Browsing: Lane

KANSAS CITY — The Royals have agreed to a one-year, $5.25 million deal with veteran outfielder Lane Thomas, sources told MLB.com on Thursday night.

The club has not confirmed the contract, which is pending a physical and includes $1 million in incentives. The Royals are at 38 players on their 40-man roster, so a corresponding move is not needed.

The 30-year-old Thomas is a buy-low bounceback candidate and a right-handed hitter who can play center field, all items the Royals were searching for when looking at the free-agent market for outfielders who can provide some length to the bottom of their lineup. They missed out on re-signing Mike Yastrzemski, who inked a two-year, $23 million contract with the Braves on Wednesday, but had a list of free agents to continue to go after as they left the Winter Meetings.

Thomas spent the last year and a half with the Guardians and went through several ups and downs. After joining Cleveland in a Trade Deadline deal with the Nationals in 2024 — the Royals expressed interest in adding him then, too — the outfielder batted .148 in his first 29 games for Cleveland. But he turned it on in September, with a .560 slugging percentage, and Thomas†grand slam in Game 5 of the ALDS against Detroit and Tarik Skubal helped send the Guardians to the ALCS. There, Thomas†double preceded a game-tying home run by Jhonkensy Noel in the bottom of the ninth in Game 3 against the Yankees, which the Guardians won in 10 innings.

After that uneven 2024, Thomas was limited to 39 games and 125 at-bats for the Guardians in 2025, mostly due to a lingering case of plantar fasciitis in his right foot, which required surgery in September. And before that, Thomas missed a month with a right wrist bone bruise after he was hit by a pitch on the right wrist in Clevelandâ€s home opener. When healthy enough to play, Thomas batted just .160 with a .518 OPS and six extra-base hits.

The biggest question is if Thomas can recapture the form he showed in 2023, when he hit 28 homers and stole 20 bases for Washington, to go with a .783 OPS and 3.3 WAR (per Baseball Reference). Even if not, he can still provide value against left-handed pitchers, against whom he has a career .292/.359/.500 slash line.

Defensively, Thomas has seen time at all three outfield positions, including 276 starts in right field and 170 in center. In his last full season in 2024, he showed limited range (-8 outs above average, third percentile) but an elite arm (95th percentile arm strength). The Royals could use him as a right-handed option in center field when lefty Kyle Isbel sits, or in right field if lefty Jac Caglianone is not playing. Thereâ€s lots of opportunity in left field right now, too; the Royals plan to have Michael Massey (also a lefty) split time between second base and left field in 2026.

It remains to be seen how much, if at all, Thomas†foot injury will zap him of his 94th-percentile sprint speed in limited time in 2025, but when healthy Thomas still presents a tantalizing power/speed combination that could make him more than a platoon bat if he performs.

This move doesnâ€t mean the Royals are done searching for outfield bats. Their preference is to add multiple this offseason, and theyâ€ll still be exploring the trade market for a more impactful bat. Thomas provides them with depth that can hit lefties well, something the Royals will want to get on base at the bottom of their order so the core of the lineup can produce runs.

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On the morning after the big feast, with tryptophan still coursing through my veins, I woke early to indulge in a form of consumption the pilgrims at the first Thanksgiving would not have recognized: live-streaming golf on a personal device.

What a difference a few decades make.

More than 40 years ago, in an era when Vin Scully still called the shots, I’d tuned into the inaugural Skins Game on a small black-and-white in my college dorm room, fiddling with rabbit-ears for better reception. Now the event was playing on my laptop, beamed through the ether on a platform owned — fittingly for Black Friday — by the largest online retailer in the world.

Sports is commerce and commerce is sport. Always has been. That was plain enough in 1983, when Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Gary Player pegged it at Desert Mountain in Arizona. That maiden Skins had its sponsors, its signage, its corporate imprint. But compared with Friday’s iteration — the 2025 Capital One Skins Game — it felt as quaint as a trip to the mall. The entire purse back then was $360,000 — about one-fourth of what the final hole was worth this time around — and the whole enterprise had the air of holiday escapism. You tuned in for the golf but also for the desert sun and the banter among four aging legends. Though that first Skins was taped, edited, and aired over two days, it still gave you the sense of stumbling onto something unscripted in the lull before December.

Then it went away. After 2008, the event disappeared for 17 years, a hiatus long enough to skip an entire generation of fans. The decision to bring it back marked a departure from so much televised golf these days, which, with its TGLs and YouTube influencer tourneys, aims so openly at younger generations. This Skins was more like a nod to greybeards, a gentle stroll down memory lane.

The broadcast leaned into that nostalgia. It opened with highlights from the inaugural edition — retro graphics, Sansabelts, a silver-haired Arnold Palmer — as if inviting us to remember not just the four-man competition but the era that framed it. Interviews with players from generations past punctuated the coverage. Annika Sorenstam rang in to remember when. So did Fred Couples, who relayed an endearingly out-of-time moment by revealing he’d offered to handle 1st-tee introductions until he realized the event was in Florida, not Palm Springs.

