D. Scott Fritchen KStateSports.com

Brian Anderson&nbsp;has coached an All-Big 12 Conference running back in each of his first six seasons as Kansas State running backs coach, including two of the four players in school history to record multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons in Deuce Vaughn and&nbsp;DJ Giddens.

In fact, a K-State running back has amassed at least 1,000 rushing yards in each of the past four seasons, the longest-such stretch at K-State since 2001 through 2004.

Anderson stepped into the Vanier Family Football Complex shortly before 11:00 a.m. on Thursday wearing a hat and beads of sweat after another training camp session finished up in the indoor practice facility — a practice without NFL-departed Giddens, who was taken by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2025 NFL Draft.

These running backs for 2025 are making the man work.

Never before has Anderson had a running back room with so much depth.

"I think this is the deepest room," Anderson said. "You have one through four, and maybe one through five, instead of just one and two, and maybe three. Obviously, one and two were really, really good over the years, but now you've got three and four, and a possible five that can come in and carry the load, too."

Is the prospect of relying upon multiple running backs almost…refreshing?

"That's the plan," Anderson said. "It's about what it's going to take to win the game. If it's multiple guys, it's multiple guys."&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 

K-State, a popular choice by outsiders as a favorite to reach the Big 12 Championship Game, features junior quarterback&nbsp;Avery Johnson, who is regarded as one of the finest signal-callers in the FBS, and first-year offensive coordinator&nbsp;Matt Wells, who was deemed by&nbsp;The Associated Press&nbsp;as "one of the game's top offensive minds."

K-State head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;in discussing the offense at a news conference Monday said that "one game, our tight ends are going to have a really good game, second game maybe it's the running backs, third game maybe it's wideouts," to illustrate the bevy of options this expected high-octane offensive attack might possess this fall.

Anderson notes: "It could be really dangerous."

This comes after K-State finished the 2024 season ranked No. 2 in the FBS with 6.08 yards per carry and 11th&nbsp;nationally with 215.5 rushing yards per game, while K-State also set school records with 6.57 offensive yards per play and 6.08 rushing yards per carry, and ranked fourth with 426.8 offensive yards per game, fifth with 5,549 total offensive yards, and sixth with 2,801 rushing yards. 

Some of those rushing yards came from running back&nbsp;Dylan Edwards, who went for a career-high 196 yards and two touchdowns, and caught two passes and another touchdown, in helping lead the Wildcats to a 44-41 win over Rutgers in the Rate Bowl.

The 5-foot-9, 175-pound Edwards, had 74 carries for 546 yards and five touchdowns to go along with 19 catches for 133 yards and two touchdowns while appearing in 12 games with six starts during his first season in Manhattan.

His 7.4-yard rushing average ranked No. 1 among all Power 4 running backs (minimum 70 carries), while he teamed with&nbsp;DJ Giddens&nbsp;(6.6) and Johnson (5.4) to make K-State the only Power 4 team to harbor three players that averaged at least 5.4 yards per attempt (minimum 70 carries).

Anderson and Edwards, who runs above 23 miles per hour, aren't satisfied.

"It's kind of funny because I went back and watched it this morning when I came into the office," Anderson said. "His contact balance is pretty special for a guy his size. You look at his weight room numbers, and he's a really strong kid for his size, and he can run through contact really, really well. Now he's at the point where we're not just going to run through contact, we're going to make people miss. It's about seeing it and setting guys up to make them miss."

One big key for Edwards heading toward the fall?

"He's more comfortable because of the offense," Anderson said. "It takes time. The next step for anyone who comes into my room is they have to learn football and defenses. That helps their mental approach in a big way. Seeing pictures, that's' when the big plays happen. And then you can prove it and show him on film. I'll say, 'What did you see here?' And he'll say, 'I saw the safety move down, the linebacker in the B gap and not the A gap.'

"He has done a really good job understanding that part of it, and it's going to help his game get to the next level."

Expect 6-foot, 212-pound sophomore&nbsp;Joe Jackson&nbsp;to see more carries after he proved himself in limited action a year ago. Jackson had 39 carries for 227 yards and one touchdown to go along with six catches for 63 yards and one touchdown while appearing in 10 games.

"Joe has done a really good job," Anderson said. "He was fortunate to be with DJ and see how he handled his business on and off the field. He's taken that to another level, also. It's still a learning process. I know everybody wants it right now, but it's a process, and Joe has done a really good job with that."

Junior&nbsp;Antonio Martin Jr.&nbsp;is a 5-foot-9, 222-pound junior transfer from Southeastern Louisiana who was a Walter Payton Award finalist with 1,228 yards and 11 touchdowns a year ago. Redshirt freshman&nbsp;JB Price&nbsp;is a 5-foot-10, 196-pound native of Overland Park, Kansas, who rushed for nearly 2,000 yards his final two seasons at Blue Valley High School and was the No. 4-rated overall prospect in the state of Kansas by ESPN.

But it's the potential surge by another running back as an all-around threat that is perhaps opening eyes.

"A guy that jumps out at me that's a skilled kid that's playing some wide receiver, a running back for us, is&nbsp;DeVon Rice,'" Klieman said in his news conference. "DeVon Rice&nbsp;flashes."&nbsp;&nbsp;

The 5-foot-9, 182-pound Rice is a redshirt freshman who carried the ball one time at running back last season. He played in four games as a kickoff return specialist, retaining his redshirt. He returned four kickoffs for 97 yards (24.3-yard average), including a dramatic season-long 36-yarder at Colorado.

"He's a fast, explosive kid who was injured some in spring and didn't get a great chance, and who had a really good kick return last year against Colorado, but was just trying to find his way," Klieman said. "He's an explosive guy that's playing with a lot of confidence, which helps us a bunch to have that other person with Dylan of the same skill set that we could put them both in the backfield or both out as a wide receiver or in the return game."

Anderson said, "He's done a really good job."

"He's come in and has gained weight and has done all the little things right now," Anderson continued. "The biggest thing is to not get into your own way. He puts a lot of pressure on himself to be perfect. Sometimes, it's not going to be perfect, and you'll get a 1-yard run or a 5-yard run and sometimes you'll have to make a guy miss. It's like, 'How's my alignment?' I'll say, 'It was good.' He'll say, 'How was my footwork?' I'll say, 'It was good.' He'll say, 'How was my aiming point?' I'll say, 'It was good.' And then we'll move on."

As for Klieman's suggestion of having two running backs out as wide receivers? That goes back to the potential danger of this Wildcats offense in 2025. Versatility can kill.

"It's been proven over the years," Anderson said. "When I'm out looking for guys, I want guys who have versatility. That helps our offense in a big way. We have to keep the defense on its toes. We have guys who can split out in the slot and run routes out of the backfield. That helps everything out.

"The biggest thing is the versatility they all have and not just having one guy or two guys, but having five guys who can do a lot of different things. That's what helps."

With the bevy of running back potential, Anderson has plenty to keep an eye on.

He likes what he's seeing from the deepest group of running back talent that he's been around in the Little Apple.

"We're getting everybody reps," he said. "It's so early in the stages. The most important thing is making sure everybody is getting the reps they need to get better. I was upfront: "There's a competition, guys.' Guys who used to be in our room, Deuce Vaughn, and the other guys who used to be in our room, it was a competition every single day.

