Emerson Hancock gives up to back-to-back jacks, A’s smack Mariners wi…

The heart of the Mariners showed up early, but the heart of the A’s order showed up late.

The Mariners lost 6-4 in Monday’s series opener against the Athletics. Emerson Hancock continued to look like new-and-improved version of himself, but he also threw a few bad pitches and was eventually burned. Cal Raleigh and Dominic Canzone homered, and Julio Rodríguez and Josh Naylor combined for five hits. But the Mariners ultimately could not overcome a 13-hit day for the Athletics. akupunkturabielsko.pl

Hancock entered the day as perhaps the story of the early season. He entered the day with a 2.75 FIP, 24.2% walk rate, and a top 20 WAR among qualified starting pitchers through four starts. It’s been a pleasant surprise for the Mariners, who have been desperate for some depth beyond their top-five starters. In fact, Hancock so far in 2026 has looked like much more than depth. He made a ton of changes over the offseason, as Michael Rosen pointed out for FanGraphs last week, including tweaking his repertoire and fundamentally changing how he throws the ball.

For the most part, Hancock looked like the new and improved version of himself on Monday. He continued to pound the zone with fastballs at 95 mph, issuing zero walks. And he continued to expand the zone with sweepers to righties and the changeups to lefties. He racked up 11 whiffs on 51 swings and three strikeouts.

Again, for the most part, it worked. Hancock scattered a few singles, stranding a couple early, generating a double play in the fourth, and even picking off Lawrence Butler in the fifth. Again, with no walks, those were the only runners who reached base against him.

Unfortunately, three others reached base and just kept running. In the fourth, Hancock threw an up and in fastball to Carlos Cortes leading off the inning — the pitch didn’t even catch the zone — but Cortes was sitting on it and turned it into the right field seats.

BlogHow to Obtain the Assessor Matrix in Arc RaidersObtaining the Assessor Matrix in Arc Raiders The Assessor Matrix, a universal +15% head-shot damage modifier, is not a loot drop. In Arc Raiders, you earn it by completing a spe...Open →

In the sixth, Hancock threw a middle-middle fastball to slugger Nick Kurtz, who crushed it out to center. Hancock threw the same pitch to the next batter, slugger Shea Langeliers, who also crushed it to center. The back-to-back homers tied the game at 3-3 and ended Hancock’s day.

Here’s the locations of those homers:

In the end, the stat line for Hancock was five innings, seven hits, three strikeouts, no walks, and three homers. That’s not a good line. And it could have been worse. He also gave up a lot of hard contact in addition to the homers. Here’s an out he was fortunate to get, a sharp liner to center to leadoff the game, that seemed to knuckle and forced Julio to make an acrobatic play:

Still, this looked like the “good” version of Hancock we’ve seen so far from this year. The velocity was there. The movement was there. And the whiffs were there. Is it good to throw a pair of middle-middle fastballs to two of the best sluggers in the league? No. But this was a lot different from Hancock’s poor outings from the past three years.

Jose Ferrer was next in line in the sixth after the back-to-back homers. He immediately gave up a hard single against the shift to Cortes. He got the next two batters to fly out, but a broken bat single that Leo Rivas couldn’t quite get to and a hit by pitch loaded the bases. Ferrer then got Lawrence Butler to hit a hard chopper right back to the mound. Ferrer reached up and snagged it over his head, and after a bit of scampering to find the ball, he realized it was in his glove, tossed it to first, and escaped the inning

Matt Brash worked an uneventful seventh inning against the top of the order to keep the game tied at 3-3.

By the eighth, however, Dan Wilson seemed to be out of relievers. Andrés Muñoz and Gabe Speier had each pitched on back-to-back days, and Eduard Bazardo had thrown a lot of pitches recently as well. Wilson went with Casey Legumina, who wasn’t very good. He gave up a leadoff double, followed by a single and walk to load the bases. For a moment, it looked like he might escape with minimal damage after a sac fly to make the game 4-3. But a single from Butler plated the remaining runners to give the A’s a 6-3 lead, and eventually, the win.

It was overall a good day for the Mariners offense. In the bottom of the first, Raleigh flipped a homer the other way to open the scoring. Julio followed with a rocket single up the middle, and Naylor doubled him home to make it 2-0.