If anything, all the backward glancing helped to throw the present into sharper relief. Couples summed it up best: in this event, you’re not really worried about how you play. All you’re paying attention to is the money. As a fan, you could prioritize the moolah, too, by placing a live wager on the action. DraftKings had cameos during commercial breaks.

None of which was reason to begrudge this year’s cast. Xander Schauffele, Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry and Keegan Bradley are immensely likable players still in their primes, still capable of putting on shot-making shows. There was a bit of that. Bradley played steadiest and walked off with the most skins. A rusty Schauffele was shut out but won the entertainment category with a droll sense of humor and a dead-on, impromptu Sam Burns impression.

For all its throwback content, the event also had some recent history to draw from in the form of the Ryder Cup, which added a dash of spice to the banter. Lowry couldn’t resist a playful jab at Bradley: “I have just spent the last few months breaking Keegan Bradley’s heart,” he said after draining a birdie putt to halve the 2nd hole. Every viewer knew the context, no matter their age.

The commentary, meanwhile, was mostly syrupy, appropriate for a televised confection, though it could have done without some of the sugar-coating. Peter Jacobsen, an affable presence and a veteran of many hit-and-giggles himself, tried to talk up the intensity of the nerves, as if this were the Masters and not a light-hearted payday. As if Fleetwood hadn’t winged in last minute from his home in Dubai and teed it up without bothering with a practice round.

On top of any jet lag, he had to get up early to make his tee time, not because golf fans were clamoring for dawn-patrol skins, but because the event needed to clear out before the Bears-Eagles game kicked off. Even big-money fourball matches are chicken feed compared to the economic force of the NFL.

Do I sound like an old grump?

I don’t mean to. Mostly, what I’m feeling is melancholy, which shouldn’t be a shocker. In helping us recapture the way things used to be, nostalgia also highlights what we feel we’ve lost. I’m not naive. I don’t believe the early ’80s was an age of innocence, or that Jack and Arnie weren’t also in it for the money. Was the world back then really all that different than as it today? Probably not. But I’d seen less of it. Come to think of it, maybe what I was missing most was my own youth, something no amount of skins could ever buy me back.

Reigning Calder Trophy winner Lane Hutson has agreed to an eight-year, $70.8 million extension with the Montreal Canadiens, the team announced Monday.

The deal comes after prolonged negotiations over the summer between the American-born defenseman and the Canadiens. Talks intensified over the weekend with a focus on getting Hutson signed so he and the team can get off to a good start. The deal, which carries an $8.85 million AAV, includes $55 million in signing bonus money, sources told ESPN.

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The 21-year-old is coming off a historic season for the Canadiens. He recorded six goals and 60 assists — the most assists by a rookie defenseman in NHL history. He became Montreal’s first rookie of the year since Ken Dryden won the award in 1972.

Hutson became the fourth defenseman to lead rookies in scoring, following Bobby Orr, Brian Leetch and Quinn Hughes.

Hutson is a 2022 second-round pick of the Canadiens. He joined the team after two years at Boston University.

Hutson’s new contract falls in line with other deals young defensemen signed ahead of the season. Anaheim’s Jackson LaCombe inked an eight-year, $72 million deal, and New Jersey’s Luke Hughes signed for seven years, $63 million.

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Star defenceman Lane Hutson and the Canadiens agreed to an eight-year, $70.8-million contract extension on Monday.

The extension, which begins next season, will pay Hutson an average annual salary of $8.85 million. It will run through the end of the 2033-34 season.

Hutson, 21, is the reigning Calder Trophy winner as the NHL’s top rookie after a historic season in which he had six goals and 60 assists, becoming the first Canadiens player to win it since Ken Dryden in 1971-72.

He became just the fourth defenceman in the NHLâ€s modern era to lead rookies in scoring, joining Bobby Orr, Brian Leetch and Quinn Hughes.Â

His 60 assists were tied for the most by a rookie defenceman in NHL history, and no rookie, regardless of position, has had more helpers for the Habs in a single year.

With the move to extend Hutson, the Canadiens have locked up the majority of their core for the long term, with Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Noah Dobson and Kaiden Guhle all under contract until at least through the 2029-30 season.

Hutsonâ€s deal was a pressing matter for Montreal, as he was set to become a restricted free agent after the 2025-26 season.

Hutson was drafted in 2022 by the Canadiens in the second round, 62nd overall, out of the U.S. National Development Team. He went on to play two years of collegiate hockey at Boston University.

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Philadelphia Eagles star offensive tackle Lane Johnson is looking for more variety from the team’s offense moving forward.

“It seems a lot harder than it needs to be,” Johnson said Thursday, via Dylan Svoboda of the New York Post. “Maybe moving forward, just have a little bit more variety, hitting the perimeter some … [We] need to be able to keep defenses guessing.”

The Eagles were held scoreless in the second half of a 34-17 loss to the New York Giants on Thursday night.

Philadelphia secured a Super Bowl title last season due to an imposing rushing attack spearheaded by reigning Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley.

Barkley hasn’t looked the same in 2025, as he’s averaging a mere 3.4 yards per carry. It’s worth noting that he’s only recording 2.1 yards before contact per rush attempt this season after averaging 3.8 yards before contact in 2024 (via Pro Football Reference).