"We have a competitive room. We owe it to our football program and K-State fans that we get the best football player on the field and that he understands about competing every day."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754060640087.jpeg" alt="KStateSports.com" />
 <figcaption>KStateSports.com</figcaption>
 </figure>D. Scott Fritchen KStateSports.comBrian Anderson&nbsp;has coached an All-Big 12 Conference running back in each of his first six seasons as Kansas State running backs coach, including two of the four players in school history to record multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons in Deuce Vaughn and&nbsp;DJ Giddens.In fact, a K-State running back has amassed at least 1,000 rushing yards in each of the past four seasons, the longest-such stretch at K-State since 2001 through 2004.Anderson stepped into the Vanier Family Football Complex shortly before 11:00 a.m. on Thursday wearing a hat and beads of sweat after another training camp session finished up in the indoor practice facility — a practice without NFL-departed Giddens, who was taken by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2025 NFL Draft.These running backs for 2025 are making the man work.But in the best way possible.Never before has Anderson had a running back room with so much depth."I think this is the deepest room," Anderson said. "You have one through four, and maybe one through five, instead of just one and two, and maybe three. Obviously, one and two were really, really good over the years, but now you've got three and four, and a possible five that can come in and carry the load, too."Is the prospect of relying upon multiple running backs almost…refreshing?"That's the plan," Anderson said. "It's about what it's going to take to win the game. If it's multiple guys, it's multiple guys."&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; K-State, a popular choice by outsiders as a favorite to reach the Big 12 Championship Game, features junior quarterback&nbsp;Avery Johnson, who is regarded as one of the finest signal-callers in the FBS, and first-year offensive coordinator&nbsp;Matt Wells, who was deemed by&nbsp;The Associated Press&nbsp;as "one of the game's top offensive minds."K-State head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;in discussing the offense at a news conference Monday said that "one game, our tight ends are going to have a really good game, second game maybe it's the running backs, third game maybe it's wideouts," to illustrate the bevy of options this expected high-octane offensive attack might possess this fall.Anderson notes: "It could be really dangerous."This comes after K-State finished the 2024 season ranked No. 2 in the FBS with 6.08 yards per carry and 11th&nbsp;nationally with 215.5 rushing yards per game, while K-State also set school records with 6.57 offensive yards per play and 6.08 rushing yards per carry, and ranked fourth with 426.8 offensive yards per game, fifth with 5,549 total offensive yards, and sixth with 2,801 rushing yards. Some of those rushing yards came from running back&nbsp;Dylan Edwards, who went for a career-high 196 yards and two touchdowns, and caught two passes and another touchdown, in helping lead the Wildcats to a 44-41 win over Rutgers in the Rate Bowl.The 5-foot-9, 175-pound Edwards, had 74 carries for 546 yards and five touchdowns to go along with 19 catches for 133 yards and two touchdowns while appearing in 12 games with six starts during his first season in Manhattan.His 7.4-yard rushing average ranked No. 1 among all Power 4 running backs (minimum 70 carries), while he teamed with&nbsp;DJ Giddens&nbsp;(6.6) and Johnson (5.4) to make K-State the only Power 4 team to harbor three players that averaged at least 5.4 yards per attempt (minimum 70 carries).Anderson and Edwards, who runs above 23 miles per hour, aren't satisfied."It's kind of funny because I went back and watched it this morning when I came into the office," Anderson said. "His contact balance is pretty special for a guy his size. You look at his weight room numbers, and he's a really strong kid for his size, and he can run through contact really, really well. Now he's at the point where we're not just going to run through contact, we're going to make people miss. It's about seeing it and setting guys up to make them miss."One big key for Edwards heading toward the fall?"He's more comfortable because of the offense," Anderson said. "It takes time. The next step for anyone who comes into my room is they have to learn football and defenses. That helps their mental approach in a big way. Seeing pictures, that's' when the big plays happen. And then you can prove it and show him on film. I'll say, 'What did you see here?' And he'll say, 'I saw the safety move down, the linebacker in the B gap and not the A gap.'"He has done a really good job understanding that part of it, and it's going to help his game get to the next level."Expect 6-foot, 212-pound sophomore&nbsp;Joe Jackson&nbsp;to see more carries after he proved himself in limited action a year ago. Jackson had 39 carries for 227 yards and one touchdown to go along with six catches for 63 yards and one touchdown while appearing in 10 games."Joe has done a really good job," Anderson said. "He was fortunate to be with DJ and see how he handled his business on and off the field. He's taken that to another level, also. It's still a learning process. I know everybody wants it right now, but it's a process, and Joe has done a really good job with that."Junior&nbsp;Antonio Martin Jr.&nbsp;is a 5-foot-9, 222-pound junior transfer from Southeastern Louisiana who was a Walter Payton Award finalist with 1,228 yards and 11 touchdowns a year ago. Redshirt freshman&nbsp;JB Price&nbsp;is a 5-foot-10, 196-pound native of Overland Park, Kansas, who rushed for nearly 2,000 yards his final two seasons at Blue Valley High School and was the No. 4-rated overall prospect in the state of Kansas by ESPN.But it's the potential surge by another running back as an all-around threat that is perhaps opening eyes."A guy that jumps out at me that's a skilled kid that's playing some wide receiver, a running back for us, is&nbsp;DeVon Rice,'" Klieman said in his news conference. "DeVon Rice&nbsp;flashes."&nbsp;&nbsp;The 5-foot-9, 182-pound Rice is a redshirt freshman who carried the ball one time at running back last season. He played in four games as a kickoff return specialist, retaining his redshirt. He returned four kickoffs for 97 yards (24.3-yard average), including a dramatic season-long 36-yarder at Colorado."He's a fast, explosive kid who was injured some in spring and didn't get a great chance, and who had a really good kick return last year against Colorado, but was just trying to find his way," Klieman said. "He's an explosive guy that's playing with a lot of confidence, which helps us a bunch to have that other person with Dylan of the same skill set that we could put them both in the backfield or both out as a wide receiver or in the return game."Anderson said, "He's done a really good job.""He's come in and has gained weight and has done all the little things right now," Anderson continued. "The biggest thing is to not get into your own way. He puts a lot of pressure on himself to be perfect. Sometimes, it's not going to be perfect, and you'll get a 1-yard run or a 5-yard run and sometimes you'll have to make a guy miss. It's like, 'How's my alignment?' I'll say, 'It was good.' He'll say, 'How was my footwork?' I'll say, 'It was good.' He'll say, 'How was my aiming point?' I'll say, 'It was good.' And then we'll move on."As for Klieman's suggestion of having two running backs out as wide receivers? That goes back to the potential danger of this Wildcats offense in 2025. Versatility can kill."It's been proven over the years," Anderson said. "When I'm out looking for guys, I want guys who have versatility. That helps our offense in a big way. We have to keep the defense on its toes. We have guys who can split out in the slot and run routes out of the backfield. That helps everything out."The biggest thing is the versatility they all have and not just having one guy or two guys, but having five guys who can do a lot of different things. That's what helps."With the bevy of running back potential, Anderson has plenty to keep an eye on.He likes what he's seeing from the deepest group of running back talent that he's been around in the Little Apple."We're getting everybody reps," he said. "It's so early in the stages. The most important thing is making sure everybody is getting the reps they need to get better. I was upfront: "There's a competition, guys.' Guys who used to be in our room, Deuce Vaughn, and the other guys who used to be in our room, it was a competition every single day."We have a competitive room. We owe it to our football program and K-State fans that we get the best football player on the field and that he understands about competing every day."

Versatility in the Backfield

KUAthletics.com LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas redshirt senior&nbsp;Leyton Cure&nbsp;was one of 116 players named to the 2025 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy, the organization announced on Thursday, awarded to college football players from across the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) who exemplify community service, academic excellence, and athletic achievement.

Widely regarded as college football's premier award for community service, the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy celebrates student-athletes who use their platforms to serve others and create positive change. Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winner and University of Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel, who turned his football success into a lifelong mission of service, the award reflects his legacy of leadership and humanitarianism. This year marks the 21st&nbsp;anniversary of the trophy's founding.

From Goodland, Kansas, Cure played in all 12 games in 2024 at tight end for the Jayhawks, including one start vs. Colorado on Senior Day. Cure was named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team and helped Kansas football to back-to-back program records in GPA, including a 3.46 team GPA in the spring of 2025.

Cure transferred to Kansas from Fort Hays State, where he earned the MIAA Academic Excellence Award with a perfect 4.0 GPA three times and was named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll in 2023, 2022 and 2021.

While at Fort Hays, Cure started seven games, while playing in 11 in 2022. Cure hauled in 26 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns.

Cure is among Kansas' most active in the community, as he is a leader in Kansas' summer community service initiative. Cure has participated in several community cleanup events, summer camps, youth engagement activities and more.

For the second year, Allstate is partnering with the Wuerffel Foundation to align two of college football's most meaningful honors: the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy. Together, they recognize student-athletes who demonstrate excellence in community service, academics and athletics.&nbsp;

The 2025 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy finalists and recipient will be selected by a national voting committee, with input from a fan vote. The 2025 recipient will also serve as Captain of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards show on December 12th, airing on ESPN. The Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Presentation Gala will follow on January 31, 2026, at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754060022656.jpeg" alt="Photo by: Aiden Droge/Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo by: Aiden Droge/Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>KUAthletics.com LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas redshirt senior&nbsp;Leyton Cure&nbsp;was one of 116 players named to the 2025 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy, the organization announced on Thursday, awarded to college football players from across the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) who exemplify community service, academic excellence, and athletic achievement.Widely regarded as college football's premier award for community service, the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy celebrates student-athletes who use their platforms to serve others and create positive change. Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winner and University of Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel, who turned his football success into a lifelong mission of service, the award reflects his legacy of leadership and humanitarianism. This year marks the 21st&nbsp;anniversary of the trophy's founding.From Goodland, Kansas, Cure played in all 12 games in 2024 at tight end for the Jayhawks, including one start vs. Colorado on Senior Day. Cure was named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team and helped Kansas football to back-to-back program records in GPA, including a 3.46 team GPA in the spring of 2025.Cure transferred to Kansas from Fort Hays State, where he earned the MIAA Academic Excellence Award with a perfect 4.0 GPA three times and was named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll in 2023, 2022 and 2021.While at Fort Hays, Cure started seven games, while playing in 11 in 2022. Cure hauled in 26 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns.Cure is among Kansas' most active in the community, as he is a leader in Kansas' summer community service initiative. Cure has participated in several community cleanup events, summer camps, youth engagement activities and more.For the second year, Allstate is partnering with the Wuerffel Foundation to align two of college football's most meaningful honors: the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy. Together, they recognize student-athletes who demonstrate excellence in community service, academics and athletics.&nbsp;The 2025 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy finalists and recipient will be selected by a national voting committee, with input from a fan vote. The 2025 recipient will also serve as Captain of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards show on December 12th, airing on ESPN. The Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Presentation Gala will follow on January 31, 2026, at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.

Leyton Cure Named to Wuerffel Trophy Preseason Watch List

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals found themselves in a strange and precarious position at&nbsp;the trade deadline: They were both buyers and sellers, interested in supplementing the club to win now while simultaneously continuing to build for the future.

In other words, they wanted to have it all.

By the time manager Matt Quatraro and the Royals boarded a plane late Thursday destined for a weekend series in Toronto, the roster looked a whole lot different from how it did just days ago. They had traded backup catcher Freddy Fermin and a few other assets that didn't necessarily figure into their immediate- or long-range plans, and in return got an outfielder and three pitchers capable of starting — a haul of four players who can help their big league club immediately.

The&nbsp;swap with the Padres&nbsp;of Fermin for pitchers Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek fortified their rotation, which has been hit hard by injuries, as did the deal with Pittsburgh that sent minor leaguers Evan Sisk and Callan Moss for left-hander Bailey Falter.

Then, minutes before Thursday's deadline, the Royals upgraded their outfielder by landing right fielder Matt Yastrzemski — who is particularly good against right-handed pitching — for low-minors pitching prospect Yunior Marte.

“What we've done,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said, “is going to allow us to work through the year with the pitchers we have in an efficient way, in a way that's going to be healthy for all of them, and we're just excited to get these guys.

“It's 14 years of club control on the starting pitching side of things.”

That last bit is important: The pitchers the Royals landed will be theirs for a while.

They headed into Friday night's series against the Blue Jays well out of the AL Central lead but only 3 1/2 games back of a wild-card spot, which they parlayed last season into a trip to the divisional round of the playoffs. They had followed up an abysmal month of June in which they went 8-18 by going 15-9 in July, clawing themselves back to within a game of .500.

So, the Royals believe they are still very much in the thick of the postseason hunt, and they needed the help to do it.

“We're playing better right now,” Picollo acknowledged. “I like the way we're starting to score some runs.”

Yet the Royals aren't exactly in a position to go all-in, either, so those moves came with a certain level of judiciousness. They did not want to part with any of their prospects, because they foresee a window to win over the next several years, particularly with a young core headlined by All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. under their control through 2029 and even beyond.

“We're still a fairly young team with a young core together, and trying to build that culture of winning is extremely important to us,” Picollo said. “I'm just really glad that we're not in that position where we felt like we had to (sell).”

Instead, the Royals will turn their attention to the task of making up that ground in the wild-card race.

They begin with a tough three games against the Blue Jays, the surprising leaders of the AL East, before a set in Boston against a team currently holding down a wild-card spot. But then comes a tantalizing stretch of nine games — six in the friendly confines of Kauffman Stadium — against the Twins, White Sox and Nationals, all clubs with losing records.

