The Boston Red Sox, who vowed to be aggressive this winter to make their team a World Series contender, landed one of the premier pitchers on the trade market Tuesday by acquiring St. Louis Cardinals ace Sonny Gray.

Gray, who had a full no-trade clause, agreed to waive it, according to agent Bo McKinnis, for the opportunity to pitch for a contender, while the Cardinals go into a rebuild under new GM Chaim Bloom.

The Red Sox will send No. 5 prospect Brandon Clarke and right-handed pitcher Richard Fitts to St. Louis.

Gray was owed $35 million this year with a $30 million club option or $5 million buyout in 2027. The contract was restructured to pay Gray $31 million this year with a $10 million buyout on a mutual option in 2027, engineered by McKinnis for the trade to be consummated. The Cardinals agreed to pay $20 million of Gray’s contract, according to Masslive.com, in order to receive a better package of prospects from the Red Sox.

Gray, 36, was 14-8 with a 3.48 ERA for the Cardinals last season in the second year of his three-year, $75 million contract. The Cardinals were hoping to trade him at last year’s trade deadline but he declined to waive his no-trade clause, saying only that he would revisit the situation this winter. The Cardinals informed him this winter that they were going into a rebuild, which persuaded Gray to waive his no-trade provision.

While the Red Sox certainly have a fabulous 1-2 pitching dynamic on paper with Garrett Crochet and Gray, Gray has not only struggled in his lone experience pitching for a big-market team – going 15-16 with a 4.51 ERA with the New York Yankees – but also has had troubles pitching at Fenway Park. He is 0-4 with a 6.84 ERA at Fenway over 26 ⅓ innings, yielding a .326 batting average and .895 OPS.

Bloom, who was head of baseball operations for the Red Sox before being fired, now is relying on the Red Sox to jump-start his rebuild. He made it clear that instead of just dumping payroll, they needed prospects in return, and were willing to pay about half of the remainder of Gray’s contract.

The Cardinals will next try to unload Gold Glove third baseman Nolan Arenado. He has two years left on his contract for $42 million and has informed the Cardinals he also is willing to waive his no-trade clause after rejecting trades to the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Angels last year.

Follow Bob Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

Red Sox rotation

Garrett Crochet
Sonny Gray
Brayan Bello
Kutter Crawford
Patrick Sandoval / Connelly Early / Payton Tolle

Cardinals rotation

Matthew Liberatore
Andre Pallante
Michael McGreevy
Richard Fitts
Kyle Leahy

Indiana Fever guards Kelsey Mitchell and Sophie Cunningham are the latest WNBA players to sign on with women’s basketball startup league Project B, which begins play in Europe, Asia and Latin America in 2026.

On Monday and Tuesday, the league revealed that Mitchell and Cunningham would join its expanding roster that includes names like Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike and Phoenix Mercury Forward Alyssa Thomas. As with Ogwumike and Thomas, the Fever stars will also have ownership in the league.’Project B represents the next evolution of women’s basketball,’ Mitchell said in a statement on Monday. ‘I’m honored to be part of this global movement and excited to compete on a stage built for the future of the game.”

Cunningham echoed her Fever teammate’s thoughts, saying she was ‘excited to join Project B’s athlete roster as they launch a new chapter in women’s basketball.’ The WNBA star, who has previously been critical of the WNBA, heaped praise on the startup organization as it pushes to grow basketball globally. ‘Our game is exploding in popularity, and I’m all in on carrying that momentum forward in any way I can, both at home in the US and beyond,’ she said.

Mitchell and Cunningham are the eighth and ninth announced players to join the league, founded by former Facebook executive Grady Burnett and Skype co-founder Geoff Prentice. In addition to Mitchell, Cunningham, Ogwumike and Thomas, several other players with WNBA ties have joined the organization, including New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones, Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd, Chicago Sky center Kamilla Cardoso, former Washington Mystics guard Li Meng, and Golden State Valkyries forward Janelle Salaun.

Project B, which is slated to run from November 2026 to April 2027, will be made up of six teams of 11 players and played on a traveling circuit, similar to other sports like tennis and golf. The new league has emphasized player compensation, a point of contention in the WNBA’s ongoing CBA negotiations, reportedly promising to pay players salaries that start at $2 million annually.

Carolina Panthers safety Tre’von Moehrig has been suspended one game for punching San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings in the groin toward the end of Monday night’s game, the NFL announced on Tuesday.

Jennings retaliated at the conclusion of the 49ers’ 20-9 win over the Panthers by striking Moehrig, with the two sides separated before the incident could escalate.

Moehrig is appealing his ban, according to multiple reports. If his suspension stands, he will miss the Panthers’ game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

Moehrig said after the game that Jennings had been ‘doing some extra stuff after the play and talking crazy.’

