As if there was ever a doubt, Scottie Scheffler appears ready for the Ryder Cup.

The world No. 1 shot a final-round 5-under 67 at Silverado Resort’s North Course to win the Procore Championship in Napa, California, by one stroke over his fellow U.S. Ryder Cup teammate Ben Griffin.

Scheffler, who signed for a 72-hole total of 19-under 269, trailed Griffin by eight strokes at the halfway point of the tournament but stormed back with a 10-birdie 64 on Saturday, his 31^st round of 64 or lower on the PGA Tour in the last four seasons, or nine more than any other player during that span. Scheffler caught Griffin for the first time with a birdie at No. 10 on Sunday. Scheffler made bogey at 11 to fall back but bounced back with a birdie at 12 and never surrendered the lead en route to his 19th career Tour title. 

Griffin roared out of the gate with birdies on his first three holes and led by as many as three strokes but the birdies dried up. He bogeyed the fourth and lost the lead that he had held since early on Friday with another dropped shot at 14. Scheffler poured in another birdie at the par-5 15^th to stretch his lead to two strokes before Griffin matched with a 15-footer of his own, his first birdie in 12 holes. He had a chance to win in regulations or force a sudden-death playoff but took three putts from 60 feet at 18, including missing from 6 feet for birdie. He signed for 2-under 70.

Scheffler won for the sixth time this season and joined Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer as the only golfers to win six or more times in back-to-back seasons since 1960. 

Lanto Griffin failed to be low Griffin but closed in 65 to finish third. Jackson Koivun, the 20-year-old No. 1-ranked amateur in the world, posted 1-under 71 and finished tied for fourth, his third straight top-10 finish on Tour, with Emiliano Grillo. J.J. Spaun, the reigning U.S. Open champion and another member of the 12-man U.S. Ryder Cup side, carded a bogey-free 66.

Griffin, speaking for many in the field, said, “I wish Scottie wasn’t here.”

But Scheffler shows up to a tournament with only one goal in mind and that is to win. He didn’t come to wine country just to dust off any rust off his game.

“It would be unusual for me to have four or five weeks off before the Masters or the U.S. Open or something like that, so there’s no reason that I should be doing that going into the Ryder Cup,” Scheffler explained ahead of the tournament, noting his preparation is critical to his success. “You can practice and do all you can at home, but there’s something different about playing competition, getting ready for a tournament and I think this will be good prep.”

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Scottie Scheffler claims Procore Championship in Ryder Cup warm up

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow could be headed for surgery capable of sidelining him for months in the wake of the toe injury he suffered on Sunday. 

ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote the following on social media on Sunday night: 

“Images of Joe Burrow’s turf toe injury are being sent to noted foot specialist, Dr. Robert Anderson, to be reviewed. If surgery is deemed necessary, it would be expected to sideline Burrow three months. Burrow was in a walking boot and on crutches after today’s game.”

RELATED:Joe Burrow injury updates: Latest on Bengals QB after Week 2 injury

NFL reporter Jordan Schultz followed by reporting that the injury could be “more severe than some initially thought.” 

Initial reports suggested Burrow could merely be out a few weeks, though cautioned that turf toe injuries have a huge degree of variance in severity and on a per-patient basis.

Burrow was spotted in a cast and with a crutch after Sunday’s win.

RELATED: Bengals first-round rookie Shemar Stewart suffers injury vs. Jaguars

This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Joe Burrow injury could be ‘more severe’ than thought, cost him months

Virginia Beach (Va.) Green Run four-star offensive tackle Thomas Wilder has decommitted from Virginia Tech.

He was pledged to the Hokies since July 3, but is now back on the board following the firing of VT head coach Brent Pry.

Wilder is the No. 334 overall prospect and No. 29 OT in the 2026 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 10 player in Virginia.

The 6-foot-6, 285-pounder had a lowkey recruiting process, but the Hokies began to trend in the lead-up to his July decision. With an overhaul coming in Blacksburg, though, he’s now looking elsewhere. Wilder entered Sept. 14 as one of just 11 commits in Virginia Tech’s 2026 class.

