Sports News

NEW YORK -- All year, right through the American League Championship Series, the New York Yankees overcame a tendency to play sloppy baseball by vanquishing opponents with overwhelming talent. The metrics calculated -- and eyes figured -- they were the worst baserunning team in the majors during the regular season. They regularly committed head-scratching defensive miscues. They were not nearly as fundamentally sound as one would expect for a 94-win, AL champion. But the Yankees flaunted superstars. They had Aaron Judge and Juan Soto fueling an offense that banged home runs. They had Gerrit Cole fronting a topline starting rotation. They discovered an effective bullpen formula in time for October. Ultimately, they out-talented teams. Until they couldn't. Their shortcomings finally caught up with them in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night. A total defensive meltdown in the fifth inning, one that will be remembered as one of the worst in postseason history, cost the...

NEW YORK -- Just days after losing in the World Series, New York Yankees slugger Juan Soto will hit the open market as one of the most sought-after players in recent history. Soto's talent and age -- he turned 26 last week -- make him attractive to just about any team. "It's going to be exciting," Soto said not long after the Yankees' Game 5 loss to the Dodgers on Wednesday. "It's going to be a good experience. I think every player in the big league wants to experience this. So it's exciting to see how it's going to be." Soto is coming off a monster regular season. He posted a .288 batting average, 41 home runs and 129 walks and a .989 OPS. He ranked fourth in fWAR and is a Gold Glove finalist in right field. He also hit .327 with four home runs this postseason, helping the Yankees earn a spot in the Fall Classic. "I'm proud of the year that Juan had," teammate Aaron Judge said. "It was fun to come to work with him every single day. Even when the guy was...

NEW YORK -- Walker Buehler snapped a curveball past Alex Verdugo and stared into his dugout with what seemed like equal parts amazement and assuredness, his head slightly cocked, his arms stretched wide. It was 11:50 p.m. ET on Wednesday in Yankee Stadium, and the Los Angeles Dodgers -- an exorbitant, star-laden team that spent its season ravaged by injury and was hardened because of it -- had clinched a World Series championship in the most fitting way possible. By overcoming a five-run deficit against one of the best pitchers on the planet. By using seven relievers -- one of them Buehler, a starter making his first relief appearance in six years -- to record 23 outs. By scratching and clawing and using every aspect of their roster to solidify a title that seemed inevitable in January and felt impossible at the start of October. "Crazy," Mookie Betts said after the 7-6, come-from-behind victory over the New York Yankees in Game 5. "That's...

CLEVELAND -- With the game all but decided early in the second half, the Cavaliers cruising toward a 134-110 win and their first 5-0 start since 2016, the Cleveland crowd started rooting for the other team Wednesday night. Specifically for Los Angeles Lakers rookie Bronny James, son of LeBron, the greatest player in Cavaliers history. A "We Want Bronny!" chant started midway through the third quarter and was picked back up midway through the fourth when Lakers coach JJ Redick acquiesced, subbing him in for only the second regular-season game action of his early career. And this time, he got his first NBA bucket. Bronny scored on a 14-foot step-back jumper from the left wing over Jaylon Tyson with 2:03 remaining in the fourth quarter, causing the wave of fans that stuck around to see the moment to stand up and show appreciation for the hometown product. "It was insane," Bronny said of the reception after finishing with 2 points, 2 assists...

NEW YORK -- The 2024 Los Angeles Dodgers were lined with stars but ravaged by injury. They had spent an entire season overcoming adversity. And in the end, when it was time to clinch a championship, they did it once more, erasing a five-run deficit and using seven relievers -- including starting pitcher Walker Buehler -- to cover 23 outs in a 7-6, come-from-behind victory over the New York Yankees in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night. With that, the Dodgers clinched their eighth title in franchise history, their first since the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season and their first in a full season since 1988. They became the first team to use more than seven pitchers to clinch a championship. "We're obviously resilient, but there's so much love in the clubhouse that won this game today," Dodgers shortstop  Mookie Betts said. "That's what it was. It was love, it was grit. I mean, it was just a beautiful thing. I'm just proud of us and I'm happy...

Oddsmakers believe the World Series champs are the team to beat next year too. The Los Angeles Dodgers have been installed as the betting favorites to win the 2025 World Series. The Dodgers are +400 at ESPN BET, ahead of the New York Yankees at +700 and Atlanta Braves at +750. The Philadelphia Phillies (+1000), Baltimore Orioles (+1200), Houston Astros (+1200), New York Mets (+1200) and San Diego Padres (+1500) make up the second tier of contenders in ESPN BET's 2025 World Series odds. The Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies are the biggest long shots, each listed at 400-1. The Dodgers rallied from a five-run deficit to beat the Yankees in Wednesday's Game 5 and clinch their second World Series in the past five seasons. Trailing 5-0 in the fifth inning, the Dodgers' in-game odds to win got as long as 15-1 at ESPN BET. But they capitalized on critical defensive mistakes by the Yankees and held on...

