ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves became the first team to clinch a playoff berth, rallying past the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 on Sunday as Matt Olson went 2 for 3 with three RBIs.

Atlanta (93-49) secured at least a wild card and reached the postseason for the sixth straight year, the second-longest streak in franchise history. The Braves hold a 15-game lead over second-place Philadelphia in the NL East.

Ronald Acuña Jr. put Atlanta ahead with a two-run single in the seventh. Olson added a two-run single later in the inning.

Brad Hand (4-1) won in relief of rookie Allan Winans. Raisel Iglesias pitched a scoreless ninth for his 29th save in 31 chances.

Colin Selby (2-1) gave up four runs in one-third of an inning.

YANKEES 4, BREWERS 3, 13 INNINGS

NEW YORK (AP) — Milwaukee rookie right fielder Sal Frelick preserved a no-hit bid with a leaping catch at the wall of Anthony Volpe’s drive in the 10th inning to keep the game scoreless, but New York rallied when Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer in the 12th off Andrew Chafin and Kyle Higashioka hit a winning double in the 13th against Hoby Milner (2-1).

After Corbin Burnes pitched eight hitless innings, Devin Williams worked a 1-2-3 ninth and Abner Uribe a hitless 10th. Tyrone Taylor hit a run-scoring single in the 11th as Milwaukee went for the first 11-inning no-hitter in major league history, but Oswaldo Cabrera hit a tying RBI double with one out in the bottom half off Joel Payamps.

Joey Wiemer had an RBI double and Andrew Monasterio a sacrifice fly off Nick Ramirez in the 12th. Anthony Misiewicz (2-0) pitched around a walk in a hitless 13th.

Yankees rookie center fielder Jasson Domínguez was scratched because of a torn ligament in his throwing elbow and needs Tommy John surgery, interrupting an impressive start to his major league career that included four home runs in his first seven games.

RAYS 6, MARINERS 3

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Zach Eflin (14-8) tied for the AL wins lead as Tampa Bay took three of four. The Rays have a 7 1/2-game lead over Toronto for the top AL wild card, while Seattle trails AL West-leading Houston by 2 1/2 games.

Eflin allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings and four pitchers combined for scoreless, two-hit relief, with Pete Fairbanks working the ninth for his 21st save,

Yandy Díaz had a leadoff single, Brandon Lowe walked, Harold Ramírez hit a two-run double in the first off Bryce Miller (8-5) and Josh Lowe had a run-scoring double.

ASTROS 12, PADRES 2

HOUSTON (AP) — Kyle Tucker hit two RBI triples in an eight-run sixth inning as Houston routed San Diego.

Tucker became the 12th major leaguer with two triples in an inning and first since Colorado’s Cory Sullivan on April 9, 2006, at San Diego.

Jose Altuve homered and drove in three runs for Houston, which has won five of six to open a 2 1/2-game AL West lead over Seattle. The defending World Series champion Astros (82-62) are a season-high 20 games over .500.

J.P. France (11-5) allowed one run, four hits and five walks in six innings. Matt Waldron (0-3) yielded four runs in five innings.

Tucker was the first Houston player to triple twice in an inning, hitting his three-baggers off Tim Hill and Rich Hill.

CUBS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 2

CHICAGO (AP) — Christopher Morel, Cody Bellinger and Dansby Swanson each hit a solo homer in the third inning, and Chicago snapped a three-game skid with a victory over Arizona.

Swanson added two singles and Kyle Hendricks (6-7) tossed 5 2/3 effective innings to help the Cubs strengthen their hold on the second NL wild-card spot. Arizona’s four-game winning streak ended, but the Diamondbacks have a half-game lead over Miami for the third and final wild card.

Swanson finished with two RBIs and Seiya Suzuki doubled in a run for the Cubs. Morel also tripled, and Julian Merryweather pitched the ninth for his first save.

Arizona opener Joe Mantiply (1-2) took the loss.

BLUE JAYS 5, ROYALS 2

TORONTO (AP) — Kevin Kiermaier hit a tiebreaking homer in the seventh inning and Toronto took advantage of three consecutive wild pitches by Cole Ragans to complete a three-game sweep of Kansas City.

The Blue Jays hold the second AL wild card by one game over Seattle and 1 1/2 over Texas, which begins a four-game series in Toronto on Monday.

