AP National Sports

CHICAGO (AP) — Catcher Willson Contreras and the Chicago Cubs avoided an arbitration hearing by agreeing to a one-year contract for $9.625 million. The agreement is at the midpoint between the $10.25 million the 30-year-old Contreras had asked for and the $9 million the Cubs had offered when figures were exchanged. Contreras hit .237 with

LONDON (AP) — Wimbledon will offer a record total of $50.5 million in player compensation but the singles champions will receive less than the pre-pandemic amount. The All England Club says prize money excluding per diems totals a record $48.8 million. The men’s and women’s singles winners will each earn $2.5 million, 14.9% less than

MILWAUKEE (AP) — George Thompson, who played for Marquette from 1967-69 and remains one of the program’s all-time leading scorers, has died. He was 74. Marquette announced Thompson died Wednesday at his Milwaukee home due to complications from diabetes. Thompson scored 1,773 points for Marquette and owned the school’s career scoring record for 40 years.

By TOM CANAVAN AP Sports Writer EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Giants canceled practice after holding a team meeting on Thursday, wrapping up a mandatory three-day minicamp. The team said it was holding an organizational function instead of a practice. That means the next time the Giants and coach Brian Daboll will

By DANIELLA MATAR AP Sports Writer BELLINZONA, Switzerland (AP) — Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini strongly reiterated their innocence as the two former soccer leaders were questioned on day two of their criminal trial on charges of defrauding FIFA. Blatter was due to testify on the opening day on Wednesday but the former FIFA president

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson launched tee shots in the Saudi-funded golf league on Thursday, and it wasn’t long before the PGA Tour said its players who took part were no longer welcome, even if they already had resigned. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan held a hard line on

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Sports Writer ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Washington Commanders assistant coach Jack Del Rio issued an apology for his word choice after doubling down on a comparison he made on social media between the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and the protests in the wake of the

By CLIFF BRUNT AP Sports Writer OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Jocelyn Alo and Tiare Jennings fueled Oklahoma’s record-setting offensive burst to help the Sooners move a victory away from successfully defending their Women’s College World Series title. Alo and Jennings each hit two home runs and top-seeded Oklahoma rolled past unseeded Texas 16-1 in Game

PRAGUE (AP) — Czech police have recommended 21 people be indicted for suspected corruption in a match-fixing scandal that involves former Czech Football Association deputy Roman Berbr. Investigators believe they were involved in fixing matches in the second and third-tier leagues and other crimes. A police spokesman says they are suspected of bribery, embezzlement and

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Liverpool has confirmed the departure of goalkeeper Loris Karius four years after his last appearance for the club when his concussion-related gaffes contributed to a 3-1 loss to Real Madrid in the 2018 Champions League final. The 28-year-old German didn’t play again for the English Premier League club which sent him

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN AP Sports Writer The Paris police chief apologized on Thursday for the pepper spraying of genuine fans and families amid the chaos that engulfed the Champions League final last month outside the Stade de France. He also justified the tactic. Paris police prefect Didier Lallement admitted that the evening in the suburb

LYON, France (AP) — France striker Alexandre Lacazette has signed a three-year deal with Lyon. He returns to the seven-time French champion after five seasons with Arsenal. The 31-year-old forward was out of contract with the Gunners at the end of June. He left Lyon in 2017 for a then club-record 60 million euros after

LYON, France (AP) — France striker Alexandre Lacazette has signed a three-year deal with Lyon. He returns to the seven-time French champions after five seasons with Arsenal. The 31-year-old forward was out of contract with the Gunners at the end of June. He left Lyon in 2017 for a then club-record 60 million euros after

By GARY B. GRAVES AP Sports Writer LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — When Rich Strike bolted into horse racing’s spotlight in a little over two minutes with his upset Kentucky Derby victory, he shared the stage with his handler, who has long toiled in the shadows constantly tending to the champion colt. Rich Strike’s attention stems

By BERNIE WILSON AP Sports Writer SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jake Cronenworth homered, doubled, singled and had five RBIs, and Sean Manaea outpitched former teammate Chris Bassitt to lead the San Diego Padres to a 13-2 rout of the New York Mets. Cronenworth fell a triple shy of his second career cycle. He collected the

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels’ losing streak reached a franchise-record 14 games when Bobby Dalbec drove in the only run with a double in the sixth inning for the Boston Red Sox in a 1-0 victory. Nathan Eovaldi pitched five innings of six-hit ball with five

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Baseball Writer ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Martín Pérez is having the best stretch of his career in his return to the Texas Rangers. The 31-year-old left-hander is the MLB leader with his 1.56 ERA and has made nine consecutive quality starts. That matches the longest streak in Rangers history and is