Team Israel blanks Marlins 1-0 in World Baseball Classic tuneup

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Team Israel defeated the Miami Marlins 1-0 in an exhibition game before the 2026 World Baseball Classic on Tuesday, March 3, in Jupiter, Fla.

Garrett Stubbs drove Cole Carrigg home on a triple in the fourth inning for the only run in the game. Only he, Carrigg, and Benjamin Rosengard registered a hit for Israel, which is entering its third WBC.

The Philadelphia Phillies catcher was injured during the 2023 WBC, which paved the way for his brother, Toronto Blue Jays catcher CJ Stubbs to enter the tournament for Israel. Being 3 1/2 years apart, the Stubbs brothers missed out on being high school teammates in San Diego and collegiate teammates at USC. The two catchers were both drafted by the Houston Astros but are now with different organizations. The Stubbs represent Team Israel’s first WBC sibling combo.

Speaking of USC, Robert Stock, a pitcher with the New York Mets, started for Israel and got the win after throwing three scoreless innings with only two hits allowed and three strikeouts.

Six other pitchers appeared on the mound in relief to toss a scoreless inning of their own, including Tommy Kahnle, a Lynn alum who has the most big league experience among Team Israel, from 2014 with Colorado to the present day in Detroit.

Daniel Federman closed the game out in the ninth inning with three strikeouts. Federman is a former Miami Hurricane who was recently in the Baltimore Orioles farm system and is making his second WBC appearance.

Team Israel will feature newly signed San Francisco Giants outfielder Harrison Bader, Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Spencer Horwitz, and Orioles pitcher Dean Kremer, who has been on all three WBC rosters. The real star power is in the coaching staff, led by manager and longtime MLB catcher Brad Ausmus. Ausmus, who previously managed the Los Angeles Angels, served as Team Israel’s bench coach in 2023 under Ian Kinsler, a 14-year MLB veteran who won the 2018 World Series with Boston. Along with Ausmus who had long careers in the big leagues is Kevin Youkilis (bench coach), Mark Loretta (third base coach), and Jason Marquis (bullpen coach).

Team Israel returns to Miami as one of five teams in Pool D. Israel will first match up with Venezuela on March 7, followed by Nicaragua (March 8), the Dominican Republic (March 9), and the Netherlands (March 10). The top two teams of each pool advance to the quarterfinals and the team that finishes last must qualify again to return to the next tournament.

Israel shocked the world in its WBC debut by going 3-0 to win Pool A in 2017. In 2023, Israel went 1-3 in a pool that featured Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.

In the face of Venezuela and the D.R., who feature MLB stars all across their lineup, it is unlikely Israel will make it out of Pool D. However, a 2-2 showing should be enough to deem 2026 a success.

Surprise Winners of The Masters

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While there are four golf majors, the Masters is arguably the pinnacle of the sport. But the fact that every player wants to win it in their respective careers means that Augusta National carries an unprecedented weight that many can never master. 

In more recent years, we have seen the big names earn Green Jackets, including Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and two for Scottie Scheffler. Sports betting markets often reflect those expectations, with the same familiar names dominating the top of the market each spring. 

But it’s not always the case that the world’s best exit the hallowed grounds via the picturesque Magnolia Lane with a new item for their wardrobe. Here are some of the recent players who have caused a shock at the Masters.

2011: Charl Schwartzel

The 2011 Masters is remembered as much for what went wrong as for what went right. McIlroy entered the final round with a four-shot lead, looking every inch a first-time major champion in waiting. What followed on the back nine was one of the great collapses in Augusta history: a triple bogey on the 10th, a bogey on the 11th, and a four-putt double bogey on the 12th that sent McIlroy spiralling to a closing 80. 

Into the vacuum stepped Charl Schwartzel, then ranked 29th in the world, who had gone largely unnoticed until he delivered one of the most audacious finishes in the tournament’s history. The South African birdied the final four holes of his round, a feat that had never been achieved by a Masters winner in the tournament’s 75-year history, to close with a 66 and win by two shots from Adam Scott and Jason Day.

2016: Danny Willett

If McIlroy’s 2011 implosion set the template for Augusta heartbreak, Jordan Spieth’s 2016 final round wrote a new chapter. The defending champion had birdied four consecutive holes to end the front nine and appeared to be sleepwalking to a second successive Green Jacket, leading by five shots as he stood on the 10th tee. 

