Fox News Latest Headlines
Marine veteran Las Vegas officer killed in shooting; armed suspect also dead
A Las Vegas police officer who was a Marine veteran was killed Tuesday while responding to a report of an armed person, authorities said. The suspect was also killed in the encounter.
Officers and police drones were sent to a business in the 4500 block of East Tropicana Avenue shortly before 4 p.m. after a caller reported that a person was waving a firearm and appeared to be intoxicated, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
MULTIPLE PEOPLE KILLED IN SHOOTING AT IDAHO IN-N-OUT RESTAURANT, SUSPECT DEAD
Police said officers located the armed suspect near Mountain Vista Street and the Interstate 11 underpass. The suspect then opened fire on the officers, prompting at least one officer to return fire.
The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 30-year-old officer was wounded during the exchange and taken to University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill said during a news briefing.
"A 30-year-old Las Vegas police officer was then worked on heroically by the Clark County Fire Department, other officers and EMS," McMahill said. "He was transported to UMC where nurses worked to save his life."
DEPUTY US MARSHAL FATALLY SHOT WHILE SERVING ARREST WARRANT IN LOUISIANA
"Unfortunately, our officer has passed," the sheriff continued.
McMahill said the officer was a Marine veteran who had served with the police department since November 2023.
"A person who served this country and this community," McMahill said. "As you can imagine, I have lots of grieving police officers and a grieving community."
The police department offered its condolences to the officer’s family and pledged to support them "in every way we can in the days ahead."
Other law enforcement agencies also mourned the officer’s death.
"The Nevada State Police extends our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of the fallen officer, and to our partners at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department," the agency said in a Facebook statement. "Our thoughts are with you during this difficult time."
Democrats' bitter civil war hits Michigan, but biggest prize still up for grabs
DETROIT — The Democratic Party's progressive wing was aiming to notch its biggest victory yet Tuesday and deliver a high-profile blow to the center-left establishment in an intensifying ideological battle.
But the anticipated triumph in battleground Michigan's Democratic Senate primary will have to wait.
The race between progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health director, and Rep. Haley Stevens, a more moderate contender, remained too close to call early Wednesday.
THE MIDTERM SENATE RACES THAT COULD FLIP THE BALANCE OF POWER IN CONGRESS
While the night’s biggest prize remained undecided as five states held primary elections, Democratic establishment candidates scored several victories. Those included Rep. Wesley Bell of Missouri defeating Democratic Socialists of America-backed challenger and former Rep. Cori Bush, a onetime "Squad" member, in a rematch of their 2024 showdown.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump's powerful sway over the Republican Party was reaffirmed as two Trump-backed candidates won gubernatorial nominations in Michigan and Kansas.
Here are the top takeaways from a busy primary night across the country.
Verdict still out in high-stakes showdown
"We're going to have to wait a little longer to see the outcome of this race," El-Sayed told supporters at a primary night event in Detroit early Wednesday morning.
El-Sayed, who was backed by prominent progressive leaders including Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, held a razor-thin lead over Stevens as votes continued to be counted. Stevens was supported by establishment figures including Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the longtime Senate Democratic leader.
"I know it's been a long night because that's the Michigan way. But I want to give you all an update. We knew that this was going to be a close race, and that's exactly what we've got. A close race," Stevens said.
MIKE ROGERS ARGUES ABDUL EL-SAYED IS 'A SPECIAL SAUCE OF CRAZY'
The race to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, who backed Stevens, is a must-win contest for Democrats and one of roughly a dozen Senate races expected to determine whether Republicans retain their narrow majority.
Boosted by a string of victories this spring in predominantly Democratic congressional districts, the party’s progressive wing brought its ideological battle with the establishment to the Great Lakes battleground. The combustible and expensive contest became the biggest stage yet in the intraparty fight.
El-Sayed, an epidemiologist who unsuccessfully ran for governor as an insurgent candidate in 2018, would become the nation’s first Muslim senator if elected. He has made support for "Medicare for All" a major component of his campaign.
He has also called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement and has been a vocal critic of Israel during its war against Hamas, characterizing Israel’s actions in Gaza as "genocide" against Palestinians.
Schumer and other establishment Democrats view Stevens, who flipped a Republican-held district during her first election to Congress in 2018, as more electable than El-Sayed, whose past comments have drawn controversy.
