Rutgers star freshman Ace Bailey is out for Wednesday's game against Wagner after suffering an injury in practice on Monday, the school announced, delaying the debut of the projected top-five pick.

Bailey, whose injury was not specified by the school, will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis.

A 6-foot-10 wing from McEachern High School (Georgia), Bailey is expected to be the focal point for a Rutgers team entering the season with the highest expectations in program history. Bailey, ranked No. 2 in the ESPN 100 for the 2024 class, became the program's highest-ranked recruit in history when he committed to the Scarlet Knights in January 2023.

He's a contender to be the No. 1 pick in June's NBA draft, ranking No. 2 in ESPN's 2025 draft rankings behind Duke's Cooper Flagg. Bailey, who turned 18 years old in August, already showed flashes of his immense talent, scoring 25 points and making four 3-pointers in an exhibition game loss to St. John's last month.

Rutgers was ranked No. 25 in the preseason AP poll, marking just the second time since 1978 that the Scarlet Knights were ranked entering the season.

Wednesday's game against Wagner will still feature the debut of fellow freshman and top-five recruit Dylan Harper, who is No. 3 in ESPN's draft rankings.

Rutgers' second game is at home against Saint Peter's on Nov. 11.

BEREA, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry was noncommittal when asked Wednesday about Deshaun Watson's standing with the franchise, as the quarterback's struggles in Cleveland continued before he sustained a season-ending right Achilles tendon tear in Week 7.

"Really our focus with Deshaun, I would say for any player with a season-ending injury and a major injury, is first and foremost and to make sure that he gets healthy from the Achilles injury," Berry said during a news conference with reporters during the team's bye week. "Everything else, we'll deal with at a later moment."

Before the injury, Watson posted the lowest Total QBR of any qualified passer in the NFL. The Browns were 1-5 in Watson's six starts before the Achilles injury and didn't reach 20 points in any of those games.

Berry, though, said the offense's issues were not limited to Watson.

"We haven't played well as a team and we haven't played well as a unit on offense," Berry said. "I think oftentimes when you don't play well on offense, obviously your starting quarterback and your playcaller will get the most criticism. But the reality of it is, offenses, it comes down to organization and synchronization. There's just a lot of shared ownership across the different position groups in terms of why we didn't perform."

Since trading three first-round picks and giving Watson a fully guaranteed $230 million contract before the 2022 season, Watson has started 19 games, with each of his last two seasons ending because of injury. He missed the final eight games of the 2023 season after undergoing surgery to his throwing shoulder. He served an 11-game suspension to start the 2022 season after more than two dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage sessions.

Since making his debut in Cleveland, Watson's 33.8 Total QBR ranks 32nd of 33 qualifying passers, higher than only that of the Carolina Panthers' Bryce Young.

Berry said he was in "full support" of coach Kevin Stefanski's decision to keep starting Watson before his latest injury. When asked whether the decision to trade for Watson was his or a mandate from ownership, Berry said: "All of us were on board."

The Browns still owe Watson $46 million in each of the next two seasons. Watson has cap hits of $72.9 million in the 2025 and 2026 seasons, both slated to be the second highest in the NFL. Cleveland would take on dead cap hits of $172 million and $99 million in 2025 and 2026 if the team were to part ways with Watson after the season.

One year after finishing with an 11-6 record and making the playoffs, the Browns are 2-7, tied for the worst record in the league.

Jameis Winston has taken over for the injured Watson and Stefanski relinquished playcalling duties to offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey in Week 8. A disappointing first half of the season has seen the team trade two veteran leaders: wide receiver Amari Cooper, who was traded to the Buffalo Bills, and defensive end Za'Darius Smith, who was dealt to the Detroit Lions before Tuesday's trade deadline.

When later asked whether it is still possible for Watson to return as the Browns' starting quarterback, Berry said, "Yeah, I think that's always possible."

Berry declined to assess the deal for Watson and whether it was a good trade.

"I'm really not in reflection mode," he said.

WHEN THE BOSTON CELTICS convened for training camp in September, it began yet another NBA champion's quest to repeat for the first time since the 2017-18 season.

Now, just two weeks into the 2024-25 campaign, the Celtics will face the franchise whose record-shattering success they are trying to emulate: the Golden State Warriors (7:30 p.m. ET Wednesday, ESPN).

