NBA referees begin using headsets

Starting Saturday, NBA referees will begin using headsets during regular-season games for the first time.

The league made that announcement Friday, rolling out a two-phase plan to implement the devices. The first phase, which is expected to continue into January, will see referees having the earpiece clipped onto their uniforms — then using it only during instant replay reviews and other stoppages, but not actually during live play.

In the second phase — which is pending evaluation of the first phase — referees will wear the earpieces throughout the game, including during live play, and be able to communicate directly with the replay center and each other at all times. That phase will continue through at least the All-Star break in February.

George Springer returns for Game 6

Toronto Blue Jays star slugger George Springer is in Friday's starting lineup, batting first as the designated hitter against Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 6 of the World Series.

Springer was questionable for the remainder of the series after experiencing right side discomfort during a swing in the seventh inning of Game 3 and exiting the contest.

Chris Grier leaves the Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins and general manager Chris Grier have mutually agreed to part ways, the team announced.

The decision comes after Thursday's 28-6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens dropped the team to 2-7 to start to the season. Grier had been with the Dolphins since 2000, taking over as GM in 2016. Miami only reached the playoffs three times during his tenure as general manager.

Ravens fined $100,000

The NFL has fined the Baltimore Ravens $100,000 for incorrectly listing quarterback Lamar Jackson's practice participation status on the Oct. 24 injury report.

Jackson was initially listed as questionable and a full participant in Friday's practice leading up to the Week 8 contest against the Chicago Bears. The following day, the star signal-caller was ruled out, and the team retroactively changed his participation status to limited.

LSU moves on from Scott Woodward

LSU and athletic director Scott Woodward agreed to part ways, the school announced Thursday - one day after Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry criticized the administrator in the wake of Brian Kelly's dismissal.

Kelly was fired Sunday in his fourth season with LSU, and Woodward came under fire for the $53-million buyout the school owed. Landry took Woodward to task in the press, declaringWednesday that the embattled AD would have no role in selecting the football program's next head coach.

Longtime athletic administrator Verge Ausberry will serve as the interim AD. LSU will owe Woodward nearly $6.4 million in a buyout, according to Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger.

Mark Walter becomes majority owner of Lakers

Mark Walter is the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers after the NBA Board of Governors approved his purchase of a controlling stake from the Buss family.

The Lakers and the league confirmed the next step Thursday in a transaction that is expected to close shortly. The sale of the NBA's most valuable franchise was initially announced in June.

Jeanie Buss will remain the Lakers' governor under the deal for at least the next five years, and she will oversee day-to-day operations "for the foreseeable future," the team said. Her father, Jerry Buss, bought the Lakers in 1979.

George Springer plans to return for Game 6

Blue Jays manager John Schneider said injured designated hitter George Springer was on track to play in Game 6 of the World Series on Friday.

Springer, who strained muscles on his right side while taking a swing in Game 3, was actually close to playing in Game 5 on Wednesday night, Schneider said.

"He was right on the fence," Schneider said Thursday of Springer's status for Game 5, a 6-1 Toronto win that gave the Blue Jays a 3-2 series lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers. "I think he probably could have. I was really juggling what's best for him, what's best for the team, not just immediately to start the game, but kind of how that game may unfold too."

LaMelo Ball fined for flipping the finger

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball was fined $35,000 by the NBA on Thursday for making an obscene gesture on Tuesday night.

Ball was assessed a technical foul for making the gesture with 4:02 to play in the fourth quarter of a 144-117 loss to Miami. He finished the game with 20 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.

Marchand leaves to help a friend in need

Brad Marchand is stepping away from the Florida Panthers to help a friend whose daughter died last week of cancer.

Marchand is serving as a guest coach Wednesday night for the under-18 March and Mill Co. Hunters in his hometown of Halifax, Nova Scotia, in place of friend JP MacCallum. Marchand is a co-owner of the team. 

The game is a fundraiser for the family after the loss of 10-year-old Selah Panacci-MacCallum and includes a raffle for an autographed Marchand jersey.

Avalanche sign Martin Necas to 8 years

The Colorado Avalanche signed forward Martin Necas to an eight-year contract extension, the team announced Thursday.

The deal carries an average annual value of $11.5 million and a full no-movement clause for the first seven years, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Necas was scheduled for unrestricted free agency next summer. Colorado acquired him from the Carolina Hurricanes in last season's blockbuster trade involving Mikko Rantanen. The Avalanche cited a lack of depth as one of the reasons for the swap. Rantanen ultimately signed an eight-year deal worth $12 million per season with the Dallas Stars, who scooped him from Carolina before March's trade deadline.

