The Red Way

The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards are under way, with celebrities arriving on the red carpet ahead of the ceremony. Outlets are publishing photo galleries of the arrivals and updating coverage live as more stars appear. The VMAs are one of the biggest nights in the music calendar, drawing major artists, bold fashion moments and early buzz ahead of the awards themselves.

The New York Yankees open their MLB wild-card series without star slugger Aaron Judge, who remains sidelined with a calf strain. Reports say Judge and Luis Arráez were left off wild-card rosters, while Garrett Crochet rejoins the Boston Red Sox for the series. A surgeon has warned that rushing Judge back could risk hamstring or Achilles injuries, adding concern over his recovery timeline.

Major League Baseball's automated ball-strike system is overturning a striking share of calls, with robot umpires flipping 54% of plays that managers have challenged this season. The Cincinnati Reds have been among the most frequent and successful users of the challenge, leading the league in overturned calls as teams adapt to the new technology.

Max Verstappen has prevented George Russell from achieving a rare Formula 1 distinction that, until now, only Lewis Hamilton holds. The specific milestone was not detailed in available reports, but Red Bull's Dutch driver stood in the way of the Mercedes man completing it. Fans and pundits are weighing what the near-miss means for Russell's standing among F1's elite.

India A and Australia A are playing the second unofficial Test, with ball-by-ball commentary and live scores available on Cricinfo. Cricket fans in India are tracking the match in real time as the two sides continue their competitive red-ball series, a key showcase for players on the fringes of their national teams.

Overnight sports talk radio is running through a busy slate: the Boston Red Sox were blown out by the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson, nicknamed Donnie Baseball, is being criticized for an old-school decision, the Pittsburgh Steelers are reportedly shopping cornerback Joey Porter Jr., and the New York Giants may part ways with Odell Beckham Jr.

A secondhand red Jacquard damask tablecloth, measuring 70 by 51 inches, is being offered for sale ahead of the holiday season, marketed as a way to add vintage charm to festive dining. The listing comes from a thrift and recycling-focused seller encouraging buyers to purchase before it sells out.

The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees meet again on September 30, with viewers looking up how to watch Game 2 on television and via streaming. Viewers guides list the broadcast channel and streaming options for the MLB matchup. The longtime rivalry continues to draw strong interest, with fans searching for the best ways to follow the game live.

The Cincinnati Reds have announced that pitching coach Derek Johnson will not return to the role, and the club has begun searching for his replacement. The move marks a significant change to the team's coaching staff as the organization looks to reshape its pitching development going forward.

Max Verstappen set the fastest time in the opening practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix, topping the timesheets ahead of the rest of the field. Formula 1 fans are following the session results closely as the season-opening weekend gets under way, looking for early signs of which teams and drivers hold the edge.

Gaming outlets are speculating that Grand Theft Auto VI's wildlife gameplay may achieve something Red Dead Redemption 2 never managed, reportedly handling animals in a way that better fits its urban, modern-day setting of Leonida. Fans are debating how Rockstar will top the celebrated animal ecosystems of Red Dead 2 in a city-focused game. Details remain limited ahead of the game's release.

The New York Yankees are weighing how to use Giancarlo Stanton in their series against the Boston Red Sox. The Venezuelan slugger's usage, whether in the lineup, at designated hitter, or in limited appearances, is the main decision facing the club's coaching staff. Fans and baseball writers are debating the best way to deploy his power against Boston's pitching.

The White House is preparing to test whether a chatbot can help Americans navigate the maze of federal government services. The experiment, reported by TechCrunch, aims to use conversational AI to answer questions and guide citizens through bureaucratic processes. Supporters see it as a way to cut red tape and improve access, while the announcement has sparked debate about relying on AI for government interactions.

The Cincinnati Reds are moving on from pitching coach Derek Johnson, with the club set to name a replacement after his departure. The news was reported by The Athletic on October 1, 2026. Johnson's tenure oversaw a Reds pitching staff that struggled to develop consistency, and the change signals the team is reworking its coaching staff heading into the offseason.

CD Projekt Red's story director says the setting of Songs of the Past, a new expansion for The Witcher 3 announced roughly a decade after the game's release, felt like a really natural way to go. The remarks come as the studio faces questions about revisiting the 2015 RPG so long after launch and about what the DLC will add to the game's story and world.

Sergio Perez ran a radical setup during Friday practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix and later reflected on the experiment. The Red Bull driver's comments offer a look at how teams use opening sessions to test aggressive configuration changes before qualifying and the race under the Sakhir floodlights.