NBA: Gordon Hayward has decided to sign with the Boston Celtics, and leave the Utah Jazz after seven seasons. Hayward has told the Jazz that he is leaving and reuniting with his college coach, the Celtics' Brad Stevens. The Miami Heat also were in the race to land Hayward in free agency.
With well over $1.2 billion in deals done and counting, NBA teams are spending again during free agency this summer. But unlike a year ago, there seems to be a bit more caution in how these deals are put together, by both the teams and the players involved. Kevin Durant has agreed to a two-year, $53 million deal. He'll have the option to return to free agency again next summer.
In other NBA news:
— The Kings added veteran help to their young roster by agreeing to free-agent contracts with forward Zach Randolph and point guard George Hill. A person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press that Randolph left Memphis for a $24 million, two-year deal to reunite with former Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger in Sacramento. ESPN first reported the agreement.
— The Heat have formally waived Chris Bosh after working out an agreement weeks ago. The move comes more than a year since his last NBA appearance because of blood-clot issues. It gives Miami access to $25.3 million in salary-cap space for this coming season
— A person familiar with the deal tells The Associated Press that free-agent forward Mike Scott has agreed to a one-year, $1.7 million contract with the Wizards. Scott played only 18 games with the Hawks last season because of a knee injury before being traded to the Phoenix Suns, who waived him.
MLB: CC Sabathia had emerged as the New York Yankees' most dependable starting pitcher before landing on the disabled list last month with a strained left hamstring. He didn't look too good in his return as the Blue Jays chased him during a four-run third before completing a 4-1 victory in the Bronx.
Andrew Benintendi went 5 for 5 with two homers, six RBIs and a terrific catch in left field, and David Price struck out nine over six scoreless innings as the Boston Red Sox stretched the longest winning streak in the majors to six games with an 11-4 victory over the Texas Rangers. The first Red Sox rookie with two five-hit games in a season, Benintendi had a three-run homer in the fifth that chased All-Star pitcher Yu Darvish, who matched career highs by allowing seven runs and 11 hits.
The Nationals clobbered the Mets, 11-4, as Daniel Murphy torched his ex-teammates once again. The All-Star second baseman drove in five runs with four hits, leaving him with a .405 average and 34 ribbies in 31 games against New York since leaving the team after the 2015 season. Bryce Harper had three hits and drove in two runs to back Joe Ross, who allowed a pair of runs over seven innings of Washington's third consecutive win.
Aaron Judge dented a metal casement above a door behind the left-center field wall at Yankee Stadium with his major league-leading 28th home run of the season. The New York rookie drove a pitch from Toronto's J.A. Happ in the fourth inning for a solo homer. The ball would have traveled 456 feet had it landed unimpeded, according to MLB's Statcast. It was the fourth-hardest-hit homer of the season, at 118.4 mph.
Yankees second baseman Starlin Castro may miss the All-Star Game because of his strained right hamstring that forced him onto the disabled list on June 27. Yanks skipper Joe Girardi said Castro won't start running hard until Thursday and added that it would be "fairly important" for Castro to play again for the Yankees in order to appear in the midsummer classic next Tuesday at Miami.
The Indians were without manager Terry Francona for Tuesday's game against the Padres. The 58-year-old Francona has been admitted to Cleveland Clinic for tests after experiencing health issues recently. He was hospitalized twice last month after becoming lightheaded and having a rapid heart rate. Francona was fitted with a heart monitor last week and said at the time doctors had ruled out any serious health issues.
Indians president Chris Antonetti said Francona did not experience the symptoms again and the tests are being done to determine what's causing the issue.
Also around the majors:
— Freddie Freeman has made a quicker-than-expected return from a broken left wrist and is playing third base for the Braves against Houston. Freeman was out just seven weeks after being told his recovery time would be closer to 2 ½ months. He was leading the National League with 14 home runs when he was injured.
— The Cubs have activated outfielder Jason Heyward from the 10-day disabled list. Heyward cut his left hand sliding for a foul ball in right field at Pittsburgh on June 18. He is batting .257 with six home runs and 30 RBIs.
TENNIS: Last year's runners-up were up first on the main showcourts at Wimbledon today, and both came through in straight sets. Angelique Kerber beat Irina Falconi of the United States, 6-4, 6-4 on Centre Court. On No. 1 Court, Milos Raonic defeated Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany, 7-6, 6-4, 7-6. Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer advanced when their opponents had to retire in the second set.
CYCLING: Slovakian cyclist Peter Sagan has been disqualified from the Tour de France just a day after winning Stage 3. Sagan was sent home for causing a serious crash in a chaotic sprint finish that sent Mark Cavendish to a hospital with hand and shoulder injuries. The lead pack was about 50 yards from the end of Stage 4 when Sagan elbowed Cavendish, who was squeezed against the barriers to his right, out of the way. The crash helped Arnaud Demare become the first Frenchman in 11 years to win a stage.
COMPETITIVE EATING: A handful of animal rights activists who were taken into police custody as they tried to unfold a banner at the annual July Fourth hot dog eating contest at Nathan's Famous in New York have been released without charges. The demonstrators say they're from a group called Direct Action Everywhere, and want Nathan's to stop holding the contest. Police say they took five people into custody on Tuesday, brought them to a precinct for questioning and then released them.
Joey "Jaws" Chestnut gulped, chomped and powered his way to a 10th title on Tuesday, continuing his record-setting reign as the chowing champion at the annual Nathan's Famous July Fourth hot dog eating contest. Shoving water-soaked buns and wriggling franks into his mouth on a hot, sunny day on the Coney Island boardwalk, he downed 72 dogs and buns in 10 minutes to beat his own record and hoist the Mustard Belt for a 10th time. The San Jose, California, man bested up-and-comer Carmen Cincotti, of Mays Landing, New Jersey, who ate 60 franks and buns on his 24th birthday.
NHL:
The Colorado Avalanche have added a possible goal-scoring option by signing former No. 1 overall pick Nail Yakupov to a one-year deal. Yakupov has been a bust since being taken first overall by the Oilers in the 2012 NHL draft, scoring just 53 goals and 120 points with a -91 in 292 games.
Checking out other NHL moves:
Capitals right winger Andre Burakovsky has agreed to a two-year, $6 million contract. The 22-year-old Burakovsky had 12 goals and 23 assists in 64 games for Washington last season.
Forward Marcus Kruger has been dealt for the second time in three days, this time by the Golden Knights to the Hurricanes for Carolina's fifth-round pick in the 2018 draft. Chicago traded Kruger to Vegas on Sunday for undisclosed future considerations.
Another move had the Sharks signing free-agent forward Brandon Bollig to a one-year contract.
BOXING:
Manny Pacquiao has asked the World Boxing Organization to act on a request by Philippine sports officials for a review of his welterweight world title loss to Jeff Horn, saying he didn't want to see the boxing industry "dying because of unfair decision and officiating."
While Pacquiao has accepted his defeat to Horn, who was fighting in his first world title bout in Sunday's so-called 'Battle of Brisbane,' the Philippine senator on Wednesday said that as a leader and boxer "I have the moral obligation to uphold sportsmanship, truth and fairness in the eyes of the public."
The 11-time world champion cited a request by the Philippines' Games and Amusements Board to WBO President Francisco Valcarcel for a thorough review of the refereeing and judging.
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