Matthew Stafford's back injury isn't a concern, but Rams using caution with quarterbackNew Foto - Matthew Stafford's back injury isn't a concern, but Rams using caution with quarterback

Matthew Staffordwill be back (pun intended). It's not time to be concerned…yet. "I think the fair answer is, I'm going to take it a day at a time as well,"Los Angeles Ramscoach Sean McVay answered on Monday, Aug. 11 when asked if he was concerned about Stafford's back ailment. "I can't be 27 days from now in Houston." It's fair to raise an eyebrow about Stafford's aggravated disk in his back that's caused him to miss training camp. The veteran quarterback was supposed to practice in some capacity on Monday after a throwing session on Saturday, buthe didn't "feel great" following the workout. "I feel for Matthew because of how much he wants to be out there and feel good. Ultimately what ended up happening, had a great workout, felt good, but then come in (Monday), it doesn't feel great. (I) didn't think that was the right decision to be able to push him," McVay said. "We're going to be smart, but he didn't feel good enough and we didn't think it was the right thing to do based on how he woke up feeling today." TheRamsare "smart" to be cautious with Stafford. He's a 37-year-old quarterback entering NFL season No. 17. He's in the fifth year of McVay's offense and knows the scheme. The Rams have more than three weeks until their2025 seasonopener at SoFi Stadium against theHouston Texans. Twenty-plus days out, it's not time to be overly concerned. However, the concern meter rises incrementally each passing day Stafford is out of practice. Stafford is missing valuable practice reps with new addition wideout Davante Adams. Plus, there's natural rust the veteran quarterback will have to work through when he does return. How many practice reps will Stafford have before Sept. 7? Will Stafford be able to shake off any rust from his absence before it's time for the real action? Two of the Rams' first three games are against playoff teams from a season ago, including the defending Super Bowl championPhiladelphia Eagles. The positive news is the Rams have shown the capability to rebound from a shaky start. They began the 2024 season 1-4 before rallying to win the NFC West title. The bad news is Stafford's a 37-year-old quarterback with back issues. Stafford was sacked 28 times last year. He was hit 63 times, the most in his four seasons in Los Angeles. What happens when Stafford takes hits this season? Back issues tend to occasionally flare up for an athlete Stafford's age. The Rams are right to exercise caution. It's not time to be concerned. But the situation can change quickly, especially with a veteran quarterback's back. "He looked damn good throwing the other day. Nobody's tougher than him," McVay said. "We also want to see if we can have him feeling as good as possible. That's super important." Follow USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon on X@TheTylerDragon. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Matthew Stafford back injury: Not a concern yet for LA Rams

byMario Satorik
in
August 12, 2025

Matthew Stafford's back injury isn't a concern, but Rams using caution with quarterback

Matthew Stafford's back injury isn't a concern, but Rams using caution with quarterback Matthew Staffordwill be back (pun intended)....
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MLB top prospects: Six stars who could get promoted to the majors in AugustNew Foto - MLB top prospects: Six stars who could get promoted to the majors in August