Along the way, the Royals are hopeful that starters Cole Ragans and Michael Lorenzen can return from the injured list, further bolstering a staff that Picollo managed to make deeper and more talented at the trade deadline.

“You can't be reckless about things. We have to be smart in what we do,” Picollo said. “When we talked about trying to win now and take care of the future, I think that's what we did.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754059705199.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7), relief pitcher Hunter Harvey, center, and Freddy Fermin meet on the mound during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7), relief pitcher Hunter Harvey, center, and Freddy Fermin meet on the mound during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals found themselves in a strange and precarious position at&nbsp;the trade deadline: They were both buyers and sellers, interested in supplementing the club to win now while simultaneously continuing to build for the future.In other words, they wanted to have it all.They largely succeeded, too.By the time manager Matt Quatraro and the Royals boarded a plane late Thursday destined for a weekend series in Toronto, the roster looked a whole lot different from how it did just days ago. They had traded backup catcher Freddy Fermin and a few other assets that didn't necessarily figure into their immediate- or long-range plans, and in return got an outfielder and three pitchers capable of starting — a haul of four players who can help their big league club immediately.The&nbsp;swap with the Padres&nbsp;of Fermin for pitchers Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek fortified their rotation, which has been hit hard by injuries, as did the deal with Pittsburgh that sent minor leaguers Evan Sisk and Callan Moss for left-hander Bailey Falter.Then, minutes before Thursday's deadline, the Royals upgraded their outfielder by landing right fielder Matt Yastrzemski — who is particularly good against right-handed pitching — for low-minors pitching prospect Yunior Marte.“What we've done,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said, “is going to allow us to work through the year with the pitchers we have in an efficient way, in a way that's going to be healthy for all of them, and we're just excited to get these guys.“It's 14 years of club control on the starting pitching side of things.”That last bit is important: The pitchers the Royals landed will be theirs for a while.They headed into Friday night's series against the Blue Jays well out of the AL Central lead but only 3 1/2 games back of a wild-card spot, which they parlayed last season into a trip to the divisional round of the playoffs. They had followed up an abysmal month of June in which they went 8-18 by going 15-9 in July, clawing themselves back to within a game of .500.So, the Royals believe they are still very much in the thick of the postseason hunt, and they needed the help to do it.“We're playing better right now,” Picollo acknowledged. “I like the way we're starting to score some runs.”Yet the Royals aren't exactly in a position to go all-in, either, so those moves came with a certain level of judiciousness. They did not want to part with any of their prospects, because they foresee a window to win over the next several years, particularly with a young core headlined by All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. under their control through 2029 and even beyond.“We're still a fairly young team with a young core together, and trying to build that culture of winning is extremely important to us,” Picollo said. “I'm just really glad that we're not in that position where we felt like we had to (sell).”Instead, the Royals will turn their attention to the task of making up that ground in the wild-card race.They begin with a tough three games against the Blue Jays, the surprising leaders of the AL East, before a set in Boston against a team currently holding down a wild-card spot. But then comes a tantalizing stretch of nine games — six in the friendly confines of Kauffman Stadium — against the Twins, White Sox and Nationals, all clubs with losing records.Along the way, the Royals are hopeful that starters Cole Ragans and Michael Lorenzen can return from the injured list, further bolstering a staff that Picollo managed to make deeper and more talented at the trade deadline.“You can't be reckless about things. We have to be smart in what we do,” Picollo said. “When we talked about trying to win now and take care of the future, I think that's what we did.”

Royals' trade deadline moves aim to balance winning now and building for the future

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Two Missouri lawmakers and a third taxpaying citizen have filed suit in Cole County, Missouri, challenging the constitutionality of a&nbsp;Senate Bill that gives incentives to the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals&nbsp;to keep them in the Show-Me State.

State Senator Michael Moon, of Senate District 29; State Rep. Bryant Wolfin, of House District 145, and Maries County resident Ron Calzone filed the lawsuit Thursday in Cole County. In it, the plaintiffs argue Senate Bill 3 -- which passed following a special session in June -- is unconstitutional.

Moon, Wolfin and Calzone argue the bill is unconstitutional because it grants public money to private persons, is a special law, has multiple subjects and an unclear title and changed from its original purpose. Moon and Wolfin both voted no when the legislation was voted on this summer.

“The appropriations described in the bill are a direct gift or bribe to the owners of the Chiefs and the Royals to stay in Missouri,” the lawsuit contends.

The lawsuit takes issue with the more than $1 billion in state subsidies that would be available to the teams over three decades.

Wolfin told KCTV he feels the bill is creating a system where they pick winners and losers.

“We are saying that the Chiefs and Royals and technically the Cardinals are certainly the only ones that can benefit from this whereas the MLS teams, the Battlehawks, the Blues as I said they get nothing so there is some frustration there.”

With about $33 million per year being provided to the Chiefs under Senate Bill 3 -- if the organization elects to renovate Arrowhead Stadium and stay in Missouri -- the lawsuit says “it appears that what is really going on is that the Missouri legislature has passed a law which, year by year, the taxpayers are paying about 73% of (Chiefs quarterback Patrick) Mahomes’ salary.”

Moon, Wolfin and Calzone filed the lawsuit in Cole County, where Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe lives, which they argue is a proper venue for the lawsuit. The plaintiffs said they are arguing for injunctive relief and “in a ruling for plaintiffs, the court will ‘prevent doing of a legal wrong.’” They are asking the court to declare that passing the bill was unconstitutional and stop it from being enforced.

“The Attorney General is constitutionally obligated to defend the laws enacted by the people of Missouri through their elected representatives,” a spokesperson for Missouri AG Andrew Bailey said. “Our office is currently reviewing the lawsuit.”

The Kansas City Chiefs and Royals have declined to comment on the lawsuit.

The Governor’s Office said it does not comment on pending litigation.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753890993034.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Gabe Swartz KCTV5.comJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Two Missouri lawmakers and a third taxpaying citizen have filed suit in Cole County, Missouri, challenging the constitutionality of a&nbsp;Senate Bill that gives incentives to the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals&nbsp;to keep them in the Show-Me State.State Senator Michael Moon, of Senate District 29; State Rep. Bryant Wolfin, of House District 145, and Maries County resident Ron Calzone filed the lawsuit Thursday in Cole County. In it, the plaintiffs argue Senate Bill 3 -- which passed following a special session in June -- is unconstitutional.Moon, Wolfin and Calzone argue the bill is unconstitutional because it grants public money to private persons, is a special law, has multiple subjects and an unclear title and changed from its original purpose. Moon and Wolfin both voted no when the legislation was voted on this summer.“The appropriations described in the bill are a direct gift or bribe to the owners of the Chiefs and the Royals to stay in Missouri,” the lawsuit contends.The lawsuit takes issue with the more than $1 billion in state subsidies that would be available to the teams over three decades.Wolfin told KCTV he feels the bill is creating a system where they pick winners and losers.“We are saying that the Chiefs and Royals and technically the Cardinals are certainly the only ones that can benefit from this whereas the MLS teams, the Battlehawks, the Blues as I said they get nothing so there is some frustration there.”With about $33 million per year being provided to the Chiefs under Senate Bill 3 -- if the organization elects to renovate Arrowhead Stadium and stay in Missouri -- the lawsuit says “it appears that what is really going on is that the Missouri legislature has passed a law which, year by year, the taxpayers are paying about 73% of (Chiefs quarterback Patrick) Mahomes’ salary.”Moon, Wolfin and Calzone filed the lawsuit in Cole County, where Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe lives, which they argue is a proper venue for the lawsuit. The plaintiffs said they are arguing for injunctive relief and “in a ruling for plaintiffs, the court will ‘prevent doing of a legal wrong.’” They are asking the court to declare that passing the bill was unconstitutional and stop it from being enforced.“The Attorney General is constitutionally obligated to defend the laws enacted by the people of Missouri through their elected representatives,” a spokesperson for Missouri AG Andrew Bailey said. “Our office is currently reviewing the lawsuit.”The Kansas City Chiefs and Royals have declined to comment on the lawsuit.The Governor’s Office said it does not comment on pending litigation.

Lawsuit challenges constitutionality of Missouri stadium bill for Chiefs, Royals

KCKingdom.com It's been an eventful, and extremely hot, training camp thus far for the Kansas City Chiefs, with some undrafted players&nbsp;making a name for themselves&nbsp;and veterans fiercely battling for spots on the final 53-man roster.

Fans know that the left side of the offensive line and back end of the wide receiver room have been the most discussed position battles, though one underrated showdown has drawn eyes as well.

Special teams coordinator Dave Toub raised eyebrows by&nbsp;suggesting that the starting punter job was up for grabs. However, after the latest roster cut news, it's official that one player has won that gig.

As reported by Jesse Newell of The Kansas City Star, the Chiefs waived Eddie Czaplicki on Wednesday. That leaves 25-year-old Matt Araiza as the only punter on the roster, sealing his status as the starter going into the first preseason action.

Czaplicki was a star at USC, earning the Ray Guy award as the nation's best punter during his final season. Araiza won the award back in 2021 at San Diego State and was drafted in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, though an off-field allegation, of which he was eventually cleared, led to his release.

That gave the Chiefs an opportunity to pounce, and Araiza was the starter last year. He averaged 41.5 net yards per punt as Tommy Townsend's replacement, landing an impressive 40.3% of his punts within the opponent's 20 yard line. Nicknamed the "Punt God" for good reason, Araiza has one of the strongest legs in the league and should continue to develop with more experience.

Though Czaplicki made it a stiff competition, it always felt likely that Araiza would win the job. By releasing him prior to the first preseason game, Kansas City is doing Czaplicki a solid and giving him an opportunity to latch on with another organization. Toub declared that he's an NFL punter, so this allows him the chance to beat someone else out or even join a practice squad to prove himself.

