Sports News

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark is part of the ownership group trying to bring an NWSL expansion team to Cincinnati. Cincinnati is one of a handful of finalists bidding for an NWSL expansion team that is expected to be awarded before the end of the year. The team would begin play in 2026, joining a previously announced expansion team in Boston to bring the NWSL to 16 teams. "The NWSL Cincinnati bid team is thrilled that Caitlin Clark has joined our ownership group in pursuit of bringing a women's professional soccer team to our city," FC Cincinnati said in a statement distributed to the local media. "Her passion for the sport, commitment to elevating women's sports in and around the Greater Cincinnati region, and influence as an athlete and role model for women and girls around the world, make her a vital part of our compelling bid to become the 16th team in the NWSL." Clark was selected first in the WNBA draft this year by the Fever after breaking the NCAA scoring...

Five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 prospect in the 2025 ESPN 300 recruiting rankings, has flipped his commitment from LSU to  Michigan, he confirmed on social media Thursday. Underwood announced the news with a video posted to Instagram with the caption "Hometown Hero." Underwood, a 6-foot-4, 210-pounder from Belleville, Michigan, is the top pocket passer in the class. With his flip, he becomes the highest-rated offensive commit in Michigan program history and the top prospect in Sherrone Moore's inaugural recruiting class, which currently sits at No. 14 in ESPN's team rankings for the 2025 cycle. Underwood's move comes as the latest piece of seismic quarterback movement atop the 2025 class ahead of the start of the early signing period Dec. 4. Five-star quarterback  Julian Lewis decommitted from USC on Nov. 17 and subsequently pledged to Colorado earlier Thursday. Committed to LSU since Jan....

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The status of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy for Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers remains uncertain after a second straight day of limited participation in practice. Purdy, who is dealing with soreness in his right (throwing) shoulder, was on the practice field during the early portion of Thursday's session open to reporters. He did some light throwing in the first couple of periods before he walked into the weight room. He did not return to the practice field for the rest of the time that reporters were allowed to observe and then did not hold his usual Thursday afternoon news conference. Niners coach Kyle Shanahan told KNBR Radio in San Francisco that Purdy actually progressed from Wednesday to Thursday but made it clear there are still hurdles to clear for Purdy to play at Green Bay. "He was still limited today," Shanahan said Thursday. "He didn't do as much yesterday, did a little bit more today but by no...

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark is part of the ownership group trying to bring an NWSL expansion team to Cincinnati, a source has told ESPN. Cincinnati is one of a handful of finalists bidding for an NWSL expansion team that is expected to be awarded before the end of the year. The team would begin play in 2026, joining a previously announced expansion team in Boston to bring the NWSL to 16 teams. Clark was selected first in the WNBA draft this year by the Fever after breaking the NCAA scoring record at the University of Iowa. She won WNBA Rookie of the Year in 2024 and became the first rookie since Candace Parker in 2008 to make the All-WNBA First Team. The ownership group of MLS team FC Cincinnati is leading the bid. Also in contention are groups from Cleveland, Denver, Nashville and Philadelphia. Cincinnati is considered one of the favorites in the process due to its ownership backing and existing infrastructure, sources told ESPN, with a stadium already purpose-built...

Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge make up the pinnacle of their profession, baseball's two biggest stars representing its two most prestigious franchises. Their meeting in last month's World Series solidified it -- and their latest honor commemorated it. Ohtani and Judge captured the Most Valuable Player awards in their respective leagues Thursday, both doing so unanimously. Ohtani won his third in four years, all of them coming by unanimous vote. Judge's second -- which comes two years after he edged Ohtani for the American League honor with a home-run-record-breaking season -- came on the heels of one of the best offensive performances in baseball history. And yet the exploits of Judge's season somehow paled in comparison to what his National League counterpart accomplished over the past 12 months. In that time, Ohtani signed an unprecedented $700 million contract, became the first 50/50 player in baseball history, helped his Los Angeles Dodgers defeat Judge's ...

Robert Kraft, the six-time Super Bowl-winning New England Patriots owner considered a favorite for the 2025 class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has been passed over again by the Hall's contributor committee, sources told ESPN. Instead, the nine-member committee, which each year advances one name for consideration by all 50 Hall voters, chose Ralph Hay, a co-founder of the National Football League and the owner of the Canton Bulldogs from 1918 to 1922, five sources with knowledge of the decision told ESPN this week. The contributor committee's decision was made Nov. 12 and is expected to be announced by the Hall of Fame next month. Hay, along with one coaching candidate and three candidates from an earlier NFL era whose names still have not been revealed, will be considered by the full selection committee for the Hall in January 2025. In response to questions from ESPN, the Hall of Fame released a statement Thursday, saying the names of all the finalists will be...

