New York Yankees announcers paid tribute to the team’s longtime broadcaster, John Sterling, during their May 4 game against the Baltimore Orioles.

Sterling, who passed away at 87 on May 4, was well known to baseball fans beyond New York City for his home run calls.

As fate would have it, Aaron Judge presented the perfect moment for the team’s current broadcasters to honor the iconic broadcaster. In the bottom of the first inning, Judge launched a two-run home run, and Yankees play-by-play announcer Michael Kay did his best Sterling impression.

“It is high! It is far! It is gone! Aaron Judge! A Judgian blast! Here comes the Judge!” Kay roared into the microphone during the broadcast on YES Network.

It is high! It is far! It is GONE! pic.twitter.com/Kd8OoUmBTb

— MLB (@MLB) May 4, 2026

MORE: Retired Yankees announcer John Sterling was so much more than a friendly voice on the radio

Before the game, Kay and fellow Yankees broadcaster Suzyn Waldman paid their respects by placing flowers on home plate.

Michael Kay and Suzyn Waldman place a bouquet of flowers on home plate before the Yankees have a moment of silence for John Sterling. pic.twitter.com/L6yz1eDFm7

— Deesha (@DeeshaThosar) May 4, 2026

Yankees players did their part, wearing John Sterling’s initials stitched into the back of their caps.

JS 💙 pic.twitter.com/ODvqpBSGJm

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 4, 2026

Yankees manager Aaron Boone admitted that he mimics Sterling’s famous “theeee Yankees win” after his team’s victories.

“My coaches look at me like I’m nuts. I don’t even know if they know what I’m doing,” Boone said. “As soon as that final out is made and I get up to shake players’ hands, I go, ‘Ballgame over, Yankees win, theeee Yankees win!”

“I’ve got goosebumps thinking about it.”

Aaron Boone says he channels John Sterling’s iconic “THEEEEEEEE YANKEES WIN!” call in the dugout at the end of each Yankees victory:

“My coaches look at me like I’m nuts” 😂 pic.twitter.com/50SXDm4mny

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 4, 2026

The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports’ newsletter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Yankees pay tribute to John Sterling during game against Orioles

New York Yankees announcers paid tribute to the team’s longtime broadcaster, John Sterling, during their May 4 game against the Baltimore Orioles.

Sterling, who passed away at 87 on May 4, was well known to baseball fans beyond New York City for his home run calls.

As fate would have it, Aaron Judge presented the perfect moment for the team’s current broadcasters to honor the iconic broadcaster. In the bottom of the first inning, Judge launched a two-run home run, and Yankees play-by-play announcer Michael Kay did his best Sterling impression.

“It is high! It is far! It is gone! Aaron Judge! A Judgian blast! Here comes the Judge!” Kay roared into the microphone during the broadcast on YES Network.

It is high! It is far! It is GONE! pic.twitter.com/Kd8OoUmBTb

— MLB (@MLB) May 4, 2026

MORE: Retired Yankees announcer John Sterling was so much more than a friendly voice on the radio

Before the game, Kay and fellow Yankees broadcaster Suzyn Waldman paid their respects by placing flowers on home plate.

Michael Kay and Suzyn Waldman place a bouquet of flowers on home plate before the Yankees have a moment of silence for John Sterling. pic.twitter.com/L6yz1eDFm7

— Deesha (@DeeshaThosar) May 4, 2026

Yankees players did their part, wearing John Sterling’s initials stitched into the back of their caps.

JS 💙 pic.twitter.com/ODvqpBSGJm

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 4, 2026

Yankees manager Aaron Boone admitted that he mimics Sterling’s famous “theeee Yankees win” after his team’s victories.

“My coaches look at me like I’m nuts. I don’t even know if they know what I’m doing,” Boone said. “As soon as that final out is made and I get up to shake players’ hands, I go, ‘Ballgame over, Yankees win, theeee Yankees win!”

“I’ve got goosebumps thinking about it.”

