BALTIMORE, Md.—The Kansas City Royals today announced their roster for the Wild Card Series.

The Royals will carry 11 pitchers into today’s series opener in Baltimore, led by starting pitchers&nbsp;Cole Ragans&nbsp;(Game 1),&nbsp;Seth Lugo&nbsp;(Game 2) and&nbsp;Michael Wacha&nbsp;(Game 3, if necessary). The bullpen will consist of left-handed pitchers&nbsp;Kris Bubic,&nbsp;Sam Long,&nbsp;Daniel Lynch IV&nbsp;and&nbsp;Angel Zerpa, and right handers&nbsp;Lucas Erceg,&nbsp;Michael Lorenzen,&nbsp;John Schreiber&nbsp;and&nbsp;Brady Singer.&nbsp;

Kansas City will have 15 position players on the active roster, led by Captain&nbsp;Salvador Perez, All-Star shortstop&nbsp;Bobby Witt Jr.&nbsp;and first baseman&nbsp;Vinnie Pasquantino, who is returning from the IL following a right thumb fracture that he suffered&nbsp;on Aug. 29.&nbsp;Dairon Blanco,&nbsp;Kyle Isbel,&nbsp;MJ Melendez,&nbsp;Tommy Pham&nbsp;and&nbsp;Hunter Renfroe&nbsp;will man the outfield, and they will carry infielders&nbsp;Paul DeJong,&nbsp;Maikel Garcia,&nbsp;Yuli Gurriel,&nbsp;Adam Frazier,&nbsp;Garrett Hampson&nbsp;and&nbsp;Michael Massey, as well as catcher&nbsp;Freddy Fermin.&nbsp;

Gurriel, 40, will bring the most postseason experience, having played in 86 postseason games with Houston from 2017-23, while Perez returns to the postseason for the first time since the Royals last World Series title in 2015 and enters the series 12 games shy of&nbsp;George Brett’s&nbsp;franchise record for postseason games (43). Others to have previous postseason experience include Pham (31 games), Renfroe (23), DeJong (14), Wacha (8), Frazier (7), Lorenzen (4), Lugo (3) and Hampson (3). The Wild Card Series will mark the first postseason experience for Bubic, Long, Lynch IV, Zerpa, Erceg, Schreiber, Singer, Witt Jr., Pasquantino, Blanco, Isbel, Melendez, Garcia, Massey and Fermin.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727501062753.jpeg" alt="Royals players celebrate after the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Minnesota Twins 7-2, giving Kansas City their first playoff berth since 2015. (Photo Courtesy @Royals on X)" />
 <figcaption>Royals players celebrate after the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Minnesota Twins 7-2, giving Kansas City their first playoff berth since 2015. (Photo Courtesy @Royals on X)</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas City RoyalsBALTIMORE, Md.—The Kansas City Royals today announced their roster for the Wild Card Series.The Royals will carry 11 pitchers into today’s series opener in Baltimore, led by starting pitchers&nbsp;Cole Ragans&nbsp;(Game 1),&nbsp;Seth Lugo&nbsp;(Game 2) and&nbsp;Michael Wacha&nbsp;(Game 3, if necessary). The bullpen will consist of left-handed pitchers&nbsp;Kris Bubic,&nbsp;Sam Long,&nbsp;Daniel Lynch IV&nbsp;and&nbsp;Angel Zerpa, and right handers&nbsp;Lucas Erceg,&nbsp;Michael Lorenzen,&nbsp;John Schreiber&nbsp;and&nbsp;Brady Singer.&nbsp; Kansas City will have 15 position players on the active roster, led by Captain&nbsp;Salvador Perez, All-Star shortstop&nbsp;Bobby Witt Jr.&nbsp;and first baseman&nbsp;Vinnie Pasquantino, who is returning from the IL following a right thumb fracture that he suffered&nbsp;on Aug. 29.&nbsp;Dairon Blanco,&nbsp;Kyle Isbel,&nbsp;MJ Melendez,&nbsp;Tommy Pham&nbsp;and&nbsp;Hunter Renfroe&nbsp;will man the outfield, and they will carry infielders&nbsp;Paul DeJong,&nbsp;Maikel Garcia,&nbsp;Yuli Gurriel,&nbsp;Adam Frazier,&nbsp;Garrett Hampson&nbsp;and&nbsp;Michael Massey, as well as catcher&nbsp;Freddy Fermin.&nbsp; Gurriel, 40, will bring the most postseason experience, having played in 86 postseason games with Houston from 2017-23, while Perez returns to the postseason for the first time since the Royals last World Series title in 2015 and enters the series 12 games shy of&nbsp;George Brett’s&nbsp;franchise record for postseason games (43). Others to have previous postseason experience include Pham (31 games), Renfroe (23), DeJong (14), Wacha (8), Frazier (7), Lorenzen (4), Lugo (3) and Hampson (3). The Wild Card Series will mark the first postseason experience for Bubic, Long, Lynch IV, Zerpa, Erceg, Schreiber, Singer, Witt Jr., Pasquantino, Blanco, Isbel, Melendez, Garcia, Massey and Fermin.&nbsp;&nbsp;

⚾ Royals announce roster for Wild Card Series

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—&nbsp;The Kansas City Royals announced this morning that infielder&nbsp;Bobby Witt Jr.&nbsp;and left-handed pitcher&nbsp;Daniel Lynch IV&nbsp;have been named Royals Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for September. The awards are determined by a local media vote.

Witt Jr. led the Royals last month with a .278 batting average (25-for-90), 9 extra-base hits and 13 RBI. He hit safely in 19 of his 24 games in September, and overall this season, his 128 games with at least 1 hit led the Majors. He opened the month with his 30th home run of the season on Sept. 1 in Houston, becoming just the second player in Royals history with multiple 30-homer campaigns—along with&nbsp;Danny Tartabull&nbsp;in 1987 and 1991—and he was the first player in franchise history to do so in back-to-back seasons. He recorded his 30th stolen base on Sept. 17 vs. Detroit, making him the first shortstop in&nbsp;Major League history&nbsp;with multiple 30-homer, 30-steal seasons. Witt Jr. finished the regular season with a Major League-leading 211 hits, earning the ninth 200-hit season by a Royal in franchise history. He also led the Majors with a .332 batting average, joining&nbsp;Mookie Betts&nbsp;(32 HR, 30 SB, MLB-best .346 avg. in 2018) as the only two players to ever lead the Majors in batting average during a 30-homer/30-steal season. This year, Witt Jr. became just the third Royal to lead the Major Leagues in average, following&nbsp;George Brett&nbsp;in 1980 (.390) and&nbsp;Willie Wilson&nbsp;in 1982 (.332). This unanimous selection marks Witt Jr.’s fourth monthly honor of the season (also May, July and August) and the eighth of his career, which already matches&nbsp;Salvador Perez&nbsp;and&nbsp;Billy Butler&nbsp;for the 4th most by a Royals position player since the award was established in 1995.

Lynch IV scattered just 8 hits and 5 walks across 17.1 scoreless innings in the month of September, extending his scoreless streak to 20.2 frames dating back to Aug. 26 (G2), which finished the regular season as the 2nd-longest active streak in the Majors behind only Tampa Bay’s&nbsp;Kevin Kelly, who will enter 2025 with a 24.1-inning streak. Lynch IV was the only pitcher in the Majors to record at least 15.0 innings without allowing a run last month, and he was the first Royals pitcher to spin at least 15.0 scoreless innings in any calendar month since&nbsp;Matt Strahm&nbsp;recorded 15.1 scoreless frames in August 2016. He pitched to a 6.35 ERA (16 ER in 22.2 IP) over his 1st 5 outings (3 starts) with the Royals this season, after which he was optioned to Triple-A Omaha on June 13. He was recalled on Aug. 26 and hasn’t allowed a run in 20.2 innings since, going 2-0 with 1 save over 11 appearances. During this stretch, he’s limited opponents to a .130 batting average (9-for-69) and opponents are 0-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Since his recall on Aug. 26, his .130 opponents’ average is the 2nd-lowest mark in the American League (min. 75 BF), behind only Detroit’s&nbsp;Beau Brieske&nbsp;(.127). This marks Lynch IV’s second career monthly honor, following June 2023.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695315090950.jpeg" alt="Courtesy Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas City RoyalsKANSAS CITY, Mo.—&nbsp;The Kansas City Royals announced this morning that infielder&nbsp;Bobby Witt Jr.&nbsp;and left-handed pitcher&nbsp;Daniel Lynch IV&nbsp;have been named Royals Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for September. The awards are determined by a local media vote.Witt Jr. led the Royals last month with a .278 batting average (25-for-90), 9 extra-base hits and 13 RBI. He hit safely in 19 of his 24 games in September, and overall this season, his 128 games with at least 1 hit led the Majors. He opened the month with his 30th home run of the season on Sept. 1 in Houston, becoming just the second player in Royals history with multiple 30-homer campaigns—along with&nbsp;Danny Tartabull&nbsp;in 1987 and 1991—and he was the first player in franchise history to do so in back-to-back seasons. He recorded his 30th stolen base on Sept. 17 vs. Detroit, making him the first shortstop in&nbsp;Major League history&nbsp;with multiple 30-homer, 30-steal seasons. Witt Jr. finished the regular season with a Major League-leading 211 hits, earning the ninth 200-hit season by a Royal in franchise history. He also led the Majors with a .332 batting average, joining&nbsp;Mookie Betts&nbsp;(32 HR, 30 SB, MLB-best .346 avg. in 2018) as the only two players to ever lead the Majors in batting average during a 30-homer/30-steal season. This year, Witt Jr. became just the third Royal to lead the Major Leagues in average, following&nbsp;George Brett&nbsp;in 1980 (.390) and&nbsp;Willie Wilson&nbsp;in 1982 (.332). This unanimous selection marks Witt Jr.’s fourth monthly honor of the season (also May, July and August) and the eighth of his career, which already matches&nbsp;Salvador Perez&nbsp;and&nbsp;Billy Butler&nbsp;for the 4th most by a Royals position player since the award was established in 1995.Lynch IV scattered just 8 hits and 5 walks across 17.1 scoreless innings in the month of September, extending his scoreless streak to 20.2 frames dating back to Aug. 26 (G2), which finished the regular season as the 2nd-longest active streak in the Majors behind only Tampa Bay’s&nbsp;Kevin Kelly, who will enter 2025 with a 24.1-inning streak. Lynch IV was the only pitcher in the Majors to record at least 15.0 innings without allowing a run last month, and he was the first Royals pitcher to spin at least 15.0 scoreless innings in any calendar month since&nbsp;Matt Strahm&nbsp;recorded 15.1 scoreless frames in August 2016. He pitched to a 6.35 ERA (16 ER in 22.2 IP) over his 1st 5 outings (3 starts) with the Royals this season, after which he was optioned to Triple-A Omaha on June 13. He was recalled on Aug. 26 and hasn’t allowed a run in 20.2 innings since, going 2-0 with 1 save over 11 appearances. During this stretch, he’s limited opponents to a .130 batting average (9-for-69) and opponents are 0-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Since his recall on Aug. 26, his .130 opponents’ average is the 2nd-lowest mark in the American League (min. 75 BF), behind only Detroit’s&nbsp;Beau Brieske&nbsp;(.127). This marks Lynch IV’s second career monthly honor, following June 2023.

