Russell Steinberg Articles - Page 3

University of Illinois men’s basketball coach Brad Underwood has agreed to a six-year contract extension that will keep him in Champaign through the 2030-31 season, the university announced on Tuesday. The deal, which is pending Illinois Board of Trustees approval, will pay Underwood an annual salary of $4.4 million, according to ESPN’s Jeff Borzello. He […]

Connecticut Sun ownership is exploring the potential sale of the team, team president Jen Rizzotti confirmed on Tuesday. Tina Charles, who is back with the Sun after spending the first four years of her career with the team, isn’t quite sure what to expect. She told reporters on Tuesday that she is focused on the […]

Arkansas Razorbacks men’s basketball freshman Boogie Fland will withdraw from the 2025 NBA Draft and head back to school, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givoney. We just don’t know which school. Fland is in the transfer portal and will instantly become one of the best players remaining on the market. That said, he has a “do […]

The Philadelphia Phillies have a roster that, on paper, is good enough to win the 2025 World Series. But the Fall Classic isn’t won in May and, as the season continues, we’re starting to see areas that Philadelphia will need to address before the MLB Trade Deadline on July 31. Unlike many teams, it doesn’t […]

There’s been a lot of talk about North Carolina football coach Bill Belichick lately and hardly any of it has been about Tar Heels football. While the rumors fly about Belichick and his girlfriend Jordon Hudson, the legendary coach has had to answer questions about his relationship with the woman 49 years his junior. In […]

Between the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever, there’s never been a better time to be a pro basketball fan in the Hoosier State. You can count Caitlin Clark among those fans. The Fever star has been a consistent attendee at Pacers playoff games and they haven’t lost any of the contests she’s attended. After the […]

Philadelphia Phillies DH Kyle Schwarber is tied with Aaron Judge for the Major League home run lead with 14 and he’s had an interesting mantra to help him at the plate, particularly against left-handed pitchers. “You have to be prepared to die,” said Schwarber, who bats left-handed. Schwarber explained the approach to Matt Gelb of […]

The Texas Rangers endured a scary moment on Monday night when their closer, Luke Jackson, took a 111 mile-per-hour come-backer off his hand in the ninth inning of a game against the Colorado Rockies.  The Rangers won the game, 2-1, but manager Bruce Bochy said there was cause for concern about Jackson. “We’ll see how […]

The New York Liberty’s 84-61 win over the Toyota Antelopes on Monday night was a mere sidebar to the main event: Sabrina Ionescu’s return to Oregon. The homecoming game for Ionescu and teammate Nyara Sabally was one of several around the league meant to celebrate WNBA stars in the markets they once called home. But […]

Angel Reese attempted 16 three-pointers for the Chicago Sky as a rookie, and heading into year two, you shouldn’t expect her to suddenly be a real threat from long-range. Probably. Reese said she worked with new head coach Tyler Marsh in helping build the offense and, per the Chicago Tribune’s Kalen Lumpkins, is focused on […]

As the Rafael Devers saga continues in Boston, Kansas City Royals second baseman Whit Merrifield has weighed in on the Red Sox slugger’s predicament. The Red Sox bumped Devers from third base to DH this season when the team acquired Alex Bregman, something their star wasn’t thrilled about as he entered year two of a […]

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman is the National League player of the week after he hit .500 between May 5 and 11 with 3 home runs, 7 runs scored, 12 RBI and a 1.500 OPS. It’s the 10th player of the week honor of Freeman’s career and his first of 2025. The reigning […]

The Toronto Blue Jays made a statement when they signed Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a 14-year, $500 million contract extension. The team expects to contend, and it expects to contend for a long time. The problem is you can’t win multiple World Series on the back of one player and the Blue Jays aren’t exactly […]

After scoring one run in their final 18 innings against the Philadelphia Phillies over the weekend, the Cleveland Guardians are adding some firepower to their offense. The team recalled outfielder Will Brennan from Triple-A Columbus on Monday, sending the struggling shortstop Brayan Rocchio down as a corresponding move. Brennan is hitting .304 with eight doubles […]

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani seems to do something absurd every time he steps on the field, but Alex Rodriguez isn’t ready to throw the GOAT moniker his way just yet. When Zach Gelb of The Zach Gelb Show asked A-Rod point-blank if Ohtani is the best player he’s ever seen, the former New […]

The Houston Police Department is investigating death threats made to Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. and his family, a spokesperson has confirmed to the Houston Chronicle. McCullers, who hadn’t pitched in the Majors since 2022 before his season debut on May 4, struggled mightily against the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday, giving up seven runs on […]

The New York Liberty are about to add one more piece to their title defense with second-year forward Leonie Fiebich set to rejoin the team this week. New York expects her to arrive in the city on Thursday and she should be on-hand for the Liberty to receive their WNBA championship rings on Saturday before […]

Not that there was any doubt before, but you can officially count Bryce Harper among the people who want to see Kyle Schwarber stay with the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies’ first baseman said as much to the team’s MLB.com beat writer, Todd Zolecki. “I don’t want him to go anywhere else,” Harper told him. “And […]

Part of the reason the New York Liberty took the leap from contender to champion in 2024 was because the team vastly improved its bench over the previous season. For New York to repeat as WNBA champs, its new-look bench will have to prove itself too. As the preseason rolls on, second-year guard Marquesha Davis […]

