LOS ANGELES (AP) — Aaron Donald's potential return to the Los Angeles Rams will not be decided while they are in training camp, but coach Sean McVay said the defensive lineman's status is “going in the right direction.”
“If there’s an arrow, it’s trending upwards,” McVay said Friday following the Rams' first practice in full pads.
The Rams are currently working out at Loyola Marymount University through Aug. 6, but McVay indicated any decision on Donald possibly ending his retirement would not come until they return to their facility in the San Fernando Valley.
“That’ll be something that, I think, once we get back to Woodland Hills, we’ll have a better idea of what that timeline looks like. There won’t be any decision and anything in terms of Aaron’s situation while we’re here. That’s kind of already been set out when we’ve talked for the past couple weeks," McVay said.
A three-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year and eight-time All-Pro, Donald retired in March 2024 as the Rams' career leader in sacks with 111 in 154 games. One of the most disruptive linemen in league history, he helped Los Angeles win a title following the 2021 season. Donald made game-ending defensive plays in both the NFC championship game and the Super Bowl.
However, the Rams' trade for defensive end Myles Garrett has seemingly tempted Donald to at least consider a return. The 35-year-old Donald was photographed working out at the team's complex, and McVay has repeatedly expressed the organization's interest in welcoming him back.
“Heck of a player, Hall of Fame player, one of the best to ever do it at his position,” said tight end Tyler Higbee, who was Donald's teammate for eight seasons. “So, you know, we'll see. I hope he does (return), but we'll see. We'll see.”
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, center, talks to his players during an NFL football training camp Monday, July 27, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)
FILE - Former Los Angeles Rams player Aaron Donald looks on before an NFL football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Nov. 23, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ceddane Rafaela's go-ahead two-run homer highlighted a five-run seventh inning and the Boston Red Sox rallied after blowing an early lead to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-4 on Friday night in the series opener.
The Red Sox led 3-0 in the third before the Dodgers scored a run in the fourth and three more in the fifth on Shohei Ohtani's two-run, two-out blast to take a 4-3 lead.
Ohtani was 2 for 5 with two runs and two RBIs a night after sitting out because of lingering soreness in his left knee that has kept the two-way superstar off the mound since July 3.
Dodgers reliever Cole Irvin (0-1) gave up a leadoff walk to Nick Sogard in the fifth. Rafaela followed with a 405-foot shot to left that put the Red Sox back in front, 5-4.
Andruw Monasterio's two-run RBI double and Jarren Duran's RBI groundout to Irvin extended the lead to 8-4.
Irvin gave up six runs and eight hits over six innings of relief with five strikeouts in his first outing in the majors since 2024. He had his Triple-A contract selected earlier in the day.
Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras was hit in the helmet by a pitch from Dodgers reliever Will Klein in the third and left the game for precautionary reasons.
Boston reliever Brayan Bello (3-6) got the win with three hits over four innings.
Ohtani’s 24th homer came off reliever Jovani Morán. The left-hander had just entered after starter Ranger Suárez gave up an RBI single to Eliezer Alfonzo.
Freddie Freeman went 3 for 4 and extended his hitting streak to 10 games — longest by a Dodger this season — with a two-out RBI single that scored Ohtani in the fourth.
Red Sox LHP Payton Tolle (6-6, 3.32 ERA) was set to start Saturday against Dodgers RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (11-6, 2.72).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
Boston Red Sox third baseman Caleb Durbin throws out Los Angeles Dodgers' Miguel Rojas at first during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, July 31, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Boston Red Sox's Willson Contreras is hit by a pitch during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Friday, July 31, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Boston Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela, right, celebrates with Wilyer Abreu after hitting a two-run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Friday, July 31, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani heads to first for a two-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, July 31, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Boston Red Sox's Andruw Monasterio gestures after hitting a two RBI double during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Friday, July 31, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