⚾ Witt Jr./Lynch named Royals Player/Pitcher of the Month for September

BALTIMORE (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-salvador-perez-wiffle-ball-kids-6d55a6c8be6430a3e0a6db016d83f5ce">Salvador Perez</a>&nbsp;spent some time on the eve of his return to the MLB playoffs catching up with old pals who were his teammates the last time he — and the Kansas City Royals — played beyond the regular season, way back in 2015: Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain.

Perez is not merely the only member of that group on the Royals these days; he’s the only one still in the majors.

Asked Monday what it’s like to be back in the postseason nearly a decade after earning World Series MVP honors while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/136d5be4343341098104d09bf530dd68">helping KC win the title</a>, and the only guy from that championship still with the team, the 34-year-old catcher from Venezuela let out a hearty chuckle as he replied, “I feel old.”

It’s been a long and difficult path for the Royals to make it to October again and a matchup with the Baltimore Orioles in Game 1 of their AL Wild Card Series on Tuesday. There have been three 100-loss seasons in that span, including a low mark of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-kansas-city-major-league-baseball-playoffs-faf7e1aee9a4322eb969f93e503be055">56-106 a season ago</a>, and a roster sprinkled with 20-somethings such as AL batting champion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-bobby-witt-jr-steals-homers-2f244fb981427ad0622cbc0d73c200df">Bobby Witt Jr.</a>, Maikel Garcia and MJ Melendez wanted to get Perez another shot.

“They talked about me a lot,” Perez said. “Like, ‘Let’s get Salvy back to the playoffs.’”

He’s in his 13th season in the majors, all with Kansas City, and made his ninth All-Star team this year. He’s won five Gold Gloves. He’s a lifetime .267 hitter with 273 homers, 916 RBIs and a .762 OPS.

And, as anyone with the Royals will tell you, he’s much more than that.

“He’s a Hall of Famer. I mean, I learned so much from him. He does all of his homework, as well. We brainstorm before the game. He’s been doing this for a long time. He’s really good at it, obviously. … Just trust him,” said left-hander Cole Ragans, who will start Tuesday against Baltimore’s Corbin Burnes.

“I’m looking forward,” Ragans said, “to seeing postseason Salvy.”

Did Perez worry he might not get the chance to be in that position?

“I don’t like to think that way. ... We all can see a bad season, but I think we learned from that,” Kansas City’s cleanup hitter said. “That’s the good thig about baseball. I always say, ‘I love baseball because we have opportunity every day.’ So it doesn’t matter how you do today; tomorrow’s going to be another day. I try to think positive.”

That might not have been easy during 2023, in particular.

After all, entering this season, only two teams in major league history had made the postseason a year after losing 100 games. These Royals raised that total to three, with Perez leading the way.

“His contributions are enormous. Day in and day out, offseason included, he’s never taking a minute to not think about how he can help the organization, the team, the city,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “He’s larger than life in every aspect of his persona.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713393222199.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez runs the bases after hitting a home run during the eighth inning of the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox, Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez runs the bases after hitting a home run during the eighth inning of the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox, Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)</figcaption>
 </figure>BALTIMORE (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-salvador-perez-wiffle-ball-kids-6d55a6c8be6430a3e0a6db016d83f5ce">Salvador Perez</a>&nbsp;spent some time on the eve of his return to the MLB playoffs catching up with old pals who were his teammates the last time he — and the Kansas City Royals — played beyond the regular season, way back in 2015: Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain.Perez is not merely the only member of that group on the Royals these days; he’s the only one still in the majors.Asked Monday what it’s like to be back in the postseason nearly a decade after earning World Series MVP honors while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/136d5be4343341098104d09bf530dd68">helping KC win the title</a>, and the only guy from that championship still with the team, the 34-year-old catcher from Venezuela let out a hearty chuckle as he replied, “I feel old.”It’s been a long and difficult path for the Royals to make it to October again and a matchup with the Baltimore Orioles in Game 1 of their AL Wild Card Series on Tuesday. There have been three 100-loss seasons in that span, including a low mark of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-kansas-city-major-league-baseball-playoffs-faf7e1aee9a4322eb969f93e503be055">56-106 a season ago</a>, and a roster sprinkled with 20-somethings such as AL batting champion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-bobby-witt-jr-steals-homers-2f244fb981427ad0622cbc0d73c200df">Bobby Witt Jr.</a>, Maikel Garcia and MJ Melendez wanted to get Perez another shot.“They talked about me a lot,” Perez said. “Like, ‘Let’s get Salvy back to the playoffs.’”He’s in his 13th season in the majors, all with Kansas City, and made his ninth All-Star team this year. He’s won five Gold Gloves. He’s a lifetime .267 hitter with 273 homers, 916 RBIs and a .762 OPS.And, as anyone with the Royals will tell you, he’s much more than that.“He’s a Hall of Famer. I mean, I learned so much from him. He does all of his homework, as well. We brainstorm before the game. He’s been doing this for a long time. He’s really good at it, obviously. … Just trust him,” said left-hander Cole Ragans, who will start Tuesday against Baltimore’s Corbin Burnes.“I’m looking forward,” Ragans said, “to seeing postseason Salvy.”Did Perez worry he might not get the chance to be in that position?“I don’t like to think that way. ... We all can see a bad season, but I think we learned from that,” Kansas City’s cleanup hitter said. “That’s the good thig about baseball. I always say, ‘I love baseball because we have opportunity every day.’ So it doesn’t matter how you do today; tomorrow’s going to be another day. I try to think positive.”That might not have been easy during 2023, in particular.After all, entering this season, only two teams in major league history had made the postseason a year after losing 100 games. These Royals raised that total to three, with Perez leading the way.“His contributions are enormous. Day in and day out, offseason included, he’s never taking a minute to not think about how he can help the organization, the team, the city,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “He’s larger than life in every aspect of his persona.”

⚾ Perez is back in the MLB playoffs with the Royals and ready to face the Orioles

Tuesday, Oct. 1: Detroit (Skubal 18-4) at Houston (Valdez 15-7), 2:32 p.m. (ABC)

Wednesday, Oct. 2: Detroit at Houston, 2:32 p.m. (ABC)

x-Thursday, Oct. 3: Detroit at Houston, 2:32 p.m. (ABC)

Tuesday, Oct. 1: Kansas City (Ragans 11-9) at Baltimore (Burnes 15-9), 4:08 p.m. (ESPN2)

Wednesday, Oct. 2: Kansas City (Lugo 16-9) at Baltimore, 4:38 p.m. (ESPN)

x-Thursday, Oct. 3: Kansas City (Wacha 13-8) at Baltimore, 4:08 p.m. (ESPN)

Tuesday, Oct. 1: New York (Severino 11-7) at Milwaukee (Peralta 11-9), 5:32 p.m. (ESPN)

Wednesday, Oct. 2: New York at Milwaukee, 7:38 p.m. (ESPN)

x-Thursday, Oct. 3: New York at Milwaukee, 8:38 p.m. (ESPN2)

Tuesday, Oct. 1: Atlanta at San Diego (King 13-9), 8:38 p.m. (ESPN)

Wednesday, Oct. 2: Atlanta at San Diego (Musgrove 6-5), 8:38 p.m. (ESPN2)

x-Thursday, Oct. 3: Atlanta at San Diego (Cease 14-11), 7:08 p.m. (ESPN2)

Saturday, Oct. 5: Baltimore-Kansas City winner at New York (Cole 8-5)