Philadelphia’s inability to consistently rely on its rushing attack has hurt the rest of its offense.

The Eagles are averaging a mere 274.5 yards per game to open their 2025 campaign, which ranks No. 29 among all NFL teams.

After beginning the year with a 4-0 record, Philadelphia has lost each of its past two contests.

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Lacey Lane made her AEW debut this week, appearing during Dynamite‘s special Title Tuesday episode, but it wasnâ€t without some online controversy.

Laneâ€s debut came in a match against Mercedes Moné, in a losing effort. After the match, though, Lane took to social media to address some criticisms.

Fans were quick to note that Laneâ€s wrestling name closely resembles that of NXT star Jacy Jayne. However, Lane was quick to show a screenshot of her adopting the name in 2018, and joked that the information was for “idiots†who didnâ€t know.

Lacey Lane, who also performed under the name Kayden Carter from 2018 to 2025, appears this week in AEW after being released from WWE in May. During her time in NXT, Lane was the longest-reigning NXT Womenâ€s Tag Team Champion and a one-time WWE Womenâ€s Tag Team Champion. She won both titles with Katana Chance.

While Lane performed for Ring of Honor recently, her contract status with both companies is currently unknown.

READ MORE: AEW Dynamite Results: Review, Grades, Card For October 7

What do you make of Lacey Laneâ€s comments? Did you enjoy her debut on AEW Dynamite this week? Do you think weâ€ll be seeing a lot more of her in the future? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin isn’t a fan of his team’s SEC schedule for the 2026 season.

Kiffin said that the inclusion of Oklahoma as an annual opponent for the Rebels “doesn’t make any sense,” per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN).

“We don’t have anything in common with them or our fans,” Kiffin explained. “That’s unfortunate with so many great teams that we’ve played for a long time here.”

The SEC recently released its nine-game schedule for 2026, which features each team facing off against three conference rivals on an annual basis for the next four seasons. The annual opponents for Ole Miss are LSU, Mississippi State and Oklahoma.

Teams will also play against each conference opponent every two years as part of the updated schedule.

The Rebels and Sooners don’t have much of a shared history, as they’ve only met twice since 1999. Ole Miss won both contests.

Oklahoma spent just over two decades in the Big 12 before joining the SEC ahead of the 2024 season.

Despite the lack of an established rivalry, both schools could develop one with yearly matchups incoming. Oklahoma and Ole Miss are undefeated to start the 2025 season and were ranked No. 7 and No. 13 in the latest AP Top 25 poll, respectively.

The two teams will also face off this year, with the Rebels traveling to battle the Sooners on Oct. 25.

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Philadelphia Eagles Pro Bowl right tackle Lane Johnson reportedly injured his neck on the Eagles’ signature play during their come-from-behind, 33-26 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

According to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Johnson suffered a stinger on a Tush Push during the Eagles’ opening offensive series of the game. McLane called it the “first notable injury” an Eagles player has suffered on a Tush Push.

Johnson left the game after playing just 10 offensive snaps and didn’t return, but Johnson told McLane that he is “trending toward” being able to start against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4.

â–¶ï¸ Full Rams-Eagles Recap

Selected fourth overall by the Eagles in the 2013 NFL draft, Johnson has firmly established himself as one of the top offensive tackles in the league over his 13-year career.

A six-time Pro Bowler and two-time First Team All-Pro, Johnson has started all 161 regular-season games he has appeared in, and he helped the Eagles win a pair of Super Bowls, including last season.

While always effective when healthy, injuries have plagued Johnson at times throughout his career, as he hasn’t gone a full season without missing a game since 2015.

Injuries are par for the course when it comes to offensive linemen who battle in the trenches on every play, but the circumstances of Johnson’s latest injury will perhaps do little to quell the opposition to the Tush Push.

There has long been support behind the idea of outlawing the Tush Push for multiple reasons, and player safety is one that has been cited quite often.

Although a lineman can get injured on any play, Johnson suffering a stinger on a Tush Push could serve as additional ammo for teams that want to get the play out of the game.

In May, the Tush Push was nearly banned via a vote at the NFL spring meetings. While 24 votes were needed to make it an illegal play, only 22 teams voted in favor of the ban.

The Tush Push, which the Eagles run to near perfection thanks to a dominant offensive line and a tough-as-nails quarterback in Jalen Hurts, has remained at the center of controversy this season.

When video of the play is slowed down, it has often looked this season as though members of Philly’s offensive line have moved early. However, no false starts have been called on the Tush Push, and it has remained highly effective for the Eagles.

It is possible the Tush Push could come under fire again next offseason, but it remains a legal play for at least the remainder of the 2025 campaign.

As for Johnson, the Eagles could undoubtedly use his presence Sunday in a battle of unbeaten teams against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The team that wins the game will move to 4-0, and it will hold the tiebreaker over the losing team as it relates to the race for the No. 1 playoff seed in the NFL, which could play a significant role in which NFC team represents the NFC in the Super Bowl.

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