“It ain’t really nothing much to it – it’s just that,’ Moehrig told reporters after the game. ‘Like I said, I’ll take that one. He wanted to do his little dirty stuff, so it is what it is.”

Jennings said he was responding to ‘childish behavior’ which he believed was a response to his physical play.

‘That was just out of nowhere,’ Jennings said. ‘I think it’s probably just like I was saying, just the history of me playing ball. I play hard. I’m physically stronger than a lot of DBs out there and a lot of things happen in between the whistles, with me at least.’

49ers coach Kyle Shanahan lauded Jennings for how the receiver handled what he called a ‘cheap shot.’

‘I was real proud of Jauan for not losing his mind out there,’ Shanahan said.

Moehrig joined the Panthers this offseason on a three-year, $51 million contract. The fifth-year safety ranks second on the team with 81 tackles.

The top College Football Playoff rankings are expected to remain largely unchanged after a quiet weekend.
A potential debate exists for the No. 6 spot between Mississippi and Oregon following the Ducks’ win over USC.
Thanksgiving weekend features several high-stakes rivalry games that will finalize conference championship matchups.

After a quiet and drama-free weekend involving the biggest players in the College Football Playoff mix, the only real debate in the fourth playoff rankings comes between Mississippi and Oregon.

Despite dealing with injuries, Oregon looked the part of a championship contender in beating Southern California. That win might be enough to lift the Ducks one spot to No. 6 in Tuesday night’s rankings.

While the status quo is more likely, swapping spots with the Rebels would provide a glimpse into where the selection committee will land in the discussions over whether the Big Ten or SEC champion deserves to be the bracket’s top seed.

Otherwise, an uneventful Saturday sets the stage for a winner-take-all Thanksgiving weekend that will determine conference championship game matchups.

Here’s how the top 12 of this week’s playoff rankings will look:

1. Ohio State (11-0)

Best win: vs. Texas (14-7), Aug. 30.

Up next: at No. 15 Michigan, Saturday.

The Buckeyes are built on both sides of the ball to snap a four-game losing streak in the rivalry to Michigan. Another loss would be terrible but also not the worst thing: Ohio State would get an extra week off and would very likely still finish in the top four to earn a bye through the opening round.

2. Indiana (11-0)

Best win: at Oregon (30-20), Oct. 11.

Up next: at Purdue, Friday.

Indiana is about a four-touchdown favorite against overmatched Purdue. A win would set a program record for victories in a season.

3. Texas A&M (11-0)

Best win: at Notre Dame (41-40), Sept. 13.

Up next: at No. 16 Texas, Friday.

The Aggies would miss the SEC championship game with a loss at Texas should Alabama beat Auburn in the Iron Bowl, setting up a rematch between the Tide and Georgia.

4. Georgia (10-1)

Best win: vs. Mississippi (43-35), Oct. 18.

Up next: vs. No. 19 Georgia Tech, Saturday.

While the Yellow Jackets are reeling from two bad losses that will likely keep them out of the ACC title game, a rivalry win could give Georgia the résumé to finish in the top four even without reaching the SEC championship game.

5. Texas Tech (10-1)

Best win: vs. Brigham Young (29-7), Nov. 8.

Up next: at West Virginia, Saturday.

Don’t look for Tech to get tripped up in Morgantown. In the case of a massive upset, the Red Raiders will transition into must-win mode in the Big 12 championship game, which looks like a rematch against BYU.

6. Mississippi (10-1)

Best win: at Oklahoma (34-26), Oct. 25.

Up next: at Mississippi State, Friday.

The Egg Bowl doubles as the season finale and possibly the final game for Lane Kiffin, who is expected to announce this weekend whether he plans to stay in Oxford or head off to another SEC locale. Unfortunately, the drama over his decision continues to overshadow the program’s best season in about 60 years.

7. Oregon (10-1)

Best win: vs. Southern California (42-27), Nov. 22.

Up next: at Washington, Saturday.

Look for the Ducks to potentially gain ground in the penultimate rankings. In addition to Oregon adding a solid road win against Washington, the committee might be inclined to drop the Rebels in the rankings should Kiffin leave for another job shortly after the Egg Bowl.

8. Oklahoma (9-2)

Best win: at Alabama (23-21), Nov. 15.

Up next: vs. LSU, Saturday.

One more win will lock Oklahoma into an at-large berth. The Sooners should be able to handle an LSU offense that has scored just 52 points since the start of the second half against A&M on Oct. 25.

9. Notre Dame (9-2)

Best win: vs. Southern California (34-24), Oct. 18.

Up next: at Stanford, Saturday.

Notre Dame demolished Syracuse and should do the same against Stanford to reach the playoff for a second year in a row. It will be interesting to see how much the Irish lean on running back Jeremiyah Love given the need to balance his workload with the chance at being a Heisman Trophy finalist.

