Month: March 2022

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer Stephen Curry is heading back to Japan, Rui Hachimura is going home and the NBA is planning to take another step toward normalcy. The NBA announced Monday night that Golden State and Washington will be headed to Saitama, Japan for the first two games of the 2022 preseason schedule.

By JOHN ZENOR AP Sports Writer AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Auburn coach Bryan Harsin says he isn’t bitter about a school investigation that placed his job in apparent jeopardy. He has turned his attention to finding a starting quarterback and stopping a five-game skid. Harsin and the Tigers have opened spring practice. The second-year coach

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Baseball Writer Corey Seager and Marcus Semien are finally on the field together with the Texas Rangers. The team’s first official workout came nearly 3 1/2 months after the two became teammates. Texas committed a half-billion dollars to the middle infielders when they signed both before the Major League Baseball lockout.

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Daniel Berger hit into the water on the 16th hole and some tense moments followed at The Players Championship. Berger felt the ball last crossed land just short of the green. Viktor Hovland and Joel Dahmen felt it first went over the water

By BETH HARRIS AP Sports Writer INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Rafael Nadal is still perfect. The Spanish star defeated 27th-seeded Daniel Evans 7-5, 6-3 in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open and improved to 17-0 this year. Nadal tied Roger Federer in 2018 and Pete Sampras in 1997 for the third-best overall

By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Pro Football Writer A person with knowledge of the deal says the Dallas Cowboys are bringing back defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence on a new contract that will create more room under the salary cap. Lawrence’s reworked deal is worth $40 million over three years with $30 million guaranteed. The best hope

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Northwestern coach Chris Collins will get at least another year to turn around his struggling program. Athletic director Dr. Derrick Gragg said in a statement he and Collins met Monday “to discuss the high expectations we have for our men’s basketball program, and the path forward for it.” Gragg said he

BALTIMORE (AP) — Catcher Robinson Chirinos and the Baltimore Orioles agreed to a $900,000, one-year contract. The 37-year-old Chirinos returns to the American League after playing 45 games for the Chicago Cubs last season. He hit .227 with five home runs. Chirinos played for the Mets and Rangers the previous year. He began his big

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — After two difficult years, Terry Francona finally feels like himself. The Cleveland Guardians manager endured numerous health issues that sidelined him the past two seasons. But the 61-year-old said he feels better and is looking forward to his 10th season with the club. Francona felt good

By TIM BOOTH AP Sports Writer The Seattle Mariners have acquired All-Star outfielder Jesse Winker and third baseman Eugenio Suárez from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for a package of players. The trade gives the Mariners what they coveted for their batting order. Seattle is sending the Reds pitcher Justin Dunn, outfielder Jake Fraley and

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings have tendered a contract offer to restricted free agent kicker Greg Joseph. They took a step toward establishing some stability at a problematic position for the team. Joseph received the right-of-first-refusal tender. That’s a one-year, $2.433 million deal that gives the Vikings the chance to match any offer

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Gary Sánchez is ready to move on from the New York Yankees. The power-hitting catcher reported to Minnesota Twins camp with teammate Gio Urshela about 12 hours after they were traded. The Twins sent third baseman Josh Donaldson and short-lived shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa to the Yankees in the deal. Sánchez

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Anaheim Ducks have traded veteran defenseman Josh Manson to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for defense prospect Drew Helleson and a second-round pick in the 2023 draft. Manson is an eight-year NHL veteran who has spent his entire career in Anaheim. He is due to be an unrestricted free agent

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sandy Koufax is set to join fellow Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson with a bronze statue at Dodger Stadium. The Los Angeles Dodgers say the unveiling will be June 18 before the team hosts Cleveland. The first 40,000 fans will receive a replica statue. Koufax’s statue had been scheduled to be

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA has fined the Brooklyn Nets $50,000 letting Kyrie Irving into their locker room during a game in which he was unable to play because he is not vaccinated against COVID-19. Irving was a spectator at Barclays Center on Sunday during Brooklyn’s 110-107 victory over the New York Knicks. There

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The Chicago Bears have released nose tackle Eddie Goldman. Slowed by knee and ankle injuries as well as a stint on the COVID-19 list last season, Goldman set career lows with a half-sack and one tackle for loss. He sat out the 2020 season because of COVID-19 concerns and never

By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer MADRID (AP) — Karim Benzema has stayed hot as Real Madrid kept momentum from its epic win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League with a 3-0 victory at Mallorca to extend its Spanish league lead. Benzema scored twice and set up Vinícius Junior’s goal to help give Madrid

