Sports
Freddie Freeman's 'borderline miracle' stolen base in NLDS Game 1 gives Dodgers chills
It wasn’t the most stunning October moment delivered by a gimpy Dodgers player in Chavez Ravine. That honor will always go to Kirk Gibson, who hobbled around the bases on two bum knees after his walk-off home run off Oakland Athletic closer Dennis Eckersley landed in the right-field pavilion in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.
But it was up there.
After leading off the third inning of Saturday night’s National League Division Series-opening 7-5 victory over the the San Diego Padres with a single, Freddie Freeman — playing on a right ankle that was so severely sprained doctors told him “this is a four-to six-week [injured list] stint” — took off for second base.
And he stole it, sending a jolt of energy and an extra dose of determination through a Dodgers dugout that had begun to find its footing after erasing a 3-0 first-inning deficit on Shohei Ohtani’s score-tying three-run home run in the second inning.
“We had a saying in 2020 when we won [the World Series], guys were going around saying, ‘Hey, I’m prepared to die out there today,’ ” Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said. “Obviously, it’s metaphorical, but that’s kind of the mentality we’re taking again this year, like nothing should hold us back out there, and Freddie proved that tonight.
“He gets the hits, makes the plays, steals a bag, and it sends a message to our dugout that hey, it doesn’t matter what your name is, who you are, you better be willing to do whatever it takes to win this game. … It’s hard to put into words exactly what that meant to see Freddie doing that. It’s just really cool. It almost gives you chills.”
Freddie Freeman celebrates after hitting a single in the third inning Saturday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Freeman’s stolen base put him on second with no outs, and though he didn’t score in the inning, it gave the team hope that its 35-year-old first baseman and No. 3 hitter would be a factor in this series despite his injury, which he sustained trying to avoid a tag while running out a grounder in the Sept. 26 division-clinching win over San Diego.
Freeman lined a 109-mph single to right field in his first at-bat in the first inning. After his third-inning single to right, he grounded into a fielder’s choice during a three-run fourth inning, grounded out to first in the sixth and struck out in the eighth.
“When you see a guy like Freddie going through what he’s going through and making himself available to play, that speaks a lot,” said shortstop Miguel Rojas, who is playing with a left-adductor strain. “It pushed me to forget about everything that is going on with me, because I’m not even close to what he’s going through.
“Nobody in this clubhouse is 100%. We all understand that. But the fire and the fight from this team is unbelievable.”
When Rojas saw Freeman limping around the clubhouse early Saturday afternoon, he thought there was “no chance” Freeman would play.
“I thought he had like a 5% chance with how he looked when he got here,” Rojas said. “I don’t think anybody expected him to play. It was borderline a miracle.”
Freeman went through a workout on Friday but woke up so sore on Saturday that he told his 8-year-old son, Charlie, “I don’t know if Daddy is going to be able to play today.” Freeman arrived at Dodger Stadium at 10:45 a.m. and received several hours of treatment that reduced the swelling in his ankle.
Freeman went through his normal pregame workout on the field, and after hitting off a high-velocity pitching machine in the batting cage about 2½ hours before first pitch, he told manager Dave Roberts he felt good enough to play. That decision looked pretty good after Freeman’s sharp single in the first inning.
In the Dodgers’ 7-5 win in the opening game of the National League Division Series, Shohei Ohtani hit a three-run home run to tie the game. And six scoreless innings from the Dodgers’ bullpen kept the lead from changing.
“That really helped with the feeling-out process,” Freeman said. “I felt good after my first at bat, so I knew I could do it.”
But good enough to steal a base? That seemed unfathomable to players and coaches in both dugouts, to Padres pitcher Dylan Cease and to just about everyone in a sellout crowd of 53,028.
“I think the stolen base was just pure luck,” Freeman said. “I leaned into Clayton [McCullough, first-base coach], and said, ‘What is [Cease’s time to the plate]? They know I have a sprained ankle, and I figured they didn’t think I was gonna steal. He said, ‘1.65 seconds.’ I said, ‘Can I go?’ And he goes, ‘Can you run?’ And I just took off.
“You know, 90 feet means a lot in this game, especially in the postseason. I know I took a big risk with how I’m feeling, but the opportunity presented itself, and I had to go for it. If I can’t play the game the right way, I shouldn’t be out there. So I was feeling good enough, adrenaline took over. But the adrenaline’s worn off now. I’m tired.”
What did Roberts think when he saw Freeman take off for second?
“I was holding my breath,” he said. “And that crash landing, I wanted to make sure he was able to get up. Freddie, as a competitor, felt there was a chance to get into scoring position with nobody out. It’s a calculated play. I guess he was playing possum with everybody. But it’s just a heady play and a gutsy play. … He just willed himself into the lineup. He was certainly medicated.”
In addition to physical therapy sessions and extensive pregame treatments, pain-killers will be part of Freeman’s daily regimen for the rest of the postseason.
“Everything is doctor prescribed, whatever the doctors allow me to have, but yeah, there’s some help,” Freeman said. “Unfortunately, this probably might be how it is every day, but I think we have a good plan and approach.”
Sports
Golf star records lowest round in LPGA major history with astounding performance at Evian Championship
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There are good days on the golf course, and then there is what Haeran Ryu just did on Saturday.
Ryu, 25, recorded the lowest round in LPGA major history on Saturday with an 11-under 60 at the Evian Championship. With the South Korean golfer’s historic round, she holds a three-stroke lead.
Ryu’s round comes just two weeks after winning her first major at the Women’s PGA Championship. On the 18th hole, Ryu left a 30-foot eagle putt a few inches short, and instead settled for a birdie.
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Haeran Ryu of South Korea reacts on the 18th green after the third round of The Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains, France, on July 11, 2026. (Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
She said after the round that she had no idea what she had done until she counted up her scorecard.
