December 8, 2022 3:10 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Penguins forward prospect Sam Poulin is taking a leave of absence from the club’s American Hockey League affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Penguins general manager Ron Hextall says the 21-year-old Poulin is stepping away due to “personal reasons.” Poulin was Pittsburgh’s first-round pick in the 2019 draft. He made his NHL debut in October and had one assist in three games before returning to the AHL. Poulin will spend time at his family’s home in Quebec. There is no timetable for his return.
December 8, 2022 3:08 am
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Aaron Judge is returning to the New York Yankees on a $360 million, nine-year contract, and the other contenders for the AL MVP in free agency are moving on. Judge visited with the San Francisco Giants last month, and he also met with San Diego in the last few days. After Judge made his decision, the Padres quickly jumped on another bat — reeling in All-Star shortstop Xander Bogaerts with a blockbuster $280 million, 11-year contract. While Judge and Bogaerts are gone, there are plenty of intriguing possibilities at the end of baseball’s winter meetings.
December 8, 2022 3:06 am
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected left-handed pitcher Jose Hernandez off Los Angeles’ (NL) Triple-A Oklahoma roster with the third overall pick in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft. The 24-year-old Hernandez went a combined 4-4 with eight saves, a 3.32 ERA, 69 strikeouts, .215 batting average against and 1.21 WHIP in 51 appearances (two starts) between High-A Great Lakes and Double-A Tulsa in 2022. The 6’3’’ southpaw began the 2022 season with Great Lakes, where he was charged with one earned run, struck out 18 batters and recorded a .156 batting average against and 0.98 WHIP in his last 13 appearances before being promoted to Double-A on May 28. Hernandez was originally signed by the Dodgers as a non-drafted free agent on May 12, 2016.
December 7, 2022 8:56 am
SAN DIEGO (AP) – A person familiar with the deal says that Aaron Judge has agreed to return to the New York Yankees on a $360 million, nine-year contract. The person spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday because the deal had not been announced. Judge will earn $40 million per season, the highest average annual payout for a position player. The contract trails only Mike Trout’s $426.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels and Mookie Betts’ $365 million pact with the Los Angeles Dodgers for biggest in baseball history.
December 7, 2022 3:45 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Sidney Crosby scored twice and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1. Bryan Rust and Teddy Blueger also scored for Pittsburgh, which has won three straight. Crosby and Rust scored 47 seconds apart in the second period as the Penguins turned a one-goal deficit into a 2-1 lead. Tristan Jarry made 38 saves for Pittsburgh. Johnny Gaudreau scored his ninth goal of the season for Columbus, but the Blue Jackets lost to the Penguins for the 12th straight time in Pittsburgh.
December 7, 2022 4:06 am
SAN DIEGO — For the first time in league history, Major League Baseball conducted a draft lottery, which came live from the Winter Meetings in San Diego on Tuesday night. It was all good news for Pittsburgh as the Pirates landed the first overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. The Pirates entered the lottery tied with the Oakland A’s and Washington Nationals for the best odds (16.5%) at securing the first overall pick. It marks the second time in the last three years that the Pirates hold the top pick in the draft. The club selected catcher Henry Davis.
December 7, 2022 3:47 am
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) – The Los Angeles Rams have claimed quarterback Baker Mayfield off waivers. The Rams made the move Tuesday to add Mayfield, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft by Cleveland. Mayfield was released by the Panthers on Monday at his request after seven disappointing games with Carolina. The Rams need quarterback help. Matthew Stafford is almost certainly out for the season with a bruised spinal cord, and backups John Wolford and Bryce Perkins have been fairly ineffective while playing three of the past four games.
December 7, 2022 3:47 am
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Tennessee owner Amy Adams Strunk fired general manager Jon Robinson in the midst of his seventh season with the Titans off to a 7-5 start. The Titans announced Strunk’s decision in a statement. The Titans plan to start searching for a new general manager soon with a full search at the end of the season. Strunk said she thinks the Titans have made “significant progress” but she believes “there is more to be done and higher aspirations to be met.” The Titans were routed in Philadelphia in a loss featuring a big performance by the wide receiver Robinson traded to the Eagles during the first round of the NFL draft in A.J. Brown.
December 6, 2022 3:46 am
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Tom Brady threw a pair of touchdown passes in the final three minutes Monday night, helping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rally from a 13-point deficit to beat the New Orleans Saints 17-16 and tighten their grip on first place in the weak NFC South. The seven-time Super Bowl champion tossed a one-yard TD pass to rookie Cade Otton, finishing a 91-yard drive to pull within 16-10 with exactly three minutes remaining. He got the ball back with 2:29 to go, then won it with a 6-yard throw to another rookie, Rachaad White, with three seconds left.
December 6, 2022 3:49 am
SAN DIEGO (AP) – The Philadelphia Phillies have landed Trea Turner, agreeing to a $300 million, 11-year contract with the dynamic shortstop. The deal includes a no-trade clause, according to a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because there was no immediate announcement. Turner joins a Philadelphia team that made it to the World Series this year before losing to the Houston Astros. He also reunites with slugger Bryce Harper after the two played together with the Washington Nationals from 2015-18.
