Phillies’ Dombrowski: Harper likely to report in 2 weeks

Bryce Harper’s arrival at spring training camp remains a couple of weeks away as the Philadelphia Phillies slugger recovers from elbow surgery.

Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Thursday that Harper is taking swings with a bat at home in Las Vegas and will report March 8 or 9.

Harper had surgery on his right elbow in November after leading the Phillies to the NL pennant. The Phillies said then that Harper was expected to return in a designated hitter role by the All-Star break and could play right field by season’s end.

“He’s doing great from the recovery perspective,” Dombrowski said. “In his progress, doctors are happy where he is.”

Phillies manager Rob Thomson said the next step in the rehab progress will be Harper hitting off a tee and taking soft toss in a batting cage.

The 30-year-old Harper sustained small tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in April. He last played right field at Miami on April 16.

Harper had a plateletrich plasma injection in May and shifted to DH. He went on to help the Phillies reach their first World Series since 2009, and they lost to Houston in six games.

He hit .349 with six homers and 13 RBIs in 17 postseason games.

Harper missed two months last season after breaking a thumb when he was hit by a pitch in late June. The two-time NL MVP hit .286 with 18 homers and 65 RBIs in 99 games.

NFL AP SOURCE: BRONCOS HIRE

EX-HEAD COACH VANCE JOSEPH AS NEW DC >> A person with knowledge of the hiring tells The Associated Press that Sean Payton is bringing back ex-Broncos head coach Vance Joseph to Denver to serve as his defensive coordinator.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the hiring hadn’t been announced by the team.

Two other former NFL head coaches — Rex Ryan and Matt Patricia — also interviewed for the job in recent days.

Joseph coached the Broncos from 2017-18, compiling an 11-21 record before being replaced by Vic Fangio. He spent the past four seasons as the Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator.

Joseph also interviewed for Philadelphia’s defensive coordinator vacancy this week after Jonathan Gannon left to serve as the Cardinals head coach following the Super Bowl.

JAGS HIRE HOLZ AS PASSING GAME COORDINATOR TO REPLACE

COOTER >> The Jacksonville Jaguars hired Nick

Holz as passing game coordinator Thursday, landing a quick replacement for Jim Bob Cooter.

Cooter left the Jaguars last week to become offensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts and new coach Shane Steichen.

Holz joins Jacksonville after spending last season as UNLV’s offensive coordinator. Holz spent the previous decade (2012-21) in a variety of roles with the Las Vegas Raiders, working his way up from quality control coach to assistant receivers coach.

BROWNS HIRE BUBBA VENTRONE

AS NEW SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR >> Ray Ventrone made a name for himself as a special teams star for the Browns.

“Bubba,” as he’s known, is coming back to Cleveland as a coach.

Ventrone has been hired as an assistant head coach and special teams coordinator for the Browns. He’ll replace Mike Priefer, who was fired earlier this week after four seasons filled with inconsistency by his units.

College basketball

ALABAMA’S MILLER STARS

AMID ALLEGED ROLE IN FATAL SHOOTING >> Alabama standout freshman Brandon Miller was in the starting lineup and had a career-high scoring game in a win over South Carolina on Wednesday night — one day after police said he delivered a gun ahead of a fatal shooting that took place near campus in mid-January, and hours after the university said he’d remain an “active member” of the No. 2-ranked Crimson Tide and is not considered a suspect.

Baseball

TWINS FINALIZE 1-YEAR DEAL

WITH VET INFIELDER DONOVAN SOLANO >> Infielder Donovan Solano finalized a $2 million, one-year contract on Thursday with the Minnesota Twins, who added another productive and versatile player to an already deep bench.

The deal was agreed to on Tuesday and finalized after completion of a physical. He can earn an additional $250,000 in performance bonuses for plate appearances.

RANGERS NEW ACE DEGROM

FINALLY THROWS FIRST BULLPEN OF SPRING >> Jacob deGrom threw his first bullpen session in spring training camp for the Texas Rangers on Thursday.

The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner threw 20-25 pitches off the mound. That came eight days after the team’s first official workout, when the newly acquired right-hander was held out because of tightness in his left side.

Tennis GAUFF WIN SETS UP SWIATEK

MATCH IN DUBAI >> Coco Gauff set up a semifinals match against top-ranked Iga Swiatek at the Dubai

Championships by beating Madison Keys 6-2, 7-5 on Thursday.

Swiatek, who reached the last four in a walkover after Karolina Pliskova withdrew because of an illness, is 5-0 against Gauff and beat the 18-year-old American in last year’s French Open final. Gauff is yet to win a set against the three-time Grand Slam champion. SERENA WILLIAMS TO RECEIVE

HONOR AT NAACP IMAGE AWARDS >> Serena Williams will be honored for her tennis achievements, business success and efforts to uplift the community at the NAACP Image Awards this weekend.

The NAACP announced Thursday that Williams will receive the Jackie Robinson Sports award during the ceremony, which will air live Saturday on BET. The award recognizes individuals in sports for high achievement in athletics along with their pursuit of social justice, civil rights and community involvement.

College football HARBAUGH: MICHIGAN GOOD

PLACE TO BE DESPITE CHALLENGES >> Jim Harbaugh has had an eventful offseason, from interviewing with the Denver Broncos to talking with the NCAA about possible violations in Michigan’s football program and firing an assistant coach who is under investigation by police.

“Compare us to perfect, and we’re going to come up short in the major areas,” Harbaugh said Thursday, his first remarks since the season ended. “Compare us to any other program, I think you’re going to see that it doesn’t get any better.”

NHL PREDS CENTER JOHANSEN

OUT ESTIMATED 12 WEEKS AFTER SURGERY >> Nashville Predators center Ryan Johansen will miss the rest of the regular season after having surgery on his lower right leg.

The Predators announced Thursday that Johansen will miss an “estimated 12 weeks” after surgery Wednesday afternoon.

College sports STUDY: WOMEN STILL UNDERREPRESENTED

IN FBS

LEADERSHIP RANKS >> Women remain significantly underrepresented in leadership positions at the Football Subdivision level of college athletics, a new study shows.

Thursday’s report card from The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) issued another F for gender hiring, a C for racial hiring and an overall grade of D+ for 2022. Those grades largely look as they have in past editions of the study, which have shown leadership positions like president or chancellor, athletic director and conference commissioner are dominated by white men.