Angels acquire infielder Vaughn Grissom in a trade with the Red Sox
ORLANDO, Fla. — The Los Angeles Angels acquired infielder Vaughn Grissom in a trade with the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday.
Grissom appeared in just 31 games for Boston after he came over in the Chris Sale trade with Atlanta on Dec. 30, 2023. The 24-year-old Grissom batted .270 with 13 homers and 48 RBIs in 96 games with Triple-A Worcester this year.
The Red Sox received minor league outfielder Isaiah Jackson in the swap with the Angels. The 21-year-old Jackson, an 18th-round pick in this year’s amateur draft, hit .219 (7 for 32) with a homer and four RBIs in 10 games with High-A Tri-City this season.
Grissom made his major league debut with Atlanta in 2022. He hit .190 (20 for 105) with six RBIs for Boston in 2024.
Colts sign 44-year-old Philip Rivers to practice squad with 2 quarterbacks injured, AP source says
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts bolstered their injury-depleted quarterback corps Tuesday by bringing 44-year-old Philip Rivers out of retirement and signing him to the practice squad, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team had not yet made an official announcement.
The move comes less than 24 hours after Colts coach Shane Steichen confirmed Indy’s starter, Daniel Jones, would miss the rest of this season after tearing his right Achilles tendon and backup Riley Leonard injured his right knee during Sunday’s loss at Jacksonville.
Rivers hasn’t taken a snap since finishing his career with a playoff loss following the Colts 2020 season. That was the last time Indy (8-5) made the postseason. The eight-time Pro Bowler announced his retirement in January 2021 and has been coaching St. Michael High School in Fairhope, Alabama, ever since.
But it’s not clear how long it will take Rivers to learn Indy’s playbook — or work his way into game shape — as the reeling Colts try to snap a three-game losing streak next weekend at Seattle (10-3).
“Things happen, wacky stuff has happened in this league, your depth gets tested, your resolve gets tested as you get thrown into some adversity as a unit, as a coaching staff, as a position group,” offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said, declining to take specific questions about Rivers. “We’ve been through some fire out there, but our coaching staff’s excited to draw a plan up and teach it.”
Neither Steichen nor players were made available because the Colts typically take Tuesday off.
Rivers rejoins a team desperately trying to rebound from its worst stretch of the season, four losses in five games. The result: Indy has fallen out of the race for the AFC’s top seed and is tied for second in the AFC South with Houston (8-5), one game behind division leader Jacksonville (9-4).
It’s Messi. Repeat, Messi. The Inter Miami star is MLS’ first back-to-back MVP winner
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Best player. Best team. Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi is the unquestioned force in Major League Soccer right now, on a run like nobody else the league has ever seen.
The 38-year-old Argentine star — and captain of the MLS Cup champions — has become the first back-to-back MVP in MLS history, getting announced Tuesday as this year’s winner of the league’s top individual honor.
Messi — thanking his teammates and saying he couldn’t have won the award without them — accepted the trophy at the opening ceremony of his Messi Cup youth tournament, which kicked off Tuesday. That’s why the award announcement was delayed until after the season; Messi wanted kids to be part of it.
“He’s a unicorn, man — not just for what he does on the field,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said Tuesday after the on-field ceremony in misty conditions. “He’s just a special man.”
The back-to-back MVPs represent another first for Messi in what seems like a never-ending list of his career accomplishments and was widely expected, almost assumed after he had a league-best 29 goals along with 19 assists during the regular season.
He also becomes just the second two-time MVP the league has ever seen, joining Preki, the winner of the award in 1997 and 2003. The other winners are all one-time MVP recipients.
“He was fantastic the whole season, with the numbers and also with the commitment,” Inter Miami coach and longtime Messi teammate Javier Mascherano said after Saturday’s MLS final.
Messi played in barely half of Inter Miami’s regular-season games in 2024, and that sparked some doubt as to whether he deserved to win the MVP award.
He won a close vote last year. This year, there was no debate.
Messi got 70.4% of the total vote — the biggest winning total since Toronto’s Sebastian Giovinco in 2015. San Diego’s Anders Dreyer was second with 11.2%, followed by LAFC’s Denis Bouanga (7.3%), Cincinnati’s Evander (4.8%) and Nashville’s Sam Surridge (2.4%).
White Sox win MLB draft lottery and have top pick for first time since taking Baines in 1977
ORLANDO, Fla. — The Chicago White Sox won Major League Baseball’s amateur draft lottery Tuesday and will have the top selection for the first time since taking Harold Baines in 1977.
Coming off a 102-loss season, Chicago had the highest odds to win the weighted lottery at 27.73%. The White Sox will have the No. 1 selection for the third time when the draft starts on July 11 in Philadelphia ahead of the All-Star Game.
