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Joe Ryan makes bid for playoff start in Twins’ 9-3 win over Angels

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:22:59 GMT

Rocco Baldelli made an unsurprising announcement on Sunday afternoon: Pablo López and Sonny Gray will start the first two games of the playoffs.“I don’t think there is any reason to not say that,” Baldelli said. “I think it’s pretty obvious one way or another.”Though he didn’t announce the order, López would be lined up for the first game, Gray the second. Beyond that, the Twins are still evaluating.One of those they’re still evaluating?Starter Joe Ryan, who got the ball in Sunday’s series finale, a 9-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday afternoon. Ryan threw six innings on Sunday, giving up three runs and striking out 10, one shy of his career high. Those strikeouts helped Twins pitchers shatter their single-season strikeout record.There’s a good chance the Twins start Ryan in the potential third game of the best-of-three wild-card series. They could also go with Kenta Maeda, though Maeda has extensive experience pitching out of the bullpen in the playoffs, which could sway ...

Byron Buxton goes hitless as Saints lose season finale

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:22:59 GMT

The St. Paul Saints played their last game of the season on Sunday at CHS Field, which means the only way to go is up for Byron Buxton.With Buxton’s rehab assignment with the Saints coming to an end, questions remain about whether he will be healthy enough — and productive enough — to help the Twins in the postseason.Buxton’s return from a strained right hamstring, which has kept him out of the Twins’ lineup since August 1, has been slowed by soreness in his right knee. The Twins had hoped Buxton could return to playing center field, but the knee soreness has made it unlikely he will play in the field this season.Buxton served as the Saints’ designated hitter on Sunday and went 0 for 4 in a 3-2 loss to the Toledo Mud Hens. He flied out just short of the left-field fence with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.The Twins have not made him available to the media since he began his rehab assignment. Saints manager Toby Gardenhire said after the game that Buxton seemed to come out of th...

Missouri says clinic that challenged transgender treatment restrictions didn't provide proper care

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:22:59 GMT

Missouri officials struck back at one of the clinics that unsuccessfully challenged new state restrictions on gender affirming care, accusing the clinic in a lawsuit of failing to provide proper care for transgender minors even before the new law took effect.Missouri's Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced the counter lawsuit against St. Louis-based Southampton Community Healthcare on Sunday, two days after it was filed in court. The ACLU of Missouri, which represented the clinic in challenging the law that bans minors from beginning puberty blockers and outlaws gender-affirming surgeries, didn't immediately respond Sunday to the new filing. And no one answered the phone at the clinic Sunday.The lawsuit said Southampton's doctors admitted in court during the hearing over the new law that they failed to provide comprehensive mental health evaluations to all their patients. Bailey's office argues that violated Missouri's consumer protection law because the clinic didn't ...

Broncos rookie Drew Sanders’ first start comes on historically bad day, but his role going forward looks primed to increase

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:22:59 GMT

MIAMI — Rookie inside linebacker Drew Sanders’ time is now.The third-round pick started on Denver’s defense against Miami as part of a unique, 2-5 alignment. He played with both Josey Jewell and Alex Singleton to start the game.Then Jewell injured his groin in the first half and Sanders played the rest of the way next to Singleton.The 6-foot-5, 233-pounder will have regular work if Jewell misses time with the injury. Even if he doesn’t, though, expect Sanders’ role to continue to increase.The severity of Jewell’s injury was not immediately clear, but he wasn’t on the sideline when the Broncos began the second half.Inactives. After safety Justin Simmons (hip) and outside linebacker Frank Clark (hip), who were ruled out on Friday due to injuries, the Broncos’ inactive list skewed young once again. The others: Safety JL Skinner, offensive lineman Alex Forsyth, defensive lineman Elijah Garcia and newly acquired outside linebacker Ronnie Perkins.Turner-Yell starts. With...

Rockies set franchise record for most losses in a season, fall 4-3 to Cubs

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:22:59 GMT

The Rockies made the wrong kind of history Sunday afternoon.With their 4-3 loss to the Cubs at Wrigley Field, the Rockies lost for the 99th time, clinching the worst season in franchise history. The 2012 club held the previous dubious distinction, going 64-98.And there is another historical footnote to add to Colorado’s dismal season. Sunday’s loss was their 10th straight on the road marking the third time this season that they’ve had posted a road losing streak of 10 games. That is the first time in baseball’s modern era that a team had three, 10-game road losing streaks in the same season.Colorado finished 22-59 away from Coors Field (.278) for the second-lowest road winning percentage in franchise history behind the 2014 club’s .259 percentage (21-60).With a youth movement in full swing after the Aug. 1 trade deadline, the Rockies knew they would struggle after the trade deadline, but losses such as Sunday’s are still a gut punch.Following a recent t...