The art of the call-up has evolved over the decades as the fine print in Major League Baseball's collective bargaining agreement gets revised every few years. And now, the date to watch for the semi-coincidental arrival of top prospects is almost upon us: Aug. 15. That's the day franchises can summon minor leaguers for their major league debuts, while still maintaining their rookie status for the 2026 season. And if a consensus top 100 prospect either wins Rookie of the Year next year or earns a top-three finish in MVP or Cy Young Award voting in their first three seasons, the club is awarded a prospect promotion incentive draft pick, slotted just after the first round of the following season's draft. A bit convoluted, yes, but just know that if a rash of blue chip prospects arrive this week, that's why. Here's a look at six of the most prominent potential arrivals: Orioles GM Mike Elias loves his draft picks and loves it even more when a recent draftee produces an extra pick and bonus pool money thanks to the PPI stipulation. That was the case with Gunnar Henderson, who debuted in August 2022 and earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2023. Enter Basallo, who turns 21 Aug. 13. The 6-4 Dominican signee largely dominated Class AAA as a 20-year-old, with a .997 OPS, 23 homers and a 13.7% walk rate. While he still needs significant growth behind the plate – as all 20-ish catchers do – it behooves the Orioles to see what the bat can do before laying groundwork for 2026. And Basallo, Baseball America's No. 7 overall prospect, could be joined by Norfolk teammate Dylan Beavers. The outfielder, who turned 24 Aug. 11, posted a .948 OPS with 18 homers and 22 steals. At 6-7, 240, Eldridge represents the perennially power-starved Giants' best shot in years at producing a homegrown slugger. Still just 20, Eldridge was slowed by injury this year but has gotten going at Class AAA Sacramento, where he has 12 homers but also 50 strikeouts in 157 plate appearances. If recency bias matters, Eldridge should get summoned west on I-80: He's posted a .298/.388/.667 line his past 15 games, with seven home runs and 24 RBIs. So long as San Francisco can handle an extra gust of wind from some swing-and-miss, no harm in dreaming of Eldridge and Rafael Devers sliding in between right-handers Matt Chapman and Willy Adames in that lineup. He could've been the top pick in the 2024 draft but slid to No. 7 and the Cardinals, who were thrilled to land such talent there. And Wetherholt has not disappointed, reaching Class AAA by July and hardly slowing his roll, with a .298/.414/478 line and 18 steals in 20 chances in 112 professional games. Now, the age-old quandary: Consistent playing time or a taste of the big leagues? Masyn Winn is entrenched at shortstop and a handful of multi-position types are also vying for at-bats in St. Louis. Wetherholt, a West Virginia product, has adjusted smoothly to every level; it will take a lot to force the issue, but if he's still unstoppable by the end of this month, it might be pragmatic to keep the ceiling off his ability. So, just how confident are the Cubs in re-signing Kyle Tucker? The sterling trio of Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Tucker – along with DH Seiya Suzuki – leave no place for Caissie to play in Chicago, but he's probably scraped his head on the ceiling a few times at Class AAA Iowa. Caissie has played 218 games and taken 944 plate appearances at AAA the past two seasons, hit 40 homers and posted an .892 OPS. It would probably take an injury to get Caissie to Wrigley Field, but he's already on the 40-man roster. And Caissie could help both their pennant drive and their winter fortune telling should Tucker find greener pastures. The Blue Jays have thoughtfully yet urgently nudged Yesavage through four levels this season, and now the 20th overall pick in 2024 has landed at Class AAA Buffalo – just as the big club sees the Boston Red Sox lurking four games out in the AL East. With Shane Bieber likely to join the rotation after one more rehab appearance, Yesavage may not be needed to start. But the deeper reaches of the Blue Jays' pen has been a revolving door and the club needs quality innings, regardless of role. Yesavage struck out an eye-opening 15 batters per nine innings at his three stops; should he keep that up at Buffalo, crossing the Peace Bridge to the Jays' bullpen is very much in play. Like Yesavage, Bazzana just landed at Class AAA, after a promotion from AA Akron. And like Yesavage, Bazzana could provide a specific skill set to boost a team suddenly in the playoff picture. As a matter of course, we'll pump the brakes a bit: Bazzana, the No. 1 overall pick a year ago, missed two months with an oblique strain and has just 85 professional games under his belt. On the other hand, the Guardians' mix-and-match of middle infielders – Gabriel Arias (84 adjusted OPS), Daniel Scheeneman (98), Brayan Rocchio (68) and Angel Martinez (81) are all producing below league average at the plate. And Bazzana ended his Akron stint on a heater, with a .367 OBP and .779 OPS while reducing his K rate from his previous stint. Bazzana will surely be a favorite for 2026 AL Rookie of the Year. It might make sense to start banging that drum very soon. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Major League baseball prospects who could be promoted to MLB in August

byMario Satorik
in
August 12, 2025

MLB top prospects: Six stars who could get promoted to the majors in August

MLB top prospects: Six stars who could get promoted to the majors in August The art of the call-up has evolved over the decades as the fine ...
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UN-backed investigators allege torture and sex crimes in Myanmar detention facilitiesNew Foto - UN-backed investigators allege torture and sex crimes in Myanmar detention facilities