Five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 prospect in the 2025 ESPN 300 recruiting rankings, has flipped his commitment from LSU to  Michigan, he confirmed on social media Thursday. Underwood announced the news with a video posted to Instagram with the caption "Hometown Hero." The move comes amid a critical recruiting shake-up, especially at the quarterback position, just 13 days from the start of the early signing period. Underwood, a 6-foot-4, 210-pounder from Belleville, Michigan, is the top pocket passer in the class. With his flip, he becomes the highest-rated commit in Michigan program history and the top prospect in Sherrone Moore's inaugural recruiting class, which currently sits at No. 14 in ESPN's latest team rankings for the 2025 cycle. Underwood's move comes as the latest piece of seismic quarterback movement atop the 2025 class ahead of the start of the early signing period Dec. 4. Five-star quarterback  Julian...

Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George has a bone bruise in his left knee, and the team said Thursday he will miss at least two games.  According to the 76ers, an MRI showed no structural damage in George's knee. He will miss a pair of home games -- Friday versus the Brooklyn Nets and Sunday against his former team, the LA Clippers -- and then will be reevaluated Monday.  George hurt the knee early in the second half of Wednesday night's 117-111 road loss to the Memphis Grizzlies and did not return. It was the same knee that George hyperextended in the preseason, forcing him to miss the first five games of the regular season. The injury marked the latest setback for the Sixers, who had stars George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey together in the starting lineup for the first time in Memphis. Maxey was back in action after a six-game absence due to a hamstring injury. George had just two points on 1-of-6 shooting with four rebounds and...

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is expected to miss the next four to six weeks because of a fractured left fibula, the team announced Thursday. The injury pauses Ovechkin's pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's all-time NHL goals record. On Tuesday, the Capitals had said Ovechkin would be week-to-week with what was then described as a lower-body injury. He was expected to meet with team physicians Wednesday before getting a more complete diagnosis. The 39-year-old superstar left winger exited the team's 6-2 win Monday against the Utah Hockey Club after colliding with Utah forward Jack McBain. With 14:30 remaining in the third period, Ovechkin and McBain turned toward a loose puck before their left knees connected with each other. Ovechkin dropped to the ice where he was on his hands and a knee. He tried to balance himself to get up but remained on the ice for a few more seconds. A Capitals athletic trainer came onto the ice and helped escort Ovechkin, who...

Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George aggravated a bone bruise in his left knee, and the team said Thursday he will miss at least two games.  According to the 76ers, an MRI showed no structural damage in George's knee. He will miss a pair of home games -- Friday versus the Brooklyn Nets and Sunday against his former team, the LA Clippers -- and then will be reevaluated Monday.  George hurt the knee early in the second half of Wednesday night's 117-111 road loss to the Memphis Grizzlies and did not return. It was the same knee that George hyperextended in the preseason, forcing him to miss the first five games of the regular season. The injury marked the latest setback for the Sixers, who had stars George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey together in the starting lineup for the first time in Memphis. Maxey was back in action after a six-game absence due to a hamstring injury. George had just two points on 1-of-6 shooting with four...

FRISCO, Texas -- Speaking to the local media for the first time since his postgame comments against the Philadelphia Eagles on Nov. 10 that seemed to question the work ethic of Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy, pass rusher Micah Parsons apologized. On Thursday, Parsons said he wished he was clearer with his statement. "When I'm talking about 'here,' I'm thinking the Dallas Cowboys," Parsons said. "I was in middle school, elementary school when Mike McCarthy was with the Packers, and I have no reference to that. So, when I'm talking about here Dallas Cowboys and what was accomplished the most, I'm thinking about the guys, and I've only ever been here. So obviously no disrespect to [McCarthy's] career and what he's made for himself as one of the most winningest coaches. I could have done better. I was angry and I just didn't finish, and I wasn't as thoughtful as I usually am. I didn't think people would take that context the way it was. That's on me. I lost...

Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George will miss at least the next two games after an MRI showed no structural damage in his left knee, the team said. He'll be re-evaluated Monday. George hyperextended the knee early in the second half of Wednesday night's 117-111 road loss to the Memphis Grizzlies and did not return. He ended up with just two points on 1-of-6 shooting with four rebounds and two assists in 17 minutes. It was the same knee that George hyperextended in the preseason, forcing him to miss the first five games of the regular season. He'll now miss Friday's game against the Brooklyn Nets and Sunday's matchup against the LA Clippers.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- An emotional Daniel Jones spoke for the first time since being benched by the New York Giants in favor of Tommy DeVito and expressed regret for not producing enough victories, while also saying he's still processing his future. Jones has been the Giants' starting quarterback for much of the past six years. That changed Monday when he was informed of the decision by coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen that there would be a change at quarterback. Jones came to Thursday's news conference with a prepared statement in which he thanked the team but also articulated his disappointment. "There have been some great times, but of course we all wish there had been more of those," Jones said as part of his statement. "I take full responsibility for my part in not bringing more wins. Nobody wanted to win more games worse than me and I gave everything I had on the field and in my preparation. Of course, this season has been...