Baines became a six-time All-Star and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019. Chicago selected first baseman Danny Goodwin with the top pick in 1971, and he played in parts of seven major league seasons.
Baines represented the White Sox on stage for the lottery at baseball’s winter meetings.
“I’m still learning more and more about the draft. I’m getting familiar with some of the top names,” White Sox general manager Chris Getz said in an interview on MLB Network. “It looks like, at the top of the draft, that it’s a really impressive one.
“But on top of that, when you look at the pool space that you’re given and a chance to really walk away from a draft class and do some damage, bring in some real talent. … I’m just excited for our fan base and the people that are working for the Chicago White Sox.”
UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky is currently projected as the top selection, followed by Fort Worth Christian High School shortstop Grady Emerson.
Tampa Bay will pick second, followed by Minnesota, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Baltimore, the Athletics, Atlanta and Colorado.
MLB and the players’ association established the lottery in the March 2022 collective bargaining agreement. The union pushed for the innovation to encourage teams to compete for wins rather than trade off players at the deadline in an attempt to get a higher draft choice.
Pittsburgh won the lottery the first year and chose right-hander Paul Skenes, the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year and 2025 NL Cy Young Award winner. Cleveland went first in 2024 and selected second baseman Travis Bazzana and Washington picked shortstop Eli Willits this July.
Colorado, the Los Angeles Angels and Washington were not eligible for this lottery. The Rockies, a big league-worst 43-119. were excluded because a team can’t receive a lottery pick in three consecutive years. The Angels and Nationals were blocked because teams that receive revenue sharing money can’t get a lottery pick in two straight years.
Schwarber going back to Philadelphia on a $150 million, five-year contract, AP source says
ORLANDO, Fla. — Kyle Schwarber is going back to Philadelphia, agreeing to a $150 million, five-year contract with the Phillies, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not been announced. ESPN was the first to report on the move.
Schwarber had been one of the biggest names in free agency. His new contract with Philadelphia could lead to more activity at baseball’s winter meetings as his other suitors execute their alternative plans.
Schwarber is coming off a terrific season with the Phillies, setting career highs with an NL-best 56 homers and a major league-high 132 RBIs. He also scored a career-high 111 runs while leading the club to its second straight NL East title.
Schwarber’s 23 homers against left-handed pitching set a major league record for a lefty batter, passing Stan Musial (1949) and Matt Olson (2021) at 22.
NASCAR commissioner testifies to frustrating negotiations in Michael Jordan’s antitrust trial
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The commissioner of NASCAR testified Tuesday in Michael Jordan’s federal antitrust trial against the racing series to the frustrating two-plus years of negotiations on a new revenue sharing model with teams, noting that Jordan’s financial advisor would not compromise on key issues.
Steve Phelps, who was president of NASCAR during the negotiations, said Jordan right-hand man Curtis Polk was the lead representative for the teams and held firm in their demand for increased revenue, permanent charters, a voice in governance and 1/3 of any new revenue streams.
The deal finally presented to the teams in September 2024 did not include permanent charters or a voice in governance, but NASCAR gave the teams a firm deadline to accept its final offer or forfeit their charters. 23XI Racing, owned by Jordan, Polk and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports, owned by Bob Jenkins, were the only two teams out of 15 organizations to refuse to sign and have instead sued.
The charter system was established in 2016 and is equivalent to the franchise model used in other sports. In NASCAR a charter guarantees cars a spot in the 40-car field each week, as well as specified financial terms.
Phelps, promoted to become NASCAR’s first commissioner earlier this year, testified on the seventh day of the trial that he worked very hard to get the teams the best deal possible. But he said the teams’ initial request for $720 million in revenue a year guaranteed to them would have put NASCAR out of business, and communications between NASCAR executives showed that the France family, which founded and owns the series, would not budge on permanent charters.
NHL cautiously optimistic of Olympic participation despite smaller rink size and ice safety concerns
The NHL said Tuesday it remains cautiously optimistic about sending the world’s best hockey players to the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in February amid issues with a smaller-than-expected rink size and questions regarding ice quality due to construction delays.
Deputy commissioner Bill Daly reiterated that belief in an email to The Associated Press a day after briefing the NHL’s board of governors on the Olympics during their meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
“We’re making progress and moving towards the goal, but there doesn’t seem to be anything insurmountable in getting to completion,” Daly told reporters on Monday.
Daly said there’s nothing the NHL or organizers can do about the dimensions of the not-yet-completed 16,000-seat Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena and secondary Rho facility. “It’s a structural issue. It would be impossible to correct,” he said.
What can still be addressed is ensuring the ice quality is safe for players, with Daly saying Olympic officials are taking up the NHL’s offer to use their experts to assist once the ice surface is scheduled to be laid in the coming weeks.
