December 4, 2024 4:29 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Juan Soto is starting to drop teams from negotiations ahead of baseball’s winter meetings next week. Likely to approach or set a record contract, the free agent slugger has met with the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays. Soto’s agent, Scott Boras, says the outfielder has “begun the process of eliminating teams” but he doesn’t think a decision is “imminent” in the near future. A four-time All-Star, Soto finished third in AL MVP voting after hitting .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks this year to help the Yankees reach the World Series. He has a .285 career batting average with 201 homers, 592 RBIs and 769 walks.
December 3, 2024 10:24 am
HOUSTON (AP) — Houston’s Azeez Al-Shaair was suspended by the NFL without pay for three games for repeated violations of player safety rules following his hit to the head of Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, which led to a concussion. Al-Shaair’s punishment was announced by NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan. In his letter to Al-Shaair, he noted that he has had multiple offenses for personal fouls and sportsmanship-related rules violations in recent seasons. Runyan says “video shows you striking the head/neck area of Jaguars’ quarterback Trevor Lawrence after he clearly goes down in a feet-first slide.”
December 3, 2024 4:38 am
DENVER (AP) — Ja’Quan McMillian returned an interception for a game-sealing 44-yard touchdown with 1:48 remaining, and the Denver Broncos spoiled career-best performances by Cleveland quarterback Jameis Winston and receiver Jerry Jeudy, beating the Browns 41-32. Winston threw for a franchise-record 497 yards and four touchdowns, and Jeudy had nine catches for 235 yards — the most in NFL history by a receiver against his former team. Winston’s electric night included three picks, two of which were returned for TDs. Bo Nix threw for 294 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions for Denver. The Broncos moved to 8-5 while the Browns fell to 3-9.
December 3, 2024 4:31 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Russell Wilson is turning back the clock in Pittsburgh. The 36-year-old threw for 414 yards in a 44-38 victory over Cincinnati that saw the Steelers improve to 5-1 since Wilson returned to the lineup following a calf injury. Wilson’s steady play makes him look like a viable long-term option for the Steelers, who signed him to a one-year deal in March. Wilson says he’s more concerned about the present than the future for the AFC North-leading Steelers, who are 9-3 heading into a rematch with Cleveland in Week 14.
December 3, 2024 4:34 am
HOUSTON (AP) — Houston’s Azeez Al-Shaair took to X to apologize to Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence after his violent blow to the quarterback’s facemask led to him being carted off the field with a concussion. Back in the starting lineup after missing two games with a sprained left shoulder, Lawrence scrambled left on a second-and-7 play in the second quarter of Houston’s 23-20 win on Sunday. He initiated a slide before Al-Shaair raised his forearm and unleashed on the defenseless quarterback. In the long post, Al-Shaair says “To Trevor I genuinely apologize to you for what ended up happening.”
December 3, 2024 4:36 am
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey will not need surgery on his injured right knee but he will miss the rest of the regular season. Coach Kyle Shanahan said McCaffrey will be out at least six weeks after injuring his posterior cruciate ligament in a loss to the Buffalo Bills. McCaffrey will be placed on injured reserve for the second time this season after previously missing the first eight games with Achilles tendinitis The 49ers also lost McCaffrey’s backup to an injury. Jordan Mason is also set to go on injured reserve after suffering a high ankle sprain in the game.
December 3, 2024 4:29 am
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — As one of Penn State’s captains, Jaylen Reed loves when underclassmen earn playing time. He knows, especially on defense, the No. 3 Nittany Lions will likely rely on them to make a run at their first national championship since 1986. Heading into Saturday’s Big Ten championship game against No. 1 Oregon at Indianapolis, Penn State has used 39 players to field a defense that ranks seventh nationally against the run and pass. Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions are fourth overall in total defense and sixth in scoring defense entering the showdown with the Ducks’ 15th-ranked offense with a College Football Playoff first-round bye at stake.
December 3, 2024 4:36 am
Kansas continues to hold the No. 1 ranking in The Associated Press Top 25 men’s college basketball poll. Auburn is pushing the Jayhawks in the latest poll after winning the Maui Invitational and checked in at No. 2. Two-time reigning national champion UConn nearly fell out entirely after an 0-3 week at Maui, falling from No. 2 to 25th. The Southeastern Conference had three of the top four teams with No. 3 Tennessee and No. 4 Kentucky behind the Tigers. The poll featured six new teams, headlined by No. 13 Oregon, No. 16 Memphis and No. 18 Pittsburgh.
December 2, 2024 4:36 am
CINCINNATI (AP) — Russell Wilson threw for a season-high 414 yards and three touchdowns, and the Pittsburgh Steelers outlasted Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals 44-38. Wilson logged the second-most passing yards and the third 400-yard game of his career. He threw for 452 yards for Seattle against Houston on Oct. 29, 2017. Wilson finished 29 for 38 as the 9-3 Steelers rebounded from losing to the Browns 24-19 in a Nov. 21 game in the snow in Cleveland. He also threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown in the first quarter. The 4-8 Bengals lost for the fourth time in five games.
December 2, 2024 4:32 am
BALTIMORE (AP) — Saquon Barkley scored on a 25-yard run with 7:56 remaining, and Philadelphia’s stingy defense kept Lamar Jackson mostly under control in a 24-19 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. It was the Eagles’ eighth win in a row. Justin Tucker’s nightmarish season continued for Baltimore. The star kicker missed two field goals and an extra point as the Ravens fell 1 1/2 games behind first-place Pittsburgh in the AFC North. The NFC East-leading Eagles rallied from an early 9-0 deficit with two second-quarter touchdowns. Barkley rushed for 107 yards.
