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TORONTO — Rory McIlroy won the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday and gave the PGA Tour a strong response to the start of the Saudi-funded LIV Golf Invitational, closing with an 8-under 62 to win a wild race to the finish with Justin Thomas and Tony Finau.McIlroy had his first title defense on the PGA Tour, even if he had to wait for it. He won golf’s fourth-oldest national open in 2019 at Hamilton Golf & Country Club, only for the the COVID-19 pandemic to cancel the next two editions.AdvertisementThomas pushed him to the end at St. George’s Golf & Country Club, and the tournament effectively ended on the 17th hole. McIlroy and Thomas were tied and in the rough. McIlroy hit a wedge that rolled out to tap-in range, while Thomas missed a 10-foot par putt, a two-shot swing. Thomas closed with a pair of bogeys and still shot 64.McIlroy finished at 19-under 261 for a two-stroke victory.Advertisement“I feel like it’s getting tougher and tougher to win on the PGA Tour,” McIlroy said. “Just look at the two guys that I played with today. I went out with a lead and had to shoot 8-under par to get the job done. So the depth of talent on this tour is really, really impressive. And going up against guys like J.T. and Tony and coming out on top, that’s something to feel really good about.”Finau holed a 40-foot birdie putt on the 18th for a 64 to finish second alone.Rory McIlroy hoists the trophy after winning the Canadian Open in Toronto on June 12, 2022. (Frank Gunn/AP)“Rory played great,” Finau said. “He closed it out and hat’s off to him on a week like this. That’s fantastic playing on the weekend. I played great, he just played a couple shots better.”Thomas was third at 14 under. Justin Rose matched the tournament- and course-record with a 60 — with three eagles and three bogeys — to tie for fourth with Sam Burns (65) at 14 under.A week before the U.S. Open, the Canadian crowd was enormous having been kept away since 2019, and thousands surrounded the 18th green as the threesome of McIlroy, Thomas and Finau finished.“It was really cool to be a part of and just really happy to get the win today and obviously sets me up well going into next week in Boston,” McIlroy said. “But right now I just want to enjoy this and focus on this.”McIlroy has been one of the strongest opponents of the LIV Golf series and spoke out against the money being paid to players like Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson. Greg Norman, who runs the LIV Golf, said in a story in the Washington Post that McIlroy had been “brainwashed” by the PGA Tour.McIlroy won for the second time this season, adding to his October win in Las Vegas in the CJ Cup. He won for the 21st time on the PGA Tour.Advertisement“This is a day I’ll remember for a long, long time,” McIlroy said soon after the victory. “Twenty-one PGA Tour wins, one more than somebody else.”It was a dig at Norman, who had 20 career tour wins.McIlory repeated the jab later in the his main interview session when his victory total and accomplishments were noted in his introduction, saying: “And one more than Norman.”“I had extra motivation of what’s going on across the pond,” McIlroy said. “The guy that’s spearheading that tour has 20 wins on the PGA Tour and I was tied with him and I wanted to get one ahead of him. And I did. So, that was really cool for me, just a little sense of pride on that one.”Rose was 11 under with three holes to play. He bogeyed the 16th, hit to 2 feet on 17 for birdie, then went over the green on 18 and missed an 18-foot par putt. Carl Pettersson also shot 60 at St. George’s in his 2010 victory.“I’m totally disappointed, because you know what’s at stake, for sure,” Rose said. “I never shot 59 before, so it would have been a lovely footnote on the week.”AdvertisementHe regretted hitting an 8-iron instead of a 9-iron on 18 with 159 yards to the pin..“I don’t know how much was in my control or not, but we were right in between two clubs and I went the wrong way on a decision and paid the price for it,” he said.Corey Conners was the top Canadian, shooting a 62 to finish sixth at 12 under.“Felt like the last few days I played really solidly,” Conners said. “Just last few weeks even, just hadn’t maximized the game, hadn’t got as much out of the game as I wanted. Definitely, nice to have low round today. Played really well. Definitely, felt it coming.”