GENEVA (AP) — A U.N.-backed investigator says his team has turned up significant evidence of "systemic torture" in Myanmar's detention centers, including electric shocks, strangulations, gang rape and burning of sexual body parts over the last year. Nicholas Koumjian was speaking as the international independent team he heads released its latest annual report on Tuesday, focusing on a one-year period running through June 30. Myanmar hasbeen in turmoilsince the army seized power from the elected government ofAung San Suu Kyiin February 2021, triggering acivil war. After peaceful demonstrations were put down with lethal force, many opponents of military rule took up arms, and large parts of the country are now embroiled in conflict. The team said it has made advances in identifying security personnel involved in operations at the detention facilities and "perpetrators who have summarily executed captured combatants or civilians accused of being informers." Perpetrators included security forces, affiliated militias and opposition armed groups, it said. The report "details the documented torture in Myanmar's detention facilities which includes beatings, electric shocks, strangulations, gang rape, burning of sexual body parts and other forms of sexual violence," a summary of its findings said. "Our report highlights a continued increase in the frequency and brutality of atrocities committed in Myanmar," Koumjian said. "We are working towards the day when the perpetrators will have to answer for their actions in a court of law." "We have uncovered significant evidence, including eyewitness testimony, showing systematic torture in Myanmar detention facilities," he said. His team has opened new investigations into atrocities committed against communities in Rakhine state as the military and the opposition force known as the Arakan Army battle for control of the territory. More than 700,000 people from the Rohingya minorityfled to neighboring Bangladeshin 2017 to escape persecution in Myanmar. About 70,000 others crossed the border last year when the Arakan Army effectively took over Rakhine. The Independent Investigative Mechanism on Myanmar has been working since 2018 under a mandate from the U.N.-backed Human Rights Council to help document rights abuses and violations in the country. It has shared evidence with authorities looking into cases involving theRohingyaat the International Criminal Court and the U.N.'s International Court of Justice.

byMario Satorik
in
August 12, 2025

UN-backed investigators allege torture and sex crimes in Myanmar detention facilities

UN-backed investigators allege torture and sex crimes in Myanmar detention facilities GENEVA (AP) — A U.N.-backed investigator says his team...
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Israel bombards Gaza City overnight; Hamas leader due in Cairo in bid to salvage ceasefire talksNew Foto - Israel bombards Gaza City overnight; Hamas leader due in Cairo in bid to salvage ceasefire talks