NEW YORK -- Freddie Freeman set the course in the Los Angeles Dodgers' run to the championship with a historic homer -- and kept right on swatting his way to World Series MVP. Freeman homered in each of the first four games of the Series, then drove in two runs with a clutch two-out single during the Dodgers' 7-6 clinching win in Game 5 on Wednesday night. "It seems like we hit every speed bump possible over the course of this year," Freeman said. "And to overcome what we did as a group of guys, it's special. This is what we start out to do every single spring training is to win a championship. I think it's the hardest thing to do in sports because you just never know what's going to happen." Though Freeman had a record-setting streak ended of six straight World Series games with a homer, he just missed extending the mark to seven -- Aaron Judge snagged a Freeman drive early in the game at the fence. Freeman's numbers in the World Series...

MIAMI -- Someone asked coach Tom Thibodeau before New York's game Wednesday night what else he's looking to get from Karl-Anthony Towns as this season goes along. Thibodeau didn't sound worried. A couple hours later, Towns showed why. In only his fourth game with the Knicks, Towns went wild -- 44 points, by far the most by any New York player in this still-young season, leading his club to a 116-107 win over the Heat.  He might be a perfect fit into the decades-long Knicks-Heat rivalry. Towns averages 25.4 points in his career in games at Miami, his second-highest road average against any opponent. He averages 25.8 points in games at Indiana. "The weather," Towns told MSG Network after the game, when asked why he likes games in Miami so much. "I was in Minnesota. It's cold. It's hot here. I like that." Towns, traded by Minnesota to New York as camps were opening about a month ago in the deal that sent Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo...

The series ended at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx on Wednesday.

Naomi Girma scored her first two international goals and the United States beat Argentina 3-0 on Wednesday night in the team's final match of the year on American soil. It was the third match in six days for the United States, which also won the first two against Iceland. The matches were the first for the United States since the team won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics this past summer. Girma, a defender, scored on a header in the 37th minute, then raised her arms and smiled as U.S. coach Emma Hayes applauded her. Girma played every minute of the Olympic tournament in France. "The ball just fell right in front of me, it was so great," Girma said. "I was like, I don't think I can miss this. It fell right on my head." Girma played a role in an own goal that put the U.S. up 2-0 before halftime. She got a head on Rose Lavelle's corner kick and the ball was deflected into the goal by Argentina's Aldana Cometti. Girma made it 3-0...

Four-star Michigan quarterback commit Carter Smith, ESPN's No. 3 dual-threat passer in the class of 2025, pulled his pledge from the  Wolverines on Wednesday night, marking what could be the first step in a potentially massive quarterback shake-up in the late stages of the 2025 cycle. Smith's decommitment comes as Michigan has upped its efforts in recent weeks to lure LSU quarterback pledge and top prospect Bryce Underwood into a late-cycle flip to the Wolverines. Underwood, the 6-foot-4, 210-pound passer from Belleville, Michigan, is ESPN's No. 1 overall recruit in the 2025 cycle and has been committed to LSU since Jan. 6, 2024. Following Smith's decommitment, all eyes now fall on Underwood -- who plays his high school football 18 miles from Michigan Stadium -- a little more than a month out from the early signing period. Smith, a 6-foot-3, 185-pound passer from Fort Myers, Florida, announced his decision on social media, writing in a...

Naomi Girma scored her first two international goals, leading the United States women to a 3-0 victory over Argentina on Wednesday night in Louisville, Kentucky. The other USWNT tally was an own goal by Argentina's Aldana Cometti. The victory kept the USWNT unbeaten (12-0-1) in 13 matches under coach Emma Hayes after a pair of wins against Iceland in the team's previous matches in the October international window. United States goalkeeper Mandy Haught made one save while posting a shutout in her first international appearance. Haught was called up to the squad after Jane Campbell sustained a muscle injury. Three newcomers in all started including Haught, Eva Gaetino and Alyssa Malonson. It was the first time in 23 years that three or more players have started in their debuts for the national team.Argentina dropped to 0-6-0 all-time against the USWNT, having been outscored 35-1. The USWNT had an 18-4 edge in shots and put...

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills defensive end  Von Miller returned to practice Wednesday after his four-game suspension for violating for the NFL's personal conduct policy was lifted by commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday. 'I'm in a great spot. I'm just happy all of that stuff is behind me," said Miller, who missed Weeks 5 to 8 without pay. "Since I've been here with the Buffalo Bills, it's either been injury or the PUP list or the suspension, and I'm just happy to have all the stuff behind me for the first time in 2½ years and just able to just focus on football. "... Got nine games left, and once you have something taken away from you -- whether it's football stuff, NFL stuff, league stuff, like what happened over the last month or whether it's [an] injury -- you just have a new appreciation for the sport." Miller turned himself in to the Glenn Heights (Texas) Police Department on Nov. 30 on an arrest warrant for a charge of third-degree felony...

