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MLS Preview: Inter Miami FC (5-11-0) at New England Revolution (7-3-6)

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MLS Preview: Inter Miami FC (5-11-0) at New England Revolution (7-3-6)

Inter Miami FC earned a 2-1 home win over the New England Revolution on May 13 on goals from David Ruiz and Josef Martinez. Inter Miami FC and the New England Revolution have each won home and away against the other at least once while none of the first five meetings between the sides have ended in draws.

The New England Revolution is unbeaten in its first seven home matches this regular season (W4 D3), though the last two matches in Foxborough have been drawn. The only two times the New England Revolution have avoided defeat in more than than seven straight home matches to start a season were in 2005 and 2015 (9 games each).

Inter Miami FC has lost five straight matches following a 2-1 loss to D. C. United on Saturday after recording a six-match losing streak earlier this season. Inter Miami FC has lost six of its first seven away matches this season (W1), failing to score in five of those six games.

Carles Gil set up six chances for teammates in the New England Revolution’s draw at New York City FC on Saturday, Gil’s 40th MLS match with five or more chances created. No other player has more than 16 games with five or more chances created since Gil joined the league in 2019.

Josef Martinez scored the winning goal in Inter Miami FC’s victory over the new England Revolution in May, his seventh goal in 10 career matches against the Revolutions. No other player has scored more than five regular-season goals against the New England Revolution since Martinez joined the MLS in 2017.

MLB Preview: Chicago Cubs (26-36) at San Francisco Giants (32-30)

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MLB Preview: Chicago Cubs (26-36) at San Francisco Giants (32-30)

CHICAGO CUBS NOTES:

No team release available.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS NOTES:

TODAY’S GAME: Fresh off a three-game sweep of Colorado, the Giants return home to kick off a three-game set against the Cubs…the series marks SF’s shortest homestand of the year as the team leaves town again on Sunday to head to St. Louis and Los Angeles-NL…the Giants enter play today having won 15 of their last 22 games (.682) dating to May 15, matching the Marlins for the second-highest winning percentage in MLB in that span, trailing only the Rangers (15-6, .714).

GAME RECOGNIZE GAME: Though their matchup history dates back to 1883, SF has fared exceptionally well against the Cubs in recent years…since 2021, the Giants are 11-3 against Chicago-NL, outscoring them 75-42 (+33 run differential) while averaging 5.4 runs per game…SF pitchers have a 2.59 ERA in that span and have limited Cubs hitters to a .203 average in the stretch.

I GOT FIVE ON IT: SF has allowed five or fewer runs in 15 consecutive games against the Cubs, one of the longest active such streaks in the Majors…the streak is the Giants’ longest vs. the Cubs since also limiting them to five runs or fewer in 16 straight games as the NY Giants from July 1920 to May 1921.

SAME SQUAD: SF swept the Rockies despite trailing by at least three runs in each of its last two games…it was the first time in almost 25 years the Giants won consecutive games after trailing by 3+ runs in each…SF has never come back from a three-run deficit in three straight games in franchise history.

TELL ME WHEN TO GO: SF’s comeback victories are partly due to their pinch-hitting success in those games…Giants pinch hitters went 3-for-4 with two RBI in their last two games and are 4-for-7 with a .625 OBP and .714 slugging percentage since June 3…prior to that stretch, SF hitters were just 1-for13 with eight strikeouts as PH over their previous 12 games.

NO LIMIT: Prior to yesterday, the Giants were 1-26 when trailing after 8.0 innings…SF’s only other win when trailing after 8.0 innings was April 25 vs. St. Louis when SF was trailing 4-2 entering the ninth inning and scored three times to win, 5-4….the Giants won that game on a two-run, walk-off homer by C/OF Blake Sabol.

FEELIN’ MYSELF: IF Brandon Crawford has enjoyed playing against the Cubs throughout his career, posting a .302 average and .402 OBP against them (57 games)…his .402 OBP is his best figure against any opponent and the seventh-highest OBP vs. the Chicago-NL among active players.

HIT ‘EM UP: Giants relievers have been dominant since the start of May, converting a league-leading 16 saves while posting the second-lowest ERA (2.29) in the Majors in that span behind the Padres (2.21).

