ABC News – Breaking News, Latest News, Headlines & Videos (2023)

The Carolina Panthers are listening to other teams about a potential trade for star running back Christian McCaffrey, although a deal might not be easy to complete, league sources tell ESPN.The Panthers rebuffed at least two teams' inquiries into trading for McCaffrey last week and will continue to reject overtures they don't consider significant offers, according to sources.Listening hardly means the team is dealing McCaffrey. If the Panthers do not receive what they feel is a real offer -- with a high draft pick or multiple picks -- they are adamant that they will hold on to McCaffrey past the NFL's Nov. 1 trade deadline, sources told ESPN.What makes McCaffrey so attractive to other teams -- aside from his talent -- is his contract situation. During the spring, the former Pro Bowler lowered his base salary for the 2022 season to just $1.035 million -- meaning any team that acquires him in a trade would have no issues squeezing his contract under its salary...

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Fathers sometimes have no choice but to discipline their children -- but rarely in the way that unfolded this weekend in the NFL.Packers guard Jon Runyan Jr. received a letter from his father, Jon Runyan, the NFL's vice president of football operations, who notified his son that he has been fined $5,215 for leg-whipping an opponent during the first quarter of Green Bay's loss last Sunday to the Giants in London.In the letter, the senior Runyan also warned his son that "further offenses will result in an escalation of disciplinary action, up to and including suspension."It was a challenging week for Runyan, who also fined Tom Brady -- his former college teammate and roommate at Michigan -- $11,139 for kicking Falcons defensive lineman Grady Jarrett.In the letter that Runyan sent to his son, he signed it, "Sincerely Jon Runyan" -- not father, dad or any familiar family moniker.It is believed to be one of the first -- if not the first...

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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Former Super Bowl champion Vinny Curry, who missed the 2021 season due to complications in the aftermath of a splenectomy, was activated from injured reserve Saturday and will make his New York Jets debut against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, a source told ESPN.Curry, 34, who last played in 2020 as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, battled back from a potentially life-threatening health situation. The defensive end has a rare blood disorder that resulted in an enlarged spleen, which was discovered by Jets doctors in June 2021 -- three months after signing a one-year contract with the team.Even after his spleen was removed, Curry intended to play last season, but he developed a blood clot during training, forcing him to season-ending injured reserve. He vowed to return, saying his goal was to be back in 2022.He re-signed with the Jets but suffered a hamstring injury this summer and again landed on IR. He was cleared...

2 hours ago

PHILADELPHIA -- In his first postseason start since suffering a fractured foot last October, Atlanta Braves right-hander Charlie Morton had to leave Game 4 of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies after taking a line drive off his pitching elbow in the second inning.Morton, 38, finished the inning after giving up a three-run homer to Brandon Marsh, but couldn't continue after warming up for the third. He was replaced by Collin McHugh, who promptly gave up an inside-the-park home run to Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto.Morton wasn't fooling the Phillies, getting in trouble in both of his innings. He got hit squarely in the elbow by an Alec Bohm lightly hit line drive to lead off the second. Three batters later, Marsh hit his blast, giving the Phillies a 3-0 lead.One inning later, Realmuto hit one to deep center field as the ball bounced off the wall toward right, escaping rookie Michael Harris. Realmuto motored around...

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The Golden State Warriors and guard Jordan Poole have agreed to a four-year, $140 million contract extension, his agents, Drew Morrison and Austin Brown of CAA Sports, told ESPN on Saturday.The extension comes ahead of Monday's deadline for members of the 2019 NBA draft class. It also comes in the aftermath of Draymond Green's punch of Poole during a recent practice session that shook the franchise.Poole, 23, has emerged as one of the best young guards in the league, and the extension represents a commitment to him as one of the Warriors' cornerstones for years to come. Poole, the 28th overall pick in 2019, has developed into a significant offensive player for the defending NBA champions.He started 51 games for the Warriors last season, averaging career highs in points (18.5), assists (4.0) and rebounds (3.4) before a spectacular run in the playoffs -- when he scored 25 points on 60% shooting six times in the team's title run, according to ESPN Stats &...

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Star NC State quarterback Devin Leary will miss the remainder of the season with a torn pectoral muscle, the school announced prior to the No. 15 Wolfpack's game at No. 18 Syracuse on Saturday.Leary, the ACC preseason player of the year, suffered the injury against Florida State last week."Additional imaging caused NC State's orthopedic team to determine that surgery to a torn pectoral muscle was the best course of action," the school said in a statement Saturday. "There is no damage to his shoulder and he is expected to make a full recovery."Leary's surgery will be performed by Dr. James Andrews next week in Florida, the statement said.Leary, a fifth-year player, is one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in the sport. He has thrown for 6,807 yards and 62 touchdowns in his career with 11 touchdowns and four interceptions this season.NC State will start Jack Chambers, a graduate transfer from Charleston Southern who arrived in 2022...