Years after retiring from the Yankees, Derek Jeter wanted to take a big swing.The Hall of Fame shortstop explained why he decided to reflect on his famously private MLB career through a new ESPN documentary series, “The Captain,” after the first episode premiered Sunday night at the Tribeca Festival.Advertisement“It started right around the Hall of Fame,” Jeter, who is in the baseball hall’s 2020 class, said onstage during a talk at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center.“I thought, ‘I want to capture this. I want to capture it so I can have it in the future, share it with my girls when they get older, because they probably won’t believe most of my career,’” the father of three daughters continued. “It just turned into a bigger project.”AdvertisementDirected by Randy Wilkins, the seven-part documentary explores Jeter’s 20 seasons with the Yankees and the challenges he faced along the way.The first episode showcases Jeter’s youth, the day he was drafted by the Yankees in 1992, and how he overcame his early struggles in the minor leagues to make it to the majors.Jeter, who became the Yankees’ team captain in 2003, says he sat down for about 30 hours of interviews for the documentary, allowing him to look back on his career in ways he previously hadn’t.“One thing that I’ve always had a real tough time during my career [was] I never had a chance to reflect on anything I’ve done, because it’s always, ‘What’s next?’ It could be a character flaw, but I think it’s probably the reason why I’m here,” Jeter, 47, said.The first episode also covers Jeter’s experience growing up in a biracial family in Kalamazoo, Mich.“I’m a little biased, but I think I have the best parents in the world,” Jeter, dressed in a tan suit for Sunday’s talk, said. “They’re here today. My sister as well. We were very close growing up, and we were close because we went through some things. You grow closer any time you have to deal with some adversity, but family is what shapes who you are as a person.”[ SEE IT: Taylor Swift discusses film she directed, gives surprise performance at Tribeca Festival ]Oscar-winning filmmaker Spike Lee, who executive produced the series, said at Sunday’s event that Jeter originally asked him to direct the series, but he was already working on another project. Lee recommended his longtime collaborator Wilkins, whom he’d taught at the NYU graduate film school.Wilkins conducted 90 interviews for “The Captain,” including with Jeter’s family and former teammates such as Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, Bernie Williams and Alex Rodriguez.Advertisement“I feel proud that Derek opened up to me, that he was vulnerable with me, that he was vulnerable with the world,” Wilkins said at Sunday’s event.Jeter won five championships with the Yankees, including in 2000 when he was the World Series MVP. His 3,465 hits are the most in team history, and the sixth most ever in the MLB. His No. 2 was retired by the team in 2017.Jeter’s former manager Joe Torre and longtime teammate CC Sabathia were among the audience members at Sunday’s event, where many Yankees fans wearing Jeter T-shirts or pinstriped No. 2 jerseys also packed the auditorium.The crowd even broke into a “DER-EK JET-ER” chant after he took the stage.Jeter became the CEO of the Miami Marlins in 2017 and had an ownership stake in the team until parting ways with the organization in February. He said there have been “very few days” he had to root against the Yankees in his life, mentioning that the Marlins clinched a playoff spot in 2020 at Yankee Stadium.“I’ve never outwardly rooted against the New York Yankees,” Jeter said. “And I’m happy to know I’ll never have to root against them again.”Advertisement“The Captain” is ESPN’s latest documentary series covering a big-name athlete, with others including 2020′s Michael Jordan-focused “The Last Dance,” and “The Man in the Arena” about Tom Brady, which premiered last year.The first episode of “The Captain” premieres July 18 on ESPN and the ESPN+ streaming service, with subsequent installments set to release every Thursday.

NEW YORK — Manager David Ross needed few words to describe the state of the Chicago Cubs rotation.“Short would be a good word,” Ross said Sunday after the Cubs’ 18-4 loss to the New York Yankees.AdvertisementBesieged by injuries to veteran starters, there are opportunities for others to step up in their absence. Over the weekend, left-hander Wade Miley (left shoulder strain) and right-hander Marcus Stroman (right shoulder inflammation) joined left-hander Drew Smyly (right oblique strain) on the 15-day injured list. Those two moves came while right-hander Kyle Hendricks, slated to start Tuesday, is coming back from a dead arm/fatigue and hasn’t started since June 1.Those injuries and uncertain timelines to return mean chances for pitchers such as Matt Swarmer and Keegan Thompson to show they deserve a short-term spot in the rotation and long-term considerations as big-league starters. AdvertisementBut don’t expect their respective starts against the Yankees to be part of their highlight reels. After posting consecutive starts of six innings and one earned run, Swarmer got tagged for six home runs, all solo shots, Saturday to become the first Cubs pitcher to give up that many homers in a game since 1901.Chicago Cubs pitcher Keegan Thompson delivers against the New York Yankees in the first inning, June 12, 2022, in New York. (Mary Altaffer/AP)Meanwhile, Thompson couldn’t get out of the first inning for the shortest start of his young big-league career. He gave up five runs (three earned) and walked three. Thompson’s ⅔ innings Sunday represents the shortest start by a Cubs pitcher since Jaime Garcia lasted ⅓ innings on Sept. 8, 2018, at Washington.