More than $80 million was spent on the primary, making it the most expensive Democratic Senate nomination contest in history. Much of the money came from outside groups supporting Stevens or opposing El-Sayed. The largest spender was United Democracy Project, a political action committee aligned with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
"We all knew that we're going to spend their money. We didn't know they were going to spend $70 million of their money. We didn't know that they were going to outspend us $11 to $1. And yet we're still standing," El-Sayed highlighted in his speech.
El-Sayed urged party unity and took aim at former Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican Senate nominee.
Stevens also targeted Rogers during her primary night speech.
DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB
"Whoever wins is going to go and take on Mike Rogers. Republicans are going to do everything they can to throw all the dirt, all the mud, the kitchen sink at us because they want to keep the U.S. Senate red, so Mike Rogers can keep rubber-stamping Donald Trump's ridiculous agenda," she argued.
The progressive-versus-establishment battle also played out in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, a Republican-controlled swing seat that is among roughly two dozen races expected to help determine control of the House.
William Lawrence, a co-founder of the Sunrise Movement climate advocacy group, edged out two more moderate Democrats. Lawrence was backed by Sanders and El-Sayed, as well as several prominent progressive groups. He will face Republican Rep. Tom Barrett in the general election.
The party’s internal battle was also on display in Michigan’s heavily Democratic 13th Congressional District, where the Associated Press had not projected a winner early Wednesday.
Rep. Shri Thanedar, who is supported by top House Democratic leaders, was being challenged by state Rep. Donovan McKinney. McKinney was backed by Sanders, El-Sayed and "Squad" members Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Summer Lee of Pennsylvania.
Wins for centrists to cheer
The party’s ideological warfare was front and center in Missouri’s St. Louis-based, heavily Democratic 1st Congressional District.
Bell, who was backed by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York and other establishment figures, defeated Bush, the former two-term representative whom Bell ousted in the 2024 primary.
DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB
Bell was again boosted by a major infusion of outside money, allowing him to substantially outspend Bush and her allies. Much of the funding and advertising targeting Bush came from United Democracy Project, the super PAC aligned with AIPAC.
Bush was among the first House Democrats to accuse Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians during its war against Hamas in Gaza.
"Two years ago, St. Louis voted for better and more accountable representation. We have kept that promise, whether it's bringing federal resources home to our neighborhoods, standing with working folks when they needed someone in their corner, or helping families cut through red tape," Bell said following his victory. "That work does not stop tonight."
Bush, however, lashed out at Bell, criticizing him for skipping candidate forums and claiming he was controlled by billionaires.
"It pisses me off that for the next two years, this community will be represented by someone that didn't deem you valuable enough to show up to one candidate forum where there were audience comments, even though I showed up to every one," Bush emphasized.
MEET THE FAR LEFT INSURGENTS WAGING WAR ON THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN THE 2026 MIDTERMS
Back in Michigan, two candidates who are far from left-wingers captured Democratic nominations in statewide contests. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson won the Democratic gubernatorial primary in the race to succeed term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel was renominated.
"It’s not all that clear that the party has shifted that far to the left," Matt Bennett, one of the leaders at the Third Way, a leading center-left Democratic organization, told Fox News Digital.
Pointing to increasingly intense Democratic opposition to Trump, Bennett said the Michigan Senate result may reflect "a unique situation where candidates matter."
"And in this moment, Democratic voters everywhere are very very angry at Trump and they’re flipping over the tables and taking it out on the establishment and Haley, for better or worse, has run as the establishment."
Trump flexes political muscle
Trump’s clout within the GOP and the power of his endorsements in Republican primaries were tested again Tuesday, and the president’s preferred candidates prevailed in two gubernatorial contests.
Trump-backed Rep. John James of Michigan, a West Point graduate and two-time Republican Senate nominee, defeated multimillionaire businessman Perry Johnson, a former gubernatorial and presidential candidate, to capture the party’s gubernatorial nomination.
James will face Benson in the race to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
In Kansas, Trump-endorsed state Senate President Ty Masterson prevailed in a crowded field of Republican gubernatorial contenders.
Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is term-limited, making the race to succeed her a leading pickup opportunity for Republicans.
