Stanzel’s Sports Takeout — BREAKING NEWS: 9.17.25

Sep 17

Wild opens training camp today. While the Kirill Kaprizov watch continues, John Hynes told media yesterday that Jonas Brodin (upper body surgery back in June) won’t be ready for training camp. Not good.

McCarthy Has Sprained Ankle; Vikes Injury Woes Mounting

I’ll just point out to you that some of the best seasons in Vikings history came with quarterbacks not expected to be leading the team. Randall Cunningham, Gus Frerotte…a guy who wore No. 4, but that was a different situation…

J.J. McCarthy, overwhelmed for the majority of his first two NFL regular season games, will miss multiple weeks with a high ankle sprain that happened in Sunday’s 22-6 loss to Atlanta. Veteran Carson Wentz - the Vikings are his sixth team in six years - will start Sunday.

But that’s not all. Aaron Jones’ hamstring has landed him on injured reserve. For a third straight season, the Vikings have signed Cam Akers as a mid-season injury replacement. The Vikings could be without two offensive linemen (beginning to think Christian Darrisaw has had a setback), plus their starting QB and RB for Sunday’s game against Cincinnati.

And things aren’t much better on the defensive side of the ball, although Kevin O’Connell told Paul Allen yesterday that Andrew Van Ginkel has been cleared from concussion protocol. Could we see Harrison Smith this week? The Vikings’ front four could use some help in the secondary.

Wentz is definitely on the back end of his career, and it’ll put KOC’s “Quarterback Whisperer” nickname to the test. The Vikings have had to had a VERY simple game plan with McCarthy. We’ll see if they can dial it up a notch with the veteran presence of Wentz.

If there’s any solace for the Vikings, it’s that this three-week stretch includes a Joe Burrow-less Bengals team, plus two neutral site games in Europe against the Browns and Aaron Rodgers’ Steelers. Wentz won’t have to go into enemy territory and try to hear play calls.

Lynx Try to Advance Tonight at Golden State

Golden State is the first expansion team to make the WNBA playoffs. Tonight they’’ll attempt to become the first expansion team to win a playoff game.

The Loons, coming off a blowout win in Game 1 at Target Center, are an overwhelming favorite to take Game 2 tonight in California and advance into the second round. New York also plays tonight, so by the time the Lynx game tips off we’ll know if we’re looking forward to a WNBA Final rematch.

Loons Welcome Austin in U.S. Open Cup Semi Tonight

Loons host Austin tonight at Allianz in a U.S. Open Cup semifinal. It’s Nashville against Philadelphia in the other. The Final is Oct. 1. The winner gets a spot in the Champions Cup; but remember, the Loons have four MLS games left with a chance to win the best regular season record for the first time. It’ll be a quick turnaround for their next MLS game, Saturday against Chicago.

Twins Split First Two with Yankees

A night after the Twins shut out the Yankees for the first time in 17 years (!!), the Bronx Bombers touched up Zebby Matthews for nine runs early before holding on for a 10-9 win last night at Target Field. The series finale is tonight.

In a story that broke late in last night’s game, The Athletic reported the Twins’ cut their entire four-person pro scouting department in a cost-cutting move.

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