Current No. 3 quarterback Daniel Jones lined up as a scout team safety in Thursday's practice in the surest sign to date that he's done with the New York Giants. Jones read a prepared statement, saying he wanted to make sure he clearly shared the words and sentiment he felt needed to be aired after losing the starting job to former undrafted free agent Tommy DeVito. In his first public comments on the decision made by head coach Brian Daboll after a team meeting on Monday, Jones spoke in the past tense about his time with the Giants (2-8), a strong signal that a professional divorce is imminent. "The opportunity to play for the New York Giants was truly a dream come true and I am extremely grateful ... for the chance to play here," Jones said Thursday. "The Giants are truly a first-class organization and I have nothing but genuine respect and appreciation for the people who built it and who help carry on the tradition. I've met so many special people and...

Pep Guardiola signed a new two-year contract to extend his stay as Manchester City boss, the club announced Thursday. Guardiola, 53, agreed to a deal that will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2027. His contract was due to expire at the end of the current campaign. The extension means Guardiola will celebrate 10 years at City in the summer of 2026, having arrived from Bayern Munich in 2016. "Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. "We have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club. That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons. "It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here. I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much. Hopefully now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus." City, according to sources, were concerned Guardiola...

The NFL issued a security alert to teams and the players' union on Thursday following recent burglaries involving the homes of  Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo obtained by The Associated Press and multiple other media outlets, the league says homes of professional athletes across multiple sports have become "increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups." The NFL and other professional sports leagues received a briefing from the FBI last Friday, a source told ABC News. Law enforcement officials noted these groups target the homes on days the athletes have games. Players were told to take precautions and implement home security measures to reduce the risk of being targeted. Some of the burglary groups have conducted extensive surveillance on targets, including attempted home deliveries and posing as grounds maintenance or joggers in the neighborhood. Burglars have entered through side doors, via...

Federal authorities are investigating whether former Temple men's basketball player Hysier Miller bet on his own games and manipulated the outcome of Owls games he played in, according to sources with direct knowledge of the situation. Miller, Temple's leading scorer last season, transferred to Virginia Tech during the offseason but was dismissed by the Hokies on Oct. 23 because of the federal investigation and an NCAA inquiry into Temple games, sources said. A regular-season Temple game drew attention for unusual betting activity in March. Miller never played a game for the Hokies. The school said at the time that his dismissal was "due to circumstances prior to his enrollment at Virginia Tech." Asked for comment on the allegations, Miller's attorney, Jason P. Bologna of the law firm Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney, gave ESPN a statement: "Hysier Miller has overcome more adversity in his 22 years than most people face in their lifetime. He will meet and...

NEW YORK -- For Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, the recent conclusion of Diamond Sports Group's bankruptcy created an "overwhelming sense of relief" with short-term certainty as the league eyes its long-term media rights plan. "I think the good news is that we did a pretty good job in terms of maximizing the economics for the clubs," Manfred said Wednesday during the owners meetings. "We never lost a game. And we have a lot of flexibility come 2028, which was our primary focus." A bankruptcy judge approved Diamond's reorganization plan last Thursday, setting the country's largest operator of regional sports networks to emerge from bankruptcy 20 months after initially filing for Chapter 11. Diamond moves forward with at least six MLB teams, while MLB, at the moment, possesses the local media rights -- linear TV rights and in-market, direct-to-consumer streaming rights -- for seven teams. The six clubs that negotiated new deals with Diamond -- the ...

Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter, projected as a top pick in the 2025 NFL draft, says he will be turning pro after the Buffaloes' season. Hunter, the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, had been widely expected to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL in 2025. ESPN's Mel Kiper lists Hunter, who plays both cornerback and wide receiver for Colorado, as the No. 1 prospect for the 2025 draft. "That's definitely for sure," Hunter said on a call with reporters Thursday. Hunter would like to play both positions at the next level. He has increased his production at wide receiver -- setting career highs for receptions (74), receiving yards (911) and receiving touchdowns (9) -- while recording three interceptions at corner and regularly logging more than 120 total snaps per game. "It's never been done," Hunter said of playing two positions full time in the modern NFL. "I understand that it will be a high risk, [teams] don't want their top pick to go down too early and I...

Midfielder Julian Gressel said Lionel Messi demanded Inter Miami CF reach higher standards, going as far as to label ties throughout the season as "unacceptable." "It's demanding [in the locker room with Messi]. You're talking about the player with the most wins in the history of the game," Gressel said on the "Major League Journeymen" podcast. "They're coming in and they're expecting the same, and you as a teammate, you kind of have to get accustomed to that and get used to that with Messi, [Luis] Suárez, [Sergio] Busquets and [Jordi] Alba. "It's unacceptable to tie a game, as simple as that. We tied a game earlier in the year and I remember him being really really upset in the locker room, he's like, 'We shouldn't tie, we can't tie.'" Gressel said at one point in the season, then-manager Gerardo Martino tried to step in and calm Messi down, telling him: "It's OK to draw sometimes, we can't just win everything, it's not how this league works." "But for...