Fox News' Matthew Donnell and Luke Trevisan contributed to this report.
Trump warns Iran will be hit 'really hard' if nuclear negotiations collapse again
President Donald Trump renewed his warning to Iran on Tuesday, saying the U.S. could strike the country "really hard" if negotiations between Washington and Tehran collapse again.
"If they back out again, they're going to get hit really hard," Trump told Fox News' Trace Gallagher. "They know that. They understand that. I have no choice. They can't have a nuclear weapon. It's very simple."
Trump said military action remained an option if diplomacy fails.
TRUMP WARNS IRAN FIGHTING ISN'T OVER AS HE VOWS US WILL 'WIN' AS TALKS FADE
"The hard hit is yet to come, and hopefully we won't have to use it," he said during the interview.
Trump’s comments came days after he held off on a planned military strike on Iran that he said would have been the largest since World War II after Tehran and several Middle Eastern countries requested more time to negotiate over reopening the Strait of Hormuz and addressing Iran’s nuclear program.
"We were going to a tremendous attack, the biggest since World War II, and they called me and said very politely, 'Please, can we talk? Can we talk?' And I said, 'Yes, we can talk. Let's get it done,'" Trump said.
Earlier this week, Trump said a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and curb Iran's nuclear program was "imminent."
TRUMP SAYS IRAN DEAL ‘LARGELY NEGOTIATED’ AS 84-DAY WAR NEARS POSSIBLE END
Iranian officials have denied holding direct talks with the United States, saying negotiations are taking place through mediators in Oman. The Associated Press reported Tuesday that Iranian and Omani officials had made significant progress toward a potential agreement to reopen the strait, though negotiations remained ongoing.
Trump described Tuesday’s negotiations as "very good," despite Iran’s repeated public denials that direct talks were underway.
"They don't like to admit that, but, well, you know, it's a little bit disconcerting," he said.
"It's just such a lie," Trump added.
"But it doesn't matter. That's talk. The only thing that matters is action. And they want to make a deal. We'll see what happens. If they don't make a deal, it's going to be too bad."
When asked at what point the U.S. might abandon talks with Iran after negotiations repeatedly collapsed, Trump said he was not in a rush to walk away from diplomacy.
"I have plenty of time," he said.
Trump argued that previous administrations failed to resolve the issue and again criticized the nuclear agreement negotiated under former President Barack Obama.
TRUMP RECALLS NETANYAHU'S FAILED PUSH TO KILL OBAMA IRAN DEAL, SAYS HE FINISHED THE JOB
"It should have been done by many presidents over many years, and it wasn't, and I'm doing it," Trump said. "Obama was taken to the cleaners."
Trump has previously called the latest round of negotiations Iran’s "last chance" to avoid an escalation of US military action. He has said negotiators will initially focus on reopening the Strait of Hormuz before addressing Tehran’s nuclear program.
Fox News Digital's Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.
Capybaras crash Brazilian lawmakers' voting session and steal the show
Brazilian lawmakers preparing to conduct official business found themselves sharing the halls of a state legislature with several uninvited — but unusually relaxed — guests.
A group of capybaras entered the Mato Grosso Legislative Assembly in Cuiabá on July 30, briefly drawing attention away from an upcoming vote as they explored the government building.
Video recorded by legislative staffer Nayara Bueno showed the animals moving calmly through the entrance while workers sought to steer them outside.
"They show up here quite often, so we’ve gotten used to seeing them," Bueno told The Associated Press.
The rodents' guest appearance did not cause any damage to the Mato Grosso state legislature, according to officials.
The legislature borders a park that is home to wildlife, giving the animals easy access to the surrounding government complex.
Native to South America, capybaras are semiaquatic mammals commonly found around wetlands and other bodies of water. They are highly social, generally travel in groups and can reach weights of about 175 pounds.
ROGUE PARROT ATTACKS PLAYERS DURING BRAZILIAN U-15 SOCCER GAME-THEN COMES BACK AND DOES IT AGAIN
The world's largest living rodents have also become internet favorites, with social media users frequently highlighting their laid-back behavior around other animals and people.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Socialist tenant organizer who blasted 'sell-out Democrats' loses Midwest primary
Jordan Herrera, an attorney, Air Force veteran and former Missouri assistant attorney general, won the Democratic nomination Tuesday in Missouri’s newly redrawn 4th Congressional District, defeating better-funded democratic socialist Hartzell Gray in a seven-way primary.