Washington Nationals hire Blake Butera

The Washington Nationals are finalizing a deal to hire Blake Butera as their next manager, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Butera, 33, previously served as a minor-league manager in the Tampa Bay Rays organization.

He will be the youngest MLB manager in more than 50 years, dating back to when the Minnesota Twins hired Frank Quilici in 1972, Passan adds.

Trey Yesavage is a Legend

The legend of Trey Yesavage continued to grow in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday.

Yesavage struck out a World Series rookie-record 12 Los Angeles Dodgers batters in Game 5, breaking the old mark set by Dodgers great Don Newcombe in Game 1 of the 1949 Fall Classic. He and Newcombe are the only rookie pitchers to log double-digit strikeouts in a World Series game.

The Toronto Blue Jays right-hander set the new record with a seventh-inning strikeout of Freddie Freeman on a splitter.

Yesavage is the 12th pitcher to record 12-plus strikeouts in a World Series game, and the first since the Yankees' Orlando Hernández in 2000, per Stathead. He's one of just five pitchers to do it in the last 50 years. His 12 Ks without a walk also set a new single-game World Series mark, surpassing Newcombe in '49 and Clayton Kershaw in Game 1 of the 2017 edition.

Lamar Jackson returns to the lineup

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will return to the lineup for Thursday's game against the Miami Dolphins.

Jackson, who missed the Ravens' previous three games after sustaining a hamstring injury, didn't have a designation on the team's final injury report after being a full participant in practice throughout the week.

Jackson seemed likely to return after head coach John Harbaugh said Monday that he was "very confident" his star passer would be available.

Twins hire Derek Shelton

The Minnesota Twins are hiring Derek Shelton as their manager, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

An official announcement is expected next week, sources told Dan Hayes of The Athletic.

Shelton replaces Rocco Baldelli, who was the Twins' skipper for seven seasons until they dismissed him after their 92-loss 2025 campaign.

George Springer out for Game 5

George Springer is not in the Toronto Blue Jays' starting lineup for the second straight game at the World Series on Wednesday night due to an injury on his right side.

Davis Schneider is the leadoff batter and Bo Bichette is the designated hitter for Game 5 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Toronto manager John Schneider said Springer could be available as a pinch hitter.

The 36-year-old Springer strained muscles on his right side while taking a swing in the seventh inning of Game 3 on Monday night, immediately leaving the game after the first pitch of his plate appearance.

Dallas Stars sign Thomas Harley to 8 Years

The Dallas Stars signed defenseman Thomas Harley to an eight-year contract extension that carries a $10.59-million cap hit, the team announced Tuesday night.

Harley has eight points in nine games to start the season. He notched a career-high 16 goals and 50 points in 78 contests last campaign and finished seventh in Norris Trophy voting. Harley's new cap hit will make him the fourth highest-paid defenseman in the NHL next season.

Harley added 14 points in 18 playoff games while averaging 25:58 minutes per game. He ranked second to Mikko Rantanen in team scoring, and led the Stars in ice time. Only Edmonton Oilers blue-liner Evan Bouchard played more per game in the postseason among skaters who advanced past the first round.

Mammoth sign Logan Cooley to 8 Years

The Utah Mammoth signed forward Logan Cooley to an eight-year contract extension carrying an average annual value of $10 million, the team announced Wednesday.

"We are thrilled to sign Logan and have him with us in Utah for the next eight years," general manager Bill Armstrong said. "Logan is not only an incredible player but an even better person, and we look forward to watching him grow. He, along with the rest of our core group, will have an impact in Utah for many years to come. It's a great day for Mammoth fans and another exciting moment for our organization."

Cooley, the third overall pick by the Arizona Coyotes in 2022, is off to a terrific start this season with 12 points in 11 games. He notched a career-high 65 points in 2024-25.

Lions sign Hutchinson to 4 Years

The Detroit Lions and star pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson have agreed to a four-year, $180-million extension that contains $141 million in total guarantees, his agent Mike McCartney told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The guaranteed money is the most ever for a non-quarterback, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

Hutchinson's new deal is worth $45 million per season, which only trails Micah Parsons ($46.5 million per year) for the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, according to Over The Cap.

