August 24, 2023 4:38 am
TORONTO (AP) – The Toronto Maple Leafs signed star center Auston Matthews to a four-year deal, $53 million contract extension. The deal carries an average annual value of $13.5 million, which will make Matthews the league’s highest-paid player beginning in 2024-25, surpassing Colorado star Nathan MacKinnon’s $12.6 AAV. Matthews has one season left on his current contract – a five-year, $58.2 million pact signed in February 2019 – that could have walked him into unrestricted free agency next summer.
August 22, 2023 4:35 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Andrew McCutchen’s two-run homer capped a five-run fifth inning against struggling Adam Wainwright, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-3. Wainwright remained stuck on 198 career wins a day after accruing his 18th year of major league service time. He is 0-8 with a 12.56 ERA in his last nine starts. St. Louis catcher Willson Contreras and manager Oliver Marmol were ejected in the seventh inning for arguing balls and strikes, and rookie Jordan Walker was tossed in the eighth, his first career ejection. The last-place Cardinals have lost six of seven.
August 23, 2023 4:36 am
NEW YORK. (AP) — Wander Franco has been placed on administrative leave indefinitely by Major League Baseball while authorities in the Dominican Republic investigate the Tampa Bay Rays’ All-Star shortstop for an alleged relationship with a minor. The 22-year-old will be paid and receive service time while on administrative leave under an agreement with the players’ association that did not set a timetable for a decision on whether he will be disciplined. Franco was placed on the restricted list for a week on Aug. 14 while MLB launched an investigation following social media posts suggesting he was in a relationship with a minor. The AP has not been able to verify the reported posts.
August 23, 2023 4:37 am
CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona has had serious talks with the organization about his future, hinting that this could be his final season. The winningest manager in club history, the 64-year-old Francona, who has dealt with major health issues in recent years, did not announce his retirement and said any of those decisions will be addressed later. Francona is in his 11th season with Cleveland. He led the Boston Red Sox to two World Series titles before joining the Guardians in 2013. The Guardians have made the playoffs six times and had only one losing season with Francona. This has been an especially challenging season for the defending AL Central champions because of injuries.
August 22, 2023 4:42 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Joshua Palacios hit a three-run home run and had a career-high five RBIs to help the Pittsburgh Pirates beat St. Louis 11-1, sending the last-place Cardinals to their fifth loss in six games. Palacios’ drive down the right-field line capped a four-run fourth inning to put the Pirates ahead 8-0 and chased starter Drew Rom, who was making his major-league debut. Palacios capped the scoring with a two-run double in the eighth. The Cardinals (55-71) remained in fifth place in the National League Central, falling 1 ½ games behind the Pirates (56-69). St. Louis hasn’t finished in last place since 1990.
August 22, 2023 4:45 am
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens’ NFL-record preseason winning streak ended at 24 with a loss to the Washington Commanders. Third-string quarterback Jake Fromm led a late drive to set up Joey Slye’s go-ahead 49-yard field goal that gave Washington a 29-28 victory. The Ravens lost a preseason game for the first time since 2015. Baltimore backup QB Josh Johnson and newly crowed Washington starter Sam Howell each threw for two touchdowns. Commanders No. 1 receiver Terry McLaurin left the game with a toe injury late in the second quarter.
August 22, 2023 4:44 am
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh will serve a three-game suspension to start this season as part of self-imposed penalties for NCAA recruiting infractions. The school’s move means Harbaugh will not be on the sideline for the second-ranked Wolverines home games against East Carolina, UNLV and Bowling Green. He will be permitted to coach the team during the week, as per NCAA rules. The infractions case is tied to improper contact with recruits.
August 21, 2023 4:40 am
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Dallas Keuchel carried a perfect game into the seventh inning before allowing a double to Pittsburgh’s Bryan Reynolds, and Edouard Julien drove in a pair of runs for the Minnesota Twins in a 2-0 win against the Pirates. Keuchel was making his third start in the majors this season. He was pulled after allowing Reynolds’ hit on his 85th pitch of the game. Minnesota has won five of seven and extended its lead in the American League Central to six games over Cleveland. Pittsburgh right-hander Osvaldo Bido gave up two runs in 3 1/3 innings.
August 21, 2023 4:41 am
SYDNEY (AP) — Spain has won the Women’s World Cup for the first time with Olga Carmona’s first-half strike giving La Roja a 1-0 victory over England in the final at Stadium Australia. After the final the player learned of her father’s death, the Spanish soccer federation said. The triumph for Spain avenged a quarterfinal loss to eventual champion England in the European championship last year. La Roja’s first major international trophy also followed a tumultuous preparation for the team and its coach. Now they’re world champions. Spain joins Germany as the only countries to win both men’s and women’s world titles. England’s long wait for another World Cup continues.
August 21, 2023 4:43 am
OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. (AP) — Xander Schauffele has nailed down the sixth and final automatic spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup team. And that leaves Brooks Koepka on the outside. Not by much. Schauffele tied for eighth in the BMW Championship and finished 29 points ahead of Koepka. The BMW Championship was the final qualifying event. Zach Johnson now has six captain’s picks that he will announce after the Tour Championship. Any other player with Koepka’s credentials would be a lock. But he’s part of Saudi-backed LIV Golf. Koepka had 9,421 points in 10 starts. Schauffele had 9,450 points in 26 qualifying tournaments.