ALL EYEZ ON ME: RHP Anthony DeSclafani has been at his best when going through the order a second time this season… the veteran is limiting batters to a .190 average and .491 OPS in his second time through the lineup, the second-lowest OPS in MLB (min. 100 BF)…in his first time through, hitters have a .272 average and .759 OPS

CAN’T TOUCH THIS: When facing a pitcher for the first time in a game this season, IF/OF LaMonte Wade Jr. is posting an NL-leading .489 OBP…the figure is second-highest in MLB, trailing only NYY’s Aaron Judge (.521)…last season, Wade had a .271 OBP when facing a pitcher for the first time in a game, which ranked 394th among the 504 MLB hitters with at least 50+ such PA (Stats, LLC).

RETURN OF THE MIKE: After a slow start to the season, OF Michael Conforto has been on a tear the last month with eight homers and a .692 slugging percentage since May 10… through games of May 9, Conforto was slugging just .297, which ranked 190th of 199 batters with 100+ PA

TODAY’S STARTER – ANTHONY DeSCLAFANI RHP #26
2023 RECORD: 4-5, 3.97 ERA

TODAY’S OUTING: Gets the nod to make his 13th start of the season tonight against the Cubs…the veteran, who returns from an injury-plagued 2022, is in his ninth Major League season and third in a Giants uniform.

LAST TIME OUT: Suffered his fifth loss of the season on Sunday as the Orioles beat the Giants 8-3…allowed six runs on five hits with two strikeouts, three walks and a hit batsman…the three walks were his most since also walking three on September 3, 2021 vs. LA…DeSclafani threw just 3.0 innings in the outing, his shortest start since exiting his June 26, 2022 game with a right ankle inflammation that led to season-ending surgery…his 68 pitches were also his fewest since that outing, when he left after just 53.

VS. CHICAGO-NL: Is slated to face the Cubs for the 14th time in his career and first since 2021…the veteran has a 5-3 record and 3.84 ERA in 13 starts vs. Chicago-NL…most recently, DeSclafani is 2-0 with a 2.55 ERA in his last three starts against them dating back to 2019…he’s limited Cubs hitters to a .206 average and struck out 15 in 17.2 innings of work in that span.

IN THE ZONE: Despite walking nine batters over his last six starts, the veteran still has issued 12 walks in his first 12 starts this year…
his 4.1% walk rate and 1.54 walks-per-nine average are both fourth-lowest in MLB.

AHEAD OF THE CURVE: Both of DeSclafani’s two strikeouts in his last outing came with his knuckle curve, a pitch he’s been increasingly relying on lately…the right-hander has thrown 30 knuckle curves in his last three starts, compared to 25 such pitches over his previous nine outings…he’s found a lot of sucess with the pitch this year, limiting batters to just two hits (both singles) in 17 atbats (.118) ending with his curveball with seven strikeouts…since May 24, the veteran has held batters hitless in seven at-bats off the pitch, retiring all seven batters he faced while striking out five…in his last full season in 2021, batters were .224 (11×49) with two HRs and 13 strikeouts off the pitch.

AT THE RIGHT TIME: His curveball has been particularly effective against right-handers, who are hitless in 10 at-bats ending with the pitch with five strikeouts…DeSclafani’s knuckle curve has been his putaway pitch 21.7% of the time against righties as opposed to a 10% mark vs. lefties.

RIGHT THIS WAY: Is limiting right-handers to a .192 average (25×130) with 33 strikeouts early this season, the lowest opposing average in the NL and seventh-lowest in MLB…DeSclafani’s .245 OBP vs. righties is third-best in the NL behind ATL’s Spencer Strider (.236) and PHI’s Zack Wheeler (.244).

MLB Preview: San Diego Padres (29-33) at Colorado Rockies (26-38)

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MLB Preview: San Diego Padres (29-33) at Colorado Rockies (26-38)

SAN DIEGO PADRES NOTES:

Padres topple Mariners 10-3 on Wednesday in San Diego, enjoy an off day Thursday in Denver

  • Starter Michael Wacha got his 6th win of the year after working 6.0 scoreless innings with just 2 hits allowed and 7 punchouts…he allowed just 1 walk in the outing.
  • Juan Soto had a career-high 5-hit game, singling 4 times with a double and 4 RBI…Jake Cronenworth went 3-for-4, and the Padres saw multi-hit efforts from Manny Machado, Gary Sanchez, & Matt Carpenter…their 17 hits tied for their most in a game this season with April 29 vs. SF (in Mexico City).

