The heat is on: The average MLB fastball velocity is up for the 6th straight year to 94.7 mph

July 14, 2026

NEW YORK — Chad Tracy notices how much baseball has changed in the 13 years since he took his last big league at-bat. "You watch a Triple-A game, most everybody that's coming out of the bullpen left-handed or right-handed is throwing 95-plus," the Boston Red Sox manager said. "Back in the day, it was you'd get a lead and you'd get to the lower part of a bullpen and you'd see some guys coming out throwing 88." Heading into the All-Star break, velocity is on track to set a record for the sixth straight season. Four-seam fastballs averaged 94.7 mph through Saturday, up from 94.5 mph ...

Jannik Sinner keeps evolving his game. Just like Federer, Nadal and Djokovic before him

July 14, 2026

LONDON — A perfectly-placed topspin lob winner that sailed beyond reach of his 6-foot-6 (1.98-meter) opponent and landed on the outside of the baseline in the second game. A delicate drop shot which made Alexander Zverev change direction so suddenly that the German player over-extended his ...

Tom Kim gets the engine back on track with a Scottish Open victory

July 14, 2026

NORTH BERWICK, Scotland (AP) — Tom Kim played bogey-free during a tight race to the finish Sunday and closed with a 6-under 64 for a two-shot victory in the Scottish Open, his first PGA Tour title since the fall of 2023. It was the latest and best sign the 24-year-old Kim had his game on ...

Ryan Blaney wins 3-wide battle on final lap of overtime in NASCAR Cup race in Atlanta

July 14, 2026

HAMPTON, Ga. — A late brush with the wall wasn't enough to send Ryan Blaney to pit row. The decision paid off with a dominant victory. Blaney emerged from a three-wide battle on the final lap of overtime in the weather-delayed NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta early Monday. Blaney won ...

Bellingham scores twice to lift England past Haaland and Norway 2-1 and into World Cup semifinals

July 13, 2026

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Jude Bellingham locked arms with teammate Harry Kane as England fans belted out the Beatles' "Hey Jude." Bellingham certainly earned the serenade. He scored twice on Saturday — an equalizer in the first half and the go-ahead goal in the third minute of extra time ...

Erling Haaland neutralized by England and subbed off late as Norway’s World Cup run ends

July 13, 2026

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Erling Haaland's day ended earlier than many expected. About 15 minutes later, Norway's run in the World Cup ended as well. The Vikings' biggest star didn't shine Saturday. Haaland was a nonfactor for much of his team's quarterfinal against England and — at least in part because of the strain of dealing with hot and humid conditions in South Florida — was taken out with Norway's hopes hanging in the balance going into the final 15 minutes of extra time. The final score: England 2, Norway 1. Haaland was kept off the scoresheet for the first time in this ...