Mets' Diaz injures knee at WBC, out for year

New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz has a torn patellar tendon and is expected to miss the entire season after hurting his right knee while celebrating a victory in the World Baseball Classic.

Mets general manager Billy Eppler said Díaz would undergo surgery Thursday. Without going into specifics, Eppler said a general timeline for recovery from this type of injury is about eight months.

“There are instances where athletes have come back earlier, more around the six-month mark,” Eppler told reporters. “But those are a little bit more of the exception than the rule.”

Díaz, who turns 29 next week, retired the side in order in the ninth inning of a 5-2 victory over the Dominican Republic on Wednesday night that sent Puerto Rico to the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals. As Díaz and his teammates jumped together in the infield, the right-hander collapsed and reached for his right leg. He was taken off the field in a wheelchair.

The Mets signed Díaz to a five-year, $102 million contract — the largest ever for a closer — after he produced a spectacular 2022 season. All player contracts are covered by insurance through the WBC that spans the length of time the player is out with an injury suffered during the tournament.

Díaz went 3-1 with a 1.31 ERA and 32 saves in 35 opportunities while striking out 118 batters in 62 innings last season. He made his second All-Star appearance and finished ninth in the Cy Young Award voting.

Manager Buck Showalter has some relievers on the roster with closer experience as the team tries to replace Díaz, notably David Robertson, who has 157 career saves.

Men's college basketball SANTA CLARA'S SEASON ENDS WITH NIT LOSS >>

Santa Clara suffered a heartbreaking 58-56 loss at home to Sam Houston in the first round of the NIT on Wednesday night. Qua Grant had 21 points for Sam Houston (26-7), which held on after a last-second missed shot by Santa Clara.

Brandin Podziemski led the Broncos (23-10) in scoring, finishing with 18 points, six rebounds and seven assists. The sophomore guard who was the West Coast Conference's coPlayer of the Year, is a possible late first-round NBA pick and could decide to leave school.

Christoph Tilly added 16 points and eight rebounds for Santa Clara.

NBA KINGS CLINCH FIRST WINNING YEAR SINCE '06 >>

Domantas Sabonis had 24 points and 21 rebounds, and the Sacramento Kings clinched their first winning season since 2005-06 by beating the Nets 101-96.

De'Aaron Fox added 18 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Kings, who improved to 42-27, second in the Western Conference. They hadn't finished above .500 since going 4438 in 2005-06, the last of eight consecutive playoff appearances under Rick Adelman.

NUGGETS 119, PISTONS 100 >>

Nikola Jokic scored 30 points as Denver beat Detroit to snap a season-high four-game losing streak to clinch the Northwest Division.

Jokic, the two-time reigning NBA MVP, had three assists and three rebounds before his first attempt several minutes into the game and finished 14 of 18 from the field with 10 rebounds and nine assists.

RAPTORS 128, THUNDER 111 >>

Pascal Siakam had 25 points and 14 rebounds and Toronto extended its season-high home winning streak to six games with a home win over Oklahoma City.

HAWKS' BOGDANOVIC SIGNS EXTENSION >> Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic signed a $68 million, fouryear extension that will keep him under contract through the 2026-27 season. Bogdanovic, 30, has averaged 14.1 points in 43 games this season.

NHL KREIDER SCORES TWICE IN RANGERS WIN >>

Chris Kreider scored the go-ahead goal in the third period and added an empty-netter, and Igor Shesterkin made 30 saves as the New York Rangers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2 at home. PANTHERS SCORE RECORD 7 GOALS IN 1ST >> Carter Verhaeghe scored twice in Florida's franchise-record, seven-goal first period and the Panthers beat the Montreal Canadiens 9-5 at home.

Florida scored six goals in the second period against Boston on April 5, 2000. Against Montreal, the Panthers came just shy of tying the franchise record for goals in a game set in 1997, going scoreless in the third period.

The teams combined for 10 first-period goals to tie the NHL record for goals in a first period. It also was the fastest first 10 goals in an NHL game, with Florida getting the 10th goal at 13:18.

Golf BREHM MAKES ACE, SHARES PGA LEAD >>

Ryan Brehm turned a good round into a memorable one, making a hole-in-one on the par-3 17th hole at Innisbrook for a 5-under 66 that led to a three-way share of the lead at the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, Fla.

Stephan Jaeger also had a 66, while Adam Schenk joined them with the low score in the afternoon on the Copperhead course.

Jordan Spieth, back at Innisbrook for the first time in five years, had a bogey-free round and shot a 67. Also at 67 were former U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover and Maverick McNealy.