Phillies sign manager Rob Thomson to 1-year extension after 4 straight trips to playoffs
PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Phillies signed manager Rob Thomson to a one-year contract extension through the 2027 season after he led the team to four straight trips to the playoffs.
The 62-year-old Thomson guided the Phillies to the 2022 World Series and the 2023 National League Championship Series and led them in 2024 and 2025 to NL East titles. The Phillies were eliminated in four games by the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series.
Thomson has guided the Phillies to the second-most wins (346) and second-best winning percentage (.580) among all team in MLB, behind only the Dodgers (368 wins, .616).
He replaced Joe Girardi as Phillies manager on June 3, 2022. Thomson has been with the club since the 2018 season when he was first hired as bench coach under former manager Gabe Kapler.
He spent 28 years as a member of the New York Yankees organization (1990-2017), including 10 seasons on the major league coaching staff as bench coach (2008, 2015-17) and third base coach (2009-14).
Penguins place star center Evgeni Malkin on injured reserve
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins placed center Evgeni Malkin on injured reserve Tuesday with an upper-body injury.
The move comes after the 39-year-old Malkin sat out a shootout loss to Dallas on Sunday. Malkin, in the final season of his contract with the Penguins, is off to one of the better starts of his 20-year career.
The Russian has eight goals and 21 assists in 26 games for surprising Pittsburgh, which began the season with modest expectations but is firmly in contention in the competitive Metropolitan Division.
The Penguins also placed forward Blake Lizotte on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. Lizotte has three goals and two assists in 27 games.
The club described Malkin and Lizotte as both week to week.
No. 23 North Texas names Drew Svobda as interim coach for bowl game
DENTON, Texas — North Texas has named associate head coach Drew Svoboda as the interim coach for the No. 23 Mean Green and the New Mexico Bowl that will end their record-breaking season.
UNT athletic director Jared Mosely announced the move Tuesday, a day after Eric Morris was formally introduced as the new coach at Oklahoma State, and Neal Brown his replacement at North Texas.
When Morris was named as Oklahoma State’s new coach two weeks ago, he had said he would finish the season with the Mean Green (11-2). But their 34-21 loss to CFP-bound Tulane in the American Conference game on Friday night knocked them out of contention for a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, and they will instead play San Diego State (9-3) on Dec. 27.
“After several thoughtful conversations with coach Eric Morris over the past week, we mutually agreed that with his impending transition to Oklahoma State, the best path forward for both programs is for Eric to turn his full attention to his new role in Stillwater,” Mosley said in a statement.
During his introduction in Stillwater on Monday, Morris had said, “Right now, my focus has switched 100% to Oklahoma State football.”
Steelers WR DK Metcalf expected to play vs. Dolphins after going to the hospital for abdominal issue
PITTSBURGH — A brief hospital visit won’t keep Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf from playing next week against Miami.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Metcalf was hit in the abdomen at some point during Pittsburgh’s 27-22 victory in Baltimore on Sunday and remained behind when the issue persisted after Metcalf was treated with over-the-counter remedies during the game.
“It got probably progressively worse after the game and and so I’m appreciative of our medical experts,” Tomlin said. “We just exercised an abundance of precaution. We didn’t want to get him in the air without having a complete understanding about what he was dealing with and they did a good job of that.”
Metcalf finished with season highs in receptions (seven) and yards (148) as Pittsburgh regained control of the AFC North. The two-time Pro Bowler also filled in as a gunner on punt coverage late in the game after special teams ace Ben Skowronek exited with an injury, something Metcalf hadn’t done since high school.
Raiders’ Kyu Blu Kelly placed on injured reserve and out for season with torn patellar tendon
HENDERSON, Nev. — Cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly, who leads the Las Vegas Raiders with three interceptions, was placed on season-ending injured reserve Tuesday because of a tear in his patellar tendon.
Kelly was injured in Sunday’s 24-17 loss to Denver.
The Raiders signed cornerback Chigozie Anusiem off Arizona’s practice squad in a corresponding move.
“You notice, it was in open field,” coach Pete Carroll said Monday. “It was just a freak accident that shouldn’t happen. You didn’t see it buckle or anything. He just planted and sometimes that happens.”
Kelly, who is from Las Vegas, had been one of the few feel-good stories during an otherwise difficult season for the Raiders. He hadn’t started over his first two seasons in the NFL and bounced around to four teams, including the Raiders.
Left-hander Anthony Kay and White Sox finalize a $12 million, 2-year contract
ORLANDO, Fla. — Anthony Kay wanted to return to the major leagues after pitching in Japan for two years.
He thinks he landed in a good situation with the Chicago White Sox.