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Dikembe Mutombo is undergoing treatment for a brain tumor, the NBA announced Saturday on behalf of the Hall of Fame center and his family.The NBA said in a statement that Mutombo -- who ranks second in NBA history for career blocks -- is beginning treatment in Atlanta and is in "great spirits.""Dikembe and his family ask for privacy during this time so they can focus on his care," the league said. "They are grateful for your prayers and good wishes."Mutombo, 56, played 18 NBA seasons for the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks and Houston Rockets before retiring after the 2008-09 season.He was the league's top defensive player four times, earned three All-NBA selections and played in eight All-Star Games over 18 seasons. Mutombo ranks 17th in rebounds (12,359) and finished with 3,289 career blocks, second to Hakeem Olajuwon (3,830). Mutombo followed most blocks with a...

October 15

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan assistant Mike Hart returned to his duties for Saturday's game against Penn State, a week after suffering a medical emergency on the sideline at Indiana.Hart, a record-setting Michigan running back, worked with the backs during warmups alongside Fred Jackson, a longtime former Wolverines assistant who stepped in this week during Hart's recovery. When the game kicked off, Hart was in his usual spot on the sideline.The 36-year-old collapsed during the first quarter of the Indiana game, and was carted off the field and taken to a local hospital in stable condition.Hart released a statement Monday that he had returned to Ann Arbor and his health was improving. Head coach Jim Harbaugh said Jackson, a Michigan assistant from 1992 to 2014 who coached Hart and other standout running backs, would handle Hart's duties in his absence.Hart set Michigan records for both carries (1,015) and rushing yards (5,040) while playing from 2004...

October 15

The Golden State Warriors and guard Jordan Poole are finalizing a four-year, $140 million contract extension, his agents, Drew Morrison and Austin Brown of CAA Sports, told ESPN on Saturday.The sides are finalizing the details on the rookie scale extension Saturday, and a formal agreement is expected later in the day, Morrison and Brown said.Poole's extension comes ahead of Monday's deadline for members of the 2019 NBA draft class. It also comes in the aftermath of Draymond Green's punch of Poole during a recent practice session that shook the franchise.Poole, 23, has emerged as one of the best young guards in the league, and his extension represents a commitment to him as one of the Warriors' cornerstones for years to come. Poole, the 28th overall pick in 2019, has developed into a significant offensive player for the defending NBA champions.He started 51 games for the Warriors last season, averaging career highs in points (18.5), assists (4.0) and...

October 15

Washington Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz fractured a finger on his throwing hand and will see a specialist in Los Angeles on Monday, a source confirmed to ESPN.The specialist will determine what the fracture means in terms of how much time he might have to miss. Washington hosts the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 23.If Wentz can't play, it is expected that Taylor Heinicke would replace him. The Commanders also have rookie fifth-round pick Sam Howell, who has been inactive for each game.Wentz hurt his finger with 2 minutes left in the first half when, on his follow-through, his hand hit the arm of Chicago Bears defensive lineman Justin Jones. Wentz could be seen shaking his hand after that play and later on the drive. He never came out of the game, a 12-7 win for Washington.NFL Network first reported on Wentz's finger injury.It has been a rocky start to Wentz's Washington career. The Commanders have struggled to protect him,...

October 15

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was cleared from concussion protocol Saturday, a source said, but he will not play this week against the Minnesota Vikings.Tagovailoa is expected to return for the Dolphins' Week 7 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a source said.Tagovailoa has not played since leaving the field on a stretcher after suffering a concussion in Week 4 when he was spun to the ground and hit his head on the turf. That tackle was similar to one from a week before, after which Tagovailoa appeared unsteady on his feet but was allowed to return to the game after clearing concussion testing.After Tagovailoa suffered the Week 4 concussion, the quarterback, his team of independent doctors and the Dolphins followed a thorough process that far exceeded the NFL's concussion protocol, sources said. He received four outside opinions, in addition to the opinions of team doctors, who unanimously cleared him from the protocol, and all agreed...

October 15

Star NC State quarterback Devin Leary will be out for the No. 15 Wolfpack's game at No. 18 Syracuse on Saturday, sources told ESPN.Leary, the ACC preseason player of the year, injured his shoulder against Florida State last week. Coach Dave Doeren has set a timetable where Leary's return could be anywhere from a week to six weeks. For the first week, Leary is not ready to return.Leary, a fifth-year player, is one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in the sport. He has thrown for 6,807 yards and 62 touchdowns in his career. He has thrown for 11 touchdowns and four interceptions this season.NC State will start Jack Chambers, a graduate transfer from Charleston Southern who arrived in 2022 and has yet to start a game for the Wolfpack. Chambers did not complete a pass in relief against Florida State, but he did lead the Wolfpack on a pair of fourth-quarter field goal drives that allowed them to take the lead and win the game.Chambers did flash a...

