AP Sports

Majority of U.S. adults are against college athletes joining unions, according to AP-NORC survey

More than half of Americans say they are against college athletes unionizing, though younger respondents were more supportive than older, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The survey found that 55% of adults believe NCAA athletes should not be permitted to form unions that would led to collective bargaining with schools. The survey found breaks in support along three lines: political party identification, race and age. Six in 10 adults under the age of 45 support allowing college athletes to form unions. Last week, Dartmouth men’s basketball players voted to join a union.

To Ohtani’s surgeon, a 103 mph fastball was a red flag, but his $700M deal shows trust in TJ surgery

CHICAGO (AP) — Shohei Ohtani had his right elbow repaired by Dr. Neal ElAttrache for the second time in September. With the 50th anniversary of the first Tommy John surgery coming up this year, Ohtani and ElAttrache are at the center of what might be the procedure’s most compelling case study. The Dodgers are betting on a successful conclusion, too. They handed a record-breaking $700 million contract to the two-way star in free agency in December. ElAttrache says Ohtani’s new deal is indicative of the confidence the baseball world has in the surgery.

NFL teams scramble to catch K.C. as free agency begins — but the Chiefs aren’t standing still

The Tennessee Titans landed wide receiver Calvin Ridley when free agency opened Wednesday. Ridley’s four-year, $92 million deal includes $50 million in guarantees, according to a person with knowledge of the agreement. It comes one day after the Titans lost longtime running back Derrick Henry to the Baltimore Ravens. The league’s teams are reshaping their rosters in pursuit of two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City. But the Chiefs have made several moves to keep their championship core intact.

Padres acquire RHP Dylan Cease in multiplayer trade with White Sox

The San Diego Padres have acquired right-hander Dylan Cease in a trade with the Chicago White Sox for reliever Steven Wilson and three prospects: right-handers Drew Thorpe and Jairo Iriarte, and outfielder Samuel Zavala. Cease, who turned 28 in December, was second in AL Cy Young Award voting in 2022 after going 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA. He went 7-9 with a 4.58 ERA last year for a White Sox team that went 61-101. Cease joins a rotation that includes Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove. He agreed in January to an $8 million, one-year contract and is eligible for free agency after the 2025 World Series.

Luka Doncic scores 21, triple-double streak ends at 7 as Mavs slog past Warriors 109-99

DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic scored 21 points while his triple-double streak ended at seven games, and the Dallas Mavericks slogged to a 109-99 victory over the Golden State Warriors. Doncic left the game in the fourth quarter with left hamstring soreness. Golden State was without Stephen Curry for a third consecutive game. It showed with sub-40% shooting almost the entire game in a fifth loss in six games this season without the star guard. Jonathan Kuminga led Golden State with 27 points. Daniel Gafford went 5 of 5 from the field for Dallas and has made 33 consecutive baskets, two short of Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA record.

Raiders release Jimmy Garoppolo and Hunter Renfrow in cost-cutting moves

The Las Vegas Raiders kicked off the start of the new league year by releasing quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and receiver Hunter Renfrow to give the new regime more room to operate under the salary cap. The Raiders also released backup quarterback Brian Hoyer and defensive tackle Jerry Tillery just minutes after the start of the 2024 league year. The moves create significant salary cap space for the Raiders to use this offseason as a new regime led by general manager Tom Telesco and coach Antonio Pierce looks to build the team into a contender.

The Chiefs restructure Patrick Mahomes’ contract for salary cap relief, AP source says

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have restructured quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ contract, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the financial details were not public. The restructuring frees up more than $21 million in salary cap space that the Chiefs can use elsewhere. That could include a much-publicized pursuit of help at wide receiver, their need for a new left tackle to protect Mahomes’ blind side, or in re-signing their own free agents.

Red Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito has elbow repaired with internal brace, expected to miss season

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Boston Red Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito is expected to miss this season after his right ulnar collateral ligament was repaired with an internal brace. Dr. Jeffrey R. Dugas operated Tuesday at the Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center in Birmingham, Alabama. Giolito was able to avoid ligament replacement surgery, which he had on Aug. 31, 2012, with Dr. Lewis Yocum, less than two months after Washington made Giolito its tops pick in the 2012 amateur draft. Red Sox manager Alex Cora says he doesn’t think Giolito will take the mound again in 2024.

Navarro beats Sabalenka in 3 sets, Gauff advances to quarters on her birthday at Indian Wells

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Emma Navarro beat second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open for the biggest win of the young American’s career. Navarro improved to 18-5 this year, and her wins lead the WTA Tour. She is 11-2 in three-set matches. Coco Gauff celebrated her 20th birthday with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Elise Mertens to reach the quarterfinals at Indian Wells for the second straight year. Mertens knocked off Naomi Osaka in the third round, but the Belgian never got going against Gauff. On the men’s side, fourth-seeded Daniil Medvedev defeated 13th-seeded Grigor Dimitrov, 6-4, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals.

NFL considers rule changes that include challenges for penalties at end of halves

The Indianapolis Colts are proposing a rule change that would allow for challenges of penalty calls in the last two minutes of the half. The NFL released a list of several rule change proposals on Wednesday made by teams that included an option to run a fourth-and-20 play in lieu of an onside kick, the moving of the trade deadline and giving teams an additional challenge if they are successful on one of their first two tries. The competition committee will make its own rule change proposals next week and owners are scheduled to vote on them at the league meetings later this month with 24 votes needed for approval.