WEEKLY TIP SHEET

The Reds are sick…

And not in a slangy good way, even though they just came off a sweep against the Angels. Jonathan India and Jake Fraley are the latest to get whatever bug is making its way around the clubhouse. The Reds will need every healthy body they can find as the Phillies come to town. Philadelphia is currently one of the hottest teams in baseball, with a six-game winning streak that includes sweeps of the Rockies and White Sox. They have a 14-8 record, matching their best start through 22 games since 2018.

Speaking of healthy bodies—starting pitcher Frankie Montas won’t be one of them, at least for a couple of weeks. He’s on the 15-day DL because of a right forearm bruise he suffered in the first inning Sunday when he took a line drive off his pitching arm. Reds say no break, but the bruise will keep him sidelined until May.

This may be the new golden age of golf

And it doesn’t involve Tiger Woods. Scottie Scheffler followed up his four-shot victory at Augusta National last weekend with a three-shot cruise home at Hilton Head to take the RBC Heritage in the rain-delayed Monday finish. He’s won four of his last five starts.

That’s good, but this is better: Nelly Korda tied the LPGA record for consecutive wins Sunday by winning the Chevron Championship, the first major of the season and the second major title for Nelly. She joins Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam as the only players to win five straight on the LPGA tour. Quite a turnaround from almost two years ago, when Korda had to leave the tour as she had surgery to deal with a blood clot with her career in jeopardy. Both runs are impressive but at least for Nelly, it won’t extend into next week—she’s withdrawn from this week’s JM Eagle LA Championship to take a break from the tour.

The newest Bengal will be…

Probably an offensive lineman—unless it’s a defensive stopper—or maybe another LSU receiver? Everyone’s an expert as we lean into the Thursday draft in Detroit, where the Bengals will pick number 18 in the first round. Most pundits expect the first pick to be defensive tackle Byron Murphy from Texas, filling the hole left when DJ Reader packed up for free agency. If the Bengals are looking for a wide receiver, Brian Thomas Jr. from LSU would be a likely pick if this is wideout Tee Higgins’ last year in stripes. The draft runs all weekend.

Ben’s best bet…

Nice bounceback win by FC Cincinnati this past weekend at Atlanta, and now the Orange and Blue are back home Saturday facing Colorado. The win put FC Cincinnati in third in the Eastern Conference, behind Inter Miami and the Red Bulls. Meantime, Colorado is fourth in the west with 15 points. Luciano Acosta and this young team are starting to come together—expect FC to make it two in a row with a win at home this weekend.