October 15

SAN DIEGO -- Time after time, the Los Angeles Dodgers have put themselves in premium run-scoring opportunities and failed to capitalize.An 0-for-8 showing with runners in scoring position in Wednesday's Game 2 of the National League Division Series was followed by an 0-for-9 showing in Friday's Game 3. Their hitless streak in those situations has extended to 19 at-bats, tied for their longest rut of the season and marking their longest in a single playoff since 1981. Now their dominant season -- of 111 wins and a plus-334 run-differential, tied for the fourth-largest in history -- is on the verge of ending at the hands of the same San Diego Padres team they steamrolled over the previous six months. The postseason can often feel this sudden."They're pitching good right now, and we're not hitting," Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman said after Los Angeles' 2-1 loss at Petco Park, which gave the Padres a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-five series....

October 15

STORRS,Conn. -- 2020-21 national player of the year Paige Bueckers may be out this upcoming season due to injury, but UConn women's basketball head coach Geno Auriemma is still confident in his program's ability to bring in another national title at some point in the future."We're going to win another one," Auriemma told reporters prior to the school's "First Night" pep rally. "It's just a matter of when. I don't know when that is, but we're going win another one. Sooner rather than later would be good for me."Auriemma, 68, led his squad to the national title game in April, the program's first appearance since 2016, where it fell to South Carolina. It marked the first time UConn fell in the national championship game, having gone 11-0 in prior instances. With reigning national player of the year Aliyah Boston back this season as a senior and three other returning starters in tow, the Gamecocks figure to be the favorites to win it all in 2022-23.The...

October 15

Lakers guard Russell Westbrookwill be reevaluated Saturday after exiting Los Angeles' 133-86 loss to the host Sacramento Kings on Friday night with a left hamstring injury.Westbrook exited the court in the first quarter, but it was unclear how he suffered the injury.Coach Darvin Ham said after the game that Westbrook told him he thought he'd be OK.Westbrook was coming off the bench in the Lakers' preseason finale, a move Ham said before the game was "not a demotion" but "a realignment."Westbrook entered midway through the first quarter and missed two 3-pointers and had two turnovers in five minutes before leaving with the injury.LeBron James led the Lakers with 12 points, playing 20 minutes. Los Angeles also was without Anthony Davis, with the big man skipping the trip for precautionary reasons because of lower-back tightness.Davis is expected to be in the lineup Tuesday for the regular-season opener at the defending champion Golden...

October 15

Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook left Friday's game against the Sacramento Kings with a hamstring injury and will not return.Westbrook exited the court in the first quarter, but it was unclear how he suffered the injury.Westbrook was coming off the bench in the Lakers' preseason finale, a move coach Darvin Ham said before the game was "not a demotion" but "a realignment."The Lakers were also without Anthony Davis for the preseason finale. Davis did not make the trip to Sacramento, with Los Angeles holding him out for precautionary reasons as he continues to manage lower back tightness, according to the team.Davis is expected to be in the lineup Tuesday for the regular-season opener against the Golden State Warriors.Point guard Dennis Schroder also did not play against the Kings because of a thumb injury that will sideline him for the start of the season, sources told ESPN.ESPN'sAdrian Wojnarowski and Dave McMenamin...

October 14

Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook left Friday's game against the Sacramento Kings with a hamstring injury and will not return.Westbrook exited the court in the first quarter but it was unclear how he suffered the injury.Westbrook was coming off the bench in the Lakers' preseason finale, a move coach Darvin Ham said before the game was "not a demotion" but "a realignment."The Lakers were also without Anthony Davis for the preseason finale. Davis did not make the trip to Sacramento, with Los Angeles holding him out for precautionary reasons as he continues to manage lower back tightness, according to the team.Davis is expected to be in the lineup Tuesday for the regular-season opener against the Golden State Warriors.Point guard Dennis Schroder also did not play against the Kings because of a thumb injury that will sideline him for the start of the season, sources told ESPN.ESPN'sAdrian Wojnarowski and Dave McMenamin...

October 14

PHILADELPHIA -- It's not like Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins needed extra motivation, but when the Braves walked Kyle Schwarber intentionally, just before Hoskins stepped to the plate in the third inning of Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Friday, his focus narrowed just a little bit more."Yes, of course," Hoskins said after the Phillies' 9-1 win. "I'm human. I'm a competitor. They're obviously telling me something right away before I even step in the box."The move told Hoskins the Braves would rather face him than Kyle Schwarber who was 0 for 17 in the series to that point. One of the longest tenured Phillies made Atlanta pay when Hoskins jumped on starter Spencer Strider's first pitch for a three run home run, igniting a raucous Philadelphia crowd.Strider was returning from an injury and hadn't pitched since Sept. 18. After two solid innings on Friday, he began to tire."We wanted him to go four, originally," Braves...

October 14

For Jim Boeheim, the only true barometer of a conference's success is its record in the NCAA tournament.Based on that criteria, the longtime Syracusecoach said the Big Ten, which finished 9-9 in the NCAA tournament last year, was inferior to the ACC, which finished 14-5 and sent three teams to the Elite Eight."At the end of the day, you play for the [NCAA] tournament," Boeheim said Friday at his team's media day. "You can say what you want about the Big Ten. They sucked in the tournament. To me, that's what they did. All of their wins were in their league. If you can't play in the [NCAA] tournament, then you're not good."Last season, the Big Ten secured nine NCAA tournament bids on Selection Sunday but only Michigan and Purdue reached the second weekend. Both teams were eliminated in the Sweet 16, extending the drought of a league that hasn't captured the national championship since 2000.Last year, the ACC had just five bids -- its lowest tally...