The matchup in Boston has even more buzz after Celtics star Jayson Tatum's time with Team USA this summer, which included Warriors coach Steve Kerr benching him twice. It's the annual visit to TD Garden for Stephen Curry -- and a rematch of the NBA Finals from 2022, when the Warriors claimed their fourth title in eight seasons. It's also a reminder of the heights the Celtics are striving to reach.

"I believed we were going to win at some point," Tatum said on media day in September of the Celtics' run to the 2024 title. "It was never just about trying to just win one.

"All the guys I looked up to growing up won at least one championship. Now it's just a conversation of, 'How great are you trying to be?'"

While the league is boasting a six-year run of parity, the path Tatum and the Celtics seek looks eerily similar to the 2015-16 Warriors -- the winningest team of all time -- from their style of play to their roster construction to the skeptics who question the veracity of their championship.

MORE: Warriors counting on a 'different level' for Wiggins

AFTER BREAKING THROUGH for the 2015 title, the Warriors weren't yet viewed as the NBA's next dominant franchise. Despite starting the 2014-15 season 21-2, finishing with a record of 67-15 and winning the Western Conference by 11 games, they were derided as a "jump-shooting team" by pundits who didn't believe Golden State's style had staying power.

And Curry, who that season won the first of his back-to-back MVP awards, lost a narrow vote for Finals MVP to teammate Andre Iguodala, exacerbating criticism surrounding the guard's ability to be the best player on a championship team.

After beating a LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers team that was without both Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving in the NBA Finals, there were attempts to downplay Golden State's championship because it came at the hands of a diminished opponent. Some even dismissed the six-game series win as lucky.

Boston was similarly billed as a team too reliant on jump shooting -- and similarly critiqued for the relative ease of their title run. (The Celtics broke the NBA record for 3-pointers made in 2023 and 2024). The Celtics' playoff run was dominated by injuries to star opponents; Miami's Jimmy Butler, Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell and Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton all missed multiple games against Boston. And Tatum narrowly missed out on Finals MVP, with Jaylen Brown claiming the award and Eastern Conference finals MVP.

"Joe [Mazzulla] was probably the happiest person in the world that I didn't win Finals MVP," Tatum said. "That was odd, but if you know Joe, it makes sense."

The Celtics coach spent the summer making sure his team didn't suffer a championship hangover.

"So many times, people are focused on trying to win. I think it's just as important as keeping yourself from losing," Mazzulla said on media day. "As hard as it is to win, it's very easy to lose."

"STRENGTH IN NUMBERS" defined those Warriors championship teams, as Kerr relied on a deep rotation, including a committee approach at center. The Celtics play with a similar ethos. Payton Pritchard already has had two 20-point games off the bench this season. Reserve centers Luke Kornet, Xavier Tillman and Neemias Queta have all helped fill in for center Kristaps Porzingis, who is out at least another month after offseason ankle surgery. (Kornet scored 19 points in 30 minutes Saturday at the Charlotte Hornets.)

Iguodala, a dynamic two-way wing, was brought to Golden State as the potential missing player in the Warriors' championship puzzle. For Boston, Jrue Holiday has delivered a similar impact after he was acquired last fall.

Golden State's "Death Lineup" featured five elite defenders, each of whom were credible 3-point threats. Boston's run to the 2024 title was powered by six core players -- Tatum, Brown, Holiday, Porzingis, Al Horford and guard Derrick White -- dominating in the same manner.

The Warriors were built around their trio of drafted stars -- Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Boston has been constructed around the dynamic wing tandem of Tatum and Brown. And since Mazzulla became coach before the 2022-23 season, Boston has gone 128-44 -- 14 wins better than any other NBA team.

All of that has positioned the Celtics as well as any defending champion over the past six seasons to become the first repeat winner since those Warriors teams with Curry and Kevin Durant in 2017 and 2018.

Those Warriors squads came into existence, however, because Golden State's 73-win season in 2015-16 ended in heartbreak after blowing a 3-1 series lead in the NBA Finals. For all of the similarities between this Celtics team and the early years of the Golden State dynasty, that is the one result for which Boston hopes history doesn't repeat itself.

