But he also enters play Thursday on the disabled list — out an estimated 10 weeks — with a broken wrist suffered late in Wednesday’s game against the Blue Jays when he was hit by a pitch. It is, quite obviously, a big blow. Although the Braves weren’t likely to be a playoff contender this season even with Freeman in the lineup, the loss is a gut-punch for a team on the rise and trying to fill a new stadium every night....

The Braves agreed last week to stop looking elsewhere for a site and negotiate exclusively with Sarasota County, team officials said. They’re discussing an agreement with local officials to build an $80 million complex. The site is near the State College of Florida campus in North Port, about 30 miles southeast of the city of Sarasota. MORE: Braves hit sweet spot at SunTrust Park Five local communities would share the project cost to build the complex on the 75-acre property....

Freeman will also be joined by right-handed reliever Jason Frasor, who sustained a strained right shoulder. MORE: Why is your MLB fan base freaking out this week? Freeman exited Monday’s 9-8 comeback win over the Giants after suffering a strained right oblique in the fifth inning. The team initially listed the injury as day-to-day before placing him on the disabled list Tuesday. “Just the oblique right now,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said Monday, via MLB....

After taking the wind out of the Astros’ sails late in Game 4 the night before, the Braves started the potential clincher with a grand slam in the bottom of the first to take a 4-0 lead. But the Astros wouldn’t go away. They scored two in the second and two more in the third to tie the game. Freddie Freeman hit a go-ahead 460-foot solo homer in the bottom of the third, but then the Astros rattled off five unanswered runs, starting with a three-spot in the top of the fifth, to put themselves well out in front....

“I shouldn’t comment on things I don’t know about,” Meyer said. “I don’t know, other than they are telling me they think it’s good. I think it’s going to be OK. People are asking me — ‘It’s all good, it’s done?’ I don’t know. “It’s been told to me that everything looks to be OK. They are just doing their due diligence and making sure.” MORE: QB decision eating at Urban | Who starts — our guess | 2015 Heisman watch...

The draw was relatively kind to the Selecao, placing them in a group with Switzerland, Costa Rica and Serbia for the finals, and manager Tite will be confident in bettering their finish of fourth on home soil in 2014. The former Corinthians coach has been tasked with injecting the Brazilian national team with the creativity it was once synonymous with and has been largely successful in doing so since taking over in 2016, but the World Cup presents him with the ultimate opportunity....

The highest capital city in the world at an elevation of over 3,650 metres, it is regarded as one of the toughest away trips in world football as the lack of oxygen complicates matters for visiting players, whereas the hosts are used to the gruelling conditions and their bodies have become accustomed to them. Brazil 6/1 to win 2018 World Cup As such, it was little surprise that Brazil, who have already booked their ticket to World Cup 2018, were held to a scoreless draw there on Thursday....

Brazil dominated possession for much of the first half but were unable to ask too many questions of a well-drilled Serbia side. Instead, they were left relying on moments of individual improvisation and inspiration, Neymar’s clever inswinging corner only just clawed away by goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic. With Vinicius Junior looking Brazil’s most likely source of a breakthrough on the left, his opposite winger, Raphinha, went closest to finding a way through, after exchanging passes with Lucas Paqueta — only to prod his shot straight at the goalkeeper, who also saved sharply at the feet of Vinicius....

The two teams meet in Melbourne for a blockbuster Chevrolet Brasil Global Tour clash, but while Lionel Messi is set to play for Argentina, his Barcelona team-mate Neymar is not part of Brazil’s plans after being granted an end-of-season rest. READ MORE: WATCH: How Tite transformed Brazil | WATCH: Brazil's Melbourne boat tour | Argentina hit jackpot with Sampaoli Sampaoli will be taking charge of the national side for the first time and feels his opponents will be short of their best without the forward to call upon....

The Bulldogs’ national title game experience had mostly been a disaster for the first 25 minutes as they staggered and stumbled under a relentless, oppressive Baylor attack, on both ends of the floor. But the Zags persevered, and after two free throws by Anton Watson and a layup by Andrew Nembhard, suddenly the Bulldogs trailed only by single digits. That felt like a major victory itself. Remember, they fell behind 9-0 in the opening minutes and spent most of the first half with phrases like “largest deficit of the season” being tossed around by the CBS announcing crew....

Golden State came out of the gates strong, winning 41 of their first 54 games. In early February, the Warriors had the second-best record in the NBA, sitting behind only the Suns in the Western Conference standings. Then, they hit a rough stretch, losing 16 of their next 23 games. The Warriors struggled to find a winning formula as Stephen Curry and Draymond Green recovered from injuries, and Klay Thompson didn’t look like himself after being stuck on the sidelines for 941 days....

What Is a Breakthrough Infection? The COVID-19 vaccines are very effective at preventing severe illness and death, but they are not 100% effective at preventing infection. No vaccine is 100% effective at preventing disease. When a fully vaccinated person contracts SARS-CoV-2 at least two weeks after completing vaccination, it is considered a breakthrough infection. Fully vaccinated people with a breakthrough infection are less likely to develop severe disease, be hospitalized, or die from COVID-19 compared to unvaccinated people....

Benson co-wrote the new Raconteurs record, as he did the first one, and will have a solo record out next year. And unlike Feist’s song “1, 2, 3, 4,” used in an iPod Nano commercial last September, and more recently, Yael Naim’s “New Soul” soundtrack to the MacBook Air commercial, Benson’s “What I’m Looking For,” which debuted on an iPod iTouch commercial late last month, hasn’t become the sole fingerprint of the artist....

Favre told interviewer Graham Bensinger he felt rushed into making a decision. He made the announcement in March 2008 but eventually, famously changed his mind. He wound up playing one season for the Jets and two more with the Vikings. MORE: Super Bowl MVPs | Favre in Super Bowl ad | Favre’s NFL playoffs recap | Rodgers gives four kids an unforgettable day “I should have stood my ground and not retired early,” Favre told Bensinger....

Aaron Rodgers startled many with his transparent postgame comments Sunday after the 31-26 NFC championship game loss to the Buccaneers, saying that his future in a Green Bay uniform is “uncertain.” Well, who better to analyze those comments than former Packer QB — and multiple-time retiree — Brett Favre? Speaking on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Favre offered a bit of insight into what Rodgers might be thinking, and what the Packers should do (via ProFootballTalk): MORE: Don’t count on Aaron Rodgers being traded anytime soon...

Kavanaugh cited a number of high-profile Court decisions as the justices heard oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and his comments appeared to depart from remarks he reportedly made about Roe during his confirmation process in 2018. At that time, Kavanaugh told Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) that he agreed with Chief Justice John Roberts that Roe was “settled law” but his line of questioning on Wednesday seemed to point in a different direction....

Gonzalez, 33, was traded by the Nationals to the Brewers in August. He went 3-0 with a 2.13 ERA in five starts for the NL Central champions but was used only in relief in the postseason, going 0-0 with a 6.00 ERA in two appearances covering three innings. MORE: Watch ‘ChangeUp,’ a new MLB live whiparound show on DAZN He finished 10-11 with a 4.21 ERA in 32 combined starts for the two teams in 2018....

He knocked the cover off of a baseball. Your browser does not support iframes. Maldonado has just four hits in ten at-bats this season, but he is now a part of baseball history.