October 14

The Los Angeles Lakers will bring Russell Westbrook off the bench for their final preseason game, a move that might be a precursor to a longer look at the nine-time All-Star guard quarterbacking the second team."He totally understood," coach Darvin Ham told reporters when asked about Westbrook before Friday night's game against the Sacramento Kings. "He totally looked me in my eye and said, 'Yeah, Coach, whatever you need me to do.' You can't take that for granted, for a player of his stature to be willing to try something different, something that he's unaccustomed to. I mean, he started a bunch of games in this league and performed at the highest level in this league. Hell, even being a MVP."So for him to trust us and trust what we're trying to do and what we're trying to take some notes on -- to see if him being in that part of the rotation has any benefit to us as a whole -- again, my hat's off to him. I salute him, because a lot of guys would have...

October 14

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- No. 3 Alabama coach Nick Saban told ESPN on Friday that quarterback Bryce Young is on track to play Saturday at No. 6 Tennessee, but that the final decision will be made during pregame warm-ups."He's done a lot more in practice this week and thrown a lot more than he did a week ago," Saban said. "He wants to play and feels like he's healthy enough to play. We'll know for sure once he gets on the field, starts throwing and how he feels then."Young is expected to start against Tennessee on Saturday, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel.He remains a game-time decision, but there's cautious optimism that his injured shoulder will be ready.Young, the Heisman Trophy winner a year ago, missed Alabama's 24-20 win last week over Texas A&M after spraining his right throwing shoulder a week earlier against Arkansas.Saban said last week that Young was a game-time decision, but Alabama decided prior to the game that he wasn't...

October 14

NEW YORK -- It didn't matter that Aaron Judge hit 62 home runs during the season. The ruthless crowd at Yankee Stadium will boo anybody if it believes they are underperforming. And on Friday during the Yankees' 4-2 loss to Cleveland in Game 2 of the ALDS, Judge became the target.As he walked back to the dugout in the seventh inning after striking out for the fourth time on Friday, Yankees fans booed Judge, who is now 0-for-8 with seven strikeouts through the first two games of the ALDS. With his fourth strikeout on Friday, Judge tallied his fourth four-strikeout playoff game, the most of any player in MLB history."There's nothing I can do. I gotta play better," Judge said. "That's what it comes down to. Didn't do the job tonight."Throughout the game, Cleveland's pitchers targeted Judge with breaking balls down and away on the outer half of the plate. When Judge received pitches he could hit in the middle of the strike zone, he swung late, a consistent...

October 14

A man injured in an alleged felony battery by New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara and three other men, including Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Christopher Lammons, filed a civil lawsuit in Louisiana against Kamara on Friday.The lawsuit filed in Orleans Parish by Darnell Greene Jr. alleges that Kamara and the other men involved beat Greene and stomped on him when he was on the floor unconscious outside of a Las Vegas nightclub on the morning of Feb. 5, prior to the Pro Bowl. It alleges that Kamara shoved Greene into a wall, repeatedly punched him in the face, including after he had fallen to the ground, and bragged about the assault to a friend as they were leaving the club.Greene's lawsuit asks for a jury trial and compensatory and punitive damages of no less than $10 million. It seeks $5 million in actual damages for "pecuniary losses, pain and suffering, disfigurement, mental anguish, and past, present, and future medical expenses" and...

October 14

A man injured in an alleged felony battery by New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara and three other men, including Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Christopher Lammons, filed a civil lawsuit in Louisiana against Kamara on Friday.The lawsuit filed in Orleans Parish by Darnell Greene Jr. alleges that Kamara and other men involved beat Greene and stomped on him when he was on the floor unconscious outside of a Las Vegas nightclub on the morning of Feb. 5, prior to the Pro Bowl earlier this year. It alleges that Kamara shoved Greene into a wall, repeatedly punched him in the face, including after he had fallen to the ground, and bragged about the assault to a friend as they were leaving the club.Greene's lawsuit asks for a jury trial and compensatory and punitive damages of no less than $10 million. It seeks $5 million in actual damages for "pecuniary losses, pain and suffering, disfigurement, mental anguish, and past, present, and future medical...

October 14

The alleged victim in a felony battery case against New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara and three other men, including Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Christopher Lammons, filed a civil lawsuit in Louisiana against Kamara on Friday.The lawsuit filed in Orleans Parish by Darnell Greene Jr. alleges that Kamara and other men involved beat Greene and stomped on him when he was on the floor unconscious outside of a Las Vegas nightclub on the morning of Feb. 5, prior to the Pro Bowl earlier this year. It alleges that Kamara shoved Greene into a wall, repeatedly punched Greene in the face, including after he had fallen to the ground, and bragged about the assault to one of his friends as they were leaving the club.Greene's lawsuit asks for a jury trial and compensatory and punitive damages of no less than $10 million. Specifically, the lawsuit asks for $5 million in actual damages for "pecuniary losses, pain and suffering, disfigurement, mental anguish,...