What followed was almost incomprehensible. Back-to-back bogeys gave way to a quadruple-bogey seven on the par-three 12th, where Spieth put two balls into the water. Five shots became a three-shot deficit in a matter of minutes. 

Danny Willett, playing ahead of Spieth and ranked outside the world’s top 10, had already posted a bogey-free 67 in the clubhouse. The Yorkshireman, who had only committed to playing after his wife gave birth to their first child earlier that week, became the first English Masters champion in 20 years.

2017: Sergio Garcia

For most of his career, Sergio Garcia had been golf’s nearly man. Genuinely one of the most talented ball-strikers of his generation, the Spaniard had accumulated more top-10 finishes in majors than almost anyone without winning one, and had made no secret of his frustration. 

At Augusta in 2017, he entered the final round alongside Justin Rose, and the two played out one of the great head-to-head duels in recent Masters history. Garcia built a three-shot lead before Rose reeled off three straight birdies to take control, only for the Spaniard to respond with a clutch par save at 13 and a stunning eagle at 15 to level things up. 

Both missed winning putts on the 18th in regulation, forcing a playoff. When Rose drove into the trees on the first extra hole, Garcia converted the birdie to win his first major at the 74th attempt, becoming the third Spaniard to win a Green Jacket on what would have been the 60th birthday of Seve Ballesteros.

2019: Tiger Woods

Considering this was his fifth Masters success, it still came as a profound shock given the context of his comeback. Woods had undergone multiple back surgeries and at various points seemed destined never to compete seriously again, let alone contend at Augusta. 

Yet in 2019, at the age of 43, he produced one of the great sporting comebacks of the modern era, playing his way into the final round before making the decisive moves on holes 13 through 16 to emerge as champion by one stroke. 

For those looking for sports tips ahead of that tournament, Woods had been priced as a genuine contender for the first time in years, but even his most ardent supporters could scarcely have believed what unfolded on that remarkable Sunday in Georgia.

2021: Hideki Matsuyama

Hideki Matsuyama’s victory in 2021 was historic on multiple levels. The Japanese golfer became the first player from his country to win a men’s major championship, a moment of enormous cultural significance that prompted congratulations from Japan’s prime minister and had his nation watching in the early hours of the morning. 

Matsuyama entered Sunday with a four-shot lead and ground out a one-over 73 under intense pressure, keeping his challengers at arm’s length. Xander Schauffele made a run of four consecutive birdies to close the gap, but then found the water on the par-three 16th to all but end his challenge. 

When Matsuyama’s caddie, Shota Hayafuji, turned to bow respectfully to Augusta National after removing the flagstick on the 18th green, it became one of the defining images of a genuinely historic week.

Hurricanes ground Eagles behind Udeh’s defense, Dovrat’s career high 12 points

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Ernest Udeh Jr. scored 11 points and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds for the game’s only double-double to lead the Miami Hurricanes to a dominating 76-54 win over the Boston College Eagles on Saturday, at home.

Led by Udeh’s defense, the Hurricanes held the Eagles to 20-of-50 shooting including 5-of-22 from the three-point line.

“Defense has always been just an instinctive thing for me,” Udeh said. “That just all falls on my energy, how much effort I’m giving out while I’m on the floor. I know my abilities, my God given talents and my athletic ability. And for me, it’s just every single night, just going out there, playing harder than the guy in front of us, and those are the results. Just making sure that on the defensive end, I’m doing everything that I can to help my team out.”

Tre Donaldson led the Hurricanes (23-6) with 15 points while both Malik Reneau and Shelton Henderson each scored eight points. While the Hurricanes collectively shot 7-of-20 from three, Noam Dovrat made 4-of-5 from beyond the arc in the second half to finish with a career high 12 points.

“I know my role in the team is to shoot the ball outside the three-point line so I just came in and shoot it,” Dovrat said. “I have the confidence from the coach, from the teammates. Whenever I’m open, just shoot it.”

Boston College (10-19) was led by Bowden Kapke, who scored 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Jayden Hastings and Fred Payne each scored 11 points for the Eagles.

Led by Kapke’s eight points, the Eagles ambushed the Canes with a 13-6 lead through the first five minutes of the game. Boston College made three baskets from behind the three-point line to establish its early advantage.