By Nidal al-Mughrabi CAIRO (Reuters) -Israeli planes and tanks kept bombarding eastern areas of Gaza City overnight, killing at least 11 people, witnesses and medics said on Tuesday, with Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya due in Cairo for talks to revive a U.S.-backed ceasefire plan. The latest round of indirect talks in Qatar ended in deadlock in late July with Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas trading blame over the lack of progress on a U.S. proposal for a 60-day truce and hostage release deal. Israel has since said it will launch a new offensive and seize control of Gaza City, which it captured shortly after the war's outbreak in October 2023 before pulling out. Militants regrouped and have waged largely guerrilla-style war since then. It is unclear how long a new Israeli military incursion into the sprawling city in north Gaza, now widely reduced to rubble, could last or how it would differ from the earlier operation. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to expand military control over Gaza, expected to be launched in October, has increased a global outcry over the widespread devastation of the territory and a hunger crisis spreading among Gaza's largely homeless population of over two million. It has also stirred criticism in Israel, with the military chief of staff warning it could endanger surviving hostages and prove a death trap for Israeli soldiers. It has also raised fears of further displacement and hardship among the estimated one million Palestinians in the Gaza City region. Witnesses and medics said Israeli planes and tanks pounded eastern districts of Gaza City again overnight, killing seven people in two houses in the Zeitoun suburb and four in an apartment building in the city centre. In the south of the enclave, five people including a couple and their child were killed by an Israeli airstrike on a house in the city of Khan Younis and four by a strike on a tent encampment in nearby, coastal Mawasi, medics said. The Israeli military said it was looking into the reports and that its forces take precautions to mitigate civilian harm. Separately, it said on Tuesday that its forces had killed dozens of militants in north Gaza over the past month and destroyed more tunnels used by militants in the area. MORE DEATHS FROM STARVATION, MALNUTRITION Five more people, including two children, have died of starvation and malnutrition in Gaza in the past 24 hours, the territory's health ministry said. The new deaths raised the number of deaths from the same causes to 227, including 103 children, since the war started, it added. Israel disputes the malnutrition fatality figures reported by the health ministry in the Hamas-run enclave. The war began on October 7, 2023 when Hamas-led militants stormed over the border into southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures, in the country's worst ever security lapse. Israel's ground and air war against the Islamist Hamas in Gaza since then has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, left much of the enclave in ruins and wrought a humanitarian disaster with grave shortages of food, drinking water and safe shelter. Netanyahu, whose far-right ultranationalist coalition allies want an outright Israeli takeover and re-settlement of Gaza, has vowed the war will not end until Hamas is eradicated. A Palestinian official with knowledge of the ceasefire talks said Hamas was prepared to return to the negotiating table. However, the gaps between the sides appear to remain wide on key issues including the extent of any Israeli military withdrawal and demands for Hamas to disarm, which it has ruled out before a Palestinian state is established. An Arab diplomat said mediators Egypt and Qatar have not given up on reviving the negotiations and that Israel's decision to announce its new Gaza City offensive plan may not be a bluff but served to bring Hamas back to the negotiating table. (Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi; additional reporting by Maayan Lubell; editing by Maayan Lubell and Mark Heinrich)

byMario Satorik
in
August 12, 2025

Israel bombards Gaza City overnight; Hamas leader due in Cairo in bid to salvage ceasefire talks

Israel bombards Gaza City overnight; Hamas leader due in Cairo in bid to salvage ceasefire talks By Nidal al-Mughrabi CAIRO (Reuters) -Isra...
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Astros closer Josh Hader goes for tests on sore shoulderNew Foto - Astros closer Josh Hader goes for tests on sore shoulder

Houston closer Josh Hader underwent testing on a sore shoulder that kept him out of the Astros' 7-6 win over the visiting Boston Red Sox on Monday. The ailment arose three days after Hader threw a season-high 36 pitches while getting a win as the Astros defeated the host Yankees 5-3 in 10 innings. Hader didn't pitch on Saturday as New York defeated Houston, then threw in a bullpen on Sunday for a possible appearance but wasn't used as the Astros pulled away late in a 7-1 victory. "He walked in today and he was doing his (plyometrics) before doing his throwing program and just did not feel right," Astros manager Joe Espada said on Monday. "We went ahead and got some testing done, and we're waiting on the results and should know something more tomorrow." Hader, 31, is two years into a five-year, $95 million contract. The left-hander earned his sixth All-Star appearance this year and has 28 saves in 29 chances while going 6-2 with a 2.05 ERA. Hader has 76 strikeouts and 16 walks in 52 2/3 innings. In a career that includes stints with the Milwaukee Brewers (2017-22) and the San Diego Padres (2022-23) before he signed as a free agent with Houston in January 2024, Hader is 227-for-257 on save opportunities with a 34-31 record and a 2.64 ERA. He has 829 strikeouts and 198 walks in 512 1/3 innings. In Hader's absence on Monday, Houston right-handed reliever Enyel De Los Santos got the last out of the eighth inning and went to the mound in the ninth with a 7-6 lead. He retired the first two batters before yielding a double. Left-hander Bennett Sousa then entered and struck out Roman Anthony to earn his fourth save. --Field Level Media

byMario Satorik
in
August 12, 2025

Astros closer Josh Hader goes for tests on sore shoulder

Astros closer Josh Hader goes for tests on sore shoulder Houston closer Josh Hader underwent testing on a sore shoulder that kept him out of...
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'I leave defenders behind for breakfast': Leverkusen signs young Dutch winger Ernest PokuNew Foto - 'I leave defenders behind for breakfast': Leverkusen signs young Dutch winger Ernest Poku