Monday, Oct. 7: Baltimore-Kansas City winner at New York

Wednesday, Oct. 9: New York at Baltimore-Kansas City winner

x-Thursday, Oct. 10: New York at Baltimore-Kansas City winner

x-Saturday, Oct. 12: Baltimore-Kansas City winner at New York

Saturday, Oct. 5: Houston-Detroit winner at Cleveland

Monday, Oct. 7: Houston-Detroit winner at Cleveland

Wednesday, Oct. 9: Cleveland at Houston-Detroit winner

x-Thursday, Oct. 10: Cleveland at Houston-Detroit winner

x-Saturday, Oct. 12: Houston-Detroit winner at Cleveland

Saturday, Oct. 5: San Diego-Atlanta winner at Los Angeles

Sunday, Oct. 6: San Diego-Atlanta winner at Los Angeles

Tuesday, Oct. 8: Los Angeles at San Diego-Atlanta winner

x-Wednesday, Oct. 9: Los Angeles at San Diego-Atlanta winner

x-Friday, Oct. 11: San Diego-Atlanta winner at Los Angeles

Saturday, Oct. 5: Milwaukee-New York winner at Philadelphia

Sunday, Oct. 6: Milwaukee-New York winner at Philadelphia

Tuesday, Oct. 8: Philadelphia at Milwaukee-New York winner

x-Wednesday, Oct. 9: Philadelphia at Milwaukee-New York winner

x-Friday, Oct. 11: Milwaukee-New York winner at Philadelphia

(World Series would start Oct. 22 if both LCS end by Oct. 19)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727789206352.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy MLB" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy MLB</figcaption>
 </figure>All Times EDTx-if necessary<h2>WILD CARD SERIES</h2>(Best-of-3)American LeagueHouston vs. DetroitTuesday, Oct. 1: Detroit (Skubal 18-4) at Houston (Valdez 15-7), 2:32 p.m. (ABC)Wednesday, Oct. 2: Detroit at Houston, 2:32 p.m. (ABC)x-Thursday, Oct. 3: Detroit at Houston, 2:32 p.m. (ABC)Baltimore vs. Kansas CityTuesday, Oct. 1: Kansas City (Ragans 11-9) at Baltimore (Burnes 15-9), 4:08 p.m. (ESPN2)Wednesday, Oct. 2: Kansas City (Lugo 16-9) at Baltimore, 4:38 p.m. (ESPN)x-Thursday, Oct. 3: Kansas City (Wacha 13-8) at Baltimore, 4:08 p.m. (ESPN)National LeagueMilwaukee vs. New YorkTuesday, Oct. 1: New York (Severino 11-7) at Milwaukee (Peralta 11-9), 5:32 p.m. (ESPN)Wednesday, Oct. 2: New York at Milwaukee, 7:38 p.m. (ESPN)x-Thursday, Oct. 3: New York at Milwaukee, 8:38 p.m. (ESPN2)San Diego vs. AtlantaTuesday, Oct. 1: Atlanta at San Diego (King 13-9), 8:38 p.m. (ESPN)Wednesday, Oct. 2: Atlanta at San Diego (Musgrove 6-5), 8:38 p.m. (ESPN2)x-Thursday, Oct. 3: Atlanta at San Diego (Cease 14-11), 7:08 p.m. (ESPN2)<h2>DIVISION SERIES</h2>(Best-of-5)American League(TBS, truTV, Max)New York vs. Baltimore or Kansas CitySaturday, Oct. 5: Baltimore-Kansas City winner at New York (Cole 8-5)Monday, Oct. 7: Baltimore-Kansas City winner at New YorkWednesday, Oct. 9: New York at Baltimore-Kansas City winnerx-Thursday, Oct. 10: New York at Baltimore-Kansas City winnerx-Saturday, Oct. 12: Baltimore-Kansas City winner at New YorkCleveland vs. Houston or DetroitSaturday, Oct. 5: Houston-Detroit winner at ClevelandMonday, Oct. 7: Houston-Detroit winner at ClevelandWednesday, Oct. 9: Cleveland at Houston-Detroit winnerx-Thursday, Oct. 10: Cleveland at Houston-Detroit winnerx-Saturday, Oct. 12: Houston-Detroit winner at ClevelandNational League(Fox, FS1)Los Angeles vs. San Diego or AtlantaSaturday, Oct. 5: San Diego-Atlanta winner at Los AngelesSunday, Oct. 6: San Diego-Atlanta winner at Los AngelesTuesday, Oct. 8: Los Angeles at San Diego-Atlanta winnerx-Wednesday, Oct. 9: Los Angeles at San Diego-Atlanta winnerx-Friday, Oct. 11: San Diego-Atlanta winner at Los AngelesPhiladelphia vs. Milwaukee or New YorkSaturday, Oct. 5: Milwaukee-New York winner at PhiladelphiaSunday, Oct. 6: Milwaukee-New York winner at PhiladelphiaTuesday, Oct. 8: Philadelphia at Milwaukee-New York winnerx-Wednesday, Oct. 9: Philadelphia at Milwaukee-New York winnerx-Friday, Oct. 11: Milwaukee-New York winner at Philadelphia<h2>LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES</h2>(Best-of-7)American League(TBS, truTV, Max)Monday, Oct. 14:Tuesday, Oct. 15:Thursday, Oct. 17:Friday, Oct. 18:x-Saturday, Oct. 19:x-Monday, Oct. 21:x-Tuesday, Oct. 22:National League(Fox, FS1)Sunday, Oct. 13:Monday, Oct. 14:Wednesday, Oct. 16:Thursday, Oct.17:x-Friday, Oct. 18:x-Sunday, Oct. 20:x-Monday, Oct. 21:<h2>WORLD SERIES</h2>(Best-of-7)(Fox)(World Series would start Oct. 22 if both LCS end by Oct. 19)Friday, Oct. 25:Saturday, Oct. 26:Monday, Oct. 28:Tuesday, Oct. 29:x-Wednesday, Oct. 30:x-Friday, Nov. 1:x-Saturday, Nov. 2:

⚾ MLB Postseason begins today

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701263164849.png" alt="Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for October 1st, 2024" />
 <figcaption>Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for October 1st, 2024</figcaption>
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🎧 LISTEN: ⚾ Royals open MLB playoffs, ⚾ Pete Rose dead at 83, 🏈 Dragons still ranked No. 1

Pete Rose, baseball's banned hits leader, has died at age 83

NEW YORK (AP) — Banished baseball great Pete Rose has died. The longtime Cincinnati Red was the career hits leader and fallen idol who undermined his historic achievements and Hall of Fame dreams by gambling on the game he loved and once embodied. His 4,256 hits broke his hero Ty Cobb's 4,191 and signified his excellence no matter the notoriety which followed. Rose was banned in 1989 after a major league baseball investigation determined he had bet on baseball, including on his own team. A spokesperson for Clark County in Nevada confirmed on behalf of the medical examiner that Rose had died.

Braves heading back to the playoffs after a season of adversity

ATLANTA (AP) — After a season that didn't go nearly as planned, the Atlanta Braves find themselves back in a familiar spot. The postseason. The Braves overcame an interminable string of injuries — including the loss of their MVP outfielder and ace pitcher — to lock up their seventh straight playoff appearance with a 3-0 win over the New York Mets in the final game of the regular season. While Atlanta's streak of six consecutive NL East titles was snapped by the Philadelphia Phillies, there were no complaints after all the team went through.

Mets reach playoffs, beat Braves to cap comeback from 22-33 start

ATLANTA (AP) — Four months after falling 11 games under .500, the New York Mets earned a playoff berth a day after the regular season was supposed to end. With a thrilling 8-7 win over the Atlanta Braves in the opener of a makeup doubleheader behind Francisco Lindor's two-run homer in the ninth inning, the Mets advanced to a best-of-three NL Division Series starting Tuesday at Milwaukee. New York overcame an 0-5 start to reach the postseason for the 11th time in the team's 63 seasons.

Braves salvage playoff berth with 3-0 win over the Mets, who win thrilling opener 8-7 to clinch

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves bounced back from a stunning loss in the first game of a makeup doubleheader, claiming the last postseason berth with a 3-0 win over the Mets in the nightcap Monday after New York clinched a playoffs trip with an 8-7 victory in the opener. With three teams in contention for the last two playoff spots in the National League, the Braves faced the Mets in a twin bill squeezed between the scheduled end to the regular season and the start of the Wild Card Series. The defending NL champion Arizona Diamondbacks could only watch from afar and were eliminated.

Jared Goff sets NFL record completing all 18 of his passes in Lions' 42-29 win over Seahawks

DETROIT (AP) — Jared Goff threw a perfect game, setting an NFL record by completing all 18 of his passes to help the Detroit Lions beat the Seattle Seahawks 42-29 Monday night. Goff had a touchdown reception for the first time in his career, catching a pass from Amon-Ra St. Brown. He also threw one of his two touchdown passes to the All-Pro receiver. Goff and St. Brown are the eighth duo in league history to throw and catch a touchdown from each other. Kurt Warner had the previous NFL mark for the passes without an incompletion for Arizona against Houston in 2005.

Mason Rudolph leads Titans to first win of season, 31-12 over Dolphins, after Will Levis is injured

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Mason Rudolph led seven scoring drives after starter Will Levis left with a shoulder injury, and the Tennessee Titans beat the Miami Dolphins 31-12 on Monday night. Rudolph threw for 85 yards and completed 9 of 17 passes in relief of Levis, who attempted just four passes before running and diving for a first down on Tennessee's second drive and coming down hard on his right throwing shoulder. He stood on the sideline with his helmet but didn't return. Nick Folk made field goals of 53, 52, 47, 51 and 29 yards for the Titans, who won their first game of the season.

Dikembe Mutombo, a Hall of Fame player and tireless advocate, dies at 58 from brain cancer

Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo, one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday from brain cancer, the league announced. He was 58. His family revealed two years ago that he was undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a brain tumor. The NBA said he died surrounded by his family. Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon, says "it's a sad day, especially for us Africans, and really the whole world."

LeBron James is feeling 'pure joy' as he begins Lakers training camp alongside son Bronny

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — LeBron James is beginning his 22nd training camp this week with the Los Angeles Lakers, and this one will be a unique experience. The NBA's career scoring leader is sharing a locker room and a court with Bronny James, his 19-year-old son and the Lakers' second-round draft pick. They'll soon become the first father and son in NBA history to play together, fulfilling an aspiration first expressed by LeBron several years ago. The 20-time All-Star didn't downplay his excitement Monday to see one of his few remaining basketball dreams coming true.

WNBA teams allowed to protect up to six players for upcoming expansion draft for Golden State

NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA will have its first expansion draft in 16 years in December as the Golden State Valkyries start to fill out their roster. The Valkyries will begin play in 2025. Teams will be able to protect a maximum of six players who will not be available for selection by Golden State. All other players on a team's roster will be eligible for selection by the Valkyries. Players that are unrestricted free agents must be designated on a team's list as such and must be either on the protected players list or the unprotected list.