Blue Jays thump Dodger in Game 4

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a two-run homer off Shohei Ohtani, Shane Bieber pitched four-hit ball into the sixth inning, and the Toronto Blue Jays shook off their epic 18-inning loss to even the World Series with a 6-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 on Tuesday night.

Addison Barger had two hits and an RBI for the AL champion Blue Jays, who coolly rebounded from their heartbreaking, late-night defeat in Game 3 with stellar work at the plate and on the mound.

Freddie Freeman 18th Inning Walk Off

Freddie Freeman homered leading off the bottom of the 18th inning, Shohei Ohtani went deep twice in another record-setting performance and the Los Angeles Dodgers outlasted the Toronto Blue Jays 6-5 on Monday night in a World Series classic.

The defending champion Dodgers took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven matchup and still have a chance to win the title at home — something they haven't done since 1963.

"That could go down as one of the greatest games of all time," manager Dave Roberts said.

Fan falls from upper level taken to hospital

A fan at Monday night's game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues was taken to a hospital after falling from the upper concourse at PPG Paints Arena.

The incident happened early in the first period after Anthony Mantha's goal gave the Penguins a 2-0 lead.

Emergency personnel treated the fan, a man who was not identified, before taking him to Mercy Hospital, located a few blocks from the arena.

Sidney Crosby reaches 1,700 Career Points

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby became the ninth player in NHL history to reach 1,700 career points with an assist on Bryan Rust's third-period goal against the St. Louis Blues on Monday.

Carson Wentz shoulder surgery

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz will undergo season-ending surgery on his left shoulder.

Wentz's left shoulder was in a brace during Thursday's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers as he played through the injury. However, a surgical procedure was reportedly deemed necessary after the game. The veteran passer, who was sacked five times and took eight hits, was in visible pain during the matchup.

Mookie Betts wins the Roberto Clemente award

Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts has won the Roberto Clemente Award for his humanitarian work.

Betts received the award before Game 3 of the World Series on Monday, joined by Commissioner Rob Manfred and Clemente's sons, Luis and Roberto.

"Life is about more than kind of what you do as far as work. It's about how you affect people," Betts said. "We live by that. So when we come across people, we always make 'em smile, do what you can to help them, and the Lord blesses you."

Orioles hire Craig Albernaz

The Baltimore Orioles are sticking with youth in their managerial spot, hiring Cleveland assistant Craig Albernaz for that role.

Albernaz, who turns 43 on Thursday, was previously an associate manager with the Guardians. He was promoted to that role after serving as bench coach in 2024.

Albernaz takes over a Baltimore team that still has plenty of potential despite sliding to 75 wins this year and a last-place finish in the AL East. The Orioles fired manager Brandon Hyde in May, and Tony Mansolino ran the team on an interim basis the rest of the way.

Max Scherzer starts Game 3 for Blue Jays

It still feels like something of a fever dream that Max Scherzer will start Game 3 of the World Series for the Toronto Blue Jays.

The guy with the legendary intensity and the impressive playoff resume and the three Cy Young Awards and the different colored eyes? That Max Scherzer?

Of course, part of the reason it's hard to believe is that Scherzer was a peripheral figure for much of his lone season in Toronto. He was pulled from his first start in March with a thumb issue and didn't return until late June. The 41-year-old worked his way into something approaching his old All-Star form over the next couple of months, but then he seemed to run out of gas. He struggled all September and was left off Toronto's roster for the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees.

Capitals fire Mitch Love after investigation

The NHL suspended Mitch Love for the remainder of the season after an investigation into allegations that arose while he was interviewing for multiple head-coaching jobs around the league.

The Washington Capitals simultaneously fired Love, who served as an assistant on coach Spencer Carbery's staff the past two years and was placed on leave last month pending the investigation. No details have been provided about the nature of the investigation.

"The organization is committed to maintaining the highest standards of conduct and accountability," the Capitals said in announcing Love was relieved of his duties effective immediately. He had not been around the team dating to development camp in July.

Celebrini powers Sharks with OT Goal

This kid is magic! Macklin Celebrini scored an unassisted goal at 3:47 of overtime to give the San Jose Sharks a 6-5 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday.

Celebrini, who also had two assists, gathered a loose puck in the San Jose zone after Yaroslav Askarov made a save on Brock Faber, raced in alone and beat Jesper Wallstedt.

Ohtani chant at Rogers Centre

Shohei Ohtani commended Toronto Blue Jays fans for their creative trash talk in Game 1 of the World Series - and the Los Angeles Dodgers phenom wasn't the only one who enjoyed it.

