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Ravens rave about Vega Ioane, who’s living up to billing as a plug-and-play star at guard

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OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Baltimore Ravens rookie right guard Vega Ioane had his sights on getting to the linebacker. Little did he know that Derrick Henry was beside him. The two collided, and Ioane experienced yet another learning moment during a summer that figures to be full of them.

“Welcome to the league, huh?” Ioane said after Monday’s practice. “That’s Derrick Henry right there. He’s a big running back — strong guy, phenomenal player, of course. I’m chasing after the linebacker, thinking I’m going to get him. We both end up on the ground. Now I know to stay out of his way.”

Despite the moment with Henry, Ioane, the team’s first-round pick out of Penn State, has proven to be a quick study. His teammates and coaches continue to rave about just how far along he is for a rookie. The Ravens typically make their rookies earn their ascent up the depth chart, but Ioane, touted as arguably the most plug-and-play-ready offensive lineman in April’s NFL Draft, has been the starter at right guard from the jump. He hasn’t looked out of place either.

The pads went on at Ravens training camp Monday, and Ioane, 22, delivered another solid practice. He held up well in one-on-one drills and created some holes in the run game.

“Vega is a stud, man,” Ravens right tackle Roger Rosengarten said Monday. “Coming out here, you can see pretty early on who can move really well and who has the demeanor to be a professional. Vega is a pro. Being with him and working on our combos, inside zone, outside zone, pass pro, I feel like I have been playing with the guy for three to four years. It is crazy. The way he moves, his balance, the way his contact balance is at the point of attack, his speed off the ball — I cannot speak highly enough of him. He has definitely made my job a lot better.”

Ravens head coach Jesse Minter has said repeatedly that Ioane is exactly who the Ravens thought they were getting when they made him the 14th overall pick. He’s shown his power, physicality and athleticism. He’s also impressed the coaching staff by not making the same mistake twice.

“He’s very smart,” said Ravens offensive line coach and run game coordinator Dwayne Ledford. “He understands the game up front. He’s done a really good job as far as understanding what we’re asking of him, especially at that position. He has some really good feet that allow him to do a lot of things up front that, (at) his size, is pretty special. He has a mindset where he’s trying to get better every day. To me, the sky’s the limit for him.”

Monday represented another step forward for Ioane, who said he hasn’t taken part in a padded practice in a long time.

“There are a lot of expectations that come with being a first-round pick,” Ioane said. “We come in here — we talk a lot about it in the team meeting room — ‘prove them right.’ That’s my whole goal out here. I’ve got to earn my keep, earn my spot out there. While I’m doing that, I’m trying to prove the staff right, prove the team right for picking me in the first round.”

Legitimate competition at center

When the Ravens signed center Ethan Pocic the week before training camp, it was widely assumed the 30-year-old veteran was the starter and Tyler Linderbaum replacement. Minter, however, cautioned that Danny Pinter, Jovaughn Gwyn and even Corey Bullock were still in the mix for the job.

Ledford took it even further Monday, saying he expects the center competition to last deep into training camp and the preseason.

“It’s going to take all of training camp,” Ledford said. “It will come down to probably that last week when we’re going into it, because I think all three of them are doing a really good job. We want to make sure we’re diligent in giving everybody the opportunity that’s here with it, because they are here for a reason — just make sure we get the right guy we want in there with that first group.”

Pinter, who has made 10 career starts, has taken the majority of starting reps at center since the offseason program began. That’s partly because Pocic is still working his way back from an Achilles injury that he sustained in December.

Offense struggles

There was plenty of buildup for the Ravens’ first padded practice of training camp, yet there weren’t many notable highlights from it. That’s partly because the Ravens’ passing game never found a rhythm.

Both Jackson and his primary backup, Tyler Huntley, struggled to create any chunk plays. Most of the Ravens’ completions came either on screens or short passes. The Ravens running backs Rasheen Ali and Adam Randall did pop a few long runs, but there were few such big plays in the passing game.