Aaron Boone says he channels John Sterling’s iconic “THEEEEEEEE YANKEES WIN!” call in the dugout at the end of each Yankees victory:

“My coaches look at me like I’m nuts” 😂 pic.twitter.com/50SXDm4mny

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 4, 2026

The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports’ newsletter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Yankees pay tribute to John Sterling during game against Orioles

The Detroit Tigers are bracing for life without Tarik Skubal, but there may be a light at the end of the tunnel.

While the organization has avoided putting a timetable on his return, an experienced orthopaedic surgeon believes the Tigers ace could be back on the mound before the end of August if everything goes smoothly. That potential window gives Detroit at least some hope as it navigates a critical stretch without its top pitcher.

Tarik Skubal Injury Update Brings Possible Return Timeline

The latest Tarik Skubal injury update centers on the type of procedure he is set to undergo.

Skubal will have surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow, a minimally invasive procedure that typically involves clearing out small fragments of cartilage and bone. According to Dr. Kevin Farmer, via Tony Paul of the Detroit News, the outlook for recovery in the short term is encouraging.

“It’s probably one of the better ones (surgeries) to have in the shorter term … take out the pieces, do a little cleanup,” Farmer said. “Short-term, you can bounce back relatively quickly.”

Farmer noted that the procedure itself is relatively quick, often lasting less than an hour, which adds to the optimism surrounding Skubal’s recovery.

Rehab Timeline Could Stretch Into Late Summer

Even with a relatively straightforward procedure, the recovery process will take time.

Farmer outlined a typical progression that begins with six to eight weeks of physical therapy to reduce swelling and restore range of motion. That phase is usually followed by another six to eight weeks of throwing and strength buildup before a pitcher is ready to return to game action.

“Everybody’s different, obviously,” Farmer said.

Under the most optimistic scenario, that timeline could place Skubal back in Detroit’s rotation by early August. A more conservative path could push his return closer to late August or early September.

Long Term Questions Still Linger

While the short term outlook appears manageable, Farmer cautioned that the bigger concern lies beyond the immediate recovery.

“The longer-term issue is kind of the bigger question. … It’s a sign of some wear and tear.”

Loose bodies in the elbow are not uncommon for pitchers, and many are able to pitch without even realizing they have them. However, when symptoms appear, they can become difficult to ignore.

Farmer explained how these issues can develop over time.

“He’s probably had these and didn’t know he had these,” Farmer said.

He compared the sensation to something simple but persistent.

“It’s like having a pebble in your shoe,” Farmer said, describing how a small fragment can suddenly become uncomfortable once it shifts into the wrong spot.

What This Means for the Tigers

The Tarik Skubal injury update leaves Detroit with both uncertainty and cautious optimism.

If the timeline holds, the Tigers could regain their ace in time for a late season push. The bigger question is where the team will stand in the standings when that moment arrives.

For now, the focus shifts to recovery and patience. The Tigers will need to hold their ground without their most dominant arm, while hoping that when Skubal returns, he can once again anchor the rotation down the stretch.

Kamaru Usman thinks MMA could use another big promotion.

Most Valuable Promotions is set for their inaugural MMA event on May 16 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. and streams on Netflix. Headlining the event is Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano, and former UFC stars such as Francis Ngannou, Nate Diaz, and Junior Dos Santos are also featured on the card.

Former UFC welterweight champion Usman encourages what Jake Paul is doing by entering the MMA space.

“It’s going to be an incredible night,” Usman said on his “Pound 4 Pound” podcast with Henry Cejudo. “I think this is great for the sport of mixed martial arts – a new promotion to really shine a light on the sport of mixed martial arts. I think it’s all a win-win for everybody here to get the opportunity, and for the sport.

“The sport wins this night. It’s not this promotion vs. this promotion. I think it’s the sport as a whole that wins, especially giving an opportunity to more and more fighters to be able to do their thing. I am going to be tuned in, May 16, watching.”

