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Yankees star Aaron Judge cleared for light activity and says he will return from injury this season

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge has been cleared to begin light workout activity, and the New York Yankees captain said he will return this season from the broken rib that’s sidelined him since May 31. The three-time AL MVP was on the field at Yankee Stadium in baseball gear Wednesday afternoon, stretching, jogging and doing shuffle slides with a resistance band. He was given the green light to take a step forward in his recovery progression after undergoing his latest scan Tuesday. Still, it will be a while before Judge is back in the lineup. He must first advance to taking swings, and neither he nor Yankees manager Aaron Boone offered a target date for the slugger’s return.

Mets rookie Jefry Yan has viral high-flying celebration after striking out his 1st MLB batter

CLEVELAND (AP) — New York Mets rookie Jefry Yan had an emphatic way to mark striking out the first batter he faced in the major leagues. The 29-year-old left-hander jumped high in the air with his feet spread apart, landed on the front of the mound and then slapped the grass with his left hand. It came in the Mets’ 6-5 win at Cleveland on Wednesday night. Pinch-hitter Angel Martínez took an 88.7 mph slider for a called third strike to open the sixth inning.

Gianni Infantino gets internal support at crisis meeting to remain as FIFA president

FIFA says it has apologized for errors made over Gianni Infantino’s failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup and that senior staff in attendance at a summit held in Morocco “reaffirmed their full support” for his presidency. World soccer’s governing body attempted to present a unified front amid the turbulence caused by Infantino’s controversial plans, with calls for him to step down. In a statement FIFA said secretary-general Mattias Grafström and members of the management board in attendance at the meeting had given their support to the embattled president.

Aaron Donald works out for the Rams in latest step on comeback path

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Aaron Donald has formally worked out for the Los Angeles Rams. That’s presumably one of the final steps before the superstar defensive tackle decides whether to end his 2 1/2-year retirement. Donald has been training at the Rams’ Woodland Hills training complex and at home for several weeks in his attempt to return to NFL shape. While the Rams have emphasized their willingness to wait indefinitely for Donald to decide, coach Sean McVay has expressed cautious optimism in the past week about the prospect of lining up Donald and Myles Garrett together on a remarkable defensive line.

Indiana Fever continue to thrive on the court despite constant barrage of off-court distractions

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham walked into practice Wednesday with every intention of talking basketball and only basketball. She still couldn’t completely avoid the latest off-court firestorm — her belief trans women should not be competing in women’s sports. While Cunningham declined to directly address the issue that’s created another circus-like environment for the WNBA’s most visible team, the former Missouri star addressed her pregame conversation with Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve and challenged media members to find better stories than just the latest controversy. But through it all, the Fever have thrived, going 9-3 since July 1.

Suns forward Dillon Brooks agrees to $73 million, three-year extension, AP sources say

PHOENIX (AP) — Two people familiar with the deal say the Phoenix Suns and veteran forward Dillon Brooks have agreed to a $73 million, three-year extension that will keep him with the team through 2030. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the deal hasn’t been announced. The 30-year-old Brooks averaged a career-high 20.2 points last season, his first with the Suns. He provided scoring and a hard-nosed defensive personality that helped the team make a surprise run to the playoffs. Brooks is entering the final season of an $86 million, four-year deal he signed with the Houston Rockets in 2023.

Pete Crow-Armstrong and Shohei Ohtani star as NL MVP race moves to another level

CHICAGO (AP) — Pete Crow-Armstrong and Shohei Ohtani have ramped up their increasingly compelling race for the NL MVP award. Crow-Armstrong homered twice and drove in four runs to help the Chicago Cubs beat Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-6 for a sweep of their three-game series. But Ohtani also went deep twice and finished with three hits. Crow-Armstrong is Chicago’s regular center fielder, but he served as the designated hitter for the finale against LA. That gave him an opportunity to take a closer look at Ohtani’s brilliance at the plate. Crow-Armstrong says he enjoys watching Ohtani play.

Lionel Messi scores his first 2 goals since the World Cup as Inter Miami beats San Luis 4-2

MIAMI (AP) — Lionel Messi scored his first two goals since the World Cup and took the career scoring lead in the Leagues Cup as Inter Miami overcame an early deficit to beat Atlético San Luis 4-2. The match at Nu Stadium was delayed 30 minutes in the second half because of lightning in the area. Messi scored in the 11th and the 44th minutes. He has 14 goals in 12 Leagues Cup matches — one ahead of Los Angeles FC’s Denis Bouanga for most in the tournament’s four-year history. Messi did not score in his first match since the World Cup, a 2-2 draw against Columbus on Saturday.

It’ll be Carson Beck vs. Kenny Pickett when Cardinals-Panthers open the NFL’s exhibition season

Carson Beck makes his NFL debut and Kenny Pickett starts for his fifth team in four years. Welcome to the NFL preseason. If you want to see starters play, wait until next month when the games count in the standings. Or watch joint practices. The exhibition schedule kicks off Thursday night with Beck and the Arizona Cardinals facing Pickett and the Carolina Panthers in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. The preseason is an opportunity for rookies, backups and players fighting for roster spots to get snaps and showcase what they can do. Most first-round picks won’t play much.

LIV Golf has lead investor and planning ahead for another season

LIV Golf says it has a lead investor that will allow the league to plan ahead for 2027 and beyond. The rival league has been in survival mode since March when the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia announced it would no longer pay for LIV after 2026. Saudi money is what allowed the league to pay nine-figure bonuses to lure top players away from the PGA Tour and created $20 million purses. LIV CEO Scott O’Neil did not identify the lead investor. But he says the new league would have players as majority equity holders.

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