March 28, 2020 4:08 am
UNDATED (AP) – The final pitch of the 2020 baseball season could be thrown closer to Christmas than Halloween. Major League Baseball owners ratified a 17-page agreement with the union on that provides for $170 million in salary advances and guarantees service time to players even if no games are played due to the new coronavirus. The season was to start Thursday and Game 7 of the World Series was on track to be Oct. 28. Union head Tony Clark says big leaguers would play as long as they could to get in as many games as possible.
March 27, 2020 3:43 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh Steelers fullback Derek Watt is happy to be reunited with younger brother T.J., just don’t expect the Watt brothers to become roommates. Derek Watt joked that T.J. doesn’t want to share a roof with him. Derek added his wife also isn’t in favor of the Watt brothers living together. Derek Watt signed a three-year deal with the Steelers after spending the first four seasons of his career with the Chargers.
March 26, 2020 3:48 am
The NHL has announced that it is postponing the scouting combine, the league awards ceremony and the draft due to the ongoing uncertainly resulting from the coronavirus. All three events were scheduled to be held in June, an impossibility if the league resumes its regular season and holds a full playoff schedule. The NHL added that the draft and draft lottery will be announced when plans are finalized.
March 26, 2020 3:45 am
UNDATED (AP) – Mookie Betts and all the players set to be free agents after the 2020 season would still get that chance if there is no baseball this year. That’s part of a broad deal being negotiated by the commissioner’s office and the players’ association. A person familiar with the talks told The Associated Press the agreement would credit major leaguers with the same service time this year that they earned in 2019 if there’s no season because of the new coronavirus. Major League Baseball and the union would agree to try to play as many regular season games as possible, the person said. They also would agree to explore one-time changes to the postseason, which would create the possibility of expanded playoffs this year.
March 25, 2020 3:39 am
The NHL is extending its recommendation for players and staff to self-isolate and stay away from team practice facilities until at least April 6. Multiple people with knowledge of the update say the NHL has recommended players and staff extend their self-quarantine 10 days beyond the original March 27 timeline. The decision further pushes back the earliest date team facilities can reopen.
March 24, 2020 3:41 am
UNDATED (AP) – The New England Patriots have dropped their longtime kicker and picked up a quarterback. The Patriots said goodbye to another longtime staple of their two-decade run of championships, releasing kicker and franchise leading scorer Stephen Gostkowski. The three-time Super Bowl champion has spent his entire 14-year career in New England. Gostkowski has long passed Adam Vinatieri as the Patriots’ leading scorer with 1,775 points. The 36-year-old Gostkowski started the first four games of 2019 but struggled, missing a career-high four extra points after not missing more than three in any of his previous 13 NFL seasons. He was placed on injured reserve in October and underwent season-ending hip surgery. Brian Hoyer is now in the running to become Tom Brady’s replacement after accepting a one-year contract with the New England Patriots. The 34-year-old twice served as Brady’s backup and will compete with Jarrett Stidham and Cody Kessler for the starting job. Hoyer played four games and had one start with Indianapolis last season, completing 54% of his passes for 372 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions.
March 21, 2020 4:05 am
UNDATED (AP) – The head of USA Swimming is calling for a postponement of the Tokyo Olympics. CEO Tim Hinchey has sent a letter to leadership at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee urging it to push for a 12-month delay. In his letter, Hinchey noted the unimaginable disruptions athletes have experienced during the coronavirus crisis. The committee didn’t immediately respond to the letter. But earlier Friday, its leaders said there was no rush to postpone the Olympics.
March 20, 2020 10:12 am
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady has signed a two-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 42-year-old quarterback who spent the first 20 years of his career with the New England Patriots announced he’s “starting a new football journey” in an Instagram post and thanked the Bucs for the opportunity. The deal is worth $30 million per season. The signing comes three days after Brady announced on social media that he would not return to New England, ending his historic run with the Patriots.
March 20, 2020 3:48 am
BOSTON (AP) – The Red Sox announced Thursday that left-hander Chris Sale would have Tommy John surgery. The operation would keep him out the entire 2020 baseball season if and when it resumes after the coronavirus pandemic. Other MLB teams will also take advantage of the downtime to treat players.San Francisco Giants right-hander Tyler Beede will undergo Tommy John elbow surgery. And Houston’s Justin Verlander underwent groin surgery.
March 19, 2020 3:41 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Steelers turned the opening day of free agency into a family reunion for the Watt family. The team agreed to terms fullback Derek Watt on a three-year contract worth $9.75 million, luring him from the Los Angeles Chargers to Pittsburgh to join All-Pro younger brother T.J. Watt. T.J. Watt recorded 14 1/2 sacks from his spot at outside linebacker in 2019. Derek Watt said the opportunity to play with T.J. was too good of an opportunity to pass up. The Steelers also tendered offers to offensive lineman Matt Feiler and cornerback Mike Hilton. Both players are restricted free agents.