Herrera prevailed over Gray, the 33-year-old former Kansas City radio host and tenant organizer who drew national attention after appearing on Hasan Piker’s Twitch livestream and blasting "sell-out Democrats."
The result puts a more conventional Democrat on the November ballot against Republican Rep. Mark Alford in the GOP-leaning district, rather than Gray, who had framed his campaign as a left-wing challenge to the party establishment.
RNC AND NRCC FILE LAWSUIT DEFENDING MISSOURI'S NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAP AGAINST DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGES
The new 4th District takes in part of Kansas City before extending south through a broad swath of suburban and rural Missouri. While the map made Alford’s district less Republican than it had been, it remains a solidly GOP seat.
Gray emerged as the clear financial leader in the Democratic field. FEC records showed his campaign had raised about $250,000 through mid-July — more than six times the roughly $40,000 raised by Herrera and far more than Cass, the 2024 Democratic nominee who again sought the seat.
The Kansas City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America said its backing of Gray marked its first endorsement in a federal race. The group praised Gray’s refusal to take money from corporations, developers and lobbying groups, while pointing to his support for universal health care, tenant protections and more progressive taxation.
BERNIE SANDERS, DSA REVEAL DEMANDS FOR DEM PARTY AFTER SOCIALISTS SWEEP NEW YORK ELECTIONS
Gray, who has also called for rent controls, Medicare for All and ending the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, has framed his campaign as a rebuke of a Democratic Party he argues has become too closely tied to wealthy donors and corporate interests. The 2010 ruling allowed corporations and unions to spend unlimited sums independently to influence elections.
His appearance on Piker’s show helped turn an otherwise low-profile Missouri primary into a small test case for the party’s socialist left, which has increasingly relied on social media personalities, small-dollar donors and activist networks to build support outside traditional party structures.
HASAN PIKER MAKES AOC HIS 2028 PICK FOR PRESIDENT, SAYS IT'S 'NOT EVEN A QUESTION’
Gray’s campaign said viewers gave more than $30,000 after the Piker appearance. He later appeared on The Majority Report , another left-leaning online program, as his campaign sought to translate national attention into turnout in Kansas City.
The primary also included former Democratic nominee Jeanette Cass, attorney and Air Force veteran Herrera, radio host Randy Miller, Ashleigh Rogers, Wayne Russell and G. Rick.
Gray’s nomination is a win for a local Democratic Socialists of America chapter that had not previously backed a federal candidate. But the general election will test whether the kind of coalition that powered him through a fractured Democratic primary can compete in a district intentionally drawn to favor Republicans.
Dems rally behind Michigan prosecutor to champion party in crucial House race
Christina Hines, a prosecutor and Democratic candidate for Congress in Michigan's 10th Congressional District, secured her party's nomination in a primary election on Tuesday evening.
Democrats will count on Hines' messaging on affordability and her story as as a special victims prosecutor to flip the district and chip away the GOP’s slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
"My work was a different kind of chaos. Protecting families from predators isn't just a job for me. It's a mission. Now families like ours are getting screwed by a system that only works for the rich," Hines said in a campaign video.
In recent years, the district has leaned Republican but remains largely competitive.
Incumbent Rep. John James, R-Mich., last won re-election in 2024 in a 51.1% to 45.0% victory over Democratic challenger Carl Marlinga, a judge and former prosecutor.
The cycle before that, James beat out Marlinga by a narrow 48.8% to 48.3% win in 2022.
But now, James, who enjoyed the benefit of incumbency, announced he would vacate the seat and instead pursue a gubernatorial bid, calling it a way to secure Michigan’s prosperity to future generations.
"My family, like countless others, came to our great state for the better opportunities our manufacturing and automotive industries offered and to live the American dream," James said in a statement.
TWIN COURT RULINGS RESHAPE HOUSE BATTLEFIELD AS DEMOCRATS FIGHT UPHILL REDISTRICTING BATTLE
With an open seat in play, Hines has pitched her candidacy as a way to protect the country from what she characterized as an overzealous administration and institutional corruption.
