SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants are expected to have one of the National League's best rotations by the end of April, and former Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray will join the group in the middle of the summer. But at least in the first week it's a kind of climbing exercise.

Three options remained in Arizona when the Giants returned to the Bay Area this week. Alex Cobb is weeks ahead of schedule in his rehab from hip surgery, but he's not quite ready to return to the big leagues just yet. Keaton Winn will play in a minor league game on Wednesday as he recovers from elbow discomfort at the start of training camp. Blake Snell will pitch this Friday, building on Sunday's three-inning outing, which was his first since signing a two-year deal with the Giants.

Winn could be an option as early as Monday in Los Angeles, which would be the fifth game of the season. In theory, Snell could be added to the roster as early as next Wednesday, although with an off day right after the season-opening road trip, it might make more sense to push him back for the home opener when he feels he's ready. The Giants have been tight-lipped about Cobb's schedule, but he's believed to be close.

The situation could result in the Giants only having three true starting pitchers on Opening Day. Mason Black appeared poised for a rotation spot until the others were ready, but the Giants moved him to minor league camp on Tuesday afternoon. Since Black is not on the 40-man roster, the Giants can bring him back early in the year if necessary.

The Giants also reassigned left-hander Juan Sanchez and outfielder Ismael Munguia. All three had strong starts, with Munguia winning the Barney Nugent Award, given to the player who is most impressive in his first big league camp.

“Both [Black and Sanchez] “Sometimes he threw a good pitch,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “We have a lot of tough decisions to make, but all of these guys also know they're just a phone call away. “Our guys know the 26-man roster means a lot more as the season goes on, so you've got to be ready. It could happen at any time.

The Giants also have plenty of other balls in the air.

Mike Yastrzemski's wife, Paige, is due to give birth to the couple's second child on Friday, and although Yastrzemski plans to play on Thursday, he will likely be on the paternity list for the remainder of the season-opening road series against the San Diego Padres.

Running out of options, Joey Bart met with Melvin after Tuesday's game. It's possible the Giants use him as a third catcher while they consider other roster moves. It would probably be easier to sneak Bart through waivers a few days into the season than in the next day or two when 29 other teams set their own rosters.

The Giants also need multiple 40-man spots. Nick Ahmed appears to be the Opening Day shortstop, and non-roster invitees Daulton Jefferies and Landen Roupp have been fighting for open bullpen spots.

San Francisco was still working on moves late Tuesday night and planned to fly to San Diego on Wednesday. As last year's last-minute addition of Matt Beaty showed, problems often arise until the very last minute.

Super provider

Tyler Fitzgerald took a quick first base lesson with Ron Wotus before the game and then landed at the position for the final three innings on Tuesday night. It's another glove for the young utility man, who now has experience in all four infield spots and can also play center field.

The front office and new coaching staff are excited about Fitzgerald, who showcased his speed-power combination in a cameo late last season. The roster lacks defensive versatility, and Fitzgerald's ability to now fill eight different spots may be why he gets the final backup spot.

Former first-rounder back on track?

Hunter Bishop was brought to San Francisco to join the group of minor league players who rounded out the roster for two exhibition games, although he did not appear in Tuesday's game. Bishop didn't play last season after Tommy John surgery on his throwing arm, but he said he was fully healthy and felt great about how his body and swing felt this spring.

It's been five years since the Giants made Bishop their first first-round pick under Farhan Zaidi and Michael Holmes, and he's had to watch as most of that first-round class has already reached the big leagues. However, it wouldn't be a surprise if Bishop was back on the radar this season. He is one of the organization's best athletes and even after years of battling injuries, he is still only 25 years old.

If Bishop starts in Double-A, he would be part of a very athletic outfield. Speedy centerfielder Grant McCray will begin his season there after hitting 14 home runs and stealing 52 bases in the High-A League last season.

New voices

The announcer for the first game of the year at Oracle Park was Carolyn “CJ” Silas, the longtime PA announcer for Cal Poly Baseball. Silas has more than 30 years of experience behind the microphone, including stints with the Blue Jays' Triple-A team and the Yankees' Double-A team.

The Giants announced earlier this month that they had parted ways with Renel Brooks-Moon, who had served in the role since the ballpark opened in 2000. They plan to change PA announcers early in the season while they look for a long-term solution.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

The post Giants juggling plenty of transferring components earlier than finalizing Opening Day roster – NBC Sports activities Bay Space & California appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants are expected to have one of the National League's best rotations by the end of April, and former Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray will join the group in the middle of the summer. But at least in the first week it's a kind of climbing exercise.

Three options remained in Arizona when the Giants returned to the Bay Area this week. Alex Cobb is weeks ahead of schedule in his rehab from hip surgery, but he's not quite ready to return to the big leagues just yet. Keaton Winn will play in a minor league game on Wednesday as he recovers from elbow discomfort at the start of training camp. Blake Snell will pitch this Friday, building on Sunday's three-inning outing, which was his first since signing a two-year deal with the Giants.

Winn could be an option as early as Monday in Los Angeles, which would be the fifth game of the season. In theory, Snell could be added to the roster as early as next Wednesday, although with an off day right after the season-opening road trip, it might make more sense to push him back for the home opener when he feels he's ready. The Giants have been tight-lipped about Cobb's schedule, but he's believed to be close.

The situation could result in the Giants only having three true starting pitchers on Opening Day. Mason Black appeared poised for a rotation spot until the others were ready, but the Giants moved him to minor league camp on Tuesday afternoon. Since Black is not on the 40-man roster, the Giants can bring him back early in the year if necessary.

The Giants also reassigned left-hander Juan Sanchez and outfielder Ismael Munguia. All three had strong starts, with Munguia winning the Barney Nugent Award, given to the player who is most impressive in his first big league camp.

“Both [Black and Sanchez] “Sometimes he threw a good pitch,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “We have a lot of tough decisions to make, but all of these guys also know they're just a phone call away. “Our guys know the 26-man roster means a lot more as the season goes on, so you've got to be ready. It could happen at any time.

The Giants also have plenty of other balls in the air.

Mike Yastrzemski's wife, Paige, is due to give birth to the couple's second child on Friday, and although Yastrzemski plans to play on Thursday, he will likely be on the paternity list for the remainder of the season-opening road series against the San Diego Padres.

Running out of options, Joey Bart met with Melvin after Tuesday's game. It's possible the Giants use him as a third catcher while they consider other roster moves. It would probably be easier to sneak Bart through waivers a few days into the season than in the next day or two when 29 other teams set their own rosters.

