Huffman Sports Wire News Break · ALL · Reporting · Published · Huffman Sports Wire News Desk
Cleveland, New York, Atlanta and San Diego each enter Wednesday’s Division Series games needing a win to keep playing. The American League clubs are trying to avoid sweeps, while the National League matchups could be pushed to deciding fifth games.
Away from baseball, Philadelphia’s offensive line is changing, NBA preseason preparations have reached Macao, and college football’s weekend calendar has already been adjusted because of Tropical Storm Isaias.
Four clubs need a win on Wednesday
Cleveland trails Chicago 2–0 entering ALDS Game 3 at the White Sox, scheduled for 4 p.m. ET. Tampa Bay also holds a 2–0 lead, with Game 3 against the Yankees in New York set for 8 p.m. ET. One more win would send either leading club to the AL Championship Series.
The Dodgers lead the Braves 2–1 ahead of NLDS Game 4 at Truist Park at 6 p.m. ET. MLB lists Tyler Glasnow and Tyler Mahle as the starting pitchers. Atlanta needs a victory to send the series back to Los Angeles for Game 5.
Milwaukee takes a 2–1 advantage into Game 4 at San Diego, scheduled for 10 p.m. ET. Walker Buehler is listed as the Padres’ probable starter. A San Diego win would force a deciding game in Milwaukee; a Brewers win would finish the series.
The stakes are the same for all four trailing teams, but the paths forward differ. Cleveland and New York would still need two more wins after Wednesday, while Atlanta and San Diego would move directly to a winner-take-all Game 5.
Eagles agree to Jurgens trade after Johnson’s retirement
Philadelphia announced Wednesday that it agreed to send Cam Jurgens and a 2027 seventh-round pick to Baltimore for a 2027 fifth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick. The team said the agreement is pending a physical.
The move follows Lane Johnson’s Tuesday retirement announcement. Johnson’s 14-season Eagles career included two Super Bowl championships, and Philadelphia now has changes to address both at tackle and inside the line.
Jurgens had recently shifted from center to left guard after Landon Dickerson went on injured reserve, with Drew Kendall taking over at center. That makes the trade part of a wider lineup reshuffle rather than a simple one-for-one change at center.
Sources: Philadelphia Eagles · Philadelphia Eagles
Recent NFL moves: Giants quarterback depth and Dallas’ secondary
The Giants’ transaction tracker records the acquisition of J.J. McCarthy from Minnesota on September 28 for a 2027 fifth-round pick. The team’s accompanying report described the trade as pending a physical and said Jaxson Dart’s season-ending knee injury had created a need for another quarterback.
Jake Haener’s September 26 signing was an earlier part of that response. New York’s tracker subsequently lists his September 28 waiver, September 30 return to the practice squad and October 3 standard elevation.
ESPN reported on October 1 that Pittsburgh traded Joey Porter Jr. to Dallas after a contract standoff. The reported return was a 2028 second-round pick and a conditional 2027 sixth-round pick, with the latter requiring Porter to appear on Dallas’ gameday roster for two games.
Sources: New York Giants · New York Giants · ESPN
Hukporti undergoes Achilles surgery
Ariel Hukporti underwent successful surgery Tuesday to repair a torn right Achilles tendon, according to NBA.com’s report of the 76ers’ announcement. The injury occurred without contact in the first quarter of Philadelphia’s preseason opener against the Knicks.
The setback interrupted Hukporti’s first preseason appearance with the Sixers and changes Philadelphia’s preparation at center before regular-season play.
Sources: NBA.com
Mavericks and Rockets prepare for Macao games
Dallas and Houston are in Macao for two NBA China Games at The Venetian. The NBA’s Wednesday report lists the opener for Friday, October 9, at 8 a.m. ET and the rematch for Sunday, October 11, at 6 a.m. ET, both on NBA TV.
Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving are part of Dallas’ preparations, which include practice and fan events. The trip adds an international setting to preseason work rather than regular-season results.
Sources: NBA.com
Report: EuroLeague members reject NBA merger proposal
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported Tuesday that EuroLeague members rejected an NBA proposal to combine operations into NBA Europe after a meeting in Italy. The account relies on sources familiar with the discussions.
Windhorst’s report said the NBA’s separate European league plans would continue, with a proposed 16-team competition potentially starting as early as 2027–28. The rejection leaves negotiations and competing league plans unresolved.
Sources: ESPN
Isaias moves Florida A&M–Alabama State to Friday
Florida A&M announced that its road game at Alabama State has been moved to Friday, October 9, at noon ET, or 11 a.m. CDT, because of Tropical Storm Isaias. The school said SWAC TV will carry the game.
The National Hurricane Center’s Wednesday advisories included hurricane and storm-surge watches for portions of the northern Gulf Coast. Fans traveling in the region should follow the official weather advisories and school announcements for updates.
Georgia’s published schedule lists its visit to Alabama in Tuscaloosa for Saturday, October 10, at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC. That is the listed schedule at this edition’s publication, not a guarantee against a later adjustment.
Sources: Florida A&M Athletics · National Hurricane Center · Georgia Athletics
Red River approaches; college football remembers Franchione
Texas and Oklahoma meet Saturday, October 10, at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The Dallas Sports Commission lists kickoff at 2:30 p.m. CDT, or 3:30 p.m. ET, giving the rivalry its own afternoon window before Georgia–Alabama.
The Associated Press reported Tuesday that TCU confirmed the death of Dennis Franchione at age 75. His coaching career included stops at New Mexico, TCU, Alabama, Texas A&M and Texas State.
Sources: Dallas Sports Commission · Associated Press / ABC News
SWAC media days add to preseason preparation
The SWAC scheduled its men’s basketball media day for Wednesday in Birmingham, following the women’s event Tuesday. Florida A&M’s preview named head coach Charlie Ward, Ralph Martino Jr. and Antonio Baker Jr. as the men’s program’s representatives.
The school’s announcement also said the conference would present its predicted order of finish. Those preseason forecasts provide expectations ahead of November’s opening games, not completed-game records.
Sources: Florida A&M Athletics
Sources
- MLB.com — October 7 Division Series schedule, series leads and probable pitchers · Checked
- MLB.com — Dodgers–Braves NLDS Game 4 pitching matchup and start time · Checked
- Philadelphia Eagles — Eagles agree to trade Cam Jurgens to the Ravens · Published
- Philadelphia Eagles — Lane Johnson announces his retirement · Published
- New York Giants — J.J. McCarthy trade report and dated transaction tracker · Checked
- New York Giants — Jake Haener signing and subsequent dated roster moves · Checked
- ESPN — Steelers trade Joey Porter Jr. to Cowboys · Published
- NBA.com — Ariel Hukporti’s right Achilles injury and surgery update · Published
- NBA.com — October 7 Starting 5: Mavericks and Rockets prepare for China Games · Published
- ESPN — Sources: EuroLeague teams reject offer to merge into NBA Europe · Published
- Florida A&M Athletics — Florida A&M at Alabama State moved to October 9 · Published
- National Hurricane Center — Tropical Storm Isaias advisories and Gulf Coast watches · Checked
- Georgia Athletics — 2026 football schedule: October 10 at Alabama · Checked
- Dallas Sports Commission — 2026 Red River Rivalry date, venue and kickoff · Checked
- Associated Press / ABC News — Dennis Franchione dies at 75; TCU confirms death · Published
- Florida A&M Athletics — SWAC basketball media days scheduled for October 6–7 · Published