NFL
New England Patriots defensive back Jack Jones pleaded not guilty to nine counts of weapons violations in connection with his arrest at a Logan Airport security checkpoint with two loaded guns in his carry-on bag on Friday. Jones was released on a $30,000 cash bail pending an Aug. 18 probable cause hearing, his attorney said. Attorney Rosemary Scapicchio said Jones has been cooperative and respectful throughout the process. Massachusetts State Police were called to the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at the Boston airport on Friday after two firearms were found in a traveler’s carry-on luggage. Police said they identified the person as Jones and arrested him. The team has released a statement confirming the arrest but declining further comment.
Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill is under investigation by Miami-Dade police for assault and battery after he allegedly hit a man on Sunday. The incident was first reported by WPLG-TV in Miami after the station received a tip Sunday night. Miami-Dade police spokesman Angel Rodriguez confirmed Tuesday via email that police are investigating, The station reported that Hill got into an argument with an employee of a charter company at Haulover Marina in Miami, which apparently ended with Hill hitting the man. A Dolphins spokesman says team officials are aware of the situation and have spoken to Hill and the NFL.
NBA
Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-plus French player expected to be taken by San Antonio with the first pick in the NBA draft this week, threw out a wild ceremonial first pitch before the New York Yankees played the Seattle Mariners. He wore a pinstriped jersey with “New York” across the chest rather than the traditional interlocking “NY,” and he had Joe DiMaggio’s No. 5 on the back. Standing on the rubber, he fired the ball in the dirt, well wide of the plate to the first-base side. The NBA draft is Thursday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Kyle Kuzma will be a free agent when the league’s annual offseason shopping period starts next week. Kuzma has declined his $13 million player option with the Washington Wizards for next season. That's according to a person with knowledge of the decision who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither side disclosed the move. Kuzma had told media outlets in December that he was not planning to exercise the option. He averaged a career-best 21.2 points last season and should command a much higher salary on the open market. Elsewhere in the league, Gary Trent Jr. exercised his option to stay with the Toronto Raptors.
MLB
Gerrit Cole stared down José Caballero and wagged a finger at the Seattle Mariners’ dugout 15 times after striking out the side in the seventh inning, a pointed response to the rookie’s repeated step-outs during the New York Yankees’ 3-1 win that stopped a four-game losing streak. After Caballero stepped out with an 0-2 count in the seventh, Cole threw a 97-mph fastball to the screen. The Yankees' ace got Caballero swinging on a full-count fastball, stared at him as he walked off the mound, then turned to the Mariners' dugout and wagged his right index finger over and over. Plate umpire Dan Bellino then walked toward the New York dugout and had an intense discussion with manager Aaron Boone.
Alex Bregman hit a two-run homer and Framber Valdez threw eight strong innings to outpitch former teammate Justin Verlander as the Houston Astros snapped a five-game skid with a 4-2 win over the New York Mets. Valdez took over as Houston’s ace this year following Verlander’s departure after winning the AL Cy Young Award last season. The left-hander didn’t allow a baserunner until the sixth and held the Mets scoreless until the eighth. The Astros led by one in the third before Bregman connected off Verlander for the 150th home run of his career to make it 3-0. Valdez yielded four hits and two runs with nine strikeouts to leave his ERA at 2.27, which ranks second in the majors. Ryan Pressly pitched the ninth for his 13th save.
Added to the starting lineup late, Christian Arroyo had a career-high five hits and drove in four runs, while Kutter Crawford pitched five scoreless innings for the Boston Red Sox in a 10-4 win over the Minnesota Twins. Arroyo, Adam Duvall and Masataka Yoshida all homered for Boston, which has won six in a row. Crawford (2-3) gave up just six hits and struck out five. Corey Kluber allowed four runs on three homers but pitched the final three innings for his first career save. Bailey Ober (4-4) took the loss for Minnesota.
Spencer Strider struck out nine over six innings in his first start in Philadelphia since his postseason implosion, Austin Riley and Matt Olson homered and the Atlanta Braves beat the Phillies 4-2 last night. Strider improved to 8-2 this season. Strider continues to flummox the Phillies and improved to 6-0 over seven career games and six starts. He walked none on Tuesday. The Braves have won seven straight games and 14 of 16 overall.
