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Michael Wacha and Kansas City Royals finalize $32 million, 2-year contract

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:24 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals made official their deal with starting pitcher Michael Wacha on Monday, a $32 million, two-year pact that includes a player option for 2025 and incentives based on the number of innings he pitches.The Royals have been among the busiest teams in the majors this offseason, bolstering their rotation in free agency by signing Wacha and Seth Lugo along with their bullpen by signing Chris Stratton and Will Smith. They also have landed power-hitting outfielder Hunter Renfroe to give their lineup a veteran presence along with some additional pop.The deal for Wacha includes a $16 million salary next year, a $16 million option and $50,000 bonuses for pitching 105 innings each season and each additional five through 150. When it is combined with the other contracts given out, the Royals have committed well over $100 million in free agency to improve the club.To make room on the 40-man roster, the Royals traded right-hander Jonathan Heasley to the ...

Browns overcoming major injuries, defying odds while stacking up wins and moving closer to playoffs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:24 GMT

CLEVELAND (AP) — “Only in Cleveland” is a catchphrase attached to the many negative moments in the city’s checkered sports history.The Browns are changing its meaning this season.On Sunday, they pulled off another improbable win — their sixth by four points or less — by rallying for 13 points in the fourth quarter for a 20-17 victory over Chicago, but not before surviving a Hail Mary on the final play when the ball dropped in and out of the hands of Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney.“I blacked out,” coach Kevin Stefanski said of the final moment, while also speaking on behalf of 60,000 fans.In years past, that’s a touchdown. No doubt. Because good things seem to rarely happen to or for the Browns (9-5). However, there’s something special about this version of Cleveland’s team. Against all odds, it just keeps winning.“Whatever it (expletive) takes,” Stefanski screamed to his players in the locker room before handing out game balls.Cleveland is on the verge of...

Caden Veltkamp throws for 5 TDs, Western Kentucky erases 28-point deficit to beat ODU 38-35 in OT

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:24 GMT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Redshirt freshman Caden Veltkamp came off the bench to throw for 383 yards and five touchdowns, Lucas Carneiro made a winning 29-yard field goal in overtime and Western Kentucky erased a 28-point deficit to beat Old Dominion 38-35 on Monday at the Famous Toastery Bowl.Veltkamp, the Hilltoppers third-string quarterback who had thrown just six passes in his college career, threw a 15-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-goal with 19 seconds left in regulation to push the game into an extra period.The Hilltoppers blocked a short field-goal attempt in overtime — their second blocked kick of the game — before Carneiro drilled his.Western Kentucky’s Dalvin Smith had nine receptions for 77 yards and three touchdown catches, two of which he speared with one hand.The Hilltoppers (8-5) played without starting quarterback Austin Reed, who opted out of the game to prepare for the NFL draft. Veltkamp took over for Turner Helton midway through the first quarter with thei...

Victor Wembanyama to miss Tuesday’s matchup with Bucks, Antetokounmpo with ankle injury

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:24 GMT

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama will miss Tuesday’s game against Milwaukee with a sore right ankle, delaying his first-ever matchup with Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.San Antonio ruled Wembanyama out Monday, a day after he had 17 points and 13 rebounds in 31 minutes in a 146-110 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.The 7-foot-3 Wembanyama, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, had been looking forward to playing against Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP.“Probably one of the players I have studied the most,” Wembanyama said Sunday. “I love the way he is playing, because he is always aggressive, and he is scary for his opponents. I am really trying to take a lot of examples from him, and I am very excited to play against the Bucks. It is going to be very, very interesting.”Wembanyama has played in three games since rolling his right ankle on Dec. 12 against Houston. Tuesday’s game will be the second he has missed this season.Wembanyama’s double...

At least 95 killed in magnitude 6.2 earthquake in northwest China’s Gansu and Qinghai provinces, state news agency says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:24 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — At least 95 killed in magnitude 6.2 earthquake in northwest China’s Gansu and Qinghai provinces, state news agency says.Source

Hornets’ Miles Bridges denied access to Canada for NBA game due to legal problems, AP source says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:24 GMT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges has been denied entrance to Canada due to his past legal problems and will not be available to play Monday night in Toronto against the Raptors, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.The person said Bridges was turned away at the border. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to speak publicly on the matter.Hornets coach Steve Clifford would not comment on the reason for Bridges’ absence when he spoke to reporters before Monday’s game.“The only thing I’m going to say is neither Miles nor (rookie center Nathan Mensah from Ghana) will be here with us tonight,” Clifford said. “That’s all I’m going to say.”Bridges is currently serving three years of probation after pleading no contest in exchange for no jail time in the June 2022 domestic violence case involving the mother of his two children, who accused Bridges of assaulting her in front of them. He must adhere to a 10-y...