Kiermaier broke a 2-all tie with a solo shot off Taylor Clarke (2-5). Santiago Espinal and Cavan Biggio made it 5-2 with RBI singles off Jackson Kowar in the eighth.

José Berríos (10-10) allowed two runs in seven innings to snap a five-start winless streak. Jordan Romano got his 34th save in 37 chances as the Royals left the bases loaded in the ninth.

The major league-worst Royals (44-100) lost their fourth straight, giving them 100 losses for the first time since 2019.

Ragans extended his scoreless innings streak to 26 with five shutout innings to begin the game, but his outing unraveled in the sixth.

RED SOX 7, ORIOLES 3

BOSTON (AP) — Triston Casas hit a three-run homer off Cole Irvin as Boston averted a three-game sweep with a rain-delayed victory that halted Baltimore’s seven-game winning streak.

A day after getting 23 hits in a 13-12 loss, the Red Sox wiped out a 3-0 deficit with two runs in each of the third and fourth innings against Grayson Rodriguez (5-4).

Brayan Bello (12-8) worked five innings, giving up three runs and seven hits.

RANGERS 9, ATHETICS 4

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Marcus Semien homered twice among his four hits, Corey Seager went deep for the 30th time this season and Texas won consecutive games for the first time in September.

Andrew Heaney (10-6), the odd man out of the Rangers’ rotation with All-Star right-hander Nathan Eovaldi back from the injured list, struck out six over 3 2/3 scoreless innings after taking over for Jon Gray in the third.

Semien matched his career high with four hits for the second time in four games. He set a franchise record with his eighth leadoff homer this season, part of a three-run first inning off rookie Luis Medina (3-9).

DODGERS 7, NATIONALS 3

WASHINGTON (AP) — James Outman homered and Los Angeles moved closer to another division title with a victory over Washington.

Jason Heyward drove in two runs for the Dodgers, who lead the NL West by 13 games over Arizona. Los Angeles reduced its magic number to six for wrapping up the division crown.

The last-place Nationals have dropped 10 of 13.

Rain halted play for 58 minutes in the top of the fifth inning, the third consecutive day the teams endured a delay.

Wander Suero (1-0), called up from the minors before the game, allowed a run in 1 1/3 innings for his first big league victory since he pitched for Washington in 2021.

The Dodgers took the lead against starter Trevor Williams (6-10) on Heyward’s two-run single in the first.

MARLINS 5, PHILLIES 4

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bryan De La Cruz hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning and Miami, held hitless until the seventh, rallied past Philadelphia.

Dane Myers broke up a no-hit bid by Phillies starter Ranger Suárez with a one-out double in the seventh. Yuli Gurriel drove in two runs for the Marlins, who pulled within a half-game of Arizona for the final National League wild card. Miami has won eight of 10 after taking two of three games from Philadelphia.

Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber homered for the defending NL champion Phillies, who are two games in front of the Cubs for the league’s top wild card.

Miami went ahead in the eighth on De La Cruz’s two-run homer off Seranthony Domínguez (4-4).

David Robertson (6-6) struck out Alec Bohm with the bases loaded to end the bottom of the seventh.

Tanner Scott, the seventh Marlins pitcher, got five outs for his seventh save.

REDS 7, CARDINALS 1

CINCINNATI (AP) — Hunter Greene allowed one hit in six innings, Joey Votto homered on his 40th birthday and Cincinnati stopped a three-game losing streak by beating St. Louis.

Votto connected after missing 16 games with discomfort in his surgically repaired right shoulder. Jonathan India, Will Benson and TJ Friedl also hit solo home runs as the Reds avoided a three-game sweep. India also was playing his first game after missing 39 with left foot plantar fasciitis.

Cincinnati is 1 1/2 games behind Arizona for the final NL wild card.

Greene (4-6), who had been sidelined with COVID-19 that kept him isolated in San Francisco for five days, gave up one unearned run and struck out nine. He walked four in the first four innings before settling down to retire his last seven batters.

Miles Mikolas (7-11) fell to 1-6 over his last nine starts. The Cardinals (63-80) have lost 80 games for the first time since 2007 when they finished 78-84.

GIANTS 6, ROCKIES 3

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Keaton Winn had a career-high nine strikeouts in six innings to get his first major league win, and San Francisco completed a three-game sweep of Colorado.