"It was a really great chant, and my wife really appreciated it," the Japanese superstar said Sunday via interpreter Will Ireton.

With Toronto leading 11-4 in the ninth inning of Friday's World Series opener, a sold out crowd at the Rogers Center suddenly broke out into "We don't need you" chant as Ohtani stepped to the plate. The taunts were in reference to the dramatic December 2023 saga of Ohtani's free agency, when many around baseball erroneously believed he was on a plane bound for Toronto before he signed a record-breaking 10-year, $700-million deal with the Dodgers.

Dave Roberts delayed flight back to LA

A flight delay caused Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to arrive late for the team's workout Sunday ahead of World Series Game 3.

Roberts said he reached Dodger Stadium at about 5 p.m.

"There was some delays. I don't know if there was intent or not," he said. "But, man, the international stuff was a bear. But we made it. We made it."

Barkley suffers groin injury vs Giants

Saquon Barkley ran for a season-high 150 yards before he left the Philadelphia Eagles' game against the New York Giants in the third quarter on Sunday with a groin injury.

Barkley ripped off a 28-yard run on the final play of the third quarter against his former team but shook his head as he gingerly ran back to the sideline. 

He was checked out inside the blue medical tent for the apparent groin injury. Barkley grabbed his helmet after the checkup and jumped in celebration when backup Tank Bigsby ran for 29 yards.

Luka Doncic out with finger sprain

Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic is out at least one week after being diagnosed with a left finger sprain and lower left leg contusion, the team announced Sunday, according to The Athletic's Dan Woike.

It's unclear when the five-time All-Star suffered the injuries.

Doncic would miss a minimum of five games under the timeline provided by the club.

Rakell out 6-8 weeks after hand surgery

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Rickard Rakell underwent successful surgery on his left hand, the team announced Sunday.

The expected recovery time for the injury is six-to-eight weeks.

Rakell, 32, exited Saturday's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the third period and didn't return.

Nikola Jokic leads Nuggets to victory

Nikola Jokic had his second triple-double of the season despite a quiet shooting night, Jamal Murray scored 23 points, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Phoenix Suns 133-111 in their home opener on Saturday night.

Jokic finished with 15 assists, 14 rebounds and 14 points on just 5 of 8 shooting. His first field goal attempt came with 2:26 left in the second quarter. He notched the triple-double on a turnaround hook shot with 57 seconds in the period.

Jokic has 166 career triple-doubles during the regular season, third behind Russell Westbrook (203) and Oscar Robertson (181), and 18 more in the playoffs.

Cooley and Schmaltz lead Mammoth

Logan Cooley scored twice in the first 3:29, Nick Schmaltz also had two goals and the Utah Mammoth won their sixth straight game, beating the Minnesota Wild 6-2 on Saturday night. 

Two days after scoring a first-period hat trick at St. Louis, Cooley opened the scoring Saturday with a goal 56 seconds in. The former University of Minnesota star backhanded the puck out of midair and past Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson for an early 1-0 lead.

Cooley netted his second goal of the game on the power play at the 3:29 mark of the first period. Cooley and Utah took advantage of a slashing penalty to Minnesota's Yakov Trenin.

Eagles not interested in trading Brown

The Philadelphia Eagles aren't expected to deal wide receiver A.J. Brown before the Nov. 4 trade deadline, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Teams have shown interest in acquiring Brown, but the Eagles aren't looking to move him, Schefter adds.

Brown is under contract through the 2029 season, and a trade would result in Philadelphia eating a $40-plus million dead cap hit in 2026, according to Spotrac.

Yamamoto tosses a gem in Game 2

Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched a four-hitter for his second consecutive complete game, the first in the World Series since 2015, and the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-1 on Saturday night to tie their best-of-seven matchup at one game apiece.

Coming off a three-hitter against Milwaukee in the National League Championship Series that was the first postseason complete game since 2017, Yamamoto retired his final 20 batters in the first complete game in the World Series since Kansas City's Johnny Cueto against the New York Mets in Game 2 of 2015.

No pitcher had thrown consecutive complete games in the postseason since Arizona ace Curt Schilling, who tossed three in a row in the 2001 NL Division Series and NLCS.

Bo Bichette out for Game 2

Toronto Blue Jays star Bo Bichette isn't in the team's lineup for Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa is starting at second base, while catcher Alejandro Kirk moves into the cleanup spot.

Patrik Laine out 3-4 months

Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine underwent surgery to repair a core muscle injury and will miss three-to-four months, the team announced Saturday.