“We can’t be putting guys on base,” Ross said after the loss. “A high-run scoring environment here. Their lineup does a lot of damage. We’ve got to stay away from free passes.”For only the eighth time in franchise history, the Cubs have recorded multiple games with 18 or more runs allowed in a season. They also did it three times in 1975 and twice in 2010, 1999, 1977, 1974, 1957 and 1922. The Cubs surrendered 18 runs Sunday at the Yankees and 20 runs May 26 at the Cincinnati Reds.For Swarmer and Thompson, getting beat up by the best team in baseball is a good time to toss out those starts and refocus on getting locked in. The Cubs will learn how well they can bounce back after rough starts. Thompson’s recent performance is slightly more concerning after his struggles Tuesday in Baltimore (seven runs in three innings). However, the Cubs need to figure out what they have internally among their starting pitchers. Figuring out whether Thompson ultimately is a better fit in the rotation or bullpen is part of the process in this rebuilding season. And the Cubs need more consistency from left-hander Justin Steele, who makes his next start Monday at Wrigley Field.“It’s all about getting opportunities and unfortunately things happen at this level — guys get hurt and guys have to come in and get their opportunity and make the most of it,” Ross said. “That’s how you become a big leaguer.”AdvertisementChicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.The Cubs, who have lost five straight, are in a stretch of 17 consecutive games. They don’t have another scheduled off day until June 27. The soonest Stroman can return is June 22 while Miley is eligible June 26. However, their timeline remains unclear, and Miley is expected to undergo further testing Monday. Expecting either pitcher to came back as soon as he’s allowed seems unrealistic.Alec Mills is an option for spot starts in their absence, but Ross used him twice over the weekend, including 46 pitches in 3⅓ innings Sunday, and likely won’t be ready for Wednesday when the Cubs need a starter. Rookie right-hander Caleb Kilian, currently at Triple-A Iowa, will likely be called up to make at least one start sometime in the next two weeks. Since he was optioned, Kilian must stay in the minors at least 15 days, barring a big-league IL move that allows an earlier recall. It puts the Cubs’ next road trip in play for Kilian.The Cubs bullpen generally has pitched well, but the rotation could quickly get stressed by the three injuries and ineffective starts. It’s unclear how much of an abnormal, uncertain offseason because of the 99-day lockout is impacting starting pitchers’ health.“These are the kind of things we think about all day long, like, is it random?” team President Jed Hoyer said Saturday. “Are we doing something wrong? Is it because of the short spring training? I think those are all good questions.“We have to figure it out. Some are random like Seiya (Suzuki’s), but whether it’s Smyly with soft tissue or Miley’s shoulder, we need to get to the bottom of that.”AdvertisementIn the meantime, the Cubs have to get through it with who they have inside the organization.

You’ve got to have thick skin to be a major-league manager, and no one alive has managed more major-league games than Tony La Russa.But being booed by your own fans has to sting a little, even for someone as grizzled as La Russa.AdvertisementSo I asked the Chicago White Sox manager before Sunday’s 8-6 loss to the Texas Rangers in 12 innings whether the booing had any effect on him.“Didn’t you ask me about that yesterday?” he replied.AdvertisementThat was more a question about “the chanting,” I said, referring to the “Fire Tony” chants during the 10th inning of an 11-9 loss Saturday to the Rangers.This was a brand new day and a brand new question, albeit the same subject matter — fans’ discontent with the White Sox manager.“Well, same difference,” he said. “So I’ll say what I said (Saturday). I’m glad the fans are here. Whatever their honest feeling is, have at it. I’ve managed a long time. There have been times where people have not been pleased with the job I do, so, just do your best.”White Sox manager Tony La Russa looks out from the dugout before the start of a game against the Rangers at Guaranteed Rate Field on June 10, 2022. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)So you just have to have tough skin?“I’m not going to get into that,” he said. “My tough skin is our team against their team and getting beat and seeing the disappointment, not just in the fans but in our players that worked hard to get that win. And they’ve worked hard to stay close to .500, and now we’re still taking hits (with injuries).