Sports
Anthony Rizzo's playoff status unclear as Yanks, Pirates close regular season
Sep 28, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo (48) reacts after being hit by a pitch during the seventh inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images The New York Yankees received an unwanted reminder Saturday afternoon of how seemingly meaningless late-season games can suddenly become important for all the wrong reasons.
The Yankees will be without first baseman Anthony Rizzo on Sunday afternoon, when they finish tuning up for the playoffs by hosting the Pittsburgh Pirates in the regular-season finale for both clubs.
Right-hander Clarke Schmidt (5-5, 2.55 ERA) is slated to start for the Yankees against Pirates left-hander Bailey Falter (8-9, 4.26).
The Pirates locked up a series win Saturday afternoon, when they hit five homers in a 9-4 victory.
Despite the defeat, the American League East-winning Yankees (93-68) clinched the AL’s top overall seed hours later, when the AL Central champion Cleveland Guardians fell to the AL West champion Houston Astros 4-3.
But the Yankees likely weren’t in a celebratory mood due to the uncertainty surrounding Rizzo, who suffered fractures of the fourth and fifth fingers on his right hand when he was hit on the right hand in the seventh inning by Ryan Borucki’s 88-mph slider.
Rizzo initially remained in the game but was replaced at first base by Oswaldo Cabrera in the top of the eighth before X-rays revealed the fractures.
Manager Aaron Boone said it was too early to know if Rizzo could play in the postseason for the Yankees, who are scheduled to begin AL Division Series play on Oct. 5.
“We’ll see as the days unfold here what we have,” Boone said.
The injury continued a trying season for Rizzo, who will set full-season career-lows for homers (eight), RBIs (35) and OPS (.633). The Yankees went 29-33 without Rizzo from June 18-Aug. 31, when the four-time Gold Glove winner was sidelined with a broken right forearm.
Rookie Ben Rice and DJ LeMahieu got most of the starts at first base in Rizzo’s absence, but Rice was optioned to Triple-A on Sept. 1 and LeMahieu is on the injured list with a right hip impingement.
The victory continued an encouraging final weekend filled with potential glimpses at an intriguing future for the Pirates (76-85), who received a combined 9 2/3 solid innings from rookies Jared Jones, Paul Skenes and Mike Burrows in winning the first two games of the series.
Skenes, an NL Rookie of the Year contender, ended his season with two perfect innings before Burrows made his big league debut and earned the win after allowing two runs (one earned) over 3 1/3 innings. Burrows returned from Tommy John surgery this season and posted a 4.06 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 37 2/3 innings for Triple-A Indianapolis.
“A lot of people talk about our pitching and the depth and at times they forget to mention him,” manager Derek Shelton said of Burrows. “We feel that he’s still a big part of this.”
Schmidt took the loss in his most recent start Tuesday night, when he gave up three runs over 5 1/3 innings as the Yankees fell to the Baltimore Orioles 5-3. He has never opposed the Pirates.
Falter also took the defeat Tuesday after allowing four runs over five innings in the Pirates’ 7-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. He has never faced the Yankees.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Ty France hits 2 homers as Padres rally past D-backs in Mexico City
Apr 12, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres first baseman Ty France (25) hits a solo home run during the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images Ty France hit two bases-empty homers, Mason Miller recorded his major league-leading 10th save, and the San Diego Padres beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-4 in the Mexico City Series at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu in Mexico City on Saturday.
Miller has not allowed a run in 14 1/3 innings this season, and he extended his scoreless streak to a franchise-record 34 2/3 innings.
France hit his second and third homers of the season and Gavin Sheets had a two-run single in a four-run seventh for the Padres, who overcame an early 4-0 deficit. They have won 13 of 15.
Alec Thomas homered in a four-run second, his second homer in three games, and Nolan Arenado and Jose Fernandez had two hits for the D-Backs, who are the designated home team in the two-game series. They have lost three of four.
Arizona infielder Ildemaro Vargas extended his season-opening hitting streak to 19 games, the longest active streak in the majors and the second-longest since Pablo Sandoval’s 20-gamer in 2012. Vargas has a 22-game hitting streak dating to 2025.
Padres right-hander German Marquez (3-1) gave up four runs on six hits in six innings, with two strikeouts and one walk.
Jackson Merrill and Xander Bogaerts walked around a single by Manny Machado to open the Padres’ seventh before Taylor Clarke entered to replace Brandon Pfaadt.
Sheets hit a two-run single and shortstop Gerardo Perdomo’s fielding error re-loaded the bases. Freddy Fermin and Ramon Laureano followed with sacrifice flies for a 5-4 lead. Perdomo suffered a left ankle sprain on his error and left the game.
