other parents to have to lose their children like we did.”Former NFL star Demaryius Thomas, who died last December at age 33, had CTE, his family said Tuesday. (Jack Dempsey/AP)Stage 2 CTE is associated with “progressive behavior, cognitive and mood abnormalities.” Family members say Thomas developed depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and trouble with his memory in the years before his death. Stage 4 is the most severe stage of CTE and is usually associated with dementia.“Like so many that have gone before, we found stage 2 CTE in the brain of Demaryius Thomas. The question I keep asking myself is ‘When will enough be enough?’ When will athletes, parents and the public at large stop ignoring the risks of American football and insist that the game be changed to reduce subconcussive hits?” said Dr. Ann McKee, chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System and director of the BU CTE Center and VA-BU-CLF/UNITE Brain Bank.CLF co-founder and CEO Dr. Chris Nowinski arranged the study through Thomas’ family.“The football community would have no idea why so many former players struggle with neurological disorders after their career without the families who say yes to brain donation, so I want to thank Bobby Thomas and Katina Smith — and all families — for their trust in Dr. McKee and this team,” said Nowinski, a former football player at Harvard. “I hope this is a wake-up call to high profile current and former NFL players that CTE is rampant among them, and they need to get involved in creating real solutions. CTE should be their number one off-the-field issue.”Thomas is one of more than 300 former NFL players who have been diagnosed with CTE by McKee and the BU CTE Center research team.Thomas’ cause of death has not yet been identified. In 2021, Thomas began experiencing seizures. McKee told ABC News she believes the seizures were due to severe traumatic injuries off the football field, including a car wreck and a fall on stone stairs.Advertisement“CTE itself does not cause death. You don’t die from CTE. What CTE does is it changes your behavior and your personality,” McKee said.Thomas played 10 seasons in the NFL for the Denver Broncos, New York Jets, and Houston Texans. He won a Super Bowl with the Broncos and Peyton Manning following the 2015 season.Thomas had 724 catches for 9,763 yards and 63 touchdowns.

Philadelphia Flyers goaltending prospect Ivan Fedotov, who reportedly was picked up by law enforcement in Russia last week ahead of a planned move to the U.S., is now at a remote military base in northern Russia, his agent said Tuesday.The agent, J.P. Barry, spoke with The Associated Press amid speculation about Fedotov’s well-being. The situation raised fresh concerns over whether Russian players will be willing or able to join NHL teams that draft them this week as the war in Ukraine continues.AdvertisementThe 25-year-old Fedotov is considered one the top goaltenders in the world outside the NHL, and the Flyers expected him to compete for a spot on their roster next season. He won a silver medal as the Russians’ starting goalie at the Beijing Olympics in February and led CSKA Moscow to the Gagarin Cup as KHL champion.He was a seventh-round pick by the Flyers in 2015 but has played in Russia since, with CSKA retaining his rights. The NHL and KHL do not have a transfer agreement for players, and Fedotov was eligible to sign with the Flyers in May only because he did not have an existing contract in Russia for next season.AdvertisementCSKA, whose name translates to “Central Sports Club of the Army,” was founded as the Soviet army’s hockey team in 1946 and still has traditional ties to the military.The first sign something had gone wrong for Fedotov came Friday. Russian media said he was picked up by law enforcement outside a hockey rink in his home city of St. Petersburg, where he had been filming a documentary with a TV crew, and was taken to a military enlistment center. Local news site Fontanka reported he was suspected of evading compulsory military service required of Russian men.Alexei Ponomaryov, a lawyer representing Fedotov, told Russian news agency RIA Novosti on Saturday that Fedotov had been taken to a military hospital with apparent stress-induced gastritis. Ponomaryov said he and Fedotov’s relatives had not been allowed to visit.Russian goalkeeper Ivan Fedotov during the Beijing Winter Olympics on Feb. 20. 2022. (Doug Mills/The New York Times)The Russian Defense Ministry hasn’t commented on Fedotov’s location. Russian newspaper Sport Express on Monday published what it said were photographs showing Fedotov at a military base in Severodvinsk, a naval city with shipyards on Russia’s north coast, though there have been conflicting reports about exactly where he is.“We have a draft in line with the law, so any emotional commentaries would be utterly inappropriate,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday when asked about Fedotov’s case. “There are certain reasons for deferments and various ways of undergoing military service for athletes.”Russia was aiming to conscript more than 130,000 men for a year of military service this spring. The law allows for 21-month alternative civil service in facilities such as hospitals for those who object to military service, but requests can often be ignored. In theory, Russian men can be conscripted between the ages of 18 and 27, though some never serve at all.Russians often seek to avoid or delay being drafted with medical or educational exemptions, and athletes are no different. Some arrange to be signed up with universities on years-long programs of distance learning while they continue their sports careers.The military also has special units for elite-level athletes who can keep competing while they serve. The defense ministry boasted of numerous athletes with military ranks competing at recent Olympics in sports ranging from judo to skiing.AdvertisementThe NHL and Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher have said the team is aware and investigating. As recently as last week, Fletcher said he expected Fedotov to compete for a spot on the roster next season.

