The plans to retire at the end of this year had been in place so long that every race weekend of Kevin Harvick's 23rd season felt fairly routine. Until it came time for the last one.

NEW YORK (AP) — Atlanta right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. was voted player of the year and the National League's outstanding player by fellow major leaguers in the annual Players Choice Awards of the Major League Baseball Players Association. Los Angeles Angels designated hitter and pitcher Shohei Ohtani was voted the American League's outstanding player, the union said Thursday.

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves have brought back another key member of their bullpen, re-signing right-hander Joe Jiménez to a $26 million, three-year contract on Thursday. Jiménez will make $8 million next season and $9 million in each of the final two years of the deal. He will donate 1% of his salary to the Atlanta Braves Foundation.

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — The Southeastern Conference standings and AP Top 25 poll cast a spotlight on what will be at stake Saturday when No. 1 Georgia puts its 25-game winning streak on the line against No. 14 Missouri. The season's first College Football Playoff ranking only added heat to the spotlight.

ATLANTA (AP) — James Madison had made quite an impression moving up to college football's top division, even if the No. 23 Dukes won't be rewarded for it. Coach Curt Cignetti insists his undefeated team isn't fretting over NCAA rules that make it tough for teams transitioning from FCS to FBS.

PHOENIX (AP) — Nathan Eovaldi pitched six gutsy innings, Mitch Garver broke a scoreless tie with an RBI single in the seventh and the Texas Rangers are World Series champions for the first time in their 63-year franchise history after beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 in Game 5 on Wednesday night. Marcus Semien homered late and the Rangers, held hitless for six innings by Zac Gallen, finished a record 11-0 on the road this postseason by capping the Fall Classic with three straight wins in the desert.

ATLANTA (AP) — Dejounte Murray had 24 points and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Washington Wizards 130-121 on Wednesday night for their third straight win. Murray, who was coming off a career-high tying 41-point effort against the Timberwolves, shot 10-for-15 from the field, including 3-for-5 from 3-point range.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Taylor Heinicke has moved past turnover-plagued Desmond Ridder as the Atlanta Falcons' starting quarterback for Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings. Coach Arthur Smith said Wednesday the decision to start Heinicke was made “with all the variables considering everything.” Smith would not commit to Heinicke keeping the job past Sunday.

The Texas Rangers offered Corey Seager $325 million before the 2022 season hoping the 2020 World Series MVP could help the franchise finally earn a title of its own. It could all pay off Wednesday night. Seager and Marcus Semien each homered early in an 11-7 rout of the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 4 on Tuesday night, pushing the Rangers' Series lead to 3-1 and putting them on the brink of a title.

SEC standard bearers Georgia and Alabama are front and center in Week 10 of the college football season after the Pac-12 commanded the national spotlight for most of the last month. The No. 1 Bulldogs begin what figures to be their toughest three-game stretch of the season when No. 14 Missouri visits on Saturday. No. 8 Alabama hosts No. 13 LSU in what should be its most challenging remaining regular-season game, though the Iron Bowl finale against Auburn can be a wildcard.

The Patriots have the history. The Chiefs have the juice. New England is bringing its six Super Bowl trophies. How about a yacht? Kansas City has that, not to mention the star quarterback and tight end. They’re all headed to Frankfurt to take part in two weeks of American football because beyond the games, there are German fans to win over. A lot of them.

The Texas Rangers overcame injuries to Adolis García and Max Scherzer for a 3-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks and a 2-1 World Series lead. Now, if Texas is going to close out its first championship, it may have to do so without two of its biggest stars. García, perhaps the hottest hitter in all of baseball this October, left in the eighth inning Monday night after hurting his left side on a swing. He went to a hospital for an MRI.

ATLANTA (AP) — Dejounte Murray matched his career high with 41 points and the Atlanta Hawks bounced back from a 19-point halftime deficit to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-113 on Monday night. Murray took command in the third quarter, getting the Hawks back in the game almost single-handedly. He equaled his 41-point effort against Portland on March 3.

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons are trying to downplay any talk of a quarterback controversy. Good luck with that. After Desmond Ridder struggled through the first half against the Tennessee Titans, the Falcons (4-4) turned to Taylor Heinicke the rest of the way.

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Top-ranked Georgia has renewed reason to have confidence in its offense as it prepares for a challenge against SEC East rival No. 14 Missouri on Saturday. Georgia played without its top receiver, tight end Brock Bowers, and still rolled to a 43-20 victory over Florida last week. 

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett is out for the season with a knee injury, coach Arthur Smith said Monday. The 30-year-old Jarrett tore an ACL during the early minutes of a 28-23 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Trae Young scored 20 points to lead eight players in double figures, and the Atlanta Hawks limited Damian Lillard to six points while routing the listless Milwaukee Bucks 127-110 on Sunday night for their first victory of the season.

Oklahoma dropped four spots to No. 10, the top five teams held their places and Kansas and Kansas State both entered The Associated Press college football poll on Sunday. Georgia is No. 1 for the 20th straight week, receiving 48 of 63 first-place votes, distancing itself from No. 2 Michigan after the Bulldogs walloped Florida on Saturday. This is the 50th consecutive week that either Georgia or Alabama has been No. 1.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Atlanta coach Arthur Smith was asked several different ways, and his answer Sunday on changing quarterbacks at halftime came down to protecting Desmond Ridder after the starter was evaluated for a concussion. Not Ridder's performance, ugly as it was for the first half.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The butterflies Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Will Levis felt over the past two weeks disappeared Sunday. It showed as Levis threw four touchdown passes for a performance that matched what only two other quarterbacks did in their NFL debuts. Levis celebrated the last TD on his back with his arms in the air. Levis helped the Titans score their most points since 2021 in beating the Atlanta Falcons 28-23.

Haynes King threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Brett Seither with 4:28 remaining and Georgia Tech handed No. 17 North Carolina its second straight loss, knocking off the Tar Heels in a 46-42 shootout Saturday night.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Carson Beck threw two touchdown passes in his hometown, Daijun Edwards ran for two scores and No. 1 Georgia dominated Florida 43-20 Saturday to extend its winning streak to 25. The two-time defending national champion Bulldogs (8-0, 5-0 Southeastern Conference) have now won three in a row and six of seven in the rivalry.

Maine's close-knit community of deaf and hard of hearing people is grieving in the wake of the Lewiston shootings that killed beloved members, many of whom were ardent advocates.

Adolis García took a few steps while watching the ball before tossing his bat aside after another big swing this postseason. This one won an extended Game 1 of the World Series for the Texas Rangers.

STATESBORO, Ga. (AP) — Davis Brin passed for 334 yards and three touchdowns to propel Georgia Southern to a 44-27 victory over Georgia State on Thursday night. Brin gave Georgia Southern (6-2, 3-1 Sun Belt Conference) a 7-0 lead when he connected with Khaleb Hood for a 24-yard touchdown midway through the first quarter.