Thairo Estrada, Mitch Haniger and Joc Peterson homered for the Giants, who edged back into the playoff race with three straight wins following a six-game slide. San Francisco pulled within 1 1/2 games of Arizona for the final NL wild card.

The Giants have won eight of nine against the Rockies this season and are 16-1 versus Colorado dating to Aug. 21, 2022.

Winn (1-2), who began his career in June as a reliever, was crisp against the Rockies in his third major league start. He allowed three runs and threw 62 of his 80 pitches for strikes.

Hunter Goodwin hit a two-run triple for the last-place Rockies. All three Giants homers came off starter Peter Lambert (3-7).

METS 2, TWINS 0

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — DJ Stewart hit a two-run double in the ninth inning and New York overcame a career-high 14 strikeouts by Minnesota starter Pablo López to avoid a three-game sweep.

López went eight innings for the Twins, who have a 7 1/2-game lead in the AL Central over Cleveland.

Stewart doubled off reliever Griffin Jax (6-9), who took over for López in the ninth. Francisco Lindor led off with a bloop double and Jeff McNeil was hit by a pitch.

Brooks Raley (1-2) struck out two in the eighth to earn the win. Adam Ottavino allowed a leadoff double in the ninth but held on for his ninth save.

López became the ninth Twins pitcher to reach 200 strikeouts in a season.

ANGELS 2, GUARDIANS 1

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Kenny Rosenberg gave up one run over five innings to earn his first career win as Los Angeles held off Cleveland.

Mike Moustakas and Randal Grichuk each drove in a run for the Angels, who took advantage of two balk calls on Guardians starter Tanner Bibee in the third. Cleveland lost three of four in the series and is 7 1/2 games behind first-place Minnesota in the AL Central.

Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani missed his seventh straight game with an oblique strain. Los Angeles manager Phil Nevin was optimistic Ohtani will return Monday at Seattle.

Kole Calhoun homered for the Guardians against his former team, and Bibee (10-4) allowed two hits over seven innings. The rookie from nearby Mission Viejo retired his last 14 batters and did not issue a walk. He struck out eight in his first appearance at Angel Stadium.

Rosenberg (1-1) permitted six hits and one walk. Carlos Estévez earned his 30th save.

TIGERS 3, WHITE SOX 2

DETROIT (AP) — Sawyer Gipson-Long won his major league debut and Spencer Torkelson hit a two-run double in a three-run third inning as Detroit beat Chicago.

Gipson-Long (1-0) threw 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs and four hits. Four relievers finished for the Tigers, with Alex Lange getting his 23rd save.

Jesse Scholtens (1-8) gave up three runs and eight hits in five innings.

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The Detroit Tigers are 25-26 years old and haven’t gone over .500 a day all season. They are also one game behind first place.

The Chicago Cubs have the worst record in the National League but are only 4 1/2 games away from a playoff berth.

As Memorial Day approaches, some of baseball’s weaker teams are still within striking distance in the postseason race. In fact, FanGraphs lists just five teams in the major leagues that have less than a 5% chance of making the postseason: the Royals, Athletics, Nationals, Reds, and Rockies. And even Cincinnati is just four games clear of first place in the NL Central.

As of May 29 of last year, there were 11 teams with less than a 5% chance of making the playoffs.

There are a handful of factors this year that are helping teams stay competitive, even if they’re not playing as well.

1. The worst teams are REALLY bad. Oakland is 10-45, and the Athletics could well challenge the Mets’ modern record of 1962 of 120 losses. Kansas City isn’t much better at the current 16-38 record.

That means more wins for other teams that could use the help. Seattle, for example, could be in serious trouble right now were it not for a 7-0 record against the A’s.

2. Many of the mediocre teams are grouped in the same divisions. Minnesota leads the AL Central 27-26, and that means the Tigers don’t even have to be at .500 to be close behind. Cleveland (23-29) is 7 1/2 games behind the last wild card but only 3 1/2 behind the division lead, and even the White Sox are only six games behind the Twins despite being 11 games under .500.

Similarly in the NL Central, there are only 5 1/2 games between division leaders Milwaukee (28-25) and the bottom-placed Cubs.

3. While it takes a very good record to secure even the third wild card in the AL, there is real parity in the NL. Currently, the third wildcard in the NL belongs to San Francisco (27-26) and there are nine teams within 4 1/2 games against the Giants.

