WJPA Sports

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Cameron Heyward is criticizing the franchise tag, calling it “stupid.” The Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle believes it unfairly restricts players. His comments come as the Steelers and cornerback Joey Porter Jr. approach a contract deadline. Porter is in the final year of his rookie deal, and the team has a policy against negotiating once the season starts. The franchise tag allows teams to keep players for an extra year at the average salary of the top five players at their position. Heyward argues the tag hinders player freedom and is used as a negotiation tool.

CHICAGO (AP) — Bubba Chandler pitched six strong innings, Rafael Flores Jr. homered among his three hits and the Pittsburgh Pirates pounded the Chicago White Sox 9-3. Bryan Reynolds had two of Pittsburgh’s five doubles off starter Sean Burke. Reynolds drove in two runs and scored twice as the Pirates jumped out to a 7-0 lead after two innings and rolled to their seventh victory in nine games behind an 18-hit outburst. Oneil Cruz had three hits and two RBIs and Spencer Horwitz drove in three runs to help deal the White Sox a fourth loss in six games that trimmed their AL Central lead over Cleveland to two games. Every starter had at least one hit for Pittsburgh, and seven had two or more.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers rookie offensive tackle Max Iheanachor had his home recently burglarized, according to multiple reports. Reports said that at least $150,000 in merchandise was stolen on Aug. 26, the day before the Steelers visited Buffalo for a preseason game. The Steelers took Iheanachor out of Arizona State with the 21st selection in this year’s NFL draft. An undisclosed injury caused him to miss a big chunk of training camp. Iheanachor is listed second at right tackle on the Steelers’ depth chart for their season opener Sunday against Atlanta.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have agreed on a $165 million, three-year contract extension, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the team hasn’t announced the contract extension. Mayfield revived his career in Tampa Bay after replacing Tom Brady in 2023. He was entering the final season of his three-year, $100 million deal. Mayfield was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft by Cleveland. He made the Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons in Tampa while leading the Bucs to consecutive NFC South titles.

NEW YORK (AP) — Ben Shelton ended Carlos Alcaraz’s title reign in the latest-finishing match in U.S. Open history as he pulled out a 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 victory in a marathon tussle that ended at 3:33 a.m. Alcaraz had his 18-match winning streak in Grand Slam tournaments ended in a match that lasted 4 hours, 28 minutes. Shelton next plays No. 11 seed Frances Tiafoe who kept coming back until he had reached his third U.S. Open semifinal by beating Alex Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6. The U.S. is guaranteed to have a representative in Sunday’s final as it seeks its first men’s major title since Andy Roddick lifted the title in New York in 2003.