"Congress has too many millionaires but not nearly enough moms who get things done," Hines said.
In her career as a prosecutor, Hines described her work as helping victims of sexual abuse and human trafficking, according to her website. She has also prosecuted cases involving homicide, torture and hate crimes.
On her website, Hines listed priorities like reducing the cost of living by pushing back against what she identified as "price gouging" and increasing the minimum wage, investing in technical educations and protecting federal programs against cuts from the Trump administration like Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare.
__________________________________
TRUMP JUST EXPANDED HIS TARIFF PLAYBOOK WITH A POWERFUL TRADE WEAPON NO PRESIDENT HAS EVER USED
Her platform has attracted endorsements from fellow local figures like Marlinga, the former Democratic nominee against James and a former Macomb County Prosecutor and Circuit Court Judge. She also received an endorsement from Michael Taylor, Sterling Heights Mayor.
With the party’s nomination secured, Hines will advance to the general election on Nov. 3.
2026 Midterms State of Play: Key races unfold as Stevens, El-Sayed battle in Michigan
The 2026 midterms kicked into high gear Tuesday as voters headed to the polls across five states, with Michigan's marquee Democratic Senate primary leading a slate of closely watched contests.
The contest between Rep. Haley Stevens and former public health official Abdul El-Sayed has become the marquee race of the night, drawing millions of dollars in outside spending and attention from top Democratic figures.
The winner will face Republican Mike Rogers in November in one of the country's most competitive Senate races and a contest that could help determine control of the chamber.
2026 MIDTERMS: PRIMARIES, KEY RACES AND ELECTION RESULTS
The primary has also become a proxy fight over the Democratic Party's direction.
Stevens has been backed by much of the party establishment, while El-Sayed has rallied support from progressives including Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, fueling a broader debate over the message Democrats should carry into the general election.
DEMS SELECT THEIR CANDIDATE TO FACE LONGTIME GOP LAWMAKER WHO BALKED AT VIRGINIA REDISTRICTING
While Michigan has dominated national attention, voters in Kansas, Missouri, Virginia and Washington also headed to the polls Tuesday in races that will shape the November battlefield
Several contests remained outstanding late Tuesday, including Michigan's 13th Congressional District Democratic primary, where Rep. Shri Thanedar held the lead as votes continued to be counted. Many races in Washington also remained unresolved because the state conducts its elections primarily by mail.
SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER
Many Washington races were not expected to be called Tuesday night because the state conducts elections almost entirely by mail and continues accepting ballots that are postmarked by Election Day.
Washington uses a top-two primary system, in which candidates from all parties appear on the same ballot and the two candidates receiving the most votes advance to the general election, regardless of party affiliation.
As vote counting continues, particularly in Washington, where mail ballots can arrive after Election Day if postmarked on time, several contests remained outstanding Tuesday night.
The results will help define the November battlefield as both parties pivot from primary fights to the general election.
Lindsay Clancy strikes evidence deal as fingerprint gap opens trial debate, expert says
Lindsay Clancy spoke directly in court Tuesday, repeatedly answering, "Yes, Your Honor," as she agreed to let prosecutors treat certain forensic facts as established hours before a state police trooper testified that investigators recovered no usable fingerprints from a knife or three exercise bands.
The developments narrowed the Massachusetts mother’s murder trial toward its central dispute: whether Clancy was criminally responsible when her three children were killed inside the family’s Duxbury home.
Before jurors entered the courtroom, Judge William Sullivan questioned Clancy about a stipulation covering certain evidence.
"You understand that by signing the stipulation, you’re agreeing that the Commonwealth does not have to prove these certain facts that are contained in the stipulation," Sullivan said. "Do you understand that?"
"Yes, Your Honor," Clancy replied.
Asked whether anyone had forced or threatened her to accept the agreement, Clancy said, "No, Your Honor."
Sullivan found that Clancy was competent and had entered the stipulation "knowingly, intelligently, voluntarily and willingly."
LINDSAY CLANCY’S EX-HUSBAND DETAILS PILL USE AS EXPERT SAYS EVIDENCE COULD SHAPE MURDER TRIAL
Defense attorney Kevin Reddington said the agreement would prevent prosecutors from calling dozens of witnesses solely to establish the chain of custody for blood, bodily fluids, exercise bands and DNA evidence.
