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The two thousand twenty six World Cup is officially here, and the United States is pulling out all the stops. Future and Brazilian superstar Anitta headline what promises to be a massive opening ceremony in Los Angeles, but there's one notable absence — President Trump, who is skipping the USA versus Paraguay opener in favor of a different event this weekend. Not exactly the host country moment the White House might have scripted.
Speaking of scripts, Atlanta's bullpen is writing a pretty compelling one right now. Tyler Kinley came out this week making a bold case that the Braves own the best relief corps in baseball, pointing to Robert Suarez and Raisel Iglesias as the anchors of a unit that's been dominant all season. Even with back-to-back losses, Atlanta's late-inning depth remains a genuine weapon in the National League.
And shifting to the diamond tonight, Cincinnati hosts Arizona as the Reds and Diamondbacks kick off a weekend series. It's a matchup with playoff implications on both sides, so if you're looking for Friday night baseball with something real on the line, Great American Ball Park is the place to be.
That's your play-by-play. Sports Desk, back to the booth.