Ruud van Nistelrooy said he is ready to stay at Manchester United "in any capacity" whenever a new manager is appointed after overseeing a 5-2 Carabao Cup win against Leicester City at Old Trafford in his first game as interim head coach following Monday's dismissal of manager Erik ten Hag. United are continuing to negotiate with Sporting CP for the release of head coach Ruben Amorim after agreeing to pay the 39-year-old's €10 million ($10.8m) clause to replace Ten Hag. However, sources have told ESPN that although United are "getting there" in their efforts to seal a deal for Amorim, the terms of his contract with the Portuguese champions could see his arrival at Old Trafford delayed until the start of the next international break on Nov 11. Such a delay to Amorim's arrival at United would likely see Van Nistelrooy remain in interim charge for the Premier League games against Chelsea (Nov. 3) and Leicester...

Just days before the official debut of Duke phenom Cooper Flagg, the consensus projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, another member of the family could make an impact at the Division I level in the future, too: his twin brother. Ace Flagg, a 6-foot-8 forward, has committed to play for Maine, he announced on Instagram on Wednesday. Ace is a three-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class, according to ESPN. He and his brother, who are both from Maine, were part of the same class until Cooper decided to reclassify into the 2024 recruiting class so he could play for the Blue Devils this season. But they've maintained their strong ties to their home state. Over the summer, the twins hosted a youth basketball camp in Orono, Maine, together. Last season, the Maine Black Bears finished 15-17 overall and 7-9 under head coach Chris Markwood, who is entering his third season. Maine, appropriately, will travel to Cameron Indoor Stadium to face...

No. 18 Pittsburgh will have quarterback Eli Holstein for Saturday's showdown against No. 20 SMU in Dallas, coach Pat Narduzzi said on his radio show Wednesday night. Holstein, a redshirt freshman transfer from Alabama, exited in the fourth quarter of a 41-13 win over Syracuse last week with an undisclosed injury. He was hurt while finishing a quarterback option run. Narduzzi said after the game that he thought Holstein was fine and then confirmed Wednesday night that he's been cleared to face the Mustangs in a top-25 showdown between ACC teams. The Panthers (7-0, 3-0 ACC) are off to their first 7-0 start since 1982; SMU (7-1, 4-0) has just one loss. "Eli Holstein is ready to go and got cleared today," Narduzzi told 93.7 The Fan. "Eli Holstein is ready to roll. That's excellent news." The Mustangs also were facing some uncertainty after their quarterback, Kevin Jennings, took a big hit to a knee in a win against Duke last weekend and has...

Coach-to-player in-game communications during Power 4 college football games this season have been occurring on unencrypted frequencies, sources told ESPN on Wednesday, a revelation that raises questions about whether they could have been compromised. Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt said he raised the issue during a call with Big 12 athletic directors Tuesday, after learning the Red Raiders' helmet communications were unencrypted and accessible to anyone with a scanner and knowledge of how to locate the frequencies. The Big 12 has instructed its 10 schools playing games this weekend to send their helmet communication devices back to GSC, the provider for all 68 Power 4 teams this year, for a software update that would provide encryption, sources confirmed to ESPN. The modules and cutoff switches are expected to be updated and returned in time for Saturday's games. The Athletic first reported the Big 12's equipment request. Texas Tech has requested a report from the...

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Nothing from what the Green Bay Packers did at practice Wednesday would indicate Jordan Love has a chance to play in Sunday's NFC North showdown against the Detroit Lions. That's because other than riding an exercise bike during the stretching period, Love did not participate in practice because of the groin injury he sustained in Sunday's win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was what Love said after practice, however, that left open the possibility that the Packers quarterback might play against the first-place Lions (6-1). "I think it's realistic," Love said. Love even said he thought he could play without practicing at all this week. "Yeah, obviously not practicing during the week is not the ideal format for trying to play a game," he said. "Like I said, things happen, if that's the scenario, I know I'll be fine. But definitely it's not the ideal scenario for going into a big week." Packers coach Matt LaFleur would...

FRISCO, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs apologized Wednesday for having confronted a television reporter outside the locker room after the loss to the San Francisco 49ers. "I shouldn't have reacted the way I reacted. I apologize for that," Diggs said. "Most of it, caught me at the right time." Diggs was upset at an X post that questioned his effort on a George Kittle reception in the second half in which he eventually pushed the San Francisco tight end out of bounds. "That's what you took from that?" Diggs said on video of the interaction Sunday night. "Out of that whole play, that's what you took from that? You don't know football. You can't do nothing that I do. You can't go out there and do nothing. Stay in your lane, buddy. Stop trying me, dog." On Wednesday, Diggs explained the play. "My man was up the field and I was behind the safeties at the time, so, like, yeah, I was the last line of defense, and I felt like I prevented...