“I can’t have more admiration and more respect for guys in this uniform. I felt worse for them.”The “manager watch” has been a staple of baseball writing for well over a century. I’ve had to cover quite a few of them during my Tribune career, including hot seat updates on Sox managers Gene Lamont, Terry Bevington, Jerry Manuel, Robin Ventura and Rick Renteria, and Cubs managers Jim Riggleman, Dusty Baker, Mike Quade, Dale Sveum and Joe Maddon.It’s uncomfortable for everyone involved, especially when you’re 99% sure the manager is a goner, as Baker, Ventura, Quade and Maddon all seemed during their final seasons in Chicago. Most of the managers on the proverbial hot seat handled the situation well, keeping it professional with media members. La Russa is no different.Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] ‘Trust your gut, you don’t cover your butt’: Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa defends his controversial decision ]But this is the first manager watch I’ve experienced where everyone knows the manager won’t be fired, no matter how much the team struggles or the fan base vents. That’s what makes La Russa an outlier among major-league managers, who know they’re hired to be fired. Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf can’t fire a Hall of Famer twice, right?La Russa believes Sox fans will respond with more positivity when the team starts winning consistently.“If we take care of everything down there, in the end the results will be (good) and the fans will be pleased,” he said. “Because I know they like this club.”🧵 It’s been a bad few days for White Sox manager Tony La Russa.And during yesterday’s 11-9 loss in extras, “Fire Tony” chants rang out at Guaranteed Rate Field.https://t.co/FmEYYbglMK— Chicago Tribune Sports (@ChicagoSports) June 12, 2022

Then a right knee injury to Michael Kopech 13 pitches into Sunday’s game forced his removal and gave the Sox another obstacle to overcome to climb back to .500. The schedule may get easier, but the body blows are mounting.The Sox hope the renewed focus on La Russa, which began Thursday with the intentional walk to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Trea Turner on a 1-2 count, will blow over by the time the team returns from its six-game trip to Detroit and Houston. If not, fan discontent will undoubtedly grow stronger as the season goes on.And that’s something reporters can’t ignore, even if it means asking uncomfortable questions.Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] Column: A.J. Pierzynski as the next Chicago White Sox manager? He definitely would listen. ]Not everyone gets to write his or her own happy ending. La Russa no doubt expected to do just that when he signed on in 2020, nine seasons removed from sitting in the dugout in St. Louis. Bulls great Michael Jordan ended his career with the Washington Wizards instead of finishing it with “The Shot” in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals.You risk putting a dent in your legacy by attempting a comeback after a stellar career ends. La Russa was well aware of the pitfalls but made the jump anyway with a team built to win now.It still might work out, but every week the prospects look grimmer.White Sox manager Tony La Russa walks out of the dugout before a game against the Rangers at Guaranteed Rate Field on June 10, 2022. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)At least La Russa got through an entire first season and two months into his second year before being booed by disgruntled Sox fans. It always has been a tough crowd, as history suggests. Sox fans unleashed on La Russa on opening day in 1986 at old Comiskey Park before the first game even began.“The home fans booed their own manager, their starting pitcher and one of their relief pitchers during introductions,” Tribune reporter Phil Hersh wrote that day. “After a prolonged snooze, they booed the final out of a 5-3 White Sox loss to Milwaukee.”The starting pitcher for the Sox was Tom Seaver, another eventual Hall of Famer. At least La Russa was in good company.AdvertisementAnd if it’s any consolation, La Russa also was booed many times during the 1983 season before the Sox took off and cruised to the American League West title.[ [Don’t miss] ‘I’ve been working’: How Yoán Moncada is searching for consistency at the plate for the Chicago White Sox ]“You got to admire the way he stood up to all that pressure,” catcher Marc Hill told the Tribune’s Bob Verdi the day the Sox’s magic number to clinch in 1983 was reduced to one. “The owner criticizing him, the press, the guys on radio, the fans booing him. But he never cracked. Never. If he cracks, maybe we cracked too. But he just kept on being himself. If he was in trouble, he never acted it.”La Russa said that day he had his law degree to fall back on if he had been fired by the Sox, adding he wasn’t concerned about being “second guessed in the newspaper” or “booed when you go out to the mound.”“All I can hope for is that some day I’ll earn the benefit of the doubt,” he said. “That when I go out to change pitchers, maybe the people will say, ‘Well, maybe he knows what he’s doing.’ Do you have to be 16 games up or win your division before you get that? I don’t know.”La Russa went on to become the second-winningest manager in baseball history behind Connie Mack. Yet he’s still subject to booing, like every other manager and player in the game.That’s the beauty of baseball.