Justin Verlander will celebrate his 42nd birthday in a largely unfamiliar place — in a Cactus League training camp for a club leaning on his veteran chops to galvanize a young and emerging staff.

Verlander, the three-time Cy Young Award winner who’s said he wants to pitch until he’s 45 with at least 300 wins on his resume, will continue that quest with the San Francisco Giants after agreeing to a one-year deal Tuesday night.

It’s the first foray with a West Coast team for Verlander, who won his first Cy Young Award as a Detroit Tiger in 2011, then added two more Cy Youngs as a Houston Astros in 2019 and 2022. Verlander signed a two-year, $86.6 million deal with the New York Mets before the 2023 season, then was dealt back to Houston.

Now, he goes West for the first time, beginning this campaign with 262 wins and, once again, a lack of ace status on his staff.

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That distinction belongs to Logan Webb, who made his first All-Star appearance in pitching 204 2/3 innings last season. Verlander will slot in behind him along with returning veterans Robbie Ray (also a former AL Cy Young winner) and Jordan Hicks. Verlander will aim to provide innings and gravitas to ease the burden on a group of young pitchers that include lefty Kyle Harrison and right-hander Hayden Birdsong.

BIGGEST MLB QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW: Where will All-Star sluggers sign?

Yet the Giants surely know they won’t likely be getting vintage Verlander.

He pitched to a 5.48 ERA last season, and spent two stints on the injured list, the latter a two-month absence due to a neck ailment. Yet as recently as 2023, he was able to give the Astros and New York Mets 162 1/3 innings and a 3.49 ERA. A year earlier, he won the AL Cy Young with Houston after sitting out the entire 2021 season recovering from Tommy John surgery.

The Giants won’t expect such boffo results. But they’ll be happy to benefit from Verlander’s larger mission: A march to 300 wins and seemingly eternal life on the mound.

(This story was updated because an earlier version included a misidentified player.)

The Las Vegas Raiders are rebooting again.

The team on Tuesday fired Antonio Pierce after a 4-13 season, the head coach’s first full campaign in the top job. Pierce went 5-4 as the team’s interim coach to close out 2023.

Davis will now be hiring his sixth different full-time coach since taking over the franchise in 2011.

‘We appreciate Antonio’s leadership, first as an interim head coach and this past season as the head coach,’ the Raiders said in a statement announcing Pierce’s firing.

‘Antonio grew up a Raiders fan and his Silver and Black roots run deep. We are grateful for his ability to reignite what it means to be a Raider throughout the entire organization. We wish nothing but the best for Antonio and his family in the future.’

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Pierce met with the media on Monday and said he hadn’t been given any reason to believe he wouldn’t be back next season. He added that all speculation regarding his job status was coming from ‘outside the building’ and said he did not envision making any changes to his coaching staff for 2025.

Owner Mark Davis had seemingly put Pierce on notice late in the year with his December remarks that he was dissatisfied with the Raiders’ results this year.

“I’m very disappointed, obviously. I want to see progress,” Davis said at the league meeting, according to The Athletic. “There’s no excuses. We have injuries and all of those things, but your team has to figure out how to get around those issues. The bottom line … is it comes down to me. And, if there’s going to be a finger pointed, it should be at me because, again, I’m the one who’s hiring the people who make the decisions on the field.’

Despite a 2-2 start, the Raiders’ season unraveled quickly thereafter. Three-time All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams requested a trade prior to Week 5, and Las Vegas dealt him to the New York Jets on Oct. 15 for a conditional 2025 third-round draft pick. Pierce also ridiculed his team’s effort in a September loss to the Carolina Panthers, saying certain players made ‘business decisions’ in the game. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello and offensive line coach James Cregg were all fired after Week 9, with the team at the midpoint of what would become a 10-game losing streak.

Las Vegas won two of its final three games, but the late push wasn’t enough to salvage Pierce’s job.

A former Pro Bowl linebacker who played nine seasons in the NFL, Pierce joined the Raiders in 2022 as linebackers coach on Josh McDaniels’ staff. When the Raiders fired McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler midway through last season, Pierce took over as the interim coach and quickly made his mark, winning the support of Adams and Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby for the full-time role.

The change marks one of the first opportunities for new part-owner Tom Brady to leave his imprint on the organization. Davis said in December he wants the seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback to have a ‘huge voice’ in football operations. Davis also said he wants Brady’s insights in identifying the franchise’s next major investment at quarterback after the team rotated through Gardner Minshew, Aidan O’Connell and midseason pickup Desmond Ridder this season.

TGL, a new tech-infused golf league founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, teed off its inaugural season on Tuesday following more than a year delay.