The NBA's new four-team tournament-style format for the 2025 All-Star Game is expected to have two semifinal games played up to 40 points, with the winners advancing to the final match up to 25 points, sources told ESPN. The first-of-its-kind event is expected to serve as a quick-burst competition that resembles pickup games where the winner moves to the championship round in single-elimination play. Sources told ESPN last week that the NBA was in serious discussions to have three All-Star teams of eight players each and the winner of the Rising Stars game take part in an All-Star Game tournament. The four teams would face each other in matchups -- for instance, Team 1 versus Team 3 and Team 2 versus Team 4 -- and the winners move on to the final round. League officials discussed the new format on Friday with the competition committee consisting of governors, team executives, players, coaches and union personnel, sources said. NBA team executives, coaches and players...

The NBA's new four-team tournament-style format for the 2025 All-Star Game is expected to have two semifinal games played up to 40 points, with the winners advancing to the finals match up to 25 points, sources told ESPN. The first-of-its-kind event is expected to serve as a quick-burst competition that resembles pickup games where the winner moves to the championship round in single-elimination play. Sources told ESPN last week that the NBA was in serious discussions to have three All-Star teams of eight players each and the winner of the Rising Stars game take part in an All-Star Game tournament. The four teams would face each other in matchups -- for instance, Team 1 versus Team 3 and Team 2 versus Team 4 -- and the winners move on to the final round. League officials discussed the new format last Friday with the competition committee consisting of governors, team executives, players, coaches and union personnel, sources said. NBA team executives, coaches and players...

Five-star quarterback Julian Lewis, the No. 2 recruit in the 2025 ESPN 300, committed to  Colorado on Thursday, securing Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes a potentially transformational prospect in the 2025 recruiting class. Lewis announced his commitment on "The Pat McAfee Show" Thursday, sealing his pledge to Colorado just four days after ESPN's No. 2 quarterback prospect decommitted from USC on Sunday. Lewis will sign with Colorado when the early signing period opens Dec. 4 and plans to enroll early with the program in January, sources told ESPN. "I'm excited for the opportunity to get to work and compete," Lewis told ESPN. "Colorado wasn't recruiting me until I reclassed, so it really was perfect timing. This is only the beginning. I trust Coach Prime and [offensive coordinator Pat] Shurmur to help me become the player that I want to be." The commitment of the coveted quarterback from Carrollton, Georgia, marks a monumental recruiting victory for Colorado and...

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic has sustained a right wrist strain and will miss at least one week, the team announced Thursday. The Mavericks said Doncic will be reevaluated in a week, setting him up to miss games against the Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks. Doncic had tried to downplay the injury after Tuesday's win over the New Orleans Pelicans, noting that he started feeling the issue in the first quarter but adding that he thought it was "nothing serious." He was returning to the lineup against the Pelicans after missing his first game of the season Sunday due to a right knee bruise. Doncic is averaging 28.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game this season.

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic has sustained a right wrist strain and will miss at least one week, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Thursday. Doncic received evaluations on the wrist Wednesday and will begin rehabilitating the injury, sources said. He will be reevaluated after missing the next week of games against the Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks, sources said. Doncic had tried to downplay the injury after Tuesday's win over the New Orleans Pelicans, noting that he started feeling the issue in the first quarter but adding that he thought it was "nothing serious." He was returning to the lineup against the Pelicans after missing his first game of the season Sunday due to a right knee bruise. Doncic is averaging 28.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game this season.

Ipswich Town have revealed that pop star and minor shareholder Ed Sheeran was called to help them sign a player moments before he joined Taylor Swift on stage at Wembley Stadium.  Sheeran, the British pop star and lifelong Ipswich fan  bought a small stake in the club in August, ahead of their return to the Premier League for the first time since 2002.  "In the summer, we were trying to persuade one particular player to join the football club and realized very quickly that he was an Ed Sheeran fan," Ipswich CEO Mark Ashton said, speaking at a Soccerex industry event in Miami. "Ed jumped on a Zoom call with him at the training ground, just before he stepped on stage with Taylor Swift. Hopefully that was a key part in getting the player across the line." Ashton didn't disclose the player in question, saying only: "He's certainly scoring a few goals." Sheeran and Swift were on stage together at a show at Wembley Stadium on Aug. 15, a day before Ipswich signed ...