Naylor continued to swing at just about every pitch he saw Monday and this time picked up three hits, including his first two doubles of the season. He’s now up to a 54 wRC+ in 2026, which isn’t great but still about five-times higher than his 15 wRC+ from last Thursday. It’d be nice to see him start working some count again, but the results are starting to come around. He also picked up his first stolen base on the season and was back to being a pitcher’s pest on the bases, flinging his arms around at second base to annoy A’s starter JT Ginn, who appeared to cold him on his way to dugout after the first; Naylor was undeterred and continued to gesture wildly after his double in the third.

Dominic Canzone also had a nice day. He plopped a homer to right in the second inning to make it 3-0, and later lasered a double off the right field wall at 111.8 mph. Both pitches were elevated on the inner part of the plate — the pitches he’s the very best in the world at hitting.

The Mariners made things interesting late. In the eighth, down 6-3, Julio and Naylor each hit one-out singles. But Randy Arozarena flew out, as did Rob Refsnyder, who was still in the game after pinch-hitting for Luke Raley in the sixth.

Now, I defended Wilson’s bullpen management in my last recap on Saturday, and I stand by that today (even with the unfortunate circumstances that lead to Legumina in a late-leverage spot). But pulling Raley with one out and nobody on in the sixth to get a handedness matchup for Refsnyder seemed to come back to bite Wilson in the eighth when Refsnyder was left in to face a righty.

“Both (Canzone and Raley) have swung the bat very well and it’s tough to take them out of any game. And the same is true when (Refsnyder) in there and he’s swinging the bat well, it’s tough to take him out,” Wilson said on the decision after the game. “These are hard decisions…but it just felt like tonight, that was the decision to go with.”

I’m generally not a fan of doing an “um actually” to quotes like this. And Wilson is notoriously reluctant to say anything bad about his players for the sake of answering questions — I might even say that’s a good quality in a manger overall. But Refsnyder entered the day with one hit on the season, and Raley entered the day with 21 hits on the season. They are not swinging the bat equally “well.”

Again, I’m not really taking Wilson’s quote at face value here. I’m sure he knows Raley is hot and Refsnyder is not. I think the rationale here is that this is simply the Mariners’ process, and they’re not going to abandon that process for a hot hand in a small sample. Raley is hitting well, but he doesn’t have even 100 plate appearances, and he’s not won the full-time job quite yet. It’s also hard to do counterfactuals like this. Perhaps the A’s would have used a different pitcher if Raley was still in the game, and certainly handedness is not the only consideration in pitcher-hitter matchups.

Still, I’m just not a fan of the platoon-and-pinch process in any capacity. I said as much last season when the Mariners were pinch hitting at historic rates, and I’m sure I’ll write a similar story this year if this trend continues. Hitters are simply much worse off the bench, and when you go for the handedness advantage early, you’ll often give back that handedness advantage later. That was the case Monday, even if its a bit of a stretch to blame the loss on that directly — the Mariners still gave up six runs.

The Mariners nearly clawed back anyways. In the ninth, Cole Young picked up a one-out single, and scored on a double from Rivas to make it 6-4. But J.P. Crawford popped out, and Raleigh flew out, and the game was over.

As Manchester City have won their past four matches in all competitions, Rayan Cherki has put in four spellbinding displays. The French international is a one-of-a-kind player, as his ability on the ball is almost second to none in world football. Another aspect of Cherki’s play that stands out is his composure under pressure. Cherki’s composure under fire perfectly complements his prodigious technical ability. As Manchester City beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, Cherki’s composure under pressure was impossible to miss in the top-of-the-table Premier League clash.

The brilliance and composure of Rayan Cherki stood out in the heat of Sunday’s match.

Sunday’s match between Manchester City and Arsenal was the perfect encapsulation of a top-of-the-Premier-League-table clash. The stakes were high, and both teams knew what picking up all three points would mean. At times, players for both teams seemed weighed down by this. The standard of Sunday’s match was high, but at times players made simple errors they ordinarily wouldn’t make. One player didn’t exhibit this tendency. That was Rayan Cherki. Every time he was on the ball, he seemed unfazed by the stakes of the match. The perfect example of this came when Cherki opened the scoring in the 16th minute.

