CINCINNATI -- The commissioner's office might not like it, but Chicago Cubs fans won't be complaining if enigmatic righty Yu Darvish wants to take his time on the mound.

As long as the results look like they did Wednesday -- Darvish struck out 11 without issuing a walk against the Cincinnati Reds -- he can pretty much do whatever he wants.

"I'm a slow guy," Darvish said after the Cubs' 6-5, 10-inning loss. "I'm always slow, especially my first three-to-four years. I told [pitching coach] Tommy [Hottovoy] yesterday, I want to go slower. That's why I was taking my time. That makes me more comfortable."

It would not be an exaggeration to say Darvish looked as good as he has in years, even if he lasted only 5 1/3 innings. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, Darvish hasn't had 11 strikeouts without issuing a free pass since August 2013. But there's more.

• His first strike percentage was 67, his highest this season and second-highest as a Cub. In his career, the opposition has a slash line of .177/.219/.277 when Darvish throws strike one.

• He earned 26 called strikes, the most in a game for him since 2014.

• He threw 37 percent cutters, his highest percentage in a start since joining the Cubs. Ten of his called strikes came on his cutter, tying the most in his career.

• He took seven hitters to a 3-ball count but retired all of them, including five via strikeout.

• He had six strikeouts looking, the most in a game in his career.

Two of Darvish's called third strikes came at the expense of Joey Votto. The Reds star looked as uncomfortable at the plate against the Cubs righty as you'll see from the All-Star. Between the strikeouts, Darvish got Votto on a check-swing popup.

"He's the best hitter in the lineup, so if he struggles, that means I'm good," Darvish said.

The Cubs have basically thrown out the script for Darvish. They don't care about tempo or anything else if it doesn't make him comfortable. If one pitch is on, then that's the one he'll lean on. Usually it's his slider, but not on Wednesday.

"I felt good about my cutter," Darvish said. "That's why I threw it a lot."

His catcher illustrated the "whatever it takes" attitude the Cubs and Darvish are employing.

"I know the tempo was a little slow, but I don't care," Taylor Davis said. "He was getting guys out. He was making quality pitches ... The pressure situations he was able to handle a lot better.

"I'm taking this as a win for the Cubs. A win for Yu."

However, the Cubs actually came up short after the bullpen blew a lead.

Darvish's next start won't be any easier. He'll face former Cub Jake Arrieta and the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday at Wrigley Field.

"He's a legend in Chicago, for sure," Darvish said of Arrieta. "I respect that, and I'm really looking forward to facing him."

Darvish replaced Arrieta in the Cubs' rotation after signing a six-year, $126 million contract before 2018. Arrieta settled with the Phillies for three years and $75 million. The two have been linked ever since. Darvish would like nothing more than to repeat his performance against the Reds -- but in front of Cubs fans.

"I think I need it at Wrigley," he said. "That's what I want. I always struggle [at home]. I need this start at Wrigley."

Asked what he thought of facing Arrieta at the plate, Darvish deadpanned: "I need a base hit off him."

ATLANTA -- When Austin Riley connected with the pitch, his father was watching from the concourse at SunTrust Park.

Mike Riley knew it was good contact, but he couldn't tell how far the ball went.

Then he looked toward the outfield.

"As soon as I saw the outfielders not move," the elder Riley said, "I knew it was gone."

Austin Riley homered in his big league debut Wednesday night, leading Atlanta to a 4-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals and signaling the arrival of another top prospect for the Baby Braves.

"He's got lights-out power," said Hall of Famer Chipper Jones, who played his entire career with the Braves and was at the game. "I think he's a 40-homer guy before it's all said and done in the big leagues."

Mike Soroka turned in another strong start with three-hit ball over seven scoreless innings, but this night belonged to the 22-year-old Riley. He was called up from Triple-A Gwinnett before the game after Ender Inciarte went on the injured list with a sore back.

Riley, who started in left field and batted sixth, struck out swinging against Michael Wacha in the first at-bat of what the Braves hope will be a long major league career.

Then, leading off the fourth, Riley showed why he was leading the International League with 15 homers and 39 RBI.

Riley launched a high fastball deep into the left-field seats, a 438-foot drive that gave the Braves a 2-0 lead and sent his parents and a group of about 40 family and friends -- many of whom hastily made the drive from his native Mississippi -- into a delirious celebration.