The tackle has been on scout’s radars for multiple years. Back in 2023, he drew early praise from Rivals’ Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power:

“An easy, natural mover. Works to the second level effortlessly,” Power wrote. “Seeks out linebackers and looks to finish with authority. A bully in the run game. Plays with a nasty streak. Shows advanced pop in his hands. Has good flexibility with the ability to drop his weight and anchor on contact. Will need to continue refining his game and developing physically, but looks to be a top offensive lineman early on in 2026.”

This story will be updated.

Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes makes startling admission after Eagles loss
originally appeared on The Sporting News

Patrick Mahomes is now embarking on something he’s never had to deal with in his NFL career, and that is starting a season 0-2.

After the 20-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, as the Chiefs failed to get revenge for the Super Bowl, Kansas City is now in a bit of a hole when looking at the division. Sitting dead last, it nearly feels like gut-check time for the Chiefs.

Granted, we aren’t panicking too much yet, but after hearing Mahomes speaking post-game, yeah, we’re shifting a little nervously in our seats.

“I think after the first few weeks, you let games slip away,” Mahomes said. “We played two good football teams, made mistakes in big moments, stuff that we are not used to doing, but we’re coming together as a team. When you deal with adversity, it’s about how you deal with it. This isn’t how we wanted to start, how are we going to respond?

“I’m excited for the next few weeks to see who wants to be challenged.”

Hold up, Patrick. Doing things you’re not used to? That is a big admission right there.

MORE:Andy Reid has bold message for 0-2 Chiefs after Eagles loss

Are Chiefs unravelling? 

It might be a bit hard to say that definitively, but there are signs that after just two games, things are not as good as they appear.

The 0-2 start is one thing, but Patrick stating that the team is making mistakes in big games, something it doesn’t normally do, is a little concerning. Yes, there is still plenty of time to steady the ship, but 0-2 better not become 0-3 with the plucky New York Giants up next.

Kansas City has enough credits in the bank to warrant the benefit of the doubt, but with each passing week, more of those credits are being thrown in the trash.

The once dominant force in the NFL might have just lost its fastball. And Mahomes might have just revealed it to the world.

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• Early Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Week 3 Pickups | Sporting News

This is a terrific week for two-start pitchers in fantasy baseball, as the slow movement on the waiver wire has led to plenty of gems who should be rostered in far more leagues. There are also plenty of hitters to consider, with no less than 10 players referenced at the bottom of this article. With two weeks remaining in the season, this is a prime time to cut roster mainstays in favor of streamers.

Two-Start Pitchers (listed in order of preference)

Kyle Bradish, Orioles, 41% (@CWS, vs. NYY): Bradish is easily the most accomplished hurler on the two-start list this week. After all, he logged a 2.81 ERA and 1.05 WHIP across 2023-24 and has logged a 2.65 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in three starts since returning from Tommy John surgery. If it wasn’t for such a late return date, the right-hander would be rostered in virtually every league. He’s a waiver-wire gift for a two-start week, regardless of the matchups.

Emmet Sheehan, Dodgers, 39% (vs. PHI, vs. SF): Sheehan has become one of the Dodgers’ best starters and has a 3.32 ERA and 1.09 WHIP across 59.2 innings. He has enjoyed his best starts in recent weeks, allowing three runs across 18.2 innings while logging a 25:4 K:BB ratio across his past three starts. Even with a challenging start against the Phillies, Sheehan still belongs in the active lineup in every league.

Michael Wacha, Royals, 44% (vs. SEA, vs. TOR): Although Wacha gets dinged by fantasy analysts for his lack of strikeouts (6.6 K/9 rate), he may be the most reliable pitcher on the waiver wire. After all, he is on the verge of recording an ERA below 3.50 and a WHIP below 1.20 for the fourth straight season. Wacha faces a pair of winning teams this week, but should benefit from making both starts at his pitcher-friendly home park, where he has logged a 2.92 ERA this season.