C.J. Nitkowski joins Braves as TV analyst, allowing Jeff Francoeur to spent more time at home

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:24 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves have hired Rangers analyst C.J. Nitkowski to serve on their main television broadcast team, allowing Jeff Francoeur to spend more time with his family.Bally Sports and the Braves announced Monday that Nitkowski, who pitched for the Braves in 2004 and still lives in suburban Atlanta, will serve as play-by-play broadcaster Brandon Gaudin’s primary analyst. Francouer and Hall of Famer Tom Glavine are expected to work about 20 games each.“My family and I are beyond thrilled to come home and receive this amazing opportunity,” Nitkowski said in a statement. “I am honored that Bally Sports and the Braves have selected me to join their group and continue their tradition of excellence in television broadcasting.”After pitching 10 years in the big leagues, Nitkowski has served as Texas’ television analyst since 2017 as well as working on SiriusXM’s MLB Network Radio.The 39-year-old Francoeur, who has four children, will remain in his postseason br...

Steelers’ late-season slide hasn’t shaken the confidence of coach Mike Tomlin

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:24 GMT

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mike Tomlin’s confidence is unshakeable. Just ask him.“Fifty-one years of life, man, most of which have been in football, that’s probably what gives me confidence,” the longtime Pittsburgh Steelers coach said Monday. “But I can’t necessarily transfer that to others.”Too bad. A transfusion might be necessary.There have been late-season fades during Tomlin’s 17 years on the sideline, just as there have been late-season surges.This swoon, however, feels different. It certainly looks different, with Pittsburgh getting outcoached and outplayed not by Bill Belichick and Tom Brady or Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes but Jonathan Gannon and Kyler Murray. Shane Steichen and Gardner Minshew. The nadir — at least what the Steelers hope is the nadir — of a wildly uneven season came in a 30-13 loss to Steichen, Minshew and the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday in which Pittsburgh squandered an early 13-point lead and spent the final three quarters showing all the hallmark...

Chiefs still showcase their warts, but also their promise in 27-17 victory over Patriots

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:24 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs beat the New England Patriots on Sunday in spite of themselves.It’s a trick they can pull off against a three-win team, even on the road. But probably not one against a team in the postseason.So that is where the Chiefs — that equally befuddling and beguiling Super Bowl champions — finds themselves with three games left in the regular season. They improved to 9-5 with their 27-17 win on Sunday in Foxborough, Massachusetts, but still find themselves staring up at Miami (10-4) and Baltimore (11-3) in the AFC playoff picture with three regular-season games to go.They also find themselves making the same mistakes that have cost them all season: penalties, dropped passes, turnovers and mental errors, and often several of them happening on a single disastrous play.That was certainly the case for Kadarius Toney, whose offside penalty cost them so dearly the previous week against Buffalo, taking away a go-ahead touchdown with just over a ...

Chiefs put struggling WR Skyy Moore on injured reserve with knee problem

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:24 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs placed wide receiver Skyy Moore on injured reserve Monday, ending what had been a disappointing second season for the 2022 second-round draft pick.Chiefs coach Andy Reid said earlier in the day that Moore had some swelling in his knee, which caused him to play limited snaps during Sunday’s 27-17 win in New England. But in the time that he was on the field, Moore once again fumbled the ball away after a catch, only to be bailed out by a defensive holding penalty that gave Kansas City the ball back.The Chiefs, who improved to 9-5 with the win over the Patriots, were hopeful that Moore could improve upon a rookie season in which he caught 22 passes for 250 yards but began to show promise late in the season and into the playoffs.Instead, Moore caught just 21 passes for 244 yards and a touchdown while ceding playing time to other wide receivers.The Chiefs have struggled to get consistent production from their pass-catchers all season, ...