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Boston College is working toward a deal to hire Bill O’Brien as the school’s next head coach, sources told ESPN, giving the coach born in Massachusetts a homecoming and the Eagles a hire with extensive NFL experience and strong local ties.

O’Brien, who took the Ohio State offensive coordinator job last month, interviewed in person Thursday, the final step in Boston College’s process. He was one of three candidates to travel to Massachusetts for interviews Thursday, and a deal and a formal announcement are expected soon.

O’Brien, 54, is the former head coach of Penn State and the Houston Texans, and he is best known around Boston for his stints with the New England Patriots. He coached there from 2007 to 2011 and again in 2023 as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

O’Brien brings extensive ties to the area, as he grew up locally in Andover. One of his sons, Michael, plays college baseball at nearby Tufts. His family had planned to stay in the greater Boston area while he worked in Columbus, according to sources, and this opportunity allows him to be near his family more.

O’Brien’s wife, Colleen, is a Boston College graduate. It’s one of many ties to the school and the area, as Bill O’Brien graduated high school from St. John’s Prep in Danvers and played football at nearby Brown University. O’Brien started his coaching career at Brown.

He takes over for Jeff Hafley, who left last week to become the defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers. Boston College went 7-6 in 2023 with a win over No. 24 SMU in the Fenway Bowl.

O’Brien brings a strong reputation as a quarterback tutor, having worked with Bryce Young (as Alabama‘s offensive coordinator), Tom Brady and Deshaun Watson during some of their best seasons.

He enters a job where Boston College hasn’t distinguished itself nationally in recent years. The Eagles haven’t won eight games in a season since 2009 and have been nationally ranked in only one season since 2008. O’Brien’s quarterback knowledge and NFL experience should make Boston College an attractive option in the transfer market.

O’Brien left New England after his first stint for the head-coaching job at Penn State in 2012, taking over in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky sexual assault case and bringing success on the field as well as galvanizing the program off the field. In 2012, he won Big Ten Coach of the Year and Bear Bryant National Coach of the Year. He went 15-9 in two seasons at Penn State.

O’Brien worked six full seasons and part of a seventh as head coach of the Texans, where he led them to four playoff appearances and went 52-48.

O’Brien’s most recent college experience, before Ohio State, came at Alabama. He worked as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach during Young’s Heisman Trophy season.

Alabama finished in the top 10 in scoring offense in both of O’Brien’s seasons as offensive coordinator, averaging 39.9 points and 41.1 points per game.

O’Brien’s departure opens up one of the most intriguing offensive coordinator jobs in the sport, as Ohio State coach Ryan Day said in a news conference this week that he is giving up playcalling in 2024.

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Red Sox 1B Casas out for year after knee surgery

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Red Sox 1B Casas out for year after knee surgery

BOSTON — Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas suffered a ruptured tendon in his left knee and is out for the remainder of the season, the team said.

The 25-year-old Casas ruptured his patellar tendon running to first on a slow roller up the line and fell awkwardly in Boston’s victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night. After laying on his back in pain — not moving the knee — he was carted off on a stretcher before being taken to a Boston hospital.

The team announced Sunday that he had surgery for a left patellar tendon repair at Massachusetts General Hospital. The surgery was performed by Dr. Eric Berkson.

“I talked to him last night,” chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said in a news conference on Saturday discussing the injury outside Boston’s clubhouse. “We exchanged text messages [Saturday]. We all care deeply about just his overall wellbeing.”

Manager Alex Cora said Casas worked hard during the offseason to play every day after missing a large amount of last year with torn cartilage in his rib cage.

“He did an outstanding job in the offseason to put himself in that situation. It didn’t start the way he wanted it to,” Cora said of Casas’ struggles. “He was going to play and play a lot. Now we’ve got to focus on the rehab after the surgery and hopefully get him back stronger than ever and ready to go next year.”

Casas batted just .182 with three homers and 11 RBIs, but Breslow said his loss will be felt, especially with the team’s lack of depth at the position.

“He certainly struggled through the first month of the season but that didn’t change what we believe his production was capable of being,” Breslow said. “It’s a big loss. In addition to what we think we were going to get on the offensive side, he was kind of like a stabilizing presence on the defensive side of the field — also a big personality and a big part of the clubhouse.”

During spring training, Casas talked about how his focus at the plate this season was being more relaxed.

“You really want it until you don’t,” he said, explaining his thoughts while standing at his locker. “Then you can’t want it that much.”

Now, he’ll have to focus on his recovery plan for next season.

Casas, a left-handed batter, was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday with infielder/outfielder Abraham Toro selected from Triple-A Worcester.

Cora said Toro — a switch-hitter — will split time at first along with Romy Gonzalez. who bats right-handed.

Breslow said the team might be exploring a long-term replacement.

“This is unfortunately an opportunity to explore what’s available,” he said. “We’ll look both internally and outside as well.”

Cora said there are no plans to move Rafael Devers, who was replaced at third by offseason free-agent acquisition Alex Bregman and moved to DH.

“We asked him to do something in spring training that in the beginning he didn’t agree with it and now he’s very comfortable doing what he’s doing,” Cora said. “Like I told you guys in spring training, he’s my DH.”

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3B Ramirez (ankle) returns to Guardians’ lineup

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3B Ramirez (ankle) returns to Guardians' lineup

TORONTO — Cleveland Guardians star Jose Ramirez was back in the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, two days after the third baseman left in the third inning because of a mild right ankle sprain.

The six-time All-Star was injured when he stumbled and fell while crossing first base on an infield single. Ramirez went down after being struck in the back by a throw from Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt.

Ramirez was batting third Sunday against right-hander Bowden Francis.

Ramírez sat out Saturday when Cleveland beat Toronto 5-3. He went 2 for 2 before departing Friday, boosting his average to .274. He has five home runs and 15 RBIs in 31 games.

In last Thursday’s 4-3 victory over Minnesota, Ramirez became the first primary third baseman to reach 250 homers and 250 stolen bases.

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Yankees’ Volpe day-to-day after tests on shoulder

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Yankees' Volpe day-to-day after tests on shoulder

NEW YORK — Shortstop Anthony Volpe was not in the New York Yankees‘ starting lineup Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays, a day after he injured his left shoulder on a dive while trying to get to a grounder.

“X-rays, MRI — good news,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s sore today, but I feel like we’re probably in a good spot. We’ll see. Kind of day to day right now.”

Volpe remained in the game after his unsuccessful attempt for a backhand stab on Christopher Morel‘s eighth-inning single, which sparked a two-run rally in Tampa Bay’s 3-2 win Saturday.

Volpe said after the game he heard a pop in the shoulder.

“It’s a little unclear in there. He’s got some stuff that they feel like is older stuff, so hard to know exactly,” Boone said. “He’s definitely a little cranky in the shoulder today.”

Volpe, 24, is hitting .233 with five homers, 19 RBIs and four stolen bases in his third season with the Yankees.

Oswald Peraza was listed to start at shortstop, batting ninth.

New York already is missing second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (strained right oblique), third baseman DJ LeMahieu (strained left calf), ace Gerrit Cole (Tommy John surgery) and right-hander Luis Gil (right lat strain), the reigning AL Rookie of the Year.

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