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Crochet’s sparkling outing, Yoshida’s pinch 2-run single lift Sox over Yanks 3-1 in Wild Card opener

NEW YORK (AP) — Garrett Crochet retired 17 consecutive batters after allowing Anthony Volpe’s second-inning homer, pinch-hitter Masataka Yoshida lined a go-ahead, two-run single off reliever Luke Weaver, and the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 3-1 in their AL Wild Card Series opener. Crochet improved to 4-0 against the Yankees this year, throwing a career-high 117 pitches in a marquee duel of ace left-handers against Max Fried. Crochet struck out 11 and walked none over 7 2/3 innings while allowing four hits. Boston closer Aroldis Chapman escaped a bases-loaded, none-out jam in the ninth against his former team.

Tarik Skubal’s 14-strikeout gem gives Tigers playoff momentum after late-season swoon

CLEVELAND (AP) — Detroit pitcher Tarik Skubal delivered a standout performance in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series against Cleveland. Skubal tied a franchise postseason record with 14 strikeouts, leading the Tigers to a 2-1 win Tuesday. Despite a challenging September, Skubal’s determination helped Detroit gain early momentum in the best-of-three series. He allowed just one run on three hits over 7 2/3 innings. Skubal’s fastball averaged 99.1 mph, and he effectively used his slider. His performance was crucial for Detroit, which had struggled against Cleveland in recent matchups.

Seiya Suzuki’s home run helps the Chicago Cubs to Game 1 win over the San Diego Padres

CHICAGO (AP) — Seiya Suzuki watched the playoffs on TV after each of his first three years in the majors. He gets to play this time around, and he is determined to make the most of the opportunity. Suzuki hit a crucial home run to help the Chicago Cubs to a 3-1 victory over the San Diego Padres in Game 1 of their NL Wild Card Series. The usually reserved Suzuki pumped his right arm and yelled in celebration as he made his way to first base after his big swing. Chicago had just one hit before the Japanese slugger opened the fifth with a 424-foot shot into the bleachers in left-center on a 94.5 mph fastball from Nick Pivetta.

Mbappé and Kane star as Real Madrid and Bayern Munich earn big wins in Champions League

Kylian Mbappé has scored a hat trick and Harry Kane scored two as European heavyweights Real Madrid and Bayern Munich enjoyed big wins over tournament newcomers in the Champions League. Madrid shrugged off any travel weariness in a 5-0 win at Kairat Almaty in Kazakhstan, and Bayern eased to a 5-1 win at Pafos in Cyprus. Tottenham needed a late own goal to escape Bodø/Glimt with a 2-2 draw from the Norwegian champion’s first home game in the main stage of the competition. Liverpool lost 1-0 at Galatasaray, Atlético Madrid romped to a 5-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt, and Lautaro Martínez scored twice to lead Inter Milan to a 3-0 win at home over Slavia Prague.

Napheesa Collier tells of private chat with Engelbert that she said exposed a problematic leader

Napheesa Collier delivered a blistering assessment of the WNBA and its commissioner as she sat in front of the media with a prepared statement and disclosed private conversations she said she had with Cathy Engelbert that portrayed her as a leader who lacks accountability. The Minnesota Lynx star spoke Tuesday for more than four minutes on topics ranging from Caitlin Clark — and her value to the league — to inconsistent officiating, which she feels Engelbert and the WNBA haven’t addressed. Engelbert responded to Collier in a statement not long after the media session, saying she was disheartened by it.

Key players are enduring serious injuries at an alarming rate across the NFL

Even the best quarterbacks look average or worse when they don’t have time to throw. Just see Patrick Mahomes in his two Super Bowl losses. The Chiefs couldn’t protect him and were routed by the Eagles and Buccaneers. With so many offensive linemen going down at an alarming rate, more quarterbacks are facing immense pressure across the league. Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers were off to a 3-0 start before running into the winless New York Giants on Sunday.

The Vikings take a 10-day, 2-game trip to Dublin and London, an NFL first. How did they pull it off?

The Minnesota Vikings are in the midst of a 10-day road trip to Europe that’s the first time an NFL team will have played consecutive international games in different countries. They lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dublin last Sunday. They face the Cleveland Browns in London this week. The organization welcomed the assignment from the league for the opportunity to move two road games from difficult-to-play-in stadiums to neutral sites. The football side of the operation also embraced the challenge with full confidence in the support staff around them to ensure everything from nutrition to equipment could be transported.

LeBron misses Lakers’ first practice of training camp due to minor injury, focus on long-term health

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — LeBron James sat out of the Los Angeles Lakers’ first practice of training camp with a minor injury. James has “a little bit of nerve irritation in the glute,” coach JJ Redick said after the workout at the Lakers’ training complex. James will become the first player in NBA history to play 23 seasons when the Lakers open the regular season on Oct. 21 against Golden State. That game is the target for James and the Lakers, who will work together to manage the 40-year-old superstar’s workload against injuries and exhaustion, particularly during training camp.

Ron Washington won’t return as Angels manager after 2 seasons cut short by health issues

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Ron Washington will not return for a third season as the manager of the Los Angeles Angels. The team announced the move on Tuesday. Washington missed roughly half of the current season after undergoing quadruple bypass heart surgery. The Angels said they will hire a new manager for 2026, which means interim manager Ray Montgomery also won’t get the job. The 73-year-old Washington was the oldest manager in the majors during his two seasons with the Angels, who hired him in November 2023. Los Angeles had the worst season in franchise history in 2024, going 63-99 after the free-agency departure of two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.

MLB spending disparity on display in playoffs as $509 million Dodgers take on $121 million Reds

NEW YORK (AP) — Baseball’s economic disparity is evident in the playoffs. The Los Angeles Dodgers have committed more than $500 million in salaries and luxury tax this season. They face the Cincinnati Reds, who have a $121 million payroll. Six of the 12 postseason teams have payrolls of $200 million or more. The Dodgers lead with a $341.5 million payroll and nearly $168 million in luxury tax. The New York Mets, despite spending $428.8 million, didn’t make the playoffs. The Yankees, with the third-highest spend at $363.3 million, face the $200 million Red Sox. Cleveland has the lowest payroll among playoff teams at $103.9 million.