Sports
Behind Kershaw, L.A. rights ship vs. rival Padres
LOS ANGELES — His teammates were reeling, their bitter rivals were surging, the division was slipping, and under those circumstances, Clayton Kershaw — clearly diminished but still every bit as determined — came through.
With the Los Angeles Dodgers riding a four-game losing streak, and hosting a San Diego Padres team that had won five straight to make up 10 games in a span of six weeks, Kershaw fired six innings of one-run ball Friday night, cutting through the tension of a keyed-up series to set the tone in a 3-2 victory at Dodger Stadium.
The National League West, a division the Dodgers led by nine games just six weeks earlier, is tied once more. The Padres and Dodgers will play five more games against one another over the next nine days.
“We had the right guy on the mound tonight,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think we all know that.”
Kershaw made his debut with the Dodgers’ 2025 rotation around the middle of May, after fully recovering from offseason knee and foot surgeries, and helped stabilize a group that once again found itself beset by injuries. His initial results were merely decent — a 3.62 ERA in 12 starts, with 39 strikeouts and 18 walks in 59⅔ innings — but his availability was vital.
Over the past few weeks, as the Dodgers’ rotation has stabilized, Kershaw has tapped into another level.
All three of his starts this month have seen him go six innings while combining to allow just two runs. On Friday night, the only damage against him was a Ramon Laureano solo homer that clanged off the left-field foul pole. Kershaw featured a sharper-than-usual slider and allowed just two other baserunners while requiring only 76 pitches to complete 18 outs. Fifteen starts into his age-37 season, he’s 7-2 with a 3.01 ERA.
“It’s just what you’re supposed to do,” Kershaw said of being at his best lately. “As a starter, you’re supposed to pitch well. And when it’s your turn, step up. And our rotation is getting healthier. We got a lot of guys that can throw the ball really well, so I just want to do my part.”
Friday began with the news that Max Muncy, the Dodgers’ everyday third baseman and a critical middle-of-the-order bat, was nursing an oblique strain that would keep him out for the next several weeks. Muncy joined Tommy Edman, Enrique Hernandez and Hyeseong Kim on the injured list, prompting a rookie (Alex Freeland) and a journeyman (Buddy Kennedy) to fill in. The bullpen, meanwhile, was already down as many as six high-leverage relievers, severely limiting Roberts’ options to hold leads late.
The Dodgers desperately needed Kershaw’s six innings. But they also needed the contributions from Teoscar Hernandez, who was carrying an 0.673 OPS since the start of July but provided a critical insurance run with a seventh-inning homer. And they badly needed the production from their bullpen, where five relievers combined to allow just one run over the last three innings.
With Roberts unwilling to bring Kershaw back out for another inning, Ben Casparius successfully tackled the middle of the Padres’ lineup in the top of the seventh. The Padres then threatened in the eighth against Alex Vesia, loading the bases on a couple of hit by pitches and a walk, then cutting their deficit to one on Luis Arraez‘s sac fly. With two on, two outs and Manny Machado due up, Roberts turned to his best weapon, Blake Treinen, and watched him induce an inning-ending popout on one pitch.
Alexis Diaz, the former All-Star closer discarded by the Cincinnati Reds, and Jack Dreyer, the rookie left-hander who has been a godsend this season, closed it out in the ninth.
“It was a high-intensity game,” Roberts said. “It was certainly kind of tempered as far as internally, but I think that I could see it as far as on the field. I could feel it. Our focus was keen. They pitched really well. I thought we pitched really well. It was just a well-played ballgame.”
The last time the Dodgers and Padres faced off, it was the middle of June, amid a stretch in which they played seven games in 11 days against one another — on the heels of a tense NL Division Series the previous October. The Dodgers won five of those games, including three of four at Dodger Stadium. The four-game set in L.A. featured eight hit by pitches, half of which were dispersed to Fernando Tatis Jr. and Shohei Ohtani. The finale saw Roberts shove Padres manager Mike Shildt while both dugouts and bullpens emptied.
At that point, the Dodgers were five games better than the Padres and seemed poised to cruise to a 12th division title in 13 years. The next two weeks only fortified that belief. Then the Dodgers navigated through one of their driest spells in years, losing 22 of 31 games after July 3 — including all three from Angel Stadium earlier this week. The bullpen was a mess, the offense was inconsistent, and the Padres, buoyed by a string of trade-deadline acquisitions from their aggressive general manager, were riding a high.
For one night, at least, Kershaw and his teammates put a stop to that.
“It just takes one to get going,” Kershaw said. “Hopefully this was it tonight for us.”
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It is the end of an era in NASCAR.
The Athletic reported Friday that Jim France is stepping down as NASCAR’s CEO, and his replacement will be the first non-France family member to run the ship.
The outlet noted that France, who will remain NASCAR’s chairman, will be replaced by NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell.
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President Donald Trump is greeted by NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France and Sen. Rick Scott before the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Feb. 16, 2025. (Chris Graythen/AFP)
France’s father founded NASCAR in 1948, and it has grown into the most popular motorsport in the United States.
Ben Kennedy, France’s great-nephew, will also be promoted from executive vice president and chief venue and racing innovations officer to NASCAR’s chief operating officer.
All the changes are expected to be announced on Saturday at Talladega Superspeedway, where the Jack Link’s 500 will be run on Sunday.