By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer General manager Tom Telesco has continued the Los Angeles Chargers’ aggressive makeover of their defense by agreeing to terms with three players. The Chargers have reached deals with cornerback J.C. Jackson along with defensive tackles Sebastian Joseph-Day and Austin Johnson. People familiar with the negotiations confirmed to The Associated

By MITCH STACY AP Sports Writer People with knowledge of the deals have confirmed to The Associated Press that the Bengals reached contract agreements with Tampa Bay Buccaneers guard Alex Cappa and offensive lineman Ted Karras, formerly of the New England Patriots. The Bengals went right after their biggest area of need, protectors for quarterback

By CHUCK KING Associated PRess JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina will be a late arrival for what could be his final spring training. Molina is heading into his 19th and likely final season with St. Louis. The 10-time All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove winner agreed to a $10 million, one-year

LONDON (AP) — Manchester City has given Liverpool further hope in the English Premier League title race by stumbling against Crystal Palace for the second time this season. A 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park extended City’s lead to four points but second-placed Liverpool has a game in hand in its quest to reclaim the title

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer PHOENIX (AP) — Patience is often rewarded for both free agents and general managers during most Major League Baseball offseasons. But probably not this one. As expected, free agents are flying off the market and trades are getting done at a breakneck pace following MLB’s 99-day lockout that froze

ROME (AP) — Ciro Immobile has converted a penalty to become Lazio’s all-time leading scorer in Serie A. The Rome club beat relegation-threatened Venezia 1-0. The victory enabled Lazio to leapfrog Atalanta and Roma into fifth place and boost its chances of direct qualification for the Europa League. Immobile’s second-half goal was his 144th in

By JOHN PERROTTO Associated Press BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Roberto Pérez has some work to do — and not much time. Pérez is learning a new pitching staff after he agreed to a $5 million, one-year contract with Pittsburgh on Dec. 1. He is replacing Jacob Stallings, who won the NL Gold

By THERESA SMITH Associated Press SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — All-Star left-hander Carlos Rodón and right-hander Jakob Junis had a lot of reasons for signing with the San Franicisco Giants. There was the team’s winning tradition, a record-breaking season last year, the West Coast location and the club’s positive reputation for working with pitchers. The arrival

By MARK LONG AP Pro Football Writer JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — According to a person familiar with negotiations, general manager Trent Baalke and the Jaguars opened the NFL’s legal tampering period Monday by agreeing to sign Arizona receiver Christian Kirk, Washington guard Brandon Scherff, New York Giants tight end Evan Engram, Las Vegas receiver Zay

By DICK SCANLON Associated Press LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) — Javier Báez is excited to get started with the Detroit Tigers. Báez participated in his first organized workout on Monday. The two-time All-Star shortstop signed a six-year, $140 million contract in November, just before the start of baseball’s 99-day lockout. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch says the

By MARK DIDTLER Associated Press TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Josh Donaldson called out new teammate Gerrit Cole last season for using unauthorized grip aides but both  now say they are united on bringing the New York Yankees their first World Series title since 2009. The Yankees acquired Donaldson, a former AL MVP, shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP National Writer Nelson Cruz is a big-name DH headed to the Washington Nationals at age 41. He is expected to protect NL MVP runner-up Juan Soto in the lineup. Cruz is also expected to offer other sorts of help away from the field for a youngster-filled roster. Cruz is hardly the

By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer Brian Flores wants NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to make sure his class-action lawsuit against the league and several teams over allegedly racist hiring practices isn’t settled behind closed doors. Flores says if Goodell truly wants to create diversity in the league, then Flores’ lawsuit needs to be decided by

By ROB MAADDI AP Sports Writer CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Bryce Harper wants the Philadelphia Phillies to add another big bat for the lineup. The reigning NL MVP said it would be a “downer” if the Phillies didn’t sign Kris Bryant, Nick Castellanos or Kyle Schwarber. The teams needs a left fielder and President Dave

By MICHAEL MAROT AP Sports Writer INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana coach Mike Woodson wanted Trayce Jackson-Davis to returning this season so he could polish his game. The Hoosiers star forward came back for another reason — to play in the NCAA Tournament. On Tuesday, Jackson-Davis and his teammates will get their first chance — in

By MARK LONG AP Sports Writer GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida coach Kelly Rae Finley could have ranted about her team’s placement in the NCAA women’s tournament, and likely no one would have blamed her. The Gators were made a No. 10 seed and sent to Storrs, Connecticut to open tournament play against seventh-seeded UCF

By BARRY WILNER AP Pro Football Writer Let the dealing begin — if mostly unofficial. The NFL’s “legal tampering period” in free agency began Monday with a slew of deals even as many teams released veterans to clear salary cap space before the league’s business year begins Wednesday. Among those on the move will be