TRIVIA TIME

One of the most intriguing stats about the A’s is that out of their ten wins, four have come in walk-off style. Only one team has more walkoff wins than Oakland. Who is this?

COMEBACK OF THE WEEK

The Philadelphia Phillies rebounded from a 5-0 deficit in the sixth inning against Arizona on Wednesday. Trea Turner leveled the game with a two-run home run late in the ninth, and then Alec Bohm’s single in the tenth gave Philadelphia a 6-5 win. According to Baseball Savant, the Diamondbacks had a 98.6% chance of winning in the ninth game.

LINE OF THE WEEK

Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler threw eight innings without a score and had 12 strikeouts in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Atlanta. He allowed three hits.

With Aaron Nola boasting a 4.59 ERA, the Phillies could really use more performances of this type from Wheeler as they try to gain ground in the NL East.

TRIVIA ANSWER

The Yankees lead the majors with five walk-off wins. Last week they had two of them: Anthony Volpe hit a sacrificial flight in the 10th inning on Tuesday night to beat Baltimore and Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s single in the 10th rounded out New York’s win over San Diego on Saturday.

The Padres have lost all five extra innings games and are 3-9 in one run games.

Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, transcribed, or redistributed without permission.

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SAN FRANCISCO – The Warriors are playing postseason games in San Francisco for the first time in 58 years, but it’s no surprise the new memories rekindle those from their old home across the bay.

After all, if it weren’t for the frenzied Oracle Arena crowds in Oakland that helped fuel the Warriors to five straight NBA Finals appearances, the team might not be playing at its state-of-the-art downtown digs at Chase Center.

The Warriors came away with a decisive 142-112 win over the Grizzlies Saturday night to grab a 2-1 lead in the playoff series.

Steph Curry led the way with 30 points. Jordan Poole scored 27 points and Klay Thompson added 21.

Ja Morant had 34 for Memphis but left the game early with an injury.

“I think of them both very fondly, and I have great memories of the other and I hope to create good memories here,” team owner Joe Lacob said recently. “But I really appreciate all the great new things this has and I think this is going to be one of the great arenas.”

When the Warriors moved three seasons ago to their new venue across the bay, many lamented the decision, questioning how the fancy new $1.6 billion super-stadium would compare to the exuberant environment of its old home. For years, the Oakland arena was considered one of the biggest home-court advantages in the NBA because of the rollicking atmosphere and energetic fan base.

After two seasons in which the Warriors failed to qualify for the playoffs, Chase Center finally is getting his shot as a postseason stage.

Warriors superstar Steph Curry commemorated the occasion by wearing special shoes for Game 1 of the team’s first-round series against the Denver Nuggets. Black sneakers, bearing the Oakland name, were a nod to Oracle.

“We hadn’t been in a playoff series since Oracle so it was kind of a passing of the torch,” Curry said.

The Warriors won the series in five games, chants of MVP ringing throughout Chase as Curry stepped to the foul line in the final moments, yellow-and-blue streamers falling from the rafters at the final horn.

“There were some great moments,” Curry said, assessing the atmosphere for the first series. “It’s still a young building and environment and trying to find its identity, but it was loud at times . . . . It’s only going to continue to get better as the stakes get higher and higher.”

To compare Chase and Oracle at this early stage is like “comparing apples and oranges,” said Warriors forward Juan Toscano-Anderson, an Oakland native.

“It’s two totally different venues, two totally different demographics,” he said. “All good things come to an end, and so I mean Oracle came and gone, it was what it was and so now onto bigger and better things.”

Bigger and better, at least in terms of atmosphere, is about to happen. The Warriors host the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night in Game 3 of what has been a raucous series.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr is anticipating Chase Center to be “the loudest it’s ever been” these next two games. Game 4 is Monday night.

At Oracle, the crowd could generate an extraordinary level of noise, helped in part by a concave ceiling that reverberated the arena’s sound. It would get so loud that spectators couldn’t hear their own thoughts and some would bring ear protection to games even during the regular season. Thus, it came to be known as “Roaracle.”

Longtime Warriors broadcaster Jim Barnett loved the way that calling the game from courtside allowed him to “feel the vibrations” when Oracle roared, and the connection he was able to make with fans from there.

“You got to know people,” Barnett said. “You could look around and get eye contact, even during the game while it’s going on. And that kind of feeds you. You feel a part of it and they feel a part of it. There’s a connection there and it’s kind of magical.”

