Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame
NEW YORK (AP) — Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones have been elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame. Beltrán, in his fourth ballot appearance, received 84.2% of the votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Jones, in his ninth appearance, was picked on 78.4% of ballots. Beltrán’s vote percentage has steadily increased since 2023. He was also briefly hired as the New York Mets’ manager in 2019. Jones started with just 7.3% in 2018 but has steadily climbed. They will be inducted in Cooperstown, New York, on July 26, along with second baseman Jeff Kent.
Doncic has a triple-double as the Lakers rally past the short-handed Nuggets, 115-107
DENVER (AP) — Luka Doncic had 38 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers rallied to beat the Denver Nuggets 115-107 on Tuesday night. LeBron James, who was not voted an All-Star starter for the first time since his rookie season, scored 19 points for Los Angeles, which played the second half without center Deandre Ayton due to a left eye injury. Jamal Murray scored 26 of his 28 points in the first half for Denver and added 11 assists, but shot just 1 for 5 in the second half.
Buster Posey takes center stage among the newcomers for next year’s Hall of Fame ballot
Buster Posey is expected to be the top newcomer on baseball’s 2027 Hall of Fame ballot. There are no first-ballot inductees this year after the results were announced Tuesday night. Holdover candidates Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones were the only ones voted in. Beltrán and Jones were the top returning vote-getters from 2025, so it wasn’t a shock when they received the necessary 75% approval from members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Next year, Posey has a chance to make the Hall on his first try. The star catcher the San Francisco Giants to three World Series titles.
Alcaraz and Federer get into the swing of things at the Australian Open
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz says he has been spending some time with tennis great Roger Federer at the Australian Open, sharing a round of golf. Alcaraz says Federer’s golf swing is as stylish as his tennis. The 22-year-old Alcaraz is in Australia aiming to complete a career Grand Slam. He won his second-round match against Yannick Hanfmann on Wednesday. Alcaraz is looking to legends like Federer for inspiration as he tries to get an edge in his rivalry with two-time Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner. In the third round he’ll meet Corentin Moutet, who advanced when Michael Zheng retired due to injury.
Rory McIlroy says LIV and PGA Tour ‘too far apart’ to strike a deal
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Rory McIlroy believes the PGA Tour and LIV Golf have grown “too far apart” to form an alliance and bring a splintered sport back together. McIlroy says “I just don’t see a world where it can happen at this point.” McIlroy was speaking ahead of the Dubai Desert Classic on the European tour. Brooks Koepka’s return to the PGA Tour from LIV has brought into sharper focus the fading hopes of any form of deal being struck by top officials on the two circuits.
Ilia Malinin: The 20-year-old American figure skater redefining the sport
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Ilia Malinin, a 20-year-old figure skating sensation, is being hailed as the best of his generation. With an Olympic gold medal next month, the American star might become the best of any generation. He’s known for landing jumps no one else can, and he combines creativity and artistry with unmatched execution. Malinin has won the past two world titles, the latest in Boston, and hasn’t lost a competition in about two years. His scores rival the best in the sport’s history. But with the Milan Cortina Games approaching, pressure is mounting, both from corporate sponsors and his growing legion of fans. His team is preparing him mentally and physically to peak at the Olympics, where the son of former Olympic skaters aims to shine.
Man City stunned by tiny Bodø/Glimt in huge Champions League upset and Arsenal into round of 16
Manchester City has lost 3-1 at tiny Norwegian club Bodø/Glimt in one of the most humiliating upsets in Champions League history, while defending champion Paris Saint-Germain was also on the end of an unexpected defeat at Sporting Lisbon. Vinícius Júnior turned jeers from his own fans to cheers by scoring for Real Madrid in a 6-1 win over Monaco. Arsenal became the first team to secure direct qualification for the round of 16 after a 3-1 victory at Inter Milan, maintaining its 100% record in the league stage after seven games.
Mets acquire CF Luis Robert Jr. in a trade with the White Sox
CHICAGO (AP) — The New York Mets have acquired center fielder Luis Robert Jr. in a trade with the Chicago White Sox. New York sent infielder Luisangel Acuña and minor league pitcher Truman Pauley to Chicago for Robert, who has struggled with injuries and inconsistency since a stellar 2023 season. The Mets had been looking for outfield help since they traded Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien. They were in the mix for Kyle Tucker before he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Bilodeau’s late 3-pointer helps UCLA stun No. 4 Purdue, snapping Boilermakers’ 9-game winning streak
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tyler Bilodeau hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with eight seconds left, leading UCLA to a 69-67 win over No. 4 Purdue. It snapped Purdue’s nine-game winning streak in its first visit to Pauley Pavilion in 26 years. C.J. Cox missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer. Fans stormed the court on a night when UCLA honored John Wooden, the Indiana native and Purdue alumnus. Donovan Dent led the Bruins with 23 points and 13 assists. It was Purdue’s first loss since Dec. 6 and kept the Boilers from taking sole possession of first place in the Big Ten over idle Nebraska.
Hoosiers receive hero’s welcome in return to Bloomington as football national champions
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — The Indiana Hoosiers were ready to party Tuesday night, and hundreds of loyal fans joined them when they arrived back on campus in Bloomington. Turning out in freezing temperatures and brutally cold wind chills, fans, players and coaches celebrated college football’s implausible national champions. Fans chanted “Hoo, hoo, hoo, Hoo-siers,” as the team buses arrived at Indiana’s practice facility. Parking lots filled up at Indianapolis International Airport with fans hoping to greet the team, and some ended up following the buses in their card as the players were escorted by police back to campus.
No. 1 Indiana tops final AP Top 25 football poll of season as Big Ten’s title run reaches 3 straight
Indiana is No. 1 in the final Associated Press Top 25 after finishing a 16-0 season with a victory over Miami in the College Football Playoff championship game. The Hoosiers are the third straight Big Ten national champion and No. 1 team in the final poll, following 2024 Ohio State and 2023 Michigan. No. 2 Miami ended with its highest ranking since the 2002 season. The last time the Hurricanes finished in the top 10 was in 2003. Mississippi, Oregon and Ohio State were next. The Big Ten had three teams in the top five for the second straight year.
Warriors prepare to go forward without Jimmy Butler after season-ending right knee injury
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors are still coming to terms with how dramatically their season changes now given Jimmy Butler’s season-ending right knee injury and how they must depend on their depth going forward without the do-everything guard. An MRI exam after the injury revealed Butler tore the ACL in his right knee during the third quarter of a 135-112 victory Monday against his former Miami team and will need surgery. He landed awkwardly moments after catching a pass in the paint following a collision with the Heat’s Davion Mitchell. Butler’s surgery date hadn’t been set.