ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies showcased plenty of plucky resilience all season, bouncing back from a poor start and the firing of their manager to qualify for the postseason for the first time in more than a decade.
PITTSBURGH (1-3) at BUFFALO (3-1)
Sunday 1 p.m. EDT, CBS.
OPENING LINE: Bills by 14, according to FanDuel SportsBook.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills on Friday ruled out starting safety Jordan Poyer and starting tight end Dawson Knox from playing against the Pittsburgh Steelers this weekend.
Poyer, who leads the NFL with four interceptions, will miss his second game in three weeks, this time due to an injury to his ribs.
Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin aren’t getting any younger, and New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald isn't shy about hoping that age finally catches up to the NHL Eastern Conference’s elite players.
DENVER (AP) — A losing record in October doesn’t mean playoff hopes are lost.
Last year, the Patriots, Steelers and Eagles rebounded from a 1-3 start to earn a postseason berth. The Chiefs and 49ers both opened 2-3 and still reached their conference championship games.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals hard-throwing closer Ryan Helsley is available for Game 1 of their National League wild-card series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday.
Helsley hurt his finger in his final regular-season tune-up this week but was included on manager Oliver Marmol's roster, which was due about three hours before first pitch in St.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — In preparing to make his first NFL career start, Steelers rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett understandably dismisses the narrative of Pittsburgh having little chance of beating the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
PHILADELPHIA (4-0) at ARIZONA (2-2)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT, FOX
BETTING LINE: Eagles by 5 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Joel Embiid has two choices: the red, white and blue of the U.S., or the blue, white and red of France.
An Olympic medal might hinge on his decision.
France is still hopeful that Embiid — the reigning NBA scoring champion — will choose to wear its colors for the 2024 Paris Olympics even though he recently became an American citizen, national team coach Vincent Collet said Thursday.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — More than a decade ago, the talented triumvirate of Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright helped power the St. Louis Cardinals past the Philadelphia Phillies in the divisional round of the playoffs, and ultimately to a World Series title.
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Through four games, the Philadelphia Eagles are the hottest team in the NFL.
The Arizona Cardinals remember days like that, even if they're OK with their current situation.
NEW YORK (AP) — Ted Barrett, Alfonso Márquez, Jerry Meals and Jeff Nelson will be the crew chiefs for baseball’s new wild-card series that start Friday, and Mark Carlson, Marvin Hudson, Dan Iassogna and Bill Miller will be crew chiefs for the Division Series next week.
Virginia Tech (2-3, 1-1 ACC) at Pittsburgh (3-2, 0-1), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ACC Network)
Line: Pitt by 14 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The pepper in Derek Shelton's salt-and-pepper hair is almost gone. Three years of losing will do that, even if it’s primarily by design.
“It can make you gray like it's done to me a little bit,” Shelton said.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — In California's capital, massive tent encampments have risen along the American River and highway overpasses have become havens for homeless people, whose numbers have jumped a staggering nearly 70% over two years.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The chants for Albert Pujols began in earnest in the eighth inning, with most of the red-clad fans inside PNC Park yearning for one last regular season at bat for the St. Louis Cardinals slugger.
HOUSTON (AP) — Another strong start by Framber Valdez allowed the Houston Astros to end the regular season with the two winningest pitchers in the American League.
Valdez struck out 10 in five shutout innings to lead the Astros to 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in the regular-season finale Wednesday.