The Giants also need multiple 40-man spots. Nick Ahmed appears to be the Opening Day shortstop, and non-roster invitees Daulton Jefferies and Landen Roupp have been fighting for open bullpen spots.

San Francisco was still working on moves late Tuesday night and planned to fly to San Diego on Wednesday. As last year's last-minute addition of Matt Beaty showed, problems often arise until the very last minute.

Super provider

Tyler Fitzgerald took a quick first base lesson with Ron Wotus before the game and then landed at the position for the final three innings on Tuesday night. It's another glove for the young utility man, who now has experience in all four infield spots and can also play center field.

The front office and new coaching staff are excited about Fitzgerald, who showcased his speed-power combination in a cameo late last season. The roster lacks defensive versatility, and Fitzgerald's ability to now fill eight different spots may be why he gets the final backup spot.

Former first-rounder back on track?

Hunter Bishop was brought to San Francisco to join the group of minor league players who rounded out the roster for two exhibition games, although he did not appear in Tuesday's game. Bishop didn't play last season after Tommy John surgery on his throwing arm, but he said he was fully healthy and felt great about how his body and swing felt this spring.

It's been five years since the Giants made Bishop their first first-round pick under Farhan Zaidi and Michael Holmes, and he's watched the majority of that first-round class already reach the big leagues. However, it wouldn't be a surprise if Bishop was back on the radar this season. He is one of the organization's best athletes and even after years of battling injuries, he is still only 25 years old.

If Bishop starts in Double-A, he would be part of a very athletic outfield. Speedy centerfielder Grant McCray will begin his season there after hitting 14 home runs and stealing 52 bases in the High-A League last season.

New voices

The announcer for the first game of the year at Oracle Park was Carolyn “CJ” Silas, the long-time PA announcer for Cal Poly Baseball. Silas has more than 30 years of experience behind the microphone, including stints with the Blue Jays' Triple-A team and the Yankees' Double-A team.

The Giants announced earlier this month that they had parted ways with Renel Brooks-Moon, who had served in the role since the ballpark opened in 2000. They plan to change PA announcers early in the season while they look for a long-term solution.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

The post Giants juggling a lot of shifting elements earlier than finalizing Opening Day roster – NBC Sports activities Bay Space & California appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

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On TV

Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts

CBSSN — PBR: Round 2 & Championship Round, St. Louis

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)

ESPN2 — Auburn at Appalachian St.

ACCN — Clemson at Pittsburgh

ESPN2 — Wichita St. at Missouri

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PAC-12N — San Francisco at Arizona St.

ACCN — Louisville at Virginia Tech

FS1 — Creighton at Nebraska

SECN — Southern U. at Mississippi St.

PAC-12N — Pepperdine at Colorado

BTN — Minnesota at Ohio St.

PAC-12N — San Diego at Stanford

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S)

ABC — Jimmy V Women’s Classic: South Carolina at Duke

SECN — Kansas at Texas A&M

ABC — Jimmy V Women’s Classic: UConn at Texas

BTN — Georgetown at Northwestern

ESPN — Jimmy V Women’s Classic: Ohio St. at Tennessee

ESPN — College Football Playoff Selection Show

ESPNU — College Football Playoff Selection Show

COLLEGE WATER POLO (MEN’S)

ESPNU — NCAA Tournament: TBD, Championship, Los Angeles

BTN — Lehigh at Penn St.

GOLF — PGA Tour: The Hero World Challenge, Final Round, Albany Golf Club, Albany Golf Course, New Providence, Bahamas

NBC — PGA Tour: The Hero World Challenge, Final Round, Albany Golf Club, Albany Golf Course, New Providence, Bahamas

FS1 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races

FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races

NBATV — Westchester at College Park

NBATV — Indiana at Iowa

CBS — Denver at Houston

FOX — Detroit at New Orleans

FOX — San Francisco at Philadelphia

NBC — Kansas City at Green Bay

NHLN — Chicago at Minnesota

NHLN — San Jose at NY Rangers

NBC — FIS: Alpine Ski World Cup, Beaver Creek, Colo.

USA — Premier League: Brighton & Hove Albion at Chelsea

CBSSN — Serie A: AS Roma at Sassuolo

CNBC — U.S. Open: Championships, Greensboro, N.C. (Taped)

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Adv25 (All times Eastern) Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Monday, November 27 COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S) 6:30 p.m. FS1 —…

Adv25

(All times Eastern)

Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts

Monday, November 27

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)

6:30 p.m.

FS1 — Oakland at Xavier

11 p.m.

ESPNU — Utah at Saint Mary’s (Cal)

NFL FOOTBALL

8:15 p.m.

ABC — Chicago at Minnesota

ESPN — Chicago at Minnesota

SOCCER (MEN’S)

3 p.m.

USA — Premier League: Wolverhampton at Fulham

3:20 a.m. (Tuesday)

FS1 — FIFA U-17 World Cup Group Stage: TBD, Semifinal, Surakarta, Indonesia

6:45 a.m. (Tuesday)

FS2 — FIFA U-17 World Cup Group Stage: TBD, Semifinal, Surakarta, Indonesia

_____

Tuesday, November 28

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)

7 p.m.

ESPN2 — ACC/SEC Challenge: LSU at Syracuse

FS1 — Wagner at Providence

7:30 p.m.

ESPN — ACC/SEC Challenge: Miami at Kentucky

ESPNU — ACC/SEC Challenge: Missouri at Pittsburgh

9 p.m.

ESPN2 — ACC/SEC Challenge: NC State at Mississippi

FS1 — Southern U. at Marquette

9:30 p.m.

ESPN — ACC/SEC Challenge: Clemson at Alabama

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

7 p.m.

ESPN — College Football Playoff: Top 25

COLLEGE HOCKEY (WOMEN’S)

5 p.m.

ESPNU — TBA

SOCCER (MEN’S)

3:20 a.m.

FS1 — FIFA U-17 World Cup Group Stage: TBD, Semifinal, Surakarta, Indonesia

6:45 a.m.

FS2 — FIFA U-17 World Cup Group Stage: TBD, Semifinal, Surakarta, Indonesia

NBA BASKETBALL

7:30 p.m.

TNT — Milwaukee at Miami (In-Season Tournament Group Game)

10 p.m.

TNT — Golden State at Sacramento (In-Season Tournament Group Game)

TENNIS

7 a.m.

TENNIS — ATP Next Gen Finals Round Robin

12 p.m.