October 14

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Aaron Rodgers may have to tape his right thumb for the Sunday game against the New York Jets.But even if he does, Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur doesn't think it will prevent his quarterback from making any throws.Rodgers, who injured the thumb on his throwing hand on the final play of the loss this past Sunday to the New York Giants, practiced with it wrapped in tape Thursday and Friday. He was listed as a full participant in both sessions and was removed from the injury report Friday. He did not practice at all Wednesday, when he said he received treatment from the medical staff."He threw the ball really well yesterday," LaFleur said Friday, "so he's confident."When asked if Rodgers will have play with his thumb taped, LaFleur said, "No idea."Rodgers won't have rookie receiver Christian Watson. He was ruled out after aggravating a hamstring injury against the Giants. LaFleur said the Packers are considering...

October 14

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Los Angeles Rams running back Cam Akers will not play Sunday against the Carolina Panthers after missing practice the past two days for what was listed as personal reasons, coach Sean McVay said Friday.McVay declined to go into details about why Akers would not play, saying the Rams are "working through some different things with Cam." Asked whether he expects Akers to be a part of the team going forward, McVay reiterated, "We're working through some different things right now."After the Rams' season-opening loss to the Buffalo Bills, McVay told reporters that he had a conversation with Akers about needing to play with more urgency, noting the reason the pair had that discussion is "a result of my confidence in him and the expectations we have and what we need him to be, which isn't anything more than what he's capable of." Akers later said that conversation occurred during training camp.Akers has 151 rushing yards and a...

October 14

Though a story published by ESPN on Thursday signaled a rift between longtime confidants Jerry Jones and Dan Snyder, the Cowboys owner brushed off the reporting."Anything in that was news to me,'' Jones said during his weekly Dallas radio appearance. "I don't have those kinds of problems.''One owner was told by Snyder directly that he "has dirt" on Jones," according to a team source in ESPN's report. While Jones historically has been one of Snyder's closest allies, he recently told confidants that he "might not be able" to protect the Washington Commanders owner any longer, a source told ESPN.Cowboys spokesman Jim Wilkinson declined to comment to The Associated Press about the article.Snyder's status is not on the agenda to be voted on at the next owners meeting Tuesday in New York, and there's no reason to believe -- as of yet -- that there are the 24 necessary votes in favor of removing him. Jones and his influence would explain that.Jones said he has not...

October 14

TAMPA, Fla. -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady has been fined $11,139 for attempting to kick Atlanta Falcons defensive end Grady Jarrett on a sack in the Bucs' 21-15 victory over the Falcons last week, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.The NFL notified Brady of the fine Friday after reviewing the play where Jarrett was flagged for unnecessary roughness for slinging Brady to the ground. In retaliation, Brady kicked his foot up while on the ground but did not appear to make contact with Jarrett.Jarrett was flagged for roughing the passer on a controversial call on third-and-5 with 3:03 left, giving the Bucs new life at the Atlanta 32, which allowed the Bucs to close out the game.The NFL fine for striking/kicking/kneeing is $11,139 for a first offense and $16,444 for a second offense.It's not the first time Brady has been fined for attempting to kick another player. In 2013, Brady was fined $10,000 for attempting to kick former ...

October 14

The NFL notified Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady on Friday that it is fining him $11,139 for attempting to kick Atlanta Falcons' defensive lineman Grady Jarrett during Sunday's game, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.The incident occurred when Jarrett was flagged for slinging Brady to the ground during Tampa Bay's 21-15 win over Atlanta. Brady tried to kick Jarrett as both players were getting up, but he didn't appear to make contact.Fines for kicking are $11,139 for a first offense and $16,444 for a second.When asked if he was aware Brady may have tried to kick Jarrett, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles told ESPN that he "didn't see any of it so I couldn't answer that question."Jarrett and Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Chris Jonesare automatically subject to fines for roughing penalties in Week 5 that sparked outrage among players, coaches and fans because the hits didn't seem to warrant flags.Fines for...

October 14

Baseball Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter has died at the age of 69.Sutter was the first pitcher to enter Cooperstown without ever starting a game. Elected to the Hall of Fame on his 13th ballot in 2006, Sutter became the fourth reliever to reach the Hall of Fame after amassing 300 saves with the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves.A six-time All-Star, Sutter won the Cy Young Award in 1979 after recording a league-best 37 saves over 101 1/3 innings of work for the Cubs.He was remembered by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred on Friday as "one of the key figures who foreshadowed how the use of relievers would evolve."After spending the first five years of his career in Chicago, he was traded to the rival Cardinals in 1981 and won a World Series with St. Louis in 1982."Bruce will be remembered as one of the best pitchers in the histories of two of our most historic franchises," Manfred said in a statement. "On behalf of Major League Baseball, I...