"I'm speechless," Riley said, struggling to find the words. "That second at-bat, I figured he was going to challenge me a little bit. I was able to put a good swing on it."

Riley hit another drive to the edge of the warning track his next time up, and handled a couple of chances without any problem in left. Normally a third baseman, he figures to mostly play left field at least during his initial stint in the big leagues. Josh Donaldson is locked in at third base for 2019 with a one-year, $23 million deal.

After taking over as a defensive replacement for Riley, Charlie Culberson sealed the victory with a two-run homer in the eighth.

It was quite a showing for Atlanta's kids.

Even younger than Riley, the 21-year-old Soroka (4-1) lowered his ERA to 0.98 in six starts. The right-hander has yet to allow more than one earned run in any of his appearances, and this was his best one yet.

Soroka escaped a bases-loaded jam in the third, getting Paul Goldschmidt to ground into an inning-ending double play. He stared down another trouble spot in the sixth when the Cardinals put runners at second and third, fanning Jose Martinez to snuff out the threat.

"What I like about this kid is he doesn't panic. He just goes pitch to pitch," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "That's a great trait for a young pitcher to have."

In the eighth, Dan Winkler walked the first two St. Louis hitters on eight pitches, but Luke Jackson worked out of the jam -- this time, it was Paul DeJong hitting into a double play -- and finished up for his fifth save in six chances.

Wacha (3-1) surrendered only four hits and one earned run over five innings.

"Anytime you've got somebody new coming in there, you don't really have too much video on that guy," Wacha said. "Obviously, I didn't want to make that pitch where he ended up hitting the homer, but he didn't miss a mistake."

Atlanta also scored when the Cardinals pitcher threw one away at third base after appearing to pick off Ronald Acuna Jr., who was able to trot home when the ball skidded under the glove of Matt Carpenter.

LUKE, YOU ARE OUR CLOSER

Jackson has been a godsend for Atlanta's shaky bullpen.

After giving up four runs in his first appearance of the season, he has surrendered just one over his past 19 innings and appears to be the closest thing the Braves have to a closer.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez (shoulder) threw two innings for Double-A Springfield in an 8-2 loss to Arkansas on Wednesday. He allowed one run on four hits and could rejoin St. Louis for a weekend series in Texas.

Braves: Inciarte went on the 10-day injured list with a lumbar strain. He left Tuesday night's game after experiencing tightness in his lower back.

UP NEXT

In the rubber game of the series, RHP Adam Wainwright (3-3, 4.15) goes for the Cardinals against Atlanta RHP Julio Teheran (2-4, 4.26).

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zack Greinke was removed in the eighth inning of Wednesday's home game against the Pittsburgh Pirates with abdominal tightness.

He is scheduled for an MRI on Friday, manager Torey Lovullo said.

"It's not too bad,'' Greinke said. "Just didn't seem like a good idea to try to push it.''

The right-hander was rolling before exiting. He allowed just four hits and no runs in 7⅔ innings pitched. The Diamondbacks prevailed 11-1, and Greinke earned the win to improve to 6-1 this season.

Greinke said the current situation seems less serious than the left oblique injury that cost him six weeks in 2016, though he thought about that at first.

"I just knew something was wrong and didn't want to take the chance of hurting it more,'' he said. "At first I thought it was an oblique thing, but it seems to be in a different spot.''

Greinke has allowed one or fewer runs in five of his past six starts, and he has a 2.78 ERA this season.

He finished Wednesday's contest with five strikeouts, just three shy of 2,500 for his career. He would become fifth active pitcher to reach 2,500 K's, joining CC Sabathia, Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Felix Hernandez.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

NEW YORK -- Yankees third baseman Miguel Andujar will have season-ending surgery to repair a small labrum tear in his right shoulder.

New York announced the decision Wednesday night during the second game of a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles that the Yankees swept.

Andujar, last year's American League Rookie of the Year runner-up, initially was sidelined by the injury from April 1 to May 3, and he struggled mightily in his return.

After going 3-for-34 with no extra-base hits, he went back onto the injured list on Monday. Manager Aaron Boone had said Andujar was discussing the possibility of an operation with the team and his family.

"Hurt for him a little bit," Boone said. "But know this is also just the beginning of the road back."

Yankees head team physician Christopher Ahmad is expected to perform the surgery on Monday at New York Presbyterian Hospital.

The 24-year-old Andujar was a major factor in the Yankees' run to a playoff spot last season, hitting .297 with 27 home runs and 92 RBIs.