Now, the Chiefs turn their attention to the remainder of training camp and their initial preseason contest against the Arizona Cardinals on August 10. As the days go by, we'll see more cuts and position battles won. This is the first, but it certainly won't be the last.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754053912471.jpeg" alt="Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub (left) with head coach Andy Reid against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images" />
 <figcaption>Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub (left) with head coach Andy Reid against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images</figcaption>
 </figure>KCKingdom.com It's been an eventful, and extremely hot, training camp thus far for the Kansas City Chiefs, with some undrafted players&nbsp;making a name for themselves&nbsp;and veterans fiercely battling for spots on the final 53-man roster.Fans know that the left side of the offensive line and back end of the wide receiver room have been the most discussed position battles, though one underrated showdown has drawn eyes as well.Special teams coordinator Dave Toub raised eyebrows by&nbsp;suggesting that the starting punter job was up for grabs. However, after the latest roster cut news, it's official that one player has won that gig.As reported by Jesse Newell of The Kansas City Star, the Chiefs waived Eddie Czaplicki on Wednesday. That leaves 25-year-old Matt Araiza as the only punter on the roster, sealing his status as the starter going into the first preseason action.Czaplicki was a star at USC, earning the Ray Guy award as the nation's best punter during his final season. Araiza won the award back in 2021 at San Diego State and was drafted in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, though an off-field allegation, of which he was eventually cleared, led to his release.That gave the Chiefs an opportunity to pounce, and Araiza was the starter last year. He averaged 41.5 net yards per punt as Tommy Townsend's replacement, landing an impressive 40.3% of his punts within the opponent's 20 yard line. Nicknamed the "Punt God" for good reason, Araiza has one of the strongest legs in the league and should continue to develop with more experience.Though Czaplicki made it a stiff competition, it always felt likely that Araiza would win the job. By releasing him prior to the first preseason game, Kansas City is doing Czaplicki a solid and giving him an opportunity to latch on with another organization. Toub declared that he's an NFL punter, so this allows him the chance to beat someone else out or even join a practice squad to prove himself.Now, the Chiefs turn their attention to the remainder of training camp and their initial preseason contest against the Arizona Cardinals on August 10. As the days go by, we'll see more cuts and position battles won. This is the first, but it certainly won't be the last.

Chiefs Declare Winner of Position Battle with Sudden Release

KANSAS CITY – A month or even a week ago, Royals general manager J.J. Picollo did not think starting pitching depth would be such a dire need at the Trade Deadline.

By the time Thursday’s 5 p.m. CT Deadline passed, the Royals had made two separate deals to acquire three starters who will help them in 2025 and in the future.

First, the Royals traded backup catcher&nbsp;Freddy Fermin&nbsp;to the Padres for right-handed pitchers&nbsp;Ryan Bergert&nbsp;and&nbsp;Stephen Kolek. A few hours later, the Royals acquired lefty&nbsp;Bailey Falter&nbsp;from the Pirates for two Minor Leaguers: Lefty reliever Evan Sisk, who is on the 40-man roster but in Triple-A, and first baseman Callan Moss, who is in High-A Quad Cities.

TRADE DETAILSRoyals get: RHPs Ryan Bergert, Stephen KolekPadres get: C Freddy Fermin

TRADE DETAILS Royals get: LHP Bailey Falter Pirates get: Minor League LHP Evan Sisk, Minor League 1B Callan Moss

In the leadup to the Deadline, the Royals made moves that balanced their belief in the current roster staying in the postseason mix while also thinking about 2026 and beyond. They signaled their intention when they signed Seth Lugo to an extension earlier this week instead of trading the veteran starter.

Both of Thursday’s pitching-focused deals fit right in line with that thinking while improving what has become a huge strength for the Royals in recent years following the overhaul of their pitching department.

All three pitchers can help the Royals out right now and down the stretch.

And all three come with multiple years of control.

“When we think about trying to win now and trying to take care of the future, I think that’s what we executed today,” Picollo said. “… We made our pitching staff better today. We made our future brighter for tomorrow. And that’s really important, and we did it in a very economical way.”

The Royals will have some roster maneuvering to do when they activate Thursday’s acquisitions to the roster,&nbsp;which also includes outfielder Mike Yastrzemski, but all corresponding moves will be made on Friday before the series opener in Toronto. There’s a chance one of the pitchers goes to Triple-A first.

Perhaps that’s another key point: Bergert and Kolek both have three options remaining (including this year), giving the Royals better roster flexibility as they finish out the year.

Bergert, 25, made his Major League debut this season and has a 2.78 ERA across 11 games (seven starts) and 35 2/3 innings with a 1.18 WHIP. The new Royals&nbsp;No. 7 prospect&nbsp;has a 22.8% strikeout rate and 12.1% walk rate, but that walk rate was lower when he was in Triple-A earlier this year (9.2%) and Double-A last year (7.9%).

Bergert is an arm with legit rotation upside. His arsenal includes a mid-90s fastball, two different sliders and a changeup.

Kolek, 28, won’t be a free agent until 2030. He made his debut in ‘24 and posted a 5.21 ERA out of the bullpen before a forearm injury ended his season. This year, he has a 4.18 ERA across 14 starts in 79 2/3 innings with a 1.31 WHIP. He was optioned on Wednesday, but the minimum&nbsp;15-day option rule&nbsp;doesn’t count when a player joins a new club, Picollo said.

Kolek is a sinker-heavy, ground-ball pitcher, but he has some intriguing stuff that the Royals’ pitching department could help him with, including a sweeper and kick-change.

Falter, 28, is a 6-foot-4 lefty with elite extension and five pitches. He has a 3.73 ERA in 22 starts this year with Pittsburgh with 70 strikeouts and a 1.18 WHIP across 113 1/3 innings. In 110 career appearances (81 starts) between the Phillies and Pirates, Falter has a 4.40 ERA.

Falter is making $2.2 million this season as an arbitration-eligible player but is under club control through 2028. Picollo mentioned that Royals pitching coach Brian Sweeney was Falter’s Minor League pitching coach while they were in the Phillies organization, and the Royals already have ideas on how they can further Falter’s development.

“I’ve shared with all three of these guys on the phone: They’ll soon find out what Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha and Kris Bubic and Cole Ragans have found out, and now Noah Cameron – that our pitching coaches do a really good job in developing pitchers,” Picollo said. “I think it should be an exciting thing for all three of them to work with the staff that we have.”

The Royals were searching for pitching on Thursday to help their injured rotation, with Michael Lorenzen (left oblique strain), Ragans (left rotator cuff strain) Bubic (left rotator cuff strain) on the IL. Ragans likely won’t return until September now; Bubic is out for the year.

Now Kansas City has three options to help fill the holes not only this year, but in 2026, too, diminishing its need to aggressively pursue starting pitching this winter.

The deal with San Diego was perhaps the most savvy, dealing a backup catcher for two starters, although Fermin was much more than simply a backup in Kansas City. The 30-year-old has been Salvador Perez’s right-hand man for the past three seasons, stepping up into more of a co-catcher situation as Perez plays more first base and DH. And Fermin is both a clubhouse and fan favorite because of work ethic, preparation and ability to come through in big moments,&nbsp;including in walk-off situations.

“That was, I will say, an emotional thing, because you’ve had Freddy since he was 20 years old and watched him grind his way through the Minor Leagues,” Picollo said. “Nobody can outwork that guy. He was a perfect partner for Salvador Perez. Salvy mentored him in a way that he’s ready to take over as a starting catcher somewhere. And he had a lot of value in the game.”

The Royals used that value to fill their big-time need at the Deadline in pitching depth. Kansas City has a plethora of catching depth in the Minors; their top two prospects, Blake Mitchell and Carter Jensen, are power-hitting backstops who rank&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/top100/blake-mitchell-805810" target="_blank">No. 27</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/top100/carter-jensen-695600" target="_blank">No. 67</a>, respectively, on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list.

Luke Maile will take over backup catching duties now, but Fermin’s departure both signals the Royals will likely pick up Perez’s 2026 club option and clears a path for Jensen as soon as next season. The 22-year-old Kansas City native has eight home runs in 22 Triple-A games along with a .937 OPS there.

And the Royals now have 53 games to prove that the front office’s Deadline strategy, buying for now and the future, was worth it. Kansas City is 53-54, sitting three games back of an American League Wild Card spot.