The Bay Golf Club, comprised of Ludvig Åberg, Wyndham Clark and Shane Lowry, defeated New York GC, made up of Matt Fitzpatrick, Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele, 9-2 at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Each TGL match consists of 15 holes that are divided into two segments. The first session featured a 3-on-3 alternate-shot format known as ‘triples,” where three players from each team hit alternate shots across nine holes. In the final six holes, each golfer went head-to-head with a player from the opposing team in the “singles” phase of the competition.

Here is a full rundown of the best highlights and results from the TGL’s debut match.

TGL FORMAT: Rules, schedule, teams and everything to know about new golf league

Hole No. 15: Schauffele, Åberg tie

The final hole of the TGL match virtually took golfers to the Grand Canyon. Schauffele of New York GC narrowly missed a 32-foot chip shot to eagle and win hole No. 15 – a par-5, 729-yard hole. He rebounded with a five-foot birdie to tie the hole with Åberg.

Hole No. 14: Clark ties with Fitzpatrick

Clark nailed a 3-foot putt to tie hole No. 14 (par-3, 135 yards) vs. Fitzpatrick.

Hole No. 13: Fowler wins hole vs. Lowry

Fowler found his stride on hole No. 13 (par-4, 464 yards). He hit the fairway and green in two strokes and tapped in an easy putt to give New York GC its second point of the night. The Bay Golf Club is up 9-2.

Hole No. 12: Schauffele booed in head-to-head with Åberg

Schauffele of New York GC couldn’t get anything going on hole No. 12 (par-3, 200 yards). After a particularly rough shot that overshot the green completely, the crowd began to boo. ‘I would boo me too,’ said Schauffele, who conceded the hole to Åberg. Bay Golf Club now leads 9-1.

Hole No. 11: Clark defeats Fitzpatrick

Fitzpatrick of New York GC faced off against Clark of Bay Golf Club on hole No. 11 (par-4, 535 yards). Fitzpatrick had an opportunity to win New York GC’s second point of the night, but his eight-foot putt circled around the lip of the hole. The Bay Club is up 8-1.

Hole No. 10: Lowry wins first face-off vs. Fowler

The competition shifts to the ‘singles’ segment, where one player from each team goes head-to-head on each hole. Fowler of New York GC faced off against Lowry of Bay Golf Club on hole No. 10 (par-5, 616 yards).

Fowler incurred a one-stroke penalty after landing out of bounds on his first stroke. He was never able to recover.

Meanwhile, Lowry made quick work of hole No. 10. He landed in the rough on his first shot, found the fairway his next stroke and ended up on the green with his third shot. He attempted a 10-foot putt, but Fowler threw the flag down to disrupt his putt. The Bay Golf Club took the hole to go up 7-1 over New York GC and win the match.

Hole No. 9: New York GC finally on the board

New York GC entered hole No. 9 scoreless, but they had a little luck on their side. Fitzpatrick hit a chip shot that looked like it was going to end up in the rough, but the ball bounced back toward the green and ended up mere feet from the hole. New York GC picked up their first point and trail Bay Golf Club 6-1. 

Hole No. 8: Tie

Both teams had an opportunity to take hole No. 8 (Par-4, 528-yard). Lowry of Bay Golf Club missed a 16-foot putt for birdie, while Fowler of New York GC narrowly missed a 16-foot chip shot for birdie. Both teams conceded the putt on the next stroke to tie the hole.

Hole No. 7: Bay Golf Club cashes in on hammer; up 6-0

We have another hammer. New York GC threw down the hammer flag ahead of hole No. 7 (par-3, 235-yard hole). Bay Golf Club took advantage and added to their total score after Åberg knocked down a five-foot putt to win the hole. They lead 6-0. 

Hole No. 6: Tie

Both teams conceded putts to tie hole No. 6 (Par-4, 474 yards). Bay Golf Club still leads 5-0. 

Hole No. 5: Åberg birdies to give Bay Golf Club point

Two strokes. That’s all the Bay Golf Club needed to win hole No. 5 (Par-3, 179 yards). New York GC was closing in on its first point, but Åberg nailed a 32-foot putt to birdie the hole. Bay Golf Club now leads 5-0. 

Hole No. 4: Bay Golf Club 4, New York GC 0

The Bay Golf Club is rolling. The team, comprised of Shane Lowry, Wyndham Clark and Ludvig Åberg, picked up their fourth-straight point on hole No. 4 — a Par-5, 582-yard hole named ‘Boomerang.’ Lowry drained a four-foot putt to win the hole. New York GC had an opportunity to get on the board, but Fowler missed a 10-foot putt to the right.