Still, Barnett said, “If I were a player I’d rather play at Chase Center. If I were a fan, I’d rather go to Chase Center. It’s a marvelous place.”

The team’s departure from Oakland still ranks some East Bay folks, politicians and fans alike

“Honestly, I have mixed emotions,” said Larry Schonbrun, a retired attorney from Berkeley who had season tickets at Oracle for 20 years. “In a way, I want to be a part of that excitement that they’ve still got. But, in a way, I’m angry at the team that they’ve denied me that opportunity to go to the games by moving. ”

Schonbrun had prime seats in Oakland. three rows behind the warriors’ bench. Now in his 70s, Schonbrun said getting to San Francisco for games on a regular basis would have been too much. So were the ticket prices.

Schonbrun said his three seats, roughly $750 a piece at Oracle, would have been about $1,200 a piece at Chase. Each carried an additional licensing fee of $75,000, he said.

Oracle Arena will be a special chapter in Warriors Bay Area history. It is what fans knew and loved for 47 years. It’s where fans supported and cheered on a team that struggled for most of that period – a true community and a rarity across sports.

It’s where the team won four championships, including three in the last decade, and where Curry emerged as one of the best shooters in NBA history.

Lacob said he still has a lot of love for what’s now known as the Oakland Arena. It’s more of a music venue now. This weekend, while Chase is hosting the Warriors, the old Oracle will be hosting Paul McCartney.

“Look,” said Lacob, addressing the old and the new, “five (NBA) Finals experiences, that’s a lot of memories – for me too, and I loved every minute of it, but I think this is a new place that needs his own memories created, hopefully this year will be one of those.”

Saturday night looms large, If the Denver series was the soft opening, this weekend is the grand opening of Chase Center.

“This could be frankly an epic series,” Lacob said of Warriors-Memphis. “This one and the next one, We [could] play the two teams with the best records in the NBA: Memphis and, if we get by, Phoenix. So this is going to be quite the run.”

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Aaron Rodgers understands his hopes for a second Super Bowl title with the Green Bay Packers are running out of time.

The 38-year-old quarterback’s final postseason run begins Saturday night as he attempts to beat the team that has served as the three-time MVP’s greatest nemesis in the playoffs.

Rodgers has a 0-3 playoff record against the San Francisco 49ers, despite beating them in the regular season for the past two years. The top-ranked Packers (13-4) and 49ers (11-7) face off again Saturday night in an NFC division playoff game at Lambeau Field.

“I think mortality in football is something we all think about,” Rodgers said. “And we all think about how many opportunities are presented to us to move forward, and each one is special.”

Since stumbling to a 3-5 start, the 49ers have won eight of 10 while showing a knack for delivering away. They secured a playoff spot by recovering from a 17-0 deficit to win an away game in overtime with the Los Angeles Rams and followed that up with a 23-17 wildcard win in Dallas.

Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo says San Francisco’s slow start prompted the 49ers to adopt a playoff mentality prematurely.

“When you put that pressure on your team early on, it creates a mindset,” Garoppolo said. “It creates an atmosphere of urgency in the dressing room that we need to win now and make some plays.”

The Packers defeated the 49ers 30-28 on the road on September 26, with the 49ers erasing a 17-0 deficit and taking the lead in the last minute before Rodgers Green Bay for Mason Crosby’s 51-yard field goal positioned time up. The Packers also beat the 49ers away from home last season, 34-17.

But the 49ers can draw on their successful postseason history against Rodgers’ Packers, including a 37-20 win in the NFC Championship game two seasons ago.

“This is a special opportunity,” Rodgers said. “We’re not going to make it bigger than it is. We’ve come to the point where we’re level headed and balanced and haven’t triggered a roller coaster of emotions, and we will continue to do the same. So if it was good enough to get us this far, it’s good enough to get us past this point.”

DYNAMIC DEEBO

Deebo Samuel has added another role to his all-round squad.

The dynamic receiver and runner showed off his forecasting skills last week. After San Francisco intercepted a pass, Samuel challenged coach Kyle Shanahan to get him the ball and he would score. Shanahan called a handoff on the next play, and Samuel took it 26 yards for a TD.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time and I’ve never been anywhere near a football player who’s done his own thing,” said Mike McDaniel, 49ers offensive coordinator. “I go to basketball, but when you play with 22 people on the field, 11 of them try to attack you with all their might. And you’re just like, ‘Hey, yeah, give me the ball, I’ll put the ball in the box’, and for him that was a special moment that only a special player could achieve.”