“I’m just really glad, and I know the team is, that we’re not in that position where we feel like we had to [sell],” Picollo said. “I think we have a little bit more of a complete team.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754053737436.jpeg" alt="MLB.com" />
 <figcaption>MLB.com</figcaption>
 </figure>Anne Rogers MLB.comKANSAS CITY – A month or even a week ago, Royals general manager J.J. Picollo did not think starting pitching depth would be such a dire need at the Trade Deadline.By the time Thursday’s 5 p.m. CT Deadline passed, the Royals had made two separate deals to acquire three starters who will help them in 2025 and in the future.First, the Royals traded backup catcher&nbsp;Freddy Fermin&nbsp;to the Padres for right-handed pitchers&nbsp;Ryan Bergert&nbsp;and&nbsp;Stephen Kolek. A few hours later, the Royals acquired lefty&nbsp;Bailey Falter&nbsp;from the Pirates for two Minor Leaguers: Lefty reliever Evan Sisk, who is on the 40-man roster but in Triple-A, and first baseman Callan Moss, who is in High-A Quad Cities.TRADE DETAILSRoyals get: RHPs Ryan Bergert, Stephen KolekPadres get: C Freddy FerminTRADE DETAILS Royals get: LHP Bailey Falter Pirates get: Minor League LHP Evan Sisk, Minor League 1B Callan MossIn the leadup to the Deadline, the Royals made moves that balanced their belief in the current roster staying in the postseason mix while also thinking about 2026 and beyond. They signaled their intention when they signed Seth Lugo to an extension earlier this week instead of trading the veteran starter.Both of Thursday’s pitching-focused deals fit right in line with that thinking while improving what has become a huge strength for the Royals in recent years following the overhaul of their pitching department.All three pitchers can help the Royals out right now and down the stretch.And all three come with multiple years of control.“When we think about trying to win now and trying to take care of the future, I think that’s what we executed today,” Picollo said. “… We made our pitching staff better today. We made our future brighter for tomorrow. And that’s really important, and we did it in a very economical way.”The Royals will have some roster maneuvering to do when they activate Thursday’s acquisitions to the roster,&nbsp;which also includes outfielder Mike Yastrzemski, but all corresponding moves will be made on Friday before the series opener in Toronto. There’s a chance one of the pitchers goes to Triple-A first.Perhaps that’s another key point: Bergert and Kolek both have three options remaining (including this year), giving the Royals better roster flexibility as they finish out the year.Bergert, 25, made his Major League debut this season and has a 2.78 ERA across 11 games (seven starts) and 35 2/3 innings with a 1.18 WHIP. The new Royals&nbsp;No. 7 prospect&nbsp;has a 22.8% strikeout rate and 12.1% walk rate, but that walk rate was lower when he was in Triple-A earlier this year (9.2%) and Double-A last year (7.9%).Bergert is an arm with legit rotation upside. His arsenal includes a mid-90s fastball, two different sliders and a changeup.Kolek, 28, won’t be a free agent until 2030. He made his debut in ‘24 and posted a 5.21 ERA out of the bullpen before a forearm injury ended his season. This year, he has a 4.18 ERA across 14 starts in 79 2/3 innings with a 1.31 WHIP. He was optioned on Wednesday, but the minimum&nbsp;15-day option rule&nbsp;doesn’t count when a player joins a new club, Picollo said.Kolek is a sinker-heavy, ground-ball pitcher, but he has some intriguing stuff that the Royals’ pitching department could help him with, including a sweeper and kick-change.Falter, 28, is a 6-foot-4 lefty with elite extension and five pitches. He has a 3.73 ERA in 22 starts this year with Pittsburgh with 70 strikeouts and a 1.18 WHIP across 113 1/3 innings. In 110 career appearances (81 starts) between the Phillies and Pirates, Falter has a 4.40 ERA.Falter is making $2.2 million this season as an arbitration-eligible player but is under club control through 2028. Picollo mentioned that Royals pitching coach Brian Sweeney was Falter’s Minor League pitching coach while they were in the Phillies organization, and the Royals already have ideas on how they can further Falter’s development.“I’ve shared with all three of these guys on the phone: They’ll soon find out what Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha and Kris Bubic and Cole Ragans have found out, and now Noah Cameron – that our pitching coaches do a really good job in developing pitchers,” Picollo said. “I think it should be an exciting thing for all three of them to work with the staff that we have.”The Royals were searching for pitching on Thursday to help their injured rotation, with Michael Lorenzen (left oblique strain), Ragans (left rotator cuff strain) Bubic (left rotator cuff strain) on the IL. Ragans likely won’t return until September now; Bubic is out for the year.Now Kansas City has three options to help fill the holes not only this year, but in 2026, too, diminishing its need to aggressively pursue starting pitching this winter.The deal with San Diego was perhaps the most savvy, dealing a backup catcher for two starters, although Fermin was much more than simply a backup in Kansas City. The 30-year-old has been Salvador Perez’s right-hand man for the past three seasons, stepping up into more of a co-catcher situation as Perez plays more first base and DH. And Fermin is both a clubhouse and fan favorite because of work ethic, preparation and ability to come through in big moments,&nbsp;including in walk-off situations.“That was, I will say, an emotional thing, because you’ve had Freddy since he was 20 years old and watched him grind his way through the Minor Leagues,” Picollo said. “Nobody can outwork that guy. He was a perfect partner for Salvador Perez. Salvy mentored him in a way that he’s ready to take over as a starting catcher somewhere. And he had a lot of value in the game.”The Royals used that value to fill their big-time need at the Deadline in pitching depth. Kansas City has a plethora of catching depth in the Minors; their top two prospects, Blake Mitchell and Carter Jensen, are power-hitting backstops who rank&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/top100/blake-mitchell-805810" target="_blank">No. 27</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/top100/carter-jensen-695600" target="_blank">No. 67</a>, respectively, on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list.Luke Maile will take over backup catching duties now, but Fermin’s departure both signals the Royals will likely pick up Perez’s 2026 club option and clears a path for Jensen as soon as next season. The 22-year-old Kansas City native has eight home runs in 22 Triple-A games along with a .937 OPS there.And the Royals now have 53 games to prove that the front office’s Deadline strategy, buying for now and the future, was worth it. Kansas City is 53-54, sitting three games back of an American League Wild Card spot.“I’m just really glad, and I know the team is, that we’re not in that position where we feel like we had to [sell],” Picollo said. “I think we have a little bit more of a complete team.”

KC adds Bergert, Kolek and Falter to staff, deals Fermin

Major League Baseball's trade deadline has sparked a whirlwind of activity as teams rush to strengthen their rosters for the postseason. All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa is reuniting with the Houston Astros. The San Diego Padres have been busy, acquiring closer Mason Miller. The New York Yankees have added reliever David Bednar. Outfielder Cedric Mullins has moved to the New York Mets, and former Cy Young winner Shane Bieber is joining the Toronto Blue Jays. These moves are part of a flurry of trades as teams aim to boost their chances in the final stretch of the season.

Two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Terry McLaurin has asked the Washington Commanders to trade him because of a contract dispute. That's according to two people with knowledge of the request. Both people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the negotiations were private. McLaurin has been holding in at training camp. The veteran reported to camp Sunday after skipping the first four practices and parts of the offseason program. He remains on the physically unable to perform list with an ankle injury while contract talks continue. McLaurin had 82 catches for 1,096 yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns last season.

CANTON, Ohio (AP) — The NFL season kicked off at the annual Hall of Fame game with a moment of silence for the four people killed earlier this week by a shooter who was targeting league headquarters in New York. The gunman also wounded a league employee in the shooting Monday night. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told NBC he visited the employee for an hour on Wednesday and said he was improving. There was increased security Thursday night around Tom Benson Stadium, where Eric Allen, Jared Allen, Antonio Gates and Sterling Sharpe will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s top court has ruled that the decisions of world soccer’s governing body FIFA can be challenged outside Switzerland, opening up a system that currently binds athletes, officials and clubs to accept verdicts there. A statement from the European Court of Justice said that tribunals in the 27 EU member states “must be able to carry out an in-depth review of those awards for consistency with the fundamental rules of EU law.” The ECJ ruling means that EU national courts should be able to review verdicts from the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), involving other sports authorities as well. Switzerland is not a member of the European Union.

CHICAGO (AP) — A fierce rivalry between Chicago’s North and South Siders comes to life each summer during the “Crosstown Classic,” when the Cubs and White Sox face off in their home stadiums. This unique series is loaded with team history and memories for both sets of fans, who hail from the North and South Sides respectively. Polaroids convey nostalgia, and there’s nothing that says nostalgia quite like baseball. The film format requires a level of intimacy not often seen in modern photo coverage of baseball games, when speed and instant images are prioritized.

Oscar Piastri is happy to be back in Hungary this week after taking his first career Formula 1 win there a year ago. Piastri has developed into a genuine title contender over the last year and leads teammate Lando Norris by 16 points following his victory in Belgium last week. Piastri says he has a “lot of confidence” in his title shot. McLaren can reach some milestones this weekend, with a potential 200th win in F1 for the team. It could also be Piastri and Norris’ fourth one-two finish in a row, a feat McLaren last managed in 1988. Norris beat Piastri by .019 of a second in the first practice session Friday as McLaren led the way once again.

CANTON, Ohio (AP) — On his third team in his fifth season, Trey Lance played like a No. 3 overall pick. Lance threw for 120 yards and two touchdowns, and the Los Angeles Chargers beat the Detroit Lions 34-7 in the Hall of Fame game that kicked off the NFL’s preseason Thursday night. The game opened with a moment of silence for the four people killed earlier this week by a shooter who was targeting league headquarters in New York. The gunman also wounded a league employee in the shooting Monday night. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told NBC he visited the employee for an hour on Wednesday.

HOUSTON (AP) — Carlos Correa is returning to Houston. The Astros reacquired the three-time All-Star shortstop from the Minnesota Twins just before Thursday’s trade deadline. Correa spent his first seven years in Houston. He became one of the most beloved players in franchise history, helping the team to six playoff appearances, three American League pennants and its first World Series title in 2017. That title was tainted by a sign-stealing scandal. The Twins are covering some of Correa's remaining contract and getting minor-league pitcher Matt Mikulski in return.

The new agency vetting name, image and likeness deals in college sports reached an agreement that relaxes standards on player deals with third-party collectives and avoids taking the issue back to court after years of legal wrangling. The College Sports Commission said it will now consider a third-party company that seeks to pay a player to have a “valid business purpose” if the deal “is related to the promotion or endorsement of goods or services provided to the general public for profit.” It did away with the concept that collectives established simply to pay players did not have a valid business purpose even if they sold products for profit.

The San Diego Padres made several bold moves at yet another trade deadline. General manager A.J. Preller added hard-throwing closer Mason Miller from the Athletics and All-Star first baseman Ryan O’Hearn from Baltimore while swinging five total deals for seven major league players. The Padres got Miller and starter JP Sears from the A's, landed catcher Freddy Fermín from Kansas City and acquired O’Hearn and outfielder Ramón Laureano from the Orioles. Miller bolsters the Padres' already deep bullpen, while O'Hearn, Laureano and Fermín could all address obvious holes in the Padres' lineup. Finals

AMERICAN LEAGUE Final N.Y. Yankees 7 Tampa Bay 4 Final Seattle 6 Texas 0

NATIONAL LEAGUE Final Atlanta 12 Cincinnati 11

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PRESEASON Final L.A. Chargers 34 Detroit 7