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Freshman Jack Findlay threw five shutout innings in relief and back-to-back home runs by catcher David LaManna and Jack Brannigan in the seventh sparked Notre Dame to a stunning 7-3 victory over No. 1 overall seed Tennessee in the championship game of the Knoxville Super Regional on Sunday.Notre Dame (40-15) will be making just its third College World Series appearance. The Fighting Irish’s other trips came in 1957 and 2002.AdvertisementFindlay (6-2) worked out of a jam after entering the game in the bottom of the fifth inning with nobody out, a run in and a runner on second, trailing 3-1. Findlay held the Volunteers in check from there, allowing a single and two walks, while striking out four. He ended the game with a double play.Findlay’s efforts on the mound gave Notre Dame the opportunity to rally.AdvertisementCarter Putz doubled off Volunteers starter Chase Burns (8-2) with one out in the top of the seventh and scored on LaManna’s two-out shot to right field to tie the game at 3-3. Brannigan followed with a go-ahead shot to left-center on a 1-2 pitch.Findlay retired the side in order and Notre Dame added three big insurance runs in the eighth.Notre Dame’s Jack Brannigan waves to fans as teammates celebrate behind him after defeating Tennessee in an NCAA college baseball super regional game on June 12, 2022. (Randy Sartin/AP)Notre Dame players celebrate after defeating Tennessee in an NCAA college baseball super regional game on June 12, 2022. (Randy Sartin/AP)Camden Sewell hit Brooks Coetzee with a pitch to open the inning. Spencer Myers’ sacrifice bunt moved Coetzee to second. Ryan Cole reached first and Coetzee held on a throwing error by Vols third baseman Trey Lipscomb. Kirby Connell replaced Sewell and the runners advanced on a sac bunt by Jared Miller. Putz hit the first pitch he saw for a two-run double and Jack Zyska singled in Putz to cap the scoring. All three runs were unearned.Luc Lipcius homered in the first to give the Vols a 1-0 lead. LeManna tied it with a RBI ground out in the second. Seth Stephenson’s RBI single in the bottom of the inning and a run-scoring double in the fifth put Tennessee up 3-1.Notre Dame head coach Link Jarrett touted Tennessee as ‘the best No. 1 team in any college sport this year’ entering the super regional. Instead, for the first time in 20 years, it’s the Irish who will be playing in the CWS.Tennessee (57-9) was trying for its second straight berth in the CWS and sixth overall. Notre Dame beat the Volunteers 8-6 on Friday. Tennessee won the second game 12-4. The Volunteers led the nation in home runs and earned-run average entering super regional play. Tennessee entered the game 49-0 when leading after six innings.

NEW YORK — Courtney Vandersloot hit a 3-pointer from the wing with 0.9 seconds left to help the Chicago Sky overcome Sabrina Ionescu’s second career triple-double and beat the New York Liberty 88-86 on Sunday.Ionescu tied the WNBA record for triple doubles when she finished with 27 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, accomplishing the feat by the end of the third quarter — the fastest in league history. It wasn’t enough for New York (5-9), which had won four of its past five games.AdvertisementTrailing 86-85, Vandersloot took a pass from Emma Meesseman on the wing and made the 3. New York had one last chance, but couldn’t get a good shot off.Vandersloot finished with 20 points, 10 assists and six rebounds for the Sky (9-4), who have won five of six.AdvertisementBefore Vandersloot’s 3-pointer, Chicago missed five shots in the final 25 seconds, but kept getting chances.Ionescu did all she could to get New York the win. She had 13 of her points in the fourth quarter and joined Candace Parker, Vandersloot and Sheryl Swoopes as the only players to have two triple-doubles in their WNBA careers. Parker had her second one earlier this season.New York led 82-77 with 2:54 left after a deep 3-pointer by Ionescu. Chicago then scored eight of the next 10 points to take an 85-84 lead on Meesseman’s reverse layup with 48.5 seconds left.Ionescu then hit two free throws 14 seconds later to restore a one-point lead for New York.Meesseman had 20 points and 11 rebounds.New York led 45-44 at the half as Ionescu had nine points, eight assists and six rebounds. Meesseman scored 10 points for Chicago.Liberty guard Marine Johannes drove the lane and threw a behind-the-back pass to Stefanie Dolson who made a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 32 seconds left in the half.Sunday’s game also featured a matchup of Chinese basketball players Han Xu and Li Yueru. There was a handful of Chinese media in attendance for the game.AdvertisementHan has had a better WNBA season, averaging 10.7 points and 5.0 rebounds. She had 10 points on Sunday. Li had 2.The two played together on the country’s Olympic team in Tokyo. Li averaged 14.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and shot 78.6% from the field at the Tokyo Games. Han averaged 9.5 points.Chicago: hosts Atlanta on Friday.New York: hosts Washington on Thursday.