"We have not been contesting the government’s case in chief, if you will," Reddington said.
The stipulation is not a guilty plea or an admission that Clancy was criminally responsible for the deaths of Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months.
WATCH: Former prosecutor explains strategy behind Lindsay Clancy evidence agreement
Margaret McLean, a former criminal prosecutor and trial attorney who teaches law at Boston College’s Carroll School of Management, said the agreement allows the defense to steer jurors away from repetitive forensic testimony and toward Clancy’s mental state.
LINDSAY CLANCY’S HUSBAND COULD TESTIFY FOR HER AT TRIAL OVER DEATHS OF THEIR THREE CHILDREN
"The legal strategy behind the move by the defense is to steer the jury’s focus away from the horrific nature of the acts and to that central issue of criminal intent, or what we would call mens rea," McLean told Fox News Digital.
McLean said Clancy’s measured responses Tuesday should not be taken as evidence of her mental condition on Jan. 24, 2023.
"She sounded rational. She understands what she’s doing," McLean said. "But remember, the Commonwealth’s burden of proof is to prove that she was sane beyond a reasonable doubt at the time the crimes were committed -- not today, not two weeks ago."
WATCH: Trooper details crime scene evidence collection at Lindsey Clancy's home
Later, Massachusetts State Police Trooper Jonathan O’Loughlin testified about examining a knife and three exercise bands collected from the home.
O’Loughlin said the knife contained an area of friction-ridge impression, but investigators could not use it to identify anyone.
"There was not enough characteristics or minutia to do any comparison," O’Loughlin said, adding that the impression had "no value."
The yellow, black and blue exercise bands similarly produced no impressions suitable for comparison.
SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST TRUE CRIME NEWS
"The bottom line is that you didn’t get any fingerprints," Reddington said.
LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE
"Correct," O’Loughlin replied.
O’Loughlin said fingerprints are "very, very, very fragile" and can be affected by an object’s texture, environmental conditions, movement, grip strength or whether a surface was wiped.
LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST
McLean said the absence of identifiable prints could make jurors wonder whether gloves were used or the items were wiped, potentially viewing the missing prints as evidence of planning.
The defense, she said, can counter that jurors must not "speculate on something that’s not in evidence."
"They can use their common sense when they go to the table and they deliberate," McLean said, "but they can’t speculate [about] things that are not in the evidence."
Tarik Skubal's Dodgers debut ends in decisive 5-1 loss to Cubs as LA drops fifth straight game
The Los Angeles Dodgers ruined baseball this past weekend when they attempted to make their team better, an unforgivable crime in the world of modern online baseball fandom.
With Shohei Ohtani nursing a nagging knee injury, injuries to Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, and inconsistent performance from some of the team's other starting pitching options, the Dodgers used some of their impressive outfield prospect depth to acquire reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers.
This set off a firestorm of criticism from fans online, who announced they were quitting the sport, that the season should be canceled, that owners should lock players out indefinitely until players agree to allow billionaire owners to keep 99.9% of revenue, or that the outcome of the 2035 World Series was already determined or something.
SENDING ACE PITCHER TARIK SKUBAL TO THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS WOULD OFFICIALLY RUIN BASEBALL
Well, Skubal made his Dodgers debut Tuesday night in Chicago, facing the Cubs at Wrigley Field. The Dodgers lost their fifth straight game, 5-1, falling to 3-7 in their last 10 games. Baseball is ruined.
Skubal, for his part, pitched well, allowing two runs on four hits over six innings while striking out six and walking two. His first run allowed came on a Dansby Swanson home run in the third inning, with the second coming on an unlucky break.
After striking out Pete Crow-Armstrong to start the sixth, he walked Seiya Suzuki, before Alex Bregman hit a ball to right field that Kyle Tucker wasn't able to make the play on. The Dodgers got Suzuki at home on a Michael Busch grounder, before Nico Hoerner hit a swinging bunt that bounced too high for anyone to make a play on, bringing in Bregman.