About 3½ hours before the Chicago White Sox met the Minnesota Twins Monday to start the biggest series of the season, manager Tony La Russa’s pregame media session in the dugout competed with a singer practicing over the Guaranteed Rate Field sound system.La Russa began by discussing the mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park that killed six people and injured more than 30 others.AdvertisementThe singer began by belting out a slow version of the “The Star-Spangled Banner.”“At the twilight’s last gleaming,” she sang.Advertisement“Unfortunately it’s almost daily, way too frequently,” La Russa said of the pervasive gun violence in America.[ [Read more] Highland Park shooting: What to know ]“Whose broad stripes and bright stars…”“Did they find him?” La Russa asked reporters. “Did they catch him?”“Through the perilous fight…”“No,” a reporter told La Russa. The suspect was still at large at the time.“Even when there’s an explanation, there’s no explanation,” La Russa said. “It doesn’t make sense.”“O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming…”“Was there any talk of canceling the game,” La Russa was asked.Advertisement“And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air…”“There was a conversation with MLB,” La Russa said.“Gave proof through the night…”“And they decided that we would play. It was considered.”“That our flag was still there…”Did La Russa think the game should be played?Advertisement“O say does that star-spangled…”[ [Read more] Liam Hendriks calls out gun laws after Highland Park shootings. ‘The access to the weaponry … totally needs to change,’ Chicago White Sox closer says. ]The decision-makers were “very aware of the biggest picture,” La Russa replied. “If they say play. I think we should play.”“O’er the land of the free…”“I also know there are probably concerts going on tonight someplace,” La Russa said.“And the home of the brave.”“The whole city isn’t going to stop, so… But I know it was considered.”AdvertisementThe anthem ended. Back in the Sox dugout, the topic of conversation switched to the crucial, upcoming homestand against the first-place Twins and Detroit Tigers.There would be baseball because, well, I’m not really sure what went into the decision made by MLB and the White Sox. Perhaps it was because the Sox had already sold more than 30,000 tickets, and there were Paul Konerko bobbleheads that needed to be handed out. Maybe baseball decided fans needed a diversion after the horrifying news of the day.Either way, a nice crowd of 32,483 showed up despite the pregame rain. After a moment of silence for the victims of the Highland Park massacre, it was game on.The press box TVs were tuned into the game, but many of the reporters followed the news from Highland Park from their devices. The show must go on, and a job is a job. But when gun violence hits so close to home, it’s impossible to focus on the game below, no matter the stakes.As it turned out, it was one of those crazy, crazy nights the Eagles always sang about, and the game itself was fun to watch — albeit maddening — for most Sox fans.After the Sox tied the game at 2 in the seventh inning, the Twins pulled off an improbable 8-5 triple play in which center fielder Byron Buxton made a running grab and fired to third baseman Gio Urshela, who tagged Yoan Moncada and touched second base for the final two outs. Adam Engel and Moncada would be destined to see their blunders replayed the next 24 hours on ESPN’s “SportsCenter.”AdvertisementLa Russa’s jaw dropped in a meme-worthy moment caught by the NBC Sports Chicago cameras as he witnessed the outcome. It was a look almost all of us in the press box shared, not to mention thousands of disbelieving Sox fans who thought they had seen it all.“Never seen one like it,” La Russa would later say.Neither had anyone else. Researchers tweeted that it was the first triple play of its kind in baseball history. When old-timers say you can go to a baseball game and see something that never has been seen before, believe them.After the Sox ran themselves out of the inning in the most spectacular way imaginable, the Twins went on to score four runs in the 10th inning to secure a 6-3 win. La Russa would be asked to leave the premises by the home plate umpire after complaining about the strike zone for Joe Kelly, who imploded in an outing he described with an expletive.A section of fans briefly chanted “Fire Tony,” even as La Russa was not in the dugout to hear them. Many fans began to clear out after Kelly, who allowed four runs while retiring two hitters, was pulled by bench coach Miguel Cairo. When Tim Anderson struck out to end the game in the bottom of the 10th, the ballpark quickly emptied.The postgame fireworks show had already been canceled after the Highland Park tragedy. But across the Dan Ryan, departing fans could catch glimpses of smaller fireworks shows. The reporters went downstairs to conduct their postgame interviews, where La Russa, Kelly, Engel, Johnny Cueto and José Abreu gave their assessments on the game and the current state of the Sox.AdvertisementIt was just another day at the park. It was just another day in America.