Padres look for B2B wins

  • Tonight, the Padres will look to win consecutive games for the 1st time since May 25-26…in games following a win, the Padres have hit a NL-low .204, and in their last 10 games, the Padres have had the following win/loss pattern: Loss, Win, Loss, Win, Loss, Win, Loss, Win, Loss, Win…the last time the Padres won back-to-back games was May 25-26.

Yu in pursuit of win No. 100

  • In his MLB career, Yu Darvish has 99 career victories, 1 shy of the century mark…since debuting with the Rangers in 2012, Darvish has gone 99-79 in his 253 appearances (all starts)…he’s looking to become the 9th pitcher all-time to record his 100th career MLB win against the Rockies and the 4th to do so at Coors Field…the 3 to do so at Coors Field were the following: STL’s Mike Morgan (1995), LAD’s Wilson Alvarez
    (2004), and LAD’s Derek Lowe (2006).

Mile-High Sluggin’

  • This will be the Friars’ 1st series at Coors Field this year, but while Denver sits at an approximate elevation of 5,200 feet above sea level, it’ll be the 2nd-highest altitude the Padres will have played at this year…in their Mexico City Series against the Giants from April 29-30 at Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium, the Padres played at 7,349 feet above sea level, the highest altitude ever for a Major League Baseball
    game…the Padres won both games, going 27-for-74 (.365) at the plate with 7 doubles, 1 triple, 7 home runs, 11 walks, 20 RBI, and 22 runs scored.

Gary Sánchez with 4 homers in his last 9 games since joining the Padres

  • In his 9 games since joining the Padres on May 30, Gary Sánchez is batting .310 (9-for-29) with 2 doubles, 4 home runs, 3 walks, 9 RBI, and a 1.168 OPS…his 1.168 OPS is the 5th highest in the National League since May 30, and his 6 XBH are T-2nd in the NL in that time.
  • He ties Christian Villanueva (2017), Hunter Renfroe (2016), and Yasmani Grandal (2012) for the most home runs in his 1st 9 games as Padre, behind just Carlos Quentin’s 5 HR in his 1st 9 games as a Padre (2012)…Quentin is the only player with 5 HR’s in his 1st 10 G as a Padre, all-time (Sportstrader).

All we need is 4 runs

  • This season, when the Padres score fewer than 4 runs, they are 2-29…but when they score 4 or more, they are 27-4.

STARTER – YU DARVISH 11
Darvish set for 12th career start vs. Rockies
36-year-old right-hander Yu Darvish takes the mound in search of his 3rd consecutive winning decision and quality start vs. the Rockies, and also his 100th career victory…both of his 2 starts vs. COL came in the second half last season, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits across 6.0 IP in SD’s 13-5 victory on August 2, and then allowing 2 runs on 5 hits across 6.0 IP in SD’s 9-3 victory on Sept. 24…his 5.37 ERA is his 5th-highest against any club…he has a 5.26 ERA in his 5 career starts at Coors Field.

Yu looking for win No. 100
In his MLB career, Yu Darvish has 99 career wins, 1 shy of the century mark…since debuting with the Rangers in 2012, Darvish has gone 99-79 in his 253 appearances (all starts)…he’s looking to become the 9th pitcher all-time to record his 100th career MLB win against the Rockies and the 4th to do so at Coors Field…the 3 to do so at Coors Field were the following:
STL’s Mike Morgan (1995), LAD’s Wilson Alvarez (2004), and LAD’s Derek Lowe (2006).

Darvish twirls 7.0 scoreless innings of 2-hit ball vs. CHC
Darvish tossed a season-high 115 pitches across 7.0-shutout IP of 2-hit ball his last time out last Sat. vs. CHC…it was the 27th time in his career he’s allowed 0 R across 7.0+ IP…it was also his 26th career outing with 115+ pitches, which are T-8th-most among all ML pitchers since his debut 2012 season…among the 9 pitchers with at least 26 outings throwing 115+ pitches, he joins Justin Verlander as the hurlers to have a 115+ pitch outing in 2023.

