SPORTS HEADLINES

Tommy John, namesake for a pioneering elbow surgery that saved his career, dead at 83

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tommy John, the pitching great known for the surgery that bears his name, has died at 83. According to agent Mike Maguire, John died at his home in Bradenton, Florida, on Saturday night. John had a remarkable 26-year career, winning 288 games and becoming the first pitcher to successfully return after groundbreaking elbow surgery. This procedure, now known as Tommy John surgery, has saved the careers of many baseball stars. John was a four-time All-Star and played for several teams, including the Yankees and Dodgers. His legacy extends beyond his pitching, as his surgery revolutionized baseball.

Scottie Scheffler back to his dominant self and opens PGA Tour postseason with 8-shot win

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler is back to his dominant self. The world’s No. 1 player took a two-shot lead and turned into a blowout at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He shot a 66 and won by eight shots over Si Woo Kim. That’s the largest margin of victory at the TPC Southwind in its 68-year history. Kim shot 68. Scheffler not only won $3.6 million, he clinched a $23 million bonus for being No. 1 in the FedEx Cup through next week’s BMW Championship. Sungjae Im was the only player to move into the top 50 to advance in the postseason.

Commanders QB Marcus Mariota has a sprained MCL in his right knee

Washington Commanders backup quarterback Marcus Mariota has a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee, coach Dan Quinn confirmed. Mariota, 32, will miss the remainder of the preseason. Still, Quinn is optimistic that he’ll be ready for the start of the regular season. Starter Jayden Daniels did not play against the Dolphins. The only other QBs on the roster are Sam Hartman and rookie Athan Kaliakmanis, who will both see increased reps over the next few weeks.

Arizona third baseman Arenado worried after leaving loss to the Braves with left trunk discomfort

ATLANTA (AP) — One day after hitting two homers, Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Nolan Arenado is fretting about a pain he’s never felt. Arenado pulled himself out a 5-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves in the fourth inning with what was described as left trunk discomfort. He only hopes it’s not too serious, especially when the Diamondbacks are battling for a playoff spot. They came into the day vying with San Diego and Philadelphia for the final two NL wild-card spots. Arenado plans to get an MRI to determine the extent of the injury. But he concedes to being “worried.”

Diana Taurasi inducted into the Mercury Ring of Honor as franchise celebrates 20 years of excellence

PHOENIX (AP) — Diana Taurasi is celebrated as the greatest player in WNBA history by Phoenix Mercury fans. On Sunday, the team inducted her into the Mercury Ring of Honor, retiring her No. 3 jersey during halftime of a game against the Portland Fire. Taurasi, who played for the Mercury from 2004 to 2024, is the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer and a three-time champion. She expressed gratitude for the support she received in Arizona. Thousands of fans gathered to honor her legacy, with tributes from sports stars and a playful “Goat Plush Toss” event. Taurasi’s impact on the franchise and community is undeniable.

Clark praises Fever for being ‘super resilient’ in their hard-fought overtime win over Dream

ATLANTA (AP) — Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever looked playoff-ready in their 95-91 overtime win over the Atlanta Dream. The Fever showed impressive depth with four players scoring 18 or more points. Perhaps of more importance, Indiana responded to a major challenge from an Atlanta team that began the day one-half behind the Fever for the important fourth-place spot in the playoff standings. The top four teams receive home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Atlanta led 72-64 entering the fourth quarter. Indiana held the Dream to nine points in the final period of regulation.

Fresh off Toronto title, Iga Swiatek wins first match at Cincinnati Open

MASON, Ohio (AP) — Iga Swiatek overcame a short turnaround after winning the title in Toronto on Thursday to defeat Colombian Emiliana Arango, 6-3, 6-0, on center court at the Cincinnati Open on Sunday. Aryna Sabalenka, who has spent 95 consecutive weeks at No. 1, got past Australian Talia Gibson, 6-2, 7-6. On the men’s side, 10th-ranked Taylor Fritz beat fellow American Alex Michelsen, 6-3, 6-4. World No. 4 Felix Auger-Aliassime took down Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5. American Madison Keys outlasted Daria Snigur, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Jack Whaley of England holds off Jay Leng Jr. to win US Amateur at Merion

ARDMORE, Pa. (AP) — Jack Whaley of England wins the U.S. Amateur at Merion Golf Club, overcoming rain, a wasp sting, and tough competition from Jay Leng Jr. He won the 36-hole final 4 and 3, celebrating with his caddie father and mother. The victory earns Whaley exemptions into the 2027 US Open, British Open, and potentially the Masters. He becomes the first English winner since 2013. Merion holds historical significance, hosting past champions like Bobby Jones and Ben Hogan. The club is set to host future major tournaments, reviving Philadelphia’s golf scene. Whaley is ranked 90th in the world amateur golf ranking.

US men and Canada women win flag football world titles as spots earned for the Los Angeles Olympics

DÜSSELDORF, Germany (AP) — The United States successfully defends the men’s title at the flag football world championships but loses the women’s title to Canada. Mexico’s women and Canada’s men earned qualification spots Sunday for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The U.S. men beat Italy 46-26 to secure a sixth straight title and the women missed out on a fourth straight title after losing 27-20 to Canada. Beaten finalist Italy and men’s bronze-medal winner Canada qualified for the 2028 Games. Mexico beat Great Britain in the women’s bronze-medal game to qualify along with Canada. Both U.S. teams had already qualified as the host nation.

Nightmarish start for Maresca as Arsenal outclasses Man City in Community Shield

Enzo Maresca has endured a nightmarish first competitive match in charge of Manchester City as Arsenal scored inside 24 seconds before powering to a 3-0 victory in the Community Shield. English soccer’s annual season curtain-raiser between the reigning Premier League (Arsenal) and FA Cup (City) champions offered a chance for an early assessment of the two teams most likely to challenge for the big trophies this campaign. Arsenal delivered a statement performance, not least by scoring after 23 seconds through Riccardo Calafiori. There will be early concerns for City and Maresca at the start of the post-Pep Guardiola era. Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard scored Arsenal’s other goals.

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