SPORTS HEADLINES

Lindor’s grand slam sends Mets into NLCS with 4-1 win over Phillies in Game 4 of NLDS

NEW YORK (AP) — Francisco Lindor hit a grand slam in the sixth inning, his latest clutch swing in an extraordinary season full of them, and the New York Mets reached the National League Championship Series with a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. Edwin Díaz struck out Kyle Schwarber with two runners aboard to end it as New York finished off the rival Phillies in Game 4 of their best-of-five Division Series, winning 3-1 to wrap up a postseason series at home for the first time in 24 years. After three days of rest, New York will open the best-of-seven NLCS on Sunday at the San Diego Padres or Los Angeles Dodgers. San Diego held a 2-1 lead in their NLDS heading into Game 4 on Wednesday night.

Tigers blank Guardians 3-0 in ALDS with clutch hitting and strong pitching, taking 2-1 series lead

DETROIT (AP) — Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson each drove in a run, and six pitchers combined to lift the Detroit Tigers to a 3-0 win over Cleveland Guardians and a 2-1 lead in their AL Division Series. The Tigers, baseball’s hottest team the past two months, will have their first chance to advance to the American League Championship Series since 2013 on Thursday night in Game 4 at Comerica Park. Cleveland has gone 20 straight innings without scoring since opening the series with a five-run first and a two-run sixth in its 7-0 win.

Rodgers says allegations that he played a role in Saleh’s firing as Jets coach are ‘patently false’

Aaron Rodgers insisted he played no role in the firing of Robert Saleh as the New York Jets coach and called such allegations “patently false.” The star quarterback made his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday, a day after Jets owner Woody Johnson fired Saleh after the team got off to a 2-3 start in the coach’s fourth season. There was speculation by some media and fans that Rodgers might have had a hand in influencing Johnson, who said during a conference call Tuesday the decision was “my decision and my decision alone.” Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will be the Jets’ interim head coach the rest of the season.

Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers is placed on commissioner’s exempt list after his arrest

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The New England Patriots say safety Jabrill Peppers has been placed on the commissioner’s exempt list while he goes through the legal process following his arrest on charges that he shoved his girlfriend’s head into the wall and choked her. Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said Wednesday that Peppers won’t be with the team “in the near term.” The exempt list is a form of paid leave.

Raiders return to Aidan O’Connell as starting QB against the Steelers, benching Gardner Minshew

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Antonio Pierce’s first major act after becoming the Las Vegas Raiders’ interim coach midway through last season was naming then-rookie Aidan O’Connell the starting quarterback. Pierce is now the full-time Las Vegas coach. He is turning again to O’Connell as the Raiders reach a critical part of their season and is benching Gardner Minshew with the Pittsburgh Steelers visiting on Sunday. O’Connell went 5-4 after he became the starter last season.

A 4-1 start has created long-starved hope and optimism around the Washington Commanders

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — There’s reason for hope around the Washington Commanders for the first time since the team has had this name. Players who have endured years of losing and fans who have seen decades of bad football sense something different this time around. Washington is 4-1 for the first time since 2008. And in rookie Jayden Daniels, the Commanders seem to have found their long-awaited answer at quarterback. Their game this weekend at the Baltimore Ravens is a litmus test but far from a must-win early in a season that holds so much promise.

SEC means more … upsets? Three top 10 teams fall, led by Vanderbilt’s vanquishing of Alabama

The Southeastern Conference’s biggest shakeups haven’t come courtesy of newcomers Oklahoma and Texas so far, but from more unlikely culprits. Think Kentucky over Mississippi, Arkansas over Tennessee, Texas A&M over Missouri. And the ultimate shocker: Vanderbilt over then-No. 1 Alabama for the first time in 40 years. Three Top 10 SEC teams fell last weekend, two of them to unranked league brethren. The Rebels lost a week earlier to the Wildcats. Top-ranked Texas is already the only unbeaten SEC team. The Longhorns face No. 18 Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry on Saturday.

Dodgers turn to Brasier to start NLDS Game 4 vs Padres as they try to stave off elimination

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers are going with reliever Ryan Brasier as their starter for Game 4 against the San Diego Padres as they try to avoid elimination in their NL Division Series. Manager Dave Roberts said a day earlier that the Dodgers would go with a bullpen game. Brasier was announced as the starter about four hours before the first pitch of Game 4 at Petco Park. The right-hander pitched in relief in Games 1 and 2 at Dodger Stadium, earning the win in a 7-5 victory in the series opener. The Padres are turning to right-hander Dylan Cease to start on short rest.

Yankees’ Juan Soto focused solely on the playoffs, even though a lucrative offseason looms

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Yankees slugger Juan Soto says he is focused solely on helping New York win the World Series, and not thinking at all about a potentially lucrative offseason. The four-time All-Star is poised to become the biggest free agent on the market, potentially landing a contract worth a half-billion dollars. But he said before the Yankees played the Royals in Game 3 of their AL Division Series that he is content with leaving his contract situation in the hands of his agent, Scott Boras. Soto hit .288 with 41 homers and 109 RBIs this season while leading the league with 128 runs scored.

Ex-NFL Media journalist says he’s reached a settlement with the league on discrimination lawsuit

A former NFL Media journalist announced that he’s reached a settlement with the NFL to resolve a lawsuit in which he accused the league of refusing to address long-standing institutional discrimination while also alleging his contract was not renewed because he repeatedly voiced concerns regarding equity and racial injustice. Jim Trotter did not go into detail in announcing the settlement on his X account, except to say the NFL has agreed to make a donation into his newly launched scholarship foundation for journalism students attending historically Black colleges and universities. The NFL did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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