Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers opts to become free agent

Philip Rivers completed 31 of 46 passes for 281 yards and 2 TDs in his last game with the Chargers, a season-ending loss to the Chiefs.2019 File/Peter Aiken/Getty Images

The Los Angeles Chargers announced Monday that quarterback Philip Rivers will enter free agency and not return to the only team he’s played for in his 16-year career. Rivers, picked fourth overall by the New York Giants in the 2004 draft but traded to the Chargers in a draft-day deal for Eli Manning, is one of six quarterbacks to eclipse 50,000 career yards and his 397 touchdowns are sixth. His 224 straight regular-season starts are second-most among quarterbacks in NFL history and his 123 wins are ninth.

Suspended Garrett meets with Goodell

Suspended Cleveland Browns star defensive end Myles Garrett met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to discuss his possible reinstatement, a person familiar with the meeting told The Associated Press. Garrett was banned indefinitely for ripping off Pittsburgh quarterback Mason Rudolph’s helmet and hitting him over the head with it late in a Nov. 14 game.

This wild swing of the helmet at Mason Rudolph (left) cost Myles Garrett the rest of the 2019 season.File/David Richard/FR25496 AP via AP

BASEBALL

MLB could expand playoffs

Major League Baseball is considering expanding the playoffs from 10 teams to 14 and allowing higher-seeded teams to choose opponents. There would be four wild cards in each league, up from two. Details were confirmed by a person familiar with the proposal who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The team with the best regular-season record would go straight to the Division Series. The other teams would play a best-of-three round. The division winner with the second-best record would choose its opponent from among the three lowest-seeded wild-card teams. The division winner with the third-best record would then pick from the remaining two wild cards. The top wild card would face whichever team is left.

Twins, Dodgers finally finalize trade

The Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Dodgers finalized their trade sending starting pitcher Kenta Maeda to the Twins and bullpen prospect Brusdar Graterol to the Dodgers. The Twins also sent minor league outfielder Luke Raley and a competitive balance round pick in the 2020 draft (67th overall) to Los Angeles. The Dodgers shipped $10 million and minor league catcher Jair Camargo to Minnesota . . . Angels general manager Billy Eppler confirmed he won’t be making a widely reported trade as multiple media outlets had reported the Angels nearly acquired Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson and righthander Ross Stripling last week in a deal that would have sent infielder Luis Rengifo to the Dodgers. The deal apparently fell apart as a side effect of the Dodgers’ lengthy attempts to get outfielder Mookie Betts from the Red Sox . . . Ex-pitcher Mike Bolsinger sued the Astros, claiming the team’s sign-stealing scheme contributed to a poor relief appearance in August 2017 that essentially ended his big league career. Then a reliever with Toronto, Bolsinger was put into a game at Houston on Aug. 4, 2017, and allowed 4 runs, 4 hits, and 3 walks in ⅓ of an inning. He hasn’t pitched in the major leagues since . . . The Arizona Diamondbacks agreed to a four-year, $32.5 million deal with two-time Gold Glove shortstop Nick Ahmed.

COLLEGES

South Carolina finally gets by UConn women

Tyasha Harris scored 19 points as No. 1-ranked South Carolina held the visiting UConn women’s basketball team to a record-low 2 points in the opening quarter on the way to a 70-52 win over the fifth-ranked Huskies. The Gamecocks (23-1) came in 0-8 all-time against UConn (20-3) . . . South Carolina remained No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 women’s poll, with 27 first-place votes from a 30-person media panel. Baylor (three first-place votes) stayed No. 2, Oregon was third, and North Carolina State jumped three spots to No. 4, its best ranking in 20 years. UConn extended its record streak in the top five to 253 straight weeks . . . Rapolas Ivanauskas and Jordan Burns scored 15 points and Colgate (20-6, 11-2 Patriot) pulled away in the second half for a 79-63 win at Boston University (15-11, 9-4). Javante McCoy scored 18 points and Max Mahoney added 16 with eight rebounds for the Terriers, who saw their five-game win streak end . . . A three-game skid knocked preseason No. 1 Michigan State from No. 16 to out of the AP Top 25 men’s basketball poll while Baylor (21-1) remained No. 1 with 48 first-place votes from a 64-person media panel. Gonzaga remained at No. 2 with 15 first-place votes. No. 3 Kansas had one first-place vote.

MISCELLANY

Revolution open preseason with loss

Gustavo Bou scored the New England Revolution’s lone goal as they opened the preseason with a 2-1 loss to the the LA Galaxy in Carson, Calif. New England’s preseason slate continues Wednesday against the Colorado Rapids at 2 p.m. in Carson . . . Four time US Olympic gold medalist Tamika Catchings, three-time WNBA MVP Lauren Jackson, and two-time UConn NCAA champion Swin Cash headline the 2020 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame class. The trio will be inducted June 13 . . . The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired veteran forward Jason Zucker, who had 14 goals and 15 assists this season for the Minnesota Wild, in exchange for forward Alex Galchenyuk, defenseman prospect Calen Addison, and a conditional 2020 first-round draft pick . . . Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones is out indefinitely with an ankle injury sustained Saturday against Colorado.