"Miggy's beloved in that room and obviously really important to us between the lines and just who he is," Boone said. "Hopefully, this is a really good step for him and starting the healing process."

Without Andujar this season, the Yankees have relied on Gio Urshela at third base. Newly acquired slugger Kendrys Morales is likely to pick up the bulk of the designated hitter duties until some of New York's other injured hitters return.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Everything about Braves right-hander Mike Soroka is a little funky.

He's Canadian, for starters. That's a rarity. Only eight Canadians have played in the majors this season, and that's if you generously include Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who was born in Montreal.

Soroka has an unusual delivery, in which he tilts back with his upper body as he brings his pitching arm behind him and then kind of slings the ball in what seems like an almost effortless delivery, at least compared to the all-max effort we see from so many pitchers these days. Unique deliveries are also rare these days, and Soroka's is different enough that he's going to be one of those guys with whom you catch a glance of his windup and immediately know who is pitching.

He doesn't give up home runs. After pitching seven scoreless innings in the Braves' 4-0 victory over the Cardinals on Wednesday, Soroka has pitched 36⅔ innings without allowing a home run (and 56⅓ innings going back to last season). Considering that you can't run to the bathroom without missing two home runs these days (well, unless the Marlins are playing), that's a remarkable achievement and a testament to the kind of movement he gets on his sinking fastball and the deception he has in his delivery that minimizes solid contact.

He's 21 years old.

Soroka has allowed one earned run or fewer in all six of his starts to begin the season. The only other pitcher 21 or younger to do that in the live ball era since 1920 was another rookie, Fernando Valenzuela in 1981, when he had seven, five of which were shutouts.

The Braves had another big highlight Wednesday, as Austin Riley, who has been absolutely scorching the ball in Triple-A, made his major league and did this in his second at-bat:

WELCOME TO THE SHOW @austinriley1308!#ChopOn pic.twitter.com/yVyrCFrMJ6

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 16, 2019

Riley is a third baseman but will play left field with Ender Inciarte on the injured list. Riley played only four games in left in Triple-A, but after hitting .360 with 10 home runs in May, the Braves wanted to give him a shot even if he's going to be a little raw in the outfield.

Anyway, Soroka's hot start -- he's 4-1 with a 0.98 ERA -- and the fact that most teams are now around the 40-game mark means it's a good time for a quick snapshot of the first quarter of the season, starting with some of these young kids.

Most impressive rookies

1 and 1A: Soroka and Chris Paddack. It's hard to separate these two, but I think they're both future aces if they prove durable. Paddack has the better strikeout rate and throws a little harder, and Soroka gets all those grounders. Both are fun to watch and confident, with a great feel for pitching.

2. Fernando Tatis Jr. He's still on the IL, but we saw all the talent in April: power, speed, plus defense at shortstop. He's a future star and possible MVP candidate.

3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. OK, the numbers aren't great so far, but with his two-homer game on Tuesday, look for him to relax and the hits to start falling.

4. Pete Alonso. He has 12 home runs while showcasing some of the best raw power in the game. The strikeouts (on pace for 198) are a concern, but there is some hit potential here, and I think he'll eventually cut down on the K's.

5. Victor Robles. He has flashed power and speed and can play center field, but that 46-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio is a big red flag. Strikeouts weren't a big issue for him in the minors, so he might be selling out too much to get to that power.

Honorable mention: Dan Vogelbach. Hey, the guy is hitting .248/.390/.602 with 11 home runs.

Bottom line: It looks like another impressive year for rookies. Michael Chavis has been great in Boston, and Christian Walker is an unconventional rookie at 28, but he has big numbers for Arizona.

Alex Verdugo is finally getting playing time for the Dodgers and has impressed with his line-drive stroke. Brandon Lowe has hit for power for the Rays. Yusei Kikuchi has been as advertised in the Mariners' rotation, a solid No. 3 starter. Willians Astudillo, everyone's favorite pudgy contact hitter, has just two strikeouts in 70 plate appearances.

The ball

Yes, home runs are up, even more than in the record-setting year of 2017, so the ball has been a popular topic of discussion:

2017: 1.26 home runs per game (4.65 runs per game)
2018: 1.15 home runs per game (4.45 runs per game)
2019: 1.29 home runs per game (4.58 runs per game)

David Ross talked about this during Wednesday's ESPN broadcast, and some players he talked with said the ball definitely seems different this year.

