NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball’s 11-man competition committee has approved use of the Automated Ball/Strike System in the major leagues in 2026. Human umpires will still call balls and strikes, but teams can challenge two calls per game. Challenges must be made by a pitcher, catcher or batter. A team retains its challenge if successful. Reviews will be shown as digital graphics on outfield videoboards. Adding robot umps could reduce ejections, as most are related to balls and strikes. The Automated Ball/Strike System has been tested in the minor leagues since 2019. The challenge system allows for ABS without eliminating pitch framing, a skill for catchers. This is MLB's first major rule change since 2024.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Guardians designated hitter David Fry was expected to be hospitalized overnight after he being hit in the face by a pitch from Detroit’s Tarik Skubal in the sixth inning of Cleveland’s 5-2 win over the Tigers. The victory moved the Guardians into a tie for first place in the AL Central. Fry squared around to try to bunt a 99 mph fastball from Skubal and the pitch struck him in the nose and mouth area. As Fry collapsed and grabbed his bloodied face, a visibly shaken Skubal threw off his glove and cap as Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt and trainers rushed onto the field.
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees are headed to the playoffs for the eighth time in nine seasons. But first, there’s plenty to play for over the final days of the regular season. New York secured its spot in the postseason with a 3-2, come-from-behind win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night on José Caballero’s RBI single with two out in the ninth inning that scored team captain Aaron Judge with the winning run. While the win clinched at least an AL wild card, the Yankees closed within a game of East Division-leading Toronto after the Blue Jays lost 4-1 to Boston. New York and Toronto, which won the season series over the Yankees, have five regular-season games remaining with the division crown very much up for grabs.
The New York Giants have drafted Jaxson Dart, and he is set to take over as starting quarterback. Despite signing Russell Wilson, the Giants are moving quickly with Dart, reflecting a trend where highly drafted quarterbacks start early. More than two-thirds of first-round quarterbacks since 2011 have started within their first four weeks. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay and San Francisco have both started the season 3-0, but with narrow point differentials. The Los Angeles Chargers have dominated the AFC West, winning their first three division games. The New York Giants and Jets are both off to rough starts, each losing their first three games.
Ireland will host its first NFL regular-season game Sunday when the Pittsburgh Steelers face the Minnesota Vikings at Croke Park. The country has its own sports, called Gaelic games, with Gaelic football in particular featuring kicking skills that can transfer to American football via placekicking and punting. A growing number of Gaelic football players are giving American football a shot, either through college programs or the NFL’s international player pathway program. Here are some facts about Gaelic games and the players trying to reach the NFL.
The New York Giants are turning to rookie Jaxson Dart to start at quarterback in their next game Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers, two people familiar with the decision tell The Associated Press. Dart replaces Russell Wilson after an 0-3 start to the season. Wilson is expected to dress as the backup with Jameis Winston remaining third on the depth chart. Coach Brian Daboll was noncommittal Monday about who his QB would be after Wilson threw two interceptions in a loss to Kansas City. Dart now is set to make his first NFL start after getting a handful of snaps the past two weeks.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A'ja Wilson bounced back with 25 points and nine rebounds, leading the Las Vegas Aces to a 90-68 win over the Indiana Fever. The victory evens the WNBA semifinals playoff series. The best-of-five series moves to Indianapolis for Game 3 on Friday night. Wilson also achieved a playoff career-high with five steals. NaLyssa Smith added 18 points, while Jackie Young and Jewell Loyd each contributed to the win. Despite being short-handed, the Fever have proven tough, upsetting Atlanta in the quarterfinals and now heading home with a chance to close out the series.
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler has been the No. 1 player for the last 28 months and he's handled being a target better than anyone since Tiger Woods. But this is the Ryder Cup and being No. 1 as an American hasn't always worked so well. Woods was in that spot five times and only twice had a winning record. Dustin Johnson managed only one win when he was the top-ranked player. Scheffler doesn't think much about his role at Bethpage Black except that his job is to win points. Justin Thomas says the U.S. team looks at Scheffler as one of 12.
PHOENIX (AP) — Shohei Ohtani is showing his dominance on the mound as October baseball nears. The Los Angeles Dodgers' two-way star had his third straight scoreless outing on Tuesday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks. His fastball consistently hit the 98-100 mph range, even reaching 101.2 mph. Ohtani gave up five singles and started an athletic double play to end the fifth inning. The 31-year-old is building up his pitch count after elbow surgery kept him off the mound last season. He worked five hitless innings in his previous outing. This was Ohtani's 100th mound start in the big leagues.
Four Top 25 matchups headline the Week 5 college football schedule. The only matchup of top-10 teams happens Saturday night when No. 3 Oregon visits No. 6 Penn State for a Big Ten showdown between teams yet to be tested. No. 17 Alabama travels to No. 5 Georgia and No. 4 LSU goes to No. 13 Mississippi. The Crimson Tide have won nine of the last 10 meetings with Georgia and the Tigers and Rebels have split their last four. The other Top 25 game has No. Southern California going to No. 23 Illinois.