COVID-19 DERAILS GUARDIANS GAME

One hour after Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona's positive COVID-19 test was revealed on Wednesday, the team's matinee at the Chicago White Sox was postponed due to “multiple positive tests” within the organization.

The game is the first in Major League Baseball this season postponed due to COVID-19.

The game was “postponed to allow for continued testing and contact tracing,” MLB said in a statement.

Thursday is a scheduled off day for Cleveland before the start of a three-game series in Minnesota against the Twins starting on Friday night.

The positive test for Francona, pictured, was the first for the Guardians since three players went on the COVID-related injured list on April 20 (pitcher Cal Quantrill, infielder Owen Miller and pitcher Anthony Castro).

Former World No. 1 tennis player Naomi

Osaka has split with her agency, IMG, and will start her own, Sportico reported Wednesday. The agency will be called Evolve.

Joining Osaka at Evolve is Stuart Duguid, who was a senior vice president at IMG. Sportico said both Duguid and Osaka will hold equity stakes in Evolve with no other outside investors.

“I've spent my career doing things my way, even when people told me that it wasn't what was expected or traditional,” Osaka, 24, said, per Sportico. “Evolve is the natural next step in my journey as both an athlete and businesswoman, as well as a way to continue being myself and doing things my way.”

Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam winner, ranked No. 12 on Forbes' list of highest-paid athletes in 2021 with US$60 million in earnings. All but $5 million came off the court.

Forbes said she is the highest-paid female athlete ever, and Sportico reported she will be the first woman in sports “to take full control of her business endeavours.”

Osaka took much of 2021 off to focus on her mental health and has slipped to No. 38 in the rankings because of her lack of tournament appearances.