5.0+ IP streak snapped at 37 straight starts
In his first start vs. the Yankees since 2017 on Sunday, May 28, Darvish’s 2.2 IP tied for the 2nd-shortest outing of his career in SD’s 10-7 defeat…it was the 4th time he’s tossed 2.2 IP, and it trailed his career-low 1.2 IP on April 12, 2022 @ SF…the 37 consecutive starts tossing at least 5.0 IP was the 2nd-longest streak in Padres history behind only Bruce Hurst’s 43 straight games with at least 5.0 IP across the 1990-91 seasons…it was the 3rd-longest such streak in the Majors since 2020, trailing only Max Fried’s 50 straight starts (June 6, 2021-Sept. 30, 2022) and Alek Manoah’s 39 straight starts (August 23, 2021-Sept. 30, 2022).

Limit the long balls
In his most recent outing last Sat vs. CHC, Darvish posted his first homerless outing since May 5 vs. LAD…he did not allowing any HRs through his first 4 starts of the season, but has allowed 8 across his last 7 starts since April 30 vs. SF in Mexico City…his 1.82 HR/9 IP ratio is 7th-highest in the Majors and 3rd-highest in the NL (min. 35 IP) since April 30.

Petco Park’s finest
There have been 13 pitchers who have made at least 35 career starts in Petco Park history (including the Postseason), and he is the only pitcher with a sub-1.00 WHIP (0.94) and sub- .200 opp. AVG (.196)…he also ranks 4th in ERA (2.93) in downtown SD history

COLORADO ROCKIES NOTES:

No team release available.

MLS Preview: Minnesota United FC (5-6-5) at CF Montréal Impact (6-9-1)

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MLS Preview: Minnesota United FC (5-6-5) at CF Montréal Impact (6-9-1)

Minnesota United FC has won each of its first three meetings with the CF Montreal Impact, scoring eight goals over the three games, including pair of 3-2 wins in Montreal, one in 2017 and one in 2019. the Loons have never won three straight road matches against a single opponent in the club’s MLS history.

The CF Montreal Impact have won seven of its last eight home regular season matches, including the last four in a row, keeping clean sheets in all four. Only four teams in MLS history have managed at least five straight shutout wins at home in a single season, most recently the Columbus Crew SC in 2020.

Minnesota United FC has lost five of its last six regular season road matches (W1) after opening the season with three straight wins away from home. None of Minnesota United FC’s last 25 regular season away matches have ended in a draw (W10 L15), tied for the third-longest such streak in the post-shootout era (since 2000).

CF Montreal Impact trailed, 2-0, at halftime against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday after allowing goals in the 12th and 36th minutes. It was the eighth time the CF Montreal Impact was behind at the half this season, tied for the most in MLS, as its managed to recover just one point in those eight games (D1 L7).

Minnesota United FC attempted 20 shots in its 1-1 draw with Toronto FC after taking 22 shots in a 2-1 defeat at Austin FC last Wednesday. Prior to the last two games, the Minnesota United FC Loons had attempted 20 or more shots in a game just once in their previous 48 regular season matches dating back to the start of last season.

MLB Preview: Washington Nationals (25-36) at Atlanta Braves (38-24)

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MLB Preview: Washington Nationals (25-36) at Atlanta Braves (38-24)

WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:

No team release available

ATLANTA BRAVES NOTES:

First Start
RH A,J. Smith-Shawver is set to make his first career start for Atlanta tonight, and his second appearance in the majors. He pitched 2.1 scoreless innings of relief in his debut last Sunday in Arizona. Smith-Shawver starts tonight at 20 years, 202 days old, and is the youngest Braves starter since Julio Teheran in 2011. Just one pitcher in baseball this season has started at a younger age, with Eury Pérez making five such starts for the Marlins. Smith-Shawver is rated by MLB.com as Atlanta’s No. 4 overall prospect, and went 2-1 with a 1.09 ERA over seven starts in the minors before joining Atlanta.

TONIGHT’S GAME: The Braves and Nationals tonight begin a three-game weekend series with what is the fourth of 13 games between the teams this season… The two will not meet again until the penultimate weekend of the season, September 21-24, for four games at Nationals Park.

