Sports

Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal to leave club after 23 years

Published

3 months ago

May 18, 2026

Dani Carvajal’s departure from Real Madrid will be an emotional one for supporters, even if it does not come as a complete surprise.

Since breaking into the first team in 2013, he has grown from an academy graduate into a leader and a symbol of the club’s relentless winning mentality.

While he rarely commanded the spotlight in the way Madrid’s attacking superstars have, his consistency and reliability made him one of the most important players of the last decade, and his departure will symbolise a new era.

At his peak, Carvajal was widely regarded as one of the most complete right-backs in world football due to his rare balance of defensive aggression and attacking intelligence.

Under managers such as Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane, he became fundamental to Madrid’s tactical structure, providing width, supporting midfield build-up play, and helping the team transition seamlessly between defence and attack.

Carvajal also played a crucial role in Real Madrid’s dominance in the Champions League.

He delivered in high-pressure moments and his performance in the 2024 Champions League final, where he scored and was named man of the match, stands out as one of the defining moments of his career.

Beyond his tactical importance, Carvajal became one of the emotional leaders of the dressing room.

As iconic figures such as Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric gradually moved on, he emerged as a leader, eventually captaining the side.

His mentality during difficult periods was especially valuable over the last two seasons, as Real Madrid endured managerial instability and failed to secure major silverware.

Although injuries and physical decline affected him in the latter stages of his career, Madrid often looked vulnerable whenever Carvajal was absent, underlining how difficult he was to replace.

The arrival of Trent Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool last summer signalled the beginning of a transition, with the England defender eventually becoming the preferred option at right-back under Alvaro Arbeloa.

Even so, the reception Carvajal continues to receive every time he steps onto the pitch is proof of the immense respect and affection supporters still have for him.

His legacy at Real Madrid is secure and he will leave as one of the greatest right-backs in the club’s history and a player who helped define one of its most successful eras.

Sports

How to watch Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks: TV channel and streaming options for August 8

Published

6 minutes ago

August 9, 2026

qasimgillani

Freddie Freeman leads the Los Angeles Dodgers into a matchup against Gabriel Moreno and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field, on Saturday at 8:10 p.m. ET. Freeman is at .307, the fifth-best average in the league, and Moreno ranks seventh at .301. Yoshinobu Yamamoto (11-7, 2.76 ERA) will start for the Dodgers, who are 69-47 this season and first in the NL West. Brandon Pfaadt (6-1, 3.66 ERA) is expected to start for the Diamondbacks, who are 62-55 and second in the NL West.

How to watch Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks odds

Favorite Moneyline: Dodgers -200
Underdog Moneyline: Diamondbacks +165
Total: 8.5
Total Over Odds: -110
Total Under Odds: -110

Injury reports

Dodgers

Dalton Rushing: 10 Day IL (Arm), Blake Treinen: 15 Day IL (Elbow), Brock Stewart: 15 Day IL (Shoulder), Will Klein: 15 Day IL (Elbow), Bobby Miller: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Gavin Stone: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Jake Cousins: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Will Smith: 60 Day IL (Neck), Brusdar Graterol: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Blake Snell: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Kris Bubic: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Tyler Glasnow: 60 Day IL (Back), Ben Casparius: 60 Day IL (Shoulder)

Diamondbacks

Jordan Lawlar: 10 Day IL (Hamstring), Lourdes Gurriel Jr.: 10 Day IL (Adductor), Tommy Troy: 10 Day IL (Shoulder), Ryan Thompson: 15 Day IL (Back), Drey Jameson: 15 Day IL (Hip), Mike Soroka: 15 Day IL (Lower body), A.J. Puk: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Cristian Mena: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Blake Walston: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Ryne Nelson: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Zac Gallen: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Corbin Burnes: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Andrew Saalfrank: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Justin Martinez: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Merrill Kelly: day-to-day (Leg)

Stats to know

Los Angeles’ Shohei Ohtani has hit 26 home runs this season, which ranks 9th in MLB. He has also tallied 70 RBIs (17th in MLB) and has scored 73 runs. In 487 plate appearances, he has recorded a .296 BA, .400 OBP and .552 SLG with a 14.2% walk rate and a 22.6% strikeout rate. He has been effective on the base paths, recording six steals on nine attempts.
In 495 plate appearances, Andy Pages has hit 19 long balls, tallied 75 RBIs (8th in MLB) and scored 66 runs. He is batting .268/.333/.457 and has posted a 20% strikeout rate and an 8.1% walk rate. Pages has recorded 10 steals on 16 attempts.
Corbin Carroll is hitting for a .242 BA, .337 OBP and .466 SLG with a 22.4% strikeout rate and an 11.4% walk rate. His OPS is .803 and he has scored 70 runs. In 490 plate appearances, he has hit 16 home runs and driven in 53 runs. Carroll has recorded 16 steals on 18 attempts.
In 491 plate appearances, Ketel Marte has slashed .246/.305/.436 this season. He has hit 19 long balls and driven in 62 runs with a strikeout rate of 15.5% and a walk rate of 7.3%. and has scored 60 runs.