Joe Kelly threw a little more than 20 pitches during a simulated game Sunday at Guaranteed Rate Field.“It’s the best I’ve probably thrown at 10:30 in the morning, velocity-wise,” the Chicago White Sox reliever joked. “But everything else is good. Obviously not as crisp as I wanted it to be, but health-wise, it went great.”AdvertisementKelly has been on the injured list since May 26 with a strained left hamstring.[ [Don’t miss] Chicago White Sox starter Michael Kopech out after throwing 13 pitches in the 1st inning with right knee discomfort ]“My next step (is I) want to play as soon as I can,” Kelly said. “We’ll sit down and talk. If it has to be a hitter, Triple-A guy or a big-league guy, it’s all the same for me.”AdvertisementAsked if he’s ready to come back, Kelly said, “I think so.”“We’ll sit down and regroup and see where we’re at.” hWhite Sox relief pitcher Joe Kelly sits in the dugout after being pulled from the game in the 8th inning against the Yankees at Guaranteed Rate Field on May 12, 2022. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)The Sox did some shuffling to their bullpen Sunday, placing Aaron Bummer on the 15-day injured list with a left lat strain. It was one of five roster moves announced before the game against the Rangers.The Sox also optioned pitcher Davis Martin to Triple-A Charlotte, recalled pitcher Tanner Banks, selected the contract of catcher Seby Zavala from Charlotte and designated hitter/outfielder Yermín Mercedes for assignment.Bummer’s injured list stint is retroactive to Thursday. He is is 0-1 with a 3.06 ERA, 21 strikeouts, one save and nine holds in 20 games. He last pitched Tuesday.“He didn’t feel quite right and that’s why he got some extra rest,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “When they checked him, they found a little something in his lat which they really think it’s (knocks on wood) 15 days. Make sure he rests it and get some throwing in before he gets back.”Zavala is back with the Sox after catcher Yasmani Grandal left Saturday’s game with left hamstring tightness.“We are not putting (Grandal) on the DL because he showed up (Sunday) feeling pretty good,” La Russa said. “We are going to treat him the next couple of days and see how he feels. But I’m glad Seby is here. That protects us.”AdvertisementZavala slashed .183/.240/.376 with five homers and 15 RBIs in 37 games with the Sox last season. He has a .282/.396/.535 slash line with 12 doubles, eight home runs, 16 RBIs and 26 runs in 41 games with Charlotte this season.Mercedes slashed .230/.376/.425 with four homers and 13 RBIs in 25 games with the Knights. He made a splash with the Sox early last season, becoming the first player since at least 1900 to begin a season with eight consecutive hits. He was named the AL Rookie of the Month for April but cooled off and was optioned to Charlotte on July 2.

Chicago White Sox starter Michael Kopech hobbled after throwing a pitch and exited Sunday’s start against the Texas Rangers in the first inning with an apparent injury.The training staff checked on Kopech after he threw a strike to the third hitter of the game, Rangers’ Adolis García, making the count 3-2. Kopech threw 13 pitches.AdvertisementAfter a discussion, Kopech attempted to throw a warmup pitch, but quickly stopped. He spiked the ball behind the mound and left the game.Kopech has been one of the top pitchers on the White Sox as he returned to the rotation after spending most of last season as a reliever. He entered Sunday with a 2-2 record and a 1.94 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 10 starts.AdvertisementHis highlights this season include allowing one hit in seven shutout innings against the New York Yankees in Game 2 of a May 22 doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. In that game, Kopech retired the first 17 batters before Rob Brantly broke up the perfect game with a two-out double in the sixth.He allowed one hit while striking out eight and walking one in six innings in a 4-0 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field.Kopech was replaced Sunday by Reynaldo López.The Sox have been hit hard with injuries all season. Pitchers Lance Lynn (right knee surgery), Vince Velasquez (left groin strain) and Joe Kelly (left hamstring strain), shortstop Tim Anderson (right groin strain) and left fielder Eloy Jiménez (right hamstring tendon tear) are among those currently on the injured list. Lynn is slated to return Tuesday at Detroit.

