Dolphins:
The Philadelphia Eagles released Ryan Mathews after the former Pro Bowl running back was cleared to return to football activities following neck surgery.
Mathews played two seasons with the Eagles after spending his first five years in San Diego. He had 1,200 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns for Philadelphia.
The move announced Tuesday was expected and saves the Eagles $4 million under the salary cap.
It’s still unknown how the Eagles will use their remaining running backs. Will it be a rotation or will a lead back still emerge?
“I think we’ve still got to work through that,” offensive coordinator Frank Reich said.
The Eagles signed veteran bruiser LeGarrette Blount to a one-year contract after he ran for a career-best 1,161 yards and led the NFL with 18 rushing TDs last season in New England. Second-year pro Wendell Smallwood showed flashes as a rookie, running for 312 yards in 13 games. Rookie Donnel Pumphrey, an undersized fourth-round pick, had a fumble on one of his carries and muffed a punt in the preseason opener against Green Bay. Undrafted rookie Corey Clement, who ran for 1,375 yards and 15 TDs for Wisconsin last year, had 13 yards on seven carries last week.
Then there’s versatile scat back Darren Sproles, who had a career-high 94 carries last year at age 33.
The NFL Players Association appealed running back Ezekiel Elliott’s sixgame suspension over the league’s conclusion that its 2016 rushing leader injured his former girlfriend in three separate incidents last summer. The union said it will represent Elliott “to ensure that the NFL is held to its obligation of adhering to principles of industrial due process under the collective bargaining agreement.”
A hearing with Commissioner Roger Goodell or an arbitrator will be scheduled within 10 days with a decision “as soon as practicable” after the appeal is heard, according to the labor agreement.
Starting left tackle Cordy Glenn took the next step in addressing lingering soreness in his left foot by receiving an injection from a foot specialist. Glenn has been in and out of a walking
Cowboys: Bills:
boot for much of the offseason, and missed all of the team’s spring practices.
Coach Sean McDermott has previously not ruled out the possibility of Glenn, the Bills’ starter at left tackle since being selected in the second round of the 2012 draft, requiring surgery.
Injuries continued to take a heavy toll on Miami, with cornerback Tony Lippett lost for the entire season after tearing his Achilles tendon during practice Monday.
Lippett, who started 13 games last year and had four interceptions, was expected to be the No. 3 cornerback behind Byron Maxwell and Xavien Howard.
Starting middle linebacker Denzel Perryman is likely to be out for at least two months after injuring his ankle in the preseason opener.
Perryman had surgery on a torn ligament in his left ankle Tuesday, coach Anthony Lynn said.
Chargers:
Chad Bettis had trouble controlling his emotions as he took the mound for the first time since cancer treatment. He had no trouble controlling the Atlanta Braves’ lineup.
Bettis threw seven impressive innings in his season debut Monday, thrilling the crowd as the Rockies won 3-0 on a feel-good night at Coors Field.
Bettis allowed six hits, walked none and struck out two. He hadn’t pitched in the majors since being diagnosed with testicular cancer in November.
“I don’t think I was in tune to what was going on until the fifth,” Bettis said. “So many emotions. I was trying to get them under control.”
Bettis had surgery for the condition, but tests in March showed the cancer had spread to his lymph nodes. He later underwent chemotherapy.
The 33,641 fans cheered for Bettis before he threw his first major league pitch of 2017. The crowd rose as he walked in from the bullpen before the start, and gave a big cheer as he went out to pitch the first inning.
“You try to get your mind clear because of the task at hand, and then to be hit with that emotion, it was unbelievable,” Bettis said.
The right-hander, 28, left for a pinch hitter in the seventh with the game still scoreless, so he did not figure in the decision.
Reliever Tyler Clippard was acquired from the White Sox for a player to be named or cash considerations. The right-hander, 32, was traded from the Yankees to Chicago in a seven-player deal July 18.
■ Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, hitting an AL-best .362 coming into Monday’s game at Arizona, had his first three-strikeout game in three years and fourth overall in seven big league seasons in a 2-0 loss. All three strikeouts came against Diamondbacks ace Zack Greinke.
Rookie right fielder Aaron Judge entered play Tuesday with at least one strike out in 31 consecutive games, five shy of the major league record for a position player set by Adam Dunn during his last four games in 2011 and first 32 the following year.
Infielder Rafael Devers, who is still two months from his 21st birthday, homered twice Monday to become the third-youngest Red Sox player to have a multihomer game. Only Ted Williams and Tony Conigliaro were younger.
Oakland drew just 9,848 fans to the Coliseum for Monday night’s game against Kansas City for its second-smallest crowd of the season behind a July 17 game against Tampa Bay that attracted 9,736.
Shortstop Tim Beckham, who went 3 for 5 Monday at Seattle, is hitting .500 with four homers and 10 RBIs in the past 14 games. He has at least one hit in 13 of the 14 since being acquired from Tampa Bay at the MLB trade deadline July 31.
Cam Gallagher’s grand slam Monday was the first by a Royals rookie since Paulo Orlando hit one in Game 1 of a doubleheader against Tampa Bay on July 7, 2015.
Astros: Yankees: Red Sox: Athletics: Orioles: Royals: Blue Jays:
Left-hander Brett Anderson was signed to a minor league deal.