August 27, 2026 4:24 am
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jackson Merrill doubled, tripled, drove in a run and scored another to help Randy Vásquez reach 10 victories as the San Diego Padres beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-0 on Wednesday to avoid a three-game sweep. The Padres remained in possession of the National League’s third wild-card spot, one game ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks. San Diego has won 12 of 17 and 22 of 31. Merrill doubled to right with one out in the second off Bubba Chandler and scored on Luis Rengifo’s single to right.
August 27, 2026 4:25 am
ATLANTA (AP) — The Pro Bowl is no more. The NFL announced the move Wednesday, bringing an end to an exhibition of the league’s top players that was held in some form almost every year since 1951. The game wasn’t played in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that was the only pause in the postseason event. The league said 88 players will still be named as Pro Bowlers and honored in Los Angeles after this season. Several flag football events also will take place at that time. The Pro Bowl has waned in popularity in recent years.
August 27, 2026 4:30 am
The Big 12 Conference on Wednesday followed the Southeastern and Big Ten conferences in banning players who were on NFL rosters from returning to college. The decision by the Big 12 came a day after rulings by the SEC and Big Ten. Earlier Wednesday, the NFL made it clear that players who leave the NFL to return to college won’t be allowed to come back to the league this season. NFL executive Troy Vincent reiterated the longstanding policy at the league’s meetings Wednesday. Atlantic Coast Conference leaders were also discussing the topic this week.
August 27, 2026 4:31 am
LIV Golf has informed employees their jobs will end next week as the league begins life without Saudi funding. The league is downsizing operations while pursuing an agreement with a lead investor to restructure for next year. LIV Golf learned in April that the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia would end financial backing after this season. CEO Scott O’Neil announced he had come to terms with a lead investor, reportedly BC Partners, and hopes to finalize the deal in September. The future of LIV’s biggest names, like Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, is still uncertain.
August 26, 2026 4:22 am
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Oneil Cruz hit the first homer allowed by Mason Miller in over a year with two outs in the ninth, sending the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 1-0 victory over San Diego. Cruz lined his 17th homer into Petco Park’s short porch in right field against Miller, the Padres’ vaunted closer. The Pittsburgh native hadn’t let anybody go deep on him in 73 consecutive appearances. Paul Skenes pitched six innings of three-hit ball in a solid rebound by the Pirates’ reigning NL Cy Young Award winner. Michael King allowed five hits over seven scoreless innings in his latest strong start for the Padres.
August 26, 2026 4:24 am
The Southeastern Conference has passed a rule banning players who have been drafted by NFL, NBA or WNBA teams or listed on rosters in those leagues. With Tuesday’s move, the SEC joins the Big Ten in taking a stand against this month’s unexpected surge of pro players trying to return to college. The Big Ten only included football in its decision. The two conferences issued their new rules in response to court orders that were allowing players who had been on pro rosters, then released, to return back to college. LSU football coach Lane Kiffin has sought to add two such players.
August 26, 2026 4:26 am
EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jeshaun Jones was issued a three-game suspension by the NFL for violating the league’s substances of abuse policy. The NFL’s announcement of the punishment did not disclose the nature of the violation. Jones spent each of the past two years on Minnesota’s practice squad. Jones went undrafted out of Maryland after totaling 2,040 receiving yards over a six-year career. The 26-year-old was going to have a tough time making the active roster with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings locked into the starting spots and Tai Felton and Myles Price in line for backup roles.
August 26, 2026 4:27 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz are out of the mixed doubles tournament at the U.S. Open. After winning their debut playing together, Williams and Alcaraz got knocked out in the mixed doubles quarterfinals by Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli in straight sets. It was Williams’ first match back at the Grand Slam tournament in New York since 2022 as she makes a return to tennis at age 44. Alcaraz had not played since April because of a right wrist injury. Now the question is whether Williams will play women’s doubles alongside her older sister, Venus.
August 25, 2026 4:25 am
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Nick Gonzales led off the 12th inning with an RBI single and the Pittsburgh Pirates snapped their three-game skid with a 3-2 victory over the San Diego Padres. Esmerlyn Valdez homered and Rafael Flores Jr. had an RBI double in the sixth for the Pirates, who rebounded from getting swept at Dodger Stadium last weekend with just their 11th win in 31 games. Jake Cronenworth tied it in the eighth with a two-out RBI single for the Padres, whose three-game winning streak ended with only their eighth loss in 29 games. San Diego’s eight-game home winning streak also ended.
August 25, 2026 2:53 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mike McCarthy wants to work with Joey Porter Jr., but the Pittsburgh Steelers and the cornerback are at an impasse over a new deal. The team placed Porter on the physically unable to perform list at the start of training camp with what it described as a back issue. Porter has remained out even as the team has come to terms with other members of its 2023 draft class. The cornerback market across the NFL has been hot, with recent big deals for players like Seattle’s Devon Witherspoon. While Porter is out, rookie offensive tackle Max Iheanachor and defensive back Jalen Ramsey have been cleared to return after injury.