10. Alabama (9-2)

Best win: at Georgia (24-21), Sept. 27.

Up next: at Auburn, Saturday.

Georgia will be rooting for Auburn. A&M might be, too. BYU, Miami, Vanderbilt and Utah will definitely be rooting against the Crimson Tide. An Alabama loss is the one result that could bring chaos and controversy to the final rankings.

11. Brigham Young

Best win: vs. Utah (24-21), Oct. 18.

Up next: vs. Central Florida.

Look for the Cougars to roll over UCF and bring just one loss into the rematch with Texas Tech. BYU would have an at-large case with a second loss but would need to play close and hope for an upset or two in the rest of the Power Four.

12. Miami

Best win: vs. Notre Dame (27-24), Aug. 31.

Up next: at No. 24 Pittsburgh.

Miami will have a case for moving up one spot and replacing Utah after the Utes gave up a quarter mile of rushing yards in a dramatic win against Kansas State. The Hurricanes have regained their composure after a wobbly midseason lull and are inching closer to Notre Dame.

Chelsea and Barcelona both seek a crucial win in the UEFA Champions League as they face off at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, Nov. 25.

Chelsea is coming off a surprising 2-2 draw against Qarabag in the league phase. The match started positively for Chelsea, with Estêvão scoring the opening goal. However, Qarabag quickly turned the tide, with Leandro Andrade scoring in the 29th minute and Marko Jankovic converting a penalty to take the lead by halftime. Early in the second half, Alejandro Garnacho equalized for Chelsea, resulting in the draw and setting up a must-win game against Barcelona.

Barcelona also settled for a 3-3 draw in its previous match against Club Brugge in the Champions League. Brugge’s Nicola Tresoldi opened the scoring just six minutes into the match. Barcelona’s Ferran Torres quickly equalized. However, Brugge regained the lead before halftime with another early goal, this time from Carlos Forbs. The second half featured three more goals: Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal scored first, followed by an own goal from Christos Tzolis. Finally, Forbs netted his second goal for Brugge in the 63rd minute to seal the draw.

Here is how to watch Chelsea take on Barcelona in the Champions League league phase game on Tuesday.

How to watch Chelsea vs Barcelona

Date: Tuesday, Nov. 25
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Stream: Paramount+
Location: Stamford Bridge (London)

Aaron Rodgers missed the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 31-28 Week 12 loss to the Chicago Bears while dealing with a small fracture in his non-throwing left wrist.

It doesn’t sound like the ailment will keep the 41-year-old quarterback sidelined long-term.

Will Rodgers be able to play in Week 13 as the Steelers face a critical battle with the Buffalo Bills? Here are the latest updates on the veteran quarterback’s status.

Is Aaron Rodgers playing Week 13?

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin provided a positive outlook when discussing Rodgers’ potential availability for Week 13 at a Tuesday news conference.

‘We’ll start this week with great optimism, although we’ll certainly limit him in the early portions of the week,’ Tomlin told reporters of Rodgers. ‘Provide opportunities for the other quarterbacks while preserving him. But again, we’re comfortable with the general trajectory.’

Tomlin also added Rodgers ‘worked his tail off’ in an effort to get ready for the Week 12 game against Chicago. He reiterated that the Steelers simply kept him on the bench because it was the ‘prudent’ move.

However, despite his optimism, the 53-year-old coach did not guarantee Rodgers would start in Week 13.

‘His level of his participation, and the quality of his participation over the course of the week, will be the greatest indicator,’ Tomlin said when discussing the possibility of Rodgers playing.

Steelers QB depth chart

The Steelers have three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster, including Rodgers. Below is a look at the pecking order within the group.

Aaron Rodgers
Mason Rudolph
Will Howard

Rudolph started Sunday’s game with Rodgers out of action. The seven-year veteran completed 24 of 31 passes (77.4%) for 171 yards, one touchdown and one interception in the 31-28 loss while posting an 86.9 passer rating.

Howard, a sixth-round rookie from Ohio State, dressed as Rudolph’s backup. It marked his first time being on an active, gameday roster, as he spent the first 10 weeks of the season on IR before serving as the emergency third quarterback in Week 11.

The Steelers also have veteran Skylar Thompson in their organization. He is currently on IR because of a hamstring injury.

The Los Angeles Rams remain the top-ranked team for the fourth consecutive week.
The Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs both moved up two spots in the rankings.
The Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills are headed in the wrong direction.

NFL power rankings entering Week 13 of the 2025 season (previous rank in parentheses):

1. Los Angeles Rams (1): Hate to say we told y’all − except we love to tell you we told y’all. (We also anointed QB Matthew Stafford as the league MVP in Week 7, but who’s counting … besides us?) This will be the Rams’ fourth straight week in this top spot − largely because there are no weaknesses here … unless Stafford’s back tightens up. Heck, these guys haven’t trailed since Week 6. A stretch run with four of their final six regular-season games on the road could make things more interesting, though.