This watch guide was created using technology provided by Data Skrive.

Betting/odds, ticketing and streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.

Photo: Jamie Squire, Ishika Samant, Scott Taetsch, Alika Jenner / Getty Images

Sports

Washington Commanders LT Laremy Tunsil has torn triceps: Source

Published

12 minutes ago

August 9, 2026

qasimgillani

Washington Commanders offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil walks back to the locker room after an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, in Inglewood, California

Laremy Tunsil starred in his first season in Washington. Kyusung Gong / AP

Aug. 8, 2026 8:25 pm EDT Updated

ASHBURN, Va. — Washington Commanders left tackle Laremy Tunsil suffered a torn triceps on Saturday that will likely require surgery, according to a league source. While the timetable for his recovery isn’t clear, the source said he will miss at least a portion of the regular season.

Tunsil grabbed his left arm after a one-on-one rep against defensive end Odafe Oweh and went inside the team’s medical tent next to the practice field. He was later taken back inside the team’s practice facility for further evaluation.

Tunsil, 32, was acquired in a trade with the Houston Texans in 2025 and immediately became the leader of the Commanders’ offensive line. The five-time Pro Bowler had one of his finest seasons statistically last season, allowing only 15 pressures on 491 pass-blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Commanders rewarded him with a two-year, $60.2 million contract extension that made him the highest-paid left tackle in average annual value. It was the third time he’s reset the market for his position.

The Commanders are also currently without starting center Nick Allegretti (calf) and tight end John Bates (hamstring). Coach Dan Quinn indicated prior to Saturday’s practice that the two will likely miss the team’s joint practice with the Miami Dolphins on Wednesday.

This story is developing and will be updated.

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Aug 9, 2026

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Sports

Aaron Nola joins 2,000-strikeout club, solidifying his status in Phillies’ pitching lore

Published

18 minutes ago

August 9, 2026

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PHILADELPHIA — The 2,000th strikeout came on a sinker clipping the zone, flitting from Aaron Nola’s hand toward Brandon Valenzuela at 93.4 mph on Saturday.

The Citizens Bank Park scoreboard quickly flipped to a graphic that featured Nola, which read “2,000 strikeouts.” The music blaring through the ballpark changed to “I Am Second,” Nola’s warm-up song. Home-plate umpire Brennan Miller brushed dirt off the plate and looked to the ground as catcher Garrett Stubbs walked toward Nola, who seemed content to throw another pitch rather than take it all in.

But, in that moment, Nola joined a rather exclusive club. He became just the seventh active pitcher with 2,000 strikeouts — accomplishing the milestone as his Phillies faced the Toronto Blue Jays, while pitching against another member of that group in Max Scherzer. Nola entered Saturday three shy of 2,000, and struck out three Blue Jays batters — Jesús Sánchez, Andrés Giménez and Valenzuela — to reach the achievement in just 1 2/3 innings. He went on to give up two runs, strike out eight and walk two across five innings.

The ending of Nola’s outing, however, was much less promising than the beginning. He exited after taking a comebacker to the outside of his lower right leg that left Sánchez’s bat at 104.8 mph in the sixth inning. The Phillies said the injury is a right knee contusion and that Nola will receive further evaluation. He threw two warm-up pitches before shaking his head. He appeared to say “I can’t” to the Phillies training staff and interim manager Don Mattingly. Nola was at 95 pitches entering the sixth and 97 after Sánchez’s at-bat, so the Phillies had reliever Brooks Raley ready to enter.

The Phillies did not acquire another starter at the deadline, placing faith in Nola and rookie Andrew Painter to compete as the club’s fourth and fifth starters during the stretch run. Any injury would obviously disrupt those plans and potentially put the club’s postseason chances in jeopardy.

It has been a difficult season for Nola, who entered Saturday with a 5.55 ERA in 120 innings — though he has been a strong back-end starter at times. His four-seam fastball has been one of the hardest-hit in the majors this season, with a .347 batting average against (fourth-worst) and .713 slugging rate against (third-worst). Left-handed hitters have a .281 batting average against him this year. Still, he has gone out every fifth day, serving as a strong back-end starter at times. His curveball remains one of the best in baseball, with the ninth-highest whiff rate (41.1 percent) of any pitch in MLB this season.

Regardless, reaching 2,000 strikeouts only further solidifies Nola’s standing as part of Phillies pitching royalty. He is just the fifth Phillies pitcher to achieve the milestone in the club’s uniform, and in June became one of four to start more than 300 games for the club.

This story will be updated.