All articles tagged with #wild card
Bleacher Report singles out one potential wild-card contender from each NFL division for 2026, outlining the ceiling, floor, and spoiler risk for each (Dolphins, Browns, Colts, Chiefs, Giants, Vikings, Falcons, 49ers).
Seventeen-year-old Thea Frodin earned a wild card into the US Open through the USTA Billie Jean King Girls' 18s Nationals and will face No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina in her grand slam debut after serving as the tennis-playing body double for a young Serena Williams in King Richard; she arrives on the back of strong junior results, including a 2026 Australian Open semifinal in girls' singles and Wimbledon 2025 junior doubles final, with hopes to meet the Williams sisters during the tournament.
September begins with a muddled 2026 MLB playoff chase: only a handful of teams are truly out of the race (Angels, Athletics, Nationals, Mets, Giants, Rockies). The Dodgers lead the NL West and the Brewers the NL Central, while the Rays hold the AL East and the Braves are fending off the Phillies in the NL East. The Wild Card Series starts Sept. 29, with BYEs awarded to AL No. 1 Rays and AL No. 2 White Sox, and NL No. 1 Brewers and NL No. 2 Dodgers. Wild Card matchups: AL Astros vs Guardians and Yankees vs Red Sox; NL Braves vs Padres and Cubs vs Phillies. Caesars’ World Series odds list the Dodgers as favorites (+170) with the Brewers (+750), Yankees (+800), and others in pursuit.
The Cubs and Brewers square off in a pivotal four‑game set at Wrigley that could influence Wild Card home‑field status, as both sides rely on a quartet of top starters (Holmes vs Harrison, Boyd vs Gasser, Misiorowski vs Peterson, Gausman vs Henderson) and surge offensively behind Pete Crow-Armstrong and other contributors. With Milwaukee holding the division lead and Chicago chasing a playoff path, every game matters even if a dramatic division sweep is unlikely; injuries on both squads add further uncertainty to the chase for October.
Pokémon: Wild Card, an animated feature from Story Inc. with CloverWorks, was announced at the 2026 Pokémon World Championships closing ceremony, with a teaser confirming a 2027 release (and hints of 'coming 2027 and beyond'). Directed by Katsuhiko Kitada with character design by Akemi Hayashi, the film is produced by Story Inc. and CloverWorks handles animation; a related Pokémon series, The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d and Pichu, is also set to debut on Disney+ in 2027.
Pokémon announces 'Pokémon: Wild Card,' an animated feature directed by Katsuhiko Kitada and produced by CloverWorks, with a worldwide release planned for 2027. A teaser shown at the 2026 World Championships in San Francisco features a trading-card-game player and the ghost-type Mimikyu, with Akemi Hayashi on character design, marking the franchise’s first theatrically released Pokémon film since the early 2020s.
Stan Wawrinka, 41, earned a last-minute wild card to the US Open after American Patrick Kypson withdrew, giving the former champion one more shot at New York as he continues his retirement tour; his first-round opponent will be revealed in Thursday’s draw.
Luis Campusano hit a walk-off single in the 11th inning to lift the Padres to a 4-3 win over the Brewers and complete a three-game sweep, boosting San Diego into sole possession of a National League wild-card spot as the bullpen held Milwaukee to one run over seven scoreless innings and late-game drama fueled the comeback.
The Dodgers and Diamondbacks enter a decisive final series tied 5-5 in 2026, with Arizona coming off a dominant late break run that boosted its wild-card push, and Los Angeles hoping to rebound from a rough stretch that included sweeps by Boston and Chicago. LA’s offense is heating up around Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman, but bullpen struggles keep urgency high in the tight NL West race and Wild Card chase. Arizona needs Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte to snap back as they contend for the last playoff spot, and the set features Sasaki vs. Kelly on Friday, Yamamoto vs. Pfaadt on Saturday, and Wrobleski vs. Rodriguez on Sunday.
Boston capped a nine-game win streak with a 3-2, 10-inning comeback over the Mets, entering the All-Star break at 46-48 and just a half-game out of the wild-card spot with 68 games remaining, following a 9-0 road trip that opened the playoff path.
At 44, Serena Williams’ Wimbledon return ended with a three-set loss to 20-year-old Maya Joint in the first round, and she declined to speak to reporters after the match, issuing a written statement via organizers; the wildcard appearance drew discussion over media obligations, though many praised her competitive effort and reminders of her enduring fire to win.
Serena Williams said she wasn’t sure about playing Wimbledon singles and only decided to accept the last singles wild card a day before the deadline, after returning previously in doubles with Venus; she acknowledges nerves but views the opportunity as a potential career highlight and a chance to showcase her game at Wimbledon.
Serena Williams, 44, will start her Wimbledon comeback with a wildcard entry in singles, drawing 20-year-old Maya Joint in the first round—the American legend’s first Wimbledon singles match in nearly four years. Williams will also compete in doubles with sister Venus. Joint, ranked No. 53 and Wimbledon debutant last year, represents Australia through her father. If Williams advances, she could face top rivals in later rounds, continuing her historic comeback after last playing singles at the 2022 US Open.
Serena Williams has accepted a wild card into Wimbledon’s singles main draw, marking her first professional singles match since retiring after the 2022 U.S. Open; she will also play doubles with Venus as she attempts a high-profile comeback into a tougher, deeper field.
Serena Williams will compete in Wimbledon 2026 as the final ladies' singles wildcard, marking a high-profile comeback at age 44 after nearly four years away from tennis. She’ll also play doubles with Venus Williams, with first-round opponent to be revealed on Friday after the draws. Williams is a 23-time Grand Slam champion, including seven Wimbledon singles titles, and recently appeared in tune-ups in Berlin ahead of Wimbledon.