Pfaadt replaced Arizona starter Zac Gallen in the fourth inning. Gallen suffered a right shoulder contusion when was struck by a Fermin’s 92 mph line drive with one out in the third inning. Fermin reached on a single and Gallen got the final two outs of the inning before leaving.
Clarke (1-1) allowed all three inherited runners to score and they were charged to Pfaadt, who allowed four runs on two hits and three walks, while fanning five in three innings. The run charged to Clarke was unearned.
Vargas and Arenado singled with two outs in the second inning before Fernandez lined a double to left-center to drive in two. Thomas followed with his 400-foot homer to right, extending his hitting streak to six games.
France hit his first homer of the game in the fifth to put Arizona on the board.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Jayson Tatum's improvement bodes well for Celtics in Game 4 vs. 76ers
Apr 24, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) celebrates his three point basket against the Philadelphia 76ers late in the fourth quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Jayson Tatum has only been back on the court for seven-plus weeks but the Boston Celtics star is making a stellar impact.
While putting last May’s devastating ruptured right Achilles tendon further in the rearview mirror, Tatum’s comeback story is reading superbly. He will look to help Boston take a 3-1 series lead when it visits the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night in Eastern Conference first-round play.
Tatum drained five 3-pointers and recorded 25 points, seven assists and five rebounds as the Celtics notched a 108-100 road win on Friday. It was his second 25-point outing of the series.
Tatum didn’t make his season debut until March 6 but quickly displayed he would be an asset in the playoffs.
He finished the regular season with seven straight appearances of 23 or more points. He delivered one triple-double and four other double-doubles during the stretch to establish he would be a difference-maker in the postseason.
Also Friday, Tatum became the fourth player in Celtics history to top 3,000 career postseason points. Tatum (3,005) trails three legends — Kevin McHale (3,182), John Havlicek (3,776) and leader Larry Bird (3,897).
“I can’t stress it enough that the fact that I get to put my uniform on and run out with the team, it’s a win for me,” Tatum said. “Obviously, I’m not 100% yet and will not be, but expectations of what people want me to do is the last thing that has crossed my mind.
“The amount of joy I have been able to find just being back out there and being out there with my teammates is all I could think about.”
Co-star Jaylen Brown, who carried the team while Tatum was sidelined, is impressed with Tatum’s progress.
“He’s been incrementally getting better and stronger and getting more physical,” said Brown, who also scored 25 points in Game 3. “You can see he’s getting downhill at a higher level than he did when he started. But we do it as a team. We win as a team and lose as a team. So in those moments, I got nothing but trust for Jayson Tatum.”
Sunday’s contest is a big one for the 76ers as a split through four games would be significantly better than facing a possible Game 5 elimination game in Boston.
What would really help is if star center Joel Embiid is available, but the team listed the former MVP as doubtful on their Saturday injury report.
Embiid underwent an appendectomy on April 9. He was also listed as doubtful for Friday’s game before being ruled out.
Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse said that Embiid did on-court work Saturday and will be evaluated after Sunday’s shootaround.
Forward Kelly Oubre Jr. (right adductor) is questionable.
Philadelphia star guard Tyrese Maxey scored 31 points in the Game 3 setback and made five 3-pointers for the second straight game. He felt the game got away from his squad.
“We always focus on what you could do better,” Maxey said. “… Got to get one (Sunday), got to protect home court and even the series.”
Maxey is averaging 27.0 points and 7.7 assists in the series.
The 76ers allowed more 3-pointers (20) than 2-point baskets (16) in Game 3, and Nurse said his team needs to make things tougher for Boston from outside the arc.
“They had five made off offensive rebounds and that’s not good, right?” Nurse said. “They made a lot of tough ones. … We’re going to have to be a lot better. It has to start with pressure.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Donte DiVincenzo (leg) ruled out for T-Wolves after non-contact injury
Apr 18, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) celebrates after a three-pointer during the second half against the Denver Nuggets in game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo was ruled out after injuring his lower right leg in the first quarter of Saturday’s game against the Denver Nuggets.
DiVincenzo sustained the injury on a non-contact play. He planted his foot to go toward a loose ball, and he quickly went down as he grabbed toward the back of his right leg.
The team ruled out DiVincenzo before the end of the first quarter.
DiVincenzo averaged 12.2 points per game and shot 37.9% from 3-point range during the regular season. He averaged 14.3 points in the first three games of the playoff series against the Nuggets.
-Field Level Media
Ty France hits 2 homers as Padres rally past D-backs in Mexico City
Jayson Tatum's improvement bodes well for Celtics in Game 4 vs. 76ers
