Cubs, Dodgers complete trade

CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs acquired power-hitting third baseman Michael Busch and reliever Yency Almonte from the Los Angeles Dodgers for two prospects on Thursday.

The Dodgers received pitcher Jackson Ferris and center fielder Zyhir Hope.

The 26-year-old Busch was the Pacific Coast League player of the year last season with Class AAA Oklahoma City and could be the Cubs’ opening day third baseman.

The left-handed Busch hit 27 homers with 90 RBIs while batting .323 with a .431 on-base percentage for Oklahoma City.

Soto gets record contract: Juan Soto and the New York Yankees agreed Thursday to a $31 million, one-year contract, breaking Shohei Ohtani’s record for an arbitrationeligible player.

Ex-Met Harrelson dead at 79: Bud Harrelson,

the scrappy and sure-handed shortstop who fought Pete Rose on the field during a playoff game and helped the New York Mets win an astonishing championship, died early Thursday morning. He was 79.

During a major league career from 1965-80, Harrelson was selected to two All-Star Games and won a Gold Glove.

It was Harrelson who waved home Ray Knight with the winning run on Bill Buckner’s error in Game 6 of the ’86 Series against Boston.

In Game 3 of the 1973 NL Championship Series between the Mets and Reds, Rose slid hard into Harrelson at second base on a double play. The two ended up wrestling in the infield dirt at Shea Stadium, triggering a wild, bench-clearing brawl.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL NCAA suspends FSU assistant

\A Florida State assistant coach has been suspended for the first three games of the 2024 season for violating recruiting rules by connecting a potential transfer with a representative from a collective during an official visit, the NCAA announced on Thursday.

The NCAA did not name the coach in its release, but a person with direct knowledge of the case confirmed to the Associated Press that it was offensive coordinator

Alex Atkins.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because neither the NCAA nor the school was identifying Atkins as the coach involved.

Florida State also agreed to two years of probation and the loss of five football scholarships.

GOLF Montgomery has early lead at Sony

Taylor Montgomery

made birdies on half of his holes for a 6-under 64 and the early lead on at the Sony Open in Honolulu.

McIlroy shoots 62: Rory McIlroy

made nine birdies in a bogey-free, 9-under 62 to take a twoshot lead after the first round of the Dubai Invitational.

SKIING

Odermatt breaks Cup drought

Marco Odermatt

finally won a World Cup downhill in his 36th attempt with a victory at Wengen, Switzerland.