Rayan Cherki received the ball on the edge of the Arsenal area after a superb touch from Matheus Nunes. Cherki glided into the Arsenal area. He still had plenty to do to fashion a chance from the situation he was facing. First, Cherki left Gabriel in his wake with a brilliant touch on his left foot. He did the same to Declan Rice. Cherki made space for himself to shoot with his right foot and beat David Raya with a composed right-footed finish. It was a brilliant goal from Cherki as his skill and composure stood out.

The goal Cherki scored was one of the goals of the season. In that one moment, he showed everything that makes him such a dangerous and great player. Plenty of players have tremendous technical ability, but many don’t have the composure to go with it. Rayan Cherki does, and that makes him such a dangerous weapon for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Rayan Cherki showed once again how important he is to Manchester City against Arsenal.

As Manchester City have beaten Arsenal twice, Chelsea and Liverpool in their past four matches, Rayan Cherki has shown just how vital he is to Pep Guardiola’s side. He is a weapon that can decide, or break open a match in a moment. If it wasn’t for Gianluigi Donnarumma’s error 107 seconds after Cherki’s goal, the piece of brilliance from the French international would have gotten more attention. It deserved to. As did his overall performance against Arsenal. When other players seemed rushed by the occasion on Sunday, Cherki didn’t seem flustered by it all. That trait will carry him a long way in the game coupled with his talent.

Rayan Cherki’s ability to stay calm in the fire that is a top-of-the-table Premier League clash caught the eye as Manchester City beat Arsenal. It was impossible to miss every time Cherki got on the ball at the Etihad on Sunday. As the title race heats up, Cherki’s ability to stay calm when the stakes are at their highest may be a decisive factor that sees him break open games and tilt the title race City’s way.

Welshman Jak Jones hopes to go one step further at this year's World Snooker Championship, after falling at the final hurdle two years ago.

A qualifier in 2024, he shocked the snooker world as he defeated some of the world's best on a sensational run to the final, where he narrowly lost 18-14 to Kyren Wilson.

Jones aims to shine again this year after crashing out in the first round to eventual champion Zhao Xingtong at last year's tournament.

And, after falling to 19th in the rankings, the 32-year-old had to come through the qualifiers to reach snooker's most prestigious tournament - just as he did in 2024.

"Last season it was different, I went straight to the venue and I played an extremely in-form Zhao Xingtong and obviously the first match wasn't great after not playing a match for two months," said Jones.

"I would say I prefer coming through the qualifiers because you've got a couple of matches going into the competition.

"Obviously, before the tournament starts you'd prefer to be straight at the Crucible, but I think playing before can really help."

Qualification for this year's tournament was no easy task either. Jones navigated a tricky section of the draw featuring promising Chinese youngster Chang Bingyu and 2023 world champion Luca Brecel.

The 32-year-old made it look easy as he swept aside Hong Kong's Marco Fu in the semi-final to set up a showdown with the dangerous Brecel for a place in the Sheffield showpiece.

Jones then produced one of his best displays of the season to defeat the Belgian 10-5.

"Every match you play is a really difficult match, you've got to play well all the time, if you don't, no matter who you play, you're going to be going home," said Jones.

"I knew Luca was playing extremely well from his match with Chang Bingyu which was a really high standard.

"I don't think I could have played much better - it was probably the best I have played all season."

• How 'dropouts' hangout' became snooker's ultimate stage
• 'I'd run the M4 naked' - Williams targets snooker history

Jones kicks off his title bid with a tough test against Mark Selby, who will be hunting a fifth world title to add to his impressive trophy cabinet.

Cwmbran's 'Silent Assassin' will be hoping he can repeat his heroics of 2024 and go one step further to win his first ranking title.

And while last year's champion Xingtong will be intent on breaking the 'Crucible curse', Jones is focused on himself.

"I honestly don't mind who I play. I just concentrate on myself and If I play well then I'm sure I'll be a game for anybody," said Jones.

"When I'd gone there the first or second time you don't know what you're capable of. I suppose now I know that I can play well there and can do well there. So that gives me a lot of confidence and belief."

At the Crucible Jones will look to become just the fourth Welshman to become world champion, following in the footsteps of Terry Griffiths, Ray Reardon and Mark Williams.

"I enjoy playing at the Crucible, you either love it or hate it and you can crumble, but I enjoy the atmosphere," said Jones.

"It's an unbelievable venue to be honest and I'm really looking forward to it."