This upcoming college football season can be a make-or-break year for several coaches who face tremendous pressure to succeed on the gridiron.Syracuse coach Dino Babers has a 29-43 record in six seasons with the Orange, including three straight losing seasons. (Karl B DeBlaker/AP)The Orange are coming off their fifth losing season under Babers in the last six years, posting a 29-43 record that includes 10-3 in 2018. That produced the program’s first bowl appearance since 2013. Athletics director John Wildhack threw his support behind Babers for the 2022 season after a flurry of assistant coaching changes, including firing offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert. To make matters worse, Syracuse faces one of the most demanding schedules in the country with games against Purdue, N.C. State, Clemson, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh and Wake Forest.It’s been a difficult offseason for Arizona State coach Herm Edwards, who has seen the Sun Devils face an investigation into recruiting violations by the NCAA. (L.E. Baskow/AP)AdvertisementPublic support for Edwards is quickly eroding after the program faced a challenging offseason that included an NCAA investigation into recruiting violations. There also has been a mass exodus of talent, with more than two dozen players entering the transfer portal led by quarterback Jayden Daniels, linebacker Eric Gentry, receiver Ricky Pearsall and defensive lineman Jermayne Lole. Edwards’ future is undoubtedly tied to that of AD Ray Anderson, who has been his staunchest supporter since arriving in Tempe.Nebraska coach Scott Frost is 15-29 since taking over the Cornhuskers in 2018, with 21 of those defeats coming by one score. (Rebecca S. Gratz/AP)AdvertisementMost people outside of Lincoln believe this to be a critical season for Frost, particularly after a disappointing 15-29 record in his four seasons with the Cornhuskers. While supporters will point to 21 one-score losses, there also is the recently wrapped up NCAA investigation that saddled Frost with a one-year show-cause penalty. After firing most of the offensive staff, Nebraska turns to former Pitt offensive coordinator Mark Whipple, who did wonders with quarterback Kenny Pickett last season. He’ll work with Texas transfer Casey Thompson, who replaces the departed Adrian Martinez.Despite a lot of anticipation with his hiring in 2019, Geoff Collins hasn’t won more than three games in each of the three seasons at Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets haven’t gone to a bowl game since 2018 under then-coach Paul Johnson. (John Bazemore/AP)AdvertisementThe Yellow Jackets have failed to win more than three games in the last three seasons, begging the question if this could be the beginning of the end for Collins. They finished with a top-45 recruiting class each season but haven’t broken through in the win column. To make matters worse, they’ve lost talented players in tailback Jahmyr Gibbs (Alabama) and defensive lineman Jared Ivey (Ole Miss) to the transfer portal. The schedule is brutal, with games against Clemson, Ole Miss, UCF and Pittsburgh in the first five weeks.Auburn coach Bryan Harsin guided the Tigers to 6-7 last season. An offseason investigation into alledged player mistreatment almost cost him his job. (Butch Dill/AP)AdvertisementFrom the start, Harsin never seemed a perfect fit. While the 45-year-old coach led Boise State to 69-19 in seven seasons, his connection to SEC football was almost nonexistent. The Tigers finished 6-7 last season, capped by a five-game losing streak at the end. Harsin survived an offseason investigation into allegations of player mistreatment that further strained his relationship with the fan base. The departures of several players, including quarterback Bo Nix, leaves Auburn searching for his replacement. Any move would be costly, with Harsin owed $15 million. That would be on top of the $27 million they’ve paid former coach Gus Malzahn as part of his buyout after the 2020 season.USF coach Jeff Scott has been tremendous in helping the school’s athletic department raise money for facilities upgrades, but the Bulls have beaten one Football Bowl Subdivision team in two seasons. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)AdvertisementThe Bulls have three wins — two against Football Championship Subdivision foes — during the past two seasons under Scott. Despite the rough start, USF athletics director Michael Kelly has been a staunch supporter of his football coach, even going as far as to say the “future is bright” with him in charge. But Kelly did acknowledge that tangible results need to be seen. Off the field, Scott has been instrumental in helping raise money for the new indoor football facility and the possible on-campus stadium. The Bulls welcome 21 new players, including a bevy of transfers, to a roster with 18 returning starters. The schedule is a challenge, particularly early on with games against N.C. State, Florida and BYU in the first month.Steve Sarkisian’s first season at Texas was one to forget with the Longhorns dropping six in a row. But the offseason has brought optimism with the commitment of the No. 1 high school player in quarterback Arch Manning. (Chuck Burton /AP)AdvertisementA disappointing finish to his first season — six losses in a row — had Longhorns faithful feeling uneasy. Talent has never been an issue, but its about what Sarkisian does with it. A 57-56 home loss to Kansas left fans bewildered. The roster underwent a makeover with quarterback Casey Thompson and receiver Marcus Washington leaving for Nebraska. Still, the staff added transfer receivers Agiye Hall (Alabama) and Isaiah Neyor (SMU) along with tight end Jahleel Billingsley (Alabama). With a top-five recruiting class for 2023 that includes a commitment from No. 1 prospect Arch Manning, expectations are sky-high in Austin.This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Matt Murschel at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @osmattmurschel.

On a night when the Minnesota Twins pulled off the first 8-5 triple play in major-league history and manager Tony La Russa earned his first ejection of the season, the Chicago White Sox fell 6-3 in 10 innings before a raucous crowd of 32,483 on the South Side.The Twins pulled 5½ games ahead of the third-place Sox in the first of seven crucial games before the All-Star break between the American League Central rivals.AdvertisementThe Twins scored four runs off Joe Kelly in the 10th, sending most of the crowd to the exits.“Our goal is to win,” Sox first baseman José Abreu said. “If we win, we’re going to be in a good spot. That’s our purpose. That’s what we try to accomplish every day. If we do that at the end of this stretch, we’ll be in a good position. If not, we’ll assess and see where we are after that.”AdvertisementThe Sox took a quick lead when Abreu homered off Dylan Bundy in the second. Johnny Cueto was in command until giving up a double to Luis Arraez and a two-run homer to Byron Buxton on back-to-back pitches in the fifth.After Abreu doubled against Griffin Jax leading off the seventh, Yoán Moncada’s single tied the game at 2-2, setting up one of the craziest triple plays you’ll ever see.[ [Don’t miss] Column: Could White Sox be sellers at the trade deadline? Next 2 weeks vs. AL Central foes may tell the tale. ]AJ Pollock lined a shot to deep center, which Buxton caught on the run near the wall. Both runners — Moncada and pinch runner Adam Engel — took off on the liner and had no chance of getting back to their bases. Buxton wheeled and threw to third baseman Gio Urshela, who tagged Moncada between second and third, then touched second to retire Engel for the 8-5 triple play.La Russa’s jaw literally dropped after watching the play unfold.“Never seen one like it,” he said. “Potential difference maker at that point. Yoán was really aggressive, which is not the worst thing you can do when you play this game. Judgment was wrong and costly.”White Sox third baseman Yoán Moncada is tagged out by Twins third baseman Gio Urshela for the second out of a triple play during the seventh inning Monday, July 4, 2022, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (Paul Beaty/AP)Engel said “everyone did the right thing but me” on the play.“I just made a bad read on it,” he said. “Obviously was watching (Buxton). He took his head off the ball to find the wall and when he looked toward the wall, I thought he was looking for the ball to get down and (I) made a bad play, made a mistake on it. And unfortunately cost us some runs right there most likely and probably would’ve gone on to win the game. It was tough. My mistake.”Engel absolved Moncada, saying he probably saw Engel take off early and just followed him.Advertisement“It was a big momentum shift in the game,” Engel said.It was the Twins’ first triple play since June 6, 2021, in Kansas City and the first triple play the Sox hit into since May 21, 2021, against the New York Yankees.La Russa employed closer Liam Hendriks, in his return from the injured list, in the eighth inning of a tie game. Hendriks struck out the side before Kendall Graveman pitched a scoreless ninth.