Kay is expected to compete for a spot in Chicago’s rotation after finalizing a $12 million, two-year contract with the White Sox on Tuesday. The left-hander last appeared in the majors on Oct. 1, 2023, with the New York Mets.
“Getting to start again and you know, finally get to be consistent in the big leagues I think was very attractive for me to come back and be a key fit for the White Sox,” Kay said.
Kay will get salaries of $5 million each in 2026 and 2027, and the deal includes a $10 million mutual option for 2028 with a $2 million buyout. He can earn $750,000 in performance bonuses for innings: $125,000 each for 100, 120, 140 and 160, and $250,000 for 180.
The 30-year-old Kay played for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars for the past two years. He went 9-6 with a 1.74 ERA in 24 starts last season, leading the Central League with a 67.8 ground-ball percentage and 7.55 strikeouts per nine innings.
Liverpool without Salah beats Inter in Champions League. Barcelona and Bayern win
After leaving Mohamed Salah in England, Liverpool got a much-needed boost with a 1-0 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Barcelona and Bayern Munich celebrated comeback wins and Chelsea lost.
With Salah out of the squad following his public criticism of the club last week, Dominik Szoboszlai stepped up instead to score the 88th-minute penalty which earned a 1-0 win over one of the competition’s best-performing teams.
It was all the more valuable for coming after a run of one win in six games in all competitions for Arne Slot’s under-pressure team, which moved up to eighth.
Liverpool’s players thought they had taken the lead with Ibrahima Konate’s header in the 31st minute but, after a video review that lasted more than four minutes, it was ruled out for handball as Virgil van Dijk had earlier nodded the ball on to the arm of Hugo Ekitike.
Police raid Argentine soccer clubs and AFA as part of investigation into alleged money laundering
BUENOS AIRES — Federal police in Argentina carried out multiple raids Tuesday on the headquarters of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and at least 17 soccer clubs.
The raids were part of a judicial investigation into alleged ties to financial services company Sur Finanzas, which is under investigation for alleged money laundering and tax evasion. Ordered by federal judge Luis Armella, the more than 30 raids were conducted simultaneously on first and second division clubs and the AFA headquarters in the Argentine capital.
Sur Finanzas, owned by Ariel Vallejo, sponsors AFA tournaments and several first and second division clubs.
A judicial official with access to the case told The Associated Press that police officers are searching for contracts signed by the clubs with the financial firm and other documentation stored on electronic devices. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.
The official said the raided clubs included leading teams Independiente, Racing and San Lorenzo, as well as Barracas Central, which was founded by Matias Tapia, a son of AFA president Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia.
Wrexham’s owners add US-based private equity firm Apollo Sports Capital to boost rising soccer club
WREXHAM, Wales — Wrexham’s celebrity owners have sold a minority stake in their on-the-rise soccer club to Apollo Sports Capital, a U.S.-based private equity firm.
The deal, which was announced on Monday with no terms disclosed, includes investment by Apollo in the redevelopment of Wrexham’s stadium and the surrounding area in the small Welsh city brought to fame by its namesake soccer club since American actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac bought it in 2021 and helped create a popular docuseries about the community.
Wrexham, the oldest club in Wales dating to 1864, has earned three consecutive promotions in the English soccer system to reach the second-division Championship for the current season, one level away from the Premier League. Wrexham entered this week in 12th place in the 24-team standings. The team hadn’t been in the second division since the 1981-82 season.
Caicedo helps Real Madrid beat Wolfsburg in Women’s Champions League. Arsenal and Juve win
LONDON — Linda Caicedo raced clear from halfway to score the goal that clinched Real Madrid a 2-0 win over Wolfsburg in the Women’s Champions League on Tuesday, while there were also victories for defending champion Arsenal and Juventus.
Paris Saint-Germain stayed winless after five rounds after a 0-0 draw with OH Leuven, however, and cannot now progress to the knockout stage with one match remaining.
The 20-year-old Caicedo, regarded as one of the top younger players in the women’s game, recently signed a long-term deal with Madrid and showcased her talents with the second goal against Wolfsburg.
Played through by Caroline Weir, the Colombia striker outpaced the last defender after setting off inside her own half, rounded the goalkeeper, and slotted home a finish in the 67th minute. That added to the opening goal in the 19th by María Méndez for Madrid, which finished the match with nine players.
Maëlle Lakrar collected a second yellow card in first-half stoppage time, while Iris Santiago received a straight red in second-half stoppage time.
Madrid moved above Wolfsburg and into third place — one of the four automatic qualifying places — with the win and is assured of at least a spot in the playoffs.
So is Arsenal after a 1-0 home win over Twente, secured thanks to Beth Mead’s deflected 10th-minute strike.