Update on the latest sports

MLB-SCHEDULE

Braves and Giants open a series in San Francisco

UNDATED (AP) — The Atlanta Braves begin a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants Friday night in a matchup of NL division leaders.

Ian Anderson pitches for Atlanta in the opener of a 10-game trip that concludes with a big three-game set at San Diego. Logan Webb goes for his third straight win for San Francisco.

The Braves are looking to hold off Philadelphia in the NL East, and the major league-leading Giants are being pushed by the World Series champion Dodgers in the West. The teams also played in August, with the Braves taking two of three in Atlanta.

In other highlights of Friday’s schedule:

— Corey Kluber (KLOO’-bur), who twice won the AL Cy Young Award during his nine seasons with Cleveland, pitches against the Indians for the first time. Kluber takes on former teammate José Ramírez and a few other familiar faces when he starts for New York at Yankee Stadium. Zach Plesac (PLEE’-sak) starts for Cleveland. The Yankees begin the day a half-game behind AL wild card co-leaders Toronto and Boston. Kluber was 98-58 and a three-time All-Star with the Indians before being traded away as part of the team’s roster overhaul. The 35-year-old righty pitched one game for Texas last season and then joined the Yankees.

— Two-way star Shohei Ohtani (SHOH’-hay oh-TAH’-nee) won’t pitch Friday night for the Los Angeles Angels because of a sore right arm that could sideline him as a pitcher for the rest of the season. Ohtani hasn’t pitched since Sept. 10, when he was tagged for six runs on nine hits in 3 1/3 innings in a loss at Houston. He felt soreness while playing catch Wednesday. The arm discomfort won’t prevent him from continuing to hit. Ohtani is third in the major leagues with 44 home runs.

— Longtime Phillies starter Vince Velasquez makes his first start since signing a minor league deal with the pitching-depleted Padres. Cut by Philadelphia this week, the 29-year-old righty is set to start the series opener at St. Louis in a matchup of NL wild-card contenders. Blake Snell was originally lined up to pitch, but he was put on the injured list with a strained adductor. Padres starter Chris Paddack also is out with elbow inflammation. Velasquez was 3-6 with a 5.95 ERA for the Phillies this year. He was 30-40 for Philadelphia over six seasons.

NFL-NEWS

Heat illness sidelines Cowboys’ Nsekhe

UNDATED (AP) — Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Ty Nsekhe (nih-SEHK’-ee) is out for Sunday’s game at the Los Angeles Chargers after being hospitalized overnight because of heat illness.

Coach Mike McCarthy says Nsekhe was treated after practice Thursday. The athletic trainers decided to send him to the hospital because they didn’t like the way the 35-year-old was responding to rehydration. He was released Friday morning.

The temperature was approaching 90 degrees with about 50% humidity when the team’s roughly two-hour practice ended.

In other NFL news:

— The Los Angeles Chargers have placed starting offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga (buh-LAH’-gah) on injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least three games. Bulaga was battling groin and back injuries throughout training camp. He started at right tackle during last Sunday’s opener at Washington, playing 45 snaps before being sidelined early in the third quarter after tweaking his back. He didn’t practice this week as the Chargers prepare for Sunday’s home opener against the Dallas Cowboys. Storm Norton came in for Bulaga last week and is expected to get the start at right tackle.

— The back issue that bothered Green Bay outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith throughout the preseason will now force the Packers to play without their Pro Bowl pass rusher for the next few weeks. Packers coach Matt LaFleur says Smith is going on injured reserve. The Packers host the Detroit Lions on Monday night. Smith has 26 sacks for the Packers over the last two seasons. He practiced just one day during training camp and played 18 snaps in the Packers’ 38-3 season-opening loss to the New Orleans Saints.

— Cleveland Browns starting linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. is going on injured reserve with a hamstring issue that will keep him out at least three games. Walker signed as a free agent in March after four seasons with Indianapolis. He led Cleveland with nine tackles in last week’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He’s also the Browns’ signal caller on defense. Cleveland may also be without starting left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr., who hurt his ankle in last week’s game. His backup, Chris Hubbard, has a triceps injury and was ruled out for Sunday’s home opener against Houston.

— Miami Dolphins wide receiver Will Fuller will be away from the team indefinitely while he deals with a personal issue. He has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against Buffalo. Dolphins coach Brian Flores said Fuller’s situation will be considered a day-to-day issue and that the speedy wide receiver would remain on the active roster. Fuller returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since being activated from a six-game suspension he was handed last season for a performance-enhancing drug violation. He did not practice Thursday and was ruled out Friday.

— New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton says the club has decided to continue practicing at TCU next week in preparation for their Week 3 game at New England before returning to their New Orleans-area headquarters in Week 4. Payton says they plan to host the New York Giants in the Superdome. The Saints have been displaced to the Dallas area since Aug. 28. They left New Orleans as Hurricane Ida approached Louisiana’s coast. The Saints had to cancel their final preseason home game and move their first regular season home game last week to Jacksonville.

LSU-GAMBLING SPONSORSHIP

LSU, Caesars Sportsbook, enter sponsorship agreement

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — LSU and Caesar’s Sportsbook have announced a multi-year sponsorship agreement that makes Louisiana’s flagship state university the first in the Southeastern Conference to enter a financial partnership with a gambling company.

A person familiar with the situation tells The Associated Press that Caesars will pay LSU “multiple millions” of dollars for signage at Tiger Stadium and other LSU sports venues.

The deal comes as Louisiana, already home to several land-based or riverboat casinos, prepares to permit legal sports betting. The state’s Gaming Control Board is accepting casino applications for sports betting licenses.

The deal also comes as national rules governing college sports have begun to allow college athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness without jeopardizing their eligibility. It remains unclear with players older than 21 will be able to participate in any of Caesar’s advertising campaigns at LSU or around the state.