Samuel has 1,880 yards from scrimmage and 15 touchdowns this season, including the playoffs.

STAY DISCIPLINE

Green Bay’s most obvious concern is slowing down a 49ers rushing attack. Elijah Mitchell and Samuel ran 168 yards together against the Cowboys.

The Packers say they also need to pay attention to what linebacker De’Vondre Campbell described as “eye candy.” Campbell was referring to various shifts and pre-snap moves that Shanahan uses to trick defenders into looking the wrong way.

“The way he designs his plays, the moves, and all the different kinds of shifts and all that kind of stuff, it’s something that draws everyone’s attention,” said Packers defensive tackle Kenny Clark. “So if your eyes are in the wrong place, if you’re not doing your job or doing what you’re trained to do, he can take advantage of that.”

VIOLATION UPDATES

Packer’s offensive tackle David Bakhtiari (knee) and cornerback Jaire Alexander (shoulder) are questionable and wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (back) is iffy. The Packers are awaiting wide receiver Randall Cobb (core) and offensive tackle Billy Turner (knee) after injuries knocked them out for the latter part of the regular season.

49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (concussion), cornerback Ambry Thomas (knee) and defensive end Jordan Willis (ankle) are questionable. Bosa was deleted from the concussion log.

DEFEND DAVANTE

Green Bay’s Davante Adams caught 12 passes for 132 yards and a touchdown in the Packers’ regular-season win over the 49ers.

San Francisco is stronger in the secondary now than it was in September thanks to Thomas’ late-season appearance, but defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans knows slowing Adams will be a tall order.

“They make it difficult because they move Davante great,” Ryans said. “He doesn’t stay in one place. He can move into the slot. He can play outside. He is everywhere.”

tundra

The forecast for Saturday in Green Bay calls for a high of 19 degrees with a low of 7, although no snow is expected.

___

AP Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow contributed to this report.

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More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://apnews.com/hub/pro-32 and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

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SANTA CLARA, Calif .– It is still unclear whether Jimmy Garoppolo, quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, will survive his right thumb injury against the Houston Texans on Sunday.

But if he has his way, Garoppolo will be in his usual starting spot in a game the 8-7 Niners must have to reach an NFC playoff spot. He said on Wednesday that he “definitely” had a chance to play against the Texans.

“I’ve basically played the entire game with it so it’s really just about grabbing the ball and doing the things I normally do and we’re going to test these out today, see how it feels and then move on.” said Garoppolo said. “But I am convinced of it.”

The 49ers can secure a postseason spot with a win against the Texans and a loss for the New Orleans Saints to the Carolina Panthers.

Before training on Wednesday, Garoppolo threw under the supervision of the team’s training staff. But Garoppolo was seen leaving the field before training began and was officially listed as a non-entrant on the attendance report.

Garoppolo also did not attend the team’s Monday “bonus” training session as he waited for the swelling of his thumb to subside. On Wednesday he threw for the first time since the Niners’ 20-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans last week.

“We’ll see how it looks today,” said Garoppolo on Wednesday. “If it looks good, it looks good. If it looks bad, it looks bad. It’s just one of those things to test and go through. Until we do, it’ll be hard to tell. But we will all be on the same page and do the right thing for the team. “

While there was some confusion about the severity of Garoppolo’s injury, coach Kyle Shanahan provided more clarity on Wednesday. According to Shanahan, Garoppolo has a grade 3 ulnar collateral ligament sprain in his right thumb, adding that reports of a fracture have been due to the sprain “peeling off” a small patch of his bone.

But Shanahan said Garoppolo didn’t need surgery and insisted it was the sprain that challenged Garoppolo’s status for Sunday.

“Anytime there’s a bone that has something on it, you can call it a fracture, you can call it a chip, you can call it something, but that really doesn’t stop it,” Shanahan said. “It’s the third degree sprain he has. But because it doesn’t move and stuff, he doesn’t need surgery and he has a chance to play this week.”

Rookie Trey Lance took over all repetitions with the starting offensive on Monday and did this again on Wednesday with Garoppolo.

