a Page 28 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights
Thunder Must Balance Championship Aspirations With Looming Contract Questions
After a disappointing end to their title defense, the Oklahoma City Thunder face key decisions involving Isaiah Hartenstein, Luguentz Dort, and the NBA Draft....
PFL CEO John Martin Details Bold Vision To Challenge UFC's MMA Dominance
PFL CEO John Martin discusses the promotion's overhaul, growth strategy, upcoming championship events, and plans to challenge the UFC....

Astros getting healthier ahead of series finale vs. Pirates
Before a six-run eighth inning set the stage for closer Josh Hader to make his season debut and lock down Houston's 11-9 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Astros received another dose of positive news on Wednesday.,Nine-time All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve participated in a light batting ...

Behind Chris Sale, Braves bid for series sweep of Blue Jays
The Atlanta Braves will send ace Chris Sale to the mound Thursday night when they vie for a three-game sweep over the visiting Toronto Blue Jays.,Sale (8-3, 2.01 ERA) has resembled his 2024 National League Cy Young Award-winning form, when he went 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA.,In 11 starts this season, the ...

After being 'suppressed,' Twins start series vs. Royals
The Minnesota Twins will look to rebound from being shut out for the first time this season when they open a four-game series against the Kansas City Royals on Thursday night in Minneapolis.,The Twins mustered just five hits and left seven runners on base in an 8-0 setback to the Chicago White Sox o...

Giants' Adrian Houser strives for success in return to Milwaukee
The visiting San Francisco Giants hope Adrian Houser will benefit from a return to familiar territory when they close their four-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday afternoon.,Houser (2-5, 5.59 ERA), who pitched in 129 games with Milwaukee over parts of his first seven seasons in t...

Yankees eager to subdue Jose Ramirez, Guardians
While the New York Yankees are seeking clarity on Aaron Judge's bone bruise in his rib, they also hope Jose Ramirez's bat cools down.,The Yankees, who will host Ramirez and the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday afternoon, will be without Judge for the third straight game because of the injury, which i...

Phillies aim to close out season sweep of Padres
Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies aim to sweep their season series with the visiting San Diego Padres when the teams square off Thursday afternoon.,The Phillies are 5-0 against the Padres this season, sweeping a three-game set in San Diego last week and taking the first two contests of this...

BetBoom Team, B8 move into Stage 2 at IEM Cologne Major
BetBoom Team and B8 became the first two teams to advance out of Stage 1 of the Intel Extreme Masters Cologne Major on Wednesday in Germany.,In matchups of teams that began the day with 2-0 records, BetBoom Team swept GamerLegion 2-0, and B8 defeated M80 2-0, capping the series with a triple-overtim...

Spurs own worst enemy late in Game 1 loss to Knicks
SAN ANTONIO -- Five-plus minutes through the third quarter of Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday, the New York Knicks' 11-game winning streak was in major jeopardy.,The Knicks missed nine of their first 10 shots in the early part of the period. They trailed the San Antonio Spurs by 14 points and ...

Reports: Steelers, TE Darnell Washington agree on 4-year extension
Coming off the best season of his young career, tight end Darnell Washington agreed to a four-year, $42 million contract extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers, multiple media outlets reported on Wednesday.,Washington, 24, will receive $21 million guaranteed, per the reports.,Last season, the 2023 t...

Shohei Ohtani shines on mound, at plate as Dodgers blank D-backs
Shohei Ohtani pitched six strong innings for his fourth straight victory and reached base five times at the plate as the Los Angeles Dodgers blanked the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-0 on Wednesday in Phoenix.,Kyle Tucker had three hits including a two-run homer for the Dodgers, who have won the past two a...

Angels pile up 16 hits to capture series finale vs. Rockies
Nick Madrigal and Wade Meckler had four hits apiece as the Los Angeles Angels salvaged the finale of a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies, winning 11-4 on Wednesday in Anaheim, Calif.,Los Angeles' Vaughn Grissom homered and drove in three runs. Madrigal had an RBI and a run, and Meckler ...

Adam Silver: NBA hopes to end Clippers probe soon
The NBA's investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers' alleged salary-cap violation is nearing the end, or so commissioner Adam Silver hopes.,Speaking ahead of Game 1 of the NBA Finals in San Antonio, Silver said that the inquiry is "close to the point now where I think we need to wrap this up.",In ...

Mercury halt 6-game skid as Storm drop 4th straight
Natasha Mack scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Phoenix Mercury snapped a six-game losing streak with a 72-68 victory against the host Seattle Storm in the WNBA Commissioner's Cup on Wednesday night.,Kahleah Copper also scored 16, Monique Akoa Makani tallied seven of her 12 points in th...

Rob Manfred 'of course' worried MLB could face repeat of 1994-95 strike
Because he served as a lawyer on the owners' bargaining team in 1994, current MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is all too familiar with the 1994-95 players strike that severely damaged the game, and he said on Wednesday he is concerned about a repeat this offseason.,That 1994-95 strike led to the cancel...

Astros erase 5-run deficit, emerge with 11-9 win over Pirates
Cam Smith lined a tiebreaking two-run triple down the first base line, capping a six-run eighth inning as the host Houston Astros rallied for an 11-9 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday.,Isaac Paredes' two-run home run in the seventh inning shaved Houston's five-run deficit to 8-5. After Pi...

Browns' Jared Verse focused on 'best version of me,' not replacing Myles Garrett
Jared Verse admitted Wednesday that he initially found the blockbuster trade that sent him from the Los Angeles Rams to the Cleveland Browns on Monday "upsetting," but after speaking to a pair of former teammates, the Pro Bowl edge rusher felt it was "time to work.",Verse, 25, the 2024 AP Defensive ...

Athletics score in 10th to finish off rally past Cubs
Nick Kurtz singled home the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th, Justin Sterner threw a 1-2-3 bottom of the inning for his first career save and the Athletics overcame the Chicago Cubs for a 5-4 road victory Wednesday night.,After scoring twice in the eighth to draw even, the A's got automatic baser...

Jalen Brunson sparks Knicks' rally past Spurs in Finals opener
SAN ANTONIO -- Jalen Brunson scored 13 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and the New York Knicks overcame a 14-point third-quarter deficit to post a 105-95 victory over the host San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.,Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 18 points and 12 rebounds ...