Major League Baseball's trade deadline has sparked a whirlwind of activity as teams rush to strengthen their rosters for the postseason. All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa is reuniting with the Houston Astros. The San Diego Padres have been busy, acquiring closer Mason Miller. The New York Yankees have added reliever David Bednar. Outfielder Cedric Mullins has moved to the New York Mets, and former Cy Young winner Shane Bieber is joining the Toronto Blue Jays. These moves are part of a flurry of trades as teams aim to boost their chances in the final stretch of the season.
Two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Terry McLaurin has asked the Washington Commanders to trade him because of a contract dispute. That's according to two people with knowledge of the request. Both people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the negotiations were private. McLaurin has been holding in at training camp. The veteran reported to camp Sunday after skipping the first four practices and parts of the offseason program. He remains on the physically unable to perform list with an ankle injury while contract talks continue. McLaurin had 82 catches for 1,096 yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns last season.
CANTON, Ohio (AP) — The NFL season kicked off at the annual Hall of Fame game with a moment of silence for the four people killed earlier this week by a shooter who was targeting league headquarters in New York. The gunman also wounded a league employee in the shooting Monday night. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told NBC he visited the employee for an hour on Wednesday and said he was improving. There was increased security Thursday night around Tom Benson Stadium, where Eric Allen, Jared Allen, Antonio Gates and Sterling Sharpe will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.
BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s top court has ruled that the decisions of world soccer’s governing body FIFA can be challenged outside Switzerland, opening up a system that currently binds athletes, officials and clubs to accept verdicts there. A statement from the European Court of Justice said that tribunals in the 27 EU member states “must be able to carry out an in-depth review of those awards for consistency with the fundamental rules of EU law.” The ECJ ruling means that EU national courts should be able to review verdicts from the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), involving other sports authorities as well. Switzerland is not a member of the European Union.
CHICAGO (AP) — A fierce rivalry between Chicago’s North and South Siders comes to life each summer during the “Crosstown Classic,” when the Cubs and White Sox face off in their home stadiums. This unique series is loaded with team history and memories for both sets of fans, who hail from the North and South Sides respectively. Polaroids convey nostalgia, and there’s nothing that says nostalgia quite like baseball. The film format requires a level of intimacy not often seen in modern photo coverage of baseball games, when speed and instant images are prioritized.
Oscar Piastri is happy to be back in Hungary this week after taking his first career Formula 1 win there a year ago. Piastri has developed into a genuine title contender over the last year and leads teammate Lando Norris by 16 points following his victory in Belgium last week. Piastri says he has a “lot of confidence” in his title shot. McLaren can reach some milestones this weekend, with a potential 200th win in F1 for the team. It could also be Piastri and Norris’ fourth one-two finish in a row, a feat McLaren last managed in 1988. Norris beat Piastri by .019 of a second in the first practice session Friday as McLaren led the way once again.
CANTON, Ohio (AP) — On his third team in his fifth season, Trey Lance played like a No. 3 overall pick. Lance threw for 120 yards and two touchdowns, and the Los Angeles Chargers beat the Detroit Lions 34-7 in the Hall of Fame game that kicked off the NFL’s preseason Thursday night. The game opened with a moment of silence for the four people killed earlier this week by a shooter who was targeting league headquarters in New York. The gunman also wounded a league employee in the shooting Monday night. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told NBC he visited the employee for an hour on Wednesday.
HOUSTON (AP) — Carlos Correa is returning to Houston. The Astros reacquired the three-time All-Star shortstop from the Minnesota Twins just before Thursday’s trade deadline. Correa spent his first seven years in Houston. He became one of the most beloved players in franchise history, helping the team to six playoff appearances, three American League pennants and its first World Series title in 2017. That title was tainted by a sign-stealing scandal. The Twins are covering some of Correa's remaining contract and getting minor-league pitcher Matt Mikulski in return.
The new agency vetting name, image and likeness deals in college sports reached an agreement that relaxes standards on player deals with third-party collectives and avoids taking the issue back to court after years of legal wrangling. The College Sports Commission said it will now consider a third-party company that seeks to pay a player to have a “valid business purpose” if the deal “is related to the promotion or endorsement of goods or services provided to the general public for profit.” It did away with the concept that collectives established simply to pay players did not have a valid business purpose even if they sold products for profit.
The San Diego Padres made several bold moves at yet another trade deadline. General manager A.J. Preller added hard-throwing closer Mason Miller from the Athletics and All-Star first baseman Ryan O’Hearn from Baltimore while swinging five total deals for seven major league players. The Padres got Miller and starter JP Sears from the A's, landed catcher Freddy Fermín from Kansas City and acquired O’Hearn and outfielder Ramón Laureano from the Orioles. Miller bolsters the Padres' already deep bullpen, while O'Hearn, Laureano and Fermín could all address obvious holes in the Padres' lineup.
Finals
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final N.Y. Yankees 7 Tampa Bay 4
Final Seattle 6 Texas 0
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Atlanta 12 Cincinnati 11
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PRESEASON
Final L.A. Chargers 34 Detroit 7