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739459822020.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Major League Baseball's trade deadline has sparked a whirlwind of activity as teams rush to strengthen their rosters for the postseason. All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa is reuniting with the Houston Astros. The San Diego Padres have been busy, acquiring closer Mason Miller. The New York Yankees have added reliever David Bednar. Outfielder Cedric Mullins has moved to the New York Mets, and former Cy Young winner Shane Bieber is joining the Toronto Blue Jays. These moves are part of a flurry of trades as teams aim to boost their chances in the final stretch of the season.Two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Terry McLaurin has asked the Washington Commanders to trade him because of a contract dispute. That's according to two people with knowledge of the request. Both people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the negotiations were private. McLaurin has been holding in at training camp. The veteran reported to camp Sunday after skipping the first four practices and parts of the offseason program. He remains on the physically unable to perform list with an ankle injury while contract talks continue. McLaurin had 82 catches for 1,096 yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns last season.CANTON, Ohio (AP) — The NFL season kicked off at the annual Hall of Fame game with a moment of silence for the four people killed earlier this week by a shooter who was targeting league headquarters in New York. The gunman also wounded a league employee in the shooting Monday night. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told NBC he visited the employee for an hour on Wednesday and said he was improving. There was increased security Thursday night around Tom Benson Stadium, where Eric Allen, Jared Allen, Antonio Gates and Sterling Sharpe will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s top court has ruled that the decisions of world soccer’s governing body FIFA can be challenged outside Switzerland, opening up a system that currently binds athletes, officials and clubs to accept verdicts there. A statement from the European Court of Justice said that tribunals in the 27 EU member states “must be able to carry out an in-depth review of those awards for consistency with the fundamental rules of EU law.” The ECJ ruling means that EU national courts should be able to review verdicts from the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), involving other sports authorities as well. Switzerland is not a member of the European Union.CHICAGO (AP) — A fierce rivalry between Chicago’s North and South Siders comes to life each summer during the “Crosstown Classic,” when the Cubs and White Sox face off in their home stadiums. This unique series is loaded with team history and memories for both sets of fans, who hail from the North and South Sides respectively. Polaroids convey nostalgia, and there’s nothing that says nostalgia quite like baseball. The film format requires a level of intimacy not often seen in modern photo coverage of baseball games, when speed and instant images are prioritized.Oscar Piastri is happy to be back in Hungary this week after taking his first career Formula 1 win there a year ago. Piastri has developed into a genuine title contender over the last year and leads teammate Lando Norris by 16 points following his victory in Belgium last week. Piastri says he has a “lot of confidence” in his title shot. McLaren can reach some milestones this weekend, with a potential 200th win in F1 for the team. It could also be Piastri and Norris’ fourth one-two finish in a row, a feat McLaren last managed in 1988. Norris beat Piastri by .019 of a second in the first practice session Friday as McLaren led the way once again.CANTON, Ohio (AP) — On his third team in his fifth season, Trey Lance played like a No. 3 overall pick. Lance threw for 120 yards and two touchdowns, and the Los Angeles Chargers beat the Detroit Lions 34-7 in the Hall of Fame game that kicked off the NFL’s preseason Thursday night. The game opened with a moment of silence for the four people killed earlier this week by a shooter who was targeting league headquarters in New York. The gunman also wounded a league employee in the shooting Monday night. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told NBC he visited the employee for an hour on Wednesday.HOUSTON (AP) — Carlos Correa is returning to Houston. The Astros reacquired the three-time All-Star shortstop from the Minnesota Twins just before Thursday’s trade deadline. Correa spent his first seven years in Houston. He became one of the most beloved players in franchise history, helping the team to six playoff appearances, three American League pennants and its first World Series title in 2017. That title was tainted by a sign-stealing scandal. The Twins are covering some of Correa's remaining contract and getting minor-league pitcher Matt Mikulski in return.The new agency vetting name, image and likeness deals in college sports reached an agreement that relaxes standards on player deals with third-party collectives and avoids taking the issue back to court after years of legal wrangling. The College Sports Commission said it will now consider a third-party company that seeks to pay a player to have a “valid business purpose” if the deal “is related to the promotion or endorsement of goods or services provided to the general public for profit.” It did away with the concept that collectives established simply to pay players did not have a valid business purpose even if they sold products for profit.The San Diego Padres made several bold moves at yet another trade deadline. General manager A.J. Preller added hard-throwing closer Mason Miller from the Athletics and All-Star first baseman Ryan O’Hearn from Baltimore while swinging five total deals for seven major league players. The Padres got Miller and starter JP Sears from the A's, landed catcher Freddy Fermín from Kansas City and acquired O’Hearn and outfielder Ramón Laureano from the Orioles. Miller bolsters the Padres' already deep bullpen, while O'Hearn, Laureano and Fermín could all address obvious holes in the Padres' lineup. FinalsAMERICAN LEAGUE Final N.Y. Yankees 7 Tampa Bay 4 Final Seattle 6 Texas 0NATIONAL LEAGUE Final Atlanta 12 Cincinnati 11NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PRESEASON Final L.A. Chargers 34 Detroit 7

Friday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

KANSAS CITY -- The Royals’ bullpen gates at Kauffman Stadium swung open eight times on Wednesday afternoon, a steady dose of relievers jogging to the mound one after another, inning after inning.

Together, they ended up making history.&nbsp; 

Nine Royals relievers -- including opener Angel Zerpa -- tossed 10 scoreless innings in the Royals’&nbsp;1-0 walk-off win, tying a Major League record for pitchers used in a 10-inning shutout win in the Modern Era (since 1900). Cleveland also used nine pitchers against Detroit on&nbsp;Sept. 17, 2016.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The victory clinched the Royals’ third consecutive series win and second consecutive winning homestand after losing the previous four.

“A lot of grinders. A lot of animals out there,” Carlos Estévez said following his scoreless ninth inning. “They’re looking for it. They want the baseball. They want to go out there.”

Salvador Perez&nbsp;was the walk-off hero, lining an RBI single into right-center field in the bottom of the 10th inning for the Royals’ third hit in a game that saw very little offense.

But Perez knew where the credit belonged on Wednesday.

“Today was just about the bullpen,” Perez said. “I got the big hit to score that run and win the game, but what they did today was amazing.”

The bullpen game, caught by catcher Freddy Fermin, featured Zerpa for one-plus innings, Jonathan Bowlan for two and then one apiece from John Schreiber, Taylor Clarke, Hunter Harvey, Steven Cruz, Lucas Erceg, Estévez and Sam Long, who earned the win after navigating around runners on the corners with no outs in the 10th inning.

By the time Long entered, the ‘pen was fairly quiet. Thomas Hatch was the only reliever still out there.

“Makes me want to be in there even more,” Long said of watching one reliever after another jog to the mound and execute against a dangerous Braves lineup. “You want to carry that momentum if you get the ball. ... I was lucky enough to get it with a cool spot to be in and come out and just cap off an incredible bullpen game.”

Wednesday was truly a team effort in a stretch of heavy workload for Kansas City relievers. They covered 33 1/3 of the 56 total innings thrown this homestand, and the only reason the Royals were able to deploy nine of their 10 relievers in the ‘pen was because Thursday is a scheduled off-day.

Even still, Bowlan was the lone reliever manager Matt Quatraro felt OK about going two innings on Wednesday.

“And that was a stretch,” Quatraro said. “Just back up these last four days and how many pitches these guys have thrown, it doesn’t look that menacing because they have a day off in between, but that’s a big workload for these guys, especially when every pitch matters so much.”

But every pitch mattering, and every game mattering this time of year, is precisely why the Royals’ stable of arms was ready to go. Quatraro managed Wednesday like a must-win game. He could have gone to Hatch for bulk innings, but he deployed high-leverage arms early: Schreiber came in for the fourth inning because the heart of the Braves’ lineup -- Austin Riley, Michael Harris II and Marcell Ozuna -- was due up.

“I don’t care what inning it is, I just want to be able to contribute and put up a zero and help us win,” Schreiber said.

The Royals (53-55) are staying in the&nbsp;American League Wild Card mix, despite everything they have had to deal with so far this year, including a struggling offense and rash of injuries to the rotation. How the club continues to cover innings with just three true starters on the roster right now remains to be seen.

But Kansas City has gone 7-5 out of the All-Star break and 15-9 in July. After Wednesday’s game, the Royals moved to 3 1/2 games out of the third AL Wild Card spot. Every win is important.

“They knew what was coming,” Quatraro said of the ‘pen. “These guys want to win. They want to do whatever they can to help the team.”

Despite having thrown three of the past four days entering the series finale, both Estévez and Erceg -- the Royals’ two highest-leverage arms -- were adamant about being available. Erceg threw 20 pitches in Tuesday’s win and Estévez threw 22; they contributed 22 and 10 pitches across two scoreless innings on Wednesday.

“As soon as I went out there and finished playing catch this morning, I told them I was good to go,” Estévez said. “... I noticed they were kind of like, ‘Ah, man, I don’t know.’ But we’ve got an off-day tomorrow.

“Give me the baseball. We’re going to be fine.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753975997366.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez hits an RBI single to win the baseball game during the 10th inning against the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez hits an RBI single to win the baseball game during the 10th inning against the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>Anne Rogers MLB.comKANSAS CITY -- The Royals’ bullpen gates at Kauffman Stadium swung open eight times on Wednesday afternoon, a steady dose of relievers jogging to the mound one after another, inning after inning.Together, they ended up making history.&nbsp; Nine Royals relievers -- including opener Angel Zerpa -- tossed 10 scoreless innings in the Royals’&nbsp;1-0 walk-off win, tying a Major League record for pitchers used in a 10-inning shutout win in the Modern Era (since 1900). Cleveland also used nine pitchers against Detroit on&nbsp;Sept. 17, 2016.&nbsp;&nbsp;The victory clinched the Royals’ third consecutive series win and second consecutive winning homestand after losing the previous four.“A lot of grinders. A lot of animals out there,” Carlos Estévez said following his scoreless ninth inning. “They’re looking for it. They want the baseball. They want to go out there.”Salvador Perez&nbsp;was the walk-off hero, lining an RBI single into right-center field in the bottom of the 10th inning for the Royals’ third hit in a game that saw very little offense.But Perez knew where the credit belonged on Wednesday.“Today was just about the bullpen,” Perez said. “I got the big hit to score that run and win the game, but what they did today was amazing.”The bullpen game, caught by catcher Freddy Fermin, featured Zerpa for one-plus innings, Jonathan Bowlan for two and then one apiece from John Schreiber, Taylor Clarke, Hunter Harvey, Steven Cruz, Lucas Erceg, Estévez and Sam Long, who earned the win after navigating around runners on the corners with no outs in the 10th inning.By the time Long entered, the ‘pen was fairly quiet. Thomas Hatch was the only reliever still out there.“Makes me want to be in there even more,” Long said of watching one reliever after another jog to the mound and execute against a dangerous Braves lineup. “You want to carry that momentum if you get the ball. ... I was lucky enough to get it with a cool spot to be in and come out and just cap off an incredible bullpen game.”Wednesday was truly a team effort in a stretch of heavy workload for Kansas City relievers. They covered 33 1/3 of the 56 total innings thrown this homestand, and the only reason the Royals were able to deploy nine of their 10 relievers in the ‘pen was because Thursday is a scheduled off-day.Even still, Bowlan was the lone reliever manager Matt Quatraro felt OK about going two innings on Wednesday.“And that was a stretch,” Quatraro said. “Just back up these last four days and how many pitches these guys have thrown, it doesn’t look that menacing because they have a day off in between, but that’s a big workload for these guys, especially when every pitch matters so much.”But every pitch mattering, and every game mattering this time of year, is precisely why the Royals’ stable of arms was ready to go. Quatraro managed Wednesday like a must-win game. He could have gone to Hatch for bulk innings, but he deployed high-leverage arms early: Schreiber came in for the fourth inning because the heart of the Braves’ lineup -- Austin Riley, Michael Harris II and Marcell Ozuna -- was due up.“I don’t care what inning it is, I just want to be able to contribute and put up a zero and help us win,” Schreiber said.The Royals (53-55) are staying in the&nbsp;American League Wild Card mix, despite everything they have had to deal with so far this year, including a struggling offense and rash of injuries to the rotation. How the club continues to cover innings with just three true starters on the roster right now remains to be seen.But Kansas City has gone 7-5 out of the All-Star break and 15-9 in July. After Wednesday’s game, the Royals moved to 3 1/2 games out of the third AL Wild Card spot. Every win is important.“They knew what was coming,” Quatraro said of the ‘pen. “These guys want to win. They want to do whatever they can to help the team.”Despite having thrown three of the past four days entering the series finale, both Estévez and Erceg -- the Royals’ two highest-leverage arms -- were adamant about being available. Erceg threw 20 pitches in Tuesday’s win and Estévez threw 22; they contributed 22 and 10 pitches across two scoreless innings on Wednesday.“As soon as I went out there and finished playing catch this morning, I told them I was good to go,” Estévez said. “... I noticed they were kind of like, ‘Ah, man, I don’t know.’ But we’ve got an off-day tomorrow.“Give me the baseball. We’re going to be fine.”

