Judge expects to be ready for Opening Day

Yankees star Aaron Judge expects to be ready for Opening Day March 28 after an MRI of his abdomen. Judge started feeling discomfort during his swing’s follow-through about a week ago and the 31-year-old has not taken on-field batting practice the past few days. He last played Sunday, striking out in both at-bats, and said he expects to resume swinging a bat this week. Judge is “pretty sure” he will ready for the opener at Houston. He continues defensive drills and running.

NBA

Curry might practice Friday

Stephen Curry was cleared to resume on-court activity as he recovers from his latest right ankle sprain, and if all goes well he could rejoin the Warriors for practice Friday in Los Angeles. The team provided an update on Curry’s health after he was reevaluated Tuesday and determined to be making “good progress.” He is scheduled to be examined after the Friday workout. He will train in the Bay Area until then, missing Wednesday’s game at Dallas. The Warriors play at the Lakers Saturday.

TENNIS

Alcaraz avenges previous loss

Second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz avenged a previous loss to Fabian Marozsan, winning, 6-3, 6-3, to reach the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open as the top remaining seed in the men’s draw. A day after “lucky loser” Luca Nardi stunned No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the third round at Indian Wells, Calif., Alcaraz advanced easily over the Hungarian, who ousted him from the Italian Open in May.

GOLF

Monahan: confident on future

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan was short on details but overflowing with confidence about the future of the PGA Tour, repairing the fractured landscape of golf and his ability to lead the way. “I am the right person to lead us forward. I know that,” Monahan said at The Players Championship. Where it leads remains a mystery. Monahan said at the onset of his news conference — his first in nearly seven months — that while negotiations with the Saudi backers of LIV Golf are “accelerating,” they had to remain private.

NHL

Flames renounce draft pick

The Flames renounced their rights to draft pick Topi Ronni because the 19-year-old was sentenced in his native Finland for a rape that occurred when he was a minor. Ronni was given a one-year suspended prison sentence by the District Court of Helsinki, his Finnish Elite League team announced.