  • Atlanta and Washington opened the season as opponents, with the Braves taking two-of-three in D.C. from March 30 to April 2.
  • The Braves went 14-5 against the Nationals last season, the second consecutive season in which Atlanta won 14 of the 19 matchups between the
    clubs…The Braves are 30-11 against the Nationals since the start of 2021.
  • Atlanta has won the season set with Washington in each of the last five seasons dating to 2018, combing to go 57-32 versus the Nationals in that span.
  • Atlanta scored 116 times in its 19 games against Washington last season, a year after outscoring the Nationals 101-73 (+28) in 2021…Last year marked the 11th time the Braves scored triple digits against a single team in a season since the turn of the century…The 2004 team has the most in that span, scoring 128 runs against the Expos.
  • RH Josiah Gray has made five career starts against Atlanta, including one this season, and is 1-2 with a 3.33 ERA (10 ER/27.0 IP) versus the Braves… In his lone such turn this year, April 1 at Nationals Park, he took the loss after allowing seven hits and five runs over 5.0 innings…The 6-foot-1, 210-pound native of New Rochelle, NY, is 4-5 with a 3.09 ERA through 12 starts this season.

WIN: Ozzie Albies drove a 1-0 pitch in last night’s 10th inning out to right field for a three-run, walk-off home run, as the Braves beat the Mets, 13-10…Atlanta completed the three-game sweep with the victory.

  • With the win the Braves moved to 14 games above .500, matching the most games over .500 they’ve been this season…The were also 14 over when they were 25-11 (.694) at the start of play on May 10.
  • Albies’ shot was the third walk-off home run of his career, and each of the previous two came against Cincinnati: June 25, 2018 and August 11, 2021… His 14 home runs are tied with St. Louis’ Nolan Gorman (2B) and Toronto’s Bo Bichette (SS) for most among qualified middle-infielders.
  • The Braves have won each of their last four home games, a season-long streak here at Truist Park… Atlanta’s last home winning streak longer than three games was a 10-game run, August 31 to September 20 of last season.
  • The Braves plated three runs in the first inning, and their 55 first-inning runs are the most in MLB… Atlanta had not scored a run in the opening frame since May 29 at Oakland, a span of seven games… The club has scored at least one first inning run in 26 games this season, tied for the major league lead with Los Angeles (NL).

COMEBACKS: Atlanta trailed 5-3, 6-3, 6-5, 8-5, 9-5, 9-6, 10-6, 10-7 and 10-9 last night, but rallied to win… The Braves trailed by at least three runs in all three games versus New York, and came back to win all three.

  • Per the Elias Sports Bureau, the Braves had never erased deficits of at least three runs in three straight games to win in baseball’s modern era (since 1900).
  • The franchise did so three times in the 1800’s, most recently in 1894.
  • New York held a win probability of at least 85% in all three games of the series, including a series-high mark of 95% in the bottom of the eighth inning last night.
  • The Braves also rallied to beat Arizona on Sunday, and the club’s last four wins have all been come-from-behind efforts…Atlanta’s four game run is its longest streak of wins in consecutive games when trailing since winning six straight such games in June of 2019.
  • Atlanta is 15-23 (.395) in games it which it trails at some point this season, the second-best record in the National League…Only Arizona (18-24, .429) has been better.

AUSTIN RILEY: Collected a career high-tying four hits last night, going 4-for-6 with three runs, a homer and two RBI…In his last 31 games dating to May 4, he is batting .320/.360/.512 with an .872 OPS.

  • Last night’s homer was his seventh of the season in the first inning, matching teammate Matt Olson and New York’s (AL) Aaron Judge for the major league lead.
  • Each of his last four games have been multi-hit efforts, matching the longest such streak of his career (June 30 – July 3, 2022)… He has 14 multi-hit efforts over his last 31 contests dating to May 4, one shy of the major league lead over that span.

BRIAN SNITKER WINS: Atlanta’s win last night was the 580th of Brian Snitker’s managerial career, the third-most wins by a manager in franchise history…The victory broke a tie with George Stallings.

  • The franchise has had 48 managers since its inception into the National League in 1876, and Snitker has won more games than all but two of them.
  • Snitker trails just Frank Selee (1,004 wins) and Bobby Cox (2,149 wins) on the franchise leaderboard…Both Selee and Cox are enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
  • Since taking over for Atlanta on May 17, 2016, Snitker’s 580 wins stand as fourth most for any manager in baseballl…The Dodgers’ Dave Roberts (673) and Guardians’ Terry Francona (603) rank first and second, respectively, while the Rays’s Kevin Cash (595) sits third.