It's worth mentioning that home runs are down slightly in May -- one home run every 25.79 at-bats in April and one every 26.92 at-bats in May -- but here's another example of the ball contributing to all the home runs. The Triple-A leagues switched to the major league ball this season, and look at the impact on offense there:

Pacific Coast League
2018: .270/.340/.423, 4.97 runs per game, 0.94 HR/game
2019: .270/.351/.466, 5.61 runs per game, 1.42 HR/game

Home runs are up 50 percent. Wow.

International League
2018: .252/.320/.389, 4.16 runs per game, 0.80 HR/game
2019: .264/.343/.439, 5.24 runs per game, 1.18 HR/game

Home runs are up almost 50 percent here as well.

Keep that in mind when you see some of those gaudy Triple-A numbers from hitters this season. The numbers are going to look a lot more impressive than in recent years.

The good

1. Cody Bellinger's Ted Williams-like start. Actually, he's on pace for 55 home runs. Williams hit more than 40 just once (43 in 1949).

2. Christian Yelich. Yeah, .333/.451/.716 could be the start of another MVP season.

3. Hyun-Jin Ryu's 54-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Nolan Ryan had 118 innings in his career with at least three walks.

4. The Astros. They are riding an eight-game win streak. They're the only team with an eight-game streak so far ... and they've had two of them.

5. Twins catchers. When behind the plate, Mitch Garver, Jason Castro and Astudillo are hitting a combined .322/.404/.748 with 16 home runs, 38 runs and 37 RBIs. Incredible.

The bad

1. All those Yankees injuries, yet New York is just a half-game back of the Rays.

2. Jose Ramirez. He has finished third in the past two AL MVP votes but is off to a .195/.290/.312 start on the heels of a huge slump the final seven weeks last year.

3. Bryce Harper. He's drawing his walks but hitting .220 with an absurd 57 strikeouts in 42 games, putting him on track for 200-plus whiffs.

4. The Nationals. Harper's former team clearly has been the most disappointing so far, with a 17-25 start.

5. The closer carousel. With some teams going to closer by committee and others revolving through guys losing their jobs, it has been a frustrating start for fantasy owners (not to mention managers trying to stabilize the late innings of games).

The ugly

1. The Marlins' offense. The 1906 White Sox were called the Hitless Wonders. But they won the World Series! The Marlins will not win the World Series. They've scored two runs or fewer in seven straight games after being shut out again Wednesday. They're averaging 2.56 runs per game. Maybe we need relegation like European soccer leagues.

2. The Orioles' pitching. They've allowed 89 home runs in 42 games, a stunning pace of 343 over a full season. That would break the previous record by nearly 100 home runs.

3. The Mariners' defense. What a travesty. They've made 47 errors, 12 more than any other team, and their .972 fielding percentage would be the lowest since the 1981 Mets. Errors aren't everything, but this defense is also lacking in aesthetic quality and advanced metrics. At one point last week, the M's had an infield of Ryon Healy, Tim Beckham, Edwin Encarnacion (at second base!) and Jay Bruce.

4. Dallas Keuchel and Craig Kimbrel, still unsigned.

5. Tyler O'Neill's throw. Oops.

Tyler O'Neill probably didn't mean to throw it there pic.twitter.com/LUb8HtZeKC

— Sung Min Kim (@sung_minkim) April 16, 2019

Home run robberies are fun!

There were 65 last season, the most in the 15 seasons that Sports Info Solutions had tracked robberies. We already have had 21 this year, so we might top that mark. Really, this was just an excuse to run Jackie Bradley Jr.'s catch again:

And Kevin Pillar's:

And Lorenzo Cain's to save the win on Opening Day:

And another one from Cain:

Please, can we get this man a Gold Glove this year?

Edwin Jackson

The well-traveled Jackson started Wednesday for the Blue Jays, his 14th major league team.

Edwin Jackson has played for almost half the league! ? pic.twitter.com/jXnLXaLdkF

— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) May 15, 2019

Congrats, Edwin. Maybe you deserve the Iron Throne. Surviving is half the battle.

Hannah Winter examines the psychological consequences of injury and outlines strategies athletes can use to cope more effectively

Despite the best efforts of athletes and coaches, injuries are unfortunately commonplace in sport. Athletes often concern themselves mostly with the physical aspects of rehabilitation. However, athletes will often report a number of negative psychological consequences when injured.