METAIRIE, La. --  New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr is expected to play Sunday against the Carolina Panthers after missing the past three games with an oblique injury. Saints coach Dennis Allen said that Jake Haener will be Carr's backup even though the team started rookie Spencer Rattler in Carr's absence. "We felt like Rattler gave us the best chance at the time, and so I think we'll see where we're at come this weekend, what the expectation is. My expectation is that Derek's going to be ready to go," Allen said on Wednesday. "In that case, Jake will be the backup. ... I don't want to get into the specifics of the reasons why, but I feel like that's the best thing for our team." Carr has not played since leaving the end of a Week 5 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs with a left oblique strain. It's the longest amount of time he has missed with an injury since breaking his ankle at the end of the 2017 season when he was...

The Colorado Avalanche will be without leading goal scorer Ross Colton, who is set to miss the next six to eight weeks after breaking his foot, coach Jared Bednar told reporters Wednesday. Colton, whose eight goals are also tied for third in the NHL, was placed on injured reserve earlier in the day with Bednar later confirming that the club would be without one of its strongest contributors through the first 10 games of the season. Bednar told reporters that the Avs would also be without forward Miles Wood for at least a week as he recovers from an upper-body injury. Colton sustained the injury Monday in the second period of the Avs' 5-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. Losing Colton is the latest development in what has been an inconsistent start for the 2022 Stanley Cup champions. The Avs opened the regular season with four straight losses in which they allowed more than five goals in those defeats. The Avalanche then won five straight while...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Quarterback Bryce Young will make a second straight start for the Carolina Panthers on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, and rookie running back Jonathon Brooks could make his NFL debut. Brooks spent the first eight games rehabbing from ACL surgery in November 2023, when he was at the University of Texas. The second-round pick would share the backfield with Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders if activated to the 53-man roster. Young will start as veteran Andy Dalton continues to rehab from a sprained thumb on his throwing hand, which he suffered last week in a car accident. Dalton was a full participant in practice Wednesday and is expected to be Young's backup. "To me, it was taking the decision out of Andy's hands," coach Dave Canales said. "If you were to ask Andy, 'Could you go?' He'd say yes. And, for me, he's like a week removed from a thumb injury and I just want to make sure that we're putting him...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes will miss at least three weeks because of a right orbital fracture, the team said Wednesday. Barnes was struck by Denver's Nikola Jokic while battling for a rebound late in the fourth quarter of Monday's home loss to the Nuggets. Barnes went down before stumbling to the bench in pain. The Raptors said in a statement that Barnes would be reevaluated in three weeks, "and his condition will be updated as appropriate." Head coach Darko Rajakovic would not say who would start for Barnes in Wednesday night's game at the Charlotte Hornets. "I feel bad for Scottie because has put a lot of work in and he was just starting to find the rhythm and he was playing really well," Rajakovic said. "This is going to be tough playing without him." Rajakovic said he's hoping Ochai Agbaji and Jonathan Mogbo can help fill the void. Barnes was a first-time All-Star last season, setting career...

Two New York Yankees fans have been banned from attending Game 5 of the World Series after interfering with Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts in Game 4. The Yankees announced in a statement Wednesday that the fans "will not be permitted to attend tonight's game in any capacity" and added that the incident Tuesday night with Betts was "egregious and unacceptable." A source told ESPN's Jesse Rogers earlier Wednesday that it was not immediately clear whether the ban against Austin Capobianco and John Peter, both season-ticket holders, would apply to any Yankee Stadium games next season. "The safety and security of players, fans and Stadium staff is the foundational element of every event held at Yankee Stadium, and it cannot be compromised," the Yankees said in their statement. "Tonight marks the final home game of year, and we want every ounce of our fans' passion on display. Yankee Stadium is known for its energy and intensity, however the exuberance of...

CHICAGO -- An MRI showed Bulls guard Lonzo Ball has between a Grade 1 and Grade 2 sprain in his right wrist, which will result in him being sidelined for at least 10 days. Ball suffered the injury while bracing for a fall after a steal attempt in the first quarter of Monday's victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. "If I play on it right now while it's still swollen, it could get to a Grade 3. That would require surgery," Ball said while wearing a brace to immobilize the wrist. "Trying to avoid that obviously. Let the swelling down, hopefully tape it up and get back to it." Ball braced for the fall after trying to steal a pass intended for Memphis' Jake LaRavia. He felt discomfort in his wrist at halftime but applied some tape and played through the pain. He finished with six points and six assists in 18 minutes, before undergoing an MRI on Tuesday. "I felt it, but my adrenaline was going," Ball said. "I was trying to win the game. But it was...