The Hurricanes stormed back with a 10-2 run to take a 16-15 lead with 11 minutes remaining in the first half. Miami established its advantage in the interior by scoring all of its points from within the three-point line.

The Eagles tied the game 17-17 on a 4-foot alley oop dunk by Hastings with 8:29 left in the first half.

A tip-in dunk and layup by Henderson highlighted a Miami 10-0 run to take a 27-17 lead.

After seven failed attempts, Miami finally made a three-pointer. Donaldson drained a triple and the Hurricanes enter halftime having outscored the Eagles 19-2 since the game was last tied.

A driving layup by Henderson kept Miami’s lead to 15, up 40-25 with 15:50 left in the game.

Miami grew its lead to 23 points later in the second half with back-to-back three pointers by Dovrat. The freshman point guard from Israel made his third triple of the game to put Miami up 69-45 with 5:09 left in the game.

The Hurricanes travel to SMU on Wednesday and close out the regular season at home against No. 24 Louisville on Saturday.

 

Carlyle’s 22 points leads Florida Atlantic in the Battle of Owls

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Behind Kanaan Carlyle’s 22 points, Florida Atlantic rallied from a halftime deficit to topple Temple 77-73 at home on Thursday night, in the second edition of the Battle of the Owls.

With the win, Florida Atlantic broke a three-game home losing streak and improved to 16-13 on the season and 8-8 in the American Athletic Conference. The Owls are now sitting at 7th place in the AAC within a game and a half of fourth place.

Carlyle shot 7-of-15 from the floor, including 4-of-10 from the three-point line. Xander Pintelon scored 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Yohann Sissoko added 10 points on a perfect 3-of-3 on both field goals and free throws.

Temple (15-13, 7-8) was led by Gavin Griffiths and Derrian Ford, who each scored 20 points. Aiden Tobiason also finished with 19 points and two steals.

Facing a 44-38 deficit entering the second half, FAU burst out of the gate with an 8-0 run to take a 46-44 lead. Five of the points came from Devin Williams, who finished with nine points.

FAU was able to maintain its lead throughout the second half, growing it to 10 points after a driving layup by Pintelon with 10:28 remaining in the game.

Temple clawed back from an 11-point deficit and went on a 16-4 run to take a 73-72 lead on a Ford layup entering the final minute of the game.

FAU swiftly retook the lead after two free throws from Carlyle and a contested layup by Amar Amkou sealed the game for the Owls of Paradise.

Both teams made seven three-pointers and had similar overall shooting numbers. FAU out-rebounded Temple 33-25, led by Josiah Parker’s 11 rebounds.

FAU hosts Charlotte for the final home game of the season on Sunday, March 1. The Owls will then travel to Wichita State on March 7 to close out the season. Both teams are ahead of FAU in the standings.

How to Bet on MMA and Win

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Most people lose money betting on fights because they treat it like a coin flip with better lighting. They pick the name they recognize, lay the money down, and hope for the best. That approach works until it doesn’t, which tends to be often. Profitable MMA betting has very little to do with gut feelings and almost everything to do with preparation, line selection, and bankroll discipline. The information gap between casual fans and serious bettors is where the money sits, and closing that gap is what this article covers.

With the UFC now streaming all 43 annual events on Paramount+ under a 7-year, $7.7 billion deal that eliminates pay-per-view entirely, there are more cards to bet on than ever before. That volume creates opportunity if you know what to look for.

Study the Numbers Before You Study the Hype

Favorites win roughly 68% to 70% of all UFC bouts, according to Odds Shark. That sounds like a strong case for always betting the favorite, but the math tells a different story. Favorites are priced to account for their higher win rate, so blindly backing them at heavy odds often returns less than you risk. The 30% to 32% underdog win rate means upsets happen at a pace that punishes lazy bettors who chase chalk.

The real work starts with fighter statistics. UFCStats.com tracks strikes landed per minute, strikes absorbed per minute, takedowns per 15 minutes, and takedown defense %. These numbers give you a structural view of how a fight might play out. If Fighter A lands 6.2 strikes per minute but absorbs 4.8, and Fighter B lands 3.1 while absorbing only 2.4, you can start building a picture of pace, output, and durability before factoring in anything else.