Japanese Formula 1 driver Yuki Tsunoda said he was interrogated in his pajamas for several hours by U.S. border control officials before being let into the country for Saturday's Las Vegas Grand Prix. The racer for Red Bull-owned RB told reporters on Wednesday he had no issues on his two previous visits this year for races in Austin and Miami. "Luckily, they let me in after a couple of discussions," he said. "Well, a lot of discussions, actually ... I nearly got sent back home." Tsunoda said he had been travelling with his physio but had to go through immigration on his own and was then taken to a room for questioning despite having the correct paperwork. The Las Vegas race comes after a three-week break following a round in Brazil and Tsunoda had flown in ahead of the team for a promotional event. "I was wearing pajamas, so maybe I didn't look like an F1 driver," added the 24-year-old.

Japanese Formula 1 driver Yuki Tsunoda said he was interrogated in his pyjamas for several hours by U.S. border control officials before being let into the country for Saturday's Las Vegas Grand Prix. The racer for Red Bull-owned RB told reporters on Wednesday he had no issues on his two previous visits this year for races in Austin and Miami. "Luckily, they let me in after a couple of discussions," he said. "Well, a lot of discussions, actually ... I nearly got sent back home." Tsunoda said he had been travelling with his physio but had to go through immigration on his own and was then taken to a room for questioning despite having the correct paperwork. The Las Vegas race comes after a three-week break following a round in Brazil and Tsunoda had flown in ahead of the team for a promotional event. "I was wearing pyjamas, so maybe I didn't look like an F1 driver," added the 24-year-old.

Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George suffered a hyperextended left knee early in the second half of Wednesday night's 117-111 loss at the Memphis Grizzlies, and he did not return. Sixers officials said further testing will be done Thursday. It was the same knee that George hyperextended in the preseason, forcing him to miss the first five games of the regular season. Asked if he could rule out structural damage to George's knee, coach Nick Nurse said, "I think so." "I think they said it was similar to last time, which was a bone bruise, I think," Nurse said. "He was actually fairly close to coming back in the game, but then it kind of stiffened up as he got out a little bit more, so I decided not to, and now we got to take a look at it, make sure." The injury marked the latest setback for the Sixers, who had stars George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey together in the starting lineup for the first time. Maxey was back in action Wednesday...

STORRS, Conn. -- Geno Auriemma's coaching career at  UConn already has been defined by unparalleled feats. Eleven national titles. Twenty-three Final Four berths, including 15 in the past 16 seasons. Six undefeated seasons. Separate win streaks of 98 and 111 games. And on Wednesday night, in front of 60-plus former players and a sellout home crowd at Gampel Pavilion, Auriemma ascended yet another mountaintop when his Huskies routed  Fairleigh Dickinson  85-41 to make him the winningest basketball coach in NCAA history.  Auriemma broke a tie he held since Friday with legendary Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer, who retired in April. His 1,217 wins are the most in NCAA history, women's or men's, for any division. The record-breaker was his 329th victory of at least 40 points; he has had more than twice as many 40-point wins in his career as total losses (162). "We never sat down and said, 'Hey, let's make a 40-year plan and see if we can...

Golden State Warriors guard De'Anthony Melton will undergo surgery on his left ACL and miss the remainder of the season, the team announced Wednesday. Melton missed two games because of an ACL sprain and underwent further testing before it was determined he would undergo surgery. The Warriors were excited about signing Melton to a one-year, $12.8 million deal on the midlevel exception in free agency. Golden State liked Melton's fit as a two-way player in coach Steve Kerr's 12-man rotation. Melton, though, played in only the first three games of the season before a back injury sidelined him for five games. He returned and played three more games, starting two of them, before he suffered his ACL injury against the  Dallas Mavericks on Nov. 12. "It's terrible news. I feel so bad for [Melton]," Kerr said Wednesday. "He's such a perfect fit for us, and we were excited to have him. He was clearly going to be our starter next to [ Stephen Curry]." Melton...

NEW YORK -- With uncertainty looming over when Japanese baseball star Roki Sasaki will sign with a major league club, Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred offered some clarity Wednesday, saying that he expected Sasaki to be part of the 2025 international amateur class. That would mean Sasaki, one of the top pitchers in the world, will be posted after Dec. 2 and will not sign with a club before Jan. 15. "It kind of looks like the way it's going to shake out that the signing there, just because of the timing, will happen in the new pool period," Manfred said at MLB's Manhattan offices, where the owners meetings are taking place this week. Earlier this month, the Chiba Lotte Marines made official what was anticipated around the baseball industry for months, announcing it would post Sasaki this winter. The signing period for international free agents stretches from Jan. 15 to Dec. 15 every year. All 30 clubs have 45 days to negotiate with a player from Nippon Professional...