“It’s the fifth practice,” Minter said. “You are installing on both sides, and there is always going to be back and forth in training camp. (We’ll) look at the tape; there will probably be some good plays on both sides, some good runs that hit where, who knows if we would have made the tackle or not.”

More camp notes

• Minter said veteran offensive tackle Hakeem Adeniji decided to step away from football for a “personal” matter. The Ravens placed Adeniji on the reserve/retired list Sunday, and Minter said the team will fill his spot on the 90-man roster in the coming days.

• Defensive end Calais Campbell and nose tackle John Jenkins were each in uniform for the first time during training camp. The veterans took part in warmups and some individual drills before heading inside. The Ravens have given Campbell some time to get back into football mode after the tragic death of his mother last month. Jenkins had been on the physically unable to perform list with an undisclosed injury. With those two back, the only three players not practicing were Bullock (non-football illness list), inside linebacker Teddye Buchanan (PUP) and nose tackle Travis Jones (PUP).

• For the first time this training camp, the Ravens conducted a one-on-one session between pass catchers and defensive backs. Zay Flowers got things started and spurred probably the loudest roar of the day by beating Marlon Humphrey on a double move and catching a long touchdown. Humphrey was called for pass interference on the play, too. Rookie third-round receiver Ja’Kobi Lane also caught a deep ball on veteran cornerback Chidobe Awuzie.

• Tight end Mark Andrews and safety Kyle Hamilton, two of the more intense Ravens on the practice field, are frequently matched up against one another, which tends to produce some chatter. That started relatively early in practice when Andrews drew a pass interference penalty in the end zone. Andrews barked at Hamilton while the safety was on the ground. The two continued bantering during the water break, but that conversation seemed much more light-hearted.

• There weren’t too many highlights from the passing game, but rookie tight end Matt Hibner took a screen pass for a nice gain, then caught a touchdown pass a few plays later. Hibner, a fourth-round rookie, has been a bit more consistent than fellow rookie tight end Josh Cuevas, a fifth-round selection, through the first five practices.

• Second-year guard/tackle Emery Jones Jr. and second-year nose tackle C.J. Okoye were involved in some extracurricular activity early in practice and seemed to be getting under each other’s skin. Cooler heads prevailed, however.

• Former Ravens Justin Forsett and Chris Chester watched Monday’s practice. Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz was also on the sideline with his family. Albernaz has developed a friendship with Minter over the past couple of months.

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Cubs’ rotation gets depth, impact in Clay Holmes: MLB trade grades

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Cubs get: RHP Clay Holmes and OF Tyrone Taylor
Mets get: INF Jefferson Rojas


Cubs bet on infield defense in deal for groundball starter

Cubs: A-
Mets: B

There are several ways to take a big swing, and in this case, the Cubs are betting that Holmes is a perfect fit. Their rotation needed both depth and impact, and they’ve gotten it with this trade and a previous deal for Kevin Gausman (it’s not out of the question that those two could start Games 1 and 2 of a playoff series). Gausman is the bigger name of the two, but Holmes could be the better fit. Yes, he’s been hurt, but he’s nearly ready to return, and when he does, he’ll generate a ton of groundballs. You know who plays excellent infield defense? The Cubs! They have Gold Glove winners at second base, third base and shortstop, and Michael Busch ranks fifth in the majors in outs above average at first. Collectively, they have the second-best infield OAA in the majors. Holmes could thrive in that environment, while Taylor gives them a good outfield defender who’s been excellent against lefties this season.

