April 3, 2025 2:13 am
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Paul Skenes needed nearly three innings to warm up, then struck out six over seven innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-2 at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Oneil Cruz hit his second home run of the season and drove in another to give Skenes, the 2024 National League Rookie of the Year, his first win of 2025. The 22-year-old right-hander did not walk a batter and was on the mound when the Rays scored an unearned run in the sixth. Skenes generated 13 swings-and-misses, but did not strike out his first batter until the third inning, a career first for him. (Photo: AP)
April 3, 2025 4:31 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball’s average salary broke the $5 million barrier on opening day for the first time, according to a study by The Associated Press. Juan Soto’s record $61.9 million pay from the New York Mets led the way. The Mets topped payrolls for the third straight opening day, at $322.6 million, just ahead of the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers at $319.5 million. Those two teams each spent roughly five times as much as the Miami Marlins, who at $64.9 million ended the Athletics’ three-year streak as the lowest spender. The average rose 3.6%, up from a 1.5% increase last year.
April 3, 2025 4:29 am
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Alex Ovechkin moved three goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record with No. 892 in the Washington Capitals’ game at the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night. Ovechkin beat Frederik Andersen for a 10th time in 13 career games against the Danish netminder. The 39-year-old Russian has 39 goals this season and is on track to reach 40 for a record 14th time despite missing 16 games because of a broken left fibula. The first-place Capitals have seven games left this season.
April 1, 2025 4:34 am
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jake Mangum collected three more hits and Shane Baz struck out a career-high 10 in six innings, helping the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-0. Mangum drove in two runs and scored twice, one day after he went 4 for 4 with two steals in his second major league game. Brandon Lowe homered as Tampa Bay earned its third consecutive win. Lowe finished with three hits and three RBIs. Baz allowed seven hits and walked none in his first start of the season. Pittsburgh right-hander Thomas Harrington (0-1) permitted six runs and seven hits in four innings in his major league debut.
April 2, 2025 4:37 am
PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Steelers owner Art Rooney II says there are “positive signs” that Aaron Rodgers will play in Pittsburgh. The four-time NFL MVP worked out recently with new Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf after previously visiting the team. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Monday that he’s staying in touch with Rodgers and is comfortable with Mason Rudolph as the starting quarterback. The Steelers allowed Russell Wilson (Giants) and Justin Fields (Jets) to leave in free agency and brought back Rudolph. Pittsburgh hasn’t won a playoff game since reaching the AFC title game following the 2016 season.
April 2, 2025 4:35 am
PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The future of the tush push has been pushed until next month. NFL team owners had been set to vote Tuesday on Green Bay’s proposal to ban the play that’s helped the Philadelphia Eagles win one Super Bowl and reach another, but the proposal was tabled until May. Team owners approved modifying the kickoff rule, expanding replay assist and revising overtime rules, along with other changes. The decision to postpone the tush push vote means the debate will continue as the league seeks more information about the safety of the play. Proponents of the play and those who oppose it presented strong arguments while the league’s medical experts expressed safety concerns.
April 1, 2025 10:45 am
PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — While the future of the “tush push” still hasn’t been decided, NFL owners approved expanding replay assist and revising overtime rules, a person with knowledge of the voting told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the league meetings were ongoing. Regular-season overtime rules now will match the playoffs and both teams will have a chance to get a possession even if the offense scores a touchdown on the opening drive. The proposal was amended to make overtime 10 minutes, not 15 minutes.
April 1, 2025 4:45 am
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jake Mangum got two hits from each side of the plate to finish 4 for 4 in his second major league game, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-1 in their first game under the lights at Steinbrenner Field. The Rays had just four players with a four-hit game all of last season. The 29-year-old Mangum, who made his big league debut on Sunday, got his first career hit in the third inning and then stole his first base. He finished with a double, three singles and two RBIs. Drew Rasmussen allowed two hits in five scoreless innings to get the win. Carmen Mlodzinski took the loss for the Pirates.
April 1, 2025 4:41 am
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Paige Bueckers carried UConn to its record 24th Final Four of the women’s NCAA Tournament, scoring 31 points Monday night in a 78-64 victory over Southern California, which couldn’t overcome the loss of injured star JuJu Watkins. UConn heads to Tampa, Florida, to face overall No. 1 seed UCLA on Friday. Freshman Sarah Strong added 22 points and 17 rebounds for the second-seeded Huskies, who have won a record 11 NCAA titles, all under coach Geno Auriemma. Their most recent championship was in 2016, the last of a run of four straight. Rayah Marshall scored 23 points for top-seeded USC.
April 1, 2025 4:42 am
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Madison Booker scored 18 points and No. 1 seed Texas used its stifling defense to reach the Final Four of the women’s NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2003, beating well-traveled point guard Hailey Van Lith and second-seeded TCU 58-47. The Longhorns will face defending champion South Carolina on Friday night in Tampa, Florida, for a spot in the national title game. Texas won a regional final for the first time under coach Vic Schaefer, who previously made two Final Four trips with Mississippi State. The Longhorns’ 35 wins are one more than its only national title-winning squad had in 1986 under Jody Conradt, who was in the stands Monday night.
