Sports

By The Associated Press Often surrounded by drama, England’s soccer team is being turned into an actual show. London’s National Theatre said Tuesday that Joseph Fiennes will star as manager Gareth Southgate in “Dear England.” The new play by James Graham asks the question: Why can’t England’s men win at their own game? Graham says:

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bulls have ruled point guard Lonzo Ball out for the season because of lingering discomfort in his surgically repaired left knee. The team says the focus now will be on resolving the discomfort he feels performing “high level basketball-related activities” and making “a full return” for next season. Ball hasn’t

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Aroldis Chapman can earn up to $8.75 million as part of his one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals if he regains a job as a regular closer. The left-hander, who turns 35 on Feb. 28, is guaranteed $3.75 million under the deal announced Jan. 27. Chapman can earn $2.5 million

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer Brittney Griner will be back in the WNBA this season, once again playing with the Phoenix Mercury. Griner, who was a free agent, re-signed with the team Tuesday. The 32-year-old Griner had said she would return to Phoenix in a social media post in December, after she returned home

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Sports Writer PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are closer to seeing their high-tech golf league become reality. The ceremonial groundbreaking for the arena that will house the league that’s being called TGL was held Tuesday at Palm Beach State College. Woods and McIlroy are among

IRVING, Texas (AP) — The American Athletic Conference has released its 2023 football schedule that includes the league’s six incoming teams. Each of the 14 AAC teams will play eight conference games in a single-division format. The top two teams in the standings will play in the conference championship game on Dec. 2. Charlotte, Florida

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — A guest of the Pittsburgh Pirates required emergency medical attention after suffering cardiac arrest while fielding fly balls on a practice field. The Pirates say the guest was shagging balls at the team’s spring training complex when he required immediate attention and caused practice to stop. Jacki Dezelski is president and

By NOAH TRISTER AP Baseball Writer SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — Of all of baseball’s tweaks under Commissioner Rob Manfred, the pitch clock might be the one that affects the most players. Whether you’re a pitcher, a catcher, a hitter or a baserunner, there’s no hiding from this rule change. The goal is to speed up

By CIARÁN FAHEY AP Sports Writer FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Frankfurt police say violent Eintracht Frankfurt supporters have been trying to provoke Napoli fans in the run-up to the teams’ Champions League game on Tuesday. The police say there have been “several attacks on Italian visiting fans by supporters from the Frankfurt high-risk fans’ scene.”

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — To ask Michelle Wie West what she is up to these days is not likely to produce a short answer. The former U.S. Women’s Open champion will fully retire after she plays Pebble Beach this summer. But now Wie West is hosting a video series

PHOENIX (AP) — First baseman Luke Voit and outfielder Tyler Naquin agreed to minor league contracts with the Milwaukee Brewers and will report to major league spring training. Voit, 32,hit .226 with 22 homers, 69 RBIs, a .308 on-base percentage and a .402 slugging percentage in 135 games with San Diego and Washington last season.

By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer MADRID (AP) — Spanish league clubs have expressed unease about the payments by Barcelona to the vice-president of the refereeing committee over several years. The league has released a statement saying the majority of the clubs showed “deep concern about this case, which they consider to be of the

SILVERSTONE, England (AP) — Formula Two champion Felipe Drugovich will drive for Aston Martin in place of the injured Lance Stroll when Formula One testing begins Thursday. Aston Martin says Drugovich will start testing in the morning session Thursday in Bahrain before Stroll’s teammate Fernando Alonso takes over for the afternoon. The team says its

LEEDS, England (AP) — Spanish coach Javi Gracia has gotten a second chance to manage in the Premier League. He has been hired by Leeds as the replacement for Jesse Marsch at the relegation-threatened team. The 52-year-old Gracia previously had a spell at Watford from 2018-19. He kept the team in England’s top flight in

By BRIAN MAHONEY AP Basketball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Jacque Vaughn, who has coached the Brooklyn Nets into playoff position despite the trades of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving during another turbulent season for the franchise, has agreed to a multiyear contract extension. Vaughn replaced Steve Nash early in the season and the Nets

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland Browns special teams coordinator Mike Priefer has been fired following four seasons and numerous costly mistakes by his units. The move came six weeks after coach Kevin Stefanski fired defensive coordinator Joe Woods following a 7-10 season. Priefer spent three seasons on Stefanski’s staff and

MONTREAL (AP) — The World Anti-Doping Agency says it has appealed Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva’s doping case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and is seeking a four-year ban. WADA is objecting to a finding by a Russian tribunal that Valieva bore “no fault or negligence” in the case. Her positive test overshadowed