After bullpen's historic effort, Salvy walks it off

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — With a rash of injuries to his starting rotation, Royals manager Matt Quatraro put together a plan to rely exclusively on his bullpen when Kansas City played the Atlanta Braves in their series finale on Wednesday.

He never could have imagined nine relievers would execute it so perfectly, nor tie a major league record in the process.

But by the time struggling reliever Sam Long escaped a two-on, no-out jam by retiring three straight Braves in the top of the 10th, and Salvador Perez slapped a single to right to score MJ Melendez in the bottom half and give&nbsp;the Royals a 1-0 win, they had done exactly that: tied a big league record by using nine total pitchers in a shutout.

The only other club to use that many in a shutout was Cleveland, which also did it in a 10-inning game in 2016.

“Not only did they pitch incredibly well today,” Quatraro said, “but they had a huge workload these last four or five days. I can't credit them enough, and keeping in the right frame of mind down there, and just the plan these guys had to execute.”

The nine Royals pitchers combined to allow five hits and one walk while striking out 10.

Long finished off — he of the 7.40 ERA this season — to earn the victory. It came 2 hours, 38 minutes after fellow reliever Angel Zerpa, pitching on no rest, breezed through the first inning and into the second to set the tone.

Jonathan Bowlan was the only Royals reliever to retire more than three batters, going two full innings. John Schreiber struck out the side in the fourth. Hunter Harvey escaped a two-on, no-out jam in the sixth. And the two primary Kansas City closers, Lucas Erceg and Carlos Estévez, made some important pitches and plays in the late innings.

Erceg allowed a pinch-hit single to Drake Baldwin with one out in the eighth, then watched pinch runner Luke Williams swipe second base. But he bounced back to retire Jurickson Profar and Matt Olson and keep the game scoreless.

Estévez managed to snare a liner by Michael Harris II that appeared destined for a one-out single in the ninth.

“I'm glad he caught it,” Quatraro said. “You're going to throw a shutout, you need some good defense behind you.”

They certainly needed them the way Joey Wentz was pitching for the other side.

Wentz, who was claimed off waivers by the Braves earlier this month, allowed one hit and three walks over 6 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts in a return home. Wentz was born in Lawrence, Kansas, and played at Shawnee Mission East High School in the Kansas City suburb of Prairie Village, where had one of the best prep baseball careers in Kansas history.

The Braves drafted Wentz in the first round in 2016, but he has largely failed to live up to expectations. He has bounced around several clubs, including Pittsburgh and Minnesota this year, and had a 5.76 ERA heading into his fourth start for Atlanta.

“We never could solve him,” Quatraro said.

Yet they didn't need to the way the Kansas City bullpen was performing.

The Royals had the luxury of relying on their relievers with a day off Thursday before their series this weekend in Toronto. And they needed to rely on them with injuries beginning to take their toll on their starting rotation.

Cole Ragans, an All-Star last year, has been on the injured list with a left rotator cuff strain, and Michael Lorenzen recently joined him with a left oblique strain. Then on Monday, the Royals announced that All-Star left-hander Kris Bubic would be placed on the IL with his own rotator cuff injury, one likely to end his season.

So, it fell upon a Royals bullpen that wound up with only one player — Thomas Hatch — still available by the time Perez singled off Daysbel Hernández in the 10th inning to give Kansas City the victory.

“It wasn't easy. There was danger at times there,” Quatraro said. “But you go backwards and see what Sammy did there, and to really execute — that was enormous. But even more so than the 10 shutout innings, the workload they have had and they way they responded, especially a day game after a night game.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753966126317.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Steven Cruz throws during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Steven Cruz throws during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — With a rash of injuries to his starting rotation, Royals manager Matt Quatraro put together a plan to rely exclusively on his bullpen when Kansas City played the Atlanta Braves in their series finale on Wednesday.He never could have imagined nine relievers would execute it so perfectly, nor tie a major league record in the process.But by the time struggling reliever Sam Long escaped a two-on, no-out jam by retiring three straight Braves in the top of the 10th, and Salvador Perez slapped a single to right to score MJ Melendez in the bottom half and give&nbsp;the Royals a 1-0 win, they had done exactly that: tied a big league record by using nine total pitchers in a shutout.The only other club to use that many in a shutout was Cleveland, which also did it in a 10-inning game in 2016.“Not only did they pitch incredibly well today,” Quatraro said, “but they had a huge workload these last four or five days. I can't credit them enough, and keeping in the right frame of mind down there, and just the plan these guys had to execute.”The nine Royals pitchers combined to allow five hits and one walk while striking out 10.Long finished off — he of the 7.40 ERA this season — to earn the victory. It came 2 hours, 38 minutes after fellow reliever Angel Zerpa, pitching on no rest, breezed through the first inning and into the second to set the tone.Jonathan Bowlan was the only Royals reliever to retire more than three batters, going two full innings. John Schreiber struck out the side in the fourth. Hunter Harvey escaped a two-on, no-out jam in the sixth. And the two primary Kansas City closers, Lucas Erceg and Carlos Estévez, made some important pitches and plays in the late innings.Erceg allowed a pinch-hit single to Drake Baldwin with one out in the eighth, then watched pinch runner Luke Williams swipe second base. But he bounced back to retire Jurickson Profar and Matt Olson and keep the game scoreless.Estévez managed to snare a liner by Michael Harris II that appeared destined for a one-out single in the ninth.“I'm glad he caught it,” Quatraro said. “You're going to throw a shutout, you need some good defense behind you.”They certainly needed them the way Joey Wentz was pitching for the other side.Wentz, who was claimed off waivers by the Braves earlier this month, allowed one hit and three walks over 6 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts in a return home. Wentz was born in Lawrence, Kansas, and played at Shawnee Mission East High School in the Kansas City suburb of Prairie Village, where had one of the best prep baseball careers in Kansas history.The Braves drafted Wentz in the first round in 2016, but he has largely failed to live up to expectations. He has bounced around several clubs, including Pittsburgh and Minnesota this year, and had a 5.76 ERA heading into his fourth start for Atlanta.“We never could solve him,” Quatraro said.Yet they didn't need to the way the Kansas City bullpen was performing.The Royals had the luxury of relying on their relievers with a day off Thursday before their series this weekend in Toronto. And they needed to rely on them with injuries beginning to take their toll on their starting rotation.Cole Ragans, an All-Star last year, has been on the injured list with a left rotator cuff strain, and Michael Lorenzen recently joined him with a left oblique strain. Then on Monday, the Royals announced that All-Star left-hander Kris Bubic would be placed on the IL with his own rotator cuff injury, one likely to end his season.So, it fell upon a Royals bullpen that wound up with only one player — Thomas Hatch — still available by the time Perez singled off Daysbel Hernández in the 10th inning to give Kansas City the victory.“It wasn't easy. There was danger at times there,” Quatraro said. “But you go backwards and see what Sammy did there, and to really execute — that was enormous. But even more so than the 10 shutout innings, the workload they have had and they way they responded, especially a day game after a night game.”

Nine pitchers, one shutout: How the Royals made history against the Braves with a 1-0 victory

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez drove in MJ Melendez with a single leading off the 10th inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Atlanta Braves 1-0 on Wednesday while matching a major league record by using nine total pitchers in the shutout.

Sam Long (1-2) was the last of the relievers for Kansas City. He had runners on the corners with nobody out in the 10th before striking out Sean Murphy and Eli White and getting Luke Williams to line out to left field.

Kansas City put Melendez on second base as a pinch runner in the bottom half, and Perez rapped the second pitch from Daysbel Hernandez (4-2) into the gap in right field to give the Royals the win.

The only other club to use nine pitchers in a shutout was Cleveland, which also did it in a 10-inning game in 2016.

Joey Wentz, claimed off waivers by the Braves earlier this month, dazzled while pitching a mere 25 minutes away from Shawnee Mission East High School, where he put together one of the best prep pitching careers in Kansas history.

The former first-round draft pick has largely failed to live up to expectations, and he carried a 5.76 ERA into his fourth start for Atlanta. But Wentz allowed just one hit and three walks over 6 2/3 innings, striking out seven.

With their rotation ailing, the Royals countered with a contingent of relief pitchers.

Angel Zerpa started on no rest and pitched into the second, and Jonathan Bowlan was their only reliever who retired more than three batters — he went two innings. John Schreiber struck out the side in the fourth, and Hunter Harvey escaped a two-on, no-out jam in the sixth by recording three consecutive outs.

Long's escape in the 10th set up Perez's winning hit in the bottom half.

The low-scoring affair came after the Braves won the series-opener 10-7 and the Royals won 9-6 on Tuesday night.

