preview Page 199 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights
Rays welcome Rockies for debut at George M. Steinbrenner Field
After having a five-season playoff streak end, then suffering through a hurricane that ravaged their domed stadium, the Tampa Bay Rays begin season No. 28 in new digs when they welcome the Colorado Rockies for Opening Day on Friday afternoon.,Manager Kevin Cash will not man the first-base dugout of ...
Celtics likely to face red-hot Suns without Jayson Tatum
Celtics forward Jayson Tatum is doubtful to play Wednesday night due to an ankle injury when Boston visits the Phoenix Suns.,The fact Tatum wasn't declared out -- leaving open the possibility he could play -- suggests the six-time All-Star dodged a serious injury.,Tatum sprained his left ankle durin...
Padres' Michael King, Braves' Chris Sale make for magnificent Opening Day matchup
At this time last year, the San Diego Padres were hoping Michael King would become a solid starting pitcher.,Now?,King is their Opening Day starter, receiving the opportunity for the first time as the Padres welcome the Atlanta Braves for Thursday's opener.,"Very proud and happy for the opportunity,...
Flailing Bruins try to play with more 'calm' vs. Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks host the Boston Bruins in a Wednesday night cross-conference matchup of two teams looking to keep their ultra-slim playoff hopes alive with three weeks remaining in the regular season.,Boston has lost six straight games (0-5-1), including the first three of a five-game road trip af...
Other Oilers stepping up in stars' absence as Dallas visits
The Edmonton Oilers won their first-ever game without both halves of their dynamic duo since Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl became NHL teammates in the 2015-16 season.,But that was against the Seattle Kraken, a non-playoff club. Now, the quest for the Oilers is to find the win column when the Sta...
Nuggets, Bucks resisting urge to put wins over health
With only a few weeks left in the regular season, playoff-bound teams have to decide whether to prioritize wins or health.,The Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets both have chosen health over potential playoff seeding as they prepare for their matchup Wednesday night in Colorado.,The Bucks (40-31) ar...
Nets, Raptors playing the (NBA draft) odds
The Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors are separated by two games in the NBA's second-most important standings -- the race for the best lottery odds that lead to drafting Duke star Cooper Flagg.,While their players are trying to prove themselves in the NBA, both teams' management might prefer to incr...
Lakers look to halt woes in matchup with soaring Pacers
The visiting Los Angeles Lakers will look to rely on their superstars to pull them out of a slump on Wednesday, when they face the surging Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis.,Los Angeles (43-28) has dropped three in a row and seven of 10 entering play, as it desperately tries to hold on to a top-four se...
Guardians, Royals look to continue momentum in AL Central clash
The Cleveland Guardians and Kansas City Royals emerged as surprise playoff teams last season.,Now comes the challenging part: Meeting heightened expectations.,The Guardians and Royals will each look to begin marching back to the playoffs Thursday afternoon, when Cleveland visits Kansas City in an Op...
After rough homestand, Devils aim for more consistency at Chicago
The New Jersey Devils have occupied third place in the Metropolitan Division for more than two months and hold a seven-point edge on the New York Islanders and New York Rangers with 10 games remaining.,While that may seem like plum playoff positioning entering Wednesday's visit to the slumping Chica...
Islanders, Canucks eye playoffs in battle of ninth-place teams
The state of their rosters and the arc of their seasons do not suggest the New York Islanders and Vancouver Canucks should still be in the postseason race less than a month before the Stanley Cup playoffs begins.,But the Islanders and Canucks will both attempt to continue their unlikely playoff push...
Wizards, 76ers continue to wrap up lost seasons
Something has to give Wednesday when the Washington Wizards visit the Philadelphia 76ers with each team looking to snap a five-game losing streak.,Washington (15-56) owns the worst record in the NBA, although the Wizards were likely anticipating a season full of growing pains for their young, inexpe...
Phillies begin NL East defense against hopeful Nationals
The Philadelphia Phillies start the defense of their National League East title when they visit the Washington Nationals on Thursday.,The Phillies outdistanced the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets by six games for the division title last season -- finishing 95-67 -- but lost a division series to the...
New-look Astros open season vs. Juan Soto, Mets
The Houston Astros will open the 2025 season by hosting the New York Mets on Thursday while seeking two objectives: to pursue a ninth consecutive playoff appearance and to close the book on a tumultuous offseason that included the departure of two franchise stalwarts.,With third baseman Alex Bregman...
Garrett Crochet to make Red Sox debut vs. Rangers
Two teams looking to jump back into American League contention clash in a season-opening series as the Texas Rangers host the Boston Red Sox. The first of four games is set for Thursday afternoon in Arlington, Texas.,Following three straight playoff misses, the Red Sox made an offseason splash by ad...
Orioles, Blue Jays open season with AL East rivalry showdown
The Toronto Blue Jays and the visiting Baltimore Orioles plunge right into a significant AL East confrontation to start the season on Thursday afternoon.,The Blue Jays are opening the season at home for the first time since 2022 with the four-game series after starting on the road in 2023-24 because...
Jackson Chourio, Brewers bid for fast start in opener vs. Yankees
The Milwaukee Brewers and New York Yankees endured difficult endings to their respective postseason runs last season. They also lost a big bat from their lineup.,While the Brewers blew a two-run lead in the ninth inning in Game 3 of their National League wild-card series, the Yankees squandered a fi...
Grizzlies out to halt slide in visit to rebuilding Jazz
After opening their five-game road trip with three straight losses, the Memphis Grizzlies received needed rest ahead of their matchup against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday in Salt Lake City.,Memphis (43-28) is set to play for the first time since losing 128-108 to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday. The ...
Rockets face hot-shooting Hawks focused on 'health and good basketball'
While a nine-game winning streak propelled Houston to second place in the Western Conference standings, it didn't create enough of a cushion over the small handful of teams also vying for the coveted second seed in the West for the Rockets to feel comfortable.,Not only did the Rockets' 116-111 home ...
Jets, Capitals square off in battle of NHL's best
The Winnipeg Jets will take on the visiting Washington Capitals on Tuesday night in a clash between the top two clubs in the NHL.,Washington (47-15-8, 102 points) is the only team to punch its ticket to the NHL postseason, and the Jets (48-19-4, 100 points) can secure their own playoff berth with a ...