Cross-reference those stats with the specific matchup. A wrestler with a 55% takedown accuracy against a striker with 85% takedown defense presents a very different fight than the same wrestler facing someone who stuffs only 50% of attempts.

Stretching Your Bankroll Before the Bell Rings

MMA betting rewards patience with your money as much as your picks. Signing up across several sportsbooks gives you access to welcome offers and deposit matches that add funds before you place a single wager. You can find bonus codes on sites like Covers, read community forums, or check sportsbook comparison pages to see which promotions return the most value on fight cards.

Stacking these smaller advantages adds up over a full UFC season of 43 events. A few extra dollars per card from signup credits or free bets means more opportunities to bet selectively on lines where you see genuine value.

The Weigh-In Tells You More Than the Tale of the Tape

Friday weigh-ins are an underused source of information. Pay close attention to how a fighter looks on the scale. Sunken eyes, visible fatigue, trembling hands, or barely making the limit all point to a harsh weight cut. Fighters who go through extreme dehydration to hit their weight class often gas out by the 2nd or 3rd round because their bodies never fully recover in the 24 hours between weigh-in and fight night.

This matters most when you are betting round props or method of victory. A fighter who looked depleted at 145 lbs might start strong in round 1 but become a completely different competitor by round 3. If their opponent is known for a steady pace and late finishes, the weigh-in footage can tilt your confidence toward specific prop bets that carry better value than a straight moneyline.

Short-Notice Replacements Are Bad Bets for a Reason

Fighters who step in on short notice to replace an injured or withdrawn opponent win less than 40% of the time. This makes sense. They had limited time to prepare a game plan for a specific opponent, their conditioning may not be at peak levels, and the mental adjustment of accepting a fight on days’ notice affects performance.

When you see a late replacement on an upcoming card, the line will often adjust, but sometimes the books underreact. If the replacement fighter is a heavy underdog and you can identify clear technical mismatches in the stats, there may be value. But as a general rule, fading short-notice fighters is a consistent edge.

Shopping Lines Across Sportsbooks

Holding accounts at multiple sportsbooks lets you compare odds on every fight and place your bet where the return is highest. One book might have a fighter at -150 while another lists the same fighter at -130. Over dozens of bets across a full year of UFC cards, those small differences in price compound into real money.

This practice is standard among profitable sports bettors and it applies to MMA especially well because fight odds can vary more between books than team sport lines tend to.

Live Betting Requires Restraint

In-fight betting on UFC cards is volatile. Odds swing hard after a knockdown, a takedown, or a visible shift in momentum. The potential upside is real, but the speed at which lines move means you can easily overpay for a position if you react emotionally to what you see on screen. If you bet live, set a hard limit on how much of your bankroll you are willing to use per event and stick to it.

Winning Is a Process, Not a Prediction

Profitable MMA betting over a full season of 43 UFC events comes down to consistent application of a few principles. Study the statistics on UFCStats.com. Watch weigh-ins. Compare lines across books. Be skeptical of short-notice replacements. Manage your bankroll with discipline. No single bet matters nearly as much as the decisions you repeat across hundreds of fights over months. That repetition, done correctly, is where the edge lives.

West Virginia Lottery introduces Millionaire for Life™ as a new national draw option

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West Virginians got a fresh way to play when Millionaire for Life™ launched on February 22, 2026. This new national draw game offers daily drawings and a top prize of $1,000,000 a year for life.

The West Virginia Lottery is bringing this option to players across the Mountain State, adding another choice to the lineup of new draw games already available. With seven drawings each week, there’s an opportunity to participate every single day.

What Millionaire for Life™ offers

The game features two life-changing top prizes:

  • Grand Prize: $1,000,000 a year for life 
  • Second Prize: $100,000 a year for life 

If you’re already playing POWERBALL©, MEGA MILLIONS®, or Lotto America©, the format will feel familiar, but the potential outcomes are very different. 

You’ll be able to play Millionaire for Life™ both in-store at licensed retailers and online through iPLAY. 

Seven days a week

What sets Millionaire for Life™ apart from the other popular draw games available at WVL? Daily drawings. While POWERBALL© draws happen three times a week and MEGA MILLIONS® twice weekly, Millionaire for Life™ gives you a chance every day of the week.

