Shohei Ohtani was the central figure in back-to-back Los Angeles Dodgers victories over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix on June 3-4. On June 3 the Dodgers held on for a 6-5 win as Ohtani doubled, tripled, drove in two runs and scored twice; that performance extended a stretch in which he had reached base in 18 consecutive games, hitting .420 (29-for-69) during that run. Freddie Freeman also had three hits and a two-run homer. The following night Ohtani started, throwing six scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out six while lowering his major-league-leading ERA to 0.74 as the Dodgers routed Arizona 7-0. Los Angeles totaled 16 hits in the shutout, with Kyle Tucker hitting a two-run homer into the Chase Field pool and several teammates contributing RBIs. The wins left the Dodgers with 16 victories in 19 games, while the Diamondbacks lost five of six across the two-game span. Ohtani’s two-way dominance — contributions at the plate and on the mound — was the defining factor in the series sweep of Phoenix.

The Los Angeles Rams acquired two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns in a blockbuster deal finalised June 1–2, 2026. Los Angeles sent edge rusher Jared Verse plus a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick to Cleveland. Garrett, 30, set the NFL single-season sack record (23) in 2025 and has 125.5 career sacks; he waived a no-trade clause to join a Rams team built to win immediately. Browns general manager Andrew Berry said the offer — a young, cost-controlled starter in Verse and three premium picks — met multiple short- and long-term objectives and was “too great” to refuse, rejecting suggestions the move signals tanking. Verse, 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year, initially said he was upset but pledged to work. Financial details increase the stakes: Garrett’s 2026 cap hit was modest ($8.14m) but his contract escalates into large payments in 2029–30 under a four-year, $160m extension; Verse carries a roughly $4.1m cap hit and is under team control. Rams coach Sean McVay and media reports have fuelled speculation that retired Rams great Aaron Donald may consider an unretirement to pair with Garrett.

Former Alabama coach Nick Saban and other college athletics figures testified June 3 before the Senate Commerce Committee in support of the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act, a Cruz-Cantwell measure aimed at curbing what supporters call an unsustainable, litigation-prone era of NIL bidding and unlimited transfers. The proposal would give the NCAA limited antitrust protection, create a federal NIL framework that would preempt conflicting state laws, limit athletes to one “free” transfer, cap eligibility, restrict in-season coach departures (the so-called “Lane Kiffin Rule”) and allow conferences the option to pool media rights. Saban urged Congress to “tap the brakes,” likening college sports to “the biggest, baddest Ferrari” heading toward a cliff and cited rapidly rising roster NIL spending. Witnesses backing the bill included Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua, Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould and player Lance Holtzclaw. The Big 12 and ACC have signaled support, but the two richest leagues — the SEC and Big Ten — publicly withheld endorsement, saying the draft “leaves critical issues unresolved.” The Congressional Black Caucus and some senators also signalled reservations, leaving the legislation’s path to passage uncertain.

PARIS, June 3-4 (Reuters/BBC/AFP) - The French Open produced dramatic twists as qualifier Maja Chwalinska continued a dream run into the women's semi-finals with a 7-6(3) 6-3 win over Anna Kalinskaya, becoming only the second qualifier in the Open era to reach the Roland Garros last four. Chwalinska will move into the top 30 and has secured at least $870,000 in prize money. In a tournament-defining upset world number one Aryna Sabalenka capitulated to Russia’s Diana Shnaider, losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 after surrendering a set and a double break lead amid windy, controversial roof-open conditions; Sabalenka said she “just want[s] to quit tennis” and described a deep mental collapse. On the men's side Matteo Berrettini retired with a hip problem while trailing Matteo Arnaldi, sending Arnaldi into a semi-final against fellow Italian Flavio Cobolli, who defeated Félix Auger-Aliassime. The results leave an unusually open draw with surprise semi-final line-ups on both sides as Roland Garros moves toward its weekend deciders.

Cristopher Sánchez’s historic consecutive scoreless-innings run ended at 50 2/3 on June 3, 2026, when Jackson Merrill delivered a two-out RBI single in the seventh inning against the San Diego Padres at Citizens Bank Park. The left-hander worked seven innings, struck out eight and allowed one run and four hits with one walk, earning the decision as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Padres 3-2. Sánchez’s streak — the longest ever by a left-hander, third-longest in the Live Ball Era (since 1920) behind Orel Hershiser (59) and Don Drysdale (58), and fifth-longest in major-league history including the pre-1920 era — began April 30 and included a franchise-record run that surpassed Grover Cleveland Alexander’s 41 scoreless innings. Sánchez, named National League Pitcher of the Month for May, entered the start with an MLB-low 1.47 ERA and moved to 7-2 after the win. The Phillies provided late support with J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber homering in the seventh; Jhoan Durán closed for the save.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have agreed to a four-year, $42 million contract extension with tight end Darnell Washington, multiple outlets reported on June 4. The deal includes $21 million guaranteed and ties the 24-year-old to Pittsburgh through the 2030 season. Washington, a 6-foot-7, 264-pound former third-round pick from Georgia (2023), posted career highs in 2025 with 31 receptions for 364 yards and one touchdown. In three seasons with the Steelers he has totaled 57 catches for 625 yards and two scores in 50 games (29 starts). Coach Mike McCarthy praised Washington’s professionalism and role in the offense, noting schematic adjustments that favor the team’s tight ends. Washington and outside linebacker Nick Herbig — who signed a four-year, $100 million extension the same week — are the first members of Pittsburgh’s 2023 draft class to receive second contracts, underscoring the front office’s draft-and-develop approach. The extension follows other roster moves at tight end, including Pat Freiermuth’s renegotiation and the addition of rookie H-back Riley Nowakowski.