AP National Sports

SEATTLE (AP) — Outfielder AJ Pollock and the Seattle Mariners finalized a one-year contract, setting up a potential platoon situation in left field for the upcoming season. The right-handed hitting Pollock will likely be paired with left-handed hitting Jarred Kelenic in a potential position share. Pollock spent last season with the Chicago White Sox, hitting

By JEROME PUGMIRE AP Sports Writer PARIS (AP) — Marseille is on a five-game winning run and well poised to put pressure on Lens in the race for second place in the French league. With Paris Saint-Germain comfortably leading the league the more realistic ambition for Marseille is to finish second and qualify automatically for

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Cardinals hired Joe McEwing as their new bench coach Thursday to replace longtime star Matt Holliday, who took the job in November but quit to spend more time with his family. The 50-year-old McEwing, who was originally drafted by the Cardinals in 1992 and played two seasons for St. Louis,

NEW YORK (AP) — Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be the neutral site if Buffalo and Kansas City meet in the AFC championship game. The NFL decided to put that potential matchup in a neutral city after the Bills’ Week 17 game against Cincinnati was canceled when Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on the field.

By ERIC OLSON AP Sports Writer KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — Brooke Carlson, Elisa Backes, Maegan Holt, Klaire Kirsch and Shiloh McCool do almost everything together. That includes movie nights and meals at the house four of the five share near the University of Nebraska-Kearney campus, organizing community service projects and excelling academically. Oh, and they

ZURICH (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo was left off the the 14-player shortlist for the annual Best FIFA Men’s Player award for the first time, with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé among those selected. Ronaldo won the FIFA award in 2016 and 2017 and was among the three finalists the following three years. This was the

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Geno Auriemma returned to UConn’s bench and Azzi Fudd to its lineup as the fourth-ranked Huskies routed St. John’s 82-52 at UBS Arena. Auriemma had missed the Huskies’ previous two games because he wasn’t feeling well. He also missed two games while sick in December.

By ANDREW SELIGMAN AP Sports Writer CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bears have hired Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren as their president and CEO, bringing him back to the NFL to help lead a founding franchise after three years running one of college athletics’ marquee conferences. Warren replaces the retiring Ted Phillips and becomes the

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia has pulled out of an upcoming men’s one-day international cricket series against Afghanistan. Cricket Australia cites more restrictions on women’s rights imposed by the Taliban government. Australia was set to meet Afghanistan in the United Arab Emirates for three matches in March. But following consultation with the Australian government and

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — Brian Flores landed in the AFC North last season. He might be ready to make a move inside the division. Flores joined coach Mike Tomlin’s staff in Pittsburgh following his messy departure in Miami and now is interviewing with the Cleveland Browns to be their new

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer The Australian Open is the year’s first Grand Slam tennis tournament. Play is scheduled to start at Melbourne Park on Monday. Try the AP’s quiz to see how much you know about the sport and the event. Do you know the name of the the last player to beat

LONDON (AP) — A former Premier League soccer player has been handed a 7½-year prison sentence for defrauding his family and friends of $18.2 million. Richard Rufus played in England’s top division with Charlton Athletic from 1998-2004 and also was an England under-21 international. He claimed he was a successful foreign exchange trader and convinced

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia has pulled out of an upcoming men’s one-day international cricket series against Afghanistan. Cricket Australia cites more restrictions on women’s rights imposed by the Taliban government. Australia was set to meet Afghanistan in the United Arab Emirates for three matches in March. But following consultation with the Australian government and

By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Harvick received the same answer nearly every time he asked another athlete how they decided to retire: Harvick would just know it was time. The driver thrust onto the global stage when he was named Dale Earnhardt’s replacement just days after Earnhardt’s fatal

MACCLESFIELD, England (AP) — A soccer team in England’s eighth tier has granted its main striker a period of leave so he can appear on the new series of reality TV show Love Island. Macclesfield is a club which leads the Northern Premier League West Division by eight points. It says it is disappointed to

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann wants a new goalkeeper before the Bundesliga season resumes next week. Bayern has been looking for alternatives for the injured Manuel Neuer but the club’s search has failed to yield results so far. Neuer broke his leg in a skiing accident last month and is out

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — After a difficult stretch that saw UConn have to postpone a game because the fourth-ranked Huskies didn’t have enough healthy players, they are starting to get healthy. UConn welcomed back coach Geno Auriemma and guard Azzi Fudd on Wednesday night in an 82-52 win over

By MARK LONG AP Pro Football Writer JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jacksonville’s Josh Allen has 23 quarterback pressures in his last five games. He also returned a fumble 37 yards for a touchdown in the closing minutes to beat Tennessee 20-16 last Saturday and secure the franchise’s second AFC South championship. It was the latest

By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer Brock Purdy has passed every test he’s faced so far in his remarkable rookie season. Coming off the bench with no reps after Jimmy Garoppolo got hurt. Matching up against an all-time great like Tom Brady. His first road start in an intimidating stadium in Seattle. Coming from