July 1, 2025 2:58 am
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins are sending All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey, Pro Bowl tight end Jonnu Smith and a 2027 seventh-round draft pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-round pick. Ramsey announced the trade Monday in a social media post. A person familiar with the trade confirmed that the Dolphins will get Fitzpatrick, who returns to the team that drafted him 11th overall in 2018. The terms have been agreed upon and are pending physicals. Smith will get a one-year contract extension for $12 million, according to agent Drew Rosenhaus.
July 1, 2025 4:27 am
The Florida Panthers completed another hat trick less than two weeks since repeating as Stanley Cup champions. After Aaron Ekblad, Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett said they never wanted to leave South Florida, they got their wish. Days after locking up Bennett long term, the Panthers have agreed to re-sign Ekblad and Marchand, according to people familiar with the agreements. Ekblad agreed to an eight-year deal with an average value of $6.1 million, while Marchand agreed to a six-year deal.
July 1, 2025 4:28 am
The Vegas Golden Knights have acquired Mitch Marner in a sign-and-trade with Toronto Maple Leafs. That’s according to a person with knowledge of the move who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because it had not been announced.. Vegas reportedly signed the 28-year-old two-time All-Star to an eight-year contract worth $96 million after sending Nicolas Roy to Toronto to jump the line on the top free agent before the rest of the NHL could talk to him. Marner is coming off career highs of 75 assists and 102 points.
July 1, 2025 4:29 am
NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA is expanding to 18 teams over the next five years with Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia all set to join the league by 2030. Cleveland will begin play in 2028, Detroit in 2029 and Philadelphia the season after assuming they get approval from the NBA and WNBA Board of Governors. Toronto and Portland will enter the league next year. All three of the new teams that were announced Monday have NBA ownership groups. Each paid a $250 million expansion fee. All three teams also will be building new practice facilities for the WNBA teams.
June 30, 2025 4:27 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Oneil Cruz hit a pair of two-run homers, Tommy Pham and Bryan Reynolds also went deep and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the New York Mets 12-1 to complete a three-game sweep. Cruz ended a 14-game homerless drought and highlighted a five-run outburst off Frankie Montas (0-1) in the first inning. After strikeouts in his next two at-bats, Cruz hit his team-leading 15th homer in the seventh inning to extend the Pirates’ lead to nine runs. Pittsburgh added two more runs in the eighth inning and sent the Mets, who held a players only meeting after a 9-2 loss on Saturday, to their 13th setback in 16 games.
June 30, 2025 4:30 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Dennis Santana will serve a three-game suspension, reduced from four, for his actions in a game at the Detroit Tigers on June 19. The suspension went into immediate effect, beginning Sunday with the finale of a three-game home series against the New York Mets. Santana will also sit against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday and Tuesday before being eligible to return in the finale of that series Wednesday.
June 30, 2025 4:32 am
LeBron James is exercising his $52.6 million option with the Los Angeles Lakers for 2025-26, further confirming that he will become the first player in NBA history to play a 23rd season, a person with knowledge of the decision said Sunday. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither James nor the team announced the decision publicly. ESPN and The Athletic were among those to first report the decision. James turns 41 in December. He’s been an All-NBA pick in 21 of his 22 seasons in the league.
June 30, 2025 4:31 am
Hall of Fame horse trainer D. Wayne Lukas has died. He was 89. His family says Lukas died at his home Saturday night. Lukas had been hospitalized with a severe MRSA blood infection that caused significant damage to his heart and digestive system and worsened pre-existing chronic conditions. Lukas won 15 Triple Crown races, including the Kentucky Derby four times. Only good friend Bob Baffert had more Triple Crown victories. The beloved, old-school trainer known affectionately as “Coach” was still getting on the pony himself in the morning for workouts even with his 90th birthday approaching.
June 29, 2025 7:07 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Andrew McCutchen and Bryan Reynolds hit consecutive two-run doubles during a six-run eighth inning Saturday as the Pittsburgh Pirates pulled away for a 9-2 victory over the struggling New York Mets. New York manager Carlos Mendoza was ejected in the fourth for arguing balls and strikes. Following their 12th loss in 15 games, the Mets held a players-only meeting in the clubhouse. The Pirates led 3-2 in the eighth when Ke’Bryan Hayes singled home a run before McCutchen and Reynolds broke open the game. Hayes also had an RBI single in a three-run second that put Pittsburgh ahead 3-1. Pittsburgh will try to sweep the three-game series Sunday, with Mets RHP Frankie Montas (0-0, 0.00 ERA) making his second start of the season, facing RHP Mike Burrows (1-2, 4.45).
June 29, 2025 7:00 am
In the first round of the NHL draft Friday, the Pittsburgh Penguins selected 18-year old center Benajmin Kindel from the Western Hockey League. He was the 11th pick overall. At 5’10 and 181 pounds, he is considered undersized by some; however, observers are calling him a key prospect. In the 22nd pick overall, the team chose productive 18 year old forward Bill Zonnon. Zonnon is 6’2” and 187 pounds. The team also took center William Horcoff as its third pick of the first round. Defenseman Matthew Schaefer was the first player picked overall by the New York Islanders.