The Dodgers offense never got much going against Cubs starter Javier Assad, outside of a Kyle Tucker home run, then did even less against their bullpen. On the rare inning with a baserunner, a Dodger hitter would work tirelessly to hit into an immediate double play.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
The LA bullpen, however, was extremely accommodating. Chicago added two runs in the seventh inning when Pete Crow-Armstrong threw his bat at the ball to drive in Swanson, then Seiya Suzuki blooped another single in to bring in the fourth run of the game. Nico Hoerner homered off Edwin Diaz in the ninth to cement the win.
With baseball ruined, the Dodgers will look to avoid their second consecutive series loss via the sweep on Wednesday, sending superstar starter Eric Lauer to the mound against Shota Imanaga.
This game, and this series, is a microcosm of the absurdities of online baseball discussion. Skubal, arguably one of the best two pitchers in baseball, was outpitched by Javier Assad, a 29-year-old with such mediocre stuff that he's struck out just 51 hitters in 75.1 innings this year. The Cubs are so terrified of starting Assad in a postseason game that they traded for two starting pitchers at the deadline in hopes of avoiding it. Dansby Swanson entered the series on an 0-21 streak, only to go 5-8 with a home run in the first two games.
Meanwhile, Pete Crow-Armstrong's reality defying streak continues, with a .415 batting average on balls put in play since the start of June, an impossible number when league average is around .300. But therein lies the problem with ruining baseball and predicting the World Series in August. You just don't know who will be hot, cold, or underperforming when October rolls around.
A baseball season of 162 games gets compressed into a best-of-five or best-of-seven, the definition of a small sample size, that does quite literally nothing to determine the better team. Good teams often slump. Bad teams sweep good teams.
Since the start of June, the Dodgers have the seventh highest winning percentage in baseball, worse than the Cubs, Red Sox, Astros, Brewers, Tigers, and the... Miami Marlins. That's not in a postseason series, that's over a two month sample. You can't ruin baseball because the gaps between teams are so small. Even now.
Edwin Diaz has now allowed nine runs in 8.2 innings, with a whopping 20 baserunners. Kyle Tucker's been a league average hitter. Mookie Betts, for all his prior accolades, is hitting .223 with a .280 on base percentage and .390 slugging percentage. His OPS has dropped nearly 200 points from 2024. LA's bullpen since the start of July has an ERA of around 5, and the 27th best FIP in MLB. Ruining baseball indeed.
Sunrise Movement co-founder defeats establishment-backed Dems in pivotal Michigan race
The far-left insurgency within the Democratic Party scored another victory on Tuesday night, with a co-founder of the progressive Sunrise Movement trouncing two establishment-backed Democrats in a contentious Michigan primary.
William Lawrence defeated former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink and former Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam to win the Democratic nomination for Michigan's 7th Congressional District, anchored in Lansing.
Lawrence will now go on to face Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., a military veteran who is seeking a second term in Congress this November.
Barrett ran unopposed in the Republican primary after winning the seat in an open race in 2024. It was previously held by Democrat Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., who vacated it when she successfully ran for Senate that year.
Lawrence's victory is a commanding win in the wider civil war for the soul of the Democratic Party, with battles being waged across the country.
Mike Marinella, spokesman for House Republicans’ campaign arm the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), told Fox News Digital after Lawrence’s victory, "The Democrats' path to the House majority is evaporating in real time. Every embarrassing defeat leaves them with a radical socialist nominee, an emptier bank account, and another must-win seat off the board."
BERNIE SANDERS, DSA REVEAL DEMANDS FOR DEM PARTY AFTER SOCIALISTS SWEEP NEW YORK ELECTIONS
The establishment left's main opponent has been the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), which has not endorsed a candidate in this race.
But Lawrence does have backing from Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., his fellow Michigan Democrat and a prominent DSA member who's stirred controversy for her comments about Israel.
He was also endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a self-described democratic socialist.
The Sunrise Movement, which Lawrence co-founded in 2017, began as a youth-focused climate activist group that pushed the Green New Deal alongside progressives in Congress.
HOUSE PROGRESSIVES REVIVE GREEN NEW DEAL FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS DEM CIVIL WAR EMPOWERS FAR LEFT
Since then, its non-climate policy platform has included calls to get Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) out of U.S. cities and abolishing police, according to its website.
Lawrence's victory is likely the best outcome for Republicans, who are fighting a nationwide uphill battle to keep control of the House of Representatives.