October 14

The Los Angeles Lakers will bring Russell Westbrook off the bench for their final preseason game, a move that might be a precursor to a longer look at the nine-time All-Star guard quarterbacking the second team, sources told ESPN on Friday.Lakers coach Darvin Ham and Westbrook discussed the possibility of him serving as a sixth man throughout the offseason, and sources said the two discussed it again Thursday ahead of the road game Friday against the Sacramento Kings.The Lakers want to give Westbrook a chance to play both faster and freer with the ball in his hands leading the second unit, something perhaps mirroring the autonomy that Rajon Rondo had during the 2019-20 season.Westbrook, who is on a $47 million expiring contract, has been the subject of numerous trade discussions throughout the offseason, and that is expected to continue through the start of the regular season and toward the February trade deadline. Westbrook has started 1,004 of his...

October 14

Diana Kipyokei could be stripped of her victory at the 2021 Boston Marathon after she was provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit for using a banned substance that was found in a test taken after her win.Kipyokei and Kenyan compatriot Betty Wilson Lempus were found to have used the banned substance triamcinolone acetonide, the AIU said Friday. Both runners have also been charged with obstructing the AIU's investigation by providing false information or documentation."After extensive investigations, the AIU has provisionally suspended two Kenyan marathoners -- Diana Kipyokei and Betty Wilson Lempus -- and charged them with various breaches of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules," the AIU said via a statement. "These alleged anti-doping rule violations stem from probes into the information provided by the athletes to explain Adverse Analytical Findings (AAF) for metabolites of triamcinolone acetonide in samples."Kipyokei's sample was taken after her victory in...

October 14

PHILADELPHIA -- The Atlanta Braves will turn to rookie Spencer Strider to start Game 3 of their divisional series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday afternoon and veteran Charlie Morton will get the ball in Game 4, the team announced Friday morning.Strider, 23, hasn't pitched in a game since Sept. 18 because of a minor oblique issue, but after several bullpen sessions over the past week, the Braves declared him ready to go.The team waited to make the announcement as it contemplated how he would be most effective in the best-of-five series after not throwing in a game for almost a month. Atlanta also could have pitched him out of the bullpen."We're going to use him," Braves manager Brian Snitker said Thursday. "That's probably the biggest discussion, is how we're going to use this kid for our best advantage."Strider was fantastic during the regular season, when he posted a 2.67 ERA as a reliever and then a starter. He's likely to...

October 14

Philadelphia Phillies minor league pitcher Corey Phelan has died of cancer at the age of 20, the team announced Thursday.Phelan had joined the Phillies out of high school as an undrafted free agent in 2020 before being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in April 2022."The Phillies family is extremely saddened by the tragic passing of Corey Phelan," Phillies director of player development Preston Mattingly said in a statement. "Corey's positive presence and selflessness influenced everyone around him. While he was incredibly passionate about the game of baseball, his love for his family and his strong faith superseded everything else. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, as well as his teammates and staff who were by his side, providing emotional support throughout the course of his courageous battle with cancer."Prior to his diagnosis, Phelan made five relief appearances for the Phillies' Florida Complex League team in 2021, posting a 0.93 ERA.

October 14

CHICAGO -- Standing at the dais postgame still partially in uniform with grass stains all over his white pants -- a sign of how many hits he took in a 12-7 loss to the Washington Commanderson Thursday night -- Bearsquarterback Justin Fields voiced frustration over what has resulted in Chicago dropping three straight games while stumbling to a 2-4 start."We always get told that 'we're almost there, we're almost there,'" Fields said. "Me, personally, I'm tired of being almost there. I'm tired of being just this close. I feel like I've been hearing it for so long now. At the end of the day, all you can do is get back to work. That's the only reaction you have. You live and you learn. Just get back next week and keep going, keep getting better."The catalyst of the loss to the Commanders was Chicago's inability to score on three trips inside the red zone, the second time that's happened in its past three games. The Bears also went 0-for-3 in the red zone...

October 14

CHICAGO -- Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera strongly defended his role in acquiring quarterback Carson Wentz, then ended his news conference by walking off the podium."I'm sorry, I'm done," Rivera said as he headed toward an exit door after Washington's 12-7 win over the Chicago Bears on Thursday.Rivera was fired up during much of his news conference, upset about certain penalties or what he called undisciplined play. He also was animated about what his players had been through the past four games -- all losses. But he saved his most heated comments about Wentz.In an ESPN story Thursday, it was reported that owner Dan Snyder was the one who wanted Wentz. Washington traded for Wentz this past winter.Rivera strongly denied that the owner demanded they trade for Wentz. Rivera had compiled a list of analytics that showed Wentz's effectiveness and had him on a list of desired quarterbacks to possibly acquire entering the offseason. He...