Tonight’s Starting Pitcher – #62 AJ SMITH-SHAWVER RHP
2023 Record: 0-0, 0.00 ERA • MiLB Record: 2-1, 1.09 ERA
vs. RHB: .000 (0-2), 0 HR • vs. LHB: .000 (0-for-5), 0 HR
Home: 0-0, 0.00 ERA (0 ER/0.0) • Away: 0-0, 0.00 ERA (0/2.1)

Today’s Game

  • Smith-Shawver is set to make his first career start and second appearance tonight against Washington.
  • Tossed 2.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts in his major league debut against Arizona on June 4.
  • Will be the youngest pitcher to make his first start for Atlanta since Julio Teheran on May 7, 2011.
  • Just one pitcher in baseball this season has started at a younger age, with Eury Pérez making five such starts for the Marlins.
  • Prior to his debut, Smith-Shawver had 33.0 professional innings pitched.
  • Atlanta selected his contract on May 30.
  • Smith-Shawver is rated by MLB.com as Atlanta’s No. 4 overall prospect.
  • Went 2-1 with a 1.09 ERA in seven starts across three levels of Atlanta’s farm system.
  • Was 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in three starts with High-A Rome.
  • Went 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in two start with Double-A Mississippi.
  • Finished 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA in two starts for Triple-A Gwinnett.

Cubs recall INF Nick Madrigal from Triple-A, option INF Miles Mastrobuoni to Iowa

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Cubs recall INF Nick Madrigal from Triple-A, option INF Miles Mastrobuoni to Iowa

SAN FRANCISCO – The Chicago Cubs today recalled infielder Nick Madrigal from Triple-A Iowa and optioned infielder Miles Mastrobuoni to Iowa.

Madrigal, 26, batted .488 (20-for-41) with six doubles, three triples, one home run, seven RBI, eight walks and a 1.434 OPS in 11 games with Iowa after he was optioned May 24. He broke camp with the Cubs and hit .247 (23-for-93) with three doubles, one triple and nine RBI in 34 games prior to his time at Triple-A.

The right-handed hitting Madrigal has batted .283 (171-for-605) with 23 doubles, five triples, two home runs, 48 RBI and 32 walks in 176 major league games with the White Sox (2020-21) and Cubs (2022-23). He has played 150 games at second base, 19 games at third base and five games as designated hitter.

Selected by the White Sox in the first round (fourth selection overall) in the 2018 First-Year Player Draft out of Oregon State University. He was acquired by the Cubs at the 2021 trade deadline with right-handed pitcher Codi Heuer for right-handed pitcher Craig Kimbrel.

Mastrobuoni, 27, has batted .161 (9-for-56) with two doubles, one RBI and eight walks in 14 games with Chicago this season. In 18 games with Iowa, he has hit .291 (16-for-55) with five doubles, two triples and six RBI.

USFL Game Preview: Philadelphia Stars (4-4) at New Jersey Generals (2-6)

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USFL Game Preview: Philadelphia Stars (4-4) at New Jersey Generals (2-6)

For much of the season, the North has been the division that nobody seems to want to win.

The Philadelphia Stars could change that on Sunday night.

The Stars (4-4) can clinch a spot in the USFL playoffs with a win over the New Jersey Generals (2-6) on Sunday night when the two teams meet at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio (7 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app). They could also clinch the division title and the top seed in the North if the Michigan Panthers also (3-5) lose to the Pittsburgh Maulers (2-6) on Saturday afternoon.

It would be a well-earned title for the Stars — if it happens — as they’ve been the hottest team in the division over the last month. They crawled out of the basement after their 1-3 start to win three of their last four games and take over first place.

One of those wins came against the Generals in Week 5, on May 14. The Stars couldn’t move the ball much in that game, gaining just 166 total yards against the New Jersey defense. But the Philly defense forced four turnovers. And they won on the strength of a record-breaking eight field goals by kicker Luis Aguilar, including a 55-yard game-winner at the buzzer.

Moving the ball and scoring consistently has been a problem for the Stars, though, and it won’t be easy against the Generals. The Stars, led by quarterback Case Cookus, who has had short stints with five NFL teams, rank just fifth in the league with 280.1 yards per game — and dead last in rushing yards, averaging just 73.

The Generals, meanwhile, have the USFL’s stingiest defense, giving up just 19.1 points per game.

