Sports

No. 1 pick Gavin McKenna makes NHL debut as Maple Leafs open season with loss to Canadiens

The 18-year-old first-overall pick from the 2026 draft played 15 minutes in Toronto's season-opening 3-2 loss to Montreal, a much-anticipated debut that unfolded inside a franchise still rebuilding after missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade.

No. 8 seed Liberty sweep top-seeded Lynx out of WNBA playoffs

Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart each scored 21 points as New York finished off a stunning first-round sweep of the league's best regular-season team.

Canucks rally past Oilers in overtime despite Bouchard's five-point night

Paul Cotter scored twice, including the overtime winner, as Vancouver outlasted Edmonton 6-5 on opening night, surviving a furious third-period comeback built on Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard's rare hat trick from the blue line.

Panthers Spoil Hurricanes' Banner Night With Late Overtime Winner

Gustav Forsling's deflected overtime goal beat Carolina 1-0 on the same night the Hurricanes raised their 2026 Stanley Cup banner, as the NHL opened its earliest season in 18 years under a new labor agreement.

Third-string QB Case Keenum ends 1,009-day drought, leads Bears past unbeaten Eagles 27-7

Pressed into duty after injuries sidelined Chicago's top two quarterbacks, 38-year-old Case Keenum threw for 247 yards and three total touchdowns in his first start since December 2023, handing Philadelphia its first loss of the season.

MLB's expanded playoffs open Tuesday with four Wild Card Series

The Astros, Yankees, Braves and Padres open the best-of-three Wild Card round at home against the White Sox, Red Sox, Phillies and Cubs, with winners advancing to face top seeds that earned first-round byes.

United States completes record Sunday comeback to win 11th straight Presidents Cup

Down three points entering the final day, the Americans won nine of 12 singles matches at Medinah Country Club to beat the International team 17-13, the largest final-day rally in the event's history.

Giants fear season-ending ACL tear for pass rusher Brian Burns after win over Titans

Brian Burns was carried off in the fourth quarter of New York's 12-7 victory Sunday, compounding a September that has already cost the Giants their starting quarterback.

Ravens Stun Cowboys With Last-Second Field Goal in NFL's Rio de Janeiro Debut

Tyler Loop's 56-yard kick as time expired capped a wild finish at the Maracanã, where the league played its first regular-season game in Rio de Janeiro.

A'ja Wilson's 38 points power Aces past Fever in WNBA playoff opener

A'ja Wilson delivered 38 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks the same day she won her third straight AP Player of the Year award, as the defending-champion Las Vegas Aces routed Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever 102-85 to take a 1-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.

Astros clinch AL West at 81-81, first team to win a division without a winning record

Houston beat Oakland 9-0 and got help from a Texas loss on the final day to finish 81-81, a record no full-season division champion has ever matched — or needed — before.

U.S. erases historic 3-point deficit to move within half a point of retaining the Presidents Cup

The Americans overturned the International Team's first-ever lead on U.S. soil in Sunday singles at Medinah, with three matches still to finish.

International team takes 10.5-7.5 lead into Presidents Cup singles at Medinah

The International side survived a U.S. rally in Saturday's four-ball and split the afternoon foursomes to build a three-point cushion over the Americans, setting up a Sunday singles finale in which the United States needs one of the biggest comebacks in the competition's history to keep the Presidents Cup.

Jadan Baugh, Florida Ground Game Bury No. 4 Ole Miss 52-28 in the Swamp

Jon Sumrall's Gators pound out 302 rushing yards and end a 12-game skid against top-five opponents, handing Pete Golding's Rebels their first loss of the season.

Wake Forest Blocks Late Field Goal to Stun No. 16 Louisville, 30-27

A 57-yard attempt in the final seconds proved to be the difference, as the Demon Deacons handed Louisville its first ACC loss of the season and threw the conference's early title race wide open.

Elly De La Cruz Joins Rare Reds Company With 30-30 Season in Loss to Blue Jays

The 24-year-old shortstop became the fourth player in Cincinnati Reds history to reach 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in the same season, a bright spot for a club that missed the playoffs for a second straight year.

No. 1 Texas Faces No. 14 Tennessee in First-Ever Meeting at Neyland Stadium

The Longhorns and Volunteers meet for the first time since 1969 — and the first time ever in Knoxville — with Texas favored in its first true road test as an SEC member.

International team sweeps Friday foursomes, seizes 7-3 lead over U.S. at Presidents Cup

Geoff Ogilvy's International side won all five alternate-shot matches at Medinah on Friday, its largest two-session lead since the team's only outright win in 1998, leaving the Americans searching for answers before Saturday's sessions.

Team Europe opens 3-1 lead over Team World on first night of Laver Cup

Casper Ruud, debutant Rafael Jodar and the doubles pairing of Carlos Alcaraz and Jakub Mensik won three of four matches at The O2, putting Yannick Noah's Team Europe ahead of Andre Agassi's Team World as the exhibition shifts into its higher-value weekend sessions.