How you can play

Millionaire for Life™ tickets are available at West Virginia Lottery retailers throughout the state. The game launched on iPLAY at the same time, so you can purchase tickets through the app or website.

If you’re an iPLAY user, you’re able to set up Auto-Renewal for Millionaire for Life™ just like you can for other draw games. Prefer to jump in when prizes hit a certain level? Jackpot Threshold Auto Renewal will be available, too.

Adding to what’s already here

Millionaire for Life™ joins the current lineup of draw games West Virginians already play. The state lottery offers big multi-state games – POWERBALL©, MEGA MILLIONS®, and Lotto America© – plus state draws like Daily 3, Daily 4, and Cash25.

Different games work for different preferences. You might want to try your chances on the massive jackpots, or you might prefer daily state draws with smaller but the potential for more regular prizes. This new game sits somewhere in between – a daily national draw with a top prize that could change your life.

What’s next

Keep an eye on the West Virginia Lottery’s website as they will share more details about how to play, odds, and ticket pricing not the game has launched. 

When you play Millionaire for Life™ – or any lottery games in West Virginia – proceeds support education, seniors, tourism, and veterans programs across the state. You’re helping the state become a better place, but don’t forget to play responsibly and contact 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537). 

For West Virginia players specifically, there’s also an additional number:

  • 304-344-2883 (for WV residents who don’t have a 304 or 681 area code)

You can also:

  • Text: 800GAM
  • Chat: Available at 1800gambler.net

The helpline is free, confidential, and available 24/7 with trained counselors ready to provide support.

Stephenson’s clutch shooting pushes Panthers past Missouri State

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From beginning to end, Corey Stephenson played the hero in Florida International’s 70-67 home win over Missouri State on Saturday.

With mere seconds on the clock, on a day in which the Panthers were struggling from the three-point line, Stephenson drained a long-range basket from the ocean part of the court to deliver a long-awaited victory.

Stephenson scored 17 points with six rebounds. Julian Mackey led the Panthers with 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting. Named Olayinka scored 13 points with a team-high eight rebounds and Zawdie Jackson added 11 points for the Panthers.

Stephenson’s college career started at Cal-State Bakersfield. His best of the two seasons came last year where he averaged 11.4 points shooting .452 from the floor and an .805 free throw shooting percentage.

His shooting output from the three-point line expanded when he transferred to FIU. Within a year, Stephenson went from making 16-of-37 threes with the Roadrunners to shooting 60-of-143 from the arc for the Panthers.

Missouri State was led by Kobi Williams, who scored 25 points on 9-of-18 shooting, including 4-of-10 from the three-point line. Trey Williams Jr. also scored 12 points for the Bears, who are 0-5 through February.

Stephenson set the tone early for the Panthers with a contested layup and slam dunk in transition to give FIU an 8-4 lead within the game’s first five minutes.

Down 16-8 12 minutes into the game, the Bears roared back with a 9-4 run, powered by Williams’ six points, to come within three points of the Panthers. A mid-range jumper by Eric Dibami gave FIU some separation, leading 22-17 with four minutes left in the first half.

Mackey forced a turnover with a steal and punctuated his play with a slam dunk just before the end of the first half. Despite finding no success at the three-point line (0-for-8) the Panthers went into halftime leading 29-22 in a game dominated by defense.

The Bears clawed back through the first five minutes of the second half to tie the game 35-35. Zaxton King scored six of the Bears’ last eight points during the run. He finished with nine points.

Back-to-back three-pointers by Stephenson and Mackey put the Panthers back on top 48-45 with 9:45 remaining in the game.

Stephen again with a mid-range jumper to keep FIU ahead 52-50 with 7:09 left in the game.

Back-to-back baskets by Mackey canceled out a three-pointer by Williams Jr. and maintained FIU’s 59-56 lead with 3:21 remaining.

FIU finished the game shooting 3-for-13 from the three-point line, but each one that went in made the difference for the Panthers. Both teams shot 67 percent from the free-throw line as well.

FIU (13-14, 6-10), no longer in the C-USA doghouse, travels to Sam Houston State on Feb. 26.

College Baseball Roundup: Sosa hits grand slam as Miami storms past Lafayette

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Alex Sosa hits a grand slam to power the Miami Hurricanes to a 15-2 win over Lafayette on Friday.

