Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Kelsie Whitmore has signed a contract with the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League, becoming one of the first women to join a league connected to Major League Baseball. The 23-year-old Whitmore pitched and played in the outfield for the U.S. women’s baseball team from 2014-19. She also played college

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James will miss the final two games of the Los Angeles Lakers’ season with a sprained left ankle. That almost certainly prevents him from winning his second NBA scoring title. The Lakers made the announcement before they hosted the Oklahoma City Thunder. Los Angeles’

By MARK DIDTLER Associated Press LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) — Looking back on her journey before her first game with Class A Tampa, Rachel Balkovec reflected on the discrimination she experienced before becoming the first woman to manage a minor league affiliate of a major league team. The 34-year-old Balkovec held a pregame media session at

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Seattle Mariners have signed Gold Glove shortstop J.P. Crawford to a five-year contract ahead of the start of the regular season. The 27-year-old Crawford was under contractual control through 2024. He won’t be eligible for free agency now until after the 2026 season. Crawford has been a standout defensive player since

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks have signed guard Rayjon Tucker. The 6-foot-3 Tucker appeared in three games with the Denver Nuggets this season while on a 10-day contract. He averaged 2 points, 1.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 9.7 minutes. He also played 14 games for the Philadelphia 76ers in 2020-21 and 20 games for

NEW YORK (AP) — More than 28% of Major League Baseball players were born outside the 50 states for the second straight season. MLB says 275 of 975 players on expanded 28-man, opening-day rosters, injured lists, the restricted list and the bereavement list were born outside the 50 states. The Dominican Republic led with 99

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Purdue’s board of trustees has approved a $6.7 million renovation plan for Mackey Arena. Construction is expected to begin following next basketball season. The funding will come entirely from private donations. The updates include reconfigured locker rooms and players lounges for the men’s and women’s basketball teams, an expansion of

GRAMBLING, La. (AP) — New Grambling volleyball coach Chelsea Lucas has cut more than half of the team’s scholarship players and told incoming recruits that the previous coach’s commitments would not be honored. Athletic director Trayvean Scott defended Lucas’ right to reshape the program as she deems appropriate and also has sought to refute reports

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Butler Bulldogs have hired Austin Parkinson as their new women’s basketball coach. Parkinson will stay in Indianapolis after spending the past 12 seasons at nearby IUPUI. The move comes a little more than two weeks after athletic director Barry Collier fired Kurt Godlevske. Parkinson won two Horizon League Tournament championships over

By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees say they failed to reach an agreement with Aaron Judge before his deadline to get a long-term deal by opening day. They hope to resume talks after the season. General manager Brian Cashman says the Yankees had offered Judge an eight-year

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — Chelsea got $5.55 million from European Championship revenues for releasing players to their national teams. UEFA had a fund of $217.5 million. Clubs were paid a daily rate per player involved in the Euro 2020 tournament and qualifying plus Nations League games since 2018. Chelsea had players on both sides of

LONDON (AP) — Tennis great Boris Becker could face a jail sentence after being found guilty of illicitly moving thousands of dollars from a bank account after he was declared bankrupt. A jury at London’s Southwark Crown Court convicted Becker on Friday on four charges under the Insolvency Act. The German star was found to

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — Atlético Madrid has been charged by UEFA after a fan was filmed apparently making Nazi salutes at a Champions League game. UEFA says the club has been charged with “discriminatory behavior” and for fans throwing objects during Atlético’s 1-0 loss at Manchester City on Tuesday. UEFA disciplinary rules hold clubs responsible

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer Ukrainian soccer club Shakhtar Donetsk will play a series of charity games on a government-backed “Global Tour for Peace” that will raise money for the country’s military in the war against Russia. The tour starts Saturday against Greek league leader Olympiakos. The club says its squad has gathered in