The Chicago White Sox and Texas Rangers were tied in the eighth inning Friday.Jake Burger reached first with two outs on an infield hit.AdvertisementYoán Moncada followed with a sharp single to center.Up stepped Yasmani Grandal, who hit a ball over the outstretched glove of right fielder Steele Walker for a two-run double.AdvertisementThe hits sparked a five-run rally as the Sox beat the Rangers 8-3 at Guaranteed Rate Field.“It was a big comeback for us in the eighth,” Moncada said through an interpreter before Saturday’s game against the Rangers. “It definitely lifted our morale.“It always feels good when you’re able to get a hit. In that moment, it was a big one.”White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada signs autographs for fans before a game against the Guardians on May 10, 2022, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)Moncada is a key member of the Sox lineup, and he’s seeking consistency at the plate. Manager Tony La Russa saw Friday as a positive sign for Moncada and Grandal.“Can’t exaggerate how big it is to get them going,” La Russa said after the game. “That’s where it starts. Have some success, and they’re pros and they’ll build on it.”Grandal is slashing .185/.294/.237 with two homers and 15 RBIs in 50 games. He had two hits Saturday but left in the third inning with left hamstring tightness after a single to right field. He is being evaluated, the Sox said.Moncada is slashing .133/.179/.211 with two home runs and six RBIs in 24 games.“I’ve been working,” Moncada said. “The results haven’t been there. But I’ve been working. The only way to get out of this is to be patient and keep working.”AdvertisementHe went 0-for-5 in Saturday’s 11-9, 10-inning loss to the Rangers.Moncada began the season on the injured list with a right oblique strain and played his first game May 9.“I definitely wasn’t expecting to suffer what happened with my oblique,” Moncada said. “I was feeling good at the time (the end of spring training). Things happen and I’ve been just working very hard to get to my best physical condition, and I still know I need to keep working harder now.”He experienced quad discomfort, limiting his playing time in late May.“Trying to find your rhythm and keep your rhythm is very complicated,” Moncada said. “Because you’re trying to do your best but trying to be cautious with your effort. You don’t want the injury to get worse.”He returned to the lineup in early June. Moncada said Saturday he’s “feeling good.”Advertisement“No soreness or anything,” Moncada said. “Nothing is bothering me right now.”Burger has been the top option at third base when Moncada’s not in the lineup. Burger has shifted to designated hitter in recent games and has continued to be a productive player. He hit a two-run homer Saturday.“That’s the kind of challenge that’s good for us, right?” La Russa said before Saturday’s game of working both players into the mix. “Moncada’s got the talent to be a difference-maker. I think he’s going to be. I think he’s feeling good physically. There are ways to get Burger into the lineup. DH him is one way. But I hope we continue to have that problem. We’ll figure out the playing time.”The Sox have only two scheduled days off before the start of the All-Star break on July 18, so contributions will be needed across the board.“First and foremost, we just have to keep our focus on what we want to accomplish and win every single game every day,” Moncada said. “If we take care of that and have that mindset, we’ll be able to pass that stretch and hopefully play better baseball for the second half.“That’s the key for us. We don’t have to get a (break). Just try to play and win every day.”

NEW YORK — The Chicago Cubs’ path forward does not get any easier.That can broadly be applied to the direction of a rebuilding organization as team President Jed Hoyer tries to build another contender. But in the short term, this stretch of the Cubs’ schedule will test how they stack up against some of the best teams in baseball.AdvertisementThe Cubs have only two more off days between now and the All-Star break. And for a banged-up group that too often is losing close games, the next five weeks could be a grind. The Cubs are trying to avoid a series sweep Sunday after losing 8-0 to the New York Yankees on Saturday.Here are three thoughts on the team entering the series finale Sunday at Yankee Stadium.AdvertisementExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 35Seiya Suzuki celebrates in the Cubs dugout after hitting a three-run home run during the first inning of the game against the Brewers at Wrigley Field on April 10, 2022. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)The Cubs appeared close to getting Suzuki back in the lineup.Earlier in the week, manager David Ross declared Suzuki was in play to return for the Cubs’ weekend series against the New York Yankees. But Suzuki, who again took batting practice before the game, is still dealing with swelling in his strained left ring finger. His situation remains status quo.“We’ve got one day left in the weekend, if not I’ll eat my words,” Ross said Saturday. “He’s working really hard. And we’re working on getting him back. It’s just going really slowly. So, I was hoping for the weekend.”Suzuki’s type of finger injury essentially requires rest to get better. The Cubs’ understanding from doctors is that his finger does not need surgery to resolve the pain and swelling. That is good news at least. However, Hoyer said Saturday that “it’s going to take a while” for Suzuki to get back on the field.“Candidly, I’m OK with that because this year it’s really important for him to assimilate, to face big-league pitching and figure out what he needs to do going forward in his career,” Hoyer said. “And coming back and and sort of having this nagging injury and not really be able to do it well, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. He needs to come back when he can really compete at this level, and it’s hard to do that when you have a finger swelling up all the time.”[ [Don’t miss] Seiya Suzuki: Get to know the new Chicago Cubs outfielder ]It’s a discouraging development for Suzuki and the Cubs. He hasn’t played since May 26 in Cincinnati. The flukiness of the injury adds a level of frustration. An errant throw on a stolen base forced Suzuki to adjust his slide, and his hand awkwardly hit the second-base bag, jamming the finger.Hoyer said Suzuki has seen “a number of doctors,” including getting checked out while the team has been in New York. Hoyer planned to sit down with Suzuki before Saturday’s game to figure out the next steps.