TENNIS — ATP Next Gen Finals Round Robin

_____

Wednesday, November 29

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)

6:30 p.m.

FS1 — St. Joseph’s at Villanova

7:15 p.m.

ESPN — ACC/SEC Challenge: Tennessee at North Carolina

ESPN2 — ACC/SEC Challenge: Texas A&M at Virginia

ESPNU — ACC/SEC Challenge: Florida at Wake Forest

8:30 p.m.

FS1 — Merrimack at Georgetown

9:15 p.m.

ESPN — ACC/SEC Challenge: Duke at Arkansas

ESPN2 — ACC/SEC Challenge: Virginia Tech at Auburn

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S)

5 p.m.

ESPN2 — Notre Dame at Tennessee

9:15 p.m.

ESPNU — ACC/SEC Challenge: Louisville at Mississippi

GOLF

8 p.m.

GOLF — DP World Tour: The ISPS HANDA Australian Open, First Round, Victoria GC and Kingston Heath GC, Melbourne, Australia

5 a.m. (Thursday)

GOLF — DP World Tour: The Investec South African Open Championship, First Round, Blair Atholl Golf & Equestrian Estate, Johannesburg, South Africa

NHL HOCKEY

7:30 p.m.

TNT — Detroit at NY Rangers

TENNIS

7 a.m.

TENNIS — ATP Next Gen Finals Round Robin

12 p.m.

TENNIS — ATP Next Gen Finals Round Robin

_____

Thursday, November 30

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)

6 p.m.

ESPNU — Liberty at FAU

6:30 p.m.

FS1 — Texas Tech at Butler

9 p.m.

ESPN2 — Creighton at Oklahoma St.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S)

7 p.m.

ESPN — ACC/SEC Challenge: South Carolina at North Carolina

ESPNU — ACC/SEC Challenge: Arkansas at Florida St.

8 p.m.

ESPNU — Baylor at SMU

9 p.m.

ESPN — ACC/SEC Challenge: Virginia Tech at LSU

GOLF

5 a.m.

GOLF — DP World Tour: The Investec South African Open Championship, First Round, Blair Atholl Golf & Equestrian Estate, Johannesburg, South Africa

1:30 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour: The Hero World Challenge, First Round, Albany Golf Club, Albany Golf Course, New Providence, Bahamas

8 p.m.

GOLF — DP World Tour: The ISPS HANDA Australian Open, Second Round, Victoria GC and Kingston Heath GC, Melbourne, Australia

5 a.m. (Friday)

GOLF — DP World Tour: The Investec South African Open Championship, Second Round, Blair Atholl Golf & Equestrian Estate, Johannesburg, South Africa

NFL FOOTBALL

8:15 p.m.

PRIME VIDEO — Seattle at Dallas

SOCCER (MEN’S)

6:45 a.m. (Friday)

FS2 — FIFA U-17 World Cup Group Stage: TBD, Third-Place Game, Surakarta, Indonesia

TENNIS

7 a.m.

TENNIS — ATP Next Gen Finals Round Robin

12 p.m.

TENNIS — ATP Next Gen Finals Round Robin

_____

Friday, December 1

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)

6:30 p.m.

FS1 — Houston at Xavier

7 p.m.

ESPN2 — St. John’s at West Virginia

8:30 p.m.

FS1 — Iowa St. at DePaul

9 p.m.

ESPN2 — UConn at Kansas

10:30 p.m.

FS1 — Boise St. at Saint Mary’s (Cal)

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

8 p.m.

ABC — Pac-12 Championship: TBD, Las Vegas

COLLEGE SOCCER (WOMEN’S)

6 p.m.

ESPNU — NCAA Tournament: TBD, Semifinal, Cary, N.C.

8:30 p.m.

ESPNU — NCAA Tournament: TBD, Semifinal, Cary, N.C.

GOLF

5 a.m.

GOLF — DP World Tour: The Investec South African Open Championship, Second Round, Blair Atholl Golf & Equestrian Estate, Johannesburg, South Africa

1:30 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour: The Hero World Challenge, Second Round, Albany Golf Club, Albany Golf Course, New Providence, Bahamas

10 p.m.

GOLF — DP World Tour: The ISPS HANDA Australian Open, Third Round, Victoria GC and Kingston Heath GC, Melbourne, Australia (Taped)

5 a.m. (Saturday)

GOLF — DP World Tour: The Investec South African Open Championship, Third Round, Blair Atholl Golf & Equestrian Estate, Johannesburg, South Africa

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL (BOY’S)

5:30 p.m.

ESPN2 — TBA

NBA BASKETBALL

7:40 p.m.

ESPN — Memphis at Dallas

10:05 p.m.

ESPN — Denver at Phoenix

SOCCER (MEN’S)

6:45 a.m.

FS2 — FIFA U-17 World Cup Group Stage: TBD, Third-Place Game, Surakarta, Indonesia

6:50 a.m. (Saturday)

FS1 — FIFA U-17 World Cup Group Stage: TBD, Final, Surakarta, Indonesia

TENNIS

11 a.m.

TENNIS — ATP Next Gen Finals Semifinals

_____

Saturday, December 2

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)

12 p.m.

ESPN2 — Syracuse at Virginia

2 p.m.

ESPN2 — Memphis at Mississippi

ESPNU — Indiana St. at Bradley

3:30 p.m.

FS1 — Michigan at Oregon

5:30 p.m.

FS1 — TCU at Georgetown

6 p.m.

ESPNU — Coll. of Charleston at FAU

7:30 p.m.

FS1 — Rhode Island at Providence

10 p.m.

ESPN — Legends of Basketball Invitational: Gonzaga vs. South Carolina, Las Vegas

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S)

1:30 p.m.

FS1 — Bowling Green at Iowa

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

12 p.m.

ABC — Big 12 Championship: TBD, Arlington, Texas

ESPN — Mid-American Championship: Miami (Ohio) vs. Toledo, Detroit

3 p.m.

FOX — Mountain West Championship: TBD

4 p.m.

ABC — TBD

CBS — Southeastern Championship: Georgia vs. Alabama, Atlanta

ESPN2 — Southwestern Athletic Championship: Prairie View A&M at Florida A&M

8 p.m.

ABC — Atlantic Coast Championship: Louisville vs. Florida St., Charlotte, N.C.

FOX — Big Ten Championship: TBD, Indianapolis

GOLF

5 a.m.