Aaron Judge appears to be responding to a second platelet-rich plasma injection to his right big toe yet has not resumed baseball activities. Judge was hurt June 3 when he ran into a wall while making a catch at Dodger Stadium. The Yankees announced the first injection on June 6 and said Judge had another last Thursday. Yankees manager Aaron Boone says “I’m encouraged by what I’m seeing." New York entered a series against Seattle 9-14 with Judge on the injured list and 31-19 when has been available.
The Los Angeles Angels are highly unlikely to trade Shohei Ohtani if they remain in playoff contention this summer. That's what general manager Perry Minasian strongly indicated before the Angels faced the Los Angeles Dodgers. Minasian didn’t directly vow Tuesday that he won’t trade Ohtani, who is scheduled to enter free agency this winter. But the GM suggested the Angels intend to do everything possible to end their eight-year playoff drought, and that includes taking the risk of losing their two-way superstar in free agency if they don’t trade him.
WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
DeWanna Bonner scored 20 points to move into 10th on the WNBA scoring list, Alyssa Thomas secured her fifth career triple-double and the Connecticut Sun beat the Seattle Storm 85-79. Thomas tied Candace Parker and Sabrina Ionescu for the most career regular-season triple-doubles with three. Thomas scored with 1:26 left in the third quarter to reach the mark, before finishing with 13 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists. Thomas also had three steals. Bonner passed Sylvia Fowles to move into the top 10. She trails Katie Smith by 36 points for ninth. All five starters for Connecticut (10-3) scored in double figures. Natisha Hiedeman scored 17 points, Brionna Jones added 13 and Tiffany Hayes added 12.
OLYMPICS
Officials say French investigators have searched the Paris Olympic organizers’ headquarters as part of corruption investigations into contracts linked to the Games. This is the third straight time graft allegations have dogged a Summer Olympics. The Paris organizing committee said in a statement that a search was underway Tuesday at their headquarters in the suburb of Saint-Denis. It said it was cooperating. It would not comment further. An official with the financial prosecutor’s office said the search was linked to two preliminary investigations related to the Olympics that had not previously been made public. The official was not authorized to be publicly named according to office policy.
The news that French law enforcement officials are looking into possible corruption in awarding contracts for the Paris Olympics threatens to place those games on the ever-growing list of Olympics that have been tarnished by scandals. The Salt Lake City Olympic scandal from 2002 resulted in an overhaul of bidding procedures but did not eliminate the possibility of corruption. Since then, major scandals have broken out involving the Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo Games. Now, Paris is under the microscope as well.
GOLF
Rory McIlroy is going on nine years without winning a major and the questions won't stop. For most players, the question is when they'll finally win their first major. Even worse is getting asked when they'll get the next one. McIlroy let another good chance slip away at the U.S. Open when he couldn't make a putt or catch Wyndham Clark. More disturbing is that in the nine years since his last major, McIlroy has given himself so few chances. The inquiries used to be limited to the Masters and getting the last leg of the Grand Slam. Now any major will do.
SOCCER
Lionel Messi is expected to make his Major League Soccer debut with Inter Miami at a July 21 home game, the team confirmed yesterday. Owner Jorge Mas told selected outlets on Monday that his club and Messi have agreed to terms and are finalizing paperwork and a visa. The team confirmed certain details Tuesday to The Associated Press, including that Messi will be signing a contract through the end of the 2025 season with an option for 2026. Messi’s contract will be worth $50 million to $60 million per year, the team said Tuesday. He cannot sign until sometime in July, after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires. The 35-year-old Messi announced on June 7 that he was joining Miami.
NHL
Checking-line forward Zemgus Girgensons is returning to the Buffalo Sabres for a 10th season after signing a one-year, $2.5 million contract. The 29-year-old Girgensons is the team’s longest-serving active player and was eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next month Buffalo finished with 42 wins, its most since 2010-11, despite extending its NHL-record postseason drought to a 12th consecutive season. The Sabres also signed forward Lukas Rousek to a two-year, $1.55 million contract. Rousek was a pending restricted free agent.
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