CHICAGO -- Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball is expected to be sidelined for at least 10 days with a sprained right wrist. Ball said Wednesday that an MRI showed the injury to be between a Grade 1 and Grade 2 sprain. He suffered the injury while bracing for a fall after a steal attempt in the first quarter of Monday's victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. "If I play on it right now while it's still swollen, it could get to a Grade 3. That would require surgery," Ball said while wearing a brace to immobilize the wrist. "Trying to avoid that obviously. Let the swelling down, hopefully tape it up and get back to it." Ball braced for the fall after trying to steal a pass intended for Memphis' Jake LaRavia. He felt discomfort in his wrist at halftime but applied some tape and played through the pain, finished with six points and six assists in 18 minutes, before undergoing an MRI on Tuesday. "I felt it, but my adrenaline was going," Ball said. "I...

The New York Yankees fans who were ejected from Game 4 of the World Series after interfering with Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts have been banned from attending Game 5, a league source told ESPN's Jesse Rogers. The source told Rogers that Major League Baseball instructed the Yankees to bar season-ticket holder Austin Capobianco and John Peter from Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night. The source did not know if the ban would apply to any Yankee Stadium games next season. The Yankees have not answered ESPN's requests for comment. Capobianco and Peter were ejected for prying the ball out of Betts' glove after the Dodgers right fielder's leaping catch in the first inning. Betts leaped at the wall along the right field line in foul territory and initially caught Gleyber Torres' popup. Capobianco, seated in the first row and wearing a gray Yankees road jersey, grabbed Betts' glove with both hands and pulled the ball out while Peter grabbed Betts'...

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Rather than cutting kicker Greg Zuerlein, whose slump has played a key role in their disappointing season, the New York Jets simply placed him on injured reserve Wednesday with an injury that wasn't disclosed until the previous day. The Jets' kicker for the game Thursday night against the Houston Texans will be either Riley Patterson or Spencer Shrader, both of whom were signed to the practice squad Wednesday. They were among six kickers who auditioned for the job Tuesday at MetLife Stadium. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich was noncommittal on Zuerlein, 36, after Sunday's 25-22 loss to the New England Patriots, a game in which he missed a 44-yard field goal and an extra point. Zuerlein's days appeared numbered, but he showed up on the injury report Tuesday. The right-footed kicker has an ailing left knee, which buys the Jets some time to sort out the kicking mess. "May the best man kick," said Ulbrich, who didn't...

NYON, Switzerland -- UEFA pledged Wednesday to steer €1 billion ($1.08 billion) toward all levels of women's soccer over the next six years as part of a comprehensive strategy to grow the game in Europe. UEFA's goal is to make "football the most-played team sport for women and girls in every European country," as well as doubling the number of fully professional national leagues to six and raising the number of professional players from 3,000 to 5,000. "It is our promise to keep investing and collectively lead the game forward, with all European national associations, leagues, clubs, players, fans and partners part of our journey," UEFA's director of women's soccer Nadine Kessler said in a statement. The UEFA plan, dubbed "Unstoppable," includes developing paths for women and girls to play, coach and referee from the grassroots level. Still, Kessler acknowledged in the 31-page document that there are "persistent challenges and obstacles to overcome" in getting more girls and...

Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid will miss two to three weeks with an ankle injury, the team confirmed on Wednesday. McDavid left Edmonton's 6-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday after injuring his ankle on his first shift of the game. He was tripped up by Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski's stick while crossing into the attacking zone and his left leg collided awkwardly with the boards. McDavid left the ice on his own and was ruled out of the game after having skated just 37 seconds. There was no penalty on the play. McDavid, 27, went back to Edmonton for further evaluation, and the team announced that their captain is "expected to return to action in two to three weeks." Considered the best player in the world, McDavid is coming off a 132-point season for Edmonton in which he led them to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. In his 10th NHL season, McDavid has 992 points in 655 career games....

INDIANAPOLIS -- Colts coach Shane Steichen said Wednesday that the decision to bench quarterback Anthony Richardson was his choice and was prompted by a belief that veteran Joe Flacco "gives us the best chance to win right now." Steichen on Wednesday defended his decision to replace Richardson, the No. 4 draft pick in 2023, after just 10 career starts (six this season) and while his team has a 4-4 record. Asked whether he wrestled with balancing the future implications of the decision -- Richardson is supposed to be the team's long-term quarterback -- versus the team's present realities, Steichen said he did struggle to work through it all. "It's a difficult thing," he said. "But it's my obligation to the 53 guys in this organization to win football games, and right now, I'm focused on the present: winning football games. We'll get to the future when we have to get to the future." Meanwhile, Richardson was left to process the decision. He said Steichen...