October 14

HOUSTON -- No starting pitcher in baseball throws a sinker like Luis Castillo's. The ball starts on one side of the plate and ends up on the other, moving nearly a foot and a half horizontally on average, an optical illusion of a pitch if executed correctly, which the 73rd of his American League Division Series start Thursday unquestionably was. The only problem: Yordan Alvarez, the beyond-talented Houston Astros slugger, stood at the plate ready to prove the pitch's fallibility.The sinker left Castillo's hand at 98 mph, wound up 4 inches off an outside corner and landed 371 feet away -- another day, another playoff game, another deficit-erasing, go-ahead home run by Alvarez, another victory for the Astros, this one 4-2 over the Seattle Mariners to give Houston a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five ALDS.By now, Alvarez's bona fides need no burnishing: At 25 years old, he is one of the finest, if not the very best, left-handed hitters in the world....

October 13

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- After several videos went viral making it appear Russell Westbrook was intentionally distancing himself from teammates during the Los Angeles Lakers' preseason loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, the veteran guard offered context to debunk any signs of discord.In one video, shot on a phone by Instagram user Michael Morales from a seat located behind the Lakers' bench, Westbrook is seen greeting teammates near the foul line during player introductions and then running to the bench alone, while the Lakers huddled up."Pregame, I've been doing that since I've been in the league for years, man," Westbrook said after practice Thursday. "I think they just cut the video and obviously the internet is going to take it and run with whatever they need to run with. But, I've been doing the same ritual since I've been in the league."Westbrook's wife, Nina, responded to a Twitter user who showed several photos and videos of Westbrook...

October 13

BEREA, Ohio -- Another woman has filed a civil lawsuit against Deshaun Watson, alleging the suspended Cleveland Browns quarterback pressured her into oral sex during a massage session in 2020.It is the 26th known lawsuit filed against Watson, accusing him of inappropriate sexual misconduct or sexual assault during massages.In the lawsuit filed Thursday in Harris County (Texas), Watson is accused of soliciting the plaintiff over Instagram with a direct message for a massage at a Houstonian hotel room in Texas in December 2020, while he was a member of the Texans. The lawsuit states that during the session, Watson "continually pressured [the plaintiff] into massaging his private area" before he "removed his towel" and "offered to let her 'get on top.'" According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff "refused to have sex with Watson, however, he was able to pressure her into oral sex" and "Watson paid [the plaintiff] $300 for her services, although her normal charge...

October 13

The NFL has looked at Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett's disputed roughing-the-passer penalty on Tampa Bay's Tom Brady to determine whether Brady attempted to kick Jarrett and if that warrants a fine, according to a report from The Associated Press on Thursday.Fines for kicking are $10,500 for a first offense and $15,500 for a second.Jarrett was flagged for slinging Brady to the ground during Tampa Bay's 21-15 win over Atlanta on Sunday. It appeared Brady tried to kick Jarrett as both players were getting up, but he didn't make contact.When asked if he was aware Brady may have tried to kick Jarrett, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles told ESPN that he "didn't see any of it so I couldn't answer that question."Jarrett and Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Chris Jones are automatically subject to fines for roughing penalties in Week 5 that sparked outrage among players, coaches and fans because the hits didn't seem to...

October 13

SAN FRANCISCO -- Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green returned to practice on Thursday following a week away from the team after the fallout from punching Jordan Poole last Wednesday.The Warriors opted not to suspend Green for the incident, and instead fined him. He will play in the Warriors' final preseason game against the Denver Nuggets on Friday and will be available on opening night against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday."We had the conversations about what we need to do moving forward, and we're going to do that," Green said. "We are not going to continue to hold on to the past." Green did not offer details on what work he did during his hiatus, but said he is in a better mental state now than before he left.Green, along with head coach Steve Kerr and center Kevon Looney, said that Thursday's practice was business as usual and there was no awkwardness surrounding the team.Before welcoming back Green,...

October 13

HOUSTON -- No starting pitcher in baseball throws a sinker like Luis Castillo's. The ball starts on one side of the plate and ends up on the other, moving nearly a foot and a half horizontally on average, an optical illusion of a pitch if executed correctly, which the 73rd of his American League Division Series start Thursday unquestionably was. The only problem: Yordan Alvarez, the beyond-talented Houston Astros slugger, stood at the plate ready to prove the pitch's fallibility.The sinker left Castillo's hand at 98 mph, wound up 4 inches off an outside corner and landed 371 feet away -- another day, another playoff game, another deficit-erasing, go-ahead home run by Alvarez, another victory for the Astros, this one 4-2 over the Seattle Mariners to give Houston a two-games-to-none lead in the best-of-five ALDS.By now, Alvarez's bona fides need no burnishing: At 25 years old, he is one of the finest, if not the very best, left-handed hitters...

October 13

The NFL has looked at Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett's disputed roughing-the-passer penalty on Tampa Bay's Tom Brady to determine whether Brady attempted to kick Jarrett and if that warrants a fine, according to a report from The Associated Press.Fines for kicking are $10,500 for a first offense and $15,500 for a second.Jarrett was flagged for slinging Brady to the ground during Tampa Bay's 21-15 win over Atlanta on Sunday. It appeared Brady tried to kick Jarrett as both players were getting up, but he didn't make contact.When asked if he was aware Brady may have tried to kick Jarrett, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles told ESPN that he "didn't see any of it so I couldn't answer that question."Jarrett and Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Chris Jones are automatically subject to fines for roughing penalties that sparked outrage among players, coaches and fans because the hits didn't seem to warrant flags.Fines for...