Sosa’s home run sparked an eight-run sixth inning that saw him return to the plate only to draw a walk with the bases loaded.

The Hurricanes showed discipline in the face of Lafayette’s chaotic pitching. After Ogden drove in a run on a single in the fourth inning, Sosa and Derek Williams drew bases-loaded walks. The Hurricanes scored four runs via hit by pitch or base on balls with the bases loaded during their big sixth inning rally.

Miami ace AJ Ciscar threw six innings with nine strikeouts and two runs allowed. He struggled with control at times with four hit batters and fell into a bases-loaded jam in the second inning but escaped with a fly out.

The Hurricanes struck first in the second inning. Brylan West, Fabio Peralta, and Jake Ogden each drove in a run to give Miami a 3-0 lead.

The Leopards found themselves on the scoreboard with an RBI double by Matt Colella in the third inning. They later scored again on a double by Tedd Cashman in the sixth inning but were down 6-2 before their bullpen ultimately fell apart.

Miami freshman Dylan Dubovik came in as a pinch hitter and hit his first collegiate home run in the seventh inning to conclude the scoring.

The weekend series continues on Saturday with a day-night doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.

FIU 7, Holy Cross 4

Florida International rallied in the sixth inning to come from behind and defeat Holy Cross 7-4 on Friday.

Samuel Fischer hit a home run in the fourth inning to put the Panthers on the board, trailing Holy Cross 3-2. Down 4-2 in the sixth inning, Fischer struck again with an RBI single to spark the rally.

Hector Candelas singled, Cooper Rasmussen was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Andrew Ildefonso hit a knock to complete the comeback.

Riley Tyrus earned the win by pitching scoreless 2.1 innings in relief with four strikeouts.

Iowa 7, FAU 2

A first-inning home run by Gable Mitchell set the tone for Iowa to cruise to a 7-2 victory on the road over Florida Atlantic. Gable finished with a 3-for-4 night with two RBI for the Hawkeyes.

The Owls scored their two runs on a sacrifice fly by Marshall Lipsey in the fifth and an RBI single by Kyle Boylston in the ninth. Xavier Moronta went 2-for-2 to lead the Owls at the plate.

James Litman started for the Owls and threw five innings allowing three runs on three hits with six strikeouts.

Miami baseball hosts Lafayette riding 5-game winning streak

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The Miami Hurricanes baseball team hosts Lafayette for a four-game weekend series starting Friday at 7 p.m. The Hurricanes have started the season on a five-game winning streak after sweeping Lehigh last weekend and beating Central Florida on Tuesday and Indiana State on Wednesday.

The bats have led the way for the Hurricanes thus far this season. Through these first five games, the Hurricanes have scored the third most runs in the country (71), behind fellow ACC contenders Virginia and Georgia Tech.

Seven Miami batters have hit a home run so far, with Derek Williams and Alex Sosa tying for the team lead with three dingers each. Williams leads with nine RBI while Alonzo Alvarez leads in batting average (.636) and OPS (2.169).

Miami always enters a season with College World Series aspirations. An influx of transfers has given the lineup new life. Vance Sheahan, a junior infielder from USC-Upstate, has driven in seven runs including a walk-off two-run home run against UCF on Tuesday. Sosa, a junior catcher from North Carolina State, is batting .318 and is already a third of the way from matching his career-high 10 homers from last season. Cian Copeland, who played junior college ball at Miami-Dade, is currently 5-for-9 with seven RBI.

“We have to stay on the one goal we have, and I’m sure everybody knows that one goal we got,” Copeland said. “It’s to go to Omaha.”

A central point of the strength of Miami is in the catcher position. While Sosa is swinging a hot bat, he is typically slotted in the lineup as the designated hitter because Alvarez, a freshman who recently celebrated his 20th birthday, has emerged as a promising catcher in his own right. In Miami’s most recent game against Indiana State, Alvarez doubled and homered in the Hurricanes’ 6-2 win on Wednesday.

“The standard to start here as a freshman, I know the standard is high,” Alvarez said. “[Sosa’s] kind of taken me in as an older brother, and I learned a lot from him. Even off the field, I learned a lot, and it kind of just took a little bit of pressure off my shoulders.”