GOLF — DP World Tour: The Investec South African Open Championship, Third Round, Blair Atholl Golf & Equestrian Estate, Johannesburg, South Africa

12 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour: The Hero World Challenge, Third Round, Albany Golf Club, Albany Golf Course, New Providence, Bahamas

2:30 p.m.

NBC — PGA Tour: The Hero World Challenge, Third Round, Albany Golf Club, Albany Golf Course, New Providence, Bahamas

9 p.m.

GOLF — DP World Tour: The ISPS HANDA Australian Open, Final Round, Victoria GC and Kingston Heath GC, Melbourne, Australia

4:30 a.m. (Sunday)

GOLF — DP World Tour: The Investec South African Open Championship, Final Round, Blair Atholl Golf & Equestrian Estate, Johannesburg, South Africa

LACROSSE (MEN’S)

7:30 p.m.

ESPN2 — NLL: TBA

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

7 p.m.

ESPN — UFC Fight Night Main Card: Beneil Dariush vs. Arman Tsarukyan (Lightweights), Austin, Texas

SKIING

5 p.m.

NBC — FIS: Alpine Ski World Cup

SOCCER (MEN’S)

6:50 a.m.

FS1 — FIFA U-17 World Cup Group Stage: TBD, Final, Surakarta, Indonesia

10 a.m.

USA — Premier League: Wolverhampton at Arsenal

12 p.m.

FS1 — UEFA EURO 2024 Draw

12:30 p.m.

NBC — Premier League: Everton at Nottingham Forest

3 p.m.

USA — Premier League: Manchester United at Newcastle United

SOCCER (WOMEN’S)

3 p.m.

TNT — International Friendly: U.S. vs. China, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

TENNIS

1 p.m.

TENNIS — ATP Next Gen Finals Final

_____

Sunday, December 3

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)

1 p.m.

ESPN2 — Auburn at Appalachian St.

3 p.m.

ESPN2 — Wichita St. at Missouri

4 p.m.

FS1 — Creighton at Nebraska

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S)

1 p.m.

ABC — Jimmy V Women’s Classic: South Carolina at Duke

2 p.m.

FS1 — Oregon at Baylor

3 p.m.

ABC — Jimmy V Women’s Classic: UConn at Texas

5 p.m.

ESPN — Jimmy V Women’s Classic: Ohio St. at Tennessee

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

12 p.m.

ESPN — College Football Playoff Selection Show

ESPNU — College Football Playoff Selection Show

COLLEGE WATER POLO (MEN’S)

6 p.m.

ESPNU — NCAA Tournament: TBD, Championship, Los Angeles

GOLF

4:30 a.m.

GOLF — DP World Tour: The Investec South African Open Championship, Final Round, Blair Atholl Golf & Equestrian Estate, Johannesburg, South Africa

11:30 a.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour: The Hero World Challenge, Final Round, Albany Golf Club, Albany Golf Course, New Providence, Bahamas

1:30 p.m.

NBC — PGA Tour: The Hero World Challenge, Final Round, Albany Golf Club, Albany Golf Course, New Providence, Bahamas

HORSE RACING

12 p.m.

FS1 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races

NBA G-LEAGUE BASKETBALL

2 p.m.

NBATV — Westchester at College Park

4 p.m.

NBATV — Indiana at Iowa

NFL FOOTBALL

1 p.m.

CBS — Regional Coverage: Indianapolis at Tennessee, LA Chargers at New England, Arizona at Pittsburgh, Carolina at Tampa Bay

FOX — Regional Coverage: Detroit at New Orleans, Atlanta at NY Jets, Miami at Washington,

4:05 p.m.

CBS — Denver at Houston

4:25 p.m.

FOX — Regional Coverage: Cleveland at LA Rams, San Francisco at Philadelphia

8:20 p.m.

NBC — Kansas City at Green Bay

SKIING

4:30 p.m.

NBC — FIS: Alpine Ski World Cup

SOCCER (MEN’S)

9 a.m.

USA — Premier League: Brighton & Hove Albion at Chelsea

_____

Copyright
© 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

The post Sports activities on TV for November 27 – December 3 appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

One by one, they have left Oakland.

First, the Warriors headed back across the bay to San Francisco in 2019, a return for a basketball franchise whose recent championship reign has been defined more by glitz than grit. Then, a year later, it was the itinerant Raiders heading to Las Vegas, the eye patch on their gridiron bandit logo obscuring an apparently wandering eye.

On Thursday, the final departure became all but official: Major League Baseball owners unanimously approved a move to Las Vegas by the Athletics, who not long ago used the marketing catch phrase “rooted in Oakland.”

There is still much for the ball club to sort out. The Athletics have another year on their lease in Oakland and their new stadium — a $1.5 billion, 30,000-seat ballpark with a retractable roof for which the Nevada Legislature approved public financing — won’t be ready until 2028. Where they will play in between is an open question. The Nevada teacher’s union is angling to put the subsidy on the ballot for voters.

But the A’s impending move, as inevitable as it has seemed, landed in Oakland like a fastball to the ribs.

“I don’t want this to sound hyperbolic, but for me it’s not only the death of the A’s, and of professional sports in the East Bay,” said Jim Zelinski, who more than a decade ago co-founded Save Oakland Sports, one of several groups that sprouted up over the years to keep teams from leaving the East Bay. “What this vote symbolizes for me is, this is really the death of the common, everyday fan.”

The working man has long been a central figure in American sports, attracted to the games as a diversion from the 9-to-5 grind and viewing them as a more level playing field than other societal arenas, the workplace among them.

As professional sports began to expand west in the late 1950s, Oakland — anchored by ship building, automobile manufacturing and its port — became an obvious landing spot.

Within little more than a decade, Oakland became home to the Raiders of the upstart American Football League, the Athletics, the Warriors and, briefly, the California Golden Seals of the National Hockey League, who for a time played in unfashionable white skates.

All the teams played at a complex centered on a vast asphalt lot, flanked by a major freeway and a rail line.

Soon, the lot will be vacant. This is not because Oakland has changed; it has largely retained a working-class ethos, albeit with California rents. Rather, the business calculus for teams has evolved.

Franchise revenue is now driven more by television deals and sponsorships than ticket sales, though those prices have skyrocketed. The transformation of sports into media products has relegated cities to backdrops and fans to props — a point that was driven home during the coronavirus pandemic when the games went on in vacant or mostly empty stadiums.

If it is baffling why the Athletics are leaving the Bay Area, which is the 10th biggest market, according to the Nielsen Company, for Las Vegas, which is the 40th largest market, there is another factor at play, according to Roger Noll, a Stanford sports economist emeritus.

