FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Before practice each day, New York Jets running back Le'Veon Bell tells his defensive teammates, "Give me a little something."

Bell, who is being held out of the preseason games as a precaution, wants to get his body acclimated to contact before making his Jets debut in Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills. So, in a very un-running-back-like move, he's asking to be tackled.

"Go for the ball, things like that, just so I can get prepared," Bell said Wednesday.

The Jets' prized free-agent addition will sit out Saturday night against the New Orleans Saints, just as he did the first two preseason games. The starters aren't expected to play the preseason finale. Bell, 27, said he's on board with coach Adam Gase's decision to keep him out of live action, confident he can get his regular-season prep on the practice field.

Because of his contract dispute last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Bell hasn't played a game in 19 months.

"I know once I get to the game it's going to be a little different, but that's something I'll adjust to," he said. "I've been playing football my whole life."

Bell doesn't want his teammates to deliver punishing hits, but he said he believes some upper-body contact will do him some good. If they shy away, he said he'll try to get under their skin by initiating contact.

"I try to do that intentionally, just so I can feel it," he said. "A lot of times you'll start seeing guys get a little frustrated and they'll try to hit me back -- and that's what I need. They won't take me to the ground and they won't go for my legs. Hitting me up top, things like that, I need all that."

Gase has increased Bell's practice reps, giving him approximately 15 "touches" per day -- a lot for a running back. Gase said he felt it wasn't worth the risk to expose Bell in the preseason, so he opted to keep his No. 1 offensive weapon on the sideline.

"I don't think getting me four plays in the preseason is going to help me in Week 1," Bell said.

To stay involved, Bell dressed for the first two games and participated in the pregame warm-ups. Quarterback Sam Darnold couldn't resist the opportunity to razz his new teammate.

"He's out there in the pregame with the pads on, dancing around," Darnold said. "He's like, 'Let's go, guys, get fired up.' I'm like, 'Bro, you're not even playing. Once you start playing, you can start doing that stuff.'"

Gase, who reportedly wasn't thrilled with the decision to give a $27 million guarantee to a running back, said he's eager to see Bell in a game setting.

"I can't wait to see what he does on a Sunday," he said. "With him practicing, that's fun enough. You can tell the guy is a special, special player."

TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Arizona Cardinals agreed to terms on a one-year contract with veteran wideout Michael Crabtree, the team announced Wednesday night, after releasing fifth-year receiver Kevin White earlier in the day.

Crabtree had worked out for the team two weeks ago but the sides didn't reach an agreement.

Crabtree, 31, made 54 catches (his fewest in a full season since his 2009 rookie year) for 607 yards receiving and three touchdowns last season for the Baltimore Ravens. He also led the NFL with eight dropped passes last season.

The 10th overall pick of the 2009 draft, Crabtree played his first nine seasons in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders. His 28 touchdown catches are the seventh most in the NFL since 2015.

White had recovered from a hamstring injury that forced him to miss about a week of training camp before he was cut. He was signed to a one-year contract in March with hopes that he'd stay healthy enough to showcase his ability, something he was unable to do in four seasons with the Chicago Bears, who drafted him No. 7 overall out of West Virginia in 2015.

White, 27, fractured his left leg in both 2015 and 2016, and his shoulder in 2017.

He described the past four seasons as "very frustrating" but looked at the Cardinals' opportunity as a "fresh start" to "show what I got."

Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury, who coached against White in college and is close with the receiver's college coach, Dana Holgorsen, was optimistic White could overcome his injury history and was pleased with his work ethic during training camp. But the constant with White was the uncertainty that he'd stay healthy.

"He had some unfortunate injuries there in Chicago and trying to kind of reestablish himself, really kind of like his rookie year," Kingsbury said earlier this year.

White was unable to do that.

