AP source: Bogaerts to Padres for 11 years, $280 million
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The San Diego Padres and Xander Bogaerts have agreed to a blockbuster $280 million, 11-year contract, adding the All-Star slugger to an already deep lineup. A person familiar with the negotiations confirmed the contract to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because it was pending a physical. The Padres already had Fernando Tatis Jr. at shortstop, but he missed the entire season because of injuries and an 80-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. Bogaerts is a .292 hitter with 156 homers and 683 RBIs in 10 big league seasons — all with Boston.
AP source: Aaron Judge, Yankees reach $360M, 9-year deal
SAN DIEGO (AP) — A person familiar with the deal says that Aaron Judge has agreed to return to the New York Yankees on a $360 million, nine-year contract. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. It's the largest free agent deal in baseball history. Judge will earn $40 million per season, the highest average annual payout for a position player. The contract trails only Mike Trout’s $426.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels and Mookie Betts’ $365 million pact with the Los Angeles Dodgers for biggest in baseball history.
Ex-Bills punter Araiza won't be charged in alleged gang rape
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Prosecutors say former Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza will not be charged in connection with an alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl at an off-campus party last year when he played football for San Diego State University. The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office also says no charges will be filed against any of Araiza’s former Aztec teammates who were also accused in the reported assault. The DA's office says the evidence doesn't support charges. Araiza says he's grateful for the decision and looks forward to continuing his NFL career. The accuser’s lawyer says he's not surprised that prosecutors are not bringing charges, but he expects a better outcome in a civil suit. The Bills declined to comment. The team released the rookie punter in August.
Irving touts freedom on game sneakers after split with Nike
Kyrie Irving is a sneaker free agent and he used the Brooklyn Nets’ game to advertise it. Irving played Wednesday night with tape covering the logo on his black sneakers, two days after Nike ended its relationship with him. “I AM FREE Thank you God … I AM,” was written in gold marker on the sneakers during the Nets’ 122-116 victory over Charlotte. The other side read ”logo here.” Nike had suspended its relationship with Irving last month as part of the fallout from him tweeting a link to a film containing antisemitic material. The apparel maker then announced this week that the split would be permanent.
AP source: Cardinals, Contreras agree to 5-year contract
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Willson Contreras is going to St. Louis to replace Yadier Molina at catcher, agreeing to an $87.5 million, five-year contract with the Cardinals. A person familiar with the negotiations confirmed the move to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical. The addition of Contreras fills a major void for St. Louis, which won the NL Central this season with a 93-69 record. Molina decided to retire after spending his entire 19-year career with the Cardinals, making 10 All-Star teams and winning nine Gold Gloves.
Bills' Von Miller to miss rest of season after knee surgery
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills’ top pass-rusher Von Miller will miss the remainder of the season after having surgery to repair an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Coach Sean McDermott says the ligament damage was discovered during a previously scheduled exploratory surgery, which was conducted on Tuesday in Texas. Miller has missed one game since being hurt in the first half of a 28-25 win over Detroit on Thanksgiving. The Bills placed Miller on injured reserve last week with the expectation he would be able to return after initial tests showed no damage to the player’s ACL.
McVay: Baker Mayfield likely to be active for Rams vs Vegas
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Coach Sean McVay says Baker Mayfield probably will be active for the Los Angeles Rams’ game against the Raiders on Thursday night. That's just two days after the Rams claimed the former No. 1 draft pick off waivers from Carolina. McVay wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Mayfield playing against Las Vegas, but the Rams coach indicated it likely would happen only if John Wolford’s persistent neck injury forces struggling Los Angeles to try a desperate solution to its quarterback woes. Mayfield arrived in Los Angeles on Tuesday night to join the Rams.
Emboldened athletes push back on old-school coaching methods
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Sports programs across the county are weighing whether tough coaching styles still have a place in the athletic world. The styles once embodied by legends such as Bear Bryant and Bobby Knight have fallen out of favor at a time when student-athletes demand more sensitive treatment and more individualized training. Athletes of this younger generation also possess greater personal power over their career paths, which sometimes forces coaches to accommodate them or risk losing top talent.
Rower's family says abusive coach pushed athlete to suicide
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The family of a former University of California-San Diego rower who killed himself in January 2021 says he was pushed too far by his coach. Coach Geoff Bond is no longer at the school and the parents of Brian Lilly Jr. filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against him. The defense team for Bond filed a motion to dismiss the case. The defense says Bond hadn’t seen Brian Lilly Jr. for the nine months prior to his death.
After World Cup, US men recede to background for 3 1/2 years
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The United States men’s soccer team recedes into the background of American sports for the next 3 1/2 years. The team’s four World Cup matches averaged 12.2 million viewers on Fox but its 27 games on rated English-language networks from the start of 2020 through this fall averaged 668,000. That is according to Nielsen. The U.S. team averaged 2.45 million during the World Cup on Telemundo. That is double its 1.02 million average for 40 matches on Spanish-language networks during the three years ahead of the tournament. That compares with the NFL's average of 17.1 million for the 2021 regular season.