LENEXA, Kan. (AP) — The Chiefs have requested an extension to the end-of-June deadline for a stadium financing package from the state of Kansas in a letter to the Kansas Senate president. The request Thursday is an indication that the NFL franchise’s potential move across the state line from Missouri is a legitimate possibility. Many believed that once Missouri lawmakers approved a financing package earlier this month, the Chiefs would ultimately renovate Arrowhead Stadium. But the deal from Kansas lawmakers may prove too lucrative to pass up. Donovan says there has been “significant progress” on plans for a new domed stadium, team headquarters, practice facility and mixed-use entertainment district.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Shane Baz allowed three hits over a career-best eight innings, Brandon Lowe and Junior Caminero hit back-to-back homers in the sixth, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Kansas City Royals 4-0 on Thursday for a three-game sweep. Baz struck out nine and walked one. Jacob Lowe had three hits for the Rays, and Jake Mangum hit a run-scoring triple. Tampa Bay has won five of six to move a season-high 11 games above .500 and a half-game behind the AL East-leading New York Yankees, who were off Thursday. Tampa Bay starters have thrown 22 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Shota Imanaga returned from the injured list to throw five innings of one-hit ball, lifting the Chicago Cubs to a 3-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals for a split of a four-game series. Michael Busch homered and singled and Carson Kelly also had two hits for the NL Central-leading Cubs. St. Louis was shut out in back-to-back games for the first time this season. Five Chicago pitchers combined on a three-hitter. A left hamstring strain cost Imanaga nearly two months. In his Busch Stadium debut, Imanaga gave up a first-inning single to Masyn Winn and then retired 10 batters before issuing his lone walk.
NEW YORK (AP) — New York Mets right-hander Griffin Canning left Thursday night’s game against Atlanta in the third inning after suffering a left ankle injury on a non-contact play. After the Mets beat the Braves 4-0, New York manager Carlos Mendoza said Canning’s injury “looks like an Achilles.” Canning struck out three and allowed just one baserunner — Eli White’s single leading off the inning — before he was hurt while breaking toward the left side of the infield on Nick Allen’s one-out grounder to shortstop. The 29-year-old Canning immediately began hopping on his right leg and took only a couple steps before dropping onto the field with his left leg elevated. The Mets said after the inning that Canning will undergo imaging on the ankle.
NEW YORK (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani and the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge have been the first players picked for the July 15 All-Star Game at Atlanta’s Truist Park, elected as starters by fans. Judge led the major leagues with 4,012,983 votes in the first round of fan balloting and the outfielder was picked for his seventh American League start in eight All-Star Games, though he missed the 2023 game because of a sprained right big toe. He also was the leading vote-getter during the first phase in 2022 and last year. Ohtani topped the NL and was second in the big leagues with 3,967,668 votes, becoming the first designated hitter to start in five straight All-Star Games.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Barry Bonds will be getting a statue outside the San Francisco Giants’ home stadium where he set baseball’s career home run record. Giants President and Chief Executive Officer Larry Baer said Thursday during a radio interview in San Francisco that Bonds is certainly deserving of a statue and that one is on the radar. Baer didn’t have any details of when that would happen. Bonds played for San Francisco the last 15 of his 22 big league seasons, hitting 586 of his 762 career homers while with the Giants from 1993-2007. He set the single-season MLB record with 73 homers in 2001, and hit his record-breaking 756th homer to pass Hank Aaron in a home game on Aug. 7, 2007.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA is considering a proposal to allow athletes and staff to bet on professional sports while maintaining strict bans on college sports betting. The Division I Council introduced the idea, which requires approval from Divisions II and III. The NCAA says this shift reflects the rise of legalized gambling and aims to focus enforcement on college sports integrity. Current rules already ban betting on NCAA sports, with severe penalties for violations. Officials argue this approach could better address gambling issues among athletes.
UNDATED (AP) — College sports leaders seeking antitrust and other protections from Congress have a potential bargaining chip: School assurances that they will provide funding for their increasingly imperiled Olympic programs, by far the biggest pipeline of talent for Team USA. Four people familiar with the talks tell The Associated Press that the discussions are ongoing. The idea is to find common ground that could help legislation win enough Democratic support make it through a narrowly divided Congress.
UNDATED (AP) — The professionalization of college sports has prompted concern among team physicians that they will be exposed to a greater risk of medical liability lawsuits by injured athletes who claim a poor outcome caused them to lose future earnings. Schools set to share millions this year in direct payments to athletes. Some already make well into the millions. Though no malpractice lawsuits seeking lost future earnings at the college level are known to have been filed, Big Ten chief medical officer Dr. James Borchers says it’s only a matter of time.
NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA draft resumed with a trade and the deals appeared likely to continue throughout the second round. The Phoenix Suns opened it by taking Rasheer Fleming after agreeing to acquire the pick earlier Thursday from the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Wolves still made the No. 31 pick, but Phoenix and Minnesota had worked out the swap a few hours earlier, a person with knowledge of the details told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was not officially announced. Among the familiar names going early in the second round were Auburn All-American Johni Broome to Philadelphia at No. 35, one pick after Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner.
DETROIT (AP) — Kevin Roy and Aldrich Potgieter each shot 10-under 62 on Thursday to break the Rocket Classic record and share the first-round lead. Detroit Golf Club has been one of the easiest courses since the PGA Tour made it an annual stop in 2019. A pair of Korn Ferry graduates took full advantage. Potgieter, the 20-year-old South African who grew up in Australia, started at No. 10 and set a tournament record with a 7-under 29 on the back nine. He added three birdies on his back nine and caught the left edge on a 12-foot putt on his final hole. Potgieter and Roy each had an eagle and eight birdies in bogey-free rounds. Min Woo Lee, Max Greyserman and Mark Hubbard were a stroke back.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Padraig Harrington made four birdies, though it was the bogey he saved after losing a tee shot deep in a thicket of trees on the 15th hole that helped him keep a share of the first-round lead with Mark Hensby at the U.S. Senior Open. The leaders shot 3-under 67 for a one-shot advantage over a group of seven, including Stewart Cink, who hit the first 17 greens before making bogey after coming up short on No. 18.
PUERTO PLATA, Dominican Republic (AP) — Suspended Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been found guilty of sexually abusing a child. A Dominican Republic court handed him a two-year suspended sentence Thursday. Franco was accused of having a relationship with a 14-year-old girl and transferring money to her mother for consent. He was found not guilty of sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor and human trafficking. Prosecutors sought a five-year prison term for Franco and a 10-year sentence for the girl’s mother, who was also found guilty and will serve her full term. Major League Baseball said it would conclude its own investigation later. Franco’s baseball career remains on hold amid ongoing legal issues.
NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL has suspended former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker for the first 10 weeks next season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. The league announced the punishment Thursday. It takes effect on Aug. 26, which is roster cutdown day, and Tucker is eligible for reinstatement on Nov. 11. He is a free agent after the Ravens released him last month in the aftermath of reports that he was accused of inappropriate sexual behavior by massage therapists. A five-time All-Pro, the 35-year-old Tucker has played his entire 13-year career with Baltimore. He’s considered one of the best kickers in NFL history, although 2024 was his worst season.
THURSDAY SCORES
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
Final Houston 2 Philadelphia 1
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Detroit 8 Athletics 0
Final Minnesota 10 Seattle 1
Final Toronto 6 Cleveland 0
Final Tampa Bay 4 Kansas City 0
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Chicago Cubs 3 St. Louis 0
Final L.A. Dodgers 3 Colorado 1
Final Miami 12 San Francisco 5
Final N.Y. Mets 4 Atlanta 0