• 'Odds-on' - Hearn tips 2029 Worlds to stay in UK
• World Championship 2026: Match schedule, BBC TV times & results

History of Indiana QBs in the NFL: Fernando Mendoza leads select group of Hoosiers to reach pros originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Fernando Mendoza is expected to have a great shot at becoming the greatest Hoosier QB to play in the NFL.

While the list of Indiana QBs to play in the NFL after the AFL-NFL 1970 merger is quite short (eight total, five got into a game), Trent Green currently stands alone atop the alumni list with over 28,000 passing yards and triple-digit touchdown passes. If Mendoza were to throw for six touchdowns in his rookie year, he would already move up to have the second-most TDs thrown by a Hoosier alum.

Mendoza already has one of football's most prestigious awards in all of football with his 2025-26 Heisman Trophy, but he will be looking to his hardware collection in the NFL. The Offensive Rookie of the Year looks to be well within reach for the Indiana QB, and only time will tell in his NFL capabilities.

Here's what to know about the history of Indiana quarterbacks in the NFL, plus how Mendoza's collegiate career stacks up to some of the big names.

MORE: Who will be drafted after Fernando Mendoza at the 2026 NFL Draft?

Indiana quarterbacks in the NFL

Dating back to the NFL-AFL merger in 1970, there have been eight Indiana quarterbacks drafted to the NFL.

Despite the number, only five Hoosier QBs have seen any time on the field. To boot, only three of them have started an NFL game prior to Mendoza's entry to the league. While he was drafted in 1983, Babe Laufenberg became the second Indiana QB to start a game in the NFL after the 1970 merger. Laufenberg's first game came five years after he was drafted on his second stint with the San Diego Chargers. He started the first six games of the season after winning the starting QB position before suffering three broken ribs against the New Orleans Saints, before being cut after the season.

Steve Bradley became the first Hoosier to throw a pass in the NFL in 1987, when he started a game for the Chicago Bears. In his lone professional start, Bradley completed 6 of 18 passes and threw for 77 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions in a 19-17 loss against the New Orleans Saints. He would be released following the loss.

Indiana's best QB in the NFL was comfortably Trent Green. The former Hoosier had a 15-year career in the NFL and has the 67th most passing yards with 28,475. He was drafted by the Chargers with the third-to-last pick in the 1993 NFL Draft. While he didn't start until the 1998 season, he exceeded expectations with 3,441 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, and became a free agent. After a stint with the Rams, he found his footing with the Kansas City Chiefs. In 2003, Green had his breakout year, throwing for 4,039 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions; this season's performance was enough to earn his first nod to the Pro Bowl. He led the Chiefs to a 13–3 record and a first-round bye in the playoffs before falling to Peyton Manning's Colts. In 2005, he was named to his second Pro Bowl after throwing for 4,010 yards (second to Tom Brady). After this, his career began to fizzle out largely due to repeated concussions, and he retired in 2009.

Here's the full list of Indiana quarterbacks to be selected in the NFL Draft since 1970:

MORE: What time and where to tune into the 2026 NFL Draft

How Fernando Mendoza compares to Indiana QBs in NFL

Barring an injury, Mendoza should be on track to have the second-most passing yards by an Indiana QB in his first NFL season. It may be some time before he is able to catch Green to top the charts, but Mendoza's career outlook is certainly bright.

He will become the highest-drafted Hoosier QB when his name is called on April 23, most likely to the Las Vegas Raiders, and the first to be drafted in the first round. In fact, Mendoza will be the first Indiana QB to be drafted earlier than the sixth round.

If all goes to plan, Mendoza has a very good shot of being the best Hoosier QB to play in the NFL. He will be drafted by a team that desperately needs help at the quarterback position, and Mendoza proved to be a great team leader for Indiana during their first-ever college football championship.

During the 2025-2026 season for the Hoosiers, Mendoza broke IU’s single-season touchdown record that was set by Kurtis Rourke. He became the first Hoosiers quarterback to throw 30 or more touchdowns in a season. He was also the first Indiana QB to win the Heisman. Mendoza was 39 yards shy of breaking Nate Sudfield's program record for most passing yards in a single season (3,573). Here are Mendoza's complete stats for his collegiate career, where he showed vast improvement.

MORE: Ranking signings, trades for all 32 teams from best to worst