If Lance gets the nod, it would only be his second NFL start after standing up for Garoppolo against the Arizona Cardinals on Oct.10. As of 2017, the Niners are 30-14 in his starts and 7-28 in games started by all the other quarterbacks.

For his part, Garoppolo said whether he plays depends on how he can grab and throw the ball. Suffering the injury late in the second quarter of the Titans loss, he ended the game despite throwing a poor interception to open the third quarter.

Garoppolo added that he had tweaked his throwing movement as the game progressed to compensate for the injury, although he downplayed its severity on the sideline and did not bring it to the media after the loss.

“It’s a torn ligament, so it is what it is,” said Garoppolo. “The pain, it’s not going anywhere so I know how that feels but it’s just about being confident and going out and being able to do what I normally do with football. We will see where it takes us, but I feel good. ” now with it. “

With Garoppolo battling the thumb injury and players across the league being on the reserve / COVID-19 list, the Niners are also taking additional steps to protect all of their players, including the quarterbacks.

San Francisco signed quarterback Tyler Bray to the training team on Wednesday, where he joins veteran Nate Sudfeld behind Garoppolo and Lance.

Shanahan said the team also switched all meetings to virtual on Wednesday, two days after the player added Mitch Wishnowsky as the team’s first player on the COVID list since August.

“We’ve been pretty lucky so far to only have one man on the ground,” said Shanahan. “But just watching the world and watching everyone, knowing that it’s a matter of time, looks like this, so let’s just try to be careful and keep everyone separate until we go outside.”

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When will Trey Lance finally become the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers?

This question has been popular since the 49ers drafted him to third overall in the 2021 NFL draft. Jimmy Garoppolo and Lance fought at training camp before the incumbent was named a starter.

Then Garoppolo went down with a calf injury and Lance was thrown into the starting XI only to go down with a knee injury. Garoppolo has been the starter ever since, and fans are wondering if Lance will ever see the field again in the 2021 season.

Well, it looks like the 49ers have a plan, even if it’s not exactly encouraging to Lance.

The 49ers have revealed Trey Lance’s blueprint but are waiting to get it out

Everyone has been wondering when – or if – Lance will be back on the field this season. Last weekend, the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport answered those questions and revealed the 49ers’ future plans for the two quarterbacks.

“Without a Super Bowl run, which is theoretically still possible at this point in time, this is the 49ers’ plan for the next season: start Trey Lance, trade Jimmy Garoppolo. No surprise, they were pretty open about that. What Garoppolo is doing now is add to the value of the picks the 49ers get on a trade he’s in and they make it more likely that a place he wants to go will want to take him away. “

Ian Rapoport on the 49ers’ plans with Lance and Garoppolo

So there it is, the answer everyone has been waiting for.

With the 49ers still alive in the playoff picture, it looks like Garoppolo will remain the starter. San Francisco has scored three straight wins to sneak into the wild card race, and Garoppolo hasn’t played badly either.

The veteran has 2,342 yards with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions a year. It’s not great, but it’s been good enough to lead the 49ers to victory in the past few weeks.

Lance has only played five games and hasn’t been there since October 10, which was a bit of a surprise given his ability to lead football. Still, it’s Jimmy Time in San Francisco for now.

On the surface, the 49ers are doing everything they can to increase the commercial value of Garoppolo in the off-season. The quarterback market will be fluid as stars like Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and possibly Deshaun Watson are available.

Garoppolo would undoubtedly be a lot cheaper than this one, and he can still offer a capable quarterback game. But the 49ers are worried here.

What if Garoppolo leads them to a deep playoff run? As Rapoport mentioned, the plan is to swap Garoppolo apart from one Super Bowl run.

Yes, a run to the Super Bowl is highly unlikely, but crazier things have happened in the NFL – especially this season. You never know, although Deebo Samuel’s injury makes things difficult.

Now turn the script over. What if nobody wants to pay to take over Garoppolo this off-season? That’s a very different scenario and a real possibility.

There are just so many factors and as long as the 49ers win with Garoppolo at the center, things will get more uncertain for Lance’s future.

Pulling Kyle Shanahan away from Trey Lance completely is another problem

Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo | Brian Rothmüller / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

As long as the 49ers are winning football games, it makes sense to keep Garoppolo inside. On the other hand, leaving Lance completely is a concern.

Before the 49ers matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, Shanahan explained why he deviated from the Lance packages (h / t Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports).

