Yankees finalize CC’s 2018 deal
CC Sabathia’s one-year, $10 million contract was finalized by the Yankees, a deal that raises New York’s projected luxury tax payroll for next year to about $178 million.
The deal was announced yesterday, about 10 days after the sides reached an agreement pending a physical. The 37-year-old left-hander is taking a pay cut from the $25 million he earned this year, when he was 14-5 with a 3.69 ERA in 27 starts for his best season since 2012. He was 9-0 with a 1.71 ERA in 10 starts following a Yankees loss.
Sabathia needs periodic injections in his surgically repaired right knee. The six-time All-Star is part of a rotation that includes Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, Sonny Gray and Jordan Montgomery.
Sabathia is 237-146 with a 3.70 ERA in 17 years with the Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers and Yankees.
Reliever Jared Hughes and the Cincinnati Reds agreed to a two-year, $4.5 million contract that includes a club option for 2020. The right-hander was 5-3 with a 3.02 ERA for the Brewers last season. Cincinnati hopes Hughes will provide help getting leads to closer Raisel Iglesias . .. .
Shohei Ohtani bid farewell to fans of his former Japanese club as he sets off to join the Los Angeles Angels. Following a press conference, the former Nippon Ham Fighters star threw one final ceremonial pitch from the Sapporo Dome mound.
Soccer: FIFA acquittal
Manuel Burga, former president of Peru’s soccer federation, was acquitted in the FIFA bribery scandal and walked out of the courtroom in New York saying he’s finished with the world’s most popular sport. The verdict clearing Burga of a single racketeering conspiracy charge came days after prosecutors won guilty verdicts on multiple charges against two other ex-soccer officials.
Burga was the first person to be acquitted among more than 40 people and entities in the world of global soccer charged in the U.S. with a scheme to extract hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks. Of those, 24 pleaded guilty . ...
Harry Kane set the English Premier League record for goals in a calendar year, reaching 39 with a hat trick that led Tottenham by Southampton, 5-2. Kane has played in 36 league matches, six fewer than Shearer in ’95.
Misc.: U.S. in a rout
Boston College’s Joe Woll made 17 saves and seven skaters scored as Team USA opened the world juniors hockey tournament with a 9-0 shutout of Denmark in Buffalo. Also, Canada beat Finland, 4-2, the Czech Republic edged Russia, 5-4, and Sweden beat Belarus, 6-1 . ...
In balloting by U.S. editors and news directors, swimmer Katie Ledecky won The Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year ahead of tennis’ Serena Williams.
Deaths: Leafs’ Bower
Johnny Bower, a beloved former NHL goaltender who helped the Toronto Maple Leafs win their last Stanley Cup in 1967, died yesterday. The two-time Vezina Trophy winner was 93 . ...
Raymond L. Brown, a defensive back/punter who played for two NFL champions in the 1950s with the Baltimore Colts, died at 81.