The Braves have not announced their starter for Thursday in Cincinnati, though newly acquired RHP Carlos Carrasco is likely to get the ball. The Royals have the day off before opening a series Friday night in Toronto.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753965991387.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez celebrates as he runs to first after hitting an RBI single to win the baseball game during the 10th inning against the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez celebrates as he runs to first after hitting an RBI single to win the baseball game during the 10th inning against the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez drove in MJ Melendez with a single leading off the 10th inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Atlanta Braves 1-0 on Wednesday while matching a major league record by using nine total pitchers in the shutout.Sam Long (1-2) was the last of the relievers for Kansas City. He had runners on the corners with nobody out in the 10th before striking out Sean Murphy and Eli White and getting Luke Williams to line out to left field.Kansas City put Melendez on second base as a pinch runner in the bottom half, and Perez rapped the second pitch from Daysbel Hernandez (4-2) into the gap in right field to give the Royals the win.The only other club to use nine pitchers in a shutout was Cleveland, which also did it in a 10-inning game in 2016.Joey Wentz, claimed off waivers by the Braves earlier this month, dazzled while pitching a mere 25 minutes away from Shawnee Mission East High School, where he put together one of the best prep pitching careers in Kansas history.The former first-round draft pick has largely failed to live up to expectations, and he carried a 5.76 ERA into his fourth start for Atlanta. But Wentz allowed just one hit and three walks over 6 2/3 innings, striking out seven.With their rotation ailing, the Royals countered with a contingent of relief pitchers.Angel Zerpa started on no rest and pitched into the second, and Jonathan Bowlan was their only reliever who retired more than three batters — he went two innings. John Schreiber struck out the side in the fourth, and Hunter Harvey escaped a two-on, no-out jam in the sixth by recording three consecutive outs.<h2>Key moment</h2>Long's escape in the 10th set up Perez's winning hit in the bottom half.<h2>Key stat</h2>The low-scoring affair came after the Braves won the series-opener 10-7 and the Royals won 9-6 on Tuesday night.<h2>Up next</h2>The Braves have not announced their starter for Thursday in Cincinnati, though newly acquired RHP Carlos Carrasco is likely to get the ball. The Royals have the day off before opening a series Friday night in Toronto.

Perez's single in 10th lifts Royals over Braves 1-0. KC ties record by using 9 pitchers in shutout

Slugger Eugenio Suarez is headed to the Seattle Mariners and flame-throwing reliever Jhoan Duran has been traded to the Philadelphia Phillies during a busy Wednesday ahead of Major League Baseball’s trade deadline on Thursday. Suarez hit 36 homers for the D-backs this season while Duran is one of MLB’s elite relievers. In other deals, the New York Yankees acquired veteran outfielder Austin Slater while the New York Mets added relievers Ryan Helsley and Tyler Rogers. There are several prominent players available before the deadline, including Cleveland outfielder Steven Kwan and Pittsburgh right-hander Mitch Keller.

Shannon Sharpe will not return to ESPN, according to a person familiar with the decision. The decision follows his recent settlement of a lawsuit accusing him of sexually assaulting a woman during their relationship. Sharpe's last appearance on ESPN was in late April when the lawsuit was filed. No details of the settlement have been released. The lawsuit sought $50 million. Sharpe called the accusations false and hoped to return for the NFL season. Instead, ESPN decided to part ways with the Hall of Fame tight end. Sharpe joined ESPN in 2023 after leaving FS1's "Undisputed" and was a panelist on "First Take."

CINCINNATI (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani is hopeful that he will be able to make his next mound start after his outing Wednesday night was cut short by cramping in his right hip. Ohtani was scheduled to go four innings on a hot, humid night against the Cincinnati Reds. But he left without recording an out in the fourth after he threw six straight balls, including two consecutive wild pitches. The 31-year old reigning NL MVP said he started to cramp in the first inning. Ohtani and manager Dave Roberts both blamed the cramping on the weather.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Federal prosecutors say former NBA star Gilbert Arenas has been arrested along with five other people on suspicion of hosting illegal high-stakes poker games at a Los Angeles mansion owned by Arenas. The U.S. Attorney's Office said Wednesday that all six defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business and one count of operating an illegal gambling business. His attorney said he hadn’t had much time to speak with his client and couldn’t comment on the case. The 43-year-old Arenas is also charged with making false statements to federal investigators.

SINGAPORE (AP) — Léon Marchand is out to break his own world record in the 200-meter individual medley at the swimming world championships in Singapore. If you missed it, Marchand only set the record Wednesday in the semifinals at the worlds — 1 minute, 52.69 seconds. That shattered the old mark of 1:54.00 held by American Ryan Lochte since 2011. Of course, Marchand’s victory is almost assured. The only question is by how much. A four-time gold medalist a year ago in the Paris Olympics, Marchand will share the stage on Day 5 with Canada’s Summer McIntosh.

NEW YORK (AP) — Perhaps nobody was happier the Yankees won Wednesday night than catcher Austin Wells, after his embarrassing mental lapse on the bases cost New York an opportunity in the ninth inning. Anthony Volpe hit a tying homer off Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks with one out in the ninth, then Wells singled and advanced to second base when Trent Grisham tried to bunt for a hit. Grisham was thrown out at first for the second out and credited with a sacrifice. Wells, however, thought the inning was over and wandered off the bag. He got tagged in a rundown for the third out, sending a back-and-forth game to extra innings as fans in the Yankee Stadium crowd of 45,355 groaned.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739459822020.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Slugger Eugenio Suarez is headed to the Seattle Mariners and flame-throwing reliever Jhoan Duran has been traded to the Philadelphia Phillies during a busy Wednesday ahead of Major League Baseball’s trade deadline on Thursday. Suarez hit 36 homers for the D-backs this season while Duran is one of MLB’s elite relievers. In other deals, the New York Yankees acquired veteran outfielder Austin Slater while the New York Mets added relievers Ryan Helsley and Tyler Rogers. There are several prominent players available before the deadline, including Cleveland outfielder Steven Kwan and Pittsburgh right-hander Mitch Keller.Shannon Sharpe will not return to ESPN, according to a person familiar with the decision. The decision follows his recent settlement of a lawsuit accusing him of sexually assaulting a woman during their relationship. Sharpe's last appearance on ESPN was in late April when the lawsuit was filed. No details of the settlement have been released. The lawsuit sought $50 million. Sharpe called the accusations false and hoped to return for the NFL season. Instead, ESPN decided to part ways with the Hall of Fame tight end. Sharpe joined ESPN in 2023 after leaving FS1's "Undisputed" and was a panelist on "First Take."CINCINNATI (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani is hopeful that he will be able to make his next mound start after his outing Wednesday night was cut short by cramping in his right hip. Ohtani was scheduled to go four innings on a hot, humid night against the Cincinnati Reds. But he left without recording an out in the fourth after he threw six straight balls, including two consecutive wild pitches. The 31-year old reigning NL MVP said he started to cramp in the first inning. Ohtani and manager Dave Roberts both blamed the cramping on the weather.LOS ANGELES (AP) — Federal prosecutors say former NBA star Gilbert Arenas has been arrested along with five other people on suspicion of hosting illegal high-stakes poker games at a Los Angeles mansion owned by Arenas. The U.S. Attorney's Office said Wednesday that all six defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business and one count of operating an illegal gambling business. His attorney said he hadn’t had much time to speak with his client and couldn’t comment on the case. The 43-year-old Arenas is also charged with making false statements to federal investigators.SINGAPORE (AP) — Léon Marchand is out to break his own world record in the 200-meter individual medley at the swimming world championships in Singapore. If you missed it, Marchand only set the record Wednesday in the semifinals at the worlds — 1 minute, 52.69 seconds. That shattered the old mark of 1:54.00 held by American Ryan Lochte since 2011. Of course, Marchand’s victory is almost assured. The only question is by how much. A four-time gold medalist a year ago in the Paris Olympics, Marchand will share the stage on Day 5 with Canada’s Summer McIntosh.NEW YORK (AP) — Perhaps nobody was happier the Yankees won Wednesday night than catcher Austin Wells, after his embarrassing mental lapse on the bases cost New York an opportunity in the ninth inning. Anthony Volpe hit a tying homer off Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks with one out in the ninth, then Wells singled and advanced to second base when Trent Grisham tried to bunt for a hit. Grisham was thrown out at first for the second out and credited with a sacrifice. Wells, however, thought the inning was over and wandered off the bag. He got tagged in a rundown for the third out, sending a back-and-forth game to extra innings as fans in the Yankee Stadium crowd of 45,355 groaned.BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Colorado defensive back Carter Stoutmire sees Deion Sanders as more than just a coach. Sanders has returned to the team after battling bladder cancer, and his presence has lifted spirits. Stoutmire, whose father played in the NFL with Sanders, expressed relief at his return. Sanders revealed Monday that doctors removed his bladder to combat an aggressive form of cancer. His return has energized the team. Defensive coordinator Robert Livingston praised Sanders' leadership, noting his impact on and off the field. Sanders emphasized the importance of regular health checkups, a message that resonated with Livingston.The biggest event in harness racing celebrates a centennial anniversary this weekend with the 100th running of the Hambletonian. The trotters race at the Meadowlands in northern New Jersey still has the sport's richest purse at $1 million with more than $9 million expected to be wagered. That's a long way from the nearly $75,000 on the line in the first rendition of the Hambletonian in 1926 at the New York State Fair in Syracuse. The race named after the founding sire of standardbred horses sustained through the Great Depression and World War II and evolved to remain prominent thanks to an influx of international interest.NEW YORK (AP) — A New York City police officer killed during a shooting at a Manhattan office tower is being laid to rest. The funeral of Officer Didarul Islam will take place Thursday at Parkchester Jame Masjid Funeral Home in the Bronx. The 36-year-old will then be buried at a cemetery in New Jersey. Islam was among four people fatally shot Monday in a midtown building housing the National Football League’s headquarters. The gunman also shot and wounded a fifth victim before killing himself. An immigrant from Bangladesh, Islam had worked his way up the nation’s largest police force, serving as a school safety agent before becoming a patrol officer. FinalsINTERLEAGUE Final Detroit 7 Arizona 2 Final Chicago White Sox 9 Philadelphia 3 Fina lKansas City 1 Atlanta 0 Final Houston 9 Washington 1 Final Cleveland 5 Colorado 0AMERICAN LEAGUE Final Boston 13 Minnesota 1 Final Toronto 9 Baltimore 8 Final N.Y. Yankees 5 Tampa Bay 4 Final Texas 6&nbsp; L.A. Angels 3 Final Athletics 5 Seattle 4NATIONAL LEAGUE Final Chicago Cubs 10 Milwaukee 3 Final Pittsburgh 2 San Francisco 1 Final San Diego 5 N.Y. Mets 0 Final Cincinnati 5 L.A. Dodgers 2 Final Miami 2 St. Louis 0