August 29, 2024 4:32 am
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco star receiver Brandon Aiyuk wasn’t at the start of practice despite the team saying he was cleared by doctors to participate. Aiyuk had refused to practice all training camp as he seeks a long-term extension or a possible trade, with coach Kyle Shanahan citing a back injury as the official reason for what is essentially a contract dispute. Both Shanahan and general manager John Lynch said before practice that Aiyuk had been cleared by team doctors and the expectation was that he would practice. But Aiyuk was not on the field during the portion open to reporters and could be subject to fines.
August 27, 2024 4:32 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Seiya Suzuki and Dansby Swanson homered during Chicago’s five-run fourth inning, and the Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-5 to move over .500 for the first time since May 28. Suzuki hit a tying two-run drive for his 19th homer this season, connecting on a fastball from rookie right-hander Jared Jones. The Cubs have won five of six. They are 28-18 since falling nine games below .500 on July 3. In his first start off the injured list, Jones gave up five runs and five hits in four innings. He had been sidelined by a right lat strain. Justin Steele went five innings for Chicago.
August 28, 2024 4:33 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Oneil Cruz is planning to reach out to Fernando Tatis Jr. They have a lot to talk about. Cruz says he was disappointed when he was told by the Pittsburgh Pirates that he was moving from shortstop to center field. He thought he had done enough this season to stay in the infield. But the 6-foot-7 Cruz is hoping for a transition like the one for Tatis, another Dominican Republic native and former shortstop who is now considered one of the best right fielders in the majors.
August 28, 2024 4:37 am
EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — NFL owners have approved a rule allowing private equity investors in their teams. They voted to let certain league-sanctioned firms buy up a stake of up to 10% in the 32 franchises that are steadily soaring in value. The previously prohibited practice was studied for the past five years. During that time the Denver Broncos sold for $4.65 billion and the Washington Commanders went for $6.05 billion. The NFL took this vote at a special meeting in Minnesota. It vetted three standalone funds and one consortium of five firms as the only allowable investors.
August 28, 2024 4:35 am
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and his brother, former Eagles center Jason Kelce, are taking their popular “New Heights” podcast to Amazon’s Wondery under a three-year deal that gives the company exclusive advertising sales and distribution rights. The financial terms of the deal were not immediately available, though some reports put the total at nine figures. The deal was announced by Wondery on Tuesday and will begin with this week’s episode, dropping Wednesday. It includes the back catalog of podcast content along with exclusive rights to monetize and distribute audio and video episodes.
August 27, 2024 4:23 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Dansby Swanson hit a grand slam to cap an eight-run sixth inning, and the Chicago Cubs had eight stolen bases – their most in a game in more than 100 years — on the way to an 18-8 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Swanson’s slam came off Domingo German, was the third of the shortstop’s nine-year career and pushed the Cubs’ lead to 9-2. The Cubs last had eight steals in 1913. Rookie center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong led the way with three stolen bases as the Cubs won for the seventh time in 10 games. That raised his season total to 26 in 93 games.
August 27, 2024 4:26 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates’ Oneil Cruz is switching positions, moving from shortstop to center field. Cruz is likely to be the designated hitter for the three-game series against the Chicago Cubs that starts Monday night. He will go through pregame workouts during the early part of the week before likely making his center-field debut sometime during a three-game weekend series at Cleveland. Cruz has played only one inning in the outfield in the big leagues. He has been charged with 24 errors this season in 112 games, including 12 in his last 28 games.
August 27, 2024 4:25 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Rarely, if ever, has a pitcher been happier after giving up six runs in 1 2/3 innings. Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander Brady Feigl struggled in his major-league debut Monday night in an 18-8 loss to the Chicago Cubs. However, it was still a special moment for the 33-year-old. Feigl finally made it to the major leagues 10 years after signing as an undrafted amateur free agent with the Atlanta Braves in 2014 from Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Feigl entered with two outs in the seventh inning and the Pirates trailing 11-2. He allowed one run in the eighth and five in the ninth.
August 27, 2024 4:28 am
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Three people familiar with the deal say All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has ended his holdout with the Dallas Cowboys by agreeing to a $136 million, four-year contract. Lamb is going into the last year of his rookie contract after being drafted 17th overall in 2020. He is a close second to Minnesota receiver Justin Jefferson as the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. Lamb led the NFL in receptions last season with 135 and was second in yards receiving with 1,749 and third in touchdown receptions with 12.
August 26, 2024 4:30 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Yasmani Grandal hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning, sending the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 4-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Bryan De La Cruz was hit by a pitch from Alexis Díaz before Grandal connected for his seventh homer — a drive into the first row above the Clemente Wall in right field. It was Grandal’s fourth career game-ending homer. Aroldis Chapman handled the ninth for the win. Elly De La Cruz reached on a leadoff single, but Chapman picked him off before striking out Tyler Stephenson and TJ Friedl. Isiah Kiner-Falefa had three hits for Pittsburgh, which won three of four in the series.