Connelly Early, Red Sox, 9% (vs. ATH, @TB): Early is coming off one of the most memorable debuts in recent memory, when he struck out 11 Athletics across five scoreless innings last week. And he truly earned his promotion to the majors, logging a 2.60 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in the Minors this year. The lefty has challenging matchups this week, as he will face solid lineups at hitter-friendly parks. But his upside is too great to ignore, especially while the rest of the league is still getting to know him.

Jack Leiter, Rangers, 47% (@HOU, vs. MIA): Leiter has been effective this summer, producing a 3.09 ERA and 79 strikeouts across 67 innings during his past 13 starts. He is still a bit wild at times, which has resulted in a 1.31 WHIP across the same stretch. Leiter has favorable matchups this week and can be started by anyone who isn’t too concerned with their WHIP.

Jeffrey Springs, Athletics, 35% (@BOS, @PIT): After enjoying an excellent stretch for part of the summer, Springs has logged a 5.02 ERA in 10 second-half starts. His overall numbers this season are still respectable (4.28 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 10 wins), and his matchup this week against the low-scoring Pirates makes him an excellent option in 12-team leagues. Those in 10-team formats can likely grab one of the names that precede Springs on this list.

Jason Alexander, Astros, 19% (vs. TEX, vs. SEA): Alexander enjoyed his best of 10 starts this season when he allowed just four baserunners across seven scoreless innings in Toronto last time out. He has been one of the most surprising starters in baseball since the beginning of August, as he has logged a 2.20 ERA and 0.98 WHIP across seven starts. His success across that stretch has been aided by a .227 BABIP, but he also deserves credit for a 35:9 K:BB ratio. Although he will face two motivated teams this week, Alexander has pitched well enough of late to crack the lineup in 12-team leagues.

Trey Yesavage, Blue Jays, 5% (@TB, @KC): Yesavage will make his major league debut on Monday and would rank higher on this list if his second start was set in stone. Manager John Schneider was non-committal when asked about his plans for Yesavage, and there is a good chance that the youngster moves to the bullpen later in the week. Still, after racking up 160 strikeouts in 98 minor league innings this year, the 22-year-old has incredible upside.

Jameson Taillon, Cubs, 28% (@PIT, @CIN): Taillon has been solid in three starts since returning from nearly two months on the injured list, allowing four runs over 15.1 innings but recording just nine strikeouts. He’s a low-upside option with a decent floor this week, especially since he has a good chance for a quality start and a win when he faces the last-place Pirates.

One-Start Streamers

In order, here are the best streamers for the week, with their start date and Yahoo roster rate in brackets.

• Luis Morales @PIT (Saturday, 45%)

• Parker Messick @MIN (Saturday, 35%)

• Bubba Chandler vs. ATH (Saturday, 29%)

• Shane Smith vs. BAL (Tuesday, 23%)

• Luis Severino @PIT (Friday, 31%)

• Tyler Wells @CWS (Tuesday, 21%)

• Brandon Sproat vs. WSH (Saturday, 23%)

• Jonah Tong vs. WSH (Friday, 30%)

• Cade Cavalli @NYM (Saturday, 20%)

• Patrick Corbin vs. MIA (Friday, 14%)

• Charlie Morton vs. ATL (Friday, 29%)

• Payton Tolle @TB (Saturday, 15%)

• Cade Povich @CWS (Wednesday, 5%)

Hitters with favorable matchups this week

In my waiver wire article last Friday, I mentioned Kyle Manzardo, Otto Lopez, Josh Lowe, Austin Hays and Ryan McMahon as hitters who are poised to perform well this week. Although I still favor those players, rather than repeating myself, I’ll add a few more names to consider.

Daulton Varsho, OF, Blue Jays, 19%: Varsho has posted a .942 OPS since the All-Star break, making him a big reason that the Blue Jays rank first in runs scored over that stretch. Managers who need power numbers should add him for a seven-game week that includes four contests at homer-happy George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.

