Sports
Column: The Dodgers are back to asking a lot of Clayton Kershaw, because they have no choice
The game was only Clayton Kershaw’s third of the season.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stressed that point on Tuesday night when revisiting his decision to take out Kershaw in the fifth inning of a promising start against the Philadelphia Phillies.
“It’s about continuing to build up, so then he has a base and a foundation to keep going,” Roberts said. “So, right now, for me, it was an easy one.”
The key words: Right now.
By the time Kershaw takes his next turn in the rotation, the Dodgers might not have the luxury of removing him at the first sign of trouble. By the time they’re in the playoffs, they almost certainly won’t be able to manage him as cautiously as they would a rookie.
Even after a billion-dollar offseason and the acquisition of the best pitcher who was moved at the trade deadline, the Dodgers are back to where they usually are at this time of the year.
They’re back to depending on Clayton Kershaw.
They might not like the idea of staking their season on a 36-year-old who underwent a major shoulder operation over the winter, but their situation leaves them no other choice. In the wake of their 6-2 loss to the Phillies in the second game of their three-game series at Dodger Stadium, their lead over the San Diego Padres in the National League West was down to four games.
Their injury-prone rotation has predictably unraveled, and Kershaw might have to pitch effectively for the Dodgers to have a realistic chance of winning the World Series. Tyler Glasnow and Jack Flaherty will lead their staff for the remainder of the regular season and beyond, but whom do they have behind them? Three starting pitchers will likely be required in the National League Division Series, four in the two series after that.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been sidelined for close to two months with a shoulder injury and isn’t expected to return until September. Gavin Stone looks as if he’s wearing down. Walker Buehler aborted his initial attempt to come back from his latest elbow reconstruction. Bobby Miller isn’t even in the major leagues. River Ryan has made only three career starts.
What the Dodgers ask of Kershaw could also be affected by the state of the bullpen. Evan Phillips’ loss of form last month has left the Dodgers without a closer. Brusdar Graterol’s return from a shoulder injury lasted only eight pitches, as Graterol went down with a severe hamstring strain that is expected to end his season. The shortage of bullpen resources has been magnified by the inability of the starters to pitch deep into games. Dodgers starters have registered a combined 577⅔ innings, fifth fewest in the NL.
In other words, the next time Kershaw is in the kind of jam he was in the fifth inning against the Phillies, Roberts might not have a viable arm to replace him. The manager’s only choice might be to have him pitch through it.
Six days after a nightmare start in San Diego in which he lasted only 3⅔ innings and looked finished, Kershaw was a new pitcher on Tuesday. His fastball remained in the low-90s, but he controlled the pitch better and threw a greater number of curveballs, which helped him limit the NL’s top team to one run over 4⅔ innings.
“This guy is the greatest competitor I’ve ever been around,” Roberts said. “He just kind of willed himself to have a quality outing.”
The Phillies had runners on the corners with one out in the fourth inning, but Kershaw escaped by striking out Alec Bohm and forcing J.T. Realmuto to ground out. There was more trouble in the fifth inning when Austin Hays doubled and Brandon Marsh was hit by a pitch. Kershaw finished a nine-pitch at-bat by the persistent Edmundo Sosa with a strikeout, only to give up a run-scoring single to Kyle Schwarber that moved the Phillies in front, 1-0.
There were two outs, but the Phillies had runners on the corners. Up next was a right-handed-hitting All-Star, Trea Turner, who was about to face Kershaw for the third time. Roberts came for Kershaw and replaced him with Joe Kelly, who made Turner line out to center field. The Phillies blew open the game by scoring three runs in the sixth inning.
“You never want to come out of the game, obviously,” said Kershaw, who threw 81 pitches.
Kershaw didn’t direct any frustration at Roberts, however. Rather, he blamed himself for his early departure, mentioning the two hitters who reached base after he backed them into 0-2 counts.
“Just made some dumb mistakes,” Kershaw said. “I just have to figure out how to maintain my pitch count. Obviously, my pitch count will keep getting higher, but you have to figure out how to get through at least five [innings], six or seven at some point.”
Roberts said of how Kershaw was focused on what he could control: “That’s the thing I respect.”
This mindset explains why Kershaw has a chance to be a difference maker when his pitches aren’t as explosive as they used to be. Provided he makes the improvements he wants to make, the Dodgers have an obligation to explore the limits of this version of Kershaw. They owe it not only to him but to the other players as well. To win, they’ll need him.