MVP’s inaugural MMA event doesn’t only feature veterans. The likes of undefeated flyweight phenom Muhammad Mokaev, and KSW champion Salahdine Parnasse will also compete on the night.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Ex-UFC champ Kamaru Usman sees MVP’s inaugural MMA event as a win-win

I’ve now played five rounds of golf with the new Arccos Air and Arccos Smart Laser in conjunction with the updated app features, and I’ve definitely learned some things about my game. I’m going to use this as a monthly update blog to keep not only myself in check on my performance and things I may need to change in my game or gear, but also so you can read along and learn yourself. Let’s get to it.

What the data is telling me

As Arccos would have it, I need work between the tee box and green. I have it set to compare myself to a scratch golfer, and at the moment I’m losing over 4 strokes. Off the tee I’m seeing semi-decent performance (more on this later), and on the greens I’m losing less than a stroke. The bigger problems are on the approach and in my short game. If I’m being honest about the approach shots, they are mostly coming from bad tee performance, but there’s no real excuse for some of the short-game stats.

Missing greens from less than 25 yards is unacceptable. I’d love to blame my gear, but not in this case. I’m also missing too many greens from 100 to 150 yards, which to me might say a lot about shot selection since those are distances I go after with my wedges, not any irons. I have a tendency to try and get a little bit too cute with anything 150 yards and in, and I think this is a great way of realizing that I need to be more aggressive with my distance choices and club selection and less focused on “creating a shot,” which is usually what ends up getting me in trouble.

The driver quandary

If you look at the data, Arccos isn’t that upset with my driver performance on the surface, but there’s a level to the data that can’t be seen. I’m making up for it because of how far I can hit my driver. It’s actually offsetting the penalties that I take with the driver off the tee, but to me it’s unacceptable to hit anything out of bounds.

It starts to show a more clear picture when I look not just at my driving stats, but my specific stats with the driver itself — going from gaining .8 strokes to losing .8 strokes; only hitting 43% of fairways and the dreaded two-way miss. That also hurts the confidence — I don’t really know where the ball is going to go. At the very least it would be nice to have a one-way miss. So far this season, stepping on the tee box with a driver has been a pretty bad feeling. Hopefully that changes soon with a new driver in my hands.

What I’m working on this month

First and foremost, the number of missed greens from less than 25 yards needs to be zero. There’s absolutely no excuse for that. That will be a big stat I look at for the next update. I am also going to abandon the driver. I’ve been using one that gives me the most ball speed, and that’s still true, but it just doesn’t work for my game. Even after lofting up and adding weight to the crown of the driver, I just can’t seem to get the driver to create the amount of spin I am comfortable with. So I’ll have to sacrifice some ball speed, but I’d rather lose yardage and figure this out.

The positives from this month? So far I feel very comfortable with everything between my driver and my wedges, which shows in the data. My irons are really great, and I have more confidence in my G440 4-hybrid and my Qi4D 5-wood than almost any other club in the bag. Being able to feel free going into par-5s or off the tee on short par-4s has been a big boost.

I’ve got plenty of golf lined up this month both on and off-camera, so we’ll see what sort of progress we can make before June. Time to figure out how to get dialed in.

The post Here’s what I’m learning with Arccos Golf’s new data tracking appeared first on Golf.

NEW YORK (AP) — Right-handed reliever Lou Trivino agreed to a one-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles on Monday, three days after he was released from a minor league deal by the Philadelphia Phillies.

The 34-year-old Trivino was 3-0 with a 2.77 ERA in 10 relief outings for the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

“Heavy sinker. Turbo sinker,” Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said. “I just remember him just attacking hitters no matter what the circumstance was. Obviously he’s had an arm injury since then. I wouldn’t say back to his form, but he’s healthy and he’s back pitching. He’s throwing the ball extremely well. The (velocity) is there.”

Baltimore optioned right-hander Trey Gibson to Triple-A Norfolk, a day after he started against the New York Yankees in his major league debut. The team also said right-hander Albert Suárez cleared outright waivers and accepted an assignment to the Tides.