What’s more, while an athlete may be physically ready to return to sport and competition after injury, we know that this is not the same as being psychologically ready. With this in mind, effective injury rehabilitation and a successful re-entry into athletics after an injury requires a focus on both the physical and psychological factors.

Psychological responses to injury

People respond to injuries in various ways. Athletes understandably can be incredibly upset and frustrated when sidelined. There is often a lot of uncertainty, for example, in understanding how long an injury will take to recover from, how it will impact sporting ambitions or whether it will be career-ending.

For some, having an injury is therefore incredibly debilitating and is viewed as a disaster. Depression, frustration, stress, anxiety, anger, rehabilitation compliance problems, poor concentration and exercise addiction are some of the emotions and behaviours injured athletes report.

For some, responses can be clinically significant. In one study, 24% of coaches said they had referred an athlete for counselling following an injury.

In contrast, some people when injured react more positively. For them, an injury is seen as a challenge to overcome, an opportunity to demonstrate courage or even as a relief to have a break from training.

Developing effective ways of coping with injury setbacks is therefore important to help navigate what can be a difficult time.

A culture of risk

It can be a challenge for injured athletes to express how they are truly feeling about an injury. Certain beliefs concerning accomplished athletes and successful injury rehabilitation are often drilled in by coaches, parents and media to an injured athlete.

For example:

Coaches, parents and sporting organisations therefore have a role to play in determining what is in the best interest of the injured athlete to help them reach their full potential and be mindful that those previously-mentioned beliefs may exist within the injured athlete.

Coping strategies

If you are faced with an injury, employing strategies to help you cope with the psychological impact may therefore be just as important for your recovery as the physical rehabilitation.

A response to an injury is very individual and it is important to work out what strategies are beneficial for you. As with any new skill acquisition, these techniques can take time to put into practice and lead to desired outcomes.

Here are some examples of evidence-based coping strategies that have been found to be effective in managing the psychological challenges that can come with injury:

1. Educate yourself: research shows that people who take time to really understand their injury cope better. Talk to your doctor, physiotherapist or surgeon and learn about your injury and the rehabilitation process. This can help you become more engaged in your recovery and it can help you feel more empowered in the process.

2. What’s in your control: be really clear about what is in your control versus what’s outside with regard to your injury and recovery. Write them down and place the list somewhere visible. Then each day focus on what is in your control.

3. Talk about it: don’t go through an injury alone. Social support is often critical in the rehabilitation process, particularly with severe injuries. Find a friend, family member or team-mate to listen to your concerns and provide emotional support when needed. This is often most effective if the person you are talking to understands your sport. Coaches can also set up injury support groups to enable injured athletes to have a safe space to talk openly about their injury experience.

4. Don’t isolate yourself: staying involved with your sport can, for some, be helpful. For others, however, it can have a negative impact on their emotional state. If you think it would be helpful for you, you can look for ways that you could be involved in your sport, for example, by coaching or mentoring other athletes.

5. Find a mentor: research has shown that, if your recovery is going to take a long time, finding a peer mentor – someone who has successfully recovered from a similar injury – can be helpful.

6. Focus on the long term: with an injury, it can be very tempting to push through pain or go back to training too quickly. However, it is important to focus on your long-term objectives and not the short-term fear of losing fitness.

7. Set realistic goals: be flexible with your goal for recovery. Depending on the nature of your injury, understand that rehabilitation can at times be slow and have setbacks. Once you’re ready to return to sport, set new and realistic goals to avoid disappointment. It may not, at least initially, be possible for you to compete at the level you did previously.

8. Track your progress: keep a daily or weekly diary on your rehabilitation progress. Writing in a diary each day about the current state of your injury can help see the progress you are making recovery-wise. This can be particularly helpful if you are out of your sport for a long time.

9. Mix up your rehabilitation: physiotherapy exercises may be needed for a long time. Completing the same routine for weeks or months on end can be boring. Mixing up rehabilitation choices can improve motivation and adherence.

10. Consider the positives: ask yourself whether there are any positives to have arisen from the injury. For example, have you been able to come back stronger than before? Have you been able to work on a weakness? Or perhaps you were able to spend more time with your friends and family. Become clear on any positives and write these down.

11. Positive self-talk: think about your inner dialogue and whether you are having helpful or unhelpful thoughts about your injury and recovery. Negative self-talk can be self-defeating and prevent rehabilitation adherence. Look for ways to develop your inner dialogue to be self-enhancing.