The hiring of Skip Schumaker as a senior advisor may mean that the Texas Rangers have their future manager under contract.

But if current manager Bruce Bochy, who is likely to be inducted into the Hall of Fame once his career is over, wants to continue beyond 2025, the Rangers will enthusiastically welcome that.

According to one source, Bochy will have the latitude to continue if that's what he wants.

"If [Bochy] wants to manage beyond 2025, [the Rangers] are good with that," a highly ranked source told ESPN.

Bochy, who turns 70 in April, just completed his 27th season managing in the big leagues -- for the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants before he became the Rangers' skipper in 2023 -- and ranks eighth all time in managerial wins with 2,171, the most for any current manager.

Next season, he will likely pass Dusty Baker and Sparky Anderson on the list. Bochy's teams have won four championships -- the Giants in 2010, 2012 and 2014, and the Rangers in 2023.

Schumaker, 44, is viewed as a rising star in the managerial ranks after his first two seasons, with the Miami Marlins.

Miami made the playoffs in 2023 and Schumaker was named National League Manager of the Year. But when the Marlins' ownership effectively pushed out Kim Ng, the GM who hired Schumaker, he asked the team to void a 2025 option year on his contract, and he left the Marlins after the 2024 season.

One year into his tenure with the Padres, Mike Shildt has been rewarded with a two-year contract extension that ties the manager to San Diego through 2027.

The Padres announced the agreement Wednesday with the 56-year-old manager after they went 93-69, finishing five games behind the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West and claiming the top NL wild card.

"I am honored to continue leading this team toward Peter Seidler's vision of bringing a World Series championship to San Diego," Shildt said in a statement. "In collaboration with our players and coaching staff, we are committed to building on our success, serving our community and the City of San Diego, and delivering a winning team to our incredible and deserving fan base."

San Diego swept a two-game wild-card series against the Atlanta Braves, then took a 2-1 lead on the Dodgers in the best-of-five NL Division Series. Los Angeles bounced back to win the final two games 8-0 and 2-0.

The Padres tied for first in the majors with a .263 batting average and ranked sixth with a .745 OPS. Their 3.86 team ERA rated 12th, and their pitching staff's 1,453 strikeouts came in sixth.

Shildt previously managed the Cardinals from 2018 to 2021, logging a 252-199 regular-season record and guiding St. Louis into the postseason in three of his four seasons. He was voted NL Manager of the Year in 2019.

"As Mike demonstrated this year, he has an unwavering commitment to winning and a unique set of skills that got our group to perform at a high level," Padres president of baseball operations and general manager A.J. Preller said in a statement. "He possesses a true love for this team and the game of baseball, and I am thrilled to continue to work together with Mike to bring a championship to the City of San Diego."

Field Level Media contributed to this report.

SAN ANTONIO -- Free agent pitcher Kyle Hendricks has agreed to a one year, $2.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels, sources familiar with the situation told ESPN.

Hendricks, 34, posted a 5.92 ERA for the Chicago Cubs last season but was better in the second half after a stint in the bullpen. His ERA was 4.41 from mid-July to the end of the regular season. He threw 7.1 shutout innings in his last start as a Cub in late September after spending the first 11 years of his career with Chicago.

The Angels are hoping Hendricks finds more consistency in 2025, similar to what he displayed at times late in 2024. They also have a young pitching staff which needs mentoring. Hendricks can help in the that department as well.

Hendricks won the ERA title in 2016, helping the Cubs to a World Series title. He was the last member of that team still playing for the Cubs until he became a free agent just a few days ago. Overall, he's 97-81 with a 3.68 ERA.

Hendricks is from the Los Angeles area, having gone to Capistrano High School in Mission Viejo, California. He was originally drafted by the Angels in the 39th round in 2008 before attending Dartmouth. Additionally, his dad worked in the Angles ticket office for six years when Kyle was a teenager.

Zheng Qinwen crushed Jasmine Paolini to secure a place in the WTA Finals last four on her tournament debut.

The 22-year-old, China's Olympic gold medallist in the summer, showcased her power in an easy 6-1 6-1 win that eliminated Italian Paolini.

It left Zheng with a 2-1 group-stage record, with her sole loss coming against Aryna Sabalenka on the first day of the tournament.