Favre tries to expand his defamation lawsuit against Mississippi auditor over welfare spending

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre is trying to expand his defamation lawsuit against Mississippi Auditor Shad White. Favre wants to include a book White wrote about the misspending of welfare money that was supposed to help some of the poorest people in the nation. White's book, "Mississippi Swindle: Brett Favre and the Welfare Scandal that Shocked America," was published in August. Favre's attorneys wrote in court papers Friday that the title and the contents are defamatory. White says he has spent tens of thousands of dollars defending himself in the suit. He says he "will not back down from telling the truth."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Tuesday, October 1st, 2024." />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Tuesday, October 1st, 2024.</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for October 1st, 2024:<div><iframe width="100%" height="95" src="https://embeds.audioboom.com/posts/8580149/embed?v=202301" style="background-color: transparent; display: block; padding: 0; width: 100%" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="allowtransparency" scrolling="no" title="Audioboom player" allow="autoplay" sandbox="allow-downloads allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe></div>Pete Rose, baseball's banned hits leader, has died at age 83NEW YORK (AP) — Banished baseball great Pete Rose has died. The longtime Cincinnati Red was the career hits leader and fallen idol who undermined his historic achievements and Hall of Fame dreams by gambling on the game he loved and once embodied. His 4,256 hits broke his hero Ty Cobb's 4,191 and signified his excellence no matter the notoriety which followed. Rose was banned in 1989 after a major league baseball investigation determined he had bet on baseball, including on his own team. A spokesperson for Clark County in Nevada confirmed on behalf of the medical examiner that Rose had died.Braves heading back to the playoffs after a season of adversityATLANTA (AP) — After a season that didn't go nearly as planned, the Atlanta Braves find themselves back in a familiar spot. The postseason. The Braves overcame an interminable string of injuries — including the loss of their MVP outfielder and ace pitcher — to lock up their seventh straight playoff appearance with a 3-0 win over the New York Mets in the final game of the regular season. While Atlanta's streak of six consecutive NL East titles was snapped by the Philadelphia Phillies, there were no complaints after all the team went through.Mets reach playoffs, beat Braves to cap comeback from 22-33 startATLANTA (AP) — Four months after falling 11 games under .500, the New York Mets earned a playoff berth a day after the regular season was supposed to end. With a thrilling 8-7 win over the Atlanta Braves in the opener of a makeup doubleheader behind Francisco Lindor's two-run homer in the ninth inning, the Mets advanced to a best-of-three NL Division Series starting Tuesday at Milwaukee. New York overcame an 0-5 start to reach the postseason for the 11th time in the team's 63 seasons.Braves salvage playoff berth with 3-0 win over the Mets, who win thrilling opener 8-7 to clinchATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves bounced back from a stunning loss in the first game of a makeup doubleheader, claiming the last postseason berth with a 3-0 win over the Mets in the nightcap Monday after New York clinched a playoffs trip with an 8-7 victory in the opener. With three teams in contention for the last two playoff spots in the National League, the Braves faced the Mets in a twin bill squeezed between the scheduled end to the regular season and the start of the Wild Card Series. The defending NL champion Arizona Diamondbacks could only watch from afar and were eliminated.Jared Goff sets NFL record completing all 18 of his passes in Lions' 42-29 win over SeahawksDETROIT (AP) — Jared Goff threw a perfect game, setting an NFL record by completing all 18 of his passes to help the Detroit Lions beat the Seattle Seahawks 42-29 Monday night. Goff had a touchdown reception for the first time in his career, catching a pass from Amon-Ra St. Brown. He also threw one of his two touchdown passes to the All-Pro receiver. Goff and St. Brown are the eighth duo in league history to throw and catch a touchdown from each other. Kurt Warner had the previous NFL mark for the passes without an incompletion for Arizona against Houston in 2005.Mason Rudolph leads Titans to first win of season, 31-12 over Dolphins, after Will Levis is injuredMIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Mason Rudolph led seven scoring drives after starter Will Levis left with a shoulder injury, and the Tennessee Titans beat the Miami Dolphins 31-12 on Monday night. Rudolph threw for 85 yards and completed 9 of 17 passes in relief of Levis, who attempted just four passes before running and diving for a first down on Tennessee's second drive and coming down hard on his right throwing shoulder. He stood on the sideline with his helmet but didn't return. Nick Folk made field goals of 53, 52, 47, 51 and 29 yards for the Titans, who won their first game of the season.Dikembe Mutombo, a Hall of Fame player and tireless advocate, dies at 58 from brain cancerBasketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo, one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday from brain cancer, the league announced. He was 58. His family revealed two years ago that he was undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a brain tumor. The NBA said he died surrounded by his family. Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon, says "it's a sad day, especially for us Africans, and really the whole world."LeBron James is feeling 'pure joy' as he begins Lakers training camp alongside son BronnyEL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — LeBron James is beginning his 22nd training camp this week with the Los Angeles Lakers, and this one will be a unique experience. The NBA's career scoring leader is sharing a locker room and a court with Bronny James, his 19-year-old son and the Lakers' second-round draft pick. They'll soon become the first father and son in NBA history to play together, fulfilling an aspiration first expressed by LeBron several years ago. The 20-time All-Star didn't downplay his excitement Monday to see one of his few remaining basketball dreams coming true.WNBA teams allowed to protect up to six players for upcoming expansion draft for Golden StateNEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA will have its first expansion draft in 16 years in December as the Golden State Valkyries start to fill out their roster. The Valkyries will begin play in 2025. Teams will be able to protect a maximum of six players who will not be available for selection by Golden State. All other players on a team's roster will be eligible for selection by the Valkyries. Players that are unrestricted free agents must be designated on a team's list as such and must be either on the protected players list or the unprotected list.Favre tries to expand his defamation lawsuit against Mississippi auditor over welfare spendingJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre is trying to expand his defamation lawsuit against Mississippi Auditor Shad White. Favre wants to include a book White wrote about the misspending of welfare money that was supposed to help some of the poorest people in the nation. White's book, "Mississippi Swindle: Brett Favre and the Welfare Scandal that Shocked America," was published in August. Favre's attorneys wrote in court papers Friday that the title and the contents are defamatory. White says he has spent tens of thousands of dollars defending himself in the suit. He says he "will not back down from telling the truth."AP-ScorecardTODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PRESEASONFinal	Pittsburgh	5	Detroit	1	Final	N-Y Islanders	4	Philadelphia	3	Final	Tampa Bay	3	Florida	1	Final	Washington	3	Columbus	2	Final	New Jersey	3	N-Y Rangers	1	Final OT	Buffalo	4	Detroit	3	Final OT	Calgary	4	Seattle	3	Final SO	Edmonton	3	Vancouver	2	Final	Los Angeles	4	Anaheim	0	___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUEFinal	Tennessee	31	Miami	12	Final	Detroit	42	Seattle	29	___

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Tuesday

For the fourth-consecutive week, the Hutchinson Community College football team holds on to the No. 1 spot in the NJCAA Division I Rankings, which were released on Monday.

This is the 39th consecutive poll the Dragons have been ranked in, which breaks a tie for the second-longest run in the rankings in program history. The Dragons were in 38-straight polls from 2018 to the third week in 2021. Hutchison was out of 6 of the next 7 polls before returning on November 2, 2021, which started the current run in the rankings.

<a href="https://www.njcaa.org/sports/fball/rankings/DI/index" target="_blank">CLICK FOR FULL NJCAA DIVISION I FOOTBALL RANKINGS</a>

The Blue Dragon record for consecutive weeks ranked in the polls is 45, which was set from 2010 to 2013.

This is the sixth time the Blue Dragons have been ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA polls in program history. The Dragons have been ranked No. 1 in 33 of the past 59 polls and have been ranked in the nation's Top 3 for 34 consecutive polls.

The Blue Dragons moved to 4-0 after last Saturday's 99-0 victory over Ellsworth on Saturday at Gowans Stadium.

Coming up this Saturday will be Hutchinson's third nationally ranked matchup of the season as No. 14 Dodge City comes into Gowans Stadium for a Noon kickoff. Dodge City returned to the poll after falling out three weeks ago. The Conquistadors rallied from 21 points down to defeat Iowa Central 25-24 on Saturday in Dodge City.

This will be the second-straight season Hutchinson and Dodge City will meet as ranked opponents. Last season the Dragons were No. 1 and Dodge City was No. 11.

The top four teams in this week's rankings remain the same. The Dragons garnered all 12 first-place votes. Iowa Western stayed second, followed by Snow and Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Georgia Military moved up to No. 5 after Kilgore was upset by Cisco last weekend.

Garden City (4-1) climbed two spots to No. 6 this week. Highland rolled past Independence and jumped three spots to No. 10. Dodge City is No. 14 and Butler is No. 15. Coffeyville is receiving votes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727738777871.jpeg" alt="The Blue Dragon Football Team stays at No. 1 in the NJCAA Division I Rankings for the fourth-straight week." />
 <figcaption>The Blue Dragon Football Team stays at No. 1 in the NJCAA Division I Rankings for the fourth-straight week.</figcaption>
 </figure>Hutchinson CC Sports InformationFor the fourth-consecutive week, the Hutchinson Community College football team holds on to the No. 1 spot in the NJCAA Division I Rankings, which were released on Monday.This is the 39th consecutive poll the Dragons have been ranked in, which breaks a tie for the second-longest run in the rankings in program history. The Dragons were in 38-straight polls from 2018 to the third week in 2021. Hutchison was out of 6 of the next 7 polls before returning on November 2, 2021, which started the current run in the rankings.<a href="https://www.njcaa.org/sports/fball/rankings/DI/index" target="_blank">CLICK FOR FULL NJCAA DIVISION I FOOTBALL RANKINGS</a>The Blue Dragon record for consecutive weeks ranked in the polls is 45, which was set from 2010 to 2013.This is the sixth time the Blue Dragons have been ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA polls in program history. The Dragons have been ranked No. 1 in 33 of the past 59 polls and have been ranked in the nation's Top 3 for 34 consecutive polls.The Blue Dragons moved to 4-0 after last Saturday's 99-0 victory over Ellsworth on Saturday at Gowans Stadium.Coming up this Saturday will be Hutchinson's third nationally ranked matchup of the season as No. 14 Dodge City comes into Gowans Stadium for a Noon kickoff. Dodge City returned to the poll after falling out three weeks ago. The Conquistadors rallied from 21 points down to defeat Iowa Central 25-24 on Saturday in Dodge City.This will be the second-straight season Hutchinson and Dodge City will meet as ranked opponents. Last season the Dragons were No. 1 and Dodge City was No. 11.The top four teams in this week's rankings remain the same. The Dragons garnered all 12 first-place votes. Iowa Western stayed second, followed by Snow and Mississippi Gulf Coast.Georgia Military moved up to No. 5 after Kilgore was upset by Cisco last weekend.Garden City (4-1) climbed two spots to No. 6 this week. Highland rolled past Independence and jumped three spots to No. 10. Dodge City is No. 14 and Butler is No. 15. Coffeyville is receiving votes.

🏈 HutchCC remains No. 1 in NJCAA rankings

Ranked No. 18 in the latest NJCAA Division I Women's Soccer Rankings, the Hutchinson Community College women tied a program record for consecutive weeks in the poll.

Now ranked in 15 consecutive polls dating back to the 2023 preseason rankings, the Blue Dragons tie the 2009 and 2010 teams when they were ranked in 15-straight polls.

<a href="https://www.njcaa.org/sports/wsoc/rankings/DI/index" target="_blank">CLICK FOR COMPLETE NJCAA DIVISION I WOMEN'S SOCCER RANKINGS</a>

The Blue Dragons went 1-1 last week, falling to No. 14 Cowley 3-0, but earned a KJCCC road win at Garden City 1-0. Hutchinson is now 5-2-3 overall and 4-2-3 in the KJCCC, which is fourth place in the lead.