Nick Chubb Signs Ceremonial One-Day Deal to Retire as a Cleveland Brown

Eight years, two knee reconstructions and a one-season detour to Houston later, the franchise's third-leading rusher returned to Berea to close the book on his career, with a pregame tribute set for Sunday's home opener against Carolina.

Michael Penix Jr. Returns From ACL Tear as Falcons Rout Packers 35-14

Bijan Robinson ran for 194 yards and two touchdowns as Atlanta's offense came alive behind its returning quarterback, ending Green Bay's 13-year run of unbeaten home openers.

Guardians clinch third straight playoff berth, still must fend off White Sox for AL Central

Cleveland shut out Boston 1-0 at Fenway Park on the strength of an Angel Martínez home run and a five-pitcher combined two-hitter, securing an October berth for the third consecutive year while leaving the division title to be settled in the season's final weekend.

Pete Crow-Armstrong Joins Baseball's 40-40 Club as Cubs Clinch Playoff Spot

The Chicago Cubs center fielder became the seventh player in major-league history — and the first in franchise history — to reach 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a season, on the same afternoon Chicago clinched a second straight postseason berth.

Presidents Cup Opens at Medinah With Scheffler and Burns Leading Off

The United States, chasing an 11th consecutive title, sent world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler out first as the 16th Presidents Cup began Thursday against an International team that has not won the event since 1998.

Atlanta Dream Clinch No. 4 Seed and Home Court as WNBA Playoff Picture Nears Final Shape

A five-game winning streak and a franchise-tying 30 wins locked Atlanta into the postseason's top four, leaving Indiana and Washington to settle the last open seed on the regular season's final night.

Patriots place guard Mike Onwenu on injured reserve with broken ankle

New England will be without one of the league's most durable offensive linemen for at least a month after Mike Onwenu fractured his right ankle against Pittsburgh, leaving coach Mike Vrabel to rebuild the line protecting quarterback Drake Maye.

Panthers Running Back Jonathon Brooks Headed Back to IR, Needs Core-Muscle Surgery

A groin injury that flared up in Sunday's win over Atlanta will require surgery and sideline Carolina's third-year running back for at least six weeks, the latest setback in a career slowed by two prior ACL tears.

Giants Rookie Jaxson Dart Facing Likely Season-Ending Knee Injury

A Tuesday MRI showed more extensive damage than first believed in quarterback Jaxson Dart's knee, pushing the New York Giants back to newly extended veteran Jameis Winston two games into coach John Harbaugh's rebuild.

Kawhi Leonard agrees to two-year, $115 million extension with Raptors

The two-time Finals MVP has committed his long-term future to Toronto just over a week after a delayed trade from the Clippers was finalized, taking less than the maximum to give the rebuilding-on-the-fly Raptors salary-cap flexibility.

Rays lead Yankees 4-1 late, a handful of outs from first AL East title since 2021

Tampa Bay lost the opener of a Yankee Stadium doubleheader 2-0 but answered in the nightcap, watching Drew Rasmussen carry a no-hit bid into the seventh before building a 4-1 lead that left the Rays a handful of outs from clinching their first division title in five years.

White Sox chase AL Central title after three straight 100-loss seasons

The White Sox trail Cleveland by one game in the AL Central with six games to play, putting a division title within reach of a team that lost 100 or more games in each of the previous three seasons.

Chargers Lose Tight Ends David Njoku and Charlie Kolar to Injured Reserve After 0-2 Start

Two offseason free-agent signings brought in to remake the tight end room will each miss at least four games, leaving Justin Herbert and coordinator Mike McDaniel's offense with a single healthy option at the position.

Days after his first major final, Ben Shelton loses twice as U.S. crashes out of Davis Cup

Jiri Lehecka clinched a 3-2 upset for Czechia in Prague, eliminating the Americans from November's Davis Cup Final 8 for the second straight year and leaving a fresh U.S. Open finalist with a rough final week of the season.

Asian Games open in Nagoya with fanfare — and a cruise-ship housing crisis

Emperor Naruhito declared the 20th Asian Games open Friday before 11,000 athletes from 45 nations, but skipping a traditional athletes' village has left thousands bunking on a docked cruise liner and in container huts.

Braves clinch playoff berth with three home runs in win over Astros

Atlanta locked up at least a National League wild-card spot with a 6-2 win in Houston, returning to the postseason after missing out for the first time in nine years.

Aaron Judge lands back on injured list with calf strain days before playoffs

The Yankees captain, already limited to 66 games this season, was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a right calf strain, clouding his availability for the postseason.

Rhyne Howard sets WNBA 3-point record as Angel Reese notches record 30th double-double in Dream rout

Atlanta's stars, fresh off Team USA's FIBA World Cup title, broke two league records in a 103-59 win over Connecticut as the Dream tightened the Eastern Conference playoff-seeding race with four games left.

