Here are the AP’s top sports stories that have moved or are planned to move today. All times U.S. Eastern. For up-to-the minute information on AP’s coverage, visit AP Newsroom’s Coverage Plan. Sports content can be found at http://newsroom.ap.org/page/APSports.
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UPCOMING
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BKL--WNBA PLAYOFFS
DESCRIPTION: Coverage of the first round of the WNBA playoffs
UPCOMING: By 10/02/2026 5:00 p.m. EDT, Photo, Text
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BBO--POSTSEASON
FORMATS: Text
1. WITH: BBO--ALDS-YANKEES-RAYS PREVIEW
2. DESCRIPTION: TAMPA, Fla. — The Rays had the fifth-lowest payroll in the major leagues and won more games than any team in the American League. They’ll take on the free-spending New York Yankees in a matchup of AL East rivals. By Rob Maaddi.
3. UPCOMING: By 10/02/2026 6:00 p.m. EDT
4. WITH: BBO--NLDS-PADRES-BREWERS PREVIEW
5. DESCRIPTION: MILWAUKEE - The red-hot San Diego Padres parlayed their Wild Card Series sweep of the Chicago Cubs into an NL Division Series matchup with the Milwaukee Brewers, who won a franchise-record 103 games during the regular season. By Steve Megargee. 700 words, with photos.
6. UPCOMING: By 10/02/2026 6:00 p.m. EDT
7. WITH: BBO--BRAVES ADVANCE
8. DESCRIPTION: Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss says Chris Sale is “a warrior” after recording the final four outs of the 6-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in the decisive game of the National League Wild Card Series. It is not known when Sale will be available to start in the Braves’ NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. By Charles Odum. 600 words, photos.
9. UPCOMING: By 10/02/2026 6:00 p.m. EDT
10. WITH: BBO--NLDS-BRAVES-DODGERS PREVIEW
11. DESCRIPTION: The Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers will play in the NL Division Series starting Saturday.
12. UPCOMING: By 10/02/2026 6:00 p.m. EDT
13. WITH: BBO--YANKEES-JONES’ WILD INNING
14. DESCRIPTION: Spencer Jones made baseball history in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series, becoming the first player to strike out starting and ending a postseason inning in which he scored a run. By Baseball Writer Ronald Blum. 550 words, photos, 6 a.m.
15. UPCOMING: By 10/02/2026 6:00 p.m. EDT
16. WITH: BBO--ALDS-WHITE SOX-GUARDIANS PREVIEW
17. DESCRIPTION: Many were surprised by the Chicago White Sox turnaround this season, except Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt. The two AL Central rivals will open their American League Division Series on Saturday at Progressive Field. By Joe Reedy. 700 words, photos.
18. UPCOMING: By 10/02/2026 6:00 p.m. EDT
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AS--ASIAN GAMES
FORMATS: Video, Photo, Text
19. WITH: AS--ASIAN GAMES
20. DESCRIPTION: Coverage of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. The 20th edition of the continental event brings together more than 11,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions. Competition will include 43 sports.
21. UPCOMING: By 10/02/2026 8:00 p.m. EDT
22. WITH: AS--ASIAN GAMES GOLF
23. DESCRIPTION: Two South Korean golfers hope win gold in Asian Games golf, which would give them an exemption from military service at home.
24. UPCOMING: By 10/02/2026 8:00 p.m. EDT
25. WITH: AS--ASIAN GAMES CRICKET
26. DESCRIPTION: Bitter rivals Pakistan and India meet in the gold-medal final at the Asian Games.
27. UPCOMING: By 10/02/2026 8:00 p.m. EDT
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GLF--UTAH CHAMPIONSHIP
DESCRIPTION: Zach Bauchou leads by one going into the second round of the Bank of Utah Championship. Upcoming: 500 words.
UPCOMING: By 10/02/2026 9:00 p.m. EDT, Text
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BKL--WINGS-VALKYRIES
DESCRIPTION: SAN FRANCISCO -- The Golden State Valkyries host the Dallas Wings in the deciding Game 3 of their first-round playoff series. By Janie McCauley. Starts 6 p.m. PDT.