Hole No. 3: Bay Golf Club takes 3-0 lead

We have our first hammer! Wyndham Clark of Bay Golf Club threw a yellow hammer flag on hole No. 3 (Par-3, 188 yards) ahead of his putt, instantly doubling the value of the hole. No pressure, right? Although the stakes were high, Clark knocked down a seven-foot putt to give Bay Golf Club not one, but two points for an early 3-0 lead over New York GC. 

Hole No. 2: Tie

Hole No. 2 — a Par-5, 590-yard hole called “Pick Yer Plunder” — ended with a tie after both teams conceded putts on the physical green. Fitzpatrick had an opportunity to win the hole for New York GC and tie the score, but he missed a 12-foot putt. Bay Golf Club leads 1-0.  

Hole No. 1: Bay Golf Club takes first point

The Bay Golf Club teed off first on hole No. 1 — a Par-4, 377-yard hole called the “Plank.” Lowry led his team off with a 280-yard drive on the simulator screen. Clark landed the next shot on the green and Åberg putt the ball in on the physical green zone to give Bay Golf Club the first point over New York GC. 

When is the TGL match between New York GC vs. Bay Golf Club?

The debut TGL match between the New York Golf Club and The Bay Golf Club is scheduled for Tuesday and tees off at 9 p.m. ET at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

How to watch the TGL match between New York GC vs. Bay Golf Club

The TGL match between the New York Golf Club and The Bay Golf Club will be televised nationally on ESPN with streaming available on ESPN+.

Live streaming is also available on Fubo, which has a free trial.

Watch TGL action with a Fubo subscription

TGL: New York GC vs. Bay Golf Club odds

The New York Golf Club are favorites to defeat The Bay Golf Club, according to BetMGM.

Odds as of Tuesday, Jan. 7

Moneyline: New York Golf Club (-125); The Bay Golf Club (+100)

TGL: New York GC vs. Bay Golf Club lineup

Here is the order for ‘triples,” the 3-on-3 alternate-shot format used for the first nine holes:

New York GC: Rickie Fowler, Matt Fitzpatrick, Xander Schauffele
The Bay Golf Club: Shane Lowry, Wyndham Clark, Ludvig Åberg

In the “singles” phase of the competition, each golfer will go head-to-head with a player from the opposing team throughout the final six holes. Here’s the matchups:

TGL odds tournament winner

Boston Common Golf are favored to win the inaugural season, according to BetMGM. Here are the remaining odds for the season.

Boston Common Golf (+350)
Los Angeles Golf Club (+400)
New York Golf Club (+400)
The Bay Golf Club (+400)
Atlanta Drive GC (+450)
Jupiter Links Golf Club (+800)

TGL predictions: New York Golf Club vs. Bay Golf Club

Golfweek: New York GC to beat The Bay Golf Club

Riley Hamel writes, ‘It’s tough to be confident with a pick before seeing how these matches are going to work, but I think this league is perfect for guys like Rickie Fowler. Talk some trash, hit some shots, talk a little more. I’ll take the favorites this time around, New York Golf Club at -125.’

Covers.com: Bay Golf to win first match

Neil Parker writes, ‘Still, I like the underdog Bay Golf Club because I peg Ludvig Aberg, Wyndham Clark, and Shane Lowry right behind Schauffele and well ahead of Matt Fitzpatrick and Rickie Fowler.

‘Additionally, the gap between Schauffele and Aberg is slim, and Aberg and Clark just topped both Schauffele and Fitzpatrick in the Sentry. I also like the collected ball-striking prowess of the Bay Golf Club more over the past year.’

Sports Illustrated: The Bay GC to win season

Iain MacMillan writes, ‘Los Angeles GC and Boston Common GC have all four members of the team inside the top 50 in the world but both teams also sit atop the odds list with much shorter odds than we can get with The Bay GC at +460.

‘With alternate shot playing a significant role in the outcome of matches, I’d much rather bet a team with depth than one that’s top-heavy.’

What is TGL?

TGL stands for TMRW Golf League, a reference to TMRW Sports, the name of company that Woods, McIlroy and Mike McCarley founded to get the league and several other projects off the ground.

It is a new tech-infused golf league in partnership with the PGA Tour that’s designed to combine the latest in golf technology with in-person competition. It will include a shot clock, timeouts and both team and individual match play. — Steve Gardner

Is Tiger Woods playing TGL golf?

