July 7, 2020 2:01 am
PITTSBURGH — Pirates Manager Derek Shelton says the organization has seen a number of coronavirus cases so far as the MLB plans for a restart. Sunday evening, Shelton released the names of two players who contracted COVID-19, including outfielder Socrates Brito and right-handed pitcher Blake Cederlind. Shelton says the players gave him permission to release the names, but he could not confirm if they were symptomatic. Spring Training continues this week after opening up at PNC Park on Friday. The Pirates are schedule to begin the 60-game season on the road starting July 24th for a reported 3-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals.
July 7, 2020 3:52 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Baseball’s two World Series finalists canceled workouts because of coronavirus testing delays. The Washington Nationals and Houston Astros called off training camp practices Monday after not receiving test results from Friday. The St. Louis Cardinals also scrubbed their scheduled workout for similar reasons. General manager Mike Rizzo of the champion Nationals said it’s not safe to continue with camp without accurate and timely testing. Rizzo called on Major League Baseball to work quickly to resolve issues with its lab to keep the season from being at risk.
Astros GM James Click speculated the July 4th holiday weekend contributed to the delay. MLB said it addressed delays caused by the holiday weekend and doesn’t expect them to continue.
July 7, 2020 3:54 am
The Kansas City Chiefs made sure they’ll have Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes around as long as possible. Mahomes agreed to a 10-year extension worth up to $503 million, according to his agency, Steinberg Sports. The deal is worth $477 million in guarantee mechanisms and includes a no-trade clause and opt-out clauses if guarantee mechanisms aren’t met. It’s the richest contract in professional sports history, surpassing Mike Trout’s $426.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels.The Chiefs had the 2018 NFL MVP under contract for the next two seasons but that wasn’t nearly enough. The contract extension starts in 2022 when the NFL salary cap is projected to be $227.5 million. However, that number could be lower depending on revenue losses due to the cornonavirus pandemic and the possibility any games played this season won’t have fans.
July 6, 2020 2:55 am
UNDATED (AP) – Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly says the NHL and NHL Players’ Association have agreed on protocols to resume the season but are still negotiating a collective bargaining agreement extension. The league’s board of governors and players’ executive committee and full membership must approve it for it to happen. If ratified, the agreement will end a pandemic-forced shutdown for 31 teams across North America that began in mid-March. Games would resume in late July or early August with 24 teams taking part in expanded playoffs, finishing with the Stanley Cup being awarded in October.
July 6, 2020 3:07 am
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) – West Virginia University has postponed the start of men’s basketball workouts for two weeks after five players and one staff member tested positive for the coronavirus. The workouts were scheduled to start on Monday. The decision was announced Sunday in consultation with university medical officials. The starting date for the workouts has been pushed back to July 20. Those testing positive will self-isolate for 14 days. Contract tracing has identified additional people who could have been exposed and they will go into quarantine as well. Recent positive virus tests among West Virginia sports teams also include four in football and one in women’s soccer.
July 6, 2020 2:52 am
DETROIT (AP) – Bryson DeChambeau got the result he was looking for from transforming his body. With jaw-dropping drives and some clutch putts, DeChambeau won the Rocket Mortgage Classic by three strokes Sunday for his first victory of the season and sixth overall. DeChambeau shot a 7-under 65 at Detroit Golf Club to finish at a career-best 23-under 265. DeChambeau came into the week with six straight top-eight finishes and was the only player with top 10s in the first three events after the restart from the coronavirus. He won for the first time since the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in November 2018. Matthew Wolff was second.
July 6, 2020 2:53 am
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Kevin Harvick took advantage of Denny Hamlin’s late crash and wound up winning his third Brickyard 400 title. The Cup points leader beat Matt Kenseth across the yard of brick by 0.743 seconds to win his fourth race of the season. Harvick won for the 53rd time to move within one of tying Lee Petty for 11th on NASCAR’s career list, and it gave Stewart-Haas Racing a sweep of the weekend following Chase Briscoe’s win Saturday in the Xfinity Series race. For the third straight race, Harvick and Hamlin were in a league of their own. Until the stunning twist as the sun was setting over the historic 2.5-mile oval, it looked is if Harvick and Hamlin would sweep the top two spots for the third consecutive race. Harvick beat Kenseth off the final restart with two laps to go and pulled away for the victory.
July 5, 2020 7:11 am
Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Josh Bell is using his platform to educate himself and others about racial injustice. Bell says he felt angry following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police back in May. Bell is trying to channel his anger into positive change. He’s started a book club with his teammates that focuses on social issues. He is also using his Instagram account to promote “Social Reform Sunday,” which highlights different aspects of inequality. Bell says his ability to reach out to the community has helped ease some of the pain he felt after Floyd’s passing.
July 5, 2020 7:12 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Freddie Freeman tests positive for COVID-19. Masahiro Tanaka gets hit in the head by a line drive. David Price announces he won’t play this season for the sake of his health and his family’s health. Sobering examples of the game’s potential danger took place at camps across the country as Major League Baseball teams continued preparing to start their pandemic-shortened season later this month. The return of baseball didn’t offer much cause for celebration on this Fourth of July. Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka was alert and sent to a hospital after he was hit in the head by a line drive off the bat of slugger Giancarlo Stanton during live batting practice Saturday, a frightening scene during the team’s first official summer camp workout. Tanaka’s hat flew off and he immediately collapsed to the ground, cradling his head at Yankee Stadium. Trainers quickly ran to Tanaka, who stayed down for a few minutes before sitting up. Trainers tended to his head and appeared to check his vision. Tanaka was helped to his feet and walked off the field with help. Yankee’s Manager Aaron Boone also announced that All-Star infielder DJ LeMahieu and right-hander Luis Cessa tested positive for the coronavirus before traveling to New York and are self-isolating at home.
July 5, 2020 7:14 am
DETROIT (AP) – Matthew Wolff had a roller-coaster round that went well enough Saturday to give him a three-shot lead in the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Wolff shot his second straight 8-under 64 to move into position for his second PGA Tour victory. He was at 19-under 197 at Detroit Golf Club. Armour and Bryson DeChambeau were tied for second after 67s. Wolff made a 14-foot eagle putt at the 559-yard, par-5 14th to pull into a tie with Armour at 17 under, and added birdies on the par-3 15th and par-5 17th. He finished with the eagle, nine birdies, five pars and three bogeys.
