6/11 Sports Brief

Giants place Patrick Bailey on injured list. Logan Porter sees first MLB action since 2023

DENVER (AP) — The San Francisco Giants placed Patrick Bailey on the 10-day injured list with a strained neck on Wednesday and selected the contract of Logan Porter from Triple-A Sacramento. Porter had to scramble to get from Seattle on Wednesday morning but arrived in time for batting practice at Coors Field before Wednesday night’s game against the Colorado Rockies. Bailey, whose trip to the IL is retroactive to Sunday, is batting .185 with one homer and 16 RBIs this season. The Giants hoped he would be OK to back up Andrew Knizner during the series at Colorado but he didn’t improve.

US Open gets a peaceful day of practice ahead of tough test that awaits at Oakmont

OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — The star of this U.S. Open is Oakmont. Rory McIlroy had a peaceful start to his final day of practice with the sun rising on the horizon. The chaos begins when the score starts to count in the opening round Thursday. Oakmont is reputed to be the toughest course in the land. The U.S. Open prides itself on being the toughest test in golf. Scottie Scheffler is the favorite. He’s coming off three wins in his last four starts. That includes the PGA Championship. U.S. Open official says they don’t try to protect par. Oakmont usually does that for them.

25 years after Tiger’s romp, a huge fan, Chase Johnson, is US Open’s only player of Black heritage

OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — On the 25-year anniversary of Woods’ historic dismantling of Pebble Beach in the U.S. Open — a milestone win that some thought might puncture golf’s stereotype as a sport for rich, white men — Chase Johnson is the only player of Black heritage in the 156-man field at Oakmont. The last man to qualify for this year’s Open, Johnson says he’s trying to build his profile so maybe he can inspire young players the way Woods once inspired him.

The Pacers are in the NBA Finals. The Fever have Caitlin Clark. In Indy, basketball is booming

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Rick Carlisle used the line after the Indiana Pacers won the Eastern Conference title earlier this month, the one that is the official motto for the state’s basketball Hall of Fame and surely has been uttered for generations. “In 49 other states, it’s just basketball,” Carlisle said. “But this is Indiana.” It’s true: Basketball never loses importance here. But these days, the state — and Indianapolis especially — probably feels like the center of the basketball universe.

Female athletes appeal landmark NCAA settlement, saying it violates federal antidiscrimination law

Eight female athletes have filed an appeal of a landmark NCAA antitrust settlement. They argue that women would not receive their fair share of $2.7 billion in back pay for athletes who were barred from making money off their name, image and likeness. U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken approved the settlement last week. The athletes who appealed the settlement Wednesday competed in soccer, volleyball and track. An attorney representing the women says the settlement violates Title IX, the federal law that bans sex-based discrimination in education. The attorney says female athletes are being deprived of $1.1 billion.

Deion Sanders says ‘everything is OKAY’ after not attending football camps in Boulder, Colorado

DENVER (AP) — Deion Sanders posted on social media that “everything is OKAY” after not being able to attend football camps in Boulder, Colorado, so far this spring. The Colorado coach’s health has come into question because of his extended absence. Sanders thanked al the well wishers on X for all their thoughts and prayers. He added that once he arrives back in Boulder he will give updates. The 57-year-old Sanders has dealt with issues surrounding his left foot since having two toes amputated in 2021 because of blood clot issues while at Jackson State.

Red Sox pitcher Hunter Dobbins defends discrepancies about his father playing for Yankees

BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox rookie Hunter Dobbins made some headlines prior to his first career start against the Yankees last week when he said he’d rather retire than pitch for New York. Now he’s explaining why the claims he made about his father once playing in the minors for Boston’s longtime rival aren’t the intentional fabrication that a New York newspaper report says. Dobbins says the references he made stemmed from stories passed along from his father when he was a kid and nothing more. He says he understands the fervor his comments created and says his focus now is on his upcoming matchup with the Yankees this weekend.

Knicks denied permission to interview Kidd, Udoka and Finch in coaching search, AP sources say

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks have been denied permission to speak with coaches Jason Kidd of Dallas, Ime Udoka of Houston and Chris Finch of Minnesota in a slow start to find Tom Thibodeau’s replacement. All three coaches are under contract and two people with knowledge of the details say their organizations declined to make them available for interviews with the Knicks. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the interview process was to remain private. The Knicks fired Thibodeau on June 3, despite reaching the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years.

Colorado’s Cale Makar wins Norris Trophy as league’s top defenseman for 2nd time in 4 seasons

DENVER (AP) — Cale Makar captured the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman for a second time in four seasons. The Colorado Avalanche standout finished the regular season with 30 goals to become to first NHL blueliner to reach that mark since Mike Green scored 31 for Washington in 2008-09. Makar also led all defensemen this season with 62 assists and 92 points. He received first-place votes on 176 of the 191 ballots cast by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. The 26-year-old from Calgary, Alberta, has been a finalist in each of the last five seasons.

It didn’t take DK Metcalf long to show the Steelers what they’re getting in their new wide receiver

PITTSBURGH (AP) — New Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf is quickly making an impression. Metcalf nearly chased down safety Minkah Fitzpatrick on an interception return during the first day of minicamp. The play echoed Metcalf’s memorable 90-yard sprint to tackle Arizona’s Budda Baker five years ago. Metcalf says it doesn’t matter this it was only practice, running after a defender who gets his hands on the ball is part of the job. Metcalf is the unquestioned leader of Pittsburgh’s mostly young wide receiver group. The 27-year-old says he plans to lead by example but also considers himself an “open book” to more inexperienced players such as Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson.

Seahawks receiver Cooper Kupp enjoying settling in with new team

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Time will tell how well Seattle wide receiver Cooper Kupp fits in with a new franchise after spending each of the past eight seasons with the Los Angeles Rams and signing a three-year, $45 million contract with the Seahawks in March. In some ways it’s a homecoming for Kupp, who grew up watching the Seahawks, is from Yakima, Washington and played at Eastern Washington.