UPCOMING: By 10/02/2026 10:08 p.m. EDT, Text
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NEW AND DEVELOPING
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GLF--DUNHILL LINKS
Casey Jarvis makes late birdie to take the lead at Dunhill Links Championship
SUMMARY: Casey Jarvis birdied his last hole for a 67 to lead by one in the Dunhill Links Championship. The South African already is a two-time winner on the European tour this year. He was the odd man for making the International team for the Presidents Cup. Defending champion Robert MacIntyre kept his cool and shot 65 to be among several players within three shots of the lead. That includes five-time major champion Brooks Koepka. All the top names move on to the Old Course at St. Andrews for the third round. Kingsbarns and Carnoustie are also part of the rotation.
WORDS: 451 - MOVED: 10/02/2026 1:39 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:8419d4217106e809755852d2169406f2&mediaType=text
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SOC--ARGENTINA-MESSI
Lionel Messi returns to Argentina ahead of emotional farewell match with national team
SUMMARY: Lionel Messi has arrived in Argentina ahead of his farewell game with the national team. Messi is set to play in a friendly match against Benin in Buenos Aires on Tuesday in a final appearance for the team he led to a World Cup title in 2022. The Argentine Football Association said the goal of the match is to ensure “the best player in the world gets the home send-off he truly deserves.” Messi, who announced his international retirement on Aug. 31, flew in from Miami on a private jet with his family, landing in his hometown of Rosario, about 190 miles north of Buenos Aires.
WORDS: 227 - MOVED: 10/02/2026 1:30 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:62d8dafe02ccae1a625cc2d7b1448b42&mediaType=text
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FBN--CBS-ROMO
CBS announces Tony Romo’s permanent exit following arrest for operating a vehicle while intoxicated
SUMMARY: CBS Sports and Tony Romo have officially parted ways one month after the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback pleaded no contest to charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Romo had been on leave since his July 23 arrest in Wisconsin. He had been the lead game analyst for CBS’ NFL coverage since 2017. CBS Sports announced Romo’s exit in a statement that said they had mutually agreed to part ways. Romo was arrested following a traffic stop as he was driving south on Interstate 43 in Wisconsin.
WORDS: 470 - MOVED: 10/02/2026 1:27 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:8708777ed69570fedcfbf7cf4e30661a&mediaType=text
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BBO--ALDS-YANKEES-RAYS PREVIEW
Yankees sending Gerrit Cole to the mound vs. Rays’ Drew Rasmussen in Game 1 of AL Division Series
SUMMARY: Gerrit Cole will start for the New York Yankees against Drew Rasmussen and the Tampa Bay Rays in Saturday night’s AL Division Series opener. Cole was set to start Game 3 of the Wild Card Series against Boston on Thursday but the Yankees swept their division rival. The 36-year-old right-hander, a six-time All-Star, was 10-9 with a 3.61 ERA in 22 starts this season after recovering from Tommy John surgery that caused him to miss the 2025 season. Rasmussen was 16-5 with a 2.67 ERA for the Rays and made the All-Star team for the second straight season.
WORDS: 273 - MOVED: 10/02/2026 1:23 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:dc23fa5b57a4d389b4c43f4d8cf5b6fd&mediaType=text
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BKN--TRAIL BLAZERS-ANNOUNCER FIRED
Trail Blazers fire new TV announcer after racist posts resurface hours after he was hired
SUMMARY: The Portland Trail Blazers fired new play-by-play television broadcaster Braiden Bell on Thursday when past inappropriate social media posts resurfaced just hours after the team announced his hiring. Bell had been the play-by-play announcer for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and the G League’s Valley Suns before the Trail Blazers announced they had hired him on Thursday to replace longtime broadcaster Kevin Calabro. Hours later, posts surfaced that were apparently made on X by an account with Bell’s name from 2012 and 2013. The posts were first reported by KGW-TV in Portland, which said they were made when the 29-year-old Bell was a teenager.