Sports
Terrion Arnold, Lions’ 2024 first-round pick, charged with kidnapping and armed robbery in Florida
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Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold was arrested in connection with an alleged kidnapping and robbery that investigators say occurred in February, the Tampa Police Department announced on Wednesday night.
Police previously arrested six other individuals accused of participating in what authorities described as a “targeted armed robbery” on Feb. 4.
Arnold turned himself in and was taken into custody at Orient Road Jail in Hillsborough County on Wednesday night. He is charged with four counts of kidnapping and four counts of armed robbery.
Terrion Arnold of the Detroit Lions looks on during the second half of an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., on Sept. 7, 2025. (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)
“We are aware of the matter and have been in contact with the club. We have no further comment at this time,” an NFL spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
The Lions have not immediately responded to a request for comment by Fox News Digital.
According to investigators, Arnold rented an Airbnb in Largo, Florida, where he periodically stayed with several co-defendants: Arianna Del Valle, 19; Jasmine Randazzo, 19; Lyndell Hudson II, 26; Christion Williams, 24; Boakai Hilton Jr., 23; and Freddie Hughes, 27. Authorities said other individuals also stayed at the property.
LIONS’ JAMESON WILLIAMS WON’T BE DISCIPLINED BY NFL AFTER FACING ARREST IN GUN-RELATED INCIDENT: REPORT
Investigators said three male victims, all in their late teens, suffered visible injuries after they were allegedly battered, held at gunpoint and pistol-whipped before being robbed and ordered to leave a residence in the 14000 block of North 46th Street in Tampa.
According to investigators, multiple personal items belonging to Arnold and others were stolen from the Airbnb on Feb. 1. Authorities said Arnold suspected two of the three victims were responsible, though Tampa police later determined they were not involved in the theft.
On Feb. 3, Arnold, Hilton, Hughes and another individual reported more than $250,000 in stolen property to the Largo Police Department.
Investigators allege that later that day Arnold and Hilton coordinated with Del Valle and Randazzo to contact one of the victims and lure him to an apartment.
Terrion Arnold of the Detroit Lions lines up before a play during an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 27, 2025. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Police said the three victims arrived at the apartment on Feb. 4 to meet the women, where Williams and Hudson were allegedly hiding inside a bedroom closet. According to investigators, Williams and Hudson grabbed the victims, held them at gunpoint and assaulted them.
Authorities said Del Valle streamed the incident to Arnold, Hilton and Hughes as they traveled to the apartment. Investigators also said they recovered a group chat involving the defendants in which Arnold and Hilton allegedly gave directions to Del Valle, Williams and Hudson during the assault.
According to investigators, Arnold, Hilton, Hughes and another individual arrived at the apartment around 1 a.m. Police allege Arnold directed the group inside, and that Hughes, Hudson and Williams stole the victims’ personal property while the assault was ongoing.
Authorities said the victims were escorted from the apartment about 40 minutes later, forced into their vehicle and left the scene. They later reported the incident to Tampa police and identified the suspects.
Investigators said they believe Arnold was the primary organizer of the alleged scheme based on evidence gathered during the investigation.
Terrion Arnold of the Detroit Lions runs onto the field before an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, on Nov. 27, 2025. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Arnold, an Alabama product, was selected by Detroit with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The 23-year-old recorded his first career interception this past season in Week 9 against the Minnesota Vikings, though he was only able to play eight games due to a shoulder injury that required season-ending surgery.
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Arnold played 16 games during his rookie season in 2024, tallying 10 passes defended and 60 combined tackles.
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MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s national team overcame a lackluster first half to beat Czechia thanks to a dream second half that allowed it to finish the group stage undefeated on a night that will be remembered as one of the greatest in Mexican World Cup history.
The celebration of Mexico’s 3-0 win Wednesday at Azteca Stadium turned into a tribute to legendary goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who entered the game in the final minutes to receive a standing ovation unlike any other for a Mexican player in the history of the tournament.
Czechia was eliminated after failing to earn more than one point in the tournament. In the other group match, South Africa defeated South Korea 1-0 in Monterrey and advanced in second place. South Korea will have to wait to find out whether it advances as one of the eight best third-place teams.
Czechia put up a strong performance during the first 45 minutes, while Mexico showed little offensive clarity, mainly because of a lack of control in midfield.
Everything changed in a matter of six minutes during the second half, when El Tri figured out Czechia and secured its best victory in the group stage.
Mateo Chávez opened the scoring in the 55th minute with the help of Mexico’s lethal counterattack. Luis Romo set up the goal by shaking off three Czechia players at midfield and pushing forward, passing to Chávez, who beat Czechia’s Michal Sadilek and buried a shot to the left side of goal.