Sports gambling.

As regional sports networks, a cash cow for sports teams, have begun to teeter — and in some cases collapse — Mr. Noll says sports gambling via streaming broadcasts is “the next golden goose” for sports franchises.

While Nevada has predictably welcomed internet gambling, California has not: Two measures, one of which was backed by M.L.B., were trounced last year in what was the country’s most expensive ballot campaign, with more than $450 million raised by both sides.

“If this is the next big thing, California sports teams are disadvantaged,” Mr. Noll said. “The old big-market, small-market dynamic is no longer going to favor the Bay Area and Los Angeles teams if a primary source of new revenue is unavailable to them.”

The Athletics have sought a new stadium for decades, under at least three different owners. They have tried to build a new ballpark south in Fremont and San Jose, downtown at Laney College or by the water at Howard Terminal, as well as at their current site.

Building new stadiums in California is its own contact sport, given the high cost of labor, stringent environmental standards and taxpayers’ aversion to subsidies for sports franchises. But it’s not impossible, as the Clippers’ new arena, scheduled to open next year in Inglewood, is the latest to demonstrate.

In Oakland, now may have been the most challenging time, thanks to a record $360 million budget deficit — and long memories of when the city lured the Raiders owner Al Davis back from Los Angeles in 1995 with a sweetheart loan deal that turned into a boondoggle for the city. Also, a towering bank of suites — christened Mount Davis — were built in the outfield, opening a revenue stream for the Raiders but closing off superb views of the Oakland Hills.

Over the years, the old Coliseum showed its age.

It had the concrete charm of a Soviet-era housing block, its plumbing regularly backed up — prompting a tweaking of the Raiders’ mantra to “Commitment to Excrement” — and the arrival of food trucks were a culinary life raft for fans who no longer had to settle for concession offerings that tasted distinctly like cardboard.

Still, the Athletics continued to be competitive, reinventing themselves by shrewdly using data to assess undervalued skills, a process that became known as “Moneyball,” after the best-selling book. The A’s have not reached the World Series since 1990, but they’ve been in the playoffs 11 times since 2000 — more than the Mets and the San Francisco Giants, and just as often as the Boston Red Sox.

Attendance had lingered in the lower third, though drum-pounding fans in right field causing a nightly ruckus added a degree of atmosphere. But when the team began its latest tear down, trading away its best players for prospects rather than paying their accelerating salaries, fans finally had enough of John Fisher, the owner, who before last season had raised ticket prices in what many sensed was a ploy to suppress attendance as a pretext for moving.

The A’s averaged 10,276 fans last season, the fewest in baseball. They finished 50-112, threatening for a while the record for futility set by the expansion Mets in 1962.

Fans who did turn up at the Coliseum often wore T-shirts or carried banners urging Mr. Fisher to sell the team.

Those who miss the Athletics most might be people like Matthias Haas.

He grew up a few miles from the Coliseum, steeped in the city’s rich baseball history that traces from Frank Robinson to Rickey Henderson to Dave Stewart to Jimmy Rollins, all of whom matriculated from Oakland sandlots to stardom in the big leagues. He learned the game’s finer points on the diamonds down the street at 66th and International in leagues that the Athletics helped bankroll. He has an enduring memory of sitting in the stands during the 2012 playoffs when the old mausoleum was rocking.

“There’s a certain pride in being an Oakland Athletics fan,” said Mr. Haas, who played baseball last season at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, plucking the adjectives “gritty” and “tough” to define his tribe. “People from Oakland say that they are from Oakland, not the Bay Area. That’s how it felt to be an A’s fan.”

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LOS ANGELES — Clayton Kershaw delivered a vintage performance for his 200th win, pitching seven splendid innings of three-hit ball as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Mets 5-0 on Tuesday night.

J.D. Martinez homered twice off Tylor Megill (3-1) and drove in four runs, finishing with four hits to help the Dodgers stop New York’s five-game winning streak.

Kershaw (3-1) struck out nine to pass Mickey Lolich for 22nd place on the career list with 2,833 strikeouts. The three-time Cy Young Award winner improved to 200-88 in 405 games (402 starts) over 16 major league seasons — the best winning percentage among the 117 pitchers to win 200 games.

The only one of them with a lower career ERA than Kershaw is Hall of Famer Walter Johnson.

Kershaw allowed three singles and no walks, moving to 11-0 with a 2.03 ERA in 17 regular-season starts against the Mets. Evan Phillips and Brusdar Graterol finished the four-hitter, Los Angeles’ first shutout this season.

ANGELS 5, YANKEES 2

NEW YORK (AP) — Shohei Ohtani homered on the 100th anniversary of the original Yankee Stadium, following Babe Ruth’s example with a loud two-run drive in the first inning that sent Los Angeles past New York.

In a starry matchup that included three AL MVPs, Ohtani turned on an 88.7 mph sweeper from Clarke Schmidt (0-1) and hit a 116.7 mph shot into the Yankees bullpen in right-center, his fourth homer of the season.

Mike Trout, the 2014, ’16 and ’19 MVP, singled and doubled for the Angels. Reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge hit a sacrifice fly in a two-run fourth for the Yankees after Andrew Wantz (1-0) walked rookie Anthony Volpe with the bases loaded.

PHILLIES 7, WHITE SOX 4, GAME 1

WHITE SOX 3, PHILLIES 0, GAME 2

CHICAGO (AP) — Lucas Giolito and four relievers combined on a one-hitter to give Chicago a split of its doubleheader with Philadelphia.

Brandon Marsh had Philadelphia’s only hit in the second game, an opposite-field double to left on reliever Aaron Bummer’s first pitch of the eighth inning.

Giolito was pulled after throwing 102 pitches in six innings. He struck out seven, walked one and hit a batter. Kendall Graveman retired the side on eight pitches in the seventh, Bummer got two outs in the eighth and Reynaldo Lopez set down the last four batters, striking out three, to earn his third save.

Jake Burger hit his fourth homer in five games, a three-run shot to left field in the first inning off left-hander Bailey Falter (1-2).

In the opener, Josh Harrison homered among his three hits and drove in four runs for the Phillies. Bryson Stott began the game with a single, extending his hitting streak to 17 games and surpassing the franchise record of 16 to start a season, set by Puddin’ Head Jones in 1950. His streak ended in the nightcap.

Relievers Gregory Soto, Craig Kimbrel, Seranthony Dominguez and Jose Alvarado struck out eight while retiring all 12 White Sox batters they faced in the first game. Alvarado got his first save. Zack Wheeler (1-1) gave up four runs in five innings.