Chris Sale and Tarik Skubal have a lot in common: left-handed, pitching Triple Crown winners, former Tommy John surgery patients. And now, first-time Cy Young Award recipients. Sale's comeback season with the Atlanta Braves ended with the National League honor, as he received 26 of the 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America to finish ahead of  Philadelphia's  Zack Wheeler, who received the other four, and Pittsburgh rookie Paul Skenes. Skubal, the ace for the Detroit Tigers, won the American League award in unanimous fashion, with Kansas City's  Seth Lugo (16-9, 3.00 ERA) finishing a distant second in the voting. Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase (47 saves) was third. It was only the third time two left-handers won Cy Young honors in the same season, with Steve Carlton and Sparky Lyle winning in 1977 and Randy Johnson and Barry Zito in 2002. Sale, 35, finished...

Chris Sale's comeback season has ended with the expected result: He's the National League Cy Young winner, capturing his first Cy Young Award over Philadelphia's Zack Wheeler with 26 of the 30 first-place votes. Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, who finished 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA and 228 strikeouts, was the unanimous choice for the American League Cy Young Award, getting all 30 first-place votes. Sale, the 35-year-old lefty for the Atlanta Braves, finished 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA and 225 strikeouts -- leading the National League in all three Triple Crown pitching categories (wins, ERA and strikeouts). He joined Skubal as a Triple Crown winner -- the first by pitchers in a full season since Clayton Kershaw and Justin Verlander did it in 2011 ( Shane Bieber did it in the COVID-shortened 2020 season). Sale's resurgence was a blast from last decade, when he was one of the top starting pitchers in the sport. He had battled a...

Chris Sale's comeback season has ended with the expected result: He's the National League Cy Young winner, capturing his first Cy Young Award over Philadelphia's Zack Wheeler with 26 of the 30 first-place votes. Sale, the 35-year-old lefty for the Atlanta Braves, finished 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA and 225 strikeouts -- leading the National League in all three Triple Crown pitching categories (wins, ERA and strikeouts). He joined Detroit's  Tarik Skubal as a Triple Crown winner -- the first by pitchers in a full season since Clayton Kershaw and Justin Verlander did it in 2011 ( Shane Bieber did it in the COVID-shortened 2020 season). Sale's resurgence was a blast from last decade, when he was one of the top starting pitchers in the sport. He had battled a series of injuries since 2019, including Tommy John surgery in March of 2020. From 2020 to 2023, he made just 31 starts, although 20 of those came with the Boston...

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- All the hoopla that surrounded quarterback Tommy DeVito last year made him an instant sensation. Now, the second time around with him as the New York Giants' starting quarterback, he's trying to keep it relatively mild. The local product and undrafted free agent out of Illinois will start against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. "Last year was a good story and all, how it happened," DeVito said. "All the fun and games outside, it was fun. That was last year. I'm sticking to football now. Not that I wasn't before. "The external stuff will be on pause. I already had talks with everybody around me, my inner circle. Want it to stay very tight and make sure that everything is about production on Sunday." DeVito was named the surprise starter after the Giants benched Daniel Jones earlier this week. Previously the No. 3 quarterback, he jumped backup Drew Lock on the depth chart to get another...

Indiana Fever star guard Caitlin Clark will not play in the new 3-on-3 league Unrivaled in its inaugural season, a source with knowledge of the situation told ESPN on Wednesday. Unrivaled announced the players who will be on its six teams Wednesday, but there are still two wild-card spots to be filled to complete the 36 players who make up the league. All Unrivaled's games will be played in Miami, beginning Jan. 17. Clark was the WNBA Rookie of the Year this past season after being the No. 1 pick out of Iowa, where she set the NCAA Division I career scoring record for women's and men's basketball. Clark will still be busy with events in the WNBA's offseason. Last week, she took part in a pro-am for The Annika LPGA tournament. It was announced Tuesday that she will be the guest speaker for a women's sports awards luncheon in Kansas City, Missouri, on Feb. 4 at T-Mobile Center. It is one of the largest events in the country celebrating National Girls and Women in Sports...

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs acquired reliever Eli Morgan from the Cleveland Guardians in a trade Wednesday and designated infielder Patrick Wisdom for assignment in a corresponding move. Chicago sent minor league outfield prospect Alfonsin Rosario to Cleveland. The Cubs also acquired catcher Matt Thaiss from the Los Angeles Angels for a cash consideration in a separate trade later Wednesday. Morgan, 28, is coming off an injury-plagued 2024 season when he appeared in 32 games, compiling a 1.93 ERA over 42 innings. The veteran right-hander has spent his four-year career with the Guardians after being drafted in the eighth round in 2017. He has a career record of 18-12 with a 3.97 ERA in 161 games, including 19 starts when he first came up to the big leagues. Morgan spent time on the injured list in 2024 with both elbow and shoulder problems, returning for the final two months of the season. Morgan offers a three-pitch mix including...

