Yankees get Taillon from Pirates for 4 prospects
NEW YORK » The Yankees made another high-risk offseason addition to their starting rotation, acquiring right-hander Jameson Taillon from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday for four prospects.
Pittsburgh received righthanders Roansy Contreras and Miguel Yajure, infielder Maikol Escotto and outfielder Canaan Smith.
Taillon, 29, has not pitched since May 1, 2019, following his second Tommy John surgery.
New York also has a pending $11 million, one-year deal with right-hander Corey Kluber, who has pitched just one inning since his right forearm was broken by a comebacker on May 1, 2019. He tore a muscle in his pitching shoulder in his season debut last season.
They hope to join a rotation headed by Gerrit Cole, Taillon’s former Pirates teammate, and projected to include Deivi García and Jordan Montgomery.
In addition, Luis Severino is expected to return from Tommy John surgery last Feb. 27 and Domingo Germán is expected back from a domestic violence suspension that caused him to miss last season. Rookie Clarke Schmidt, who debuted Sept. 4, and Michael King, who made four starts and five relief appearances last year, also are possibilities.
Golf
KIM WINS AMERICAN EXPRESS » Si Woo Kim birdied two of the final three holes to finish a rock-solid, 8-under 64, coolly rallying past late-charging Patrick Cantlay by one shot to win The American Express for his third PGA Tour victory.
A year after Kim withdrew from the desert tournament because of a back
injury following an awful first round, he began the final round with a share of the lead as he attempted to win for the first time since the 2017 Players Championship.
The 25-year-old South Korean didn’t flinch when Cantlay shot a 61 and surged out of 13th place to the front while breaking the Stadium Course record by two strokes.
KORDA WINS PLAYOFF » Jessica Korda closed with a 5-under 66 and holed a 30foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to beat Danielle Kang in the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions and start the LPGA Tour season on a good note.
Korda won for the sixth time on the LPGA Tour, and it was her first victory in nearly three years. She shot a career-best 60 on Saturday.
Kang started the final round at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando with a two-shot lead, which she quickly stretched to four shots with an opening birdie and Korda dropping a shot on the third hole. That was Korda’s last mistake.
HATTON OUTPLAYS MCILROY » Englishman Tyrrell Hatton shot a sparkling 6-under
par in the final round to win the season-opening Abu Dhabi Championship by four strokes after overnight leader Rory McIlroy faded with an uninspired even-par 72 to drop into third.
Hatton carded a closing 66 to finish 18 under par and secure a sixth European Tour title, a victory that will go a long way toward securing a second Ryder Cup appearance in September.
Australia’s Jason Scrivener recorded an eagle and five birdies in a back nine 29 to claim second place on 14 under, with McIlroy a shot further back following a disappointing final round.
Track and field
CROUSER BREAKS WORLD RECORD » Olympic champion Ryan Crouser broke the world indoor shot put record at an American Track League meet in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Crouser tossed the shot put 22.82 meters (74 feet, 10½ inches) on his first attempt to break the mark of 22.66 (74-4¼) set by Randy Barnes on Jan. 20, 1989. Crouser’s record is pending ratification.
The 28-year-old Crouser’s heave went so far that it nearly landed out of the area designed for the competition. He also had another toss that went 22.70 meters (74-5¾).
NHL
HOCKEY HALL OF FAMER DIES » George Armstrong, who captained the Toronto Maple Leafs to four Stanley Cups in the 1960s, has died. He was 90.
His death was announced by the Maple Leafs, who said he died of heart complications, citing his family.
Armstrong had 296 goals and 417 assists over 21 seasons for the Leafs, including 12 seasons as team captain, and remains the franchise’s leader in games played, variously listed at 1,187 or 1,888. The right wing had 26 goals and 34 assists in 110 playoff games.
Skiing
FEUZ WINS DOWNHILL AGAIN » Beat Feuz won this weekend’s second men’s World Cup downhill on the Streif course, repeating his triumph from two days earlier.
The race was interrupted for a few minutes because of flat light as low clouds moved in just before the Swiss skier was set to start.
Not distracted by the additional waiting time, Feuz excelled mainly in the bottom part of the course as he beat Johan Clarey by 0.17 seconds.
GUT-BEHRAMI WINS SUPERG » Lara Gut-Behrami mastered a tricky World Cup super-G where several top racers were caught out at two jumps.
On a picture postcard minus-3 Celsius (27 Fahrenheit) day in the Swiss Alps, home favorite Gut-Behrami finished 0.93 seconds faster than Tamara Tippler. Federica Brignone, the defending overall World Cup champion, was 1.02 back in third.