WORDS: 243 - MOVED: 10/02/2026 12:16 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:92cdc61fa56ff0e482778df5fe30d994&mediaType=text
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RAC--GAUDREAU TRIBUTE HORSES
There are two horses named in memory of Johnny Gaudreau and they’re running in the same race
SUMMARY: Vincent Conanan grew up playing hockey with and against Johnny Gaudreau, the NHL winger who died along with his brother, Matthew, while riding their bicycles near their hometown on the eve of their sister Katie’s wedding in August 2024. His son has started asking about “Johnny Hockey,” so Conanan pledged to name a horse after Gaudreau. After going to school in the Columbus, Ohio, area where Gaudreau played his final two seasons, Devon Bradley had the same idea. On Saturday, the horses — Johnny Hockey and Gaudreau — will run in the same race at Belmont Park, with the winner qualifying for the Breeders’ Cup.
WORDS: 739 - MOVED: 10/02/2026 12:11 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:de7b227618fe5693982aa7d252096ea3&mediaType=text
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FBN--OBIT-VAN NOTE
Former Falcons center Jeff Van Note, a six-time Pro Bowl center, dies at 80
SUMMARY: Jeff Van Note, a six-time Pro Bowl center who spent all 18 seasons of his NFL career with Atlanta and was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor in 2006, has died. He was 80. The Falcons announced the death on Friday. The team did not give a cause of death. Van Note was selected out of Kentucky in the 11th round of the 1969 NFL draft. He originally joined the Falcons as a linebacker before being moved to center by then-coach Norm Van Brocklin. He started 226 of 246 games over his 18-season career.
WORDS: 298 - MOVED: 10/02/2026 10:59 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:d2e4a668bf7c3baa42e9eb758d1d5188&mediaType=text
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FBN--COMMANDERS-LONDON
Marcus Mariota to start for Commanders against Colts in London with Jayden Daniels ruled out
SUMMARY: Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota will get his second straight start in place of the injured Jayden Daniels on Sunday when Washington faces the Indianapolis Colts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Head coach Dan Quinn announced the decision Friday after practice at the team’s luxury hotel accommodations outside London. Daniels returned to practice this week after dislocating his elbow in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys. He’s been wearing a protective brace and expressed no concerns about further damage.
WORDS: 454 - MOVED: 10/02/2026 10:54 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:eb76e989cdf3bbc5a1e0b320e3fd74f4&mediaType=text
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SOC--MAN CITY-FINANCIAL SCANDAL
Man City lodges ‘comprehensive’ appeal after guilty verdict in financial rule-breaking scandal
SUMMARY: Manchester City says it has lodged a “comprehensive” appeal following the publication of a report by an independent commission detailing large-scale financial rule-breaking by the club. City says “the club’s firm position is that, on multiple grounds, the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe.” City says the appeal was made on Thursday evening. City has protested its innocence throughout a long-running case that dates back to 2018. It reached a milestone on Tuesday when the Premier League published a verdict saying the Abu Dhabi-controlled club was “guilty of all charges related to serious breaches” of the competition’s financial rules from 2009-18.
WORDS: 1183 - MOVED: 10/02/2026 10:47 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:305a9d48b57458433efb578ed1a6103f&mediaType=text
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FBC--T25-ALABAMA-MISSISSIPPI ST-QBS
Unbeaten Heisman hopefuls Keelon Russell and Kamario Taylor headline Alabama-Mississippi State
SUMMARY: Keelon Russell and Kamario Taylor have unbeaten starts and unquestioned spots in the Heisman Trophy conversation. Two of the Southeastern Conference’s most productive young quarterbacks will share a field — and the spotlight — when Russell and No. 7 Alabama visit Taylor and 16th-ranked Mississippi State on Saturday. It’s a showcase game for the first-year starters. Russell has completed 71% of his passes for 1,129 yards with eight touchdowns and two interceptions. Taylor has completed 69% for 1,192 yards with 14 TDs and two INTs.