The Blue Dragons play host to Seward County at 6 p.m. on Wednesday at the Salthawk Soccer Complex and travels to Dodge City on Saturday.

The KJCCC remains well represented in this week's national rankings. Butler (8-0-3) remains No. 6. Kansas City (8-0-3) moves up one spot to No. 9. Cowley (5-2-1) jumps two spots to No. 12 and the Blue Dragons dropped one spot to No. 18

The top eight teams from last week all remained where they were. Navarro was No. 1 for the second-straight week with all nine first-place votes. Iowa Western is second, followed by Seminole State, Tyler and Arizona Western.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727738663314.jpeg" alt="Blue Dragon Women's Soccer is No. 18 this week, which ties the Blue Dragon all-time record for consecutive run in the rankings at 15 weeks." />
 <figcaption>Blue Dragon Women's Soccer is No. 18 this week, which ties the Blue Dragon all-time record for consecutive run in the rankings at 15 weeks.</figcaption>
 </figure>Hutchinson CC Sports InformationRanked No. 18 in the latest NJCAA Division I Women's Soccer Rankings, the Hutchinson Community College women tied a program record for consecutive weeks in the poll.Now ranked in 15 consecutive polls dating back to the 2023 preseason rankings, the Blue Dragons tie the 2009 and 2010 teams when they were ranked in 15-straight polls.<a href="https://www.njcaa.org/sports/wsoc/rankings/DI/index" target="_blank">CLICK FOR COMPLETE NJCAA DIVISION I WOMEN'S SOCCER RANKINGS</a>The Blue Dragons went 1-1 last week, falling to No. 14 Cowley 3-0, but earned a KJCCC road win at Garden City 1-0. Hutchinson is now 5-2-3 overall and 4-2-3 in the KJCCC, which is fourth place in the lead.The Blue Dragons play host to Seward County at 6 p.m. on Wednesday at the Salthawk Soccer Complex and travels to Dodge City on Saturday.The KJCCC remains well represented in this week's national rankings. Butler (8-0-3) remains No. 6. Kansas City (8-0-3) moves up one spot to No. 9. Cowley (5-2-1) jumps two spots to No. 12 and the Blue Dragons dropped one spot to No. 18The top eight teams from last week all remained where they were. Navarro was No. 1 for the second-straight week with all nine first-place votes. Iowa Western is second, followed by Seminole State, Tyler and Arizona Western.

⚽ Dragons tie team mark for consecutive run in rankings

EAGLE Media's Rob Dreher visits with HutchCC head football coach Drew Dallas for the fourth edition of "Dragon Talk" of the 2024 football season. Dreher will visit with Dallas every Monday, with episodes airing on Monday at 6 p.m. throughout the football season on KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5). Some dates will air at different times due to Royals baseball. Please visit our&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/eagle-media-broadcast-calendar">Broadcast&nbsp;Calendar</a>&nbsp;for accurate times.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693268716902.png" alt="Dragon Talk with Drew Dallas logo" />
 <figcaption>Dragon Talk with Drew Dallas logo</figcaption>
 </figure>EAGLE Media's Rob Dreher visits with HutchCC head football coach Drew Dallas for the fourth edition of "Dragon Talk" of the 2024 football season. Dreher will visit with Dallas every Monday, with episodes airing on Monday at 6 p.m. throughout the football season on KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5). Some dates will air at different times due to Royals baseball. Please visit our&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/eagle-media-broadcast-calendar">Broadcast&nbsp;Calendar</a>&nbsp;for accurate times.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><iframe title="Dragon Talk with Drew Dallas (Sept. 30, 2024)" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=9wrgr-16ec2f1-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 LISTEN: Dragon Talk with Drew Dallas

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–</a>&nbsp;Kansas State sophomore quarterback&nbsp;Avery Johnson&nbsp;was honored for his play in the Wildcats’ 42-20 victory over No. 20 Oklahoma State by being named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday.

It is Johnson’s first weekly conference honor this season and second of his career as he was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year last year after the Texas Tech game. He is the first K-State player to earn the weekly Big 12 offensive honor since&nbsp;DJ Giddens&nbsp;last year against UCF and the first Wildcat signal caller since Will Howard following the 2022 Oklahoma State game.

Against the Cowboys, Johnson threw for 259 yards and three touchdowns on 19-of-31 aim – setting career highs across the board – while he rushed for 60 yards and another two scores on five carries.

Johnson, a native of Wichita, Kansas, became the first Wildcat to have at least three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns against a conference opponent since Collin Klein at West Virginia in 2012, while it was just the ninth time in Big 12 history that a player hit those marks against a ranked opponent.

In addition to the Big 12 weekly honor, Johnson was also named a Manning Award Star of the Week and to the Davey O’Brien Great 8 List earlier on Monday.

No. 20 Kansas State is off this week before returning to action on Saturday, October 12, when the Wildcats travel to face Colorado. Kickoff for the game against the Buffaloes is set for 9:15 p.m. (CT) and will be shown on ESPN.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726284868191.png" alt="Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson passes during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Arizona Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson passes during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Arizona Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas State Athletics<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–</a>&nbsp;Kansas State sophomore quarterback&nbsp;Avery Johnson&nbsp;was honored for his play in the Wildcats’ 42-20 victory over No. 20 Oklahoma State by being named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday.It is Johnson’s first weekly conference honor this season and second of his career as he was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year last year after the Texas Tech game. He is the first K-State player to earn the weekly Big 12 offensive honor since&nbsp;DJ Giddens&nbsp;last year against UCF and the first Wildcat signal caller since Will Howard following the 2022 Oklahoma State game.Against the Cowboys, Johnson threw for 259 yards and three touchdowns on 19-of-31 aim – setting career highs across the board – while he rushed for 60 yards and another two scores on five carries.Johnson, a native of Wichita, Kansas, became the first Wildcat to have at least three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns against a conference opponent since Collin Klein at West Virginia in 2012, while it was just the ninth time in Big 12 history that a player hit those marks against a ranked opponent.In addition to the Big 12 weekly honor, Johnson was also named a Manning Award Star of the Week and to the Davey O’Brien Great 8 List earlier on Monday.No. 20 Kansas State is off this week before returning to action on Saturday, October 12, when the Wildcats travel to face Colorado. Kickoff for the game against the Buffaloes is set for 9:15 p.m. (CT) and will be shown on ESPN.

🏈 Avery Johnson named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week

Dikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday from brain cancer, the league announced. He was 58.

His family revealed two years ago that he was undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a brain tumor. The NBA said he died surrounded by his family.

“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”

Mutombo was distinctive in so many ways —&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/g7SdhtxuJYA?feature=shared" target="_blank">the playful finger wag at opponents</a>&nbsp;after blocking their shots, his height, his deep and gravelly voice, his massive smile. Players of this generation were always drawn to him and Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon, looked to Mutombo as an inspiration.

“It’s a sad day, especially for us Africans, and really the whole world,” Embiid said Monday. “Other than what he’s accomplished on the basketball court, I think he was even better off the court. He’s one of the guys that I look up to, as far as having an impact, not just on the court, but off the court. He’s done a lot of great things. He did a lot of great things for a lot of people. He was a role model of mine. It is a sad day.”

Mutombo spent 18 seasons in the NBA, playing for Denver, Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia, New York and the then-New Jersey Nets. The 7-foot-2 center out of Georgetown was an eight-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection and went into the Hall of Fame in 2015 after averaging 9.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game for his career.

“It’s really hard to believe,” Toronto President Masai Ujiri said Monday, pausing several times because he was overcome with emotion shortly after hearing the news of Mutombo’s death. “It’s hard for us to be without that guy. You have no idea what Dikembe Mutombo meant to me. ... That guy, he made us who we are. That guy is a giant, an incredible person.”

Mutombo last played during the 2008-09 season, devoting his time after retirement to charitable and humanitarian causes. He spoke nine languages and founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, concentrating on improving health, education and quality of life for the people in the Congo.

Mutombo served on the boards of many organizations, including Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation and the National Board for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

“There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador,” Silver said. “He was a humanitarian at his core. He loved what the game of basketball could do to make a positive impact on communities, especially in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo and across the continent of Africa.”

Mutombo is one of three players to win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year four times. The others: reigning DPOY winner Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Hall of Famer Ben Wallace.

Philadelphia 76ers president Daryl Morey — who was with Mutombo for many seasons in Houston — was informed of his friend’s death during the team’s media day on Monday. Tears welled in Morey’s eyes as he processed the news.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727711604410.jpeg" alt="FILE - Retired Denver Nuggets center Dikembe Mutombo waves to the crowd as his jersey number was retired by the team during halftime of the Nuggets' NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Retired Denver Nuggets center Dikembe Mutombo waves to the crowd as his jersey number was retired by the team during halftime of the Nuggets' NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>Associated PressDikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday from brain cancer, the league announced. He was 58.His family revealed two years ago that he was undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a brain tumor. The NBA said he died surrounded by his family.“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”Mutombo was distinctive in so many ways —&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/g7SdhtxuJYA?feature=shared" target="_blank">the playful finger wag at opponents</a>&nbsp;after blocking their shots, his height, his deep and gravelly voice, his massive smile. Players of this generation were always drawn to him and Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon, looked to Mutombo as an inspiration.“It’s a sad day, especially for us Africans, and really the whole world,” Embiid said Monday. “Other than what he’s accomplished on the basketball court, I think he was even better off the court. He’s one of the guys that I look up to, as far as having an impact, not just on the court, but off the court. He’s done a lot of great things. He did a lot of great things for a lot of people. He was a role model of mine. It is a sad day.”Mutombo spent 18 seasons in the NBA, playing for Denver, Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia, New York and the then-New Jersey Nets. The 7-foot-2 center out of Georgetown was an eight-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection and went into the Hall of Fame in 2015 after averaging 9.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game for his career.“It’s really hard to believe,” Toronto President Masai Ujiri said Monday, pausing several times because he was overcome with emotion shortly after hearing the news of Mutombo’s death. “It’s hard for us to be without that guy. You have no idea what Dikembe Mutombo meant to me. ... That guy, he made us who we are. That guy is a giant, an incredible person.”Mutombo last played during the 2008-09 season, devoting his time after retirement to charitable and humanitarian causes. He spoke nine languages and founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, concentrating on improving health, education and quality of life for the people in the Congo.Mutombo served on the boards of many organizations, including Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation and the National Board for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.“There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador,” Silver said. “He was a humanitarian at his core. He loved what the game of basketball could do to make a positive impact on communities, especially in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo and across the continent of Africa.”Mutombo is one of three players to win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year four times. The others: reigning DPOY winner Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Hall of Famer Ben Wallace.Philadelphia 76ers president Daryl Morey — who was with Mutombo for many seasons in Houston — was informed of his friend’s death during the team’s media day on Monday. Tears welled in Morey’s eyes as he processed the news.