October 13

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- After several videos went viral making it appear Russell Westbrook was intentionally distancing himself from teammates during the Los Angeles Lakers' preseason loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, Westbrook offered context to debunk any signs of discord.In one video, shot on a phone by Instagram user Michael Morales from a seat located behind the Lakers' bench, Westbrook is seen greeting teammates near the foul line during player introductions and then running to the bench alone, while the Lakers huddled up."Pregame, I've been doing that since I've been in the league for years, man," Westbrook said after practice Thursday. "I think they just cut the video and obviously the internet is going to take it and run with whatever they need to run with. But, I've been doing the same ritual since I've been in the league."Westbrook's wife, Nina, responded to a Twitter user who showed several photos and videos of Westbrook indeed...

October 13

BEREA, Ohio -- Another woman has filed a civil lawsuit against Deshaun Watson, alleging the suspended Cleveland Browns quarterback pressured her into oral sex during a massage session in 2020.It is the 26th known lawsuit filed against Watson, accusing him of inappropriate sexual misconduct or sexual assault during massages.In the lawsuit filed Thursday in Harris County (Texas), Watson is accused of soliciting the plaintiff over Instagram with a direct message for a massage at a Houstonian hotel room in Texas in December 2020, while he was a member of the Texans. The lawsuit states that during the session, Watson "continually pressured (the) plaintiff into massaging his private area" before he "removed his towel" and "offered to let her 'get on top.'" According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff "refused to have sex with Watson, however, he was able to pressure her into oral sex" and that "Watson paid (the plaintiff) $300 for her services, although her normal...

October 13

SAN FRANCISCO -- Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green returned to practice on Thursday following a week away from the team after the fallout from punching Jordan Poole last Wednesday.The Warriors opted not to suspend Green for the incident, and instead handed him a fine. He will play in the Warriors' final preseason game against the Denver Nuggets on Friday and will be available on opening night on Oct. 18."We had the conversations about what we need to do moving forward, and we're going to do that," Green said. "We are not going to continue to hold on to the past." Green did not offer details on what work he did during his hiatus, but said he is in a better mental state now than before he left.Green, along with head coach Steve Kerr and center Kevon Looney, said that Thursday's practice was business as usual and there was no awkwardness surrounding the team.Before welcoming Green back, the Warriors conducted meetings...

October 13

SAN FRANCISCO -- Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green returned to practice on Thursday, following a week away from the team after the fallout from punching Jordan Poole last Wednesday.The Warriors opted not to suspend Green for the incident, and instead handed him a fine. He will play in the Warriors' final preseason game against the Denver Nuggets on Friday, and will be available on opening night on Oct. 18."We had the conversations about what we need to do moving forward, and we're going to do that," Green said. "We are not going to continue to hold onto the past." Green did not offer details on what work he did during his hiatus, but said he is in a better mental state now than before he left.Green, along with head coach Steve Kerr and center Kevon Looney, said that Thursday's practice was business as usual and there was no awkwardness surrounding the team.Before welcoming Green back, the Warriors conducted meetings...

October 13

HOUSTON -- Yordan Alvarez and his mighty bat did it yet again, launching a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth inning off Seattleace Luis Castillo that lifted the Houston Astros over the Mariners 4-2 on Thursday for a 2-0 lead in the AL Division Series.Alvarez was the Game 1 hero with his gut-punch, three-run shot off reigning AL Cy Young winner Robbie Ray with two outs in the ninth inning that gave the Astros an 8-7 win in a game in they had trailed by four.With the Thursday home run, Alvarez became the first player in major league postseason history to hit multiple career go-ahead homers in the sixth inning or later when his team was trailing, and both of his came in his past two games, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.Castillo, acquired from the Reds near the trade deadline and coming off 7⅓ innings of shutout ball against Toronto in the wild-card round, gave up an early home run to Kyle Tucker but little...

October 13

NEW YORK -- A postseason rainout in New York left the Cleveland Guardians feeling right at home.The second game of the American League Division Series between the Guardians and New York Yankees was postponed Thursday because of steady rain in the forecast and rescheduled for 1:07 p.m. on Friday.Major League Baseball called the game more than seven hours before the first pitch was supposed to be thrown at 7:37 p.m.The surprising Guardians,MLB's youngest team, were rained out nine times at home this season because of Cleveland's inconsistent and unpleasant weather.They had two more postponements on the road, one because of a COVID-19 outbreak. That forced the Guardians to play eight doubleheaders -- they even had to push back a celebration and flag-raising ceremony late last month to salute their AL Central championship because of a rainy forecast.Veteran manager Terry Francona said he has never seen anything like it."Never in my life," he bemoaned with a...

October 13