Trivino is 24-27 with a 3.87 ERA in 229 relief appearances and three starts over six seasons with Oakland (2018-22), the Yankees (2022), and San Francisco, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets (2025). His career was interrupted by Tommy John surgery in May 2023.

Baltimore infielder Jordan Westburg, on the injured list since spring training with a sprained right UCL, felt discomfort when he increased the intensity and distance of his throwing program. Albernaz said Westburg will be re-evaluated.

Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday, whose return from surgery on Feb. 12 to repair a broken hamate bone in his right hand was interrupted by a sore right wrist, will take batting practice Tuesday at Double-A Chesapeake and could resume a rehab assignment this week. Holliday played in 14 minor league games from March 27 to April 21.

Baltimore outfielder Heston Kjerstad, sidelined since straining his right hamstring during a spring training game on March 19, also could begin a rehab assignment soon.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

San Diego Padres (20-13) at San Francisco Giants (13-21), May 4, 2026, 6:45 p.m. PST

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The Rockies out-hit the Mets 5-4 on Monday, but it sure didn’t feel like it.

Colorado was held scoreless and limited to one hit through six innings, and two runs in the seventh weren’t enough to beat New York. Tomoyuki Sugano had a no-hitter going through five, but gave up three straight hits in the sixth to give the Mets a lead they never lost.

The Mets (13-22) have now won three of their last four, while the Rockies (14-22) have lost four in a row. Mickey Moniak doubled and tripled, but was left on base both times. At least he extended his hitting streak to 17 games.

Sixth not as sweet for Sugano

For five innings, Tomoyuki Sugano was unhittable. His one mistake was a walk to Carson Benge in the third inning, but it was quickly erased when Francisco Alvarez hit into a double play. Sugano was efficient, only needing 40 pitches to get through the first four innings. Through five innings, aided by a strong wind blowing in from center field, Sugano had one strikeout and seemed well on his way to a quality start.

However, the bottom of the Mets lineup figured out Sugano on their second time through. On the second pitch of the inning, Benge hit a cutter 436 feet into the bullpen beyond center field to put the Mets up 1-0.

Alvarez and Luis Torrens followed with back-to-back doubles to put New York ahead 2-0.

Juan Soto then drew a walk before Sugano got Bo Bichette to ground out in a fielder’s choice that moved the runners to second and third. It also knocked Sugano (2-3, 3.41 ERA) out of the game.

Jaden Hill entered and almost avoided further damage when he struck out MJ Melendez to give the Rockies two outs. That’s when Mark Vientos hit a two-run single to double the Mets’ lead.

Hill ended the inning by striking out Baty, but the damage was done.

Mets bullpen quiets Rockies bats to start game

For six innings, the Mets bullpen day was effective against the Rockies. Huascar Brazobán hit Tyler Freeman in the first inning, and even though he stole second, nothing came of it.

Austin Warren entered in the second and threw two scoreless innings with three strikeouts. He did give up a double to Mickey Moniak with two outs in the third. Freeman appeared to almost to drive him in, but he was robbed of a run-scoring hit when Benge made a diving catch to end the inning.

Colorado native David Peterson took over on the mound in the fourth and was lights out for New York. In his first three innings of work, Peterson struck out six of the nine batters he faced to help the Mets carry a 4-0 lead into the seventh.

Beck busts through

With two outs in the seventh, Willi Castro got the Rockies’ first hit since the third inning and the second total when he hit a bloop single to left-center field. Jordan Beck came up with a clutch triple when Benge fell trying to turn to run to the wall, allowing Castro to score the Rockies’ first run. Kyle Karros, despite going down 0-2 in a seven-pitch at-bat, followed up with a single to plate Beck to shrink the deficit.

Unfortunately, Ezequiel Tovar flied out to right to end the rally.

Mejia’s magic and a wasted chance

Juan Mejia relieved Hill and was untouchable in the seventh and eighth for the Rockies. Mejia faced six batters, striking out five of them, including Soto. Mejia kept the Rockies in the game, as did Brennan Bernardino, who threw a scoreless ninth.