Yes. Woods’ TGR Ventures owns the Jupiter Links Golf Club and Woods is on the team roster along with Max Homa, Tom Kim and Kevin Kisner. — Mark Giannotto

TGL location

The tech-infused TGL will debut with a matchup between the New York Golf Club and the Bay Golf Club at the SoFi Center. This venue, which spans 250,000 square feet, is a state-of-the-art technology center located on the campus of Palm Beach State College. The new facility can accommodate around 1,500 fans across three golf courses. — Elizabeth Flores

TGL format: Rules for the inaugural season

Each TGL match is a competitive showcase of skill and strategy, consisting of two intense sessions. The first session is a nine-hole, 3-on-3 alternate-shot format known as ‘triples.’ In the second session, golfers compete in singles, going head-to-head over six holes, with each player playing two holes. A shot clock set to 40 seconds adds to the pressure, as any shot clock violation incurs a one-stroke penalty.

Each hole is worth one point. If the teams are tied at the end of regulation, the match will proceed to overtime. During overtime, players compete head-to-head, and the team that lands their shot closest to the pin will be declared the winner. — Elizabeth Flores

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SAN DIEGO – Former Cleveland Browns tight end Kellen Winslow II has been denied again in his attempt to have his 14-year prison sentence reduced under new criminal justice reform laws.

The California Court of Appeal this time rejected his habeas corpus petition and said that Winslow’s claims are procedurally barred because he could have raised his claims on direct appeal several years ago but did not.

“A defendant cannot raise claims via a habeas corpus writ petition that could have been raised on direct appeal,” said the order denying Winslow’s petition.

Winslow, 41, was sentenced to 14 years in prison in March 2021 after being convicted of sex crimes against five women in San Diego County, including the rape of a woman who was unconscious in 2003 and the rape of a homeless woman in 2018. The former NFL first-round draft pick agreed to the sentence in a plea deal but since has sought to be resentenced under criminal justice reform laws that passed after his sentencing in 2021.

Winslow’s attorney told USA TODAY Sports he next will present his petition to the California Supreme Court.

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Why Kellen Winslow II sought resentencing

His petition cited AB 124, a state law intended to help criminal defendants who previously experienced “psychological, physical, or childhood trauma.” AB 124 requires the court to impose a lower term of sentencing if the defendant has experienced such trauma, unless there are aggravating circumstances.

In Winslow’s case, he cited brain injuries from football and sexual abuse he experienced in childhood. A clinical psychologist previously found Winslow had symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which has been linked to head trauma in football.

Winslow sought a two-year reduction of his sentence “consistent with the new laws that have become effective since he went to prison,” according to filing in November from his attorney, Patrick Morgan Ford.

“Petitioner (Winslow) is not seeking to avoid punishment, but rather seeks a hearing to determine the impact of his brain injuries on the decision-making that led to the crimes he committed,” the filing stated. “The Legislature suggested that those who had suffered trauma and abuse as a child (sexual abuse in this case) may be less culpable than those convicted of the same offenses who were never burdened by such problems.”

Ford said Winslow was disappointed in the court’s decision but understands this is a difficult process.

‘He’s anxious to get home to his family, and also believes this is an important issue given the impact CTE has had on so many former NFL players,’ Ford said.

What was Winslow’s previous appeal?

Winslow previously filed an appeal of his sentence in 2021, when he sought 233 days of custody credit for time he spent on electronic monitoring. That appeal was pending when the new state laws went into effect, but Winslow’s attorney didn’t raise those issues at the time. The Court of Appeal said he should have raised those issues then and also rejected the suggestion by Winslow’s current attorney that Winslow didn’t raise these issues then because of ineffective counsel back in 2021-22.

“Even if we consider the claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, Winslow does not present any declaration from his prior counsel explaining why these claims were not raised on direct appeal,” said the order from the appeals court.

The appeals court noted there is at least a “conceivable reason” for Winslow’s appellate counsel to not have raised these claims on direct appeal in 2021-22.

“As noted by the Attorney General, applying these legislative changes to Winslow’s sentence may ultimately result in the plea agreement being vacated and Winslow receiving a prison term greater than his current sentence,” the appeals court said in its ruling.

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Winslow said to be ‘role model in prison’

Winslow’s petition was considered by Justices Martin Buchanan, Julia Kelety and Jose Castillo, who issued their denial on Jan. 2. Winslow currently is serving time in Norco, California, and is not eligible for parole until  September 2028, according to state records.

He previously attempted to get his sentence reduced for similar reasons but was denied by a San Diego County judge in 2023. He then hired a new attorney, Ford, to file the latest petition in September. In a declaration submitted with that petition, Winslow said he felt ‘remorse for what I did to the victims in my case.’

Ford also noted in a November court filing that Winslow ‘has committed himself to self-improvement while in prison.’

‘He is committed to therapy, the Bible, self­ improvement and helping others,’ the filing stated. ‘He has been a role model in prison.’

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

(This story was updated to add new information.)