Astros stars’ apologies vague for sign stealing

Avoiding specifics about their team’s sign-stealing during its 2017 World Series championship season, Houston infielders Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve apologized for the scheme that Major League Baseball investigated and punished.

While the purpose of the news conference in West Palm Beach, Florida, was to say, “We’re sorry” and hope to move on, Astros owner Jim Crane raised eyebrows with this statement: “Our opinion is that this didn’t impact the game. We had a good team. We won the World Series. And we’ll leave it at that.”

Diamondbacks: An MRI examination revealed right-hander Mike Leake sustained a left wrist fracture when he fell while chasing his dog, and the 32-year-old is expected to be sidelined at least two weeks. A Gold Glove recipient in 2019, Leake is in the final season of a five-year, $80 million deal.

Red Sox: Left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez lost his arbitration case and will be paid $8.3 million instead of the $8.975 million he sought.

The 26-year-old went 19-6 with a 3.81 ERA over 34 starts in 2019. Teams are 5-1 against players in arbitration this year.

Cardinals: Free-agent infielder Brad Miller agreed to a one-year deal worth $2 million, with another $500,000 available in incentives. The 30-year-old has hit .241 with 88 homers in seven major league seasons with five teams.

Phillies: Free-agent reliever Tommy Hunter agreed to a one-year deal worth $850,000, with another $1.4 million available in incentives. The 33-year-old right-hander has a 4.08 ERA in 12 major league seasons with six teams.

Pirates: Outfielder Jarrod Dyson agreed to a one-year, $2 million deal. The 35-year-old, who spent the past two seasons with Arizona, stole 30 bases in 2019 for the fifth time in his 10 major league seasons.

Mariners: Free-agent righthander Taijuan Walker returned to his original major league team, agreeing to an incentive-laden one-year, $2 million deal. Seattle drafted the 27-year-old 43rd overall in 2010.

Marlins: Two veteran free agents, right-handed reliever Brad Boxberger and utility player Sean Rodriguez, agreed to minor league deals with invitations to major league spring training.

Clayton Alenik for a 7-5 victory at No. 2 doubles. Sauer won in straight sets at No. 3 singles and teamed with Alex Kobelt for a 7-5 triumph at No. 1 doubles.

The Rebels (7-0) clinched the outcome with Anton Ornberg’s three-set win at No. 5 singles. The Cougars fell to 3-6.

Softball: At Eller Media Stadium, Samantha Diaz and

Lauryn Barker each hit a two-out, two-run homer in a six-run third inning to back Jenny Bressler, who struck out eight in a five-inning nohitter, leading the Rebels (3-3) to an 8-0 win over Montana (4-2) in the Marucci Desert Classic’s first game.

Women’s tennis: At Fertitta Tennis Complex, Izumi Asano and En-pei Huang won at Nos. 1 and 2 singles and teamed for a victory at No. 1 doubles to lead the Rebels (1-5) to a 6-1 triumph over New Mexico State (1-3).

Track and field: At Albuquerque, N.M., Cassidy Osborne-butler placed eighth in the weight throw and Jartierra Grissom ninth in the high jump to pace the Rebels on the first day of the twoday Don Kirby Elite Invitational.