Moniak did what Moniak does in the eighth, hitting a one-out triple, but the Rockies couldn’t take advantage. Freeman struck out and TJ Rumfield flied out to left. In the ninth, the Rockies had the hitters they wanted up, but Hunter Goodman and Castro flied out and Troy Johnston ended the game with a pitch-hit strikeout.

Up Next

The Rockies will play the Mets in game two of the series tomorrow. Michael Lorenzen (2-3, 6.09 ERA) will get the start for the Rockies, while New York will send Freddy Peralta (1-3, 3.52 ERA) to the mound. Game time is set for 6:40 p.m., but stay tuned to Purple Row for updates on the weather developments at Coors Field.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

The top three picks in the college draft for the Athletes Unlimited Softball League were all pitchers on Monday night.

Tennessee’s Karlyn Pickens was the No. 1 overall pick by the Carolina Blaze, Texas Tech ace NiJaree Canady was selected by the Texas Volts with the second pick, and Belmont’s Maya Johnson was drafted third overall by the Oklahoma City Spark.

The draft featured 17 selections by six teams from a pool of college players who were given “Golden Tickets” this year to make them eligible for the draft.

Megan Grant of UCLA was the first non-pitcher selected, taken fourth overall by the Portland Cascade. She was one of three Bruins drafted, which led all college teams, as Jordan Woolery and Taylor Tinsley were also selected.

The AUSL will play its second full season this summer and is pivoting from being a touring sport to having teams based in six cities throughout the country. The season begins on June 9 and ESPN will carry 50 exclusive AUSL games annually, which includes the championship series.

Here’s the full results of Monday’s draft:

Round 1, Pick 1, Carolina Blaze: Karlyn Pickens | P, Tennessee

Pickens has been named SEC Pitcher of the Year in each of the last two seasons and is in the midst of putting together another strong season for the Lady Vols. The 6-foot-1 native of Weaverville, North Carolina is eighth nationally in earned run average (1.44) and first in hits allowed per seven innings (3.06). She holds the record for throwing the fastest pitch in the history of Division I softball, clocking 79.4 mph in last year’s Super Regional.

Round 1, Pick 2, Texas Volts: NiJaree Canady | P, Texas Tech

The 6-foot right-hander from Topeka, Kansas, ranks sixth nationally in ERA (1.30), fourth in hits allowed per seven innings (3.48) and 10th in total strikeouts (194). Canady is the highest paid player in college softball, earning more than $1 million from Texas Tech’s NIL collective, the Matador Club. Last season she was a consensus first-team All-American and named National Pitcher of the Year by D1 Softball and NFCA.

Round 1, Pick 3, Oklahoma City Spark: Maya Johnson | P, Belmont

The first mid-major player to receive a golden ticket from the AUSL, Johnson leads the nation in ERA with a 0.72 mark. Johnson was an All-American and the Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year last season. She’s 49-8 as a starting pitcher over the last two seasons.

Round 1, Pick 4, Portland Cascade: Megan Grant | UTL, UCLA

Grant is having her best offensive season, hitting .477 with 35 home runs, 75 RBI and 1.326 slugging percentage, which leads the Bruins. She also leads the nation in walks per game with 1.16. Grant — who has also played for UCLA’s women’s basketball team — is a two-time consensus All-American. She’s started double-digit games at right field, first base and third base across her career for the Bruins.

Round 1, Pick 5, Chicago Bandits: Jocelyn Erickson | C, Florida

A left‑handed hitter with power, Erickson was the SEC and NFCA Division I Player of the Year in 2024. Last season, she had a .997 fielding percentage with one error in 315 chances. Erickson is having the best offensive season of her career with a .424 batting average and .901 slugging percentage. She’s also hit a career-best 19 home runs so far this season.