“He was going to pitch once in the next two days,” La Russa said of using Hendriks early. “And we were all excited to get him out there in the eighth, gives you a great chance to win. It looked for a minute like there was going to be kind of a Hollywood ending. He was going to pitch and that was to me the time to use him. Get his inning in while we had a chance to win.”[ [Don’t miss] Liam Hendriks calls out gun laws after Highland Park shootings. ‘The access to the weaponry … totally needs to change,’ White Sox closer says. ]But there would be no Hollywood ending for the Sox, as Kelly imploded in the 10th.The Twins took the lead on Arraez’s hard single that went through Kelly, bringing home the ghost runner. La Russa was ejected for arguing a called ball, and though he was not in the dugout, the “Fire Tony” chant erupted after Kelly issued two walks to load the bases.AdvertisementJorge Polanco’s sacrifice fly made it 4-2 before Alex Kirilloff chased Kelly with a two-run single that broke the game open.“Ultimately it’s just pitching (bleep),” Kelly said. “I couldn’t locate pretty much any pitch.”The Twins are now 4-0 against the Sox and look like a team that doesn’t intend on letting them back into the race.“At any moment the coin can flip to our favor and we can start winning games against them,” Abreu said. “And that’s going to be our purpose (Tuesday), try to do our best and win our best and who knows? Maybe that will start a stretch of winning games against them.”

MILWAUKEE — Seiya Suzuki sprinted around the bases at American Family Field.He planned to keep running until told otherwise.AdvertisementChicago Cubs third base coach Willie Harris did not hesitate, emphatically waving him home. Suzuki dodged the Milwaukee Brewers’ relay throw and tag attempt by catcher Victor Caratini as his hand swiped the plate while eluding Caratini’s mitt. The inside-the-park home run in the ninth inning Monday marked a thrilling return to the lineup for Suzuki, who was activated from the injured list before the 5-2, 10-inning loss to the Brewers.AdvertisementSuzuki had not played since suffering a sprained left ring finger May 26. So as he sprinted during the ninth, he had one thought.[ [Don’t miss] Column: Red Sox rookie’s 1-star review of Wrigley Field hits a nerve with the Cubs ]“Stop me,” Suzuki joked through interpreter Toy Matsushita. “My legs were getting pretty tired. I was getting ready for somebody to say, ‘Stop.’”The Cubs, however, wasted Suzuki’s hustle. They were on the verge of pulling out a late victory thanks to the go-ahead inside-the-park homer with one out in the ninth.Ahead 2-0 in the count against tough Brewers lefty Josh Hader, Suzuki sliced a 95 mph fastball off the left-center-field wall. The ball rocketed past center fielder Jonathan Davis, allowing Suzuki to scamper around the bases and put the Cubs ahead 2-1.Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki slides safely home with an inside-the-park home run during the ninth inning against the Brewers on Monday, July 4, 2022, in Milwaukee. (Morry Gash/AP)Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.It’s one of the most exciting and rarest offensive plays in baseball: Suzuki’s inside-the-park homer marked the Cubs’ first since Javier Báez on Aug. 7, 2017, and only their eighth since 2000. It was also only the second game in 28 appearances this season that Hader has given up a home run. The other two homers off Hader came in the same June 7 game.But Cubs reliever David Robertson couldn’t lock down the bottom of the ninth. He struck out three but was hurt by two hits, a hit by pitch and a four-pitch, bases-loaded walk to Christian Yelich to bring home the tying run. Robertson struck out Wily Adames to force extra innings, but the Cubs failed to take advantage of loading the bases in the 10th. Willson Contreras and Ian Happ struck out to strand the runners. Contreras came out of the game after his at-bat because of left hamstring tightness.[ [Don’t miss] Which Cubs players are likely to get traded? Here’s where things stand with the deadline 1 month away. ]Former Cubs catcher Caratini ended the game with a three-run homer against right-hander Scott Effross.AdvertisementLeft-hander Justin Steele delivered a standout performance that saw him tire near the end of his career-high 108 pitches. He held the Brewers hitless through four innings. They finally tallied a hit on Luis Urias’ well-placed grounder down the first-base line to lead off the fifth.Steele was one strike from finishing the seventh when the Brewers scored their lone run against him on Pedro Severino’s double that knotted the game at 1. Two walks by Steele sandwiched the tying hit.