🏀 Dikembe Mutombo, a Hall of Fame player and tireless advocate, dies at 58 from brain cancer

The Major League Baseball playoffs are approaching and a Shohei Ohtani vs. Aaron Judge matchup in the World Series looms as an enticing October possibility.

But first, the National League needs to get its waterlogged mess of a playoff race out of the way.

While the rooting interests of baseball fans vary widely, there’s little doubt MLB and television executives are drooling over the potential matchup between two of the top sluggers of this generation. Ohtani recently became the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dodgers-shohei-ohtani-f8141d695112175fc2b695a0e9e748d9">first player to have 50 homers and 50 stolen bases</a>&nbsp;in one season while Judge hit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orioles-yankees-score-eba44e0873d6e88bbc47fe44be7844da">58 homers</a>.

On top of that, Ohtani (Los Angeles Dodgers) and Judge (New York Yankees) play in the nation’s top two media markets for two of the sport’s most storied franchises.

Of course, there will be 10 other teams trying to block those teams from the Fall Classic. Last season, the Texas Rangers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4 games to 1 for their first title in franchise history.

Who’s in the MLB playoffs? Who’s still fighting?

The Diamondbacks are going to be big fans of the New York Mets or Atlanta Braves for a few hours on Monday afternoon.

The National League playoff race comes down to a doubleheader between the Mets and Braves on Monday. The two games were moved to the day after the scheduled end of the regular season because of Hurricane Helene,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mets-braves-postponed-5124c79507c8cab9683f0d92b4448e13">which washed out two games of the crucial Mets-Braves series</a>&nbsp;last week.

The Mets (88-72) and Braves (88-72) will both make the playoffs if they split the doubleheader. But if there’s a sweep, the Diamondbacks (89-73) will sneak into the bracket as the No. 6 seed while the team that gets swept is eliminated.

Once the first game is over, the D-backs will know who they’re supporting. They’ll go through a light workout at Chase Field on Monday in case their season continues.

The Dodgers, Phillies, Brewers and Padres have already clinched four of the six NL playoff spots. Both the Brewers and Padres will host a Wild Card Series starting Tuesday while the Dodgers and Phillies earned some rest by claiming the top seeds.

The American League’s bracket is set. The No. 6 Tigers travel to face the No. 3 Astros while the No. 5 Royals are on the road against the No. 4 Orioles in the two Wild Card Series starting Tuesday. The Yankees and Guardians are the top seeds.

How does baseball’s wild-card round work?

The best-of-three wild-card format is in its third season. The format was changed in 2022 from the sudden death one-game format that was in place since 2012 with the exception of the COVID-19 pandemic-affected 2020 season.

Six teams each from the American League and National League qualify for the postseason, including the three division winners in each league. The three wild-card teams in each league are the teams with the best record that didn’t win their division.

The top two division winners with the best records in each league get a bye and don’t have to play in the wild-card round. Those four teams get a few days of rest. Those teams are the Yankees and Guardians in the American League and the Phillies and Dodgers in the National League.

The wild-card round will feature four series: The No. 6 seed will play at the No. 3 seed in both the AL and NL. The No. 5 seed will play at the No. 4 seed.

One big advantage for the higher seed in those wild-card series is they get to host all three games.

Many of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-rule-changes-explainer-61dc5754b7e14da5bf62074a26e3c07b">baseball’s recent rule changes</a>&nbsp;are still in effect during the postseason, including the pitch clock, a ban on extreme infield shifts and a limit to how many times a pitcher can disengage from the rubber. The pitch clock has been a huge change for the sport and widely celebrated, cutting game times by about a half-hour.

There is one rule that doesn’t make the postseason cut: the so-called “ghost runner” in extra innings.

During the MLB regular season, if a game goes to extra innings, a runner is placed at second base to start the 10th inning when each team bats. That won’t happen in the postseason. Extra innings will be played just like the previous nine.

The Dodgers are the current betting favorites to win the World Series at +325, followed by the Yankees (+450) and Phillies (+450),&nbsp;<a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/mlb/world-series-news-updates-odds-bm15/" target="_blank">according to BetMGM</a>&nbsp;Sportsbook.

The wild-card rounds will be broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. The later rounds will be split between FS1, TruTV, TBS and Fox.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727706249845.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy MLB" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy MLB</figcaption>
 </figure>Associated PressThe Major League Baseball playoffs are approaching and a Shohei Ohtani vs. Aaron Judge matchup in the World Series looms as an enticing October possibility.But first, the National League needs to get its waterlogged mess of a playoff race out of the way.While the rooting interests of baseball fans vary widely, there’s little doubt MLB and television executives are drooling over the potential matchup between two of the top sluggers of this generation. Ohtani recently became the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dodgers-shohei-ohtani-f8141d695112175fc2b695a0e9e748d9">first player to have 50 homers and 50 stolen bases</a>&nbsp;in one season while Judge hit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orioles-yankees-score-eba44e0873d6e88bbc47fe44be7844da">58 homers</a>.On top of that, Ohtani (Los Angeles Dodgers) and Judge (New York Yankees) play in the nation’s top two media markets for two of the sport’s most storied franchises.Of course, there will be 10 other teams trying to block those teams from the Fall Classic. Last season, the Texas Rangers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4 games to 1 for their first title in franchise history.Here’s a look at what’s coming:<h2>Who’s in the MLB playoffs? Who’s still fighting?</h2>The Diamondbacks are going to be big fans of the New York Mets or Atlanta Braves for a few hours on Monday afternoon.They’re just not sure which one.The National League playoff race comes down to a doubleheader between the Mets and Braves on Monday. The two games were moved to the day after the scheduled end of the regular season because of Hurricane Helene,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mets-braves-postponed-5124c79507c8cab9683f0d92b4448e13">which washed out two games of the crucial Mets-Braves series</a>&nbsp;last week.The Mets (88-72) and Braves (88-72) will both make the playoffs if they split the doubleheader. But if there’s a sweep, the Diamondbacks (89-73) will sneak into the bracket as the No. 6 seed while the team that gets swept is eliminated.Once the first game is over, the D-backs will know who they’re supporting. They’ll go through a light workout at Chase Field on Monday in case their season continues.The Dodgers, Phillies, Brewers and Padres have already clinched four of the six NL playoff spots. Both the Brewers and Padres will host a Wild Card Series starting Tuesday while the Dodgers and Phillies earned some rest by claiming the top seeds.The American League’s bracket is set. The No. 6 Tigers travel to face the No. 3 Astros while the No. 5 Royals are on the road against the No. 4 Orioles in the two Wild Card Series starting Tuesday. The Yankees and Guardians are the top seeds.<h2>How does baseball’s wild-card round work?</h2>The best-of-three wild-card format is in its third season. The format was changed in 2022 from the sudden death one-game format that was in place since 2012 with the exception of the COVID-19 pandemic-affected 2020 season.Six teams each from the American League and National League qualify for the postseason, including the three division winners in each league. The three wild-card teams in each league are the teams with the best record that didn’t win their division.The top two division winners with the best records in each league get a bye and don’t have to play in the wild-card round. Those four teams get a few days of rest. Those teams are the Yankees and Guardians in the American League and the Phillies and Dodgers in the National League.The wild-card round will feature four series: The No. 6 seed will play at the No. 3 seed in both the AL and NL. The No. 5 seed will play at the No. 4 seed.One big advantage for the higher seed in those wild-card series is they get to host all three games.<h2>Rule changes</h2>Many of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-rule-changes-explainer-61dc5754b7e14da5bf62074a26e3c07b">baseball’s recent rule changes</a>&nbsp;are still in effect during the postseason, including the pitch clock, a ban on extreme infield shifts and a limit to how many times a pitcher can disengage from the rubber. The pitch clock has been a huge change for the sport and widely celebrated, cutting game times by about a half-hour.There is one rule that doesn’t make the postseason cut: the so-called “ghost runner” in extra innings.During the MLB regular season, if a game goes to extra innings, a runner is placed at second base to start the 10th inning when each team bats. That won’t happen in the postseason. Extra innings will be played just like the previous nine.<h2>Betting favorites</h2>The Dodgers are the current betting favorites to win the World Series at +325, followed by the Yankees (+450) and Phillies (+450),&nbsp;<a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/mlb/world-series-news-updates-odds-bm15/" target="_blank">according to BetMGM</a>&nbsp;Sportsbook.<h2>How to watch</h2>The wild-card rounds will be broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. The later rounds will be split between FS1, TruTV, TBS and Fox.<h2>Postseason schedule</h2>Wild-card series: Oct. 1-3Division series: Oct. 5-12League Championship series: Oct. 13-22World Series: Oct. 25-Nov. 2

⚾ MLB’s postseason is on the way, but first, a photo finish for the NL wild-card race awaits

Monday, Sept. 30 Dragon Talk - 6 p.m. (KWBW) Chiefs Kingdom Show - 7 p.m. (KWBW)

Tuesday, Sept. 31 Royals at Orioles (ALCS) - 2:30 p.m. pregame, 3:08 p.m. first pitch (KWBW)

Wednesday, Oct. 1 Royals at Orioles (ALCS) - 3 p.m. pregame, 3:38 p.m. first pitch (KWBW)

Thursday, Oct. 2 Royals at Orioles (ALCS - if necessary) -&nbsp;2:30 p.m. pregame, 3:08 p.m. first pitch (KWBW) Reno County Coaches Show - 6 p.m. (KWBW)

Friday, Oct. 3 Hutch High v. Derby - 6:30 p.m. pregame, 7 p.m. kickoff (KWBW)

Saturday, Oct. 3 HutchCC v. Dodge City - 11:30 a.m. pregame, noon kickoff (KHUT, KWBW)