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- A former University of Virginia student pleaded guilty Wednesday to fatally shooting three football players and wounding two other students on the Charlottesville campus in 2022. Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., 25, pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated malicious wounding and five counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. A four-day sentencing hearing is scheduled to begin Feb. 4 in Albemarle County Circuit Court. Jones faces a maximum punishment of five life terms plus 23 years, according to a statement from UVA. Authorities said Jones opened fire on a charter bus as he and other students arrived back on campus after seeing a play and having dinner together in Washington, D.C. Authorities had not released a motive. Jones was a former member of the Virginia football team at the time of the shooting. A witness told police that he had targeted specific victims. Football players Lavel Davis Jr., D'Sean...

After falling to 2-2 with a one-point loss to the Denver Broncos, New York Jets owner Woody Johnson called an internal meeting on Sept. 30 with his top football people. In that meeting, Johnson -- concerned about the direction of the team -- broached the idea of benching quarterback Aaron Rodgers, multiple sources confirmed to ESPN. Johnson's suggestion, first reported by The Athletic, triggered different reactions. One source, who attended the meeting, indicated that it was "said in jest in a provocative nature." Others in the meeting interpreted it differently. One source said Johnson appeared to be serious, while another said, "If Woody really wanted Rodgers benched, he would've been benched." Rodgers survived the threat -- it's unclear whether he knew about it -- but two people in the meeting are no longer with the team. Eight days later, Johnson fired coach Robert Saleh after three-plus seasons. On Tuesday, general manager Joe Douglas met the same fate...

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs acquired reliever Eli Morgan from the Cleveland Guardians in a trade Wednesday and designated infielder Patrick Wisdom for assignment in a corresponding move. Chicago sent minor league outfield prospect Alfonsin Rosario to Cleveland in the deal. Morgan, 28, is coming off an injury-plagued 2024 season when he appeared in 32 games, compiling a 1.93 ERA over 42 innings. The veteran right-hander has spent his four-year career with the Guardians after being drafted in the eighth round in 2017. He has a career record of 18-12 with a 3.97 ERA in 161 games, including 19 starts when he first came up to the big leagues. Morgan spent time on the injured list in 2024 with both elbow and shoulder problems, returning for the final two months of the season. Morgan offers a three-pitch mix including a fastball, slider and changeup. Opposing batters hit just .176 off his four-seam fastball last season. He'll be a welcome addition to a...

NEW YORK -- Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner confirmed that club officials recently met with free agent slugger Juan Soto in California, describing it as a "good meeting" that included "very honest back-and-forth dialogue" without divulging many other details. "Our fans really enjoyed having him in New York," Steinbrenner said Wednesday in the lobby of MLB's offices where the owners meetings are being held this week. "He's definitely a significant part of why we got to the World Series. I've got ears. I know what's expected of me. So, look, it's been a priority. We wouldn't have gone out to the West Coast if it wasn't." Steinbrenner said the Yankees' delegation included general manager Brian Cashman, manager Aaron Boone, president Randy Levine, and Omar Minaya, a special assistant to the general manager. The owner declined to share the team's pitch to Soto or if any offers were made over the couple of hours, but he said he told Soto he would establish a relationship...

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs acquired reliever Eli Morgan from the Cleveland Guardians in a trade Wednesday, sources told ESPN. The Cubs, who also designated infielder Patrick Wisdom for assignment, sent a minor league prospect to Cleveland in the deal. Morgan, 28, is coming off an injury-plagued 2024 season when he appeared in 32 games, compiling a 1.93 ERA over 42 innings. The veteran right-hander has spent his four-year career with the Guardians after being drafted in the eighth round in 2017. He has a career record of 18-12 with a 3.97 ERA in 161 games, including 19 starts when he first came up to the big leagues. Morgan spent time on the injured list in 2024 with both elbow and shoulder problems, returning for the final two months of the season. Morgan offers a three-pitch mix including a fastball, slider and changeup. Opposing batters hit just .176 off his four-seam fastball last season. He'll be a welcome addition to a Cubs bullpen that...

UConn guard Azzi Fudd, who hasn't played since suffering a right knee injury more than a year ago, is available to return to action Wednesday as the No. 2 Huskies host Fairleigh Dickinson. Coach Geno Auriemma is seeking his record-breaking 1,217th victory Wednesday, which would move him past retired Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer for most in Division I history in men's or women's basketball. Fudd suffered the injury in practice on Nov. 14, 2023. She played just two games last season and is now a redshirt junior. In all, Fudd has been limited to 42 games in college after being the No. 1-rated recruit in the Class of 2021, according to HoopGurlz. Fudd has averaged 13.1 points and 2.4 rebounds at UConn, but she has dealt with injuries throughout her time with the Huskies. She played 25 games, starting 17, her freshman year in 2021-2022, when the Huskies lost the national championship game to South Carolina. She played 15 games in 2022-2023, when...

