Sports

Elly De La Cruz said the Cincinnati Reds did not give him permission to play in the 2026 World Baseball Classic because he was dealing with a quad injury; he hopes to represent the Dominican Republic in future tournaments.

At Redsfest, manager Terry Francona said he is focused on the players currently on Cincinnati's roster and praised the team's core. The club has made modest offseason moves, and president Nick Krall said he expects to add a bat before spring training.

The Sacramento Kings expect All-Star forward Domantas Sabonis to return Friday after missing 27 games with a partially torn meniscus in his left knee; he is officially listed as questionable.

Analyst Matt McCall said Louisville must adapt while freshman Mikel Brown Jr. remains sidelined with a lower back injury, and his eventual return could force role and rotation changes similar to Kansas' experience.

Marcus Freeman addressed the close of Notre Dame's 2025 season and outlined steps for the program's future, while the school added eight transfer portal pickups this cycle to address roster needs.

Klay Thompson passed Damian Lillard to move into fourth on the NBA's all-time 3-pointers made list after sinking six 3s in the Mavericks' win over Utah; he now has 2,809 career 3-pointers.

On the '05-'06 reunion night, the Buffalo Sabres beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-3 as Tage Thompson recorded a hat trick and two primary assists.

The New York Knicks lost 126-113 to the Golden State Warriors after Jalen Brunson sat out with an ankle sprain; Karl-Anthony Towns struggled in the second half and New York has lost seven of its last nine games.

Nick Taylor shot an 8-under 62 and shares the first-round lead with Kevin Roy at the Sony Open in Honolulu; The Sentry at Kapalua was canceled because of water issues and wind arrived later in the day.

The Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-1 as new coach Rick Bowness' team held steady and goalie Elvis Merzlikins made 30 saves in a calm performance.

President Donald Trump welcomed the Florida Panthers to the White House in the East Room to mark their consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 2024 and 2025.

Zdeno Chara's No. 33 was retired at TD Garden in a ceremony that celebrated a career built on hard work, leadership and a 2011 Stanley Cup, with teammates and family taking part.

The Knicks listed Jalen Brunson day-to-day after a right ankle sprain suffered in Sacramento; a sports medicine physician said it appears to be a low-grade sprain but noted repeated sprains can undermine ankle stability.

Players said new coach Rick Bowness, hired this week to replace Dean Evason, has brought clear, frequent communication and moved pre-practice meetings to a video room; in Tuesday's 5-3 win over Calgary several young players logged more minutes and spoke positively about his approach.

Players and staff say second-year coach Dave Canales expanded his involvement beyond the offense this season, and the Panthers reached the playoffs but lost a 34-31 wild-card game to the Los Angeles Rams.

Caleb Williams led the Chicago Bears to a 31-27 playoff win over Green Bay, throwing 361 yards with 184 in the fourth quarter and two late touchdown passes, and coaches and teammates say he remains calm and effective in pressure situations.

Seattle's defense, nicknamed the 'Dark Side,' has grown into a dominant front seven after a series of signings, drafts and coaching changes, and the Seahawks will host the San Francisco 49ers in a divisional-round playoff game at Lumen Field.

Rasmus Dahlin scored two power-play goals as the Buffalo Sabres beat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-2, and the team moved into a wild-card position after winning 14 of 16 games.

AJ Dybantsa scored 17 of his 25 points in the second half as No. 11 BYU rallied to a 76-70 victory over TCU, extending BYU's win streak to 13 games and moving the team to 16-1 overall.

The Packers were eliminated in a wild-card loss to the Bears, and Green Bay Nation reviewed key plays while hosts discussed head coach Matt LaFleur's future.

Marcus Freeman spoke to reporters for the first time since signing day, addressing reported NFL interest and Notre Dame's exclusion from the College Football Playoff.

Art Rooney II said Mike Tomlin told him he is stepping down after 19 seasons and does not expect to coach "in the near future." The Steelers retain Tomlin's 2026 contract rights and will begin a search for a new head coach.

No. 1 Indiana and No. 10 Miami meet in the CFP National Championship after several key offseason staff, transfer and roster decisions helped both programs reach the game. The championship is scheduled for Monday in Miami Gardens, Florida.

The Raiders finished 3-14 and fired coach Pete Carroll; they enter the offseason holding the No. 1 draft pick and ample cap space as GM John Spytek outlines a multi-year rebuild.

Coach JJ Redick called criticism of LeBron James "unfortunate" after James played back-to-back nights and produced 31 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists in the Lakers' 141-116 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

The Denver Broncos are two victories away from the Super Bowl and open the divisional round against the Buffalo Bills; coach Sean Payton, who won with the Saints in 2010, could become the first coach to win Super Bowls with two different franchises.

Buffalo has won 13 of its last 15 games and is drawing larger home crowds, with players and visiting coaches noting a more complete team and stronger home-ice energy.

UConn beat Seton Hall 69-64 in Newark, improving to 17-1 overall and 7-0 in Big East play; the Huskies held on despite 17 turnovers and a late Seton Hall rally.

After Mike Tomlin's 19-year run ended, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra — who has led the team since 2008 — became the longest-serving active coach across the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL, a development he said left him disappointed.

Tre Donaldson scored 23 points and Malik Reneau had 17 points and 10 rebounds as Miami won 81-69 at Notre Dame, extending the Hurricanes' winning streak to 10 games.