Find the complete EAGLE Media Sports Broadcast Calendar <a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/eagle-media-broadcast-calendar">here</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725282945901.png" alt="EAGLE Media" />
 <figcaption>EAGLE Media</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/ce/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KHMY2">KHMY-FM (93.1) </a><a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/KHUT">KHUT-FM (102.9) </a><a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5)</a>Monday, Sept. 30 Dragon Talk - 6 p.m. (KWBW) Chiefs Kingdom Show - 7 p.m. (KWBW) Tuesday, Sept. 31 Royals at Orioles (ALCS) - 2:30 p.m. pregame, 3:08 p.m. first pitch (KWBW)Wednesday, Oct. 1 Royals at Orioles (ALCS) - 3 p.m. pregame, 3:38 p.m. first pitch (KWBW) Thursday, Oct. 2 Royals at Orioles (ALCS - if necessary) -&nbsp;2:30 p.m. pregame, 3:08 p.m. first pitch (KWBW) Reno County Coaches Show - 6 p.m. (KWBW) Friday, Oct. 3 Hutch High v. Derby - 6:30 p.m. pregame, 7 p.m. kickoff (KWBW)Saturday, Oct. 3 HutchCC v. Dodge City - 11:30 a.m. pregame, noon kickoff (KHUT, KWBW) Sunday, Oct. 4 Find the complete EAGLE Media Sports Broadcast Calendar <a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/eagle-media-broadcast-calendar">here</a>.&nbsp;

🎧 EAGLE Media Sports Broadcast Calendar (Sept. 30-Oct. 6)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701263164849.png" alt="Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for Monday, September 30th, 2024." />
 <figcaption>Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for Monday, September 30th, 2024.</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Early Morning Sports for September 30th, 2024" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=ydeyg-16eb648-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 LISTEN: ⚾ Royals start wildcard games on Tuesday, 🏈 Chiefs edge Chargers, 🏈 Dragons set scoring record

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. went 1 for 4 on Sunday to wrap up the regular season batting title.

Witt and the Royals begin a Wild Card series in Baltimore on Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716344690913.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. went 1 for 4 on Sunday to wrap up the regular season batting title.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Bobby Witt Jr. enters today leading Major League Baseball—and with it, the American League—with a .332 batting average. He&#39;s poised to win the fifth batting title in Royals history, joining George Brett (&#39;76, &#39;80, &#39;90) &amp; Willie Wilson (&#39;82). P.S. George is here in Atlanta.&mdash; Jake Eisenberg (@JakeEisenberg_) <a href="https://twitter.com/JakeEisenberg_/status/1840461720080257512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Witt and the Royals begin a Wild Card series in Baltimore on Tuesday.

⚾ Witt Jr. wins batting title

Henry runs for 199 yards and Jackson has 3 TDs as Ravens rout previously unbeaten Bills 35-10

BALTIMORE (AP) — Derrick Henry ran for 199 yards, Lamar Jackson accounted for three touchdowns and the Baltimore Ravens beat the Buffalo Bills 35-10. The Bills lost for the first time this season. Henry had an 87-yard rushing TD that was the longest in in the team's 29 years in Baltimore and caught a pass in the end zone for just the fourth time in his NFL career. Jackson had TD passes to Henry and Justice Hill. Josh Allen fumbled as part of a rough game for Buffalo following a 3-0 start.

Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce help Chiefs rally for 17-10 win over Chargers

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes passed for 245 yards and a touchdown while rediscovering his connection with Travis Kelce, and the Kansas City Chiefs rallied from an early 10-point deficit to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 17-10. Making his 100th regular-season start, Mahomes completed 19 of 29 passes for the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, who are 4-0 for the first time since 2020. Kelce had a season-high seven receptions for 89 yards and set the franchise's career receptions record. Mahomes also threw an impressive deep pass to Xavier Worthy for a 54-yard touchdown. Justin Herbert threw for 179 yards for the Chargers while dealing with an ankle sprain.

AP Top 25: Alabama overtakes Texas for No. 1 and UNLV earns its 1st ranking in program history

Alabama has returned to No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll for the first time in two years following its dizzying victory over Georgia, making this 16 of 17 seasons the Crimson Tide have held the top spot at some point. UNLV is making its first-ever appearance and is tied for No. 25 with Texas A&amp;M. Alabama received 40 of 63 first-place votes and leapfrogged three teams to take over No. 1 from Texas. The Longhorns tussled with Mississippi State and slipped to No. 2. Ohio State remained No. 3, Tennessee is No. 4 and Georgia is No. 5.

NL playoff matchups pending Mets-Braves makeups on Monday. AL set with Astros-Tigers and O's-Royals

NEW YORK (AP) — The baseball season is going extra innings. While the American League playoff picture cleared up Sunday, the National League remained muddled heading into what was supposed to be an off day before the postseason. Houston hosts Detroit, and Baltimore is at home against Kansas City in best-of-three AL Wild Card Series starting Tuesday. The Astros-Tigers winner faces AL Central champion Cleveland in a Division Series starting Saturday, and the Orioles-Royals winner plays the AL East champion New York Yankees. The NL is still uncertain because of two rainouts last week, with the New York Mets, Arizona and Atlanta vying for the final two wild-card spots in the 12-team playoffs. The Mets traveled back to Atlanta on Sunday and will play a makeup doubleheader Monday against the Braves.

Arraez denies Ohtani NL Triple Crown, set to win batting title for 3rd team

NEW YORK (AP) — Luis Arraez held off Shohei Ohtani's bid to win the National League Triple Crown and was set to become the first player since the 1800s to earn batting titles with three teams. Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. won his first American League batting championship, finishing with a major league-best .332 average. Arraez went 1 for 3 and posted a .314 mark for San Diego, lowest for an NL batting champion since Tony Gwynn's record-low .313 in 1988. Arraez won the the 2022 AL title at .316 for Minnesota and the 2023 NL title at .354 with Miami.

Americans get biggest road win and capture the Presidents Cup for the 10th straight time

MONTREAL (AP) — The Americans have won the Presidents Cup for the 10th straight time. Xander Schauffele led the way with five birdies in eight holes to lead a lot of red scores on the board for the U.S. team. It had a four-point lead going into the singles sessions and the outcome was never really in doubt. The final was 18 1/2 to 11 1/2. That's the largest margin for the Americans on the road. Sam Burns capped off an unbeaten week. The Internationals' only victory since these matches for players from everywhere but Europe came in 1998 at Royal Melbourne.

Chastain passes Truex on late restart to win NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Ross Chastain took the lead from Martin Truex Jr. on a late restart and won the NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway on Sunday. William Byron was unable to chase down Chastain after he took the lead with 20 laps to go, though the Hendrick Motorsports driver still wound up with the best finish among the 12 to qualify for the second round of the postseason. The retiring Truex, who was eliminated last week at Bristol, finished third in what was his last race at Kansas. Ryan Blaney had a loose left wheel in the final stage but rallied to finish fourth, giving the defending champ's postseason hopes a big boost.

The final day for the Oakland Athletics arrives ahead of next season's move away from the Bay

SEATTLE (AP) — The name Oakland being attached to the Athletics ended Sunday after the final out of their season finale against the Seattle Mariners. When the 2025 season begins, the A's will still exist — and oddly enough open the year in Seattle — but the name Oakland will no longer be there. A's manager Mark Kotsay says his jersey is going to the Baseball Hall of Fame, while Brent Rooker and Seth Brown are keeping theirs. The A's played their final home game in Oakland on Thursday and will play next season in Sacramento. Oakland lost its final game of the season 6-4 to the Mariners.

Marlins part ways with 2023 NL Manager of the Year Skip Schumaker

MIAMI (AP) — The Miami Marlins have parted ways with Skip Schumaker, ending the 2023 NL Manager of the Year's two-season stint with the team. The Marlins went 146-178 under Schumaker, who was hired in 2022 as the franchise's 16th manager. His contract was for two years with a club option for the 2025 season, which the team voided earlier this year. In his first season, Schumaker led the Marlins to their first playoff appearance in a non-pandemic year since 2003. They made the postseason despite a minus-57 run differential and eventually were swept by the Phillies in their NL wild-card series.

Mets blank Brewers 5-0 behind Lindor and Peterson to move 1 win from wild card

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Francisco Lindor homered and drove in two runs, David Peterson pitched seven brilliant innings and the New York Mets moved within one win of a playoff berth with a 5-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Francisco Alvarez also had two RBIs for the Mets, who headed to Atlanta needing at least a doubleheader split Monday against the rival Braves to secure a National League wild card. New York could have clinched a postseason spot Sunday with a win and an Arizona loss, but the Diamondbacks routed San Diego 11-2 at home to complete their regular season. The afternoon twinbill in Atlanta was scheduled to make up two Mets-Braves games postponed on Wednesday and Thursday due to heavy rain from Hurricane Helene.

Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:

WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Monday, September 30th, 2024" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Monday, September 30th, 2024</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for September 30th:<div><iframe width="100%" height="95" src="https://embeds.audioboom.com/posts/8579373/embed?v=202301" style="background-color: transparent; display: block; padding: 0; width: 100%" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="allowtransparency" scrolling="no" title="Audioboom player" allow="autoplay" sandbox="allow-downloads allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe></div>Henry runs for 199 yards and Jackson has 3 TDs as Ravens rout previously unbeaten Bills 35-10BALTIMORE (AP) — Derrick Henry ran for 199 yards, Lamar Jackson accounted for three touchdowns and the Baltimore Ravens beat the Buffalo Bills 35-10. The Bills lost for the first time this season. Henry had an 87-yard rushing TD that was the longest in in the team's 29 years in Baltimore and caught a pass in the end zone for just the fourth time in his NFL career. Jackson had TD passes to Henry and Justice Hill. Josh Allen fumbled as part of a rough game for Buffalo following a 3-0 start.Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce help Chiefs rally for 17-10 win over ChargersINGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes passed for 245 yards and a touchdown while rediscovering his connection with Travis Kelce, and the Kansas City Chiefs rallied from an early 10-point deficit to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 17-10. Making his 100th regular-season start, Mahomes completed 19 of 29 passes for the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, who are 4-0 for the first time since 2020. Kelce had a season-high seven receptions for 89 yards and set the franchise's career receptions record. Mahomes also threw an impressive deep pass to Xavier Worthy for a 54-yard touchdown. Justin Herbert threw for 179 yards for the Chargers while dealing with an ankle sprain.AP Top 25: Alabama overtakes Texas for No. 1 and UNLV earns its 1st ranking in program historyAlabama has returned to No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll for the first time in two years following its dizzying victory over Georgia, making this 16 of 17 seasons the Crimson Tide have held the top spot at some point. UNLV is making its first-ever appearance and is tied for No. 25 with Texas A&amp;M. Alabama received 40 of 63 first-place votes and leapfrogged three teams to take over No. 1 from Texas. The Longhorns tussled with Mississippi State and slipped to No. 2. Ohio State remained No. 3, Tennessee is No. 4 and Georgia is No. 5.NL playoff matchups pending Mets-Braves makeups on Monday. AL set with Astros-Tigers and O's-RoyalsNEW YORK (AP) — The baseball season is going extra innings. While the American League playoff picture cleared up Sunday, the National League remained muddled heading into what was supposed to be an off day before the postseason. Houston hosts Detroit, and Baltimore is at home against Kansas City in best-of-three AL Wild Card Series starting Tuesday. The Astros-Tigers winner faces AL Central champion Cleveland in a Division Series starting Saturday, and the Orioles-Royals winner plays the AL East champion New York Yankees. The NL is still uncertain because of two rainouts last week, with the New York Mets, Arizona and Atlanta vying for the final two wild-card spots in the 12-team playoffs. The Mets traveled back to Atlanta on Sunday and will play a makeup doubleheader Monday against the Braves.Arraez denies Ohtani NL Triple Crown, set to win batting title for 3rd teamNEW YORK (AP) — Luis Arraez held off Shohei Ohtani's bid to win the National League Triple Crown and was set to become the first player since the 1800s to earn batting titles with three teams. Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. won his first American League batting championship, finishing with a major league-best .332 average. Arraez went 1 for 3 and posted a .314 mark for San Diego, lowest for an NL batting champion since Tony Gwynn's record-low .313 in 1988. Arraez won the the 2022 AL title at .316 for Minnesota and the 2023 NL title at .354 with Miami.Americans get biggest road win and capture the Presidents Cup for the 10th straight timeMONTREAL (AP) — The Americans have won the Presidents Cup for the 10th straight time. Xander Schauffele led the way with five birdies in eight holes to lead a lot of red scores on the board for the U.S. team. It had a four-point lead going into the singles sessions and the outcome was never really in doubt. The final was 18 1/2 to 11 1/2. That's the largest margin for the Americans on the road. Sam Burns capped off an unbeaten week. The Internationals' only victory since these matches for players from everywhere but Europe came in 1998 at Royal Melbourne.Chastain passes Truex on late restart to win NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas SpeedwayKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Ross Chastain took the lead from Martin Truex Jr. on a late restart and won the NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway on Sunday. William Byron was unable to chase down Chastain after he took the lead with 20 laps to go, though the Hendrick Motorsports driver still wound up with the best finish among the 12 to qualify for the second round of the postseason. The retiring Truex, who was eliminated last week at Bristol, finished third in what was his last race at Kansas. Ryan Blaney had a loose left wheel in the final stage but rallied to finish fourth, giving the defending champ's postseason hopes a big boost.The final day for the Oakland Athletics arrives ahead of next season's move away from the BaySEATTLE (AP) — The name Oakland being attached to the Athletics ended Sunday after the final out of their season finale against the Seattle Mariners. When the 2025 season begins, the A's will still exist — and oddly enough open the year in Seattle — but the name Oakland will no longer be there. A's manager Mark Kotsay says his jersey is going to the Baseball Hall of Fame, while Brent Rooker and Seth Brown are keeping theirs. The A's played their final home game in Oakland on Thursday and will play next season in Sacramento. Oakland lost its final game of the season 6-4 to the Mariners.Marlins part ways with 2023 NL Manager of the Year Skip SchumakerMIAMI (AP) — The Miami Marlins have parted ways with Skip Schumaker, ending the 2023 NL Manager of the Year's two-season stint with the team. The Marlins went 146-178 under Schumaker, who was hired in 2022 as the franchise's 16th manager. His contract was for two years with a club option for the 2025 season, which the team voided earlier this year. In his first season, Schumaker led the Marlins to their first playoff appearance in a non-pandemic year since 2003. They made the postseason despite a minus-57 run differential and eventually were swept by the Phillies in their NL wild-card series.Mets blank Brewers 5-0 behind Lindor and Peterson to move 1 win from wild cardMILWAUKEE (AP) — Francisco Lindor homered and drove in two runs, David Peterson pitched seven brilliant innings and the New York Mets moved within one win of a playoff berth with a 5-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Francisco Alvarez also had two RBIs for the Mets, who headed to Atlanta needing at least a doubleheader split Monday against the rival Braves to secure a National League wild card. New York could have clinched a postseason spot Sunday with a win and an Arizona loss, but the Diamondbacks routed San Diego 11-2 at home to complete their regular season. The afternoon twinbill in Atlanta was scheduled to make up two Mets-Braves games postponed on Wednesday and Thursday due to heavy rain from Hurricane Helene.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PRESEASONFinal	Pittsburgh	5	Ottawa	2	Final	Dallas	4	Minnesota	2	Final	Utah	6	Colorado	3	___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUEFinal	Atlanta	26	New Orleans	24	Final	Chicago	24	L.A. Rams	18	Final	Cincinnati	34	Carolina	24	Final	Denver	10	N-Y Jets	9	Final	Houston	24	Jacksonville	20	Final	Indianapolis	27	Pittsburgh	24	Final	Minnesota	31	Green Bay	29	Final	Tampa Bay	33	Philadelphia	16	Final	San Francisco	30	New England	13	Final	Washington	42	Arizona	14	Final	Kansas City	17	L.A. Chargers	10	Final	Las Vegas	20	Cleveland	16	Final	Baltimore	35	Buffalo	10	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFSFinal	New York	87	Las Vegas	77	Final	Connecticut	73	Minnesota	70	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PRESEASON		Detroit	at	Buffalo	7 p.m.			N-Y Rangers	at	New Jersey	7 p.m.			Philadelphia	at	N-Y Islanders	7 p.m.			Pittsburgh	at	Detroit	7 p.m.			Tampa Bay	at	Florida	7 p.m.			Washington	at	Columbus	7 p.m.			Seattle	at	Calgary	9 p.m.			Vancouver	at	Edmonton	9 p.m.			Los Angeles	at	Anaheim	10 p.m.	___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE		Tennessee	at	Miami	7:30 p.m.			Seattle	at	Detroit	8:15 p.m.	___

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Monday

ATLANTA (AP) — Charlie Morton gave up a three-run homer to Michael Massey in the first inning and the Atlanta Braves squandered a chance to clinch a postseason berth, losing to the playoff-bound Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Sunday in what was supposed to be the final day of the regular season.

Atlanta hosts a doubleheader Monday against the New York Mets, a makeup of two games that were rained out last week between the NL East rivals as Hurricane Helene slashed through the southeastern U.S.

Atlanta and the Mets are both 88-72, and Arizona finished 89-73. If either team sweeps Monday, the Diamondbacks reach the playoffs. But if the doubleheader is split, the Mets and Braves advance and Arizona is out because the Braves and Mets hold the tiebreaker edge over the Diamondbacks.

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 </figure>RICK FARLOW Associated PressATLANTA (AP) — Charlie Morton gave up a three-run homer to Michael Massey in the first inning and the Atlanta Braves squandered a chance to clinch a postseason berth, losing to the playoff-bound Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Sunday in what was supposed to be the final day of the regular season.Atlanta hosts a doubleheader Monday against the New York Mets, a makeup of two games that were rained out last week between the NL East rivals as Hurricane Helene slashed through the southeastern U.S.Atlanta and the Mets are both 88-72, and Arizona finished 89-73. If either team sweeps Monday, the Diamondbacks reach the playoffs. But if the doubleheader is split, the Mets and Braves advance and Arizona is out because the Braves and Mets hold the tiebreaker edge over the Diamondbacks.“This whole thing here has been something that I don't think anybody has ever experienced,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.Atlanta would advance to a Division Series matchup at San Diego if the Braves win either game Monday. Of 28 completed doubleheaders in the major leagues this season, 13 were sweeps and 15 were split, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.Rookie Spencer Schwellenbach will start the opener of the doubleheader and Chris Sale, the leading NL Cy Young Award contender, is slated for the second game.“That's about as good as I can feel," Snitker said. “The ball's in our court. If we can't pull one of those off, it's just one of (those) things.”If the Braves win the opener, they likely would hold back Sale for Tuesday's Division Series Game 1.Before recording an out, Morton gave up a leadoff double to Tommy Pham, a single to Bobby Witt Jr. and Massey's 14th homer of the season.“You get to a two-strike count, you feel like the top of the zone is a little bit more open and he just turned and burned on it,” Morton said.Morton (8-10) allowed all four runs, five hits and two walks while striking out three over 4 1/3 innings. He also surrendered a solo homer to Hunter Renfroe.The 40-year-old Morton was drafted by the Braves in 2002 and made his big league debut for Atlanta in 2008. In what could be his final major league start, he was given a ovation after Snitker pulled him in the fifth.“I just remember walking off the field having allowed four runs getting pulled in the fifth inning in a game that means a lot to everybody here,” Morton said. “The fans here have supported me ever since I came back. People have been really kind to me, really supportive when they see me in public, at the stadium.”Four Braves pitchers combined for 4 1/3 innings of hitless relief.“They all just kind of handed the ball off and did exactly what we needed to do which is give us an opportunity to score and get in the game,” Snitker said.But Atlanta went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine runners. Matt Olson singled and Jorge Soler walked with one out in the eighth, but Ramón Laureano and Sean Murphy struck out against John Schreiber.“We had a chance," Olson said. “Schreiber had a funky arm and made some good pitches. It was a different angle and not stuff you see every day. He made some good pitches. I was on second base looking at a lot of them. Sometimes you have to tip the cap.”Gio Urshela homered for the Braves.Alec Marsh (9-9) allowed one earned run over five innings for the win. Kris Bubic pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save.BATTING TITLEWitt went 1 for 4 to earn the AL batting title with a .332 average.“It's special and it's an honor,” Witt said. “It's something that wasn't even a goal. You never think as a kid it would ever happen and now it happened.”UP NEXTRoyals: Claimed the No. 5 seed in the American League will face fourth-seeded Baltimore in the Wild Card Series that begins on Tuesday.Braves: The doubleheader against the Mets is to make up the games that were postponed on Wednesday and Thursday by heavy rains. While Sale is set to pitch the second game, Snitker indicated that he would likely make a switch if the Braves locked up a playoff berth in the opener. That would set up Sale to pitch in the opener of the Wild Card Series.