Sports

By JOHN DUERDEN Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Russia has been invited to participate in the inaugural Central Asian Football Association Championships in June along with seven other national teams. Russian teams have been barred from European and FIFA competitions since the invasion of Ukraine in February of last year. But the Tajikistan

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Defending champion Taylor Fritz routed Sebastian Baez 6-1, 6-2 in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open. The fourth-seeded Fritz served four aces and won 88% of his first-serve points against the 30th-seeded Baez from Argentina. Also advancing was Stan Wawrinka, who defeated No. 7 seed Holger Rune, 2-6,

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — A person familiar with the situation says the Cleveland Browns have restructured quarterback Deshaun Watson’s $230 million contract to create salary-cap space ahead of NFL free agency. The Browns can convert Watson’s base salary into a signing bonus and create $36 million of room, according to

By GEORGE HENRY AP Sports Writer ATLANTA (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 32 points in his hometown, Kyle Anderson had his third career triple-double and the Minnesota Timberwolves cruised to a 136-115 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Trae Young finished with 41 points for the Hawks, who dropped to 3-5 under new coach Quin Snyder

By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Sports Writer DALLAS (AP) — Desmond Bane scored 23 points and the Memphis Grizzlies won a second consecutive game against Dallas with all three All-Stars out, beating the Mavericks 104-88. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving were out for Dallas with injuries. Ja Morant remained away from the Grizzlies because of his

By JOHN WAWROW AP Sports Writer ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills have worked their way under the salary cap in time for the free-agent signing period by freeing up more than $30 million in space after restructuring the contracts of quarterback Josh Allen and edge rusher Von Milller, a person with direct

By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer HOUSTON (AP) — Jalen Green scored 28 points and rookie Jabari Smith Jr. added 24 as the Houston Rockets withstood a late charge to beat the Boston Celtics 111-109. The Rockets, who are tied with Detroit for the NBA’s fewest wins with 16, snapped a three-game skid. Jaylen Brown

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer MIAMI (AP) — Jimmy Butler scored 24 points to lead seven Miami players in double figures, Tyler Herro and Gabe Vincent each scored 18 and the Heat held off the Utah Jazz 119-115 on Monday night. Bam Adebayo scored 16 for Miami, while Victor Oladipo and Kevin Love each

TOKYO (AP) — José De León and three relievers combined to pitch a perfect game as Puerto Rico routed Israel 10-0 in a World Baseball Classic game called after eight innings because of the tournament’s 10-run mercy rule. De León tied a WBC record with 10 strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander was lifted

MONTREAL (AP) — Artturi Lehkonen scored twice in Colorado’s four-goal first period, and the Avalanche beat the Montreal Canadiens 8-4. Valeri Nichushkin had a goal and two assists, Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist, and Nathan MacKinnon, J.T. Compher, Matt Nieto and Bowen Byram also scored for the Avalanche, who won for the

By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer The NFL’s competition committee will consider making roughing-the-passer penalties and personal-foul penalties subject to video review. The two potential rule changes were among nine the league announced Monday in its 2023 playing rules, bylaw and resolution proposals submitted by clubs. The Los Angeles Rams proposed the change that

By The Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Trevor Bauer has agreed to a contract with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Japan’s Central League. The 2020 NL Cy Young Award winner was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Jan. 12, three weeks after an arbitrator reduced his suspension imposed by baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred from

By BRUCE SCHREINER Associated Press FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A bill to legalize sports betting in Kentucky won House passage on Monday, setting up a Senate showdown on a proposal that creates divisions among the Republican supermajorities. Past efforts to legalize sports wagering in the Bluegrass State garnered House support but died in the Senate.

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Defending champion Taylor Fritz routed Sebastian Baez 6-1, 6-2 in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open. The fourth-seeded Fritz served four aces and won 88% of his first-serve points against the 30th-seeded Baez from Argentina. Also advancing was Stan Wawrinka, who defeated No. 7 seed Holger Rune, 2-6,

By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Toronto All-Star pitcher Alek Manoah was among 15 players whose contracts were renewed by their teams rather than reach negotiated agreements. Manoah, who finished third in AL Cy Young Award voting, was given a $745,650 salary while in the major leagues and $353,100 should he

BALTIMORE (AP) — A minor league pitcher who was in the Baltimore Orioles organization has died after battling cancer. Luis Ortiz was 20. The Orioles announced his death in a statement. The team said Ortiz was an inspiration to all who knew him. Ortiz was born Sept. 17, 2002, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He

By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Joe Pepitone, an All-Star and Gold Glove first baseman on the 1960s New York Yankees who gained renown for his flamboyant personality, hairpieces and penchant for nightlife, has died at age 82.  Born in Brooklyn, Pepitone helped the Yankees to their second straight World Series