WORDS: 700 - MOVED: 10/02/2026 9:32 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:214e74df6c5f50b26c8ee8ea8ba179ba&mediaType=text
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BBO--ROBOT UMPIRES
Robot umpires flip 54% of challenged calls in ABS debut as teams learn to time appeals
SUMMARY: Robot umpires overturned 54% of challenged calls in the first season of the Automated Ball-Strike System. Catchers were more successful than batters. The Cincinnati Reds benefited the most from overturns, with a projected net gain of 16.8 runs, according to Baseball Savant. Houston’s Jose Altuve topped batters with 5.6 projected runs gained. Milwaukee’s William Contreras led catchers with 5.2 projected runs prevented. Players have been more aggressive with challenges in late innings, knowing they lose the right to challenge after two incorrect appeals. The success rate for video reviews has dropped slightly compared to previous years.
WORDS: 1280 - MOVED: 10/02/2026 9:15 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:e016f3fcca021d7f8b09258f54fcb253&mediaType=text
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HKW--PWHL SCHEDULE
PWHL introducing 2 6-team conferences and adding a quarterfinal playoff round entering Year 4
SUMMARY: The Professional Women’s Hockey League’s addition of four new teams is translating into more games, an expanded playoff format and the introduction of two six-team conferences entering its fourth season. The PWHL unveiled major adaptations in releasing its 180-game regular-season schedule running from Dec. 5 to April 18. And the PWHL’s popular “Takeover Tour” series is back and expanding from 16 to 24 outings, with the neutral site locations yet to be revealed. The 180 games — with each team playing 30 — is up from 120 last season as a result of the PWHL growing to 12 teams with the addition of four expansion franchises.
WORDS: 457 - MOVED: 10/02/2026 9:13 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:101a45ba0b32c49ccaba06e07ca87749&mediaType=text
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CAR--F1-BAHRAIN GP IN MALAYSIA PREVIEW
F1’s wait for rain goes on as practice in unfamiliar Malaysia stays dry
WORDS: 754 - MOVED: 10/02/2026 7:53 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:9b0cb938a896ad88f2aff75951959023&mediaType=text
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HKO--IIHF-REINDL
Franz Reindl takes over as International Ice Hockey Federation president in close vote
SUMMARY: German official Franz Reindl has been elected president of the International Ice Hockey Federation by just three votes after incumbent Luc Tardif chose not to run. Reindl beat Petr Bříza 60-57 in a runoff vote between two former players who both won Olympic medals on the ice. Reindl becomes IIHF president five years after he was runner-up to Tardif. Tardif’s tenure was dominated by the NHL’s return to Olympic hockey in 2026 and the IIHF’s exclusion of Russian teams after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
WORDS: 223 - MOVED: 10/02/2026 6:52 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:b718f955bb613ad7f08a73135c2bfc81&mediaType=text
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FBN--ON FOOTBALL-WATSON’S REDEMPTION
Browns didn’t ‘swing and miss’ with Deshaun Watson after all
SUMMARY: Maybe the Cleveland Browns didn’t strike out when they made that blockbuster trade for Deshaun Watson. A deal that was a disaster for four years is suddenly producing some hits. After Browns owner Jimmy Haslam called the trade “a big swing and miss,” Watson beat out Shedeur Sanders for the starting job. It appeared the experiment would only last two weeks and Sanders would start the home opener in Week 3 in front of the fans Watson called out in training camp for cheering when he got hurt in 2024.
WORDS: 655 - MOVED: 10/02/2026 6:01 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:46f91241e28c216e8dc78a504ac4c0ae&mediaType=text
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BBO--YANKEES-JONES’ WILD INNING
Yankees rookie Spencer Jones strikes out twice (and scores) in one wild inning
SUMMARY: New York Yankees rookie Spencer Jones made some bizarre baseball history in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series, becoming the first player to strike out starting and ending a postseason inning in which he also scored. The Yankees led Boston 2-1 on Wednesday night when Jones reached on a wild pitch and scored to spark a six-run sixth. New York won 9-2 for a two-game sweep and a Division Series matchup with Tampa Bay. The Elias Sports Bureau says no player had done this in the postseason or in any regular-season game since 1969. Yankees manager Aaron Boone recalled a similar experience from his college days at Southern California.