6. Philadelphia Eagles (5): Much as it feels like this team suffers from self-inflicted wounds, Philly’s six turnovers are the league’s fewest.

7. Kansas City Chiefs (9): Must be horrible being related to a K.C. player. The team is playing on Thanksgiving and Christmas this year … though it might be on vacation by MLK Day in 2026 given how things have been going in 2025, Sunday’s defeat of Indy notwithstanding.

10. Baltimore Ravens (11): The AFC North’s best team? Technically. Apparently. Yet the Ravens have struggled to put away last-place opponents for three weeks running. They’ll face another one, Cincinnati, on Thanksgiving night.

11. Houston Texans (13): Yet another impressive component of this top-ranked defense? It has 17 takeaways over the past eight games, a stretch when the resurgent Texans have gone 6-2.

13. Jacksonville Jaguars (14): Just a game out of first place in the AFC South, the Jags have four of their final six games against the Colts and Titans.

14. San Francisco 49ers (15): RB Christian McCaffrey is on track for his third season with 2,000 yards from scrimmage and second with both 1,000 yards rushing and receiving − a feat no player in NFL history has managed on multiple occasions.

16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12): This should make ailing QB Baker Mayfield feel better − the Bucs’ upcoming three-game homestand will be against opponents with a collective record of 9-24.

20. Carolina Panthers (19): Rather than capitalize on a prime-time chance to assume first place in the NFC South, they retreated to .500 − and a continued NFC West nightmare with the Rams soon headed to Charlotte.

23. Cincinnati Bengals (23): QB Joe Burrow will apparently make his first start since Week 2 on Thanksgiving night in Baltimore. Whether that’s a good idea, especially as it pertains to Burrow’s health, remains very much unclear.

24. Cleveland Browns (24): If DE Myles Garrett merely averages one sack per game the rest of the way, he’ll finish with 24. Give him some more leads to play with, Shedeur.

27. Washington Commanders (27): Maybe this offense will look a lot better in 2026 when WR Brandon Aiyuk, a former Sun Devil like QB Jayden Daniels, gets plugged into it?

29. New Orleans Saints (28): They looked good Sunday … meaning their first-ever game while dressed in black head to toe. Might have had to stick with that look had they opted to sign K Justin Tucker.

30. New York Jets (29): QB Tyrod Taylor’s promotion coincided with the NYJ’s worst rushing output of the season while clinching the franchise’s 10th consecutive losing campaign. That’ll show ’em. Trust the process.

31. Las Vegas Raiders (31): Just coach ’em all by yourself, Pete − it’s basically a Pop Warner squad anyway.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup final draw, which determines the groupings and matchups, is just a little more than a week away and will take place at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., on December 5.

42 of the 48 teams participating in the largest FIFA World Cup to date will be divided into groups during the final draw, with the final six berths to be determined via play-off matches in March 2026. The draw will also finalize the matchups and schedule for the 16 host cities across North America, with the tournament set to run from June to July 2026. The host cities have already been assigned positions, with Mexico in Group A1, Canada in Group B1, and the United States in Group D1. The groups and matchups will be finalized on the day of the draw.

In the group stage, 48 teams will compete in 12 groups, labeled A through L. The top two teams from each group, along with the eight third-best teams, will advance to the round of 32. The remaining teams will progress through five knockout stages. Each team will play a total of eight matches, with three days of rest between each match if they continue to advance throughout the tournament. In total, there will be 104 official matches played during the tournament.

Here is everything to know ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final draw.

When is the 2026 FIFA World Cup

The final draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. on Friday, December 5.

How to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup final draw

Fox Sports will air the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, featuring three-and-a-half hours of live coverage. This event will be broadcast on television in the United States for the first time ever. Coverage will begin at 11:30 a.m. ET. The official draw is expected to take place anytime between 12 p.m. ET through 2 p.m. ET. and expected to be around 45 minutes.

Teams involved in the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Here are the following nations that will be represented in the final draw, according to FIFA:

Co-hosts: Canada, Mexico, USA
AFC: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Korea Republic, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan
CAF: Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
Concacaf: Curaçao, Haiti, Panama
CONMEBOL: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay
OFC: New Zealand
UEFA: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland

2026 FIFA World Cup drawing pots

The 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament will be organized into four groups, known as pots, based on team rankings. Pot 1 will include the three host nations—Canada, Mexico, and the United States—along with the nine highest-ranked teams. The remaining 36 teams will be allocated to Pots 2, 3, and 4 based on their FIFA rankings. Additionally, the draw will set aside six spots for teams that advance from the playoff matches.