The Seattle Mariners enter play on May 6 with a 20-14 record, good for first place in the American League West. After missing the playoffs last year and not making significant upgrades in the offseason, it was fair to criticize the club for potentially wasting an elite starting rotation with a dismal offense. Ben Verlander […]

Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Tommy Edman is unlikely to come off the injured list this weekend when he is eligible, according to manager Dave Roberts. The Dodgers initially hesitated to put Edman on the IL with his ankle injury, hoping a couple days off would do the trick. Los Angeles finally made the move […]

Two days after the Golden State Valkyries waived Shyanne Sellers, the No. 17 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, the Atlanta Dream have picked her up. The new-look Dream were awarded the rookie via waivers, announcing the move Monday evening via X. It’s a good pickup for the Dream after the Valkyries’ seemingly odd choice […]

San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames grew up idolizing another shortstop, New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter. Adames and Jeter had a chance to meet in 2023 when Adames played for the Milwaukee Brewers, and he took time to reflect on the moment and what it means to wear Jeter’s No. 2 in a recent […]

Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber is off to a scorching start to 2025, and as he continues to hit home runs, his potential value in free agency is going up. ESPN’s Jeff Passan took a look at the players with nine-figure potential in a column published Tuesday, and Schwarber was an unlikely name on […]

The New York Yankees might be about to get their veteran infielder back. Manager Aaron Boone revealed that the injured DJ LeMahieu could be mere days away from rejoining the big league team as he recovers from a calf strain he sustained during spring training. Boone says DJ LeMahieu will play 3B tonight in AAA […]

Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Teoscar Hernandez exited Monday night’s 7-4 win over the Miami Marlins with left hamstring tightness, leaving his manager concerned. “I got word that it was tight — whether it was a hamstring, abductor,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the game. “He’s a guy that just doesn’t come out of […]

New York Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb’s whiteboard has become famous around the WNBA. It’s how, before 2023 free agency, he drew up the plans to assemble a super-team, writing three names: Breanna Stewart, Courtney Vandersloot and Jonquel Jones. Kolb brought all three to New York. Two years later, he has nabbed his next whiteboard […]

Bryce Harper’s numbers aren’t bad to start 2025, and neither is the Philadelphia Phillies’ 19-15 record. But the Phillies have championship expectations and Harper is tired of what, by his standards, is a slump. Even after homering on Sunday for the first time since April 18, Harper unloaded his frustrations following the Phillies’ 10-inning loss […]

Texas A&M men’s basketball has granted transfer portal grab Duke Miles his release from his letter of intent, Pete Nakos of On3 reported. Miles, a transfer from Oklahoma, has now committed to and de-committed from two programs already this offseason after going through the same process with Virginia. Wherever he lands, Miles will suit up […]

Detroit Tigers legend Miguel Cabrera has been part of every World Baseball Classic since its inception, and 2026 will be no different. Cabrera will serve as Team Venezuela’s hitting coach after playing for his native country in the tournament’s first five iterations. The 42-year-old’s most recent WBC appearance came in 2023, just months after he […]

Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self will not have a familiar face by his side when the Jayhawks take the court next season. Longtime assistant Norm Roberts announced his retirement after 13 seasons on the Kansas staff and more than 30 years in college basketball “I want to thank everybody at the University of Kansas […]

The Boston Red Sox have acquired Class-A relief pitcher John Holobetz from the Milwaukee Brewers to complete an earlier trade. In the April 7 deal, Milwaukee sent minor leaguer Yophery Rodriguez, a draft pick and a player to be named later — now known to be Holobetz — to the Red Sox for pitcher Quinn […]

Former Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star pitcher Ross Stripling has announced his retirement via a statement posted to social media on Monday. Stripling pitched for four teams during his nine-year career, earning his only All-Star nod in 2018 as a member of the Dodgers. He finishes his career with a record of 40-54 and a 4.17 […]

With Triston Casas out for the season with a ruptured tendon in his left knee, the Boston Red Sox need to find another first baseman. Casas sustained the injury while running to first base on an infield roller on Friday night against the Minnesota Twins. “This is unfortunately an opportunity to explore what’s available,” Red […]

Cristopher Sanchez will start the Philadelphia Phillies’ game Wednesday night against the Washington Nationals, manager Rob Thomson announced on Tuesday. His announcement comes just one week after Sanchez left his start against the New York Mets on April 22 with left forearm soreness. He lasted just two innings. Any injury concern, however, appears to be […]

Shaquille O’Neal and the Sacramento State men’s basketball program have made their first big splash. The Hornets landed a commitment from UCF transfer Mikey Williams on Tuesday, just one day after news broke that the program would name O’Neal its general manager. As a freshman, Williams appeared in 18 games for the Knights and started […]

The Atlanta Braves may have finally found themselves after a disastrous 0-7 start to the season. They’re 13-8 since then and 8-2 in their last 10 games, as the team is slowly starting to resemble what we thought it could be in the spring. On the mound, things have been rocky. Spencer Schwellenbach still has […]

Just two days after the Atlanta Braves claimed relief pitcher Ian Anderson off waivers, the team has designated him for assignment, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Anderson did not appear in a game during his brief second stint with Atlanta. It’s been a whirlwind few weeks for Anderson, who the Braves traded to […]

Rookie Chandler Simpson has eight career games to his name, but the newest member of the Tampa Bay Rays has made the most of them. Tampa is 6-2 since calling up its electric centerfielder, who is hitting .400 with three stolen bases in that time. His teammates are taking notice. “Everybody knew the speed element […]