WORDS: 601 - MOVED: 10/02/2026 6:01 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:a5a235ae419f9a6b9a9c9b4c731ec0f5&mediaType=text
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BBO--BRAVES-ADVANCE
Braves may have to wait to see when ‘warrior’ Sale can start against Dodgers in NL Division Series
SUMMARY: Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss says Chris Sale is “a warrior” after recording the final four outs of the 6-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in the decisive game of the National League Wild Card Series. Sale pitched in relief only two days after starting the series opener. It is not known when Sale will be available to start in the Braves’ NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Braves’ starter in Game 2 against the Phillies, Tyler Mahle, had a scare with an abdominal pull, adding to the team’s season-long injury woes in their rotation.
WORDS: 787 - MOVED: 10/02/2026 6:00 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:3437fa1d1b2eb423973ba6d65b634490&mediaType=text
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FBN--COWBOYS-TRUST TEST
Dak Prescott and Brian Schottenheimer test their trust in fallout from Cowboys’ brutal loss
SUMMARY: Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer and star quarterback Dak Prescott have been through a test of their trust in the fallout from a brutal loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Schottenheimer said he used a word he wished he hadn’t and that it affected Prescott’s mindset before a failed third-down play that forced Dallas to settle for a tying field goal. Other game management mistakes put the Ravens in position for a winning field goal on the final play of the 34-31 victory in Rio de Janeiro. Prescott says trust is still there and lauded coaches for taking accountability along with himself. The Cowboys visit Houston on Sunday.
WORDS: 1064 - MOVED: 10/02/2026 6:00 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:a20f2ec38ff78fd74d88f649e679d24b&mediaType=text
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FBN--STEELERS-BROWNS
Watson leads another game-winning drive, Szmyt hits 56-yard FG and Browns beat Steelers 27-24
SUMMARY: Deshaun Watson passed for 268 yards and moved the Browns into position for Andre Szmyt’s career-long 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining that gave Cleveland a 27-24 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Watson completed 24 of 33 passes with a touchdown and an interception. He was 4 of 5 for 46 yards as he led a go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter for the third straight week. The Browns are 3-1 for the first time since 2021. They led 21-7 before Aaron Rodgers rallied the Steelers to tie the game at 24-all.
WORDS: 939 - MOVED: 10/02/2026 1:53 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:81887ac70308420c68610f99c16bd0f7&mediaType=text
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BKL--FEVER-CLARK
Caitlin Clark rues what could have been as she and the Fever head into offseason
SUMMARY: Caitlin Clark was back in action for the Fever against the Aces, but the result was the same as last year. Las Vegas eliminated Indiana 94-83 in Game 3 of the first round Thursday night. Clark expressed pride in her team despite the loss. Indiana had a chance for home-court advantage but ended the season with the sixth seed. Clark, often seen as the face of the league, faced scrutiny and physical play. She suffered a bloody mouth in the fourth quarter with no foul called. Clark said she believed the Fever have the talent to win a championship.
WORDS: 521 - MOVED: 10/02/2026 1:47 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:1dfca3c52aa150d2864e1ac50fd2f57a&mediaType=text
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MOVING TOMORROW
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FBC--T25-ALABAMA-MISSISSIPPI ST
No. 7 Alabama visits No. 16 Mississippi State at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. The Crimson Tide have won the past 16 meetings. By Brett Martel.
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SOC--MEXICO-US
The U.S. men’s national soccer team hosts Mexico, continuing their rivalry during an international friendly matchup on Saturday night in Arizona. By David Brandt.
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BBO--POSTSEASON
Coverage of Major League Baseball’s postseason.
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BKL--WNBA PLAYOFFS
Coverage of the first round of the WNBA playoffs.
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