Inland boys athlete of the week: Xavier Washington, Rancho Cucamonga  —  The Inland boys athlete of the week:  —  Name: Xavier Washington  —  School: Rancho Cucamonga  —  Sport: Football  —  Year: Senior  —  Noteworthy: Washington was extremely efficient in Rancho Cucamonga's season opener.

STATEMENT FROM METS PRESIDENT SANDY ALDERSON  —  In a post-game press conference today, Javy Baez stated that his “thumbs down” gesture during the game was a message to fans who recently have booed him and other players for poor performance.  These comments, and any gestures by him or other players …

Dodgers come back to beat Braves, gain a game on Giants  —  LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers had a chance to gain a game in the standings on Tuesday night.  —  This time, they rose to the occasion.  —  Punctuating their best month of the season on the final day of August, the Dodgers rallied …

Nationals' rebuild takes another step forward as Keibert Ruiz debuts in a loss to the Phillies  —  The sequence was perfect, three walks in a row, because it brought the right hitter to the plate at the right moment Monday night.  Sure, the Washington Nationals already trailed by three runs …

Will Trevor Bauer ever pitch again?  What's next for him, the Los Angeles Dodgers and MLB  —  Editor's note: This story contains graphic descriptions of sexual assault allegations.  —  In the two months since Trevor Bauer last appeared in a game for the Los Angeles Dodgers, his future …

49ers' Trey Lance sidelined after chipping bone in finger in Raiders game  —  Rookie quarterback Trey Lance chipped a bone in throwing hand during the 49ers' win Sunday and is out at least a week  —  SANTA CLARA — Rookie quarterback Trey Lance chipped a bone in a finger and is out at least the next week …

Hello, September: What the Cubs are looking for over final weeks  —  As the calendar flips to September, there's still plenty for David Ross and his staff to assess as they play out the final 29 games of the season.  —  That applies to both veterans and the younger players on the Cubs' roster.

Inland girls athlete of the week: Tanayah Gray, San Jacinto  —  The Inland girls athlete of the week:  —  Name: Tanayah Gray  —  School: San Jacinto  —  Sport: Volleyball  —  Year: Senior  —  Noteworthy: Gray had a terrific all-around performance in helping the Tigers capture the title …

Los Angeles Angels' Shohei Ohtani won't pitch vs. New York Yankees; Mike Trout dealing with calf soreness  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. — Los Angeles Angels two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani will not take the mound for Tuesday night's game against the New York Yankees in order to give his right hand extra time to heal.

Mets' Noah Syndergaard tests positive for COVID-19, sources say  —  Noah Syndergaard's long-awaited return is delayed indefinitely after he tested positive for COVID-19, sources said Sunday.  —  He was vaccinated against the disease, according to manager Luis Rojas, and has not experienced any symptoms …

Pittsburgh Pirates fire hitting coach Rick Eckstein  —  PITTSBURGH — The last-place Pittsburgh Pirates have fired hitting coach Rick Eckstein.  —  The team made the announcement on Monday.  The Pirates, who are in the early stages of a reboot under general manager Ben Cherington, have struggled to produce offense all season.