12. Practise relaxation strategies: breathing techniques can help manage any anxiety and frustration throughout the injury process. One example is box-breathing: breathe in for a count of four, hold for a count of four, breathe out for a count of four and hold for a count of four; repeat five times.

There is no doubt that injuries can be incredibly frustrating, leading to a loss of identity and confidence. However, when approached correctly, psychological adjustment can be healthier and an athlete may more readily return to higher levels of performance.

Understanding what coping strategies work for you is important. Even if you are not currently injured, formulating a clear plan on how you would respond to an injury should one arise can help minimise confusion when such a time comes.

Lastly, it is important to note that, for some, professional support may be helpful if the psychological consequences are severe, particularly if they have suffered a career-ending injury.

After Stephen Curry and Seth Curry made history by becoming the first brothers to play against each other in an NBA Conference Final, we are asking how much you know about other famous sibling rivalries in sport?

Exeter Chiefs lock Toby Salmon will join Newcastle in the summer.

The 26-year-old has agreed a two-year deal with the Falcons, who will play in the Championship next season after being relegated from the Premiership.

Salmon has played 16 times for Exeter since moving from Rotherham in 2017, but has not made a Premiership start.

"The Falcons have a really good team culture which is evident whenever you watch them play, it's an exciting move for me," Salmon told the club website.

"I've really enjoyed my two years with Exeter and developed a huge amount during that time, but the opportunities for game time were difficult to come by.

"I'm looking forward to hopefully getting some more minutes under my belt with Newcastle. I realise that won't be easy because they have a very competitive squad - but I've played up there a few times previously and I'm just keen to get started."

WEEDSPORT, N.Y. – When the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series rolls into Weedsport Speedway on Sunday, fans may need to double-check their programs and scoring apps.

Several team shake-ups in the off-season have led to seat swapping this season and positive results for all involved.

Of those making changes, Daryn Pittman has led the way in the early season, riding third in the standings as of May 10 in the Roth Motorsports No. 83.

A former World of Outlaws series champion driving for Kasey Kahne Racing, Pittman was forced to find a new ride this season when KKR consolidated their efforts for this year.

Pittman landed with the always-competitive Roth effort, winning the first two events of the year at Florida’s Volusia Speedway Park.

Joining Pittman with two wins on the season is David Gravel, the new full-time pilot of the Jason Johnson Racing No. 41.

From 2016-2018, Gravel competed behind the wheel of the CJB Motorsports No. 5, winning 32 A-Mains in three seasons. However, following the untimely passing of former Knoxville Nationals champion Jason Johnson, Gravel was given the call to take over in the No. 41.

Gravel rides fifth in the standings as of May 10, just behind another driver moving to a new team, Carson Macedo.

Macedo, Weedsport’s All-Star Circuit of Champions winner from a year ago, is competing in his first full-time season with the Outlaws, filling the seat in the Kyle Larson Racing No. 2 vacated by Shane Stewart.

The California young gun has one World of Outlaws win this season, coming at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, Calif., with 12 top-10 finishes in 14 starts.

With all that said, Shane Stewart slides into the CJB Motorsports No. 5 for 2019.

Stewart, a 33-time World of Outlaws winner who finished second in the standings in 2015, sits seventh in points as of May 10 with eight top-10 finishes in 14 races.

These new-look competitors join the rest of the full-time Outlaws at Weedsport in 2019, including current series point leaders Donny Schatz – in the Tony Stewart Racing No. 15 – and Brad Sweet, the reigning Knoxville Nationals winner driving the KKR No. 49.

Fellow Outlaws Logan Schuchart, Ian Madsen, Sheldon Haudenschild, Kraig Kinser, Brent Marks, Jason Sides and Jacob Allen will be in the pit area as well fighting for the victory in the Empire State Challenge, won last year by Marks in a thrilling battle with Haudenschild.

The most recent winner on the Outlaws tour this season is 10-time series champion Schatz.

Schatz dominated night one of #LetsRaceTwo weekend at Eldora Speedway on Friday, with night two lost to rain. The victory at Eldora, his second of the season, moved Schatz to the point lead over Sweet and gave Schatz his 14th straight top-10 finish to start the season.

The Fargo, N.D., veteran is the only driver to finish in the top 10 in all 14 races this year.