v Page 18 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Rays eager to play role of spoiler in series vs. Blue Jays
The Tampa Bay Rays will miss the playoffs, but they can still influence the American League East race when they visit the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.,The Rays (77-82) will try to avoid having to watch a celebration as they conclude their season with a three-game series against a team attempti...

Astros can't afford defeat against Kyle Hendricks, Angels
The Houston Astros open a three-game series with the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., on Friday night still alive in the American League postseason race but needing some help to avoid missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016.,Houston (85-74) trails the Detroit Tigers (86-73) by one g...

Padres plot to end D-backs' chances, enhance own seeding
The San Diego Padres would love to finish the regular season with a bang and stay home to open the National League playoffs. The Arizona Diamondbacks would just love a chance to play in the postseason.,Neither team has a good chance to do what it really wants, but for one to succeed, it would have t...

Cubs expect to get Kyle Tucker back for final series vs. Cards
The Chicago Cubs expect to have a familiar face return to their lineup on Friday afternoon when they open their final regular-season series against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals.,All-Star right fielder Kyle Tucker likely will be activated from the 10-day injured list after being sidelined since S...

Phillies' Jhoan Duran could face ex-club in matchup with Twins
As the regular season winds down, the Philadelphia Phillies still have one goal remaining.,The Phillies have an outside chance of earning the No. 1 overall seed in the National League playoffs, and they can help their chances with a win on Friday against the visiting Minnesota Twins.,Philadelphia (9...

Reds' Zack Littell gets ball in critical game against Brewers
The visiting Cincinnati Reds will turn to right-hander Zack Littell to keep their postseason hopes on track when they face the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday in the opener of the final regular-season series.,Littell (10-8, 3.86 ERA) will be opposed by right-hander Quinn Priester (13-2, 3.25 ERA), who h...

Marlins' Sandy Alcantara in position to waylay Mets' plans
From the perspective of the New York Mets, Sandy Alcantara might as well change his name to Freddy Krueger.,With the Mets trying desperately to hold onto the final National League wild-card playoff berth, facing Alcantara and the Marlins in Miami on Friday night is a scary proposition.,Alcantara has...

Surging Yankees open series with Orioles still in running for AL East
The New York Yankees know they will be hosting postseason games next week, but they still would like to skip ahead to the American League Division Series.,Tied for the lead in the AL East, the Yankees will aim for their sixth straight win and hope to get some outside help on Friday night when they h...

Guardians control playoff destiny in pivotal series with Rangers
The Cleveland Guardians' magic number for clinching a postseason berth is two. It remains three for them to win the American League Central Division.,An exciting final series of the regular season is in store when Cleveland hosts the Texas Rangers in a three-game set.,Guardians right-hander Slade Ce...

Exhaling after ending skid, Tigers take division chase to Boston
The American League playoff picture will be in full focus as the Boston Red Sox host the Detroit Tigers in a regular season-ending, three-game series beginning on Friday night.,The teams holding the final two wild-card spots had opposite Thursday results, with the Red Sox (87-72) missing an opportun...

Charlotte FC push to lock up top-4 playoff spot against CF Montreal
After their nine-match winning streak came to an end on the road, Charlotte FC will look to improve on their MLS-best home record as they face visiting CF Montreal on Saturday.,Charlotte FC (17-12-2, 53 points) fell to New York City FC 2-0 on Sept. 20, falling one win shy of breaking the MLS record ...

D.C. United next up for Union in tight race for Supporters' Shield
The Philadelphia Union will try to maintain their increasingly fragile Supporters' Shield lead when they visit a D.C. United side that is showing improvement under its new manager.,The Union (18-7-6, 60 points) enter the weekend with a two-point lead on East rival Cincinnati and a three-point edge o...

Dolphins, Jets battle with each team hunting first win
The loser of Monday night's game between the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins can commence NFL draft preparations.,The two 0-3 AFC East rivals can't afford another stumble when they seek that elusive first victory at Miami Gardens, Fla.,The 1992 San Diego Chargers are the only team in NFL history to...

Playoff berth secured, Inter Miami takes on Toronto FC
Fresh off clinching an MLS Cup playoff berth with a 4-0 win Wednesday over New York City, Inter Miami CF will look to extend their win streak to four matches when they visit Toronto FC on Saturday night.,Miami (16-6-7, 55 points) sits third in the Eastern Conference standings with five matches remai...

Broncos, Bengals have chance to put tough losses behind them
The Cincinnati Bengals and the host Denver Broncos each will be looking for a rebound win when they meet Monday night.,In a rematch of one of the more memorable games of the 2024 season, the Bengals (2-1) head to Denver to take on a Broncos squad coming off a 23-20 road loss to the Los Angeles Charg...

Alouettes QB Davis Alexander set to return vs. Stampeders
Quarterback Davis Alexander is set to return from an eight-game absence on Friday when the Montreal Alouettes host the Calgary Stampeders.,Alexander has been sidelined by a hamstring injury he initially sustained in the second half of a 38-28 win at Edmonton on June 19. He returned just under one mo...

Mercury aim to ride momentum vs. Lynx in pivotal Game 3
The Phoenix Mercury have turned seizing home-court advantage into their postseason identity. ,The Mercury gained the upper hand in their WNBA semifinal series against the top-seed Minnesota Lynx with a Game 2 road victory Tuesday, and they will begin defense of their home floor in the third game of ...

FCS playoffs offered plan to go private
A proposal to the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) commissioners could eventually turn over management of the NCAA's Division 1 FCS playoffs to a private equity firm, Front Office Sports learned on Thursday.,Sequence Equity, a private equity firm, recently presented a plan to transfer the man...

Revs take 'belief' into visit from Atlanta United
A pair of teams looking to salvage something from disappointing seasons will meet on Saturday night when the New England Revolution host Atlanta United at Foxborough, Mass.,New England (8-15-8, 32 points) will try to snap a four-match winless stretch and earn its first home victory since beating D.C...

Back on track, Aces out for 'composure' in Game 3 vs. Fever
The Las Vegas Aces are now the team with plenty of momentum going into pivotal Game 3 of their WNBA semifinal series with the Indiana Fever on Friday.,After the teams each won a game at Las Vegas, the best-of-five series now shifts to Indianapolis.,The Aces responded from a Game 1 loss to dominate 9...