“He really wants to play and I think that’s part of the challenge that we’re dealing with,” Hoyer said. “I think he feel like he needs to be playing. Our sense is to try to be prudent about it, but I know we’re fighting a competitive guy. I do understand it’s quite frustrating, it’s a finger injury, right? That can be frustrating. You feel like it’s just a finger, but it matters.”AdvertisementAs the Cubs’ marquee offseason signing, Suzuki’s absence has been felt with the offense too often coming up short in close games. Although Suzuki was in an offensive rut before his injury, his presence in the lineup makes the Cubs better even though he isn’t in the same groove as when he was named National League Rookie of the Month for April.The Cubs don’t want the strained finger to linger through Suzuki’s rookie season. That could force Suzuki to be sidelined longer than anticipated.Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward (22) celebrates with his team after hitting a three-run, walk-off homer in the 10th inning against the Reds on Sept. 8, 2021, at Wrigley Field. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)The decision to designate outfielder Clint Frazier for assignment Friday elicited a strong reaction from Cubs fans on social media.A vocal portion of fans expressed frustration that the 27-year-old Frazier, whose remaining arbitration years gives a team control through 2024, should have been retained over veteran outfielder Jason Heyward. Those sentiments should, in theory, align with the Cubs’ big-picture vision as the organization has stressed the importance of weighing the future.“Of course, there’s room to second guess all these decisions, but I promise you it’s unbelievably complicated trying to get it figured out,” Hoyer said. “There’s definitely decisions that we have made or will make over the course the next month or so that people have every right to sort of second guess or question. And believe me, there’s not unanimity when we’re making these decisions. It is really, really challenging.”When it comes to Heyward, at some point his offensive inconsistency will become too much to ignore. Hoyer said Heyward “hasn’t performed this year or last year” to the level he has wanted. But Hoyer believes Heyward provides a lot of value fans don’t see, specifically mentioning how he mentors young players and his work ethic.Advertisement“I don’t think his struggles are different than any anyone else’s struggles in some ways,” Hoyer said. “So obviously, we made the decision we made regarding Clint and when it comes to Jason, we do see real value he provides on daily basis.”The Cubs continue to say the right things about Heyward and how he still positively affects the team. Injuries will help him stay on the roster. But at some point, Heyward’s behind-the-scenes impact might not be enough for the Cubs to overlook his other deficiencies, regardless of how much money he is still owed through 2023, the final year of his contract.The Cubs could have shifted outfielder Michael Hermosillo (left quad strain) to the 60-day IL to open the 40-man spot they needed Friday for Chris Martin’s return from the restricted list. Instead, the front office opted to DFA Frazier.“The roster part of this has been easily the most challenging I’ve ever experienced,” Hoyer said. “Trying to figure out our 40-man on a daily basis, trying to figure out the IL on a daily basis. My text threads are literally nothing but trying to figure this out.”The next tests of Heyward’s roster security could arrive when Suzuki and/or David Bote are ready to come off the IL.The Cubs don’t have a lot of choices to option out among their position players. Christopher Morel has been playing too well, serving as a spark plug at the top of the lineup while providing defensive versatility. P.J. Higgins is the only other position player with minor-league options remaining who realistically is an option unless they send out Nick Madrigal to try to get him going at Triple A. Otherwise, the Cubs would need to DFA someone.AdvertisementCubs third baseman Christopher Morel hits a double during the first inning against the Cardinals on June 2, 2022, at Wrigley Field. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)A standout 106 plate appearances into his big-league career is enough to think big about Morel’s potential.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.Morel doesn’t turn 23 until June 24 yet he has established himself as one of the Cubs’ most exciting players. After going 0-for-3 in Saturday’s 8-0 loss, Morel’s streak of reaching base safely ended at 22 games to begin his MLB career, which set a franchise record. His defensive work in center field and up the middle has provided a boost for Cubs pitchers while stabilizing the leadoff spot in the lineup over the last three weeks.Morel’s plate discipline has most surprised and impressed Hoyer.“We need as many good young players as we can possibly put together to really put together the kind of core that can go forward and win,” Hoyer said. “It’d be wonderful if he emerges and can be part of that.”Morel is an example of how player development and the rise of standout players don’t always come from an organization’s top-rated prospects. Morel reminds Hoyer of Willson Contreras and how he, too, wasn’t a heralded prospect to the point where the Cubs left Contreras unprotected for the Rule 5 draft before the 2015 season.There are no guarantees Morel will stay with the Cubs for the rest of the season, let alone beyond 2022. Kyle Schwarber, in 2017, and Ian Happ, in 2019, are examples of young players from the previous core that the Cubs sent to the minors when they struggled. For now, that’s not a concern with Morel. Their confidence and belief in him is evident by putting him at the top of the order every game.Advertisement“His tools play in the big leagues, for sure,” Hoyer said. “You see his arm, that’s the part that I think we always knew could play. It was the bat-to-ball skills and the plate discipline. And I don’t know if this is a different level of focus he has up in the big leagues, but certainly that stuff has been unbelievably impressive.“He’s having a massive impact on the team.”