Sports
Gavin Stone reminds Dodgers why he might be the best Yoshinobu Yamamoto alternative
In the wake of Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s shoulder injury last week, the Dodgers didn’t feel the need to identify a new No. 2 starter.
They weren’t necessarily counting on someone else in their rotation to elevate their game.
“These [other] starters,” manager Dave Roberts said, “just need to go out there and be themselves.”
Still, recent history suggests the Dodgers will, at some point, need someone to fill Yamamoto’s role near the top of the rotation. Few teams can succeed in the playoffs without at least a couple of legitimate frontline options. Too often in their recent October failures, the Dodgers have been short on elite-level pitching.
This week, the team got a look at their best internal choices to handle such a task.
And on Thursday, in a 5-3 win over the Colorado Rockies, Gavin Stone showed glimpses of the dominance that could make him their best current alternative.
Stone’s final line Thursday — in a game the Dodgers got home runs from Shohei Ohtani, Will Smith and Freddie Freeman, plus three hits from Teoscar Hernández — wasn’t overwhelming.
He pitched 5 ⅓ innings. He gave up two runs. Both scored after he left the game in a bases-loaded jam in the sixth.
Over the first five innings, though, Stone again flashed his continued newfound dominance, further fueling his status as a potential frontline weapon.
“I think for any starting pitcher, you just evaluate: Do they have the weapons to get left out, to get right out, to be efficient, to command the baseball, to get a strikeout when you need to, and can you navigate three times through the lineup,” Roberts said. “He’s checked all those boxes, and for me, he’s only getting better.”
When Yamamoto went down last weekend — his rotator cuff strain isn’t expected to end his season, but leaves his ability to be an ace-caliber weapon in doubt for the time being — there were immediate questions about what it would mean for the Dodgers’ long-term pitching plans.
Their rotation was still headlined by Tyler Glasnow, an early-season Cy Young contender with a 3.00 ERA and MLB-leading 125 strikeouts.
Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivers against the Kansas City Royals on June 15.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
But beyond that, it was unclear who could emerge as a true No. 2 option — in the event Yamamoto doesn’t regain form (or health) before the end of the season.
Walker Buehler, the club’s former ace, was struggling in his return from Tommy John surgery, even before landing on the injured list with a hip injury. Bobby Miller, a playoff starter as a rookie for the Dodgers last year, had his season sidetracked by a shoulder injury, then gave up five runs in his return to the rotation Wednesday.
Clayton Kershaw is nearing his own return, remaining on track for a late July/early August activation after pitching three innings with single-A Rancho Cucamonga on a rehab assignment Wednesday.
“He has blown through this,” Roberts said of Kershaw. “I hope it continues.”
But relying on a 36-year-old veteran coming off his first career surgery represented a risky proposition.
The early outlook on a relatively weak trade market for starting pitchers doesn’t provide many obvious external targets, either.
That’s why Stone’s ascension has been so welcome, giving the Dodgers not just another productive regular-season pitcher, but one who has increasingly flashed October-worthy stuff in the process.
An All-Star selection might not be out of the question, either.
“I wouldn’t have bet on it coming into the season,” Roberts said. “But the way it has played out for three months, if that happened, man, it would certainly be well-deserved.”
Indeed, in 14 starts this season, Stone now has a 3.04 ERA, 13th-best in the National League. He has eight wins, trailing only Luis Gil of the New York Yankees for the MLB rookie lead.
Even if the Dodgers insisted they didn’t need one, he is blossoming as their best option to replace Yamamoto in the hierarchy of the rotation.
Gavin Stone delivers against the New York Yankees on June 8.
(Frank Franklin II / Associated Press)
“He’s just kind of becoming one of those guys,” Freeman said, “where you are having a good chance to win every chance he’s out there.”
On Thursday, the 25-year-old wasn’t impacted by the mile-high altitude, slightly altering his typically sinker-heavy pitch mix by going with more of a four-seam/changeup combination.
Up until the sixth inning, he rarely faced stress on the bases, retiring 12 of his first 14 batters before stranding a pair of runners in the fifth.
“The first five innings, I thought the command was unbelievable,” Roberts said.
Stone eventually exited after issuing two walks and a single in the sixth, when Roberts felt he “sort of hit a wall” at hitter-friendly (and high altitude) Coors Field.
However, the outing was also Stone’s fourth in his last five starts with at least six strikeouts — he hadn’t done so previously since his season debut in late March — a promising sign for a pitcher whose success was once dependent on limiting contact.
“It’s probably just the work [pitching coaches] Connor [McGuiness], Mark [Prior] and I have put in during bullpens and stuff,” Stone said of his growing swing-and-miss capabilities. “Just executing certain pitches a little bit better.”
His ability to complement a trademark changeup with sliders, cutters and sinkers continues to be a boon, as well, alleviating the issues he faced in an up-and-down debut season last year when he largely relied on just three pitches.
