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March 4, 2024
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March 4, 2024
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March 4, 2024

Zack Wheeler and Phillies reach $126 million, 3-year deal for 2025-27

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed on a $126 million, three-year contract for 2025-27, the fourth-highest average salary in baseball history at $42 million. Wheeler gets $23.5 million this year in the final season of a $118 million, five-year contract. Wheeler’s average trails only Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani ($70 million), Texas pitcher Max Scherzer ($43.33 million) and Houston pitcher Justin Verlander ($43.33 million).

LeBron James’ 40,000-point club won’t see anyone joining for a long time. Maybe never. Here’s why

Never say never. There’s a chance that one day someone will join LeBron James in the NBA’s 40,000-point club. A tiny chance, anyway. James crossed the 40,000-point mark on Saturday night. That milestone shot — and every other he’ll make for the rest of his career — extended the NBA all-time scoring record that he claimed from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar last season.

Mike Evans agrees to a 2-year, $52 million contract to remain with the Buccaneers, AP source says

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A person familiar with the deal says Tampa Bay receiver Mike Evans has agreed to a two-year, $52 million contract to remain with the Buccaneers instead of testing his worth in free agency. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract had not been finalized. ESPN first reported the agreement, saying it includes $35 million guaranteed. The 30-year-old Evans is the only player in NFL history to begin his career with 10 consecutive seasons with 1,000-plus yards receiving. He’s also Tampa Bay’s career leader in receptions, yardage and touchdowns. He tied Tyreek Hill for the league lead in TD catches with 13, while finishing with 79 receptions for 1,255 yards, in 2023.

Austin Eckroat gets his 1st PGA Tour win by prevailing at Cognizant Classic

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Austin Eckroat waited a long time to become a winner on the PGA Tour. Another day didn’t hurt. Eckroat got the first victory of his tour career Monday, topping Erik van Rooyen and Min Woo Lee by three shots to win the weather-delayed Cognizant Classic. Among his prizes: $1.62 million, tour status for two years and a trip to the Masters for the first time. Eckroat shot a final round of 4-under 67, finishing at 17-under 267. Eckroat says “I just kept telling myself, ‘I’ve put myself in this position for a reason.’ This is what I want to do.”

Mikaela Shiffrin preparing to return from downhill crash at slalom race in Sweden this weekend

Mikaela Shiffrin’s return from her downhill crash is still on schedule for this weekend in Sweden but the American standout might only enter one of the two World Cup races. Shiffrin’s team says “Mikaela is improving in slalom and feels that the slalom race is still realistic but the GS is in question.” The weekend’s action starts with a giant slalom on Saturday and is followed by a slalom on Sunday. Shiffrin has been out since she sprained the MCL and tibiofibular ligament in her left knee when she crashed in a downhill in Cortina in January.

Houston holds tight grip on No. 1, Kansas drops out of top 10 for first time in 3 years

Houston still has a tight grip on No. 1 in the AP Top 25 while Kansas is out of the top 10 for the first time in three seasons. The Cougars received 52 first-place votes from a 62-person media panel to hold the top spot for the second straight week. UConn moved up a spot to No. 2 and had six first-place votes to leapfrog No. 3 Purdue, which had four first-place votes. Tennessee and Arizona round out the top five. Kansas dropped seven places to No. 14 this week after consecutive losses, ending a 55-week streak in the top 10.

Top 10 shuffle in women’s AP Top 25 as Stanford and Iowa move up behind No. 1 South Carolina

No. 2Stanford and No. 3 Iowa have jumped up behind top-ranked South Carolina in The Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll. Ohio State fell to fourth. USC was fifth, its highest ranking since 1994 when the team was fourth. Texas dropped three spots to sixth. UCLA, LSU and UConn were next and N.C. State moved up two places to 10th. Conference tournaments kick off this week ahead of the NCAA Tournament later this month.

The NHL trade deadline is approaching. A flurry of trades are expected with playoff berths at stake

The NHL trade deadline is Friday. Many of the league’s most prominent potential sellers have been waiting and there have not been many moves so far. The weekend provided a bit of clarity for a handful of teams and set the stage for a busy week. A couple of trades have set the market, but that doesn’t mean some surprises couldn’t still be in store before the deadline.

Rajah Caruth makes leap from computer racer to NASCAR national series winner

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Rajah Caruth was like any other 4-year-old boy the first time he watched the movies “Cars” and vowed to become his own version of Lightning McQueen. He was, his family insists, obsessed with becoming a racecar driver. Born in Atlanta and raised in Washington, D.C., racing cars wasn’t really within his reach. After a lot of work, Caruth earned his first career NASCAR national series victory with a win last week in the Truck Series Race at Las Vegas. Caruth joined Wendell Scott and Bubba Wallace as the only Black drivers to win at NASCAR’s national level.

Brothers Travis and Jason Kelce honored with bobblehead giveaway at Cavs-Celtics game

CLEVELAND (AP) — Taylor Swift’s boyfriend has taken shaking it off to another level. Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end who began dating the pop music superstar during this past season, will be honored Tuesday night with a bobblehead giveaway when the Cleveland Cavaliers host the Boston Celtics. The collectible is a tiny version of Kelce and his older brother, Jason, who recently retired from the Philadelphia Eagles. The brothers are Cleveland natives and have long supported their hometown Cavs, who are in turn paying tribute to the local football stars. The miniature Kelces are decked out in blue Cavs jerseys — Travis in his familiar No. 87, Jason in No. 62.