White played in just 14 games in four seasons with the Bears, the third-fewest by any player drafted in the top 10 from 1970 to 2015, White's draft year, according to Elias Sports Bureau research. White's production in his first four seasons was the worst among wide receivers, tight ends and running backs drafted in the top 10 during their first four seasons from 2001 through 2015, according to ESPN Stats and Information.

His 14 career games, 25 career catches and 285 career receiving yards were the fewest among those categories over that stretch. His zero receiving touchdowns tied with the late Cedric Benson and Cadillac Williams.

ESPN's Jamison Hensley and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Los Angeles Angels rookie starter Griffin Canning is headed back to the injured list with inflammation in his right elbow, the second time this month the injury has sidelined the 23-year-old right-hander.

The Angels will put Canning back on the 10-day IL just three weeks after the same issue landed the 2017 second-round pick out of UCLA on the shelf.

The move also comes just three days after Canning had perhaps the best start of his career, going seven innings and allowing just one run in leading the Angels to a 9-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

Manager Brad Ausmus told reporters it's still too early to determine if Canning will be shut down for the rest of the season.

Canning is 5-6 with a 4.58 ERA in 17 starts and one relief appearance. He has 96 strikeouts through his first 18 major league games, second in Angels history behind Jered Weaver, who had 100.

CHICAGO -- Chicago Cubs reliever Brandon Morrow was shut down for the season Wednesday because of lingering elbow problems, essentially ending his two-year stint with the team.

Morrow, 35, has been out since last year's All-Star break after signing a two-year, $21 million deal before the 2018 season. His most recent comeback attempt looked promising, but the right-hander never got to the point of a rehab assignment.

"We had that brief respite where we thought it might have a chance, but otherwise, it just didn't seem like he could get over the hump," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Wednesday afternoon.

Morrow has undergone several procedures on his elbow over the past 13 months, including a recent hydrodissection (nerve decompression), which gave him some hope for a return this season.

"With the way I'm feeling, I expect to progress quickly," Morrow told ESPN via text earlier this month.

But another setback prevented any progress past the stage of throwing at the Cubs' spring facility in Arizona, where he has been rehabbing since February.

"He worked really hard in an attempt to come back and tried a lot of different techniques and procedures and just wasn't able to get over the hump," team president Theo Epstein said.

Morrow has had a career marked by injury, but when healthy, he has been very good. He pitched in all seven games of the 2017 World Series for the Los Angeles Dodgers before signing with the Cubs after the season. In June 2018, he was used by the Cubs in three consecutive games, potentially leading to his lingering issues.

"Maybe we should have had even more conservative guidelines for him or maybe there was nothing we could do," Epstein said. "It's impossible to say.

"He has a significant injury history, which makes it a calculated risk. When you sign someone like that, you know you're going to get quality when he's out there but there's a risk of not getting the quantity."

Morrow saved 22 of 24 games in the first half of 2018, but that's all the Cubs got for their $21 million. They have a team option for $12 million for 2020, but that's very unlikely to be picked up. They signed Craig Kimbrel to a three-year deal in June, and he has taken over as the Cubs' closer.

"We feel bad for him," Epstein said of Morrow. "We feel bad for us that he wasn't able to contribute this year."

Maddon added: "I don't know if he has any plans to do this again. For him and his family, I wish him nothing but the best."

HOUSTON -- Justin Verlander pitched a two-hitter and lost, allowing homers to John Hicks and Ronny Rodriguez, and the Detroit Tigers beat the Houston Astros 2-1 on Wednesday night in a historic upset.

With Verlander on the mound at home against the team with the majors' worst record, the Tigers (38-86) closed as +435 underdogs at Caesars Sportsbook, making their win against the Astros (81-47) the largest upset in a major league game in the past 15 seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

Caesars also saw the Astros close as -560 favorites, making them the heaviest favorite in a game in at least the past 15 seasons, according to sports betting database BetLabsSports.com, and likely longer.

Roxy Roxborough, a longtime oddsmaker and bettor, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal last week that he remembered a few -500 favorites in years past involving pitchers such as Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez, but not many.

Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers were -485 favorites over the Atlanta Braves in 2016, and earlier this month, the Astros were -460 road favorites over the Baltimore Orioles. Houston lost that game 8-7 in what was, before Wednesday, the largest upset since the Washington Nationals beat the Minnesota Twins as +395 underdogs in 2007.

Verlander (15-5) retired the first 14 batters Wednesday night, with six strikeouts, before Rodriguez homered to the seats in right with two outs in the fifth. Verlander sat down another 10 straight before Hicks led off the ninth with a tiebreaking blast to left-center field.

Verlander, who spent 13 seasons with the Tigers, walked none and finished with 11 strikeouts in his 99-pitch gem, extending his franchise record of games with 10 or more strikeouts to seven as he lost for the first time since June 18.

He leads the majors in strikeouts with 239 but ranks second in homers allowed with 33.

Robinson Chirinos belted his 14th homer, to left-center, on Tyler Alexander's first pitch of the seventh to tie it at 1. Chirinos finished with four hits. Needing a triple for the cycle, he doubled with two out in the ninth but was thrown out trying to reach third to end the game.

Opener Daniel Norris allowed two hits in three innings for Detroit. Alexander worked four innings, Buck Farmer (5-4) walked one in a scoreless eighth and Joe Jimenez finished the Tigers' six-hitter for his fourth save.

Jose Altuve walked with one out in the eighth, but was erased when he tried to go first to third on an infield grounder by Alex Bregman to end the inning.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Astros: RHP Josh James (shoulder soreness) will begin a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Round Rock on Thursday night. Manager AJ Hinch said James, who has been out since July 23, likely won't rejoin the team until September. ... INF Aledmys Diaz took batting practice Wednesday and could come off the injured list early next week. Diaz was hospitalized Saturday after experiencing dizziness on the team bus in Oakland, California.

UP NEXT

Tigers: RHP Jordan Zimmermann (1-8, 6.66 ERA) is scheduled to start for Detroit when the series wraps up Thursday night. Zimmerman allowed just one hit in five scoreless innings in his previous start, against Tampa Bay, but did not factor in the decision.

Astros: RHP Gerrit Cole (14-5, 2.87) will start Thursday after being scratched from his previous start, last Thursday, because of discomfort in his right hamstring. Cole, who ranks second in the majors with 226 strikeouts, has won his past 10 decisions.

ESPN's David Purdum and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

LEBANON, Ohio – California native Kody Swanson will team with former IMSA and Indy Lights driver Brad Jaeger to challenge Daytona Int’l Speedway during the Classic 24 Hours of Daytona on Nov. 13-17.

Swanson is a three-time winner of the prestigious Little 500 sprint car race at Anderson (Ind.) Speedway and a four-time USAC Silver Crown Series champion.

The talented race driver and scholar has more wins than anyone in the history of USAC Silver Crown racing, with 28 and counting. He has dominated the discipline, which touts past champions such as A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti and Tony Stewart, over the past five years.

“This is such a unique opportunity for me and one I didn’t necessarily see coming,” noted Swanson. “I know that I have a lot to learn, but I am excited about the chance to work with Brad, Kevin (Doran) and the team. I will gain as much experience as I can in a new form of motorsports. I am so grateful for this opportunity.”

“I always look forward to racing at Daytona. This year running the Doran Ford GT2 car with Brad Jaeger and Kody Swanson is going to be exciting,” said Doran Enterprises owner Kevin Doran. “We believe that after a few laps, Kody will adapt to a totally different feel in a race car. We are confident, with the skills that Kody has shown in open wheel USAC cars, he will impress during the Classic 24.”

Jaeger has led laps in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, is a past champion in the Pacific Formula 2000 and had set track records at multiple tracks, including Sebring Int’l Raceway.

Doran is well known and highly respected in the road racing community, engineering cars that have won at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans.

