IN THE NEWS

BASEBALL

Diamond notes

Max Scherzer had surgery for a herniated disk in his lower back and will miss the start of next season for the World Series champion Texas Rangers. General manager Chris Young says Scherzer had surgery on Thursday after injections and other conservative treatments didn’t relieve the pain. The three-time Cy Young Award winner was removed from Game 3 of the World Series because of his back. Young says the team is hopeful Scherzer will be fully healed and recovered by June or July. Scherzer says the pain got worse after returning to his offseason home in Florida.

People familiar with the negotiations tell The Associated Press that the Kansas City Royals have made a pair of free-agent moves, agreeing to a $32million, two-year contract with pitcher Michael Wacha and a $13-million, two-year deal with outfielder Hunter Renfroe. Wacha’s deal calls for a $16 million salary next year and contains a $16 million player option for 2025. Renfroe will get a $5.5 million salary next season, and the agreement includes a $7.5 million player option for 2025 with a $1 million buyout.

Billy McKinney was traded from the Yankees to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday for $500,000 in 2023 international signing bonus pool allocation, six days after the outfielder agreed to a minor-league contract with New York. New York had an excess of outfielders after acquiring Juan Soto from San Diego and Alex Verdugo from Boston last week. McKinney, 29, hit .227 with six homers and 14 RBI in 48 games last season with the Yankees and batted .274 with nine homers and 25 RBIs in 40 games with Triple-A Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre. A left-handed hitter, McKinney has a .209 average with 34 homers and 86 RBI in parts of six major-league seasons with six teams.

BASKETBALL

Injury bug hits Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers will be without two of their top players for an extended period as Darius Garland has suffered a broken jaw and Evan Mobley will undergo knee surgery. The team says Garland will miss at least one month, and Mobley will have an arthroscopic procedure and could be sidelined two months. Garland broke his jaw when he collided with Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis in Cleveland’s loss to

Chargers fire coach, general manager

Coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco were fired by the Los Angeles Chargers on Friday morning after one of the worst losses in franchise history. The Chargers made the playoffs last season but are one of this year’s biggest disappointments at 5-9, with losses in five of their last six games. They dropped into last place in the AFC West after Thursday night’s 63-21 loss at Las Vegas. It was the most points allowed in franchise history and the 42-point margin was the third-worst. Staley had an overall record of 2425. He is the third NFL coach to be fired this season. Telesco had been the general manager since 2013.

No Pacheco for Pats game

Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco has been ruled out of the game in New England after having “a cleanup” surgery on his ailing shoulder, coach Andy Reid said on Friday, adding that he expects one of the NFL’s leading rushers to be back next week. The Chiefs play the Patriots on Sunday in a game that was flexed out of its original Monday night timeslot. Pacheco was coming off one of his best games of the season in Green Bay, when he ran 18 times for 110 yards and a score, when the shoulder issue surfaced on the Chiefs’ injury report. He did not practice last week and missed the 20-17 loss to Buffalo, and while he participated in walkthroughs this week, Pacheco was not ready for any sort of contact.

Rodgers ‘looks normal’ in practice

Aaron Rodgers took more steps in his comeback from a torn left Achilles tendon. Coach Robert Saleh said on Friday the 40-year-old quarterback “pushed it a little bit” at practice on Thursday when Rodgers was listed as a limited participant after sitting out Wednesday. Saleh said Rodgers took some snaps under center, ran some bootleg plays, jogged and has participated in 7-on-7 drills. His next step is to participate in 11-on-11 team drills, although it’s uncertain when that might happen. The Jets opened the 21-day practice window for Rodgers on Nov. 29 and it expires on Wednesday. The Jets must activate him from injured reserve or Rodgers will be placed on IR for the rest of the season.

— Journal wire reports