Round 1, Pick 6, Utah Talons: Jordan Woolery | INF, UCLA

Woolery has been instrumental to UCLA’s success, starting every game of her college career — 232 and counting — as a cornerstone of the Bruins’ offense and infield. She’s hitting .513 this season with 33 home runs and 106 RBI this season. Woolery is a two-time consensus All-American.

Round 2, Pick 1, Carolina Blaze: Reese Atwood | C, Texas

Atwood has been rewriting the Longhorns’ record books since she arrived in Austin. She’s known for her power as a hitter and leadership as a catcher. She holds Texas school records for career home runs (71), RBI (276) and slugging percentage (.744).

Round 2, Pick 2, Texas Volts: Leighann Goode | INF, Texas

Known for her speed and consistency at the plate, Goode is hitting .377 this season through 46 games. She usually bats second and is able to get on base for players like Atwood to bring her in. Goode plays both second base and shortstop and has a .967 career fielding percentage with 311 putouts.

Round 2, Pick 3, Portland Cascade: Sydney Stewart | C, Arizona

Stewart has elite plate discipline with 131 career walks in 461 plate appearances. She has 36 of her 43 homers in the past two seasons and has notched 160 career RBI. Stewart is also a strong defensive presence behind the plate. She received her golden ticket from Arizona legend Jennie Finch.

Round 2, Pick 4, Oklahoma City Spark: Peja Goold | P, Mississippi State

The last player to receive a Golden Ticket, Goold has developed into one of the best pitchers in the SEC, ranking fourth in the conference with 164 strikeouts. She boasts a .177 batting average-against that would be top-five in single-season program history for the Bulldogs. Before transferring to Mississippi State, Goold was the two-time Southern Conference Pitcher of the Year for Chattanooga.

Round 2, Pick 5, Chicago Bandits: Taryn Kern | INF, Stanford

Kern has a rare combination of power, on‑base skills and defensive versatility. She played her freshman season at Indiana and won Big Ten Player of the Year before transferring to Stanford. Kern has 18 homers and 43 RBI this season. She has the fourth-best OPS in the ACC with a 1.463 mark.

Round 2, Pick 6, Utah Talons: Taylor Tinsley | P, UCLA

The third Bruin selected in the draft, the 5-foot-7 right-hander from Lawrenceville, Georgia was an All-American last season and has established herself as UCLA’s ace. She has 26 wins this season, which is tied for second nationally.

Round 3, Pick 1, Chicago Bandits: Ailana Agbayani | INF, Oklahoma

The second baseman from Hawaii was named to the SEC’s All-Defense team last season and won a Gold Glove award. She was previously the Defensive Player of the Year in the West Coast Conference. At the plate, she’s hitting for a .385 average this season with six home runs and 13 stolen bases.

Round 3, Pick 2, Oklahoma City Spark: Amari Harper | UTL, Oregon

Harper is hitting for a .401 average this season, her first at Oregon after transferring in from Texas A&M where she was an All-SEC selection. She also has 15 home runs and 47 RBI.

Round 3, Pick 3, Portland Cascade: Kenzie Brown | P, Arizona State

A three-time Big 12 Pitcher of the Week this season, Brown is 13-6 on the season with 222 strikeouts. A former All-American, she struck out 13 Oklahoma batters earlier this season. She has 11 games with double-digit strikeouts this year.

Round 3, Pick 4, Carolina Blaze: Dakota Kennedy | OF, Arkansas

One of the best defensive outfielders in college softball, she won the 2024 Rawlings Gold Glove with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage with 111 putouts. Kennedy this season is hitting for a .343 average with 14 home runs.

Round 3, Pick 5, Portland Cascade: Kenleigh Cahalan | INF, Florida

Cahalan is a left‑handed hitting infielder who began her career at Alabama, where she started every game as a freshman and sophomore. She has played shortstop, third base and second base. Cahalan has a career .961 fielding average. At the plate, she’s hitting for a .379 average this season with 15 homers.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 AUSL Draft results: Texas Tech star NiJaree Canady picked second