The young collector who scored a one-of-a-kind baseball card featuring National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes has turned down a trade offer from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Topps announced Friday that the 11-year-old from the Los Angeles area had declined the deal and instead was going to put the card — which features Skenes’ autograph and a patch from a game-worn jersey — up for auction.

The Pirates had put together a package that included 30 years’ worth of season tickets behind home plate at PNC Park and the chance to play a softball game on the field in exchange for the card.

Skenes’ girlfriend, LSU gymnast and influencer Livvy Dunne, also offered the card’s owner the opportunity to take in a game with her in a luxury suite at the ballpark during one of Skenes’ starts.

While the collector wrote in a journal entry shared by Topps that nabbing the card was a “ dream come true,” that dream apparently did not include spending the next three decades attending games at PNC Park.

The team posted on X after the decision that it was “bummed” but offered to have the fan at a game sometime during the 2025 season.

Fanatics Collect, which will handle the auctioning of the card in March, said it will donate its proceeds from the sale to fire relief funds in the Los Angeles area.

Recording captured ex-interpreter impersonating Ohtani >> A nearly four-minute audio recording allegedly captured Shohei Ohtani‘s former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara impersonating the baseball star on a call with a bank as he attempted to transfer $200,000 for what he describes as a car loan, federal prosecutors said.

The recording referenced in a court filing and obtained by The Associated Press is being used to back up prosecutors’ push for a nearly five-year sentence for Mizuhara, who previously pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud for stealing almost $17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers star.

Prosecutors are also seeking restitution of the nearly $17 million to Ohtani, as well as a penalty of more than $1 million to the IRS.

Mizuhara is due to be sentenced Feb. 6 after pleading guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of subscribing to a false tax return.

Ogasawara, Nationals agree to deal >> Left-hander Shinnosuke Ogasawara and the Washington Nationals agreed to a $3.5 million, two-year contract.

Ogasawara gets a $1.5 million salary this season and $2 million in 2026.

The 27-year-old was made available to Major League Baseball teams by the Central League’s Chunichi Dragons on Dec. 10 and had until Friday to agree to a contract. Washington will pay the Dragons a $700,000 release fee.

Ogasawara was 5-11 with a 3.12 ERA in 24 games.

Golf

Riviera moving to Torrey Pines >> The PGA Tour is relocating the Genesis Invitational out of wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles, announcing it will be held Feb. 13-16 on the South course at Torrey Pines in San Diego with an emphasis on relief initiatives for victims of the fires.

That gives Torrey Pines two tournaments in a span of four weeks.

The tour said the $20 million signature event hosted by Tiger Woods would return to Riviera Country Club next year.

Riviera was not damaged, but it is located in the Pacific Palisades community that has been devasted by fires that have killed 28 people and destroyed more than 14,000 structures in Greater Los Angeles since Jan. 7.

Scheffler commits to Pebble Beach >> Scottie Scheffler has committed to play the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am next week, his first competition in about six weeks while recovering from a puncture wound to his right hand while preparing Christmas dinner.

Scheffler had said at the start of the week the recovery was progressing well and he was eager to get back but that he wasn’t about to “rush back just to rush back.”

The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am has the largest field (80 players) of the $20 million signature events because of the amateur component over two days at Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill.

LPGA cancels Palos Verdes event >> The LPGA canceled the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship near Los Angeles because the underwriter of the tournament failed on payments for the 2024 and 2025 tournaments.

Nelly Korda was the defending champion at Palos Verdes Golf Club, which had been scheduled for March 20-23.

The LPGA in a statement said canceling the tournament was unavoidable because the underwrite failed to fulfill “any portion of its payment obligations.” The tour said it would work with title partner Fir Hills and Pak, the Hall of Fame tournament host, to explore other options.

College football

Vegas to host the 2027 national championship >> Las Vegas will host the 2027 College Football Playoff national championship game.

The CFP made the announcement, saying the title game will be played Monday, Jan. 25, 2027, at Allegiant Stadium.

“Sin City” will become the third area in the Pacific time zone to host the title game, joining the Bay Area (2019) and Los Angeles (2023).

Ohio State star RB Judkins declares for draft >> Ohio State star running back Quinshon Judkins, who scored three touchdowns in the national championship game, is leaving school early and entering the NFL draft.

Judkins announced his decision on social media, saying “I am forever a Buckeye and will carry my time spent on campus and playing at the Shoe with me for a lifetime.”

Judkins, who transferred to Ohio State after two seasons at Ole Miss, is widely expected to be a second-day pick in April.

Notre Dame safety declares for draft >> Two-time All-America safety Xavier Watts will enter the NFL draft rather than return to Notre Dame for a sixth season.

Watts made the announcement on social media, four days after the Irish lost to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff championship game in Atlanta.

Watts began his college career as a receiver in 2020 and moved to defense his second season. He had 13 interceptions over the past two seasons, most by any player in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

ESPN pleased with 1st season of expanded CFP >> The inaugural season of the 12-team College Football Playoff had its share of highlights and criticisms from fans and the media.

The 11 College Football Playoff games averaged 15.6 million viewers according to Nielsen, as audiences increased during each round. According to ESPN, viewers consumed nearly 36 billion minutes of live coverage, a 63% increase over last year’s seven-game slate of the CFP title game and New Year’s six bowl games.

The four first-round games averaged 10.6 million viewers, with the quarterfinals at 16.9 million. The semifinals averaged 19.2 million, while Ohio State’s 34-23 victory over Notre Dame in Monday night’s national championship game drew 22.1 million.

Soccer

Thorns sign Venezuelan international >> The Portland Thorns have signed Venezuelan international Deyna Castellanos through 2026 with a club option for 2027.

Castellanos played for expansion Bay FC last season. She and the club decided to mutually part, making the 25-year-old midfielder a free agent.

Acquired by Bay FC in a transfer from Manchester City, Castellanos appeared in 25 matches with 12 starts for the San Francisco Bay Area team. She had two goals and one assist.

Horse racing

Thorpedo Anna wins Horse of the Year >> Thorpedo Anna won Horse of the Year honors at the Eclipse Awards, becoming only the second 3-year-old filly to beat male competition for the top trophy.

Trained by Ken McPeek, she earned six Grade 1 victories last year, including the Kentucky Oaks, and finished second in the Travers to Fierceness. She also claimed 3-year-old filly honors in the 54th annual ceremony at The Breakers Palm Beach.

Thorpedo Anna received 193 out of a possible 240 first-place votes. Sierra Leone finished second with 10 votes and Fierceness received five.