March 12, 2026 4:27 am
HOUSTON (AP) — A day later than expected, the United States has punched its ticket to the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic. The Americans got the help they needed from Italy, which beat Mexico 9-1 on Wednesday night. Italy beat the U.S. 8-6 a night earlier, turning the Americans into spectators as they hoped to avoid elimination. The Italians won Group B with a 4-0 record. The U.S. was runner-up in the group at 3-1. Mexico was eliminated, having also lost to the U.S. The Americans will stay in Houston to meet Canada on Friday night. Italy will play Puerto Rico in the other quarterfinal at Daikin Park on Saturday.
March 12, 2026 4:24 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward agreed to a one-year contract extension with the club as the team transitions to new head coach Mike McCarthy. The 36-year-old Heyward, a seven-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-Pro and the 2023 Walter Payton Award winner as the NFL’s Man of the Year, is coming off a solid 2025 in which he finished with 78 tackles and 3 1/2 sacks. He had one season left on the contract extension he signed in 2024. A second team All-Pro last season, Heyward’s 92 sacks rank second on Pittsburgh’s career list behind teammate T.J. Watt.
March 11, 2026 4:26 am
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Jackson Blake converted on the decisive shootout goal and the Carolina Hurricanes recovered after relinquishing a two-goal lead late in regulation to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 on Tuesday night. Mark Jankowski and Seth Jarvis scored 59 seconds apart in Carolina’s three-goal third period and Logan Stankoven and Alexander Nikishin also scored for the Hurricanes, who extended their home-ice points streak to 12 games. Frederik Andersen made 24 saves in the matchup between the top two teams in the Metropolitan Division. Bryan Rust scored two goals and Anthony Mantha and Noel Acciari had the other goals for the Penguins, who began a five-game road trip that also will end in Raleigh.
March 11, 2026 4:30 am
Kyle Teel, Sam Antonacci and Jac Caglianone homered as Italy built a big lead and held on to stun the United States 8-6 in the World Baseball Classic. The U.S. is done with pool play at Houston’s Daikin Park and needs the Italians to beat Mexico Wednesday night to be guaranteed a spot in the quarterfinals. If Mexico beats Italy, all three teams will be knotted at 3-1 and the winners will be determined by a tiebreaker, with the team that allowed the most runs eliminated. Pete Crow-Armstrong homered twice for the Americans, but Aaron Judge struck out with a runner on to end it.
March 11, 2026 4:29 am
The blockbuster trade sending star pash rusher Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens is off. And the fallout from that reversal could have a ripple effect throughout the NFL on the eve of the new league year. The Las Vegas Raiders said Tuesday night that Baltimore backed out of the trade that was supposed to send Crosby to the Ravens for two first-round draft picks. The deal was agreed to last Friday but couldn’t be finalized until Wednesday. A person with knowledge of Baltimore’s decision told The Associated Press that Crosby failed his physical. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because those results are private.
March 10, 2026 1:45 pm
(WPXI) – The Pittsburgh Steelers have agreed to a deal with a veteran cornerback, according to reports. The NFL Network was first to report that cornerback Jamel Dean is coming to Pittsburgh on a three-year, $36.75 million deal. Dean, a third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, has spent all seven seasons of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and almost exclusively plays outside cornerback. He recorded 46 tackles, 38 of which were solo, and three interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, during 14 games during the 2025 season. He’s recorded 343 tackles, 269 of which were solo, throughout his 96-game career. The Steelers’ cornerback room now consists of Dean, Joey Porter Jr. and Asantle Samuel Jr., who resigned with the team earlier on Monday.
March 10, 2026 4:29 am
Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer and Roman Anthony added a three-run drve in a big third inning to lead the United States to a 5-3 win over Mexico in the World Baseball Classic at Houston’s Daikin Park. The U.S. improved to 3-0 and will meet Italy on Tuesday night, seeking to secure a spot in the quarterfinals in Houston this weekend. Jarren Duran homered twice for Mexico, which will face Italy Wednesday night in the last game of Group B play. Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes allowed one hit and struck out seven in four innings for the U.S.
March 10, 2026 4:27 am
Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III is the new running back for Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City, and Miami settled on Malik Willis for a reset at quarterback after releasing Tua Tagovailoa. Indianapolis is keeping its top free agent in receiver Alec Pierce. People with knowledge of the agreements said the deals were among those reached on the opening day of NFL free agency. Two edge rushers are on the move. Jaelan Phillips is joining Carolina after Philadelphia traded for him last season. Dallas added edge rusher Rashan Gary in a trade with Green Bay.
March 9, 2026 4:35 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Tommy Novak scored 17 seconds into overtime to complete a wild comeback in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 5-4 victory over the Boston Bruins on Sunday. Anthony Mantha scored two third-period goals to help Pittsburgh — playing without franchise cornerstones Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin — snap a three-game losing streak. Second in the Metropolitan Division, Pittsburgh has points in 16 of its last 19 games. Crosby is out a minimum of four weeks because of a lower-body injury and Malkin served the second of a five-game suspension for slashing Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin in the head. Egor Chinakhov added a power-play goal, Connor Dewar also scored and Arturs Silovs stopped 22 shots. Pavel Zacha had his second career hat trick for Boston.
March 9, 2026 4:39 am
HOUSTON (AP) — Tarik Skubal is thinking about pitching again for the United States in the World Baseball Classic after the Detroit Tigers ace had previously planned to make just one start. His mindset changed after he started for the U.S. in a 9-1 win over Britain on Saturday night. Skubal said he was talking with his agent, Scott Boras, and the Tigers about the situation but had not made a final decision.