NEW YORK -- For about two hours Tuesday night, the most surreal moment in  Anthony Volpe's life happened in the third inning of Game 4 of the World Series. The  New York Yankees' homegrown shortstop in every sense, a lifelong Yankees fan who lived on the Upper East Side before his family moved across the Hudson to New Jersey when he was in the fourth grade, supplied his club with the oxygen it needed while facing elimination. It came in the form of a grand slam off Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Daniel Hudson -- a 107.6 mph missile that landed a few rows beyond the left-field wall at Yankee Stadium -- that gave the Yankees a lead they wouldn't relinquish in an 11-4 rout to cut their series deficit to 3-1. Fifteen years after attending the Yankees' last World Series parade in 2009, back when he was 8 years old and his teeth were less straight, Volpe was on the field starring in pinstripes in the World Series. Nothing could top it. And then,...

NEW YORK -- For about two hours Tuesday night, the most surreal moment in  Anthony Volpe's life happened in the third inning of Game 4 of the World Series. The  New York Yankees' homegrown shortstop in every sense, a lifelong Yankees fan who lived on the Upper East Side before his family moved across the Hudson to New Jersey when he was in the fourth grade, supplied his club with the oxygen it needed while facing elimination. It came in the form of a grand slam off Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Daniel Hudson -- a 107.6 mph missile that landed a few rows beyond the left-field wall at Yankee Stadium -- that gave the Yankees a lead they wouldn't relinquish in an 11-4 rout to cut their series deficit to 3-1. Fifteen years after attending the Yankees' last World Series parade in 2009, back when he was 8 years old and his teeth were less straight, he was on the field starring in pinstripes in the World Series. Nothing could top it. And then, about...

NEW YORK -- For about two hours Tuesday night, the most surreal moment in  Anthony Volpe's life happened in the third inning of Game 4 of the World Series. The  New York Yankees' homegrown shortstop in every sense, a lifelong Yankees fan who lived on the Upper East Side before his family moved across the Hudson to Jersey when he was in the fourth grade, supplied his club with the oxygen it needed facing elimination. It came in the form of a grand slam off Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Daniel Hudson -- a 107.6 mph missile that landed a few rows beyond the left-field wall at Yankee Stadium -- that gave the Yankees a lead they wouldn't relinquish in an 11-4 rout to cut the series deficit to 3-1. Fifteen years after attending the Yankees' last World Series parade in 2009, back when he was 8 years old and his teeth were less straight, he was on the field starring in pinstripes in the World Series. Nothing could top it. And then, about two hours...

NEW YORK -- Two fans at Yankee Stadium were ejected from Game 4 of the World Series after one pried a foul ball out of the glove of Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts on Tuesday night. Betts leaped at the wall in foul territory and initially caught  Gleyber Torres' popup in the first inning, but a fan in the first row, Austin Capobianco, grabbed Betts' glove with both hands and pulled the ball out. Capobianco's friend, John Peter, then grabbed Betts' non-glove hand. Betts reacted angrily, and Torres was immediately ruled out by right-field umpire Mark Carlson on fan interference. Capobianco, a Yankees season-ticket holder, said he knew he would be in trouble but chose to grab and open Betts' glove nonetheless, telling ESPN that he and Peter often discuss this exact scenario: If a foul ball comes their way, they're going to do what they can to help their team. "We always joke about the ball in our area," Capobianco, 38, said at a local bar...

NEW YORK -- As Game 4 evolved and the margin shrank, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was confronted with an interesting choice -- the type one hardly confronts in the high-stakes environment of a World Series. One was to use his best relievers in hopes his offense might come all the way back, giving the Dodgers the best possible opportunity to clinch a title. The other was to essentially punt, utilizing lower-leverage relievers to save his best arms for another day. Roberts clearly chose the latter approach in Tuesday's  11-4 loss to the New York Yankees. The hope -- with his team still up 3-1 and a win away from a championship -- is that it will pay off in the very near future. "It's challenging," Roberts said. "I think you've got to be certain that you can score some runs. Certainly any guy we use tonight would have not been able to pitch tomorrow." The Dodgers burned through six high-leverage relievers who combined to throw 100 pitches in...

PITTSBURGH -- Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 26 shots in what will likely be his final game in the Steel City as the Minnesota Wild defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3 on Tuesday night. Frederick Gaudreau scored twice and Kirill Kaprizov added a goal and two assists. Kaprizov tied the franchise record with his sixth straight multipoint game. Mats Zuccarello and Jakub Lauko also scored for Minnesota. Fleury, who turns 40 next month, indicated the 2024-25 season will be his last. Now in his 21st NHL season, he played his 100th game with Minnesota on Tuesday, and saluted the fans afterward. "It's maybe hard to believe that's the last time. I've told you I've gotten soft," Fleury joked in his postgame media availability. "But so appreciative, from the bottom of my heart, with what everybody's done for me over the years, and the support." He spent the first 13 seasons of his career with Pittsburgh and won three Stanley Cups: in 2009,...