Chicago starter Lance Lynn (0-2) allowed five runs on a season-high 10 hits.

BRAVES 8, PADRES 1

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Spencer Strider and three relievers combined on a four-hitter and Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies and Sean Murphy each hit an impressive homer for NL East-leading Atlanta, which beat struggling San Diego.

The Braves have won eight straight, the longest active streak in the majors. The Padres have lost six of seven.

Strider (2-0) held the Padres hitless until Juan Soto singled on his 90th pitch, with one out in the sixth.

Murphy homered into the second deck in left field off Blake Snell (0-3) leading off the fourth.

RAYS 10, REDS 0

CINCINNATI (AP) — Taylor Walls homered twice and drove in four runs and rookie right-hander Taj Bradley dazzled in his second start for Tampa Bay.

Yandy Diaz hit a three-run homer, and Randy Arozarena also went deep for the major league-best Rays (15-3), who have homered in each of their first 18 games.

The 22-year-old Bradley (2-0) struck out nine and walked one in 5 1/3 innings. He has 17 combined strikeouts in his first two career starts, a Rays record.

Cincinnati’s Nick Lodolo (2-1) gave up eight runs on 12 hits in 4 2/3 innings.

TIGERS 4, GUARDIANS 3, GAME 1

TIGERS 1, GUARDIANS 0, GAME 2

DETROIT (AP) — Riley Greene hit a sixth-inning homer and Eduardo Rodriguez pitched eight scoreless innings, helping Detroit sweep a doubleheader from Cleveland.

Rodriguez (1-2) allowed four hits, no walks and struck out 10 while matching the longest outing of his career.

Jason Foley pitched the ninth for his first save, sealing Detroit’s fifth straight win. Cleveland’s Peyton Battenfield (0-1) gave up three hits, including Greene’s opposite-field homer to left field, and three walks in six innings.

In the opener, Kerry Carpenter hit game-ending solo homer off James Karinchak (0-3) with two outs in the ninth inning. Alex Lange (1-0) worked a scoreless ninth for the Tigers.

ORIOLES 1, NATIONALS 0

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dean Kremer pitched impressively into the seventh inning and Austin Hays singled home the game’s only run in the fourth to lift Baltimore over Washington.

Kremer (1-0) allowed only four hits in 6 2/3 innings, striking out six without a walk. Danny Coulombe got the final out of the seventh, Yennier Cano breezed through the eighth and Félix Bautista pitched the ninth for his fifth save.

Josiah Gray (0-4) yielded a run and four hits. The Nationals have managed only one run in the four games he’s started.

RED SOX 5, TWINS 4, 10 INNINGS

BOSTON (AP) — Alex Verdugo singled home the winning run with two outs in the 10th inning on a flyball that barely stayed fair as Boston beat Minnesota.

Umpires needed a few minutes to review Verdugo’s drive, which bounced off the low wall in Fenway Park’s right field just short of Pesky’s Pole, before officially declaring it a hit and the game over.

Reese McGuire had just tied it with a two-run single as the Red Sox rallied after allowing two runs in the top of the 10th. John Schreiber (1-0) got the win despite allowing two hits and a run. Red Sox starter Chris Sale struck out 11 batters in six innings, giving up one run.

Jovani Moran (0-1) yielded three runs on three hits in the 10th.

RANGERS 12, ROYALS 2

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Marcus Semien hit a three-run homer during a five-run sixth inning, Adolis Garcia added another three-run homer in the eighth, and Texas pounced on Kansas City.

Texas (11-6) improved to five games over .500 for the first time since July 16, 2019. The Royals lost their fifth straight and fell to 1-11 at home.

Nathan Eovaldi (2-2) went six innings, allowing two runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out five.

Brad Keller (2-2) allowed three runs on three hits and five walks, including leadoff walks in three of his four innings.

DIAMONDBACKS 8, CARDINALS 7

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Gabriel Moreno hit a three-run homer that capped a six-run fourth inning for Arizona against St. Louis’ Jordan Montgomery.

Willson Contreras homered twice for the Cardinals, including a two-run shot off Andrew Chafin during St. Louis’ three-run ninth. Miguel Castro got the last two outs for his first save.

Montgomery (2-2) allowed seven runs on 10 hits in four innings as his ERA jumped from 2.45 to 4.84.

Kyle Nelson (3-0), the second of seven Arizona pitchers, worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief.

BLUE JAYS 4, ASTROS 2

HOUSTON (AP) — Matt Chapman homered and doubled, and Chris Bassitt carried a shutout in the seventh inning for Toronto.

Bassitt (2-2) allowed three hits and a walk in 6 1/3 innings. Jordan Romano got the last four outs for his seventh save.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Chapman homered in the fourth against Houston’s Jose Urquidy (1-1).

MARLINS 4, GIANTS 2

MIAMI (AP) — Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning and Miami beat San Francisco, which lost starter Alex Wood because of a left hamstring strain in the third.

Edward Cabrera (1-1) limited the Giants to two runs and six hits in six innings. A.J. Puk closed with a scoreless ninth for his third save.

Chisholm’s shot off Jakob Junis (2-1) put the Marlins ahead 4-2.

CUBS 4, ATHLETICS 0

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Cody Bellinger hit an RBI single to break a scoreless tie and ignite a four-run outburst in the eighth inning, and Chicago handed Oakland its sixth straight loss.

The Athletics fell to 3-15, matching the 1951 Philadelphia A’s for the worst 18-game start in franchise history.

Marcus Stroman pitched six scoreless innings and struck out five. Mark Leiter Jr. (1-0) worked a scoreless seventh, and Michael Fulmer and Michael Rucker completed the two-hitter.

Oakland starter Ken Waldichuk pitched five scoreless innings. Reliever Trevor May (2-3) managed to get just one out and was charged with three runs.

PIRATES 5, ROCKIES 3

DENVER (AP) — Jack Suwinski homered twice and drove in three runs, Vince Velasquez recovered from a rough start to pitch six solid innings and Pittsburgh sent Colorado to its season-high seventh consecutive loss.

Connor Joe had a double and a triple against his former team, and Carlos Santana added a run-scoring double for the Pirates, who have won seven of their last nine road games.

Kris Bryant homered and Elías Díaz had a two-run double in the first for the Rockies. Velasquez (2-2) allowed five hits, only one after the first inning. He struck out seven and walked three.