Sosa and Alvarez have the benefit of being mentored by Director of Program Development Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who spent 12 years as a Major League catcher including with the Miami Marlins and Boston Red Sox.

“It’s great to have Salt in here to kind of help all that,” Alvarez said.

AJ Ciscar is projected to start Friday, looking to follow up on his promising Opening Night start, where he allowed one run on five hits with seven strikeouts in five innings. Tate DeRias entered his sophomore season being promoted from weekday starter and reliever to Sunday starter. He struck out nine batters in 4.2 innings during Miami’s 27-3 win over Lehigh last Sunday.

“[Miami head coach JDArteaga] doesn’t necessarily want us to always pitch for strikeout, but the goal for the offseason was definitely to get more swings and misses,” DeRias said. “That’s what I worked on and obviously [Sunday] it was kind of on display.”

Lafayette will play its first game of the season in Miami after the Leopards’ original opening series against Coppin State was cancelled. The Leopards went 14-35 last season, including 9-16 in the Patriot League. They return outfielder Jack Mislan, who batted .261 with eight home runs and 36 RBI as a freshman.

There will be a double-header Saturday starting at 2 p.m., and a matinee Sunday at 1 p.m.

InterMiami Eyeing Fresh New Start Under Mascherano

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If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That’s generally proven to be the case with championship-winning sides, but not for Inter Miami. Having won the Leagues Cup in 2023 and the Supporters’ Shield in 2024 with an MLS record 74 points, Miami went all the way and won the biggest prize in American soccer after beating Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS Cup Final. Since then, however, Miami have made quite a few changes, and when they travel to Los Angeles FC on Saturday, they will do so with a drastically different team.

 

Goalkeeper

 

There’s been a changing of the guard in between the sticks, with veterans Oscar Ustari and William Yarbrough departing upon the end of their contracts. Ustari started the 2025 season before being upstaged by his younger compatriot Rocco Ríos Novo, whose signing has been finalized for €500,000. Luís Barraza will go from the starter at D.C. United to a backup in Miami, with him and Dayne St. Clair arriving on free transfers. St. Clair has established himself not just as one of the best goalkeepers in MLS during his time at Minnesota United, earning praise from the likes of Vítor Severino, but he’s also locked down a starting spot in goal for the Canadian national team. He’s started in each of Miami’s three preseason fixtures, and all signs point to him doing just that in California this weekend.

 

Defense

After a season that saw them concede 55 goals – more than any other team in the Eastern Conference’s top seven sides – Miami have been hard at work at retooling their backline. Following the retirement of Jordi Alba, they’ve brought in ex-Europa League winner Sergio Reguilón, who boasts nearly a decade of Premier League and LaLiga experience. Whilst Reguilón will be occupying the left side of defense after joining on a free transfer, Facundo Mura will be replacing Marcelo Weigandt on the right side after arriving on a free from Racing Club. In central defense, they’ve offloaded Ryan Sailor and Tomás Avilés, and they’ve also acquired ex-Houston Dynamo center back Micael on loan from Palmeiras. Together, the Brazilian will be looking to form a stalwart pairing with Maxi Falcón in the middle of defense.

 

Midfield

 

Miami have spent €20 million to finalize the loan deals of Rodrigo De Paul and Tadeo Allende, whilst they’re also looking to splurge the cash and bring back Baltasar Rodríguez following his stellar loan spell. Whereas De Paul will be expected to transition from a box-to-box midfield role to a holding role following Sergio Busquets’ retirement, David Ayala will be looking to make a name for himself in the middle of the pitch. Having already shown signs of promise in MLS during his time in Portland, Ayala will be looking to compete against the likes of Yannick Bright and Telasco Segovia and stake out a starting spot in the center of the pitch.

 

Attack

 

The Herons have also made some changes in attack, splurging $15 million on Argentine-born Mexico international striker Germán Berterame, whilst they’ve also parted ways with two squad players in Allen Obando and Fafà Picault. Having scored 68 goals and 15 assists in 153 appearances during his time in Monterrey, Berterame will be looking to make a smooth transition from Liga MX to MLS and supplant Luis Suárez as Miami’s new starting striker. With an array of exciting new additions as well as the best players in the history of the sport, there’s no reason why Miami can’t become the first team to successfully retain the MLS Cup since LA Galaxy in 2012.