a Page 132 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Mariners, Guardians return from playoff seasons to meet in opener
The Seattle Mariners will set sail on their 50th season Thursday.,It is a voyage they hope will take them to the World Series for the first time and it begins with a visit from the Cleveland Guardians.,The Mariners came as close as they ever have to reaching that destination last season, losing to t...

Phillies' Cristopher Sanchez gets Opening Day nod vs. Rangers
The Philadelphia Phillies showed their faith in Cristopher Sanchez last weekend by signing the left-hander to a six-year, $107 million contract extension.,While that deal officially begins in 2027, Sanchez will likely have a bounce in his step on Thursday afternoon when he takes the mound as the Phi...

Star turn: 10 MLB players poised for '26 breakout
If you like to watch rookies and other young players on the verge of breaking out in Major League Baseball, it's a good time to be a fan. ,With Opening Day upon us, let's take a quick look at 10 players (rookies and others) who are on the verge of making a big name for themselves in MLB.,RHP Shane B...

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, champion Dodgers take aim at D-backs
The Los Angeles Dodgers will start the defense of their second consecutive championship the same way they ended an electric World Series in November, with right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound.,Attempting to become the first three-peat World Series champion since the New York Yankees from 199...

Cards to open season with OF Lars Nootbaar on 60-day IL
The St. Louis Cardinals will be without outfielder Lars Nootbaar at least through the first two months of the season after he was placed on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.,Nootbaar underwent surgery in October for bone spurs in both heels that affected the Achilles tendon. His recovery timetable ...

Panthers' Anton Lundell (rib) likely out for rest of season
Florida Panthers forward Anton Lundell likely will sit out the remainder of the season as he nurses a rib injury.,Lundell is expected to be sidelined from two to six weeks for the Panthers (35-32,3, 73 points), who reside 12 points out of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 12 g...

Singer Darius Rucker joins Legacy Motor Club ownership
Singer-songwriter Darius Rucker confirmed Wednesday that he has joined the ownership group for NASCAR's Legacy Motor Club.,The team co-owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion driver Jimmie Johnson and Knighthead Capital Management was rebranded in 2021, formerly known as Petty GMS Motorsports...

NFL-backed flag football event averaged approx. 650K viewers
The Fanatics Flag Football Classic didn't exactly resonate with the masses this past weekend, as it drew an average television audience of 641,000 on Fox for the round-robin competition.,The title game didn't draw much better, averaging 649,000, per FrontOfficeSports.com.,It likely did itself no fav...
Why NBA Expansion Might Not Be the Best Look for the League Right Now
Reports suggest NBA expansion is likely, with Seattle and Las Vegas as top candidates. But is adding new teams the right move for the league amid tanking and declining ratings?...

Embracing youth movement, Cardinals set for opener vs. Rays
The St. Louis Cardinals will look a lot younger when they host the Tampa Bay Rays on Opening Day on Thursday afternoon.,The Cardinals traded veterans Nolan Arenado (Arizona Diamondbacks), Willson Contreras (Boston Red Sox) and Brendan Donovan (Seattle Mariners) for prospects during the offseason, le...
How Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s Extension With Seahawks Complicates Things for Rams
The Seattle Seahawks signed Jaxon Smith-Njigba to a four-year, $168.8M deal, making him the league’s highest-paid wide receiver. How will this impact the Rams and Puka Nacua’s market value?...
Why the 2026 NBA Awards Could Be Vulnerable to Gambling Influence
A provocative look at the NBA Rookie of the Year race and how gambling concerns could raise questions about awards voting....

Creighton hands coaching job to Alan Huss
Creighton officially tabbed Alan Huss as its new head basketball coach on Wednesday.,The news comes two days after Greg McDermott announced his retirement after 16 seasons as head coach of the team. McDermott will coach the Bluejays through the postseason College Basketball Crown event (April 2-5) b...

Kansas' Bill Self says no decision on retirement yet
Kansas coach Bill Self said he has made no decision about retirement, despite persistent rumors that say otherwise.,Self, who just completed his 23rd season with the Jayhawks, told the Kansas City Star on Wednesday that any reports of his imminent retirement are false.,"No news. All b.s. Bad info," ...

Tarik Skubal, confident Tigers set sights on Padres
Opening Day usually is about beginnings, hopes and dreams.,But for the Detroit Tigers in general and left-hander Tarik Skubal in particular, Thursday's season opener at the San Diego Padres might be about the beginning of the end as much as the start of a new season.,Unless Detroit breaks the bank a...

Report: Revs acquire F Marcos Zambrano on loan from RSL
The New England Revolution are acquiring forward Marcos Zambrano on loan from Real Salt Lake, The Athletic reported on Wednesday.,The deal includes a purchase option for Zambrano, who was part of the U.S. squad coached by Revolution head coach Marko Mitrovic at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup. ,Zambran...

Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers massive MVP, World Series favorites
The Los Angeles Dodgers hit Opening Day 2026 as massive favorites to accomplish a feat not seen in Major League Baseball in more than a quarter century.,The two-time defending world champions are attempting to become the first team to three-peat since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees. Ironically, it's...

Rapids acquire D Loic Williams from Granada CF
The Colorado Rapids acquired defender Loic Williams from Spanish side Granada CF on Wednesday.,The 24-year-old Spaniard is signed through 2029-30 with a club option for 2030-31.,Williams will occupy an international roster slot when he joins the Rapids this summer. ,<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"...

Twins place RHPs Travis Adams, David Festa on IL
The Minnesota Twins placed right-handers Travis Adams and David Festa on the 15-day injured list Wednesday.,The team also selected the contract of right-hander Cody Laweryson and designated catcher Alex Jackson for release or assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.,Adams, 26, has a right trice...

Minneapolis submits bid to host 2028 NFL Draft
Minneapolis has submitted a formal bid to host the 2028 NFL Draft at U.S. Bank Stadium.,Wendy Blackshaw, president and CEO of the Minnesota Sports and Events Commission, confirmed the bid to ESPN on Wednesday.,The draft is taking place in Pittsburgh next month and in Washington, D.C., in 2027.,The N...