Forward Julián Quiñones extended the lead in the 61st minute, exploiting Czechia’s defensive confusion in the penalty area.
Álvaro Fidalgo, who was a second-half substitute, capped the win with a stoppage-time goal. The run on the final goal was set up by a booming Ochoa kick and triggered a raucous celebration by the goalkeeper and his teammates.
The match encapsulated both the present and the future of the Mexican team.
Gilberto Mora, a 17-year-old midfielder from Tijuana and the team’s youngest player at the World Cup, was instrumental in the second half, setting up several of the plays that decided the outcome. With a 2-0 lead, one of the greatest moments for a goalkeeper in World Cup history unfolded. Ochoa replaced starter Raúl Rangel and was greeted with a standing ovation from a large portion of the 80,824 fans at Azteca Stadium.
Mexico’s Julian Quinones celebrates scoring his side’s second goal against Czechia during a World Cup match in Mexico City on Wednesday.
(Silvia Izquierdo / Associated Press)
The fans chanted Ochoa’s name every time the goalkeeper touched the ball, honoring a player who has competed in six World Cups for Mexico.
Coach Javier Aguirre said that finishing first in the group was a “primary objective” for Mexico, which already qualified for the next round. The team achieved a first by securing three consecutive wins without conceding a goal in the group stage. Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 in the opening match and South Korea 1-0 in the second game.
Mexico, which is co-hosting the tournament alongside Canada and the United States, will face its next opponent — one of the best third-place finishers — on Tuesday at Azteca Stadium.
The only sour note for Mexico came in the scoreless first half when the restless crowd unleashed a popular homophobic chant at least twice. FIFA previously sanctioned the Mexican soccer federation in an effort to stop the chant.
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For the first time at a FIFA World Cup, finishing third in your group does not necessarily mean going home.
With 48 teams competing in 2026, FIFA expanded the field to include the eight best third-place finishers across all 12 groups. The top two teams in each group advance automatically, and the remaining eight spots in the 32-team knockout bracket go to the highest-ranked third-place teams, determined by points, goal difference, goals scored and other tiebreakers.
That means 12 teams will be competing for eight spots, and the race to stay in the top eight is one of the most compelling subplots of the final days of the group stage.
Here’s where the third-place standings sit heading into the final round of group stage matches on June 24.
Third-Place World Cup Standings
| Rank | GP | Points | Goal Diff. | |
| 1 | Bosnia & Herz. | 3 | 4 | -1 |
| 2 | Sweden | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 3 | Scotland | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 4 | Croatia | 2 | 3 | -1 |
| 5 | Algeria | 2 | 3 | -2 |
| 6 | Paraguay | 2 | 3 | -2 |
| 7 | Cape Verde | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 8 | Belgium | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Cutline | ||||
| 9 | Czechia | 2 | 1 | -1 |
| 10 | DR Congo | 2 | 1 | -1 |
| 11 | Ecuador | 2 | 1 | -1 |
| 12 | Senegal | 2 | 0 | -3 |
The third-place standings will shift considerably over the next two days as the final round of group stage matches is played. Follow the live standings at FOXSports.com and watch every match on FOX and FS1, streaming live on FOX One.
Standings as of the end of Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar and Canada vs. Switzerland on Wednesday.
2026 FIFA World Cup Standings Rules
How Do Points Work? How Do Tiebreakers Work?
In a group, a team will earn three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss. That could mean some teams are equal on points at the end of the three-game group stage. That leads us to tiebreakers.
If two or more teams finish equal on group-stage points, here is the order of who finishes on top:
1. Most points obtained in the head-to-head matches played between the tied teams;
2. Superior goal difference in the head-to-head matches played between the tied teams;
3. Most goals scored in the head-to-head matches played between the tied teams;
There are even more tiebreakers if any teams remained locked after all that. From there, ties are broken by these rules:
4. Superior goal difference in all group matches
5. Most goals scored in all group matches
6. Highest team conduct score in all group matches (taking into account yellow cards and red cards)
7. FIFA World Ranking
Which Third-Place Teams Will Advance?
To fill out the World Cup knockout bracket, the best eight third-place teams out of the possible 12 in the tournament will advance. The criteria for those teams are based on:
1. Points
2. Goal difference
3. Goals scored
4. Highest team conduct score in all group matches (taking into account yellow cards and red cards)
5. FIFA World Ranking
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