TL;DR

Ohtani belts 40th homer; Brewers win 8th straight; Liverpool sells Nunez; Messi out for Miami.

Highlights

• Shohei Ohtani hit his 40th homer, Dodgers routed Blue Jays 9-1; Blake Snell struck out 10 in five scoreless innings 1.
• Brewers rallied past Mets for eighth straight win, improving to MLB-best 72-44; Pete Alonso tied Mets HR record (252) 815.
• Liverpool sold Darwin Nunez to Al-Hilal for €53M 2; Newcastle agreed €40M deal for AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw 17; Bournemouth to sign Bafodé Diakité for €40M 17.
• Lionel Messi ruled out for Inter Miami vs Orlando City as precaution; no travel or return timetable 3.
• Rams QB Matthew Stafford to resume practice after back injury, aiming for Week 1 availability 4.
• Jaguars rookie kicker Cam Little hit a 70-yard field goal in preseason 7; rookie Travis Hunter debuted as two-way player (WR/CB) 18.
• Browns rookie QB Shedeur Sanders threw two TDs in preseason debut, confronted reporter postgame 11.
• Giants started Russell Wilson in preseason opener; rookie Jaxson Dart also expected to play 12.
• Indiana Fever to face Sky without Caitlin Clark (groin) and two guards (Colson, McDonald) out for season 9.
• NASCAR Xfinity leader Connor Zilisch broke collarbone celebrating win; Cup Series debut postponed 6.
• Tommy Fleetwood leads St. Jude Championship by one entering final round; Scottie Scheffler two shots back 10.
• Jannik Sinner extended hard-court win streak to 22 at Cincinnati Open; Iga Swiatek advanced 20.

Commentary

Ohtani’s 40th home run and the Dodgers ’ continued dominance, paired with Blake Snell’s strong return, reinforce Los Angeles as a key team for both fantasy and betting markets 1. The Brewers ’ MLB-best record and late-game resilience, plus Pete Alonso tying the Mets ’ franchise HR mark, are notable for player props and season-long fantasy trends, though the Mets ’ ongoing struggles remain a concern for their backers 815.

In soccer, Liverpool ’s sale of Darwin Nunez to Al-Hilal and Newcastle ’s agreement for Malick Thiaw highlight ongoing transfer activity that could affect squad depth and fantasy value as the Premier League season approaches 217. Messi’s absence for Inter Miami is a setback for MLS fantasy and betting; monitor updates for his return 3.

NFL preseason saw several actionable developments: Matthew Stafford’s return to practice is positive for Rams futures, but his health remains a watch item 4. Jacksonville ’s Cam Little showcased rare kicking range 7, and Travis Hunter’s two-way usage hints at unique fantasy upside if the trend continues 18. Shedeur Sanders’ strong start for the Browns and Russell Wilson’s debut for the Giants provide early signals for depth chart positioning and QB competitions 1112.

The Indiana Fever ’s depleted backcourt, with Caitlin Clark and two guards sidelined, significantly impacts WNBA fantasy and betting projections 9. In motorsports, Connor Zilisch’s injury delays his Cup Series debut, affecting both fantasy and outright markets 6.

In golf and tennis, Tommy Fleetwood’s lead at the St. Jude Championship and Jannik Sinner’s hard-court streak are key for DFS and outright bets, with Iga Swiatek’s form also trending up ahead of the US Open 1020.