“I’m more concerned with telling you the truth. In terms of calling games, we get into a rhythm where we attack a defense and what fronts they play and what covers they play. Every move leads to the next move and you get a feeling for what our players are doing and I for what we are going to do. “

Kyle Shanahan on deviating from Trey Lance packages

Well that’s an interesting tidbit from Shanahan who was full of it when he was talking about Lance.

So it’s not Lance’s fault, but the head coach? That doesn’t sound good to Shanahan in terms of customization.

Ultimately, that doesn’t look at all promising for Lance for the remainder of 2021, or as long as the 49ers continue to stack wins.

It looks like a frustrating season for Lance fans, but a 49ers playoff offer would ease the pain a bit.

The ongoing situation between Garoppolo and Lance needs to be monitored while Jimmy remains in the roster.

Statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference

RELATED: 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan Sends a Mixed Message to Trey Lance While Dismissing Regression Reports: “I’m As Eager For It As Everyone”

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After an embarrassing loss to a watered-down version of the Arizona Cardinals two weeks ago, the San Francisco 49ers looked like a rudderless team headed nowhere.

Two weeks later, the Niners look like a team that is not only capable of making the NFC playoffs but can also make noise when they get there. The Jacksonville Jaguars’ 30-10 beatdown on Sunday follows the dominant 31-10 posting by the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night.

From the outside, the first one could easily be explained away by San Francisco’s apparent hex over the Rams. The second would be excused by the general inability of the jaguars. Put together and put in context, these two victories suggest that the Niners have finally discovered themselves.

At 5-5 with two wins in less than a week, those niners aren’t your two week old neighbor’s niners.

“The last 14 days have, I don’t mean to say, changed our team, but we’re definitely moving in the right direction now,” said quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. “We just have to keep going. There is still a lot of football to play.”

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There actually is. Although it was far too early to tarnish the Niners after losing to an Arizona team with no quarterback Kyler Murray and receiver DeAndre Hopkins (especially given the lack of NFC teams retreating with playoff spots) on November 7th, it was reasonable to wonder if they had all that was needed to get the ship in order and get into one of those seven postseason positions.

Instead, the 49ers have straightened the ship and are moving towards the Games by mid-January.

As? There are many ways in which the Niners have improved in their last two games, but nowhere is this more important than the most obvious place: the battle for sales. San Francisco was minus 9 in the deadweight differential in their first eight games, including minus 3 against Arizona. For the past two weeks, the 49ers have been plus-4, including two fumble rallies against the Jaguars.

“We sat here after the game in Arizona – take the build – everyone’s trying to solve these problems and we were literally like, ‘We have to stop flipping the ball, we have to get some defensive or special team losses, and that’s all we did, “said George Kittle.

That turnaround in sales helped the 49ers beat the Rams solidly on national television, and it opened some eyes in the process. It was exactly what a team with legitimate playoff aspirations would do to do it again to the Jaguars instead of falling into the “short week / long trip / early start time” trap six days later.

“I think it comes at the right time,” said linebacker Fred Warner. “We’re getting into the back half of the season and we’re getting hot. I think that’s exactly what we are. I think we’ve been trying all the time to find that identity, to find ourselves and it’s starting to get too show through. “

The real test of the Niners’ potential post-season hopes will come over the next seven weeks. The first, against the Minnesota Vikings next week, has two meanings. If the playoffs started today, the Niners would be eliminated, but a home win over Minnesota would allow the Niners to jump over the Vikings and give them a meaningful win for potential tiebreakers across the board. San Francisco follows with games against teams on the wider edge of the NFC playoff picture, then it meets the Seattle Seahawks on December 5th and the Atlanta Falcons on December 19th.

While all of this might look a bit too far ahead, the Niners have identified and, at least for now, corrected the issues that wiggled them to a 3-5 start.

“It was pretty low after that game in Arizona,” said coach Kyle Shanahan. “We were embarrassed about how we looked and when we looked at the tape we saw a lot of things that we thought we could fix. It wasn’t as daunting as it was during this game. I was happy with the guys When they got discouraged, they looked at the tape and saw what we could improve. It’s an honor for the guys and the coaches that they didn’t come down when it was easy to come down. They just focused To getting better and practicing and trying to get things into detail and I think we’ve done better in the past two weeks. “

A run into the postseason will depend on whether the 49ers of the past two weeks keep showing up.

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