TMZ Sports

MLB fans better start warming up the hot dogs and buttering the popcorn ... because according to Alex Rodriguez, the impending Yankees vs. Dodgers championship matchup will be absolutely must-see TV!!

"It's going to be a great World Series," the former Yankees superstar told TMZ Sports while leaving Craig's in L.A. on Monday night. "The best in 25 years!"

Of course, you won't find many in the baseball world who will disagree ... as the New York vs. L.A. series does seem to have it all.

There are many things needed on an NFL sideline to ensure players are ready to go ... water, medical tents, video tablets -- and a container of ZYNs?!?

Well, that was at least the case during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' game against the Baltimore Ravens on "Monday Night Football" ... 'cause Baker Mayfield was spotted getting his nicotine fix on the bench.

The ESPN cameras captured Mayfield popping one of the popular pouches -- which are billed as an alternative to tobacco products -- right before the second half.

NBA fans, get ready to witness history on Tuesday ... LeBron and Bronny James are expected to play together on the Crypto.com Arena court during the Lakers season opener -- the first time it's ever happened during the regular season for a father-son duo!

Shams Charania revealed the plan hours before the Lakers tip off against the Minnesota Timberwolves in downtown Los Angeles, the first game of the 2024 season.

The father-and-son combo will "very likely" be on the court together early in the game -- but there's an "IF" -- assuming having both James' out on the floor makes sense.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Chris Godwin suffered a leg injury that was so severe against the Ravens -- ESPN declined to show replays of it on its "Monday Night Football" broadcast.

It all went down in the fourth quarter of the Bucs' blowout loss to Baltimore ... when Godwin and Baker Mayfield were trying to make the most of their evening during some garbage time.

The 28-year-old wideout caught a pass from his QB over the middle of the field on third-and-long ... and as he turned up to reach for the first-down line, Roquan Smith dragged him to the ground from behind.

MLB fans looking to own Shohei Ohtani's historic 50/50 home run ball might need to break a few more piggy banks for it than they initially expected ... 'cause Ken Goldin just revealed to TMZ Sports it wouldn't surprise him if the baseball sold for over $10 MILLION later this week.

Currently, the memento -- which Ohtani smacked over a left field wall during a never-before-seen performance against the Marlins back on Sept. 19 -- is a few mil away from getting to eight figures ... but Goldin says it's totally possible it reaches the plateau by the time the final gavel drops on bidding on Tuesday night.

According to the auction expert -- whose auction house is actually overseeing the sale -- most bids usually come in the final hours ... and with it already being up over $2 mil, it can threaten the $10 mil threshold for sure.

Lamar Odom is recalling his own experiences with street drugs in the wake of Liam Payne's toxicology report ... telling us the substances could have made the late singer hear voices.

We got Lamar in Encino, CA and our photog asked if he had ever used the drug cocktail known as "pink cocaine" ... a mix of ketamine, methamphetamine and ecstasy that police say was found in Liam's system.

Lamar, a recovering addict who owns Odom Recovery Group, said he's done every drug Liam had in his body ... including cocaine and crack, which Lamar feels is the worst one.

Surfer and influencer Giulia Manfrini has died at just 36 years old ... after she was speared by a swordfish in Indonesia.

The tragic incident happened earlier this month at Masokut Island, a popular spot for surfers ... when a swordfish jumped out of the water and struck Manfrini in her chest.

Manfrini reportedly suffered a wound 2 inches deep ... and was taken to a nearby health clinic. Sadly, she did not survive.

Braxton Berrios' season is over ... he's been officially diagnosed with a torn ACL -- but his girlfriend, Alix Earle, is making it clear she's going to be in his corner until he's back and better than ever.

The Dolphins star return man was hurt during Miami's 16-10 loss to the Colts on Sunday ... and after test results Monday revealed he'll need several months to return to 100 percent, Earle took to her Instagram page to express her heartbreak over the situation.

She did, though, say she was confident her man would get back to 100 percent despite the severity of the ailment ... and she vowed to be there with him every step of the way.

Tua Tagovailoa is close to returning to action following his latest concussion ... but he won't be putting some extra protection on his head when he takes the field -- telling reporters he is electing against wearing a Guardian Cap.

The Miami Dolphins quarterback has been cleared to practice after going down in Week 2 ... and despite all the chatter surrounding his NFL future, he said resuming his day job was never in question this time around -- unlike his previous head injuries.

26-year-old Tua -- who has had multiple serious concussions over the past few seasons -- said he's excited to get back to work ... as he hasn't experienced any symptoms since Sept. 13.

Matthew McConaughey is NOT "alright, alright, alright" with Texas fans throwing junk on the field during Saturday's game against Georgia ... telling students to "clean that kind of BS up" and do better moving forward.

As we previously reported, UT got hit with a $250k fine for hurling bottles and debris after a controversial pass interference call in the third quarter of the matchup ... which briefly delayed the action at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

The actor -- who also serves as the Minister of Culture for all things UT-related -- was not happy with how things unfolded ... releasing a statement directed at the student body.

Kristin Cavallari is embracing fall fashion for a recent visit to NYC ... putting her tanned legs on display in an ensemble featuring plenty of leather.

Check it out ... the "Laguna Beach" alum struts her stuff in a pair of heeled black leather boots, which she has paired with an itty-bitty patterned skirt. The reality TV veteran rounds out her autumnal ensemble with a dark tee and brown leather jacket ... proving it doesn't have to be summer to heat things up.

Kristin is clearly feeling herself during her Big Apple visit ... shooting the camera a small smirk as she makes her way from hotspot Carbone.

John Mayer poured his damn heart out reflecting on his beloved Mets 2024 season -- penning an emotional message thanking the team and star shortstop, Francisco Lindor, for being a source of inspiration to him this year.

The legendary musician collected his thoughts a day after the Mets lost in the NLCS to the Los Angeles Dodgers ... and it's clear the impact the squad had on him goes far beyond the wins and losses on the baseball diamond.

In fact, Mayer recalled a moment during Dead & Company's residency at the Las Vegas Sphere ... when he injured his finger and half his nail was sheared off during a show -- but Lindor's resiliency helped him get through it.

Arizona cops were so befuddled by Cameron Payne's insistence on giving them a fake name during his arrest earlier this year ... they actually called the NBA player and his decisions "dumb" -- new police video, obtained by TMZ Sports, shows.

The arrest went down at Payne's Scottsdale residence at around 2:30 AM on June 14 ... after cops jetted over to speak with the 30-year-old New York Knicks guard following claims that he was in a verbal dispute with his girlfriend.

The Scottsdale Police Department body cam video shows once cops arrived on the scene ... both Payne and his GF were adamant nothing was wrong. Officers then stated all they would need was Payne's real name and date of birth -- and they'd go on their way.

The Ravens fan who was caught on video brutally attacking two Washington Commanders supporters has turned himself in to Baltimore cops ... after a warrant was issued for his arrest.

24-year-old John Callis, wearing a button-up shirt, turned himself in to police Monday morning ... where he was seen being led away in handcuffs.

FYI, last week cops told us Callis was wanted for first-degree aggravated assault and three counts of second-degree assault.

The World Series features the two biggest superstars and most popular teams in the game ... and the ticket prices reflect that, 'cause TMZ Sports is told the cheapest seat for Game 1 is four figures!!

The Fall Classic begins at Dodger Stadium on Friday ... featuring a showdown between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees -- a matchup that hasn't happened in 43 years.

Gametime -- a company that specializes in last-minute tickets -- tells us the lowest entry price for Game 1 is $1,049 ... while Game 2 is much more at $1,896.