Jim France, chairman and CEO of NASCAR, and team owner Rick Hendrick celebrate as the No. 24 NASCAR Next Gen Chevrolet ZL1 finishes the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, France, on June 10, 2023. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
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France took on both roles in August 2018, shortly after his nephew, Brian, stepped down.
France’s 54% ownership stake of NASCAR will remain unchanged — Kennedy’s mother owns the other 46%.
This is hardly the first seismic change for NASCAR this year — Steve Phelps announced in January he was stepping down as commissioner in the wake of two racing teams, including one owned by Michael Jordan, filing an antitrust lawsuit against the company.
The suit unearthed inflammatory text messages Phelps sent during contentious revenue-sharing negotiations. Jordan’s 23XI Racing and NASCAR settled their suit in December.
He was named NASCAR’s first commissioner last season after a courting process for the same role by the PGA Tour. The opportunity with the PGA was revealed during December testimony in the trial.
NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France congratulates NBA Hall of Famer and 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan in victory lane after Tyler Reddick won the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Feb. 15, 2026. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
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France, however, is reportedly insistent that the lawsuits had nothing to do with his decision to step down, and it has been a thought for a long while.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Pro Football Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor was hospitalized on Friday, TMZ reported.
The New York Giants legend suffered a medical emergency in New Jersey, warranting the visit, the outlet said.
Taylor’s status is unclear at this time, but TMZ said that it does not appear to be serious, citing “those close to” him.
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Former New York Giant Lawrence Taylor attends a game between the Giants and the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Jan. 1, 2023. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Taylor’s former Giants did not immediately respond to an email.
L.T. is widely regarded as the greatest linebacker to ever play. He was a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, including in his rookie season.
He won two Super Bowls, made 10 straight Pro Bowls and was named the MVP of the 1986 season. He also remains the franchise’s all-time sacks leader, which includes his 9½ sacks from his rookie season, before sacks became a stat.
New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor enters the field before a game against the Minnesota Vikings at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sept. 8, 2024. (John Jones/Imagn Images)
This came despite a lavish lifestyle off the field, which resulted in legal troubles after his playing days. Drug problems have also resulted in health problems later in life.
Taylor showed his support for President Donald Trump in 2024, appearing at a rally in Wildwood, New Jersey.
“I grew up a Democrat, and I’ve always been a Democrat, until I met this man right here,” Taylor said to cheers. “Nobody in my family ever will vote for a Democrat again.”
President Donald Trump and former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor attend an executive order signing ceremony in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on July 31, 2025. The order formally reestablishes the Presidential Fitness Test, creating school-based programs that reward excellence in physical education. (Eric Lee/Bloomberg)
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Taylor made Giants headlines last year when he quickly turned down Abdul Carter’s request to wear his No. 56 that has been retired by the organization since 1994, just one season after he retired.
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KARACHI: Islamabad United on Friday handed Hyderabad Kingsmen a humiliating eight-wicket defeat in the 36th match of the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the National Bank Stadium.
The victory, which marked United’s fifth in the ongoing eight-team tournament, propelled the three-time champions into the playoffs, joining leaders Peshawar Zalmi and 2021 champions Multan Sultans.
Set to chase a modest 81-run target, the United comfortably knocked the winning runs for the loss of just two wickets and 80 balls to spare.
The 2024 champions, however, had a contrasting start to the pursuit as they lost left-handed opener Devon Conway (zero) on the second delivery of the innings.
But Sameer Minhas and Mohsin Riaz batted sensibly to put United within touching distance as they put together 79 runs for the second wicket until Ali struck again, dismissing Riaz, who top-scored with 42 off just 18 deliveries, studded with six fours and two sixes.
Minhas, on the other hand, remained unbeaten with 27 off 20 deliveries, featuring three fours and a six, while skipper Shadab hit the winning runs in the same over with a boundary on the first delivery he faced.
For the Kingsmen, Mohammad Ali remained the solitary wicket-taker in the gruelling defeat with two scalps.
United captain Shadab Khan’s decision to field first paid dividends as his team’s bowling unit booked the new entrants for 80 in 15.5 overs.
Kingsmen got off to the worst possible start to their innings as Gleeson dismissed Maaz Sadaqat (zero) on the first delivery of the innings.
The right-arm pacer swept through their top order by getting rid of Marnus Labuschagne (five) and Saim Ayub (12) in his next two overs and brought the total down to 24/3.
Following Gleeson’s early blitz was backed by the experienced spin duo of captain Shadab and Imad Wasim as they dismantled Kingsmen’s middle and lower orders by taking three wickets each despite last match centurion Usman Khan’s grit.
The wicketkeeper batter waged a lone battle for the Kingsmen with an unbeaten 25 off 35 deliveries, during which he struck only one boundary.
Besides Usman and Saim, only Kusal Perera and Asif Mehmood, 12 each, could amass double figures against a ruthless United bowling attack.
For United, Gleeson, Imad and Shadab bagged three wickets each, while left-arm pacer Salman Mirza chipped in with one scalp.
Playing XIs
Hyderabad Kingsmen: Maaz Sadaqat, Marnus Labuschagne (c), Saim Ayub, Kusal Perera, Usman Khan (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Hassan Khan, Hunain Shah, Mohammad Ali and Asif Mehmood.
Islamabad United: Devon Conway (wk), Sameer Minhas, Mark Chapman, Mohsin Riaz, Shadab Khan (c), Haider Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Chris Green, Imad Wasim, Richard Gleeson and Salman Mirza.
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