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LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers will be without second baseman Miguel Rojas for Game 4 of the National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves. Manager Dave Roberts indicated that Rojas is not in good shape and would not be available off the bench, casting doubt on his availability should the Dodgers advance to the NL Championship Series.
Rojas appeared to injure his back on a swing during the eighth inning of Tuesday night's 3-1 victory over the Braves.
In contrast, the Braves will have Ronald Acuña Jr. starting in right field for Game 4. Acuña had been moved to designated hitter on Tuesday night due to soreness in his right knee.
Padres' Bullpen Boosted by Miller's Return
SAN DIEGO (AP) — All-Star closer Mason Miller is back with the San Diego Padres for Game 4 of the NL Division Series after missing one playoff game while on the paternity list. Miller had not yet arrived at the Padres clubhouse a few hours before first pitch, but manager Craig Stammen said that everything went well for Miller and his wife over the past 24 hours.
The Padres are optimistic that top setup man Adrian Morejon will be available after he was ruled out of Game 3 with shoulder discomfort. Stammen also mentioned that Michael King is available to pitch in Game 4 after throwing 14 innings over the Padres' first five playoff games.
Jon Rahm Seeks Exit from LIV Golf
Jon Rahm wants out of LIV Golf. An attorney for the Spanish star said in a bankruptcy court hearing in New Jersey that Rahm has reviewed the proposal for LIV 2.0 and does not wish to participate. A formal separation to get out of the remaining years of his LIV contract is still to come. It then will be up to the PGA Tour to decide if it wants back the two-time major champion and former world No. 1. The decision wasn't a big surprise, but the hearing brought confirmation. LIV is trying to emerge from bankruptcy without Saudi Arabia funding.
49ers' Juszczyk Wins Appeal Over 'Juice' Celebration Fine
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Kyle Juszczyk won his appeal over fines issued by the NFL for his 'Juice' celebration, and the league later ruled that all drinking celebrations will be allowed going forward. Juszczyk was initially fined nearly $30,000 for two infractions of the league's sportsmanship rules after celebrating two catches in a recent game by doing what he's done for years: imitating drinking a beverage while fans at Levi's Stadium cheered 'Juice!' for his nickname. The NFL and players' union said such drinking celebrations will no longer result in fines.
Brewers Name Gasser to Face Padres' Buehler in Game 4
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Left-hander Robert Gasser will start for the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres. The Brewers announced Gasser as their starter on Wednesday. San Diego already had announced right-hander Walker Buehler as its starting pitcher. The Padres won 4-3 on Tuesday night to avoid elimination and trim Milwaukee's lead in the best-of-five series to 2-1. Gasser was 5-5 with a 3.87 ERA during the regular season and posted a 1.67 ERA in September.
Nick Martinez Returns to Yankee Stadium with Rays
NEW YORK (AP) — Once ejected from Yankee Stadium as a college student, Nick Martinez returns trying to pitch the Tampa Bay Rays into the AL Championship Series. Martinez played for Fordham, just 5 miles from the stadium, and recalls being rowdy during a Red Sox game. Tampa leads the best-of-five AL Division Series 2-0 against New York. Martinez, who became an All-Star this year, was drafted by the Texas Rangers in 2011 and later played in Japan, which he credits for revitalizing his career. Now with Tampa Bay, he's become a full-time starter.
Tropical Storm Threat Looms Over Georgia-Alabama Game
Tropical Storm Isaias could hit the U.S. Gulf Coast as a hurricane this weekend, just before a major college football game between Georgia and Alabama. President Trump plans to attend the game on Saturday night. Forecasters say Isaias could become a hurricane by Thursday and make landfall late Friday or early Saturday along the Alabama-Mississippi-Florida coastlines. The storm might cause schools to cancel or move games. Georgia and Alabama have not disclosed backup plans for the game. The storm could bring flash floods, dangerous winds, and heavy rain. Alabama meteorologist James Spann suggests moving the game to Sunday night.
NFL Sees Record-Tying Five Winless Teams After Four Weeks
There's a race to the bottom of the NFL standings four games into the season, including two surprisingly winless teams. A record-tying five teams are 0-4 one month in, marking just the seventh time that has happened in NFL history and the first since 2019. Some of the winless teams aren't too surprising, with Miami there as part of a rebuild and Tennessee winless after back-to-back three-win seasons. The other winless teams are a bit more of a surprise, with Tampa Bay, Houston and the Los Angeles Chargers all entering the season as contenders.
EuroLeague Rejects NBA Merger Proposal
PARIS (AP) — EuroLeague basketball owners have rejected a formal offer from the NBA to merge into a single European operation following a meeting in Italy, Barcelona has confirmed. The decision not to accept the NBA's proposal of a single Europe entity was made Tuesday in Cernobbio during a gathering of the Euroleague's 13 shareholder clubs. They include Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Olympiakos, Milan, Tony Parker-owned ASVEL in France and two Istanbul-based clubs. Barcelona tells The Associated Press in an emailed response that a formal merger offer from the NBA had been rejected. It's not clear how each club voted.
NHL's Hockey Romance Audiobooks Removed After Opening Week
NEW YORK (AP) — A series of audiobooks the NHL launched to connect with fans of the hockey romance genre is no longer available online. A league spokesperson told The Associated Press that the 'Hot for Hockey' episodes were specific to games during the opening week of the season and one small part of a marketing campaign. Commissioner Gary Bettman last week in Philadelphia called the genre a cultural phenomenon with viewers of 'Heated Rivalry' and 'Off Campus' taking interest in the sport. He said the NHL plans to continue marketing to new fans in the hopes that they remain interested.
Originally reported by hjnews.