Dodgers clinch fifth straight NL West title, eye historic three-peat

Los Angeles beat Cincinnati 8-2 behind Kyle Tucker's near-cycle to secure a fifth consecutive division crown and a 14th straight postseason berth, as the team chases a first World Series three-peat since the 1998-2000 Yankees.

Presidents Cup Rosters Set as US Chases 11th Straight Win at Medinah

Captains Brandt Snedeker and Geoff Ogilvy have finalized their teams for the September 24-27 matches, with U.S. rookie Jackson Koivun, just months removed from college golf, among the headline additions.

Josh Allen scores five touchdowns as Bills open record $2.2 billion stadium with rout of Lions

Buffalo's 41-31 win over Detroit christened Highmark Stadium, the most expensive venue ever built for an American pro sports team, funded in part by an $850 million taxpayer contribution.

Depay's late penalty miss ends Corinthians' Copa Libertadores run as Estudiantes reaches semifinals

Alexis Castro's stoppage-time strike lifted Estudiantes de La Plata past Corinthians 1-0 in São Paulo, and a missed penalty from Memphis Depay sealed the Argentine club's first Copa Libertadores semifinal appearance since 2009.

Kawhi Leonard, Raptors Advance Toward Contract Extension Days After Trade Clears Record NBA Penalties

Toronto and its returning former Finals MVP are discussing a two-year extension worth up to $124 million, days after a trade delayed for months by the league's harshest-ever sanctions against an NBA franchise was finally completed.

The British No. 4 of 2025 has fallen to No. 155 after missing all four majors this year with arm and knee injuries, sidelining him from this weekend's Davis Cup tie against Ecuador as he aims to return at the start of next season.

Alonso's 300th home run, in enemy colors, beats the Mets

A game-tying blast off his old team earned Pete Alonso a curtain call at Citi Field, and Coby Mayo's inside-the-park homer in the 11th kept Baltimore's long-shot wild-card push alive.

Messi reaches 100 goals for Inter Miami in Campeones Cup final against Cruz Azul

Lionel Messi's first-half header against Cruz Azul made him the first player in Inter Miami's history to score 100 goals for the club, reaching the milestone in just 115 appearances during Wednesday's Campeones Cup final in Miami.

Guardians pull within a half-game of White Sox atop tightest race in baseball

Brayan Rocchio's walk-off double Tuesday set up a winner-take-the-edge finale in Cleveland, with the AL Central lead and a piece of the wild-card picture both on the line.

Brewers Clinch Fourth Straight NL Central Title, First Team to Do So Since 1994

Milwaukee's rotation ace turned in five scoreless innings as a win in Pittsburgh and a Chicago loss sealed an unprecedented run for a mid-payroll roster still chasing its first World Series appearance since 1982.

Yankees Clinch Playoff Berth as Judge Ends Power Drought

Aaron Judge's first home run since May sealed New York's return to October, a franchise-record 61st postseason trip, as the club turns to closing the gap with Tampa Bay in the AL East.

Substitute's late strike lifts Real Madrid past Elche after two-goal collapse

Carlos Espí scored in stoppage time to complete a wild 3-2 comeback win at Elche, pulling Real Madrid level with Barcelona at the top of the table as Kylian Mbappé stretched his scoring lead.

Rafael Devers' first full Giants season ends early with core muscle injury, surgery expected

San Francisco placed its designated hitter on the 60-day injured list after he played much of 2026 through pain, ending a season in which he led the club in home runs.

Dodgers clinch 14th straight playoff berth, tying MLB record, behind traded ace Skubal

Tarik Skubal, acquired from Detroit at the trade deadline, threw seven scoreless innings as Los Angeles beat Cincinnati 4-1 to match the Atlanta Braves' 1991-2005 streak for the longest run of consecutive postseason appearances in major league history.

Mahomes returns from torn ACL, throws two touchdowns as Chiefs rout Broncos 31-10

Nine months after tearing knee ligaments in a Week 15 loss, Kansas City's quarterback added a rushing touchdown of his own, though his comeback was overshadowed by running back Kenneth Walker III's 173-yard debut in the Chiefs' season-opening rout.

Antonelli wins Italian Grand Prix from 19th on the grid, first Italian victory at Monza since 1966

Kimi Antonelli passed teammate George Russell in the closing laps at Monza to complete the second-lowest grid recovery in Formula 1 history and extend his championship lead to 66 points.

Texas erases 20-point deficit to stun No. 1 Ohio State 24-23

Arch Manning directed three fourth-quarter touchdown drives as Texas overcame a 23-3 deficit to beat Ohio State, the largest comeback on record in a win over an Associated Press No. 1 team.

Zverev and Shelton Meet for US Open Title as Home Crowd Chases History

Top-seeded Alexander Zverev faces American Ben Shelton at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday, with Shelton bidding to become the first US man to win the title since 2003.

Ryan Garcia Stops Conor Benn in Two Rounds to Retain WBC Welterweight Title

A second-round knockdown and finish ended Conor Benn's unbeaten record and set up Garcia's ring-microphone call for a unification fight with WBA champion Teofimo Lopez.