Daylen Lile, OF, Nationals, 38%: The Nats will play seven games this week, with four coming against a Braves team that is struggling to find pitching depth down the stretch, and three contests against a floundering Mets club. Lile has become the team’s cleanup hitter and has logged a 1.248 OPS in September. Josh Bell (13%) is also a fine option from the Nats.

Heriberto Hernández, OF, Marlins, 1%: A young outfielder with a bit of pop, Hernandez has received regular playing time down the stretch. With the Marlins in Colorado to open the week, he is a good option for those who play in deeper formats.

This is the time to bring on the rivals. The Dodgers are used to taking on challengers down the pennant stretch: the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres — and, in a previous version of the National League West, the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds.

The final two weeks of the regular season are upon us. The Dodgers have one remaining head-to-head matchup that really matters — and that series starts Monday at Dodger Stadium, against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Phillies?

The Phillies have not been realigned into the NL West. However, although the three division champions automatically qualify for the playoffs, the two with the best records earn a bye into the division series. The division champion with the third-best record — right now, that would be the Dodgers — must play in the first round.

Read more:Another offensive outburst carries Dodgers to series win over Giants

The Milwaukee Brewers, the presumed champions of the NL Central, boast the best record in baseball. The Phillies, the presumed champions of the NL East, lead the Dodgers by 4 ½ games. The Dodgers have 13 games to play.

The Dodgers got a bye and lost in the division series in 2022. They got a bye and lost in the division series in 2023. They got a bye and came within one game of elimination in the division series in 2024. Would they be better off not getting a bye and playing in the first round?

“There is not a question in my mind that that does not make sense,” Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, told me last week. “It is better for your World Series odds to not play those three games.”

The five days off that come with a bye can disrupt the timing of hitters. They also can allow time for injured and weary players to recover — that could be critical for Dodgers catcher Will Smith, in particular — and for the Dodgers to arrange their starting rotation just the way they might like it. And, of course, you can’t be eliminated in the first round if you don’t play in it.

“We have made our life more difficult to this point,” Friedman said, “but I still think we have a really good run in us, and we’ll make it competitive. So obviously these three games against Philly are really important in that.”

What if the three games against the Phillies go poorly?

Even if they don’t, the Dodgers might not win the division. The Padres are closer to the Dodgers than the Dodgers are to the Phillies.

San Diego trails the Dodgers by 2½ games in the NL West.

If the Padres win the NL West, how much would that hurt the Dodgers’ chances of a lengthy postseason run?

Not much, if at all. Both teams almost certainly would end up in the wild-card round.

The NL West champion would play the last team into the NL field, most likely the Giants or New York Mets and maybe even the Reds or Arizona Diamondbacks, with the chance the opponent exhausted its pitching just to get into the playoffs. The other team would play the Chicago Cubs, and would avoid the possibility of facing the surging Phillies until the NLCS.

If the NL West comes down to the last day or two, the Dodgers would have to determine whether to use their best starters on that final weekend or line them up for the wild-card series.

In that scenario, what might be the decisive factor in the Dodgers’ calculus?

The NL West champion would play all three games of the wild-card round at home; the runner-up likely would play all three games on the road. The Dodgers are 48-26 at home, 36-39 on the road. (The Padres are 47-28 at home, 35-40 on the road.)

Would there be any precedent for the Dodgers not minding if the Padres won the NL West?

In 1996, the Dodgers and Padres were tied for the NL West lead heading into the final day of the regular season, with the two teams facing one another. Both teams were guaranteed a playoff spot.

In Game 162, the Dodgers started Ramon Martinez — undefeated in his previous nine starts — then removed him after one inning.

The Padres won the game, and with it the division. The Dodgers started Martinez in their playoff opener three days later. They lost that game, and they were swept in the series by the Braves. The winning pitchers in that series, in order: John Smoltz, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine.

How many games are the Dodgers on pace to win?