Technically, the Generals are still alive in the playoff chase, though their five-game losing streak has put them on the brink of elimination. They need to win both of their final games and get some help from the Stars and the Panthers to claim a berth.

Their losing streak has included a bit of hard luck. Three of the losses came by a field goal. They didn’t lose by more than a touchdown until last week when they fell 25-16 to the Memphis Showboats, and in a league that includes a three-point PAT option, even that was a one-score game.

That game may have actually given them a spark of life. Backup quarterback Dakota Prokup came off the bench to relieve Kyle Lauletta and was a one-man offensive show. The former Canadian Football League quarterback ran for a team-high 76 yards, completed 14 of 25 passes for 128 yards and threw for two second-half touchdowns.

If Prokup, who led the Generals out of a 16-3 hole and made it a game, gets the start on Sunday night, the Generals offense could suddenly be difficult to stop.

Of course, the Stars can be tough to stop, too, and they should be motivated — not only with a playoff spot on the line but also because of their heart-breaking, 27-24 loss in Birmingham to the league-leading Birmingham Stallions (6-2) last weekend. Cookus was excellent, completing 20 of 32 passes for 265 yards and three touchdowns. Four of those passes went for 107 yards and a touchdown to Corey Coleman, a former first-round NFL draft pick who had his NFL career derailed by injuries.

They were just 2 ½ minutes away from their fourth straight win and a playoff berth when the Stallions marched down the field and scored a touchdown with 32 seconds remaining.

USFL Game Preview: Birmingham Stallions (6-2) at Houston Gamblers (5-3)

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USFL Game Preview: Birmingham Stallions (6-2) at Houston Gamblers (5-3)

The defending champion Birmingham Stallions find themselves in a familiar position with two games left in the USFL regular season — sitting atop the South Division at 6-2.

The Stallions can clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Houston Gamblers in Memphis on Sunday (2 p.m. ET) at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.

At 5-3, the Gamblers remain in the playoff hunt, but they need a victory to keep up with the rest of the division, as one of either New Orleans or Memphis will be 6-3 after they play each other this weekend. Houston head coach Curtis Johnson has his team playing well down the backstretch of the schedule, with the Gamblers winning five of their last six games.

Here’s one thing to watch for each team heading into this weekend’s contest.

Stallions: Alex McGough has offense peaking at the right time

The Florida native has been the engine driving Birmingham’s offense and likely is the frontrunner for league MVP.

McGough leads the league in passing touchdowns (16) and completion percentage (68.1%) and is third in passing yards (1,614). He’s also been productive as a runner, totaling 337 yards on the ground with four scores.

But what has elevated Birmingham’s offense to another level has been McGough’s ability to get other playmakers involved. Running back C.J. Marable has become a bigger part of the offense, with 631 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns.

Tight end Jace Sternberger has proven a lethal red zone threat, with 26 catches for 375 receiving yards and five scores. And McGough has developed a good rapport with receiver Davion Davis, who has totaled 27 receptions for 437 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

The Stallions need all three of those pass-catchers and McGough clicking against a Houston defense that is holding teams to 19 points per contest over the last six games.

Gamblers: Can Houston get Kenji Bahar and the passing game on track?

Running back Mark Thompson has been an unstoppable force as a runner for the Gamblers. He leads the USFL with 13 touchdowns since returning from an injury and making his season debut in Week 3. However, the Gamblers could use some big plays in the passing game to keep defenses from loading the box to stop their big bruising back.

Bahar finished with 11-of-20 for 146 passing yards and a touchdown in Houston’s close win over the Pittsburgh Maulers last week. For the season, he has completed 59.2% of his passes for 1,326 yards, with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions.

One thing working in Houston’s favor is the Gamblers are 4-2 in one-score games. So, execution down the stretch by Bahar, Thompson and other impact players has been more good than bad so far this season with a playoff berth still within reach.

USFL Game Preview: New Orleans Breakers (5-3) at Memphis Showboats (5-3)

UFL Editor
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USFL Game Preview: New Orleans Breakers (5-3) at Memphis Showboats (5-3)

With both teams tied at 5-3, Saturday’s contest between the New Orleans Breakers and the host Memphis Showboats (Saturday, 3 p.m. ET) could go a long way toward determining which team makes the postseason in the stacked USFL South Division.