LEVERKUSEN, Germany (AP) — Bayer Leverkusen signed speedy young winger Ernest Poku from AZ Alkmaar on Tuesday to strengthen its Dutch connection under new coachErik ten Hag. Poku can play on both wings and his pace attracted attention in the Europa League last season. Born in Germany, he reached the semifinals of the European under-21 championship with the Netherlands. The 21-year-old arrives on a five-year contract. Leverkusen announced his signing on social media with an image of the character Lightning McQueen from the movie "Cars" and a compilation of clips of Poku dribbling past defenders. "I leave defenders behind for breakfast," Poku said in the video. "Faster than fast. Quicker than quick. I am Ernest Poku." He's already played four games in the 2025-26 season, scoring one goal and setting up two more, thanks to Alkmaar's involvement in Europa Conference League qualifying and the start of the Dutch league last week. Ahead of Ten Hag's first competitive game as Leverkusen coach in the German Cup on Friday, Poku joins Dutch goalkeeper Mark Flekken as a new signing. The club has also brought in American forward Malik Tillman from Dutch club PSV Eindhoven. It's part of a broader rebuild after coach Xabi Alonso left for Real Madrid and players from Leverkusen's title-winning 2023-24 season left, including Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Granit Xhaka. The scale of the changes led striker Patrik Schick to say last month that hedidn't expectLeverkusen to be able to fight for the Bundesliga title without significant signings. ___ AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

byMario Satorik
in
August 12, 2025

'I leave defenders behind for breakfast': Leverkusen signs young Dutch winger Ernest Poku

'I leave defenders behind for breakfast': Leverkusen signs young Dutch winger Ernest Poku LEVERKUSEN, Germany (AP) — Bayer Leverkuse...
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Thailand says another soldier injured by landmine near CambodiaNew Foto - Thailand says another soldier injured by landmine near Cambodia

BANGKOK (Reuters) -A Thai soldier was injured by a landmine near the Cambodian border on Tuesday, the Thai army said, days after the Southeast Asian neighbours agreed a ceasefire following last month's deadly five-day conflict. The soldier's left ankle was severely injured when he stepped on the mine while patrolling along a routine border route about 1 km (0.62 miles) from Ta Moan Thom temple in Thailand's Surin province, the army said in a statement. The soldier is being treated at a hospital, it said. The incident is clear evidence that Cambodia has violated the ceasefire as well as international agreements like the Ottawa Convention against landmines, Thai army spokesman Major-General Winthai Suvaree said in the statement. It was the fourth time in a few weeks that Thai soldiers have been injured by mines during patrols along the border. On Saturday, three soldiers were injured by a landmine in an area between Thailand's Sisaket and Cambodia's Preah Vihear provinces. Two earlier incidents led to the downgrading of diplomatic relations and triggered the clashes. Bangkok accused Cambodia of planting landmines on the Thai side of the disputed border that injured soldiers on July 16 and July 23. Phnom Penh denied it had placed any new mines, saying the soldiers had veered off agreed routes and triggered old landmines left over from decades of war. It said on Saturday that it was a "proud state party" to the Ottawa Convention. Thailand and Cambodia have bickered for decades over undemarcated points along their 817-km (508-mile) land border, with ownership of the ancient Hindu temples Ta Moan Thom and the 11th-century Preah Vihear central to the disputes. The latest clashes that started on July 24 were the worst fighting between the countries in more than a decade, and involved exchanges of artillery fire and jet fighter sorties that killed at least 43 and left over 300,000 people displaced on both sides. The fragile ceasefire has been holding since Thailand and Cambodia agreed last week to allow observers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to inspect disputed border areas, ensuring that hostilities do not resume. (Reporting by Orathai Sriring, Panarat Thepgumpanat and Napat Wesshasartar; Editing by David Stanway)

byMario Satorik
in
August 12, 2025

Thailand says another soldier injured by landmine near Cambodia

Thailand says another soldier injured by landmine near Cambodia BANGKOK (Reuters) -A Thai soldier was injured by a landmine near the Cambodi...
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