It was back on June 7 that Chicago White Sox general manager Rick Hahn first was asked about the possibility of a summer sell-off.“I really hope I don’t have to sit here in six weeks and eat these words,” he said. “But I don’t foresee us being in sell mode come the (trade) deadline, even with the (poor) run differential.”AdvertisementA couple of weeks remain before that deadline, but it appears as though the upcoming stretch of games against American League Central rivals will decide whether Hahn needs to make a tough call on the team’s direction.Monday’s opener of a three-game series against the division-leading Minnesota Twins kicked off the 15-game, eat-or-not-eat stretch, bringing a renewed sense of urgency to the clubhouse.Advertisement“The approach is the same,” manager Tony La Russa said before the game. “We’ve known we’re going to finish the last two weeks (before the All-Star break) in our division, seven games against the first-place team, so we’re excited.“It’s as close as we’ve been as a unit being competitive. It’s the most fun you can have. And they’re good.”The Twins are indeed good but far from great.They came into the series with a 45-37 record, 4½ games ahead of the third-place Sox. But they were 18-21 since May 25, failing to take advantage of the Sox’s mediocrity and put some space between them and their most serious rival.Still, the Twins swept the Sox in three games in Minnesota in mid-April and can separate themselves by the All-Star break if they continue to have Team La Russa’s number.And if that happens, Hahn might have to rethink this season and dump some unproductive salaries or soon-to-be free agents and try to regroup for 2023.[ [Don’t miss] Liam Hendriks calls out gun laws after Highland Park shootings. ‘The access to the weaponry … totally needs to change,’ White Sox closer says. ]“I’m not a GM,” closer Liam Hendriks said Monday. “I can’t speculate on what their plans are. But if we go through a tough stretch in these next couple weeks and we’re looking at the possibility of (being) 10 games back in the division, and that’s also out of the wild card …“There’s a lot of different things that come into it. Obviously we’re not thinking along those lines yet just due to the fact we know we’re in that stage now where this is the make-or-break stage. These (are) the make-or-break games coming through the system now.Advertisement“We’ve got what? The Twins, Detroit, Cleveland (and) Twins the rest of the time before the All-Star break? This is a real crunch time for us to make sure we have everything firing and (see) if we can claw our way back. Because if don’t and we struggle a little bit in these next couple of weeks, all of a sudden that kind of division lead looks insurmountable to get back (from).“We don’t doubt that we can, but it makes it a lot harder and we have to rely on other teams to take care of them as well. And that’s something we don’t want to do.”The Sox haven’t been in sell mode for quite a while, and it’s unclear which players would be dangled if they fall off the cliff before the Aug. 2 trade deadline.Pitchers Johnny Cueto, who started Monday, and Vince Velasquez are free agents after the season. But neither would bring back much in return and would be mostly salary dumps.First baseman José Abreu also is eligible for free agency in November, but the Sox would be reluctant to part with a mainstay of the organization who once said: “If the White Sox don’t sign me, I’ll sign myself.” Abreu is likely here until he retires.Catcher Yasmani Grandal is owed $18.25 million in 2023 and could be expendable if the Sox are out of contention and some team is willing to gamble he’s healthy. Pitcher Lucas Giolito won’t be a free agent until after 2023, but if the Sox don’t think they can re-sign him, they could begin shopping him around to see his value.Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] ‘We came to play this series’: Behind a dominant Lucas Giolito, the White Sox sweep the Giants ]It’s not a scenario Hahn wants to contemplate. And if the Sox start winning, he won’t need to.But they need to show some urgency if they hope to stop the speculation before it begins. Outfielder Adam Engel, who returned from the injured list Monday along with Hendriks, insisted “urgency” is a “buzzword” created by those outside the clubhouse.“This team is going to be a really, really good, scary team when we’re all there,” he said. “That’s what we’re all excited for, and to say that we’re more urgent than we were prior (to now), I don’t think would be the right phrasing for it.”Maybe, but it’s not scary yet. And Engel might not know much about Sox history. This is the organization that invented the term “White Flag Trade” in 1997 when Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf gave up on the season at the trade deadline despite the Sox trailing Cleveland by only 3½ games.It was Reinsdorf’s call to hire La Russa, and he’ll be the one deciding whether it’s worth the money to become a buyer at the trade deadline for a team that has yet to prove it can win consistently, in spite of its talent.Will Hahn have to eat his words? And are they empty calories?AdvertisementIt’s going to be an interesting two weeks for everyone involved.