Sports
What we’re hearing about John Tortorella’s final days with the Flyers
An incident between John Tortorella and Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York this week contributed to a deteriorating relationship between coach and team that led to Tortorella’s firing on Thursday morning, a team source said.
The source said that after Tortorella benched York for the final 50 minutes of the Flyers’ game on Tuesday at Toronto, a confrontation took place between the two that did not turn physical but that “they probably both crossed the line.”
As a result, York was functionally scratched on Thursday in a victory over the Montreal Canadiens, although he sat on the bench for the entire game because the Flyers had no healthy extra players. Interim coach Brad Shaw called it a “disciplinary issue,” and the team source said the decision to sit York was made by general manager Daniel Briere, who felt the team needed to make a point with York — who is expected to return to the lineup on Saturday.
But he won’t be playing under Tortorella, who has not responded to multiple interview requests from The Athletic since his firing.
The disagreement with York, and subsequent comments that Tortorella made after the game, contributed to the coach’s firing on Thursday morning. But those two events were not isolated. Something began to shift around the trade deadline on March 7, according to the team source.
Up until then, Tortorella seemed to be on board with the moves that Briere made, as the Flyers traded respected leaders Scott Laughton and Erik Johnson, further reducing a roster that had lost top-nine forwards Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee about a month earlier. But there was a heaviness around the team stemming from some of Tortorella’s reactions in the days and weeks that followed.
A disconnect started to grow between Tortorella, the team and Flyers management, culminating on Tuesday in Toronto, where the coach’s postgame comments didn’t help his cause, either, according to the team source.
As colleague Pierre LeBrun reported on Friday morning, the timing of Tortorella’s dismissal “was surprising. The indication from the Flyers earlier this week was that they wanted to sit down after the season with the 66-year-old coach, who had another year on his deal, to see where he was at, mentally and physically.”
Shaw said on Friday that Tortorella “left a note in our (coaches) room and in the players’ room when he came and got his stuff. That’s the type of guy he is.”
There had seemingly been tension bubbling between Tortorella and York for the past few weeks. York was made a healthy scratch for a game on March 8, and later bemoaned the lack of communication from the coach.
“We haven’t talked much, so I’m not sure,” he told reporters two days later, when asked why he thought he was scratched.
He also added: “I mean, I’m not playing to prove him anything. I’m playing for the guys in this locker room and the logo on my chest. I’m not playing for him, necessarily, if that makes sense.”
On Friday, speaking for the first time since being benched and then punished, York said: “I’m not going to get into the details of it. I will say this, I take full responsibility for my actions. It’s been addressed here in the locker room. It’s something that I’m going to put behind me and move on from. We’ve got eight games left here and that’s my focus right now. We’ll leave it at that.”
Still, he admitted frustration with watching the team get shellacked 7-2 by the Maple Leafs, as they had only five defensemen playing for the majority of the game at the end of a 10-day road trip.
“Obviously, sitting on the bench there in that type of game is never fun,” he said. “Five (defensemen) is a tough thing to do and you never want to put your teammates in that type of situation.”
Shaw was asked whether he would do something like bench a player for 50 minutes, as Tortorella did on Tuesday.
“I’m not going to get into that,” he said. “I don’t want to answer a question that can be used against Torts. I don’t think it’s anybody’s best interests, so I’d rather not answer that.”
In 58 games this season, York has four goals and 11 assists for 15 points. The 24-year-old is a pending restricted free agent. There were discussions about a contract extension earlier in the season, but not much progress made.
York reiterated his desire to be a part of the Flyers’ future on Friday.
“This is where I want to be,” York said. “I’ve stated that. I love what’s going on here and I love what we’re building. It hasn’t been our (best) year, but it’s here. This is where I want to be, and I’m looking forward to the future.”
Regarding Tortorella, York said: “I have nothing bad to say. He taught me a lot of really good things and was a really good coach for me. I’m going to use a lot of the things that he taught me down the road in my career. He’s a really good coach, and I wish him the best of luck down the road.”
(Photo: Robert Edwards / Imagn Images)
Sports
US lifts costly visa bond requirement for some World Cup travelers, Trump administration says
FIFA World Cup 2026 countdown: New York, New Jersey prepare
Alex Lasry, CEO of the NYNJ Host Committee, discusses the countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in New York and New Jersey. He details plans for free fan experiences across five boroughs and New Jersey, emphasizing public transit solutions for 1.2 million fans. Lasry confirms real grass will be installed at MetLife Stadium for the event, highlighting the global excitement for this major sporting event.
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Citizens of a select group of countries who have purchased tickets to this summer’s World Cup matches in the U.S. will no longer be required to provide thousands of dollars in visa bonds to enter the country and attend the tournament.
On Wednesday, the State Department confirmed the Trump administration is waiving a prior mandate requiring visitors from Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia to post visa bonds of up to $15,000 to enter the U.S.
The department imposed the bond requirement last year for countries it said had high rates of visa overstays and other security concerns as part of a broader immigration crackdown. Travelers from at least 50 countries are subject to the bond requirement, but the five aforementioned nations’ teams have qualified for this year’s World Cup.
The FIFA World Cup Trophy is displayed outside the White House in Washington, D.C., ahead of the FIFA World Cup Draw on Dec. 2, 2025. (Michael Regan/FIFA/Getty Images)
World Cup team players, coaches and some staff already had been exempt from the bond requirement as part of the administration’s orders to prioritize the processing of visas for the tournament.