CU Boulder students begin recovery after being struck by car

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:22:59 GMT

Less than two weeks into their first semester at the University of Colorado Boulder, Jasmine Floyd and Anthony Maravi were severely injured after being hit by a driver who faces drunken driving charges.Now, they’re trying to find a way to move forward.Maravi said he’s doing better now and has returned to his classes, but Floyd won’t be coming back this semester due to her injuries. Maravi said he struggled with feeling guilty and said it’s been a lot to process.“I always like to take care of people around me,” Maravi said. “I kept on thinking (about) the routes we could’ve gone that isn’t Baseline or how I could’ve reacted differently.”Maravi and Floyd were walking to Williams Village on the sidewalk of the CU Boulder campus a little after midnight Sept. 9, when they were struck by a driver trying to make a U-turn.Floyd and Maravi met earlier that day through mutual friends. After a night out, Maravi offered to walk Floyd back to her dorm to make ...

Atletico Madrid beats Real Madrid 3-1 in Spanish league to end rival’s perfect start to the season

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:22:59 GMT

Atletico Madrid ended Real Madrid’s perfect start Sunday with a 3-1 win in their first Spanish league derby of the season.Álvaro Morata scored twice and Antoine Griezmann once to hand Madrid its first loss after six straight victories in all competitions this season. Toni Kroos scored the lone goal for the visitors.The result left Catalan clubs Barcelona and Girona at the top of the standings with 16 points each from six matches. Defending champion Barcelona rallied late to defeat Celta Vigo 3-2 on Saturday, while Girona beat Mallorca 5-3.Madrid stayed one point behind in third place. It had won five consecutive league games, and on Wednesday beat Union Berlin in the group stage of the Champions League.Atletico was coming off a 3-0 loss at Valencia for its first defeat of the season. Diego Simeone’s team had two wins and a draw in its other previous matches. Its league game against Sevilla earlier this month was postponed because of bad weather.All three goals by Atletic...

Wales into Rugby World Cup quarters, puts Australia closer to inglorious exit. Scots overrun Tonga

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:22:59 GMT

LYON, France (AP) — Wales became the first to qualify for the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals on Sunday while virtually shutting the door on Australia’s hopes and putting the Wallabies in danger of their worst-ever showing.The Welsh won by a record 40-6, executing a low-risk, disciplined gameplan and crucifying the many Australian mistakes in Lyon.The Wallabies, winners in 1991 and 1999, have never missed the quarterfinals but losing consecutive pool games for the first time in 36 years left their fate in the hands of their Pacific neighbor Fiji, which upended them last week.Australia should win its last Pool C game against Portugal next weekend but it won’t matter if Fiji accounts for its remaining pool fixtures against Georgia and Portugal. If so, the Fijians will follow Wales into the quarters and confirm Australia’s worst fears.Penalties by the error-prone Wallabies gave replacement flyhalf Gareth Anscombe goal-shooting practice for Wales. He slotted six of seven penalty attempts ...

Yankees miss playoffs for first time since 2016 with windy 7-1 loss to Diamondbacks

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:22:59 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016, getting mathematically eliminated with a rainy 7-1 loss Sunday to the Arizona Diamondbacks as Zac Gallen got his 17th win.Arizona (82-73) won for the sixth time in seven games and remained in position for the NL’s second wild card, a half-game ahead of the Chicago Cubs. The Diamondbacks also clinched their first winning season since 2019.New York (78-77) was eliminated from contention with a week to play. The Yankees, who finish with a six-game trip after Monday’s series finale, are in danger of finishing with a losing record for the first time since 1992.New York would have 85 wins if the Yankees finish 7-0. Baltimore (97 wins) and Tampa Bay (95) will split the AL East and the top wild card, and Toronto (87) is in position for the second wild card. Texas (86) could win the West or get a wild card card in a race that includes Seattle (84) or Houston (85). Because the Astros and Marine...

Team World beats Team Europe to claim back-to-back Laver Cup titles

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:22:59 GMT

Vancouver, British Columbia (AP) — Team World claimed its second straight Laver Cup title on Sunday at Rogers Arena.Americans Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe beat Hubert Hurkacz and Andrey Rublev 7-6 (7), 7-6 (7).Team World won last year’s tournament, which also marked the end of Swiss star Roger Federer’s last professional appearance before retiring.Team World took a 10-2 lead in the tournament on Saturday to put itself in the driver’s seat.The opening doubles match on Sunday featured several sustained rallies, with Shelton hitting a behind the back shot during the second game.Both sets went to tiebreakers, with Team Europe pushing to stay in the hunt for their second win of the three-day tournament.But it wasn’t to be as Hurkacz missed a drop shot, allowing Team World to clinch the win.The Polish player threw his racket down onto the court and appeared visibly angry at the missed opportunity.Speaking after the match on the court, Team World captain John McEnroe praised his team’s p...