Sports
Mets, Braves square off in make-up DH as both vie for playoffs
Sep 29, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo (9), New York Mets outfielder Tyrone Taylor (15) and not seen New York Mets outfielder Harrison Bader (44) celebrate a 5-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images The Atlanta Braves and New York Mets each need one victory to qualify for the postseason when they meet in a make-up doubleheader on Monday in Atlanta.
Both teams are 88-72 and are in a virtual tie with Arizona (89-73) for the National League’s two final wild-card spots. If Atlanta and New York split the twin bill, both will advance to the playoffs since each team holds the tiebreaker over Arizona.
But if either team sweeps the doubleheader, the winning team would qualify for the postseason and the loser will be eliminated, sending the Diamondbacks to the wild-card round. Atlanta leads the season series against the Mets 6-5.
“The way we started this year (twice 11 games under .500), nobody expected us to be in this position,” New York manager Carlos Mendoza said. “And here we are with a chance to do something special. We’ll go back to Atlanta and get that last one and go from there.”
Atlanta manager Brian Snitker, whose team is trying to qualify for the playoffs for the seventh straight season, said, “The ball is in our court. If we can’t pull one of those off, then you know it’s just one of those things. We’ve done a good job coming out every day and trying to go 1-0. We’ll start fresh with two of our better guys going.”
The Braves will go with rookie Spencer Schwellenbach (8-7, 3.47 ERA) in the opener and Chris Sale (18-3, 2.38) in the second game. If the Braves win the first game, they will readjust their plans for the nightcap and reserve Sale for the opener of the wild-card series.
Schwellenbach beat the Mets on Tuesday, the right-hander allowing one run in seven innings. He has given up just one run in 14 innings in two starts against New York.
Sale has already clinched the National League triple crown for pitchers. He leads the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts (225 in 177 2/3 innings). The last pitcher to lead the NL in all three categories was Clayton Kershaw in 2011.
In his four starts in September, Sale is 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA. His last loss came against the Chicago White Sox on June 27 when he allowed one run over seven innings in a 1-0 loss. Sale’s most recent start came against the Cincinnati Reds on Sept. 19 when he pitched five innings and allowed two runs to get the win.
Sale has faced the Mets once this year and received a no-decision on July 25 after allowing two runs in 7 1/3 innings. He is 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in four career starts against the Mets.
The Mets have not yet finalized their pitching plans for the doubleheader.
“Everything is on the table,” Mendoza said. “We have a chance. We’re right there and we get to play and we need one more, so we feel good.”
Luis Severino (11-7, 3.91) will start one of the games. The veteran faced the Braves on Tuesday, taking the loss after allowing four runs in four innings. In five career starts against the Braves, Severino is 1-2 with a 4.13 ERA.
If the teams split, the Braves would open the playoffs at San Diego and the Mets would be at Milwaukee. If either team sweeps, it would open at San Diego, which would allow Arizona to make the playoffs and send the Diamondbacks to Milwaukee.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Giants planning to release LB Bobby Okereke
Nov 9, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke (58) leaves the field after losing to the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images The New York Giants are planning to cut inside linebacker Bobby Okereke in a cost-saving move, The Athletic reported Saturday.
Releasing the seven-year NFL veteran, who turns 30 in July, will save the Giants $9 million against the 2026 salary cap.
Okereke has led New York in tackles in two of his three seasons with the team, including 143 stops in 2025 and 149 in 2023.
Okereke added one sack, two interceptions and one fumble recovery in 17 games (all starts) for the Giants in 2025.
He has recorded 805 tackles, 7.5 sacks, seven interceptions and 11 forced fumbles in 110 career games (95 starts) with the Colts (2019-22) and Giants. Indianapolis drafted him in the third round in 2019.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tyler Reddick starts bid for 3rd straight NASCAR Cup win with pole run
Feb 22, 2026; Hampton, Georgia, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Tyler Reddick rounds the track at EchoPark Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mady Mertens-Imagn Images AUSTIN, Texas — One of the few things that wasn’t startling about Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series qualifying session at Circuit of the Americas was Tyler Reddick’s run for the pole position.
Negotiating the 2.4-mile road course in 97.760 seconds (88.380 mph) in the second qualifying group, Reddick claimed his third Busch Light Pole Award in six attempts at the track. He will lead the field to green in Sunday’s DuraMAX Grand Prix Powered by Reladyne (3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Of course, there’s more at stake for Reddick than simply a victory at COTA. In winning at EchoPark Speedway near Atlanta last Sunday, the driver of the No. 45 Toyota became the sixth Cup competitor to start a season with two consecutive wins. No driver has ever won three straight to open a season.
The 23XI Racing driver acknowledged that the pole position, the 12th of his career, is a positive first step toward that goal.
“It helps the chances, certainly,” said Reddick, whose series-best average finish of 4.6 at COTA includes a victory in 2023. “I think starting up front is huge.”
Michael McDowell led the first qualifying group of 19 drivers with a lap at 88.031 mph but fell to sixth soon after the second group took to the track. Ultimately, Ross Chastain posted the second-fastest lap at 88.256 mph (97.897 seconds) and will start on the front row beside Reddick.
The shocker was not that Chastain, the 2022 COTA winner, fashioned an excellent lap. What was surprising was that his two Trackhouse Racing teammates, Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch — both vaunted road course racers — failed to crack the top 10 in qualifying.
Van Gisbergen was 13th fastest on his third lap. Zilisch could do no better than 25th. Van Gisbergen is seeking his sixth straight road course victory in the Cup Series, a mark that would tie NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon for most consecutive road course wins.
Chase Briscoe (88.242 mph) will start third, followed by Ryan Blaney (88.179 mph) and Chase Elliott (88.161 mph). Elliott leads active drivers with seven road course victories.
Behind McDowell in sixth, AJ Allmendinger qualified seventh, followed by defending race winner Christopher Bell, Ty Gibbs and William Byron.
“We’ll see how it gets going,” Reddick said. “Certainly, Ross, Shane, Ryan Blaney-there’s a number of good drivers who were really strong in practice today. We’ll try to understand what that all looks like and make our best decisions on the car and everything.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Warriors F Gui Santos signs multi-year extension
Feb 25, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Gui Santos (15) passes the ball as Memphis Grizzlies guard Javon Small (10) defends during the third quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images Golden State Warriors forward Gui Santos signed a multi-year contract extension on Saturday.
Specific terms were not disclosed by the Warriors. However, ESPN reported it was a three-year, $15 million contract extension with a player option in 2028-29. Santos was in line to become a restricted free agent prior to this extension.
Santos, 23, is posting career-best averages in points (6.6), rebounds (3.2) and assists (1.7) in 48 games (13 starts) this season.
He is contributing 4.9 points, 3.0 boards and 1.4 assists in 127 career games (15 starts) since being selected by the Warriors in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft.
–Field Level Media
Report: Giants planning to release LB Bobby Okereke
Tyler Reddick starts bid for 3rd straight NASCAR Cup win with pole run