“I think that last year he was searching, looking — finding himself in the big leagues,” Roberts said, reflecting back on Stone’s 9.00 ERA in 2023. “This spring, he just had a different demeanor about him. And it has definitely carried into the season.”
There are still myriad boxes for Stone to check between now and the playoffs. Many steps ahead him on the path to October success.
Nonetheless, his production has been a blessing for the Dodgers’ banged-up pitching staff.
Unless Yamamoto returns at full strength, someone will need to bolster the club’s rotation.
And of all the options available at this point, Stone is looking like perhaps their best bet.
Sports
Knicks miraculously overcome 29-point deficit to take commanding 3-1 lead in NBA Finals over Spurs
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NEW YORK – The New York Knicks do not die.
After trailing by as many as 29, the Knicks had yet another comeback — this one perhaps the greatest of all-time, to steal a 107-106 win over the San Antonio Spurs and take a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals.
The winning moment came at the fingertip of OG Anunoby, whose tip-in off a missed Jalen Brunson three-pointer put Madison Square Garden in an absolute frenzy.
But it sure was a grind to get to that point.
New York Knicks PG Jalen Brunson shoots over San Antonio Spurs PG De’aaron Fox in Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)
Karl-Anthony Towns was hit with two fouls in just the first 62 seconds of the game, one which the Knicks faithful were not happy with. And while there was plenty of ball left after that, the game changed from that moment.
The refs certainly did not help the case, but the Spurs opened the game on a 41-20 run, mostly while Towns was off the floor. Combine that with the team knocking down 54% of its three-pointers in the first half, and you have a 76-49 Spurs lead at halftime, and they got up to a 29-point lead.
But we’ve learned to never count out New York. As they cut the deficit to 15 to close out the third quarter, the crowd that was dying to pounce was finally alive. A slow start to the fourth put San Antonio up 20, but the Knicks went on a 13-2 run to cut it to just nine with a little less than seven minutes to go. And then it was seven with 5:15 to go.
Members of the New York Knicks celebrate their 107-106 victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York on June 10, 2026. (Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
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And then it was four with 4:32 to go.
Then one with two minutes.
And then the lead with just 90 seconds left.
Pandemonium.
The Spurs hit two free throws to regain the lead with 30.3 seconds left. Yet again — it’s the Knicks.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson reacts after making a three-point basket against the San Antonio Spurs during the fourth quarter of Game Four in the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York on June 10, 2026. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
Then came what head coach Mike Brown dubbed the greatest play in the history of Knicks basketball.
San Antonio was unable to get a shot off the inbound, and Madison Square Garden was the loudest it may have ever been, as the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history was complete.
After the game, head coach Mike Brown dubbed Anunoby’s tip-in the biggest play in the history of Knicks basketball.
The Knicks outscored the Spurs 58-30.
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MEXICO CITY — The Mexican national team will kick off the 2026 World Cup against South Africa on Thursday with the weight of entertaining 83,000 at iconic Azteca Stadium and soccer fans around the globe.
The match at the venue known as Mexico City Stadium during the World Cup will kick off at noon PDT and air on Fox and Telemundo.
Once the ball starts rolling, the stadium’s altitude — 7,216 feet above sea level — will be one of the biggest assets for the Mexican lineup led by coach Javier Aguirre.
It will be Mexico’s eighth opening match in a World Cup, and El Tri carries a historical burden. It has never won a tournament opener, with a record of 0-5-2, including a 1-1 draw against South Africa in the opening match of the 2010 World Cup in Johannesburg.
Mexico coach Javier Aguirre directs his players during a friendly against Australia on May 30 at the Rose Bowl.
(Kyusung Gong / Ap Photo/kyusung Gong)
Aguirre will likely deploy the 4-3-3 formation he used during Mexico’s final warm-up match against Serbia.
“We’re ready; we’ve been working for 22 months,” said Aguirre, 67, who took the reins of the national team on Aug. 1, 2024, following Jaime Lozano’s failure at that year’s Copa América, when Mexico was knocked out in the group stage.
Since his arrival, Aguirre has led the team to its first Concacaf Nations League title and the Gold Cup. Mexico enters the tournament on an eight-game unbeaten streak, though several of those results came against lower tier opponents and at home. The two most encouraging highlights of that streak were the draws against Belgium and Portugal.
“If my teams are known for anything, it’s for their character,” Aguirre said. “My team is just like me.”
The starting goalkeeper position remains a topic of debate, but it appears Aguirre has already made his decision. Guillermo Ochoa, who will be playing in his sixth World Cup with Mexico, is considered by many to be the ideal experienced goalkeeper to use during the opener, when nerves are sure to be high. However, Raúl Rangel has been the starting goalkeeper during Mexico’s past three warm-up matches, playing the full 90 minutes each time.
Rangel, who was 10 years old when Mexico tied South Africa in the opening match of the 2010 World Cup and who fondly remembers El Tri’s victory over France that tournament, is confident between the posts.
Mexico could turn to veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa to calm nerves during the World Cup opener on Thursday.