The Showboats won the earlier contest between the two teams, a 17-10 Week 5 victory in Birmingham. That started a league-high five-game winning streak for Memphis, while New Orleans has lost three of its last four.

The Breakers ended a three-game losing streak with a 24-20 victory over the Michigan Panthers last week, while the Showboats handled the New Jersey Generals in Week 8, 25-16.

Here’s one thing to watch for each team with two games remaining in the regular season.

Through the first half of the season, Hills led the league in rushing and was one of the top candidates for offensive player of the year.

However, Hills and the Breakers have struggled to find any consistency in the running game over the second half of the season, and it has affected their ability to move the football.

Hills averaged 130 yards a contest and scored eight total touchdowns through the first four games of the season as the Breakers raced out to a 4-0 record. But during his team’s 1-3 stretch over the last four games, Hills has averaged just 57 yards a contest and has one total touchdown.

The Showboats held Hills to a season-low 38 yards in their Week 5 win over New Orleans. Memphis is holding opponents to 99 yards per game on the season, No. 5 in the USFL.

Hills still leads the league with 613 rushing yards, but he also has fumbled three times, with two of those recovered by the defense.

Showboats: Defense leading the way

Memphis defensive coordinator Carnell Lake has his group playing well when it matters most — at the end of the season.

During the Showboats’ five-game winning streak, Memphis has held opponents to 11.2 points a contest. That’s a huge improvement from the team’s first three games of the season, an 0-3 start where they gave up 33 points a contest.

Memphis head coach Todd Haley says the difference was his team stayed together during some adversity at the start of the year.

USFL Game Preview: Michigan Panthers (3-5) at Pittsburgh Maulers (2-6)

UFL Editor
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USFL Game Preview: Michigan Panthers (3-5) at Pittsburgh Maulers (2-6)

It’s been a long, slow, painful slide for the Michigan Panthers over the last six weeks of the season. But they can put it all in their past with a win on Saturday afternoon, which would put them on the brink of a berth in the USFL playoffs.

The Panthers (3-5) will clinch the playoffs with a win over the Pittsburgh Maulers (2-6) on Saturday afternoon (Noon ET on FOX) AND a win by the Philadelphia Stars over the New Jersey Generals on Sunday night. A win would also keep Michigan alive for the division title and the No. 1 playoff seed in the North.

Getting to the playoffs at all would be quite a relief for Mike Nolan’s team considering they’ve lost five of their last six games after an impressive 2-0 start. That slide included a 23-7 loss to the Maulers in Week 5 in which they were dominated by Pittsburgh.

The Panthers gave up 23 unanswered points in that game after taking an early 7-0 lead. They had just 152 total yards of offense and turned the ball over four times. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh quarterback Troy Williams was a one-man wrecking machine, completing 15 of 19 passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns, and running 10 times for 59 yards and a touchdown, too.

That game on May 13 in Detroit, though, was the last time the Maulers won. They’ve lost three straight since, moving them to the brink of elimination. With a win, though, they would at least stay alive until the final week.

The Maulers almost managed to push themselves off the edge last week, before they lost a heartbreaker to the Houston Gamblers, 20-19 in Canton. Not only did they blow a 13-0 lead in that game, but they lost a late chance to take the lead when former Washington Football Team kicker Chris Blewitt missed a 41-yard field goal with 1:55 remaining.

Still, the Maulers likely won’t go out quietly. Ray Horton’s team may have the USFL’s worst offense — averaging just 242.9 yards per game — but they also have the league’s No. 1 defense. Backed by linebacker Kyahva Tezino, who leads the league with 80 tackles, and former NFL linebacker Reuben Foster, the Maulers are just giving up a league-low 260.4 yards per game.

The key for them will be whether they can get their offense going. They’ve scored one or zero touchdowns in six of their eight games this season and are averaging a league-worst 16.5 points. Williams may have thrown two touchdown passes in the last game against the Panthers, but he’s only thrown four in the entire season. He’s also been the Maulers’ leading rusher with 294 yards and three touchdowns.

The Michigan offense has only been marginally better, averaging 277.6 yards per game, good for sixth in the eight-team league. But quarterback Josh Love has shown signs of life. He completed 22 of 32 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns in their 24-20 loss to New Orleans last weekend. His 1,323 passing yards on the season trails only Philadelphia’s Case Cookus (1,785) in the North.

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