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Baltimore Orioles right-hander Kyle Bradish will start the season on the injured list because of a sprained UCL in his pitching elbow.

Bradish’s elbow sprain was one of several injuries announced Thursday by Orioles general manager Mike Elias, who also revealed that star infielder Gunnar Henderson is dealing with an oblique injury and that left-hander John Means is a month behind Baltimore’s other starting pitchers and likely won’t be ready for Opening Day.

Elias told reporters that “everything is pointing in the right direction” for Bradish, who received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his elbow and will begin a throwing program Friday. Although he did not offer a specific timeline for Bradish’s return, Elias said he expects the hard-throwing right-hander to pitch for the Orioles in 2024.

Elias offered similar optimism when asked about Henderson, the 2023 American League Rookie of the Year. Henderson likely will miss two to three weeks but is expected to be ready for Opening Day, according to Elias, who described Henderson’s injury as “really typical” for “early spring training.”

The Orioles’ timeline was not as promising for Means, whose offseason pitching program was delayed due to the elbow injury