The Detroit Red Wings traded veteran defenseman Olli Maatta to the Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday night, as the NHL's newest team tries to overcome significant injuries to its blue line. Utah sent a 2025 third-round draft pick, previously acquired from the New York Rangers, to Detroit for Maatta, who carries a $3 million salary cap hit and is an unrestricted free agent after this season. Maatta, 30, played seven games for the Red Wings this season, averaging 15:52 on Detroit's third pairing. Though he has yet to tally a point this season, Maatta had four goals and 14 assists in 72 games for Detroit in 2023-24. He is in his 12th NHL season, having played 691 career games for Detroit, Los Angeles, Chicago and the Pittsburgh Penguins, with whom he won two Stanley Cups. Current Utah defenseman Ian Cole was his teammate on those Pittsburgh teams. After a fast start to its inaugural season in Salt Lake City, Utah is 1-4-2 in its past seven...

The Chicago White Sox are hiring Texas Rangers coach Will Venable to be their next manager, sources familiar with the situation confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday night.  Venable, 42, played nine years in the big leagues before transitioning to an off-the-field role as a special assistant with the Chicago Cubs in 2017, and then as a base coach for them from 2018 to 2020. He was  Boston's bench coach in 2021 before being hired by Texas, where he has served as associate manager next to Bruce Bochy for the past two seasons. The majority of Venable's playing career was spent in  San Diego before he was traded to the Rangers in 2015. He played for the  Dodgers in 2016 before retiring. Venable hit .249 with 81 career home runs in 967 games, playing exclusively in the outfield. Venable replaces interim manager Grady Sizemore, who was also a candidate for the permanent job. The White Sox fired former manager Pedro Grifol in August as the team...

NEW YORK -- For about two hours Tuesday night, the most surreal moment in  Anthony Volpe's life happened in the third inning of Game 4 of the World Series. The  New York Yankees' homegrown shortstop in every sense, a lifelong Yankees fan who lived on the Upper East Side before his family moved across the Hudson to Jersey when he was in the fourth grade, supplied his club with the oxygen it needed facing elimination. It came in the form of a grand slam off Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Daniel Hudson -- a 107.6 mph missile that landed a few rows beyond the left-field wall at Yankee Stadium -- that gave the Yankees a lead they wouldn't relinquish in an 11-4 rout to cut the series deficit to 3-1. Fifteen years after attending the Yankees' last World Series parade in 2009, back when he was 8 years old and his teeth were less straight, he was on the field starring in pinstripes in the World Series. Nothing could top it. And then, about two hours...

Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball sprained his right wrist in the first quarter of Monday night's win at Memphis and will be reevaluated in 10 days, the team announced Tuesday. Ball played through the injury to collect six points and six assists while logging a season-high 18 minutes in Chicago's 126-123 victory.  Ball, 27, has appeared in three games this season, his first NBA action since January 2022 after undergoing multiple surgeries on his left knee. The Bulls do not believe the wrist injury will linger long term, but want to see how Ball responds over the next week. Part of the team's scheduled maintenance for Ball this season includes not playing him in back-to-backs.  Ball said the knee has felt good as he returns to game action for the first time in more than 2½ years. He said last week that he has been able to take the court without thinking about the knee.  Ball averaged 4.7 points, 3.7 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 15.7 minutes in...

Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton looked strong in practice on Tuesday and is expected to start on Saturday at No. 11 Iowa State, sources told ESPN. He did not play in the second half last week against TCU with a left shoulder injury. Texas Tech squandered a 17-point third-quarter lead and fell, 35-34, to TCU. Morton spent the second half in street clothes with his arm in a sling. Morton had been considered questionable heading into the week, but a strong day of practice on Tuesday put him in line to start on Saturday, per sources. Morton ranks No. 20 in the country in total passing yards with 2,063 yards. He has thrown 17 touchdown passes and just three interceptions. Texas Tech (5-3) has lost two straight games after starting Big 12 play at 3-0, with wins over Arizona State, Cincinnati and at Arizona. No. 11 Iowa State (7-0, 4-0) is one of the surprise undefeated teams in college football. They are coming off a bye week and have wins at Iowa, at West...

EAGAN, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings acquired Jacksonville Jaguars left tackle Cam Robinson on Tuesday, sources told ESPN, adding a potential replacement for injured incumbent  Christian Darrisaw. In addition to Robinson, the Vikings receive a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick that can go away based on playing time, while the Jaguars receive a conditional 2026 fifth-round selection that can become a fourth-rounder based on playing time, according to sources.  Robinson, 29, is in the final year of a contract that pays him $16.25 million this season. The Jaguars will pay a portion of the remainder of Robinson's salary, sources said.  Darrisaw suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee during the Vikings' 30-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday. He signed a four-year contract extension in August, and he is expected to return to full health next season. That makes Robinson a likely short-term addition for the remainder of a...