Read more:Shaikin: Why Andrew Friedman’s October test is looming with Dodgers

Ninety-one.

In Friedman’s previous 10 seasons running the Dodgers, what is the fewest number of games they have won?

Ninety-one, in 2016.

How did the Dodgers do that October?

They earned a bye into the division series, in which they beat the Washington Nationals. They lost to the Chicago Cubs in the league championship series.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Dodgers have gotten back to the basics this week, preaching the importance of the little things in daily hitters’ meetings, in-game dugout conversations and even simulated drills in early batting practice sessions.

After a 2 ½ month slump over the second half of the season, they were searching for a more dependable style of offense. Like simplifying their approach at the plate. Shortening up swings and using the big part of the field with two strikes. Capitalizing on situational opportunities with runners on base. And making sure that, amid a resurgence from their rotation, they were finding ways to more consistently manufacture runs.

This weekend in San Francisco, they finally enjoyed the fruits of those labors, blowing out the Giants 10-2 on Sunday to win a three-game series and remain 2 ½ games up in the National League West standings.

“Quality of at-bat, winning pitches, using the whole field, not punching [out] — I think all those things, you know it’s in there,” manager Dave Roberts said, after the Dodgers racked up 18 hits, worked six walks and scored in six of their nine trips to the plate. 

“We’ve seen it. Maybe not with the consistency we would’ve liked. But when you’re facing really good arms, to see us do what we did… it’s certainly encouraging.”

Read more:After Clayton Kershaw’s shaky start, Dodgers go on scoring spree to beat Giants

Indeed, coming off a 13-run outburst Saturday night, the Dodgers picked up right where they left off at Oracle Park on Sunday afternoon, slowly sucking the life out of a recently resurgent Giants team trying to sneak into the playoffs.

Teoscar Hernández continued a recent surge with a team-high four hits, making him 11 for his last 24. Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Michael Conforto each had three knocks, with Conforto’s day getting his batting average back to .200. As a team, the Dodgers combined for a whopping 16 singles while forcing 207 pitches from the Giants’ staff of arms. And most amazing, they did it with Shohei Ohtani reaching base only once, and that didn’t even happen until his sixth at-bat in the top of the ninth.

“It’s quality at-bats, quality outs, moving guys over, getting sac flies, bringing defenses in if you move them over,” Freeman said. “It creates more traffic, more things that are able to happen on the baseball field. Just think the quality of at-bats have been really good over the last week.”

The onslaught started in the second inning, when two walks and a Freeman single loaded the bases, setting up Kiké Hernández for a sacrifice fly. It continued in the third, when a pair of productive outs (plus a bobbled ground ball from San Francisco third baseman Matt Chapman) turned singles from Betts and Teoscar Hernández into another hard-earned run.

Then, in the fifth, it all culminated in a four-run rally, one that knocked Giants starter Robbie Ray out of the game, and turned a low-scoring affair into a series rubber-match rout.

Freeman lined a double to right field, after Betts walked and Teoscar Hernández again singled. Conforto came off the bench for a two-run, pinch-hit, bases-loaded single that he managed to slap past a drawn-in infield. A run-scoring balk from reliever Joel Peguero added to the deluge, which included a pair of walks from Tommy Edman and Ben Rortvedt.

In the sixth, what was already a 6-1 lead was stretched a little further, with Miguel Rojas’ two-run single — with the bases loaded once more — putting the Dodgers’ sixth win in seven on ice. The Dodgers nonetheless added more runs in both the eighth and ninth, giving them their first back-to-back double-digit run totals since all the way back at the end of April.

“It’s definitely the kind of baseball we want to be playing down the stretch and for the rest of the season,” Conforto said. “I think we’re doing a lot of the little things right. That’s kind of been the theme as we finish up here.”

It all represented a new look from the Dodgers’ star-studded offense, with only one of their 23 runs the last two days requiring a ball to go over the fence.