(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
“We’re in great shape; we proved it against Portugal and Belgium, two teams that are among the world’s elite,” said Rangel, who noted that Ochoa has instilled a sense of calm in the team.
“I do believe we can be champions. We have to start keeping that in mind and believe that it’s possible. Not everyone can boast that they played in a World Cup on home soil.”
The Mexican team’s lack of elite club experience, however, is obvious and could be a problem. El Tri has few players in top-tier leagues and lacks game-changers on the wings, as Diego Lainez, Uriel Antuna and Hirving Lozano were left off the final roster. Offensive output is a cause for concern. In tight matches, goals have come mainly from defenders, with César Montes and Johan Vásquez being the primary threats on set pieces.
The commitment to youth appears to be a key factor in Aguirre’s approach to building the roster. Mexican American Brian Gutiérrez brings freshness and dynamism to the midfield, alongside Erik Lira’s energy. As an option off the bench, Aguirre could turn to 17-year-old Gilberto Mora, the youngest player in the tournament, who is sure to draw cheers from the crowd.
For his part, South Africa’s 74-year-old head coach, Hugo Broos, knows the Azteca Stadium well, having marked Maradona during the 1986 World Cup semifinals. To acclimate his players to the altitude, he held training camp in Pachuca, at an elevation of 7,979 feet.
“This game is special. I’ve played in European championships, but there’s nothing like a World Cup. And we’re going to play at the Azteca Stadium — it’s incredible that this is going to happen,” Broos said.
South Africa coach Hugo Broo talks with Nigeria’s players during a World Cup qualifying match against Nigeria in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on Sept. 9.
(Themba Hadebe / Associated Press)
He expects to be challenged by Mexico.
“They’re a very well-rounded team, with great mobility and teamwork,” Broos said of El Tri. “You can tell they want to be world champions.”
South Africa will pose a real threat with Mbekezeli Mokoena driving the midfield and the speed of Oswin Appollis and Relebohile Mofokeng on the wings. The team’s main weakness lies in finishing, as Lyle Foster is their only striker, and if he doesn’t perform well, the South African side will suffer.
“We can’t say we don’t have a chance against Mexico, because that’s not true,” said Broos about his team, which is ranked 60th in FIFA rankings and will tangle with a Mexican squad ranked No. 14.
Pregame entertainment will kick off at 10:30 a.m. PDT with performances by Shakira, Burna Boy, Maná, J Balvin, and Alejandro Fernández. As a new ceremonial feature, all 26 players from each team — starters and substitutes — will participate in the ceremony by lining up around the tournament’s central emblem on the field, rather than in the traditional pregame formation.
The match is expected to be played in the rain. Protests are expected around the stadium throughout the day, including demonstrations by the teachers’ union and groups representing the families of missing persons.
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The 2026 FIFA World Cup is almost here, and fans stateside are starting to feel the excitement.
For the next month, some of the best soccer players and teams the world has to offer will duke it out on North American soil for the right to hoist the World Cup.
The U.S. Men’s National Team in particular is an exciting young soccer squad that is looking to make some noise on their home turf, and their road to the knockout stage couldn’t have been much easier (with all due respect to their fellow group members).
Folarin Balogun #20 of United States celebrates with teammates after scoring during the second half of the international friendly match between United States and Senegal at Bank of America Stadium on May 31, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Cory Knowlton/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
The Stars and Stripes will begin their quest for a World Cup on Friday, June 12, at 9 p.m. Eastern against Paraguay in Los Angeles.
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The Paraguayans will be making their return to the World Cup stage for the first time since 2010, and have been giant killers throughout their qualifying rounds, taking down the likes of South American heavyweights Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil.
Next on the docket, the U.S. will face off against Australia on Friday, June 19, at 3 p.m. Eastern in Seattle.
The Socceroos will try their best to muck it up and play a very defensive brand of soccer against America, while also boasting a great goalkeeper in Matthew Ryan.
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Tyler Adams of the United States looks on before the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Round of 16 match between the Netherlands and the United States at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha on Dec. 3, 2022. (Maddie Meyer/FIFA/Getty Images)
Goals will be at a premium for anyone who plays Australia in this tournament.
To conclude group play, the United States will play Turkey on Thursday, June 25, at 10 p.m. Eastern back in Los Angeles.
Fresh off a quarterfinals appearance in Euro 2024, this is a very talented Turkey who may not have the star power of a France or Brazil, but will be a very dangerous out for anyone in the World Cup.
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Team USA fans celebrate with a flag during the soccer game between the United States and Panama at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., on June 27, 2024. (David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)
Though the subject of who moves on may already be decided when Türkiye and the United States square off, these are the two heavyweights of Group D and should make for an exciting conclusion to group play.
All three games will be streaming on Fox Sports and Fox One, with both the Australia and Paraguay matchups available on Fox (blackout restrictions may apply).
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Additionally, the U.S.-Paraguay matchup will be available for free on Tubi.
Happy World Cup, everyone, and go, go USA!
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