Sports category, Page 927

The Pittsburgh Penguins have assigned defenseman Owen Pickering, their first-round pick (No. 21 overall) in last year’s draft, to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL). Pickering’s junior team, the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Swift Current Broncos, just completed its season on Saturday and did not qualify for the postseason....

At just after 4 p.m. today, the Pittsburgh Pirates will embark on their 142nd season, hoping to improve on back-to-back 100-loss campaigns behind a new group of veteran voices and a talented pool of young players. Bucco fans’ expectations again are a mix of cautions optimism for a new season...

In the days leading up to the IndyCar season-opening race, Chip Ganassi made clear that Marcus Ericsson was a valued member of the organization. “I want him here beyond this year,” Ganassi said of the Swedish driver. Ericsson then went on to win the March 5 race on the downtown...

Once Shohei Ohtani struck out Mike Trout for an epic finish to the World Baseball Classic, the former AL MVPs quickly returned to being teammates again for what could be their last chance together to lead the Los Angeles Angels to the playoffs. For the Athletics, this might be their...

Guardians ace Shane Bieber was musing about Cleveland manager Terry Francona’s importance to the club earlier this spring when he made a somewhat surprising acknowledgement of what baseball’s youngest team had done a year ago. “We kind of maximized our input,” Bieber said, “and our output.” Indeed, that young bunch...

Baseball has transformed in the 145 days since Dusty Baker and the Houston Astros sealed the franchise’s second title in six seasons. As New York Mets owner Steve Cohen dominated an offseason that saw billions spent, the sport braced for a new world that includes pitch clocks, bigger bases, limits...

The San Diego Padres don’t feel like little brother anymore to the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers. Buoyed by a stunning victory against the 111-win Dodgers in the NL Division Series and owner Peter Seidler’s fearless offseason spending, the Padres are poised to make a run at the NL West title...

From 1998-2003, the five AL East teams finished in the exact same order every season. Back then, the New York Yankees were dominant, the Boston Red Sox were contenders and everyone else was left chasing those teams — and that remained the status quo for a while. Consider this a...

Two familiar faces from St. Louis’ run to the NL Central title last season aren’t around anymore as the Cardinals attempt to become the division’s first repeat champion in six years. The retirements of Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols leave the Cardinals having to replace two likely Hall of Famers....

The National League East made a strong argument as the majors’ toughest division in 2022 and lines up as perhaps even better this season. The NL East boasted two 101-win teams: the Atlanta Braves, who won their fifth consecutive division title, and the New York Mets. A third playoff team...

Forward Valtteri Puustinen scored two regulation goals for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 4-3 home shootout loss to the Providence Bruins at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday. Defenseman Ty Smith returned to the lineup after being sidelined since Feb. 18 due to facial bone fractures and recorded two...