For much of the year, the team has been overly reliant on home runs, scoring via the long ball at the fifth-highest percentage in the majors (45%) at the end of play Friday. During their second-half slide, that dynamic had prevented them from working around injuries and mechanical flaws from much of the lineup, or finding alternative ways to build big innings and hang crooked numbers.

Hence, their recent re-emphasis on more dependable fundamentals — allowing them to paper-cut an opposing pitching staff to death in a way that is typically for success in October.

“When you can be able to do it, and know you can do it, as we’re leading up to that point [of the playoffs], it definitely is a big confidence booster,” Freeman said. “We don’t have to rely on the two-run, three-run home run all the time. I think that was just big. The last week, [this is] what we’ve been trying to do. And we’ve been able to actually do it in the games.”

Read more:Shaikin: Here’s what’s at stake for the Dodgers over the final two weeks

The offense wasn’t the only positive sign Sunday.

On the mound, Tyler Glasnow was able to settle down after looking frustrated with his command early, when he walked four batters (and hit another) in his first three innings. At a point he has so often spiraled in his up-and-down Dodgers tenure, the right-hander instead found a rhythm by retiring 10 in a row, managing to pitch into the seventh in a 6 ⅔ inning, one-run outing.

“It’s encouraging,” said Glasnow, who has a 3.06 ERA on the season and a 2.66 mark since returning from a shoulder injury in July “Since I got back from the IL, it’s been easier to kind of put [those kind of struggles] out of my head and go compete. If my stuff sucks, it’s kind of whatever. Just compete, try to get in the zone, get some weak contact. It’s helpful.”

It led to the kind of performance the Dodgers are banking on from their rotation in the playoffs. This is still a team that, at its core, will have to be carried by its pitching.

The only way that strength will matter, however, is if the lineup can find some long-awaited consistency. This weekend, signs of it finally arrived. Everything the Dodgers had been preaching at last came to fruition.

“As we come down to the end [of the season, we’re] just kind of recognizing what it is that really puts us in the right spot to win games,” Conforto said. “It’s go time now, and we got to do all those things if we want to get to where we want to get to.”

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Big game? No problem. 

Nolan McLean just continues delivering quality innings for the Mets down the stretch in the playoff push.  

With the team looking to end their dreadful eight-game losing streak on Sunday afternoon, the rookie stepped up and put together six shutout innings in what ended as a walk-off victory over the Texas Rangers. 

McLean did endure some early command issues, falling behind in the count to each of the game’s first five hitters, but that proved to be no issue as he struck out four and limited Texas to one baserunner over the first three innings. 

He then allowed singles to Joc Pederson and Rowdy Tellez in the top of the fourth, but used a double play ball and his fourth punchout of the afternoon to escape the threat. 

The Rangers were able to put two more runners on with two outs in the fifth thanks to a double and walk, but the youngster set down Wyatt Langford for his third strikeout of the afternoon to again dance out of danger. 

McLean faced another threat in the sixth after a hit by pitch and a bloop single, but he used his second clutch double play of the afternoon to end his outing on a huge note. 

Overall, he allowed just five hits and two walks while striking out seven across six frames. 

“Nolan was impressive again,” Carlos Mendoza said. “It looks like they had a good game plan against his sweeper where they took some pitches early in counts, and they were aggressive on that pitch, and he recognized that and he started using the sinker and changeup to lefties.

“That’s what makes this guy who he is — not only does he have the stuff, but his ability to recognize what hitters are trying to do against him, he has a lot of weapons that he can go to at different times and in different counts, man it’s just super impressive.”

McLean is now the first Mets pitcher to not allow a run in their first three Citi Field starts. 

His 1.19 ERA is the lowest mark in franchise history through ones first six big-league outings. 

He’s also tied with Dwight Gooden for the third-most strikeouts through six career starts (40).

Certainly, some prestigious company and impressive addition to the resume, though, McLean isn’t focused on that.

“I’m not a huge stat guy,” he admitted. “I just try to go out and give my team the best chance to win every time.”