David Bednar worked the ninth for his fifth save.

José Ureña (0-3) gave up five runs in 4 2/3 innings.

BREWERS 6, MARINERS 5, 11 INNINGS

SEATTLE (AP) — Willy Adames drove in the go-ahead run in the 11th inning and Milwaukee defeated Seattle.

Joey Weimer scored on Adames’ RBI groundout against reliever Justin Topa (0-1). Adames finished with three RBIs, including a run-scoring double and a solo homer.

Christian Yelich hit a leadoff home run against Mariners starter Logan Gilbert and made it 2-0 with an RBI single in the third.

Cal Raleigh hit a two-run double for Seattle.

Garrett Mitchell scored in the 10th to give the Brewers the lead, but Ty France tied it back up the next inning with a sacrifice fly.

Bryse Wilson (1-0) got the win.

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The Arizona Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies play Game 7 of the NL Championship Series on Tuesday night for a World Series berth against the Texas Rangers.

Texas routed the Houston Astros 11-4 in Game 7 of the ALCS on Monday night as Adolis García homered twice and drove in five runs.

The wild-card Rangers are assured home-field advantage in the World Series starting Friday night following an ALCS in which the visiting team won all seven games. Texas is 8-0 on the road in the postseason, matching the 1996 New York Yankees for the most road wins without a loss.

“I think that the team, they’re just good at focusing or we’re good at focusing on the little things,” said García, the ALCS MVP. “We try to look at what we need to do, little things, to get that win or to just be successful. I think that’s really been key for us for having that success on the road, as well.”

Tommy Pham and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit back-to-back homers and Merrill Kelly struck out eight before an early five-inning hook to help Arizona force Game 7 with a 5-1 win at Philadelphia on Monday.

Two-time NL MVP Bryce Harper was at the forefront of another cold NLCS outing for Phillies hitters, and Aaron Nola got rocked on the mound.

Rookie right-hander Brandon Pfaadt takes a 2.13 postseason ERA to the mound for Arizona after striking out 15 and walking one in 12 2/3 innings over three playoff outings. Left-hander Ranger Suárez starts for the Phillies after going 1-0 with a 0.64 ERA in 14 innings this postseason. He has struck out 13 and walked two.

“I’m expecting some fun,” Kelly said. “Game 7, obviously, they talk about, it’s the best words in sports. I think the fact that we’re here, I don’t think anybody thought we were going to take them to Game 6. I don’t think anybody thought we were even going to make it to Game 1. I don’t think anybody thought we were going to make it past Milwaukee, to be honest with you.”

BETTING FAVORITES

The Rangers are the current betting favorites to win the World Series at -136, followed by the Phillies (+215) and Diamondbacks (+450), according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

NO REPEAT

Texas, one of six big league teams without a World Series title, reached the Fall Classic for the first time since consecutive trips in 2010 and 2011.

Houston’s loss ensured the major leagues remain without a repeat champion since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees.

“This is a tough sport, a tough game. It’s a marathon,” said Dusty Baker, who managed the Astros to the 2022 title. “Nobody stays on top in this sport very long, and the Astros have been on top for quite a while.”

LEADING THE WAY

García homered for the fourth straight game and set a record for RBIs in a postseason series with 15. He had four hits and scored three times.

García’s 20 RBIs are one shy of the postseason record set by David Freese, whose 2011 St. Louis Cardinals beat the Rangers in a seven-game World Series.

“He’s a bad man, isn’t he?” shortstop Corey Seager said. “To be able to come into this atmosphere and get booed every at-bat and do what we did was really special. It was really fun to watch.”

IMPRESSIVE COMPANY

Bochy is trying for his fourth World Series title after winning with San Francisco in 2010, 2012 and 2014. Four championships would tie Walter Alston and Joe Torre for fourth-most behind Joe McCarthy and Casey Stengel (seven each) and Connie Mack (five).

Bochy is tied at three with John McGraw, Miler Huggins, Sparky Anderson and Tony La Russa.

Every other manager with three or more is in the Hall of Fame.

HOW TO WATCH

TBS is broadcasting the NLCS. Fox will carry the World Series.

POSTSEASON SCHEDULE

League Championship Series: Oct. 15-24

World Series: Oct. 27-Nov. 4

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

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

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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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2034 World Cup would bring together FIFA’s president and Saudi Arabia’s Prince Mohammed

GENEVA (AP) — The near certainty that Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 men’s World Cup unites two of the most influential men in world sports. There’s the leader of soccer’s governing body and the kingdom’s crown prince. Under President Gianni Infantino, FIFA has become increasingly involved in Persian Gulf nations looking to make their mark in global soccer. Critics call that involvement part of a hunger for money that risks the sport’s integrity. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for his part, has been spearheading a massive Saudi investment in athletics, including soccer and golf. Critics call that sportswashing — using athletic endeavors to clean an image. Saudi Arabia stands alone in the 2034 bidding contest after Australia declined Tuesday to enter a fast-track FIFA process.

Frustrated Big Ten coaches push for league to discipline Michigan for sign-stealing, AP sources say

There is mounting pressure on Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti to discipline Michigan and coach Jim Harbaugh for a sign-stealing scheme. Pettiti heard from frustrated and angry Big Ten coaches during a video call Wednesday, according to two people with knowledge of the meeting. The NCAA is investigating Michigan for impermissible in-person scouting. A Michigan staffer is alleged to have sent people to future opponents’ games for the purpose of video recording signals. The NCAA’s enforcement process is slow moving, but Big Ten bylaws provide the commissioner leeway to act on competitive integrity issues.

The NBA’s In-Season Tournament is finally set to begin, giving teams another trophy shot

The NBA’s In-Season Tournament starts Friday and runs through Dec. 9. Games will have a new look with brightly painted courts, and Commissioner Adam Silver finally has the second trophy that teams can play for. Group play games will be held every Tuesday and Friday in November except for Election Day when the NBA will take the night off. The semifinals are in Las Vegas on Dec. 7 and the title game is there two nights later.

Bochy adds to legacy with 4th World Series title, and 1st for Rangers, in his return to majors

The longer Bruce Bochy was away from baseball, the more he missed the game. And missed winning, too. Now, he has another World Series title to celebrate. The first season of Bochy’s return to the bench ended with the first championship in Texas Rangers history. The veteran manager added to the three World Series he won with the San Francisco Giants from 2010-14 before stepping down after the 2019 season. He is the sixth skipper to earn four titles, but the 68-year-old Bochy is the only one of them to take home championships with more than one team. He is the third manager to win the World Series in both the American and National Leagues.

