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LSU added another player to its star-studded 2026 defensive line class on Saturday with a pledge from No. 2 defensive tackle Deuce Geralds, ranked No. 40 in the 2026 ESPN 300.

Geralds, who plays at Collins Hill High School in Suwannee, Georgia, is ESPN’s No. 5 recruit in the state for the 2026 class. He chose the Tigers over finalists Oregon, Michigan, Ole Miss and Ohio State following official visits with each program this spring.

Geralds is the son of former Ole Miss offensive lineman Daverin Geralds, a starting center on the Rebels’ 2010 Cotton Bowl team. The younger Geralds also spent a portion of his childhood in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, near the LSU campus before relocating to Georgia.

Geralds told ESPN he has maintained strong ties in Louisiana. He now joins as the latest blue-chip member of an increasingly deep Tigers defensive line class led by elite prospects from across the state.

LSU secured a seismic recruiting victory last month when five-star defensive tackle and No. 1 overall prospect Lamar Brown (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) committed to the Tigers on July 10. No. 7 defensive tackle Richard Anderson — a former youth football teammate of Geralds’ — comes from New Orleans’ Edna Karr High School and has been pledged to LSU since June 2024.

Between the in-state trio, the Tigers hold commitments from three of ESPN’s top 10 defensive tackle prospects in 2026, more than any other program nationally. Elsewhere on the defensive line, LSU is set to add four-star defensive end pledge Trenton Henderson (No. 61 overall) and fellow edge rushers Darryus McKinley and DeAnthony Lafayette in 2026.

Geralds told ESPN that the prospect of joining a talent-rich defensive line class and his relationship with LSU interior defensive line coach and 13-year NFL veteran Kyle Williams were key factors in pulling his pledge to the Tigers amid late pushes from Ole Miss and Oregon.

“Coach Williams not only coaches my position, but he actually went through it and played with a body type like mine in the NFL for a while,” Geralds said. “The opportunity to play for him was really intriguing to me.”

Upon his pledge, Geralds trails only Brown and five-star wide receiver Tristen Keys (No. 10 overall) as the third-ranked of 11 top 300 pledges in LSU’s 2026 recruiting class, which entered the weekend at No. 11 in ESPN’s latest class rankings for the cycle.

Geralds is a two-way standout who also competes in the track and field throwing events at Georgia’s Collins Hill. He was credited with 114 tackles (30 for loss), 13 sacks and 36 hurries as a junior in 2024. Geralds also features out of the Collins Hill backfield, where he logged 33 carries for 211 yards and eight touchdowns last fall playing running back and wildcat quarterback.

Geralds began Saturday as one of two uncommitteds among the 24 defensive tackle prospects ranked inside the 2026 ESPN 300 alongside four-star Anthony Lonon Jr. (No. 246 overall), who announced his pledge to Georgia on Saturday. Their moves now leave four-star Emanuel Ruffin, ESPN’s No. 28 overall defensive tackle, as the top-ranked uncommitted prospect at the position.

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Braves’ Riley on IL; Holmes passes on TJ surgery

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Braves' Riley on IL; Holmes passes on TJ surgery

Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley on Monday was placed on the 10-day injured list for the second time in two months with a strained lower abdominal muscle.

Right-hander Grant Holmes, meanwhile, has opted to rehab his injured right elbow rather than undergoing Tommy John surgery, manager Brian Snitker told reporters.

Riley suffered the injury while tagging out Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz near home plate in the Braves’ 4-2 win on Sunday in the rain-delayed MLB Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Riley also landed on the IL on July 12 with a strained abdomen. He returned on July 25.

The Braves recalled infielders Nacho Alvarez Jr. and Jonathan Ornelas from Triple-A Gwinnett before opening a home series against Milwaukee on Monday night. The team optioned outfielder Jarred Kelenic to Gwinnett following Sunday’s game.

Riley is hitting .260 with 16 homers and 54 RBIs.

Snitker said Holmes, who has damage to his UCL, made the decision to not have surgery at the present time after consulting with two doctors. The pitcher could also reconsider and have surgery after the season.

Snitker did not give a timeline as to when Snitker, who was placed on the 60-day injured list on July 27, will begin throwing again. He is not eligible to be activated until Sept. 26.

Holmes is 4-9 with a 3.99 ERA and 123 strikeouts this season. He had 15 strikeouts in a game against the Colorado Rockies in June.

The Braves’ other Opening Day starters also are all on the injured list, with AJ Smith-Shawver out for the season after having Tommy John surgery.

Snitker said All-Star left-hander Chris Sale threw a bullpen session as he works his way back from a fractured rib. He is next scheduled to throw live batting practice.

Reynaldo Lopez, who was placed on the IL on March 29 with shoulder inflammation after one start, is playing catch, but Snitker said there is no timetable for his return.

Spencer Schwellenbach, who is recovering from a fractured elbow, has not resumed throwing.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Astros’ Paredes to forgo season-ending surgery

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Astros' Paredes to forgo season-ending surgery

Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes has opted to forgo season-ending surgery on his strained right hamstring and instead will rehab the injury in an effort to return this season, general manager Dana Brown told reporters Monday.

The 26-year-old Paredes, who is hitting .259 with 19 home runs and 50 RBIs this season, was placed on the injured list on July 20 after he was hurt while running to first base. Brown said the injury was “severe.”

Paredes has received a platelet-rich plasma injection and has had multiple rounds of imaging. His rehab stint, which will mostly take place in Houston around the team, will begin after a “long period” of letting the hamstring rest before beginning any sort of exercise, Brown said.

If Paredes undergoes surgery, he likely wouldn’t be able to return for at least six months.

“His whole opinion on this is, he wants to work hard to try to get back this season,” Brown said Monday. “Of course, he’s going to dedicate himself to getting back.”

The Astros were proactive at the trade deadline, acquiring infielder Carlos Correa from the Minnesota Twins. Correa, a Rookie of the Year and two-time All-Star in his prior stint with the Astros, has agreed to move from shortstop to third base while Paredes is out of the lineup.

The Astros (62-50) currently lead the AL West with around 50 games remaining in the regular season.

“He’s doing well and he’s working hard,” Astros manager Joe Espada said of Paredes. “He’s in good spirits, and I know he would rather be on the field. We hope for the best.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Yankees sign veteran Maeda to minor league deal

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Yankees sign veteran Maeda to minor league deal

NEW YORK — The New York Yankees signed right-hander Kenta Maeda to a minor league deal.

New York announced the move Monday. The 37-year-old Maeda had been pitching for Triple-A Iowa, the top minor league affiliate for the Chicago Cubs, but he was released Saturday.

The Yankees assigned Maeda to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Maeda had a 7.88 ERA in seven relief appearances for Detroit before he was designated for assignment on May 1. He went 3-7 with a 6.09 ERA in 17 starts and 12 relief appearances in his first year with the Tigers after agreeing to a $24 million, two-year contract in November 2023.

Maeda pitched well in his last two starts with Iowa, giving up one run and five hits in 12 innings. He went 3-4 with a 4.85 ERA in 12 starts with the Triple-A team.

Maeda made his major league debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016, going 16-11 with a 3.48 ERA in 32 starts. He went 6-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 11 starts for Minnesota during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, finishing second in AL Cy Young Award balloting.

Maeda, who sat out the 2022 season because of Tommy John surgery, is 68-56 with a 4.20 ERA in 226 major league games, including 172 starts.

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