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers says he believes he has discovered a "little fountain of youth," and it's nothing to sneeze at. Or maybe it is. Rodgers said he is drinking cayenne pepper and water, suggested to him by teammate Thomas Morstead. Rodgers, dealing with hamstring, knee and ankle injuries throughout the season, said he started drinking it before the Jets' Week 8 game and has continued this week in preparation for Thursday night against the Houston Texans at MetLife Stadium. It's a short week, which means most players are battling aching bodies, but Rodgers, 40, said his feels great. Rodgers said he was not sure if it was all due to his new elixir, but he has made it part of his rehab regimen. Cayenne pepper and water can have several health benefits, including pain relief, according to various medical journals. "I'm taking care of myself nonstop," said Rodgers, adding that he receives treatment at the...

The Wayne County Prosecutor's office is reviewing a warrant request for the arrest of Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams on a concealed weapon charge, WXYZ-TV in Detroit reported Tuesday. The warrant request on a charge of carrying a concealed weapon in a motor vehicle was issued late last week by the Detroit Police Department, stemming from a traffic stop on Oct. 8. In a statement released later Tuesday, the Detroit Police Department said the investigation "continues to evolve, and new information has come to light that we are actively addressing." "We take every investigation seriously, especially when new allegations and facts emerge, and we are committed to acting in a swift and transparent manner," the department said in its statement. "Once new facts are confirmed, we make the necessary changes in our decision-making process. "Let it be clear: no one in the City of Detroit is above the law. Anyone who commits a crime will be held...

NEW YORK -- Pushed to the brink of elimination, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone considered a few lineup changes for Game 4 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday. One of them was moving the struggling Aaron Judge from third to leadoff. He wondered whether that would spark Judge. But he ultimately decided against it, citing  Gleyber Torres' success in that spot. Instead, Boone made two other changes: Giancarlo Stanton, one of the team's two best hitters in October, was moved down from the cleanup spot to fifth, switching with Jazz Chisholm Jr, and Austin Wells was reinserted in the lineup after not starting in Game 3. Stanton batted fifth most of the regular season and the start of the postseason against right-handed starting pitchers. The Dodgers have right-hander Ben Casparius opening a bullpen game. So, in a way it's a return to normal. But there's a bigger strategic reason for the...

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and the NFL's No. 1 offense have landed an experienced target who can provide another dimension to the passing attack. The Ravens agreed in principle to trade for Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson, pending a physical, the team announced Tuesday. The Ravens will send a fifth-round pick to the Panthers for Johnson and Carolina's sixth-round selection, Carolina announced. The Panthers had two teams interested in Johnson, per a league source, and the Ravens came in late within the last week. It's the second time Johnson has been traded this year. The Panthers acquired Johnson from the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Ravens' AFC North rival, before the season. Johnson will become just the third wide receiver since 2000 to catch a pass as a Raven and as a Steeler, according to ESPN Research, joining Mike Wallace and Miles Boykin. Johnson indicated to ESPN last month...

The NBA has fined the Philadelphia 76ers $100,000 for public statements around the health status of All-NBA center Joel Embiid. The NBA's investigation showed that the Sixers did not violate player participation policy with Embiid's missed games but did so with the public comments that did not properly reflect his health issues with his knee. In its statement, the league cited comments made by president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and coach Nick Nurse that were "inconsistent with Joel Embiid's health status and in violation of NBA rules." The NBA said it has confirmed that Embiid has been unable to play so far this season because of a "left knee condition." Neither Embiid nor free agent acquisition Paul George has played for Philadelphia this season. George has been dealing with a bone bruise in his left knee. The Sixers said earlier Tuesday that both participated in portions of practice but that they have been ruled out for Wednesday's game...

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The young daughter of San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward has died after battling heart problems. Ward posted on Instagram that his daughter, Amani Joy, died Monday morning. She was going to turn 2 years old in November. "We are heartbroken that our beautiful baby girl, Amani Joy passed away on Monday morning," Ward wrote Tuesday on Instagram. "She was the best blessing we could have asked for, and her joyous spirit made us smile from ear to ear. She taught us to have patience, trust, and a positive outlook on life. She showed us true strength and bravery. She overcame adversity at a young age and was always happy, lighting up every room with her smile. Having the privilege of being her parents and seeing the world through her eyes has changed us for the better. She will forever be daddy's best friend and mommy's little girl. We'll miss you and love you forever, Amani Joy." During a December appearance on former teammate ...

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and the NFL's No. 1 offense have landed an experienced target who can provide another dimension to the passing attack. The Ravens traded for Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson in a swap of draft picks Tuesday, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. The Ravens will send a fifth-round pick to the Panthers for Johnson and Carolina's sixth-round selection, the sources told Schefter. It's the second time Johnson has been traded this year. The Panthers acquired Johnson from the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Ravens' AFC North rival, before the season. Johnson will become just the third wide receiver since 2000 to catch a pass as a Raven and as a Steeler, according to ESPN Research, joining Mike Wallace and Miles Boykin. Johnson indicated to ESPN last month that he'd like to re-sign with the Panthers (1-7) after the season. But as the losses mounted and frustration set in,...