SUN PEAKS, British Columbia – Jason White has been away from the race track for the last few weeks, but he’s been busy with his next big project.

This weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, White will return to action in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series, driving the No. 34 Powder Ventures Excavating/YourGMCTruckStore.com Chevrolet for Reaume Brothers Racing.

The last 12 months have been quite a ride in a variety of machines for White. After making his debut in the truck series last year on this same weekend, he’s raced the high-banks at Daytona International Speedway in his first ARCA Series event, competed in his 100thNASCAR Pinty’s Series race and now returns to the Truck Series at CTMP.

“It’s hard to believe what we’ve done over the last year,” said White. “I feel so much more confident in my own ability after some seat time in these trucks and racing against some really good drivers.  I can’t wait to get back at it this weekend.”

Having the familiarity of working with the team at Reaume Brothers Racing also has White eager to return on the track.

“We had such a good chemistry last year right away,” said White. “Josh Reaume has a great operation and I’ll have Doug George back again as my crew chief, so I’m super pumped to get going.”

During the race a year ago White showed plenty of speed, and feels that experience sets the team up for better results this weekend.

“Having that one under our belt, knowing the procedures better, which are a little different than I’ve been used to, I won’t be making a rookie mistake of speeding on pit road this time,” explained White. “Our goal is a top-15 finish, and if things fall our way, we could find ourselves in the top 10. No doubt about it.”

Once again, this year White has partnered with long time friend and business partner Rob Zimmer and the Zimmer Weaton Group in the Gander Outdoors Truck Series.

“It’s great to have Rob and everyone back again this year; you couldn’t ask for better partners and people.”

Red Star Belgrade's Champions League qualifying odyssey continued on Wednesday when the former European champions drew 2-2 away to Young Boys after being pegged back by a late penalty in the first leg of the playoff round tie.

Russian side Krasnodar, who eliminated former European champions Porto in the last round, were thumped 4-0 at Olympiakos while Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb beat Norway's Rosenborg 2-0 in ties which will earn the winners a place in the lucrative group stage.

- When is the Champions League group-stage draw?

In a gripping match, Red Star fell behind to an early goal, then hit back to lead 2-1 before Young Boys substitute Guillaume Hoarau levelled with his first touch of the ball.

While the Swiss side had qualified directly for the playoff round, Red Star battled their way through three rounds, overcoming opponents from Lithuania, Finland and Denmark with the last tie against FC Copenhagen going to a remarkable 22-penalty shootout.

Both teams took part in the group stage for the first time last season and it was Young Boys who went ahead in the seventh minute when Roger Assale was sent clear of the defence and the Ivorian forward drove his shot past Milan Borjan.

Milos Degenek levelled 11 minutes later with a looping header at the far post which caught goalkeeper David van Ballmoos out of his ground.

Borjan made three outstanding saves to keep Red Star level at halftime and they went ahead immediately after the restart.

Marko Gobeljic sent in a low cross from the right and Argentine Mateo Garcia turned it in at the far post for a goal on his debut.

The drama continued as Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu burst into the Red Star area and went down under a challenge from Richmond Boakye. The referee initially gave a goal kick but changed his mind after a VAR review and Hoarau fired in the equaliser.

A late flurry from group-stage regulars Olympiakos virtually settled their tie against Krasnodar.

Miguel Angel Guerrero curled in the first on the half hour and, although Krasnodar kept it down to a single goal until the 78th minute, they were undone by a brace from substitute Lazar Randjelovic.

The Serb opened his account two minutes after coming on and netted the second from outside the penalty area in the 86th minute. Daniel Podence produced a neat dinked finish for the fourth.

Dinamo Zagreb's hopes of qualifying for the seventh time got an early boost when Marius Lundemo bundled over Bruno Petkovic who converted the penalty himself in the eighth minute.

The Croatian champions added a second with a route one goal as goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic's clearance came off the head of a defender and fell into the path of Mislav Orsic who shot under Andre Hansen.