“But after the putt and I counted my score with my caddie,” she said. “Oh my God, it’s 11-under par today. It was so amazing. My caddie says, ‘Yep.’ I’m so happy right now.”
If Ryu had made the eagle putt on the 18th hole, she would have been just the second player to shoot a 59 in LPGA history.
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Haeran Ryu of South Korea celebrates a birdie on the 15th green during the third round of The Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club on July 11, 2026, in Evian-les-Bains, France. (Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Her 60 broke the record for the lowest round in an LPGA major by one shot. Leona Maguire and Jeungeun Lee6 in 2021, and Hyo Joo Kim in 2014, each shot 61 at the Evian Championship, which was designated as an LPGA major in 2013.
The lowest round in a men’s major is 62, which is shared by four players — Branden Grace at Royal Birkdale in the 2017 British Open, Xander Schauffele and Rickie Fowler in the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club, and Schauffele and Shane Lowry in the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla.
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Haeran Ryu of South Korea and Lottie Woad of England interact after their round on the 18th green during the third round of the Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains, France, on July 11, 2026. (Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Ryu hopes her historic third round can help propel her to a second major win in three weeks.
“That is amazing, amazing dream,” Ryu said. “So I just want that one to come true, but we have one more day.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Taylor Crabb is no stranger to South California beaches. The Long Beach State alum returns home this weekend to compete in AVP League matches.
It marks the first time AVP will compete in Long Beach since 2020 and allows players to compete at the 2028 Olympics beach volleyball venue.
Crabb, 34, made his AVP debut in 2013 with his brother, Trevor, and advanced from the qualifier in Manhattan Beach before finishing 25th in his first tournament.
After years of competing with various different partners, Taylor Crabb and Andy Benesh have delivered the top performances this AVP season.
The following interview with Crabb has been edited for clarity and length.
Are you excited to compete in this weekend’s event at Long Beach?
Crabb: Very excited. A lot of my college teammates and part of the school have reached out, saying that they’re gonna come. So I’m excited to get a chance to play in front of them again.
When was the last time you were in Long Beach?
Crabb: I always try to go down there for alumni events or any big games they have. I went to UCLA against Long Beach last year, when it was No. 1 versus No. 2, so I always try to get down there and support them.
You missed out on the chance to compete in the 2020 Olympics because of COVID-19 restrictions and chose not to pursue a spot at the 2024 Olympics. Are you fired up to try to compete in the 2028 Olympics, knowing that Long Beach will host the competition?
Crabb: Yeah, it’s definitely an exciting time having the Olympics in Long Beach, and we kind of get to break it in this weekend. As you said, Tokyo didn’t go the way I wanted, but I’m going full force now. I have a great partner in Andy Benesh, who obviously went to the Paris Olympics, and if it weren’t for the Olympics being in Long Beach, and me getting a partner like Andy, I’m not even sure I’d be going for it, but because of those two things, I want to make the most of it.
You mentioned that if it wasn’t for a partner like Andy, you wouldn’t be going for it. What do you mean by that?
Crabb: I didn’t feel motivated by playing in all the international events, but now, I think, sitting out kind of lit the fire under me, and I’m really motivated now.
You’ve had different partners throughout your time. What other motivation does Andy give you?
Crabb: He’s been, in my mind, the top blocker for the U.S. the last four or five years. Seeing the professionalism he brings every day to practice, on and off the court, while traveling and when showing up to tournaments, it rubs off on you and that’s really motivating to see. And I just want to make him proud.
Why do you love volleyball?
Crabb: A lot of reasons, but it’s just a feeling I have when I’m out there on the court. It feels natural. It feels like home. I was born into a volleyball family. I had a volleyball in my hands my entire life, so I’ve always just enjoyed it.
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CM Punk appeared on “Friday Night SmackDown” ready to take on any challenger that was ready to step to him after winning the Undisputed WWE Championship against Sami Zayn.
Punk entered the ring in Oklahoma City and called back to the “Monday Night Raw” after WrestleMania 42 when he told Cody Rhodes he’d be ready to deliver if a championship opportunity fell “out of the sky.”
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Cody Rhodes and CM Punk face off during SmackDown at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. (Craig Ambrosio/WWE via Getty Images)
“When championship opportunities fall out of the sky, CM Punk catches them,” he said.
Punk named potential SmackDown superstars he’d think might come for the title, including Gunther, Finn Balor, Royce Keys, Damian Priest and Trick Williams. He even said that Zayn could come back around and get his rematch if he wanted. He didn’t mention Rhodes’ name, but the “American Nightmare” came out uncalled and marched his way down to the ring.
“I don’t think you and I can run away from each other anymore,” Punk told Rhodes.
Cody Rhodes looks on during SmackDown at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., on July 10, 2026. (Craig Ambrosio/WWE via Getty Images)
Rhodes agreed and mentioned that Punk would want a match with him, just “say when.” It was a quick retort from Punk, who said, “when.” SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis, who was in the ring for the segment, booked the match for SummerSlam.
Punk will defend the Undisputed WWE Championship at SummerSlam, which takes place Aug. 1 and 2 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
First, however, Punk and Rhodes will be involved in a tag team match at Saturday Night’s Main Event in New York City next week. Aldis made the match after Gunther demanded that Aldis put him in a match against Punk. Gunther was hoping it would be for the championship. Instead, Gunther will tag with Zayn.
Gunther didn’t take too kindly to that and attacked Aldis. Rhodes came back out to break up the calamity. He wanted to take on Gunther after the show went off air but Gunther walked away.
Gunther makes his entrance during SmackDown at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., on July 10, 2026. (Rich Wade/WWE via Getty Images)
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Punk definitely has his hands full as he moves to SmackDown to become a fighting champion.
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