LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rams receiver Davante Adams will be out for six to 10 weeks with a significant hamstring injury, Los Angeles coach Sean McVay said Monday.
The Rams (2-4) also lost veteran defensive tackle Poona Ford for the season due to a ruptured triceps, and defensive tackle Kobie Turner is going on injured reserve with a groin injury amid a cascade of health setbacks for the struggling preseason Super Bowl favorites, who have lost three of four.
Adams, a six-time Pro Bowl selection and the NFL's leader in touchdown catches last season, apparently got hurt on the Rams' penultimate offensive snap in their embarrassing 18-16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. The injury happened on a noncontact play, with Adams pulling up in the end zone and hobbling to the sideline.
The 33-year-old Adams has 30 receptions for 480 yards and four touchdowns this season, his 13th in the NFL. He missed three games late last season with a hamstring injury, but returned for the playoffs.
“It's significant when you don't have a player like Davante, but we have to be able to adjust,” McVay said. “His contributions can't be measured. You don't replace somebody like him, and so what you've got to do is you've got to be able to figure out what's the next right thing? What does that look like in terms of our vision? We'll have to adjust and adapt.”
Adams' injury is particularly significant to the Rams because they don't have a trusted No. 3 receiver on their roster behind him and All-Pro Puka Nacua. Konata Mumpfield's eight catches for 127 yards are the third-most for a Rams wide receiver this season.
Los Angeles also didn't have an effective No. 3 wideout last season, and Matthew Stafford threw to his depth receivers with less frequency than any other quarterback on a playoff team.
Ford is a nine-year NFL veteran in his second season with the Rams. He has played just under 40% of their defensive snaps this season as a space-filling lineman alongside Turner and Aaron Donald.
Turner is on the field much more frequently than Ford for the Rams, but the fourth-year pro with 22 tackles this season also will miss “a handful of games,” McVay said.
McVay confirmed new kicker Blake Grupe is out for the season after tearing a ligament in his knee while making a tackle on kickoff coverage. The Rams will have to sign their third kicker of the season before they visit the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
McVay said star cornerback Trent McDuffie is “feeling much better” after missing Sunday's game with an injury picked up in practice late last week. The Rams won't determine whether McDuffie will play against the Raiders until later in the week.
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams, right, runs against Arizona Cardinals cornerback Garrett Williams (21) during the second half of an NFL football game in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams (17) makes his way to the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Freddy Peralta threw 5 1/3 gritty innings, Junior Caminero and Yandy Díaz each hit a two-run homer and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-3 in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series on Monday night to advance to the World Series for the third time in the franchise’s 29 seasons.
The Rays will face the Milwaukee Brewers in the first matchup in which both teams are seeking their first World Series title since 1980, when the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Kansas City Royals.
Game 1 is Friday night in Milwaukee.
“We got one more bite!” Rays manager Kevin Cash told his team as the clubhouse celebration started.
The loss extended Cleveland’s World Series championship drought to 78 years.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our group,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “It just hurts. It stings. Really felt like we had a team to go and just weren’t able to get there.”
On the 18-year anniversary of their first AL pennant in 2008, the Rays jumped ahead 2-0 in the second inning on Richie Palacios’ two-run double and clinched it with closer Bryan Baker on the mound.
The Guardians wouldn’t give up and had the go-ahead run at first base in the eighth when Kevin Kelly struck out Brayan Rocchio to leave the bases loaded after two runs scored.
Peralta, the ALCS MVP, allowed one run and five hits to earn his second win of the series in his third appearance. He pitched six scoreless innings to win Game 2 and got two outs in relief in Game 4.
A sellout crowd of 40,230 fans waved yellow-and-blue rally towels, rang cowbells and chanted “Let’s go Rays!” throughout the night at Tropicana Field, which needed major renovations after Hurricane Milton shredded the roof two years ago and caused extensive damage throughout the stadium.
The Rays played their 2025 home games across the bay in Tampa at the New York Yankees’ spring training complex, got new ownership before this season and secured a new stadium deal to bear ready in 2029 near the NFL’s Buccaneers. They returned to the Trop to win 55 games in the regular season. Only the Brewers had that many home wins this year.
“This is for you!” Caminero yelled to the crowd from a microphone on the field after the game. “Let’s go! I can’t hear you!”
After sweeping the Yankees in the Division Series, the Rays fell behind the Guardians 0-1 and 1-2 in this series before taking three straight games.
Caminero gave Tampa Bay a cushion with his first career postseason homer in the seventh inning. The two-time All-Star sent a drive off the left-field foul pole to give the Rays a 5-1 lead, becoming the first player to go deep on a splitter by All-Star closer Cade Smith.
Caminero turned around before reaching first base, looked toward his dugout and pounded his chest with both arms, cupped his ear rounding second to hear more cheers, stopped before reaching the plate, pointed into the stands and crossed his arms before crossing home.
Caminero hit 42 homers in the regular season but needed 33 at-bats to get his first in October.
The Guardians answered against Tyler Wells and Ian Seymour by loading the bases on two singles and a walk with two outs. Seymour walked Patrick Bailey to force in one run and hit Angel Martínez with a pitch to force in another. Kelly entered and fanned Rocchio on three changeups.
“Credit to our guys. It’s a gut punch there in the seventh. And our guys came right back," Vogt said. “Our guys never quit. They never stopped fighting. That’s who they are.”
Díaz, who guaranteed a Game 6 victory through an interpreter on Sunday, gave the Rays another four-run lead with a two-run shot off Hunter Gaddis in the bottom of the eighth.
Caminero led off the Tampa Bay second with single off opener Shawn Armstrong, who took the loss in his second start in three games. Left-hander Tim Herrin replaced Armstrong. Chandler Simpson reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second before Victor Mesa Jr. walked. Simpson advanced to third on Jonny DeLuca’s flyout to center. After Mesa stole second, Palacios looped a double to right-center for a 2-0 lead.
Armstrong, who was the opener in Game 4, faced the first four batters, becoming the first pitcher in postseason history to start a game after pitching both of the previous two days.
DeLuca’s sacrifice fly off Joey Cantillo made it 3-0 in the third but the Rays missed an opportunity to break it open with more runs after they loaded the bases with no outs.
Nathaniel Lowe’s RBI single in the sixth drove in Cleveland’s first run.
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Freddy Peralta celebrates their win against the Cleveland Guardians in Game 6 of an American League Championship Series baseball game in St. Petersburg, Fla. Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Bryan Baker celebrates their win against the Cleveland Guardians in Game 6 of an American League Championship Series baseball game in St. Petersburg, Fla. Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Tampa Bay Rays base after winning Game 6 of an American League Championship Series baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in St. Petersburg, Fla. Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Bryan Baker celebrates their win against the Cleveland Guardians in Game 6 of an American League Championship Series baseball game in St. Petersburg, Fla. Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero scores past Cleveland Guardians catcher Patrick Bailey sacrifice fly during the third inning in Game 6 of an American League Championship Series baseball game in St. Petersburg, Fla. Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Cam Booser celebrates the third out in the against the Cleveland Guardians during the sixth inning in Game 6 of an American League Championship Series baseball game in St. Petersburg, Fla. Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero scores past Cleveland Guardians catcher Patrick Bailey sacrifice fly during the third inning in Game 6 of an American League Championship Series baseball game in St. Petersburg, Fla. Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero celebrates a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning in Game 6 of an American League Championship Series baseball game in St. Petersburg, Fla. Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero celebrates a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning in Game 6 of an American League Championship Series baseball game in St. Petersburg, Fla. Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
