April 2, 2026 10:49 am
It’s official, the Pirates are promoting MLB’s top prospect Konnor Griffin. The 19 year old shortstop will make his major league debut at Friday’s home opener at PNC Park. He was selected ninth overall by the Pirates in the 2024 draft out of Jackson Prep High School in Jackson, Mississippi. He played in just five games with Triple-A Indianapolis and had seven hits in 16 at bats with three doubles.
April 2, 2026 2:38 am
CINCINNATI (AP) — Oneil Cruz had a three-run homer, his third in two games, Paul Skenes allowed one run in five innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Cincinnati Reds 8-3 to take the three-game series. Eugenio Suárez had a pinch-hit, two-run shot in the sixth inning for the Reds. Cruz then connected on a 2-1 curveball that was over the bottom part of the plate and drove it 407 feet over the wall in right field. Skenes returned to his All-Star form after giving up five runs in two-thirds of an inning in last Thursday’s opener against the New York Mets. The reigning NL Cy Young winner allowed three hits, walked two and struck out five.
April 2, 2026 4:29 am
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas basketball coach Bill Self is returning for a 24th season with the Jayhawks. The program released a statement Wednesday. That confirmed his return to a program where he has won 21 regular-season conference championships, reached four Final Fours and won two national championships. The Jayhawks fell in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. They lost on a buzzer-beater to St. John’s and fellow Hall of Famer Rick Pitino. Health has been an issue for Self in recent years. He had two stents inserted in 2023 and two more last year. He made a precautionary hospital trip earlier this year.
April 2, 2026 4:28 am
Tiger Woods has formally turned down the Ryder Cup captaincy as he steps away from golf activities. And a Florida judge approved his motion to leave the country to seek treatment. These developments come a day after Woods entered a not guilty plea to suspicion of driving under the influence. His SUV clipped a trailer and flipped on its side last week near his home in Florida. Woods posted a statement Tuesday night saying he was stepping away indefinitely to focus on his health. His attorney, Douglas Duncan, said Woods needs comprehensive inpatient treatment that cannot be done safely in the United States.
March 31, 2026 4:28 am
CINCINNATI (AP) — Oneil Cruz homered twice and Ryan O’Hearn hit a three-run shot as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-3. O’Hearn and Bryan Reynolds went back-to-back in the second inning. Cruz finished with three hits and three RBIs. He also scored three times. The Reds were held hitless until Jose Trevino singled off reliever Hunter Barco with one out in the seventh. Pirates rookie starter Bubba Chandler tossed 4 1/3 innings with six strikeouts, but also walked six. Sal Stewart and Elly De La Cruz hit consecutive homers off Barco to trim the Pirates’ lead to 6-3 in the eighth.Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly was ejected in the eighth for arguing with plate umpire Jordan Baker.
April 1, 2026 4:30 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Rickard Rakell, Anthony Mantha and Egor Chinakov scored first-period goals as the Penguins raced past Detroit 5-1. Evgeni Malkin added an assist for his 1,399th career point in his return from an upper-body injury that forced him to miss four games. The Penguins remained in second place in the Metropolitan Division with the victory. Dylan Larkin scored his 30th of the season but Detroit’s postseason hopes took another hit following its fourth loss in five games.
April 1, 2026 4:32 am
PHOENIX (AP) — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says he has no plans to end the league’s Rooney Rule despite recent objections from Florida’s attorney general, who wrote that the league’s minority hiring guidelines violate Florida state law. Goodell was speaking on Tuesday at the end of the NFL league meetings. He acknowledged the changing political landscape for diversity initiatives in the U.S., but added that he didn’t believe there should be any legal issues with the league’s policy. Also on Tuesday, the NFL’s competition committee approved a one-year rule for the upcoming season that would allow the replay center in New York to correct “clear and obvious mistakes made by on-field officials that impact the game” in case of a work stoppage involving the NFL Referees Association.
April 1, 2026 4:31 am
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Tiger Woods says he’ll step away and seek treatment after his SUV crash in Florida. Woods made his comments Tuesday, four days after the crash that led to his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence. Woods pleaded not guilty on Tuesday in his driving under the influence case. The plea came hours after a sheriff’s report said he had pain pills in his pocket and showed signs of impairment at the crash scene last week. I’s the second time Woods has taken a leave following a car crash. In 2009, he announced a leave after his SUV plowed into a fire hydrant and tree outside his home near Orlando.
March 31, 2026 4:23 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Anthony Mantha had two goals and an assist, Rickard Rakell scored twice and the Pittsburgh Penguins rallied to defeat the New York Islanders 8-3 in a crucial game in the competitive Eastern Conference playoff race. The Penguins trailed 3-1 midway through the second period before scoring four times in less than 6 1/2 minutes to take over. Their seventh goal on their 28th shot eight minutes into the third chased Ilya Sorokin, who was done in by porous defense in front of him. Pittsburgh with the regulation victory leapfrogged New York into second place in the Metropolitan Division, 90 points to 89.
March 31, 2026 4:24 am
CINCINNATI (AP) — Chase Burns allowed one hit in five innings for his first major league win, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 2-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Burns (1-0) walked three and struck out seven, including Jared Triolo with two on and two outs in the fourth. Conner Phillips retired three straight for his first career save. Elly De La Cruz singled leading off the fourth against Braxton Ashcraft (0-1) for the Reds but was thrown out trying to steal second. Sal Stewart walked, took third on a single by Eugenio Suárez and scored on a sacrifice fly by Spencer Steer. Suárez scored on a triple by Will Benson to cap the scoring in a third straight win for Cincinnati.