STATE DEPT TO START ROLLING OUT FIFA PASS FOR FOREIGN SOCCER FANS LOOKING TO ATTEND WORLD CUP IN US
“The United States is excited to organize the biggest and best FIFA World Cup in history,” Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar said. “We are waiving visa bonds for qualified fans who bought World Cup tickets” and opted in to the FIFA Pass system that allows expedited visa appointments as of April 15.
In its own statement, FIFA said the announcement shows “our ongoing collaboration with the U.S. government and the White House task force for the FIFA World Cup to deliver a successful, record-breaking and unforgettable global event” and thanked the administration for the partnership.
President Donald Trump draws the United States card during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 5, 2025. (Michael Regan/FIFA via Getty Images)
However, the administration has barred travelers from Iran and Haiti, though World Cup players, coaches and other support personnel are exempt. Travelers from the Ivory Coast and Senegal face partial restrictions under an expanded version of that travel ban, even without the visa bond exemption.
The World Cup begins June 11 and is co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Some measures from the administration prompted Amnesty International and dozens of U.S. civil and human rights groups to issue a “World Cup travel advisory” that warns travelers about the climate in the U.S.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino hands the FIFA World Cup Winners Trophy to President Donald Trump during an announcement in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 22, 2025. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)
In a report this month, the main advocacy group for U.S. hotels blamed visa barriers and other geopolitical issues for “significantly suppressing international demand,” leading to hotel bookings for the soccer tournament that are far below what had initially been anticipated.
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As of early April, the number of World Cup fans affected by the bond requirement was believed to be relatively small, perhaps only about 250 people, according to U.S. officials who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. But they said that number was changing rapidly as more people buy tickets and some with tickets opt against traveling.
FIFA had requested the waiver, which had to be approved by the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, officials said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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CITY SECTION BASEBALL PLAYOFFS
WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS
Quarterfinals
OPEN DIVISION
#8 Wilmington Banning at #1 Birmingham, Thursday
#4 Carson 6, #5 Garfield 5
#6 Granada Hills 2, #3 Bell 0
#2 El Camino Real 11, #7 South Gate 0 (5 innings)
First Round
DIVISION I
#1 Sylmar 7, #16 LA Marshall 0
#8 Chatsworth 5, #9 North Hollywood 4
#5 Sun Valley Poly 1, #12 LA University 0 (8 innings)
#13 Verdugo Hills at #4 LACES
#3 Venice 11, #14 San Fernando 8
#6 Palisades 1, #11 Narbonne 0 (8 innings)
#10 Taft 13, #7 San Pedro 9
#2 Cleveland 18, #15 Maywood CES 0 (5 innings)
DIVISION II
#16 Granada Hills Kennedy 13, #1 Monroe 3
#8 Port of Los Angeles 5, #9 Bravo 3
#5 LA Roosevelt 17, #12 Northridge Academy 0
#4 LA Wilson 10, #13 Legacy 9
#3 Torres 5, #14 Vaughn 0
#6 South East 7, #11 Rancho Dominguez 1
#7 Franklin 1, #10 Downtown Magnets 0
#2 Sherman Oaks CES 3, #15 Chavez 0
THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE
(Games at 3 p.m. unless noted)
Second Round
DIVISION III
#16 Fairfax at #1 WISH Academy
#9 LA Hamilton at #8 Fulton
#13 Westchester vs. #4 Sotomayor at Arroyo Park
#21 King/Drew at #5 Sun Valley Magnet
#11 Eagle Rock vs. Triumph Charter at SIBL, 2:30 p.m.
#19 Arleta at #3 Marquez
#23 Gardena at #7 Fremont
#15 Roybal at #2 Van Nuys
Note: Divisions I-III quarterfinals May 16; Divisions II-III semifinals May 19; Open and Division I semifinals May 20 at 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. at TBD; Open and Division I finals May 23 at Dodger Stadium (times TBD).
Sports
Mets get unlikely assist from umpire collision as Tigers baserunner is thrown out at home plate in key moment
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The New York Mets’ offseason priority for this year was run prevention, and with a little help from an umpire, that’s exactly what they got.
Just about everything has gone badly for the Mets this season, as they boast one of the league’s worst records at 16-25 despite their league-high $334.8 million payroll.
But finally, something broke their way.
Detroit Tigers third baseman Colt Keith is tagged out by New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez while trying to score during the fifth inning at Citi Field in New York City on May 12, 2026. (John Jones/Imagn Images)
The Mets led the Detroit Tigers, 3-2, in the top of the fifth inning when Detroit’s Riley Greene singled into right field, and Colt Keith headed to third.
Keith was safe, beating the throw that got away from third base, so Keith took a gamble and started sprinting toward home.
Detroit Tigers third baseman Colt Keith hits a single against the New York Mets during the fifth inning at Citi Field in New York City on May 12, 2026. (John Jones/Imagn Images)
EX-MLB PITCHER ACCUSED OF ‘CONTROLLING BEHAVIOR’ IN UGLY DIVORCE BATTLE AMID NUMEROUS 911 CALLS TO HOME
However, when Keith started heading toward the plate, he crossed paths with third-base umpire Rob Drake. The two collided, and Drake fell right to the infield grass.
That held Keith up for just a couple of seconds, and it was enough for Keith to be thrown out by pitcher Freddy Peralta at home, ending the inning and killing a rally the Tigers could have needed.
The game wound up getting away from the Tigers later, as the Mets scored three runs in both the sixth and eighth innings, and the Mets’ bullpen was able to hold Detroit scoreless for the rest of the game for a 10-2 New York win.
Colt Keith of the Detroit Tigers reacts during the game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 29, 2026. (Kathryn Skeean/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
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The Mets are the owners of the league’s longest losing streak of the season at 12 games, but they have now won six of their last 10 as they desperately try to turn things around.
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