Laine suited up in only five games this season before suffering the ailment. The club initially considered him day-to-day. The 27-year-old has managed one assist while averaging 12:36 per contest.

Injuries have played a major role in Laine's career in recent years. He played in only 181 out of a possible 328 games over the last four seasons.

Luka Doncic back to back 40+ Point Games

Luka Doncic has begun his first full season with the Lakers on a serious heater.

The Slovenian superstar is off to one of the greatest starts to a season in NBA history, following up his 43-point effort on opening night against Golden State with a 49-point spree in Los Angeles' victory over Minnesota on Friday night.

Blue Jays crush Dodgers in Game 1

The Toronto Blue Jays demolished the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-4 in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday.

The Blue Jays erupted for nine runs in the sixth inning, highlighted by Addison Barger's stunning pinch-hit grand slam - the first ever in World Series history.

Bo Bichette returns to the lineup at 2B

Bo Bichette is back in the Toronto Blue Jays' lineup batting cleanup for Game 1 of the World Series, but the star infielder will be in unfamiliar territory when he takes the field Friday.

For the first time ever as a major leaguer, Bichette will play second base, keeping Andrés Giménez at shortstop on defense.

Game 1 against the Los Angeles Dodgers will mark Bichette's first action since Sept. 6, when he suffered a sprained knee at Yankee Stadium. The injury forced him to miss most of the stretch run as well as the first two rounds of the playoffs.

Angels hire Kurt Suzuki as manager

The Los Angeles Angels hired former big-league catcher Kurt Suzuki as their next manager, the team announced Tuesday.

Suzuki has received a one-year contract.

Adin Hill out with lower body injury

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill is week-to-week with a lower-body injury, head coach Bruce Cassidy confirmed Wednesday, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal's Danny Webster.

Hill sustained the injury when attempting to make a save in the first period of Monday's 4-1 win against the Carolina Hurricanes. He left the game and didn't return.

Colten Ellis shines in NHL debut

Jack Quinn had a goal and two assists, Colten Ellis stopped 27 shots in his NHL debut and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-2 on Wednesday night.

Claimed off waivers from St. Lous earlier this month, Ellis stopped two breakaways and withstood a flurry of shots after Detroit pulled goalie John Gibson with about three minutes left.

Buffalo's Tyson Kozak scored for the second straight game and Jason Zucker had a goal before leaving in the second period with an upper-body injury. Josh Doan also scored for the Sabres.

Blue Jays off to the World Series

The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Seattle Mariners 4-3 in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series on Monday.

The Blue Jays now advance to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.

Red Wings win 5th straight

Dylan Larkin and rookie Emmitt Finnie each scored twice to help the surging Detroit Red Wings beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-2 on Sunday.

Detroit has won five straight since opening with a 5-1 loss to Montreal.

Edmonton has a losing record after dropping a third straight game as superstar Connor McDavid extended his career-long, season-opening, goal drought to six games.

McCaffrey powers 49ers to victory

For all the stars the San Francisco 49ers might have been missing, they still had Christian McCaffrey.

That proved to be the difference against the Atlanta Falcons.

McCaffrey ran for 129 yards and two touchdowns and had his 200-yard game from scrimmage in six years as the short-handed 49ers finally delivered a strong ground game to beat Atlanta 20-10 on Sunday night.

Blue Jays force Game 7

The Toronto Blue Jays forced the 2025 American League Championship Series to a winner-take-all Game 7 with a 6-2 win over the Seattle Mariners in Game 6 at Rogers Centre on Sunday.

ddison Barger and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. led the way offensively for Toronto. Barger went 2-for-3 with a homer, a walk, and three RBIs, while Guerrero continued his torrid postseason by homering and scoring two runs. Guerrero's homer was the sixth of his postseason career, tying him with Joe Carter and José Bautista for the most in Blue Jays history.

Rookie Trey Yesavage struck out seven on six hits while allowing two runs over 5 2/3 innings. Louis Varland and Jeff Hoffmanblanked the Mariners out of the bullpen to seal the victory.

Kaiden Guhle out with lower body injury

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle will miss four-to-six weeks with the lower-body injury he suffered in Thursday's win over the Nashville Predators, the team announced.

Guhle appeared to hurt himself on a noncontact play.

Additionally, forwards Patrik Laineand Kirby Dach are day-to-day with lower-body injuries and won't suit up Saturday against the New York Rangers.