taijuan Walker, Mets strike $20M, 2-year deal
NEW YORK» The Mets made a late addition to their starting rotation, agreeing to a $20 million, two-year contract with right-hander Taijuan Walker. The 28-year-old joins a rotation headed by two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom.
Mets manager Luis Rojas cautioned the deal was not yet final but already was viewing the addition as a boost.
“A guy like him, it just makes your rotation so strong when you can add him,” Rojas said from spring training in Port St. Lucie, Florida.
Indians manager Francona had surgery for toe staph infection.
CLEV EL A ND» After missing most of last season with medical issues, Indians manager Terry Francona recently underwent surgery to remove a staph infection in his left big toe, the latest medical setback for the two-time World Series winner.
The 61-year-old Francona spent 10 days in the hospital after doctors excised the infection. Francona, who only managed 14 games for Cleveland last season due to poor health, will be on antibiotics for several more weeks and is hobbling around training camp in crutches.
NCAA OKs limited fan attendance at men’s, women’s tourneys.
INDIA N A POLIS» The NCAA will allow a limited number of fans to attend all rounds of its men’s basketball tournament in Indiana and later rounds of its women’s tournament in Texas.
The governing body said Friday it is permitting 25% capacity at the men’s tournament venues to allow for social distancing. That figure will include all participants and essential staff along with the family members of team players and coaches.
On the women’s side, the NCAA will allow a capacity of up to 17% at each venue from the Sweet 16 to the Final Four. Games taking place for the first two rounds will limit attendance to team guests.
Ex-NFL player Kellen Winslow II accepts 14-year sentence for assaults.
V ISTA, CA LIF. » Former NFL tight end Kellen Winslow II agreed Friday to accept a 14-year prison sentence for raping a homeless woman and assaulting two other women.
Winslow, 37, agreed to changes to a previous guilty plea in order to avoid a potential 18-year sentence.
In 2019, Winslow was convicted of raping a 58-year-old homeless woman in Encinitas, California. Facing a retrial on other charges, he later pleaded guilty to raping an unconscious teenager in 2003 and to the 2018 sexual battery of a 54-year-old hitchhiker in Encinitas.
Former MLB All-Star Johnny Damon arrested after DUI stop.
WINDERMERE , FLA.» Former All-Star baseball player Johnny Damon was arrested Friday in central Florida on a charge of resisting an officer after he was pulled over for suspicion of driving under the influence, according to court and jail records. Authorities said the 47-year-old Damon slurred his words, seemed unsteady on his feet and had a blood-alcohol level more than three times the state’s legal limit for driving.
Isaiah Thomas returns to score 19 points; U.S. beats Bahamas.
SAN
JUA N , PUERTO RICO» Isaiah Thomas knocked down three quick 3-pointers, showing that his shot is still there. Knocking off 12 months of rust wasn’t quite as easy.
Thomas scored 19 points in his first competitive game in more than a year, helping the U.S. to a 93-77 victory over the Bahamas on Friday in a FIBA AmeriCup qualifying game.
NFL’s Kamara races into NASCAR as a team sponsor at Daytona.
DAY TON A BE ACH , FLA.» Alvin Kamara, NFL star and new NASCAR fan, has put some of his own money into the sport as a team sponsor this weekend at Daytona International Speedway.
The New Orleans Saints running back agreed to sponsor Ryan Vargas in the Xfinity Series race Saturday at Daytona.