Corey Seager earns second World Series MVP, joining Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson and Reggie Jackson

PHOENIX (AP) — Corey Seager was voted the World Series Most Valuable Player after leading the Texas Rangers over the Arizona Diamondbacks for their first title. Seager joined Hall of Famers Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson and Reggie Jackson as the only two-time World Series MVPs. He also won the award in 2020 for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Seager hit three two-run homers in the Series, then broke up Zac Gallen’s no-hit bid with a leadoff single and scored in the Rangers’ 5-0 victory in Game 5, giving Texas the World Series in five games.

Innovative motion offense a trademark of Bob Knight’s legacy

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Dusty May started his student manager career doing Indiana’s dirty work. Somehow between wiping up sweat, chasing rebounds and filling water bottles, he took enough mental notes to stake a coaching career on Bob Knight’s lessons. Those studies helped him take Florida Atlantic to its first Final Four. And while doesn’t run Knight’s trademark motion offense quite the way his mentor did, he saw no reason to chuck out the principles that helped the Hall of Fame coach win three national championships in 42 seasons.

Bills’ Damar Hamlin expects to be excited and emotional in return to Cincinnati

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin says he has nothing to worry about in preparing to return to Cincinnati for a game against the Bengals some 10 months since his near-death experience. Hamlin tells The Associated Press he’s thrilled while expecting to experience numerous emotions in returning to the stadium where he went into cardiac arrest and had to be resuscitated on Jan. 2. The 25-year-old enjoyed a remarkable recovery and completed a courageous bid to resume his playing career. Hamlin is not expected to suit up after being a healthy inactive in all but one of Buffalo’s eight games this season.

Clippers’ top brass says James Harden will make the sacrifices necessary to contend for a title

LOS ANGELES (AP) — James Harden is a superstar joining a team already loaded with stars. The Los Angeles Clippers’ top brass believes he will thrive in their galaxy. Clippers coach Tyronn Lue says he isn’t sure when Harden will make his debut following the blockbuster trade that brought the 10-time All-Star and 2018 NBA MVP home to Los Angeles from the Philadelphia 76ers. But Lue believes that when Harden plays alongside Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook this season, all four will make the adjustments necessary to turn the Clippers into a prime contender for Harden’s first NBA title.

Raiders bench Garoppolo, try to move forward under interim coach Antonio Pierce

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The Las Vegas Raiders fired offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi on Wednesday. Quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree was promoted to offensive coordinator. Aidan O’Connell has replaced starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. The chances came the morning after the club fired coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler. Antonio Pierce is the Raiders’ interim coach and Champ Kelly the interim GM. Las Vegas hosts the New York Giants on Sunday. Pierce played for the Giants from 2005-09.

Iga Swiatek says female tennis players are united as they seek improvements from the WTA

CANCUN, Mexico (AP) — Iga Swiatek says she and other women’s tennis players are more united than in the past as they seek changes on the WTA Tour, including improvements to prioritize the athletes’ well-being. Swiatek said at the WTA Finals on Wednesday that players are not happy with some things. Some players recently outlined various concerns in a letter to WTA CEO Steve Simon and during two meetings with tour leadership. Among the topics were a guaranteed income and coverage for maternity leave and injury absences, along with an objection to a planned change in rules governing mandatory tournament appearances. Swiatek is a four-time Grand Slam champion who was ranked No. 1 until September.

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Oct. 28

1958 — Construction began on the new ballpark for the Giants in San Francisco. The rocks in the area resembled candlesticks.

1968 — Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals won his first Cy Young Award. Gibson was a unanimous choice after dominating hitters with a 22-9 record and an ERA of 1.12.

1981 — Behind the solid pitching of Burt Hooton and Steve Howe and the bat of Pedro Guerrero, the Los Angeles Dodgers completed a comeback from 0-2 to win the World Series in six games with a 9-2 win over the New York Yankees. Hooton pitched 5 1-3 innings, allowing two runs for the win, and second-year relief ace Steve Howe got the final 11 outs for the save. Guerrero hit a two-run triple in the fifth inning and added a two-run single in a four-run sixth inning that put the game away He hit a home run in the eighth inning to close out the scoring.

1989 — The Oakland Athletics, behind the pitching and hitting of Mike Moore and the bat of Rickey Henderson, beat the San Francisco Ginats 9-6 and sweep the World Series.

1995 — The Braves won their first World Series since moving to Atlanta with a 1-0 win over Cleveland in Game 6. Tom Glavine and Mark Wohlers combined on a one-hitter and David Justice homered in the sixth inning.

2001 — Randy Johnson shut down the New York Yankees with a three-hitter for a 4-0 win and moved his Arizona Diamondbacks to a 2-0 lead in the World Series.

2007 — The Boston Red Sox swept to their second title in four years with a 4-3 win over the Colorado Rockies in Game 4 of the World Series. Jon Lester pitched shutout ball into the sixth inning and Jonathan Papelbon closed with his third save of the Series.

2009 — Chase Utley hit two solo homers off CC Sabathia to help the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies beat the New York Yankees 6-1 in Game 1 of the World Series.

2011 — The St. Louis Cardinals won a remarkable World Series they weren’t even supposed to reach, beating the Texas Rangers 6-2 in Game 7.

2012 — Marco Scutaro singled home the tiebreaking run in the 10th inning, and the San Francisco Giants beat the Detroit Tigers 4-3 to complete a four-game sweep and win their second World Series title in three years.

2013 — Jon Lester got the better of Adam Wainwright once again and journeyman David Ross hit a tiebreaking double in the seventh inning as the Red Sox downed the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 to take a 3-2 edge in the World Series.

2014 — Kansas City broke open the game with a seven-run second, battering Jake Peavy and the San Francisco Giants 10-0 to force a Game 7 in the World Series.

2015 — Johnny Cueto pitched a two-hitter, Eric Hosmer drove in two more runs and the Kansas City Royals beat the New York Mets 7-1 to take a 2-0 lead in the World Series.

2016 — Cody Allen escaped a ninth-inning jam and the Cleveland Indians pitched their fifth shutout this postseason, holding off the Chicago Cubs 1-0 for a 2-1 lead as the World Series returned to Wrigley Field for the first time since 1945.

2017 — Cody Bellinger lined a go-ahead double in the ninth inning, four Dodgers pitchers combined on a two-hitter and Los Angeles rallied past the Houston Astros 6-2 to tie the World Series at 2-all.

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