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Rays boast
strong pitching
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Under pitching coach Kyle Snyder’s direction since 2018, the Tampa Bay Rays have consistently had one of the best pitching staffs in the majors. That stellar staff helped the Rays become American League champions for the third time in the franchise’s 29 seasons.
They take on the Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series, beginning Friday night. The Rays led the league in WHIP (1.14), were fourth in batting average against (.229) and seventh in ERA (3.70) this season.
Titans release
Elliott
(AP) -- Tennessee Titans coach Robert Saleh says defensive tackle Jordan Elliott was released after pulling a gun in the parking lot of the team facility but called it a “terrible lapse in judgment that I recognize as a call for help more than a criminal act.”
The Titans announced Tuesday that Elliott was released but said only that it came after his involvement in an unspecified incident at the team’s facility five days earlier. A person briefed on the incident told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Elliott had a gun in his car and went to the parking lot to retrieve it after a dispute with another player.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the incident is being reviewed.
Steinbrenner
blames players
(AP) -- Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner defended manager Aaron Boone and general manager Brian Cashman after New York’s failure to win the World Series. He blames players for not delivering in the playoffs.
Steinbrenner praised Boone’s management, especially with the pitching staff. New York has gone 17 seasons without a World Series title, matching its longest drought since 1923. The Yankees finished second in the AL East and were swept by the Rays in the Division Series.
Boone, in his ninth season, has one year left on his contract. Cashman, the GM since 1998, is finalizing a new contract.
Angels fire
Kurt Suzuki
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- The Los Angeles Angels have fired manager Kurt Suzuki after losing 100 games in his only season at the helm. Baseball operations consultant John Mozeliak announced Wednesday that the Angels declined the option on Suzuki’s contract and would open a search for a new manager in 2027.
Mozeliak said Suzuki had been offered the opportunity to stay with the organization as a special assistant. The Angels were 62-100 and finished last in the AL West in their only season under Suzuki, a first-time manager who played the final two of his 16 major league seasons as a catcher with the Angels in 2021-22.
Franklin
files appeal
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) -- The agent for Buffalo Bills defensive back Sam Franklin said his client has appealed the NFL’s decision to suspend him for one game without pay for allegedly spitting at a Raiders opponent during a game last weekend. The appeal was launched within hours of the NFL issuing the suspension, with a hearing scheduled to take place on Thursday.
The NFL suspended Franklin for spitting at an opponent following the Raiders’ successful extra-point attempt during Buffalo’s 33-30 win at Las Vegas on Sunday. Bills starting safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson also was given a one-game suspension for spitting in the direction of Raiders players.