She is the second Chinese woman to reach the semi-finals of the tournament following the legendary Li Na in 2013.

"I didn't know what would happen when I came here," said Zheng. "I just told myself to enjoy it, especially because I am in a really difficult group."

Having already clinched the year-end world number one ranking, Sabalenka will top the group if she beats Elena Rybakina later on Wednesday.

The tournament, contested between the top eight singles and doubles players, offers record prize money, with an unbeaten singles champion set to collect just under 4m.

The WTA Finals are being held in Saudi Arabia for the first time - a move which has been criticised by some because of the country's human rights record.

Former South Africa captain Bob Skinstad thinks the Springboks will be wary of Huw Jones at Murrayfield on Sunday, saying the Scotland player is "one of the best centres in the world".

The sides meet just over a year on from their World Cup pool opener in Marseille, where the Boks overpowered Gregor Townsends men en route to lifting the trophy.

Despite the gulf between the sides that day, Skinstad says the South Africans will be respectful of the threats Scotland pose, Jones in particular.

"Huw Jones, for me, he's been under-recognised as a player for a long time," Skinstad, who won 42 Springboks caps between 1997 and 2007, said.

"I think Jones is probably one of the best centres in the world. I love the way he runs, I love the way he distributes. He'd fit into a South African team."

Talking to the BBC's Scotland Rugby Podcast, Skinstad added: "It's not often that you can say, 'let's pick 12 of the opposition players who can fit into a world champion team'. But I would look across the Scottish guys and say they've certainly got a good run at eight or 10 guys who could turn out for another international team, which is fantastic.

"That means you're in the top five, top six in the world, just by sheer weight of numbers of quality players."

Full-back George Furbank says England will "take their learnings" from a run of three narrow defeats by New Zealand as they prepare to face Australia in the Autumn Nations Series.

England surrendered leading positions on all three occasions as they lost their two-match summer series in New Zealand before opening their autumn campaign with a two-point home defeat by the All Blacks at Allianz Stadium last Saturday.

Steve Borthwick's side were also beaten 33-31 by France in their final Six Nations game this year after a last-minute Thomas Ramos penalty.

Furbank, 28, says England are aiming to improve their discipline and make "better decisions" in the closing stages of matches.

"Test rugby against the top sides is probably always going to come down to the last quarter but each match is different," Furbank told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"There are learnings to take from last week and the big one for us was the amount of penalties we conceded in the final quarter.

"We lost five, having conceded only a couple leading up to that.

"It's about being smart in that area to give you territory and close the game out. We have to be quicker at taking those learnings into games.

"Ultimately you just want to make good decisions and not allow the opposition in.

"If we kept that ball better we could have got down in their half, but we gave New Zealand momentum again."

England have beaten Australia in 10 of their last 11 meetings and will be favourites when the two sides renew their rivalry at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.

Furbank says the hosts want to play with the England "DNA" against Joe Schmidt's side, who have also lost their last three Tests.

"We probably didn't move the ball as well as we could have [against New Zealand] and we squandered a few opportunities, even before the last quarter," added Furbank.

"We need to get that right but it's about putting our DNA on the pitch, in the way we want to attack and defend.

"There might be opportunities to play through Australia or to go wide but it's about being loaded on the pitch to be able to pull both triggers."

While British and Irish Lions prop Furlong's absence is a considerable loss to Ireland's pack, head coach Andy Farrell welcomes back several of his backline players.

Full-back Hugo Keenan returns after his involvement with Ireland's Olympic sevens team, while Jamison Gibson-Park is restored at scrum-half after injury ruled him out of the summer Test series in South Africa.

Mack Hansen, who missed the Six Nations and Springbok series because of a shoulder injury, starts on the right wing with Calvin Nash on the bench.

Jack Crowley is retained at fly-half while Garry Ringrose and Bundee Aki are named in midfield.

Joe McCarthy and James Ryan line up in the second row, with Tadhg Beirne and Josh van der Flier alongside Doris in the back row.

Ulster's Rob Herring, who has not played yet this season, provides the hooker cover from the bench with Conor Murray, Ciaran Frawley and Jamie Osborne selected as the backline replacements.

After Friday's much-anticipated rematch with the All Blacks, Ireland host Argentina, Fiji and Australia during their autumn campaign.