Sports

By JAMES ROBSON AP Soccer Writer Chelsea manager Graham Potter was always going to have a job squeezing new signings in after around $357 million was spent during the January transfer window. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a high-profile casualty of the midseason shopping spree after being cut from Chelsea’s squad for the Champions League knockout stages.

BOSTON (AP) — The fifth-tier Welsh club owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney will send a team to compete in a $1 million, winner-take-all, seven—on-seven tournament in June in Cary, North Carolina. Wrexham will be part of the 32-team tournament that also includes Mexico’s Necaxa and teams organized by former U.S captain Clint

KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Abraham Ancer has the lead at the midway point of the Saudi International on the Asian Tour. Ancer shot a 66 and leads by one over Cameron Young. The field has a majority of players who are with Saudi-funded LIV Golf. Young was the PGA Tour rookie

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals finalized Zack Greinke’s $8.5 million contract, bringing back a well-known and veteran arm to their otherwise young starting rotation. The deal for the 39-year-old Greinke includes up to $7.5 million in performance bonuses. He made $13 million with the Royals

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Hockey Writer FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — There’s little doubt 3-on-3 overtime has been a success in the NHL. It has cut down on shootouts that were deciding 13% of games the season before it was instituted. That number was down below 8% last season and is at 6.4% in 2023.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Pitcher Jesús Luzardo became the second player in two days to beat the Miami Marlins in salary arbitration and was awarded $2.45 million. Miami had argued for $2.1 million during a hearing Thursday before a panel of John Stout, Melinda Gordon and Richard Bloch. AL batting champion Luis Arraez, an

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer Former top-20 tennis player and U.S. Olympian Varvara Lepchenko has had her doping suspension for use of a banned stimulant reduced from four years to 21 months as part of an agreement with the International Tennis Federation. Lepchenko had appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. She and

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles FC goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau is almost fully healed from the broken leg that sent him to the hospital deep into extra time at the MLS Cup final. LAFC won the title while Crépeau was in the ambulance refreshing his phone to find out

By The Associated Press Ukraine and the three Baltic countries have moved a step closer to boycotting next year’s Paris Olympics because of the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes. The International Olympic Committee plans to allow Russians and Belarusians to compete as “neutral athletes” despite their invasion of Ukraine. The Olympic body says it

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Hockey Writer SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — The Washington Capitals have signed forward Dylan Strome to a five-year contract extension worth $25 million. Strome will count $5 million against the salary cap through the 2027-28 season. He was set to be a restricted free agent this summer. Strome is getting a raise

By BRIAN MAHONEY AP Sports Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Amanda Serrano narrowly missed becoming an undisputed champion last year when Katie Taylor edged her at Madison Square Garden. She has another chance at undisputed on Saturday. Win that and she might get a second shot at Taylor, too. Serrano returns to Madison Square Garden,

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jason Kelce, Fletcher Cox, Lane Johnson and Brandon Graham have all been stars for the Philadelphia Eagles for more than a decade. There is a chance Kelce, Cox and Graham could all play their last game for the Eagles in the Super Bowl against the Kansas

PARIS (AP) — Formula One’s governing body has confirmed the six engine providers for the 2026-30 cycle which aims to use sustainable fuels and greater electric power. The FIA said that Alpine, Audi, Ferrari, Honda, Mercedes, and Red Bull in partnership with Ford successfully completed the registration process for the next generation of engines. German

By AMY TAXIN Associated Press California officials are considering a plan to make flag football a girls’ high school sport amid soaring popularity of the game and a push to get more female athletes on the field. The California Interscholastic Federation’s federated council is expected to vote Friday on the proposal. If the measure is

NEW YORK (AP) — Mark Geiger will take over from Howard Webb as the head of referees in Major League Soccer. The 48-year-old Geiger, who retired as a referee after the 2018 season, was promoted to general manager of the Professional Referee Organization that supplies MLS match officials. Geiger was an MLS referee from 2004-18

LEEDS, England (AP) — Weston McKennie likely won’t have to wait long for his Leeds debut. The United States midfielder joined the Premier League club on loan from Juventus this week and has impressed manager Jesse Marsch ahead of a weekend game at Nottingham Forest. Marsch says “He’s fit, he’s ready,” and could start on

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer Duke coach Kara Lawson said her team played with a men’s basketball for the first half of a loss to Florida State last Sunday. The 16th-ranked Blue Devils lost to the Seminoles 70-57 in Tallahassee, Florida — the team’s second Atlantic Coast Conference loss of the season. After her