Former Sooner Richards out for season
Los Angeles Angels pitcher Garrett Richards said Thursday he has elected to undergo Tommy John surgery for his damaged ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and will miss the remainder of the season.
Reduced to 28 starts over the last three seasons because of multiple injuries, including two UCL issues, Richards’ time with the Angels could effectively be finished after eight seasons and a 45-38 record with a 3.54 ERA.
The free-agent-to-be, who played baseball at Edmond Memorial High School and OU, expects to be ready to pitch at the start of the 2020 season.
Richards, 30, was 5-4 with a 3.66 ERA over 16 starts this season.
He was removed in the third inning Tuesday during his outing against the Seattle Mariners.
He went on the disabled list Wednesday and was given the choice of a conservative rehabilitation or surgery.
The surgery is expected to be performed on July 24.
Oakley arrested
Former New York Knicks star Charles Oakley is being accused of gambling fraud after a wager at a Las Vegas casino last weekend, casino regulators said Thursday.
Oakley was arrested Sunday at the Cosmopolitan casino-resort on the Las Vegas Strip on suspicion of committing or attempting to commit a fraudulent act in a gaming establishment, the Nevada Gaming Control Board said in a statement.
The agency said Oakley is suspected of “adding to or reducing his wager” on a game after the outcome was known.
Oakley was booked and later released from jail. The regulatory agency would not release details of the circumstances surrounding the arrest.
Marlins suspend relationship with Papa John’s
The Miami Marlins have suspended their business relationship with Papa John’s after the company’s chairman of the board apologized for using a racial slur and resigned.
In a statement Thursday, the Marlins said “derogatory and insensitive comments” by John Schnatter weren’t reflective of the values of the baseball franchise.
Papa John’s announced late Wednesday that Schnatter had resigned. Forbes said Schnatter used the N-word during a media training exercise in May.
A Marlins promotion with Papa John’s had offered discounted pizza.
Topps, MLB extend trading card agreement
Topps has created lasting memories for baseball fans over the last seven decades and that tradition will continue as Major League Baseball and The Topps Company announced they have extended their exclusive global partnership for MLB-licensed trading cards through 2025.
Elsewhere ...
Michigan women’s basketball coach Kim Barnes Arico has agreed to a contract extension through the 2022-23 season. Barnes Arico is 134-73 at Michigan. ... Auburn and North Carolina football will meet in the 2020 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta . ... The Chicago Blackhawks traded Marian Hossa and Vinnie Hinostroza to the Arizona Coyotes. The Blackhawks also sent Jordan Oesterle, a former Oklahoma City Barons defenseman, and a third-round pick in the 2019 draft to the Coyotes for forwards Marcus Kruger, MacKenzie Entwistle and Jordan Maletta, defenseman Andrew Campbell and a fifthround pick in next year’s draft.