UR MAG

Expectations for theBig Apple born, New Jersey raised,childhood Yankee fanwere outrageously high. For good reason. Volpe, still 21 years old, had just captured the Yankees’ starting shortstop job with a sensational spring training. Talent evaluators gushed about his maturity, defensive acumen and baseball IQ.

Drafted as a glove-first infielder with strong bat-to-ball skills, Volpe had reinvented himself by reengineering his swing for home run power. Recently departed Yankee legend Brett Gardner had even given Volpe permission to wear his No. 11 jersey. It was a bright, limitless future for the hometown kid living out his dream.

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On Tuesday,Volpe will, for the first time since his big league debut, return to the minor leagues in earnest. After undergoing offseason shoulder surgery, Volpe had been playing in Double-A and Triple-A on a rehab assignment. But with that 20-day rehab clock expiring, the American League leading Yankees optioned the 25-year-old to Triple-A on Sunday night. José Caballero, whom the club acquired from Tampa Bay at last year’s trade deadline, will continue on as the starting shortstop.

It’s a stunning move, one that Yankees brass had, time and time again, appeared hesitant to make. Volpe, despite lackluster offensive showings throughout his first three major league seasons, received unwavering support from manager Aaron Boone and general manager Brian Cashman. Even team owner Hal Steinbrenner publicly backed the scuffling shortstop at one point. And as recently as mid-April, Cashman implied that Volpe would likely regain his starting spot upon completing his rehab assignment.

But that’s not how things played out.

Part of it has to do with Caballero, who has shined defensively this season for a Yankees team laying waste to the American League. His surface-level offensive numbers are perfectly viable, even though his underlying metrics tell a different story. Clearly though, the frisky Panamanian has played well enough and given the Yankees enough of an edge for Volpe to end up back in Triple-A.

The 2026 race will have a $5 million purse for the third year in a row. About $3.1 million goes to the winning horse and its teams.

Here’s a rundown of the payouts for the top-five horses:

• First: $3.1 million

• Second: $1 million

• Third: $500,000

• Fourth: $250,000

• Fifth: $100,000.

Of that $3.1 million for the winner, 80% goes to the horse’s owner. The trainer gets 10% and the jockey gets the last 10%.

And while the winning jockey would then technically collect $310,000, they share that with their valet and agent.

What about a trophy?

Yes, there is a trophy, aptly named The Kentucky Derby Trophy. It’s 22 inches tall and made of 14-karat gold. That trophy goes to the winning owner, while the horse’s connections — trainer, jockey and breeder — receive a half-sized replica made of silver.

Kentucky Derby 2026 current odds

(Post number; odds as of Saturday afternoon)

1. Renegade 6-1

2. Albus 44-1

3. Intrepido 47-1

4. Litmus Test 25-1

5. Right to Party 26-1(Scratch)

6. Commandment 5-1

7. Danon Bourbon 14-1

8. So Happy 5-1

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9. The Puma 8-1(Scratch)

10. Wonder Dean 26-1

11. Incredibolt 24-1

12. Chief Wallabee 7-1

13. Silent Tactic 38-1(Scratch)

14. Potente 19-1

15. Emerging Market 9-1

16. Pavlovian 47-1

17. Six Speed 34-1

18. Further Ado 6-1

19. GoldenTempo24-1

20. Fulleffort 19-1(Scratch)

21. Great White 22-1

22. Ocelli 78-1

23. Robusta 77-1

The 41-year-old superstar had 18 points in the first half as the Lakers built a 49-31 lead before going back to the locker room. He was responsible for seven of Los Angeles' 18 successful shot attempts from the field throughout the first two quarters of play.

During the game, James reached 1,500 career playoff points as a member of the Lakers.

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He reached the mark with a 4-foot, two-point shot, giving the Lakers a 32-18 lead with 9:26 left in the second quarter. James entered Game 6 with 1,489 playoff points for the Lakers.

The NBA playoffs bring out more than high‑stakes basketball, as stars showcase their sneaker style on the league’s biggest stage.

See the coolest kicks worn during the 2026 NBA Playoffs, where footwear becomes part of the spotlight.

Above, The shoes of Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks are seen during the first half of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.

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Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style

The NBA playoffsbring out more than high‑stakes basketball, as stars showcase their sneaker style on the league’s biggest stage.See the coolest kicks worn during the 2026 NBA Playoffs, where footwear becomes part of the spotlight.Above, The shoes of Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks are seen during the first half of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.

LeBron James career playoff points

James entered Game 6 as the NBA’s all-time leader with 8,400 career points scored in the postseason. He scored a career-high 748 during the 2017-18 postseason while playing with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The most he scored in a single season with theMiami Heatwas 697 in 2011-12. He finished with 580 with the Lakers on the way to winning the 2019-20 NBA title.

• Cleveland Cavaliers: 4,573 (2003-2010, 2014-2018)

• Los Angeles Lakers: 1,500** (2019-26)

• Miami Heat: 2,338 (2010-2014)

**=will be updated after Game 6

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:LeBron James reaches another postseason scoring milestone

MLS Whitecaps Galaxy Soccer

The Whitecaps (8-1-1), who were only the second MLS team in the post-shootout era (since 2000) to win eight of their first nine games to begin a season, had their club regular-season record four-game win streak snapped.

Sebastian Berhalter played a free kick from the left side to the back post and Laborda headed home the finish from point-blank range to cap the scoring.

The Whitecaps had 58% possession and outshot LA 19-7, 5-2 on target.

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Joseph Paintsil opened the scoring in the 46th minute. Lucas Sanabria, in the opening seconds of the second half, stole a misplayed ball from Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka and fed Paintsil for a finish from the right side of the area.

JT Marcinkowski had four saves for the Galaxy (3-4-4).

Takaoka finished with one save.

AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Cunningham averaged 32.4 points for Detroit, which last won a postseason series by beating Orlando in the second round in 2008. The Pistons advance to play the winner of Sunday evening’s Game 7 between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors. Game 1 will be Tuesday at Little Caesars Arena.

The Pistons became the 15th team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit and the second in the last two nights, after the Philadelphia 76ers came back to eliminate Boston.

They trailed by 24 points in Game 6 in Orlando before rallying to take the series at home. Orlando only scored 113 points in the final six quarters of the series — an average of 18.8 per period.

Cunningham and Harris became the first Pistons teammates to score 30 points in a playoff game since Bob Lanier (33) and Howard Porter (30) against the Golden State Warriors on April 17, 1977.

CAVALIERS 114, RAPTORS 102

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CLEVELAND (AP) — Jarrett Allen tied his playoff career high with 22 points and grabbed 19 rebounds as Cleveland advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals with a victory over Toronto in Game 7 of their series.

Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 22 points and James Harden added 18 in a series in which the home team won all seven games.

Cleveland, the No. 4 seed, will visit top-seeded Detroit on Tuesday night in Game 1 of the second round. The Central Division rivals split their four regular-season meetings.

Scottie Barnes had 24 points and nine rebounds and RJ Barrett scored 23 for the Raptors, who were in the playoffs for the first time since 2022.

Allen had 14 points and 10 rebounds, including five on the offensive end, as Cleveland went on a 49-21 run during a 15-minute span over the second and third quarters where it turned a nine-point deficit into an 19-point advantage.

Toronto led for most of the first half and had a 10-point lead midway through the second quarter before Cleveland began its comeback.

The Cavaliers were down 47-38 with 2:58 remaining before going on a 11-2 run to close the half and tie it at 49. The Cavs were 4 of 17 on 3-pointers before Harden, Max Strus and Jaylon Tyson connected from beyond the arc.