Getting such a good fit cost the Cubs a top-100 prospect. Rojas can play anywhere in the infield, and he has an intriguing bat for a guy with such defensive versatility. Keith Law noted that his power has been improving in recent years, and he could be a passable shortstop or above-average at second or third. That’s a good amount of upside for a couple of rentals. — Chad Jennings


Holmes’ twisting journey leads him back to NL Central

Cubs: B+
Mets: A

The stats say Holmes is a front-line major-league starter. He had a 3.26 ERA (126 ERA+) over 218 1/3 innings for the Mets these past two seasons. He has a punishing sinker and solid velocity. He coaxes batters into pounding the ball into the dirt. Because he’s almost certainly going to opt out of his $12 million salary for next season, he’s a glorified rental. We have a pretty good idea of fair value for a rental starter of Holmes’ caliber, and the return for Holmes and Taylor — a rangy rental outfielder who hits left-handed pitching well — matches that expectation. Rojas, a 21-year-old infielder, is ranked No. 61 on Keith Law’s midseason prospect ranking. There’s big upside there.

As Holmes returns to the NL Central to embark upon his (likely brief) Cubs career, it’s worth considering how he got here. Holmes was a failed starter in the Pittsburgh Pirates system who finally cracked their major-league roster in bulk relief in 2018. He was bad. Real bad. Evaluators always raved about his peripherals and his bowling-ball sinker, but the surface numbers stunk. His walk rate was bananas. Entering the 2021 season, he had a 5.91 career ERA (72 ERA+) and 1.751 WHIP. Then he added four mph to the sinker. He junked his curveball and added a sweeper. At the 2021 trade deadline, the New York Yankees took a flier on the guy with one great pitch.

Holmes was instantly a weapon in the Yankees bullpen. In three-plus years, he has delivered a 2.69 ERA, 74 saves, and two All-Star appearances. He pitched in three postseasons.

Then, as he hit free agency, he decided to try starting again. All in all, the gambit paid off. Holmes pitched well for the Mets when healthy. His stuff is far less overpowering as a starter. The sinker dropped from an average velocity of 96.6 mph in 2024 to 93.7 mph in 2025 and 2026. He evolved from a sinker-slider-sweeper trio to a six-pitch arsenal. The strikeout rate dropped precipitously. Still, the sinker gets out lefties and righties alike. The command has been fine. And Holmes still manages to miss barrels and get a bunch of ground balls. — Stephen J. Nesbitt

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Tierney shows value as Celtic title defence begins

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It was reported today that Osasuna have enquired about Tierney, although that same article suggested Celtic chiefs will knock back any offers for the 29-year-old.

Given the lack of options in that position, and also Tierney’s importance to the league champions, that is hardly a surprise.

“Kieran’s going nowhere, he loves the football club,” said his former captain Scott Brown on Sportsound.

“You never know what can happen, but I love watching the wee man play, I love his passion. When there’s a 50-50 he wins it, when a ball goes into the box he puts his head on it.

“It’s the quality on the other side as well. You can see why he went down to Arsenal. Other teams will want that, and Celtic are lucky to have these three [Tierney, McGregor and James Forrest] for that long a period.”

Club captain McGregor is another who was impressed in the league opener, but there’s also been whispers that he might be on the way out. Those rumours seem to have died down in recent weeks.

“Callum has retired from Scotland so he’s had the time off, and he looks really fresh,” said Brown. “He is the brains of this time, he’s got the understanding and leadership.

“If any young kids are watching, watch Callum McGregor, watch Kieran Tierney, watch James Forrest. You’re not at a football club like this for that long if you can’t understand the other side of the game.”

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Guardians acquire Nathaniel Lowe from Reds: Source

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Cincinnati Reds designated hitter Nathaniel Lowe (31) hits a solo-home run against the Seattle Mariners during the ninth inning at T-Mobile Park.

Nathaniel Lowe will be a free agent at the end of the 2026 season. Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The Cincinnati Reds on Monday agreed to trade first baseman Nathaniel Lowe to the Cleveland Guardians for 19-year-old pitching prospect Alejandro Rivera, a team source who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a deal that hasn’t been announced told The Athletic.

This story will be updated.

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