PHILADELPHIA -- Eagles edge rusher Bryce Huff will undergo left wrist surgery Thursday, coach Nick Sirianni confirmed, a procedure that is expected to sideline him until the latter stages of the regular season. "He's really done a good job of battling through, but this will hopefully help him get some more function in that hand," Sirianni said. Huff posted 10 sacks for the New York Jets last season but has had a disappointing start to his time in Philadelphia. He has posted 2.5 sacks and four quarterback hits through 10 games, well short of expectations that came with the lucrative three-year, $51 million free agent contract he signed this offseason. He has been wearing a cast on the wrist for the past couple weeks. His playing time has dipped since the injury cropped up, averaging just 11 snaps per game over the past three weeks compared to 28 snaps over the first seven games. Former first-round pick Nolan Smith has started four of the past five games at...

LPGA golfers will compete for a record $131 million in purse money in 2025, the circuit's 75th anniversary season, the tour announced Wednesday. The LPGA's 33-event schedule tees off with the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida, from Jan. 30-Feb. 2 and concludes with the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida, from Nov. 20-23. The 2025 schedule includes a new stop at the Black Desert Championship in Ivins, Utah, from May 1-4, and a return to Cancun, Mexico, for the Riviera Maya Open three weeks later. It will be the first LPGA tournament played in Cancun since 2017. The LPGA will hold tournaments in 14 U.S. states and 11 other countries, including two multievent Asian swings in the spring and fall and a European swing in the summer. "The 2024 season was another year of historic growth for the LPGA Tour, and with this 2025 schedule we will continue to improve on that growth," LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan said in a statement. "This...

MALAGA, Spain -- Carlos Alcaraz has said Rafael Nadal's legacy in tennis is "eternal" and said it is almost impossible to follow in his footsteps. Nadal  retired from the sport after Spain lost to the Netherlands in their Davis Cup quarterfinal tie on Tuesday. The 38-year-old opened the tie but lost to Botic van de Zandschulp in singles 6-4, 6-4. Alcaraz then defeated Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (0), 6-3 to take it to a showdown in the doubles for a spot in the semifinals. But Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers lost to Van de Zandschulp and Wesley Koolhof 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3), meaning Nadal was ushered into retirement. Nadal announced last month he was going to retire from the sport after this Davis Cup. He felt his body's limitations meant he could no longer reach the competitive level he wanted. But he leaves behind an astonishing legacy, having won 22 men's singles Grand Slams. Alcaraz, 21, is at the start of his career and has already won four Grand...

LOS ANGELES -- After  Lakers guard Dalton Knecht tied an NBA rookie record with nine 3-pointers en route to 37 points in a 124-118 win over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday, LeBron James wanted to clarify just how Knecht landed in L.A. It wasn't so much the Lakers' superb scouting department that identified the 6-foot-6, 215-pound wing after an All-American senior season at the University of Tennessee as the ideal prospect to select with the No. 17 pick. It was all the other teams who passed on him. "They didn't 'find' DK," James (26 points, 12 assists) said. "The other 16 teams f---ed it up. Did anybody watch him? S---. They just didn't f--- it up. You don't 'find' a SEC player of the year." And the Jazz couldn't find any effective defense to stall Knecht, who exploded for 21 points in the final 3:29 of the third quarter to double the Lakers' lead from 11 to 22 heading into the fourth. Knecht hit four straight 3s -- the first three coming off...

MILWAUKEE -- Kam Jones had 17 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists as No. 15  Marquette defeated No. 6 Purdue 76-58 on Tuesday night to end the  Boilermakers' 39-game regular-season nonconference winning streak. Purdue (4-1) hadn't lost a regular-season nonconference game since falling 58-54 at Miami on Dec. 8, 2020, compiling the fourth-longest such streak in NCAA history. The record is held by Syracuse, which won 52 straight nonconference regular-season games from Dec. 17, 2008 to Dec. 17, 2012. Before Tuesday, which marked his 108th career game, Jones had never had 10 rebounds or 10 assists in a game. It was his first game since learning about the death of Terry Tippett, who coached Jones his freshman year at Evangelical Christian in Memphis, Tennessee. Tippett died Saturday at age 79. He won six Tennessee state championships at three different high schools during a remarkable coaching career that ended in 2018, after Jones' freshman...

On the very first day of purchasing the Phoenix Suns for a valuation of $4 billion in February 2023, owner Mat Ishbia made a blockbuster trade for Kevin Durant, pairing the future Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Finals MVP with franchise cornerstone Devin Booker. As everyone in Phoenix hones in on a third consecutive postseason together, Ishbia told ESPN this week that he fully expects to sign Durant to a contract extension next offseason and wants the 14-time All-Star to retire as a Sun. "[Durant] loves being in Phoenix, we love having him," Ishbia told ESPN. "He's off to an amazing start this season -- one of the MVP leaders -- and we're off to a very good start. We expect Kevin to sign an extension, be with us for the long term. We hope he finishes his career here in Phoenix. "You can't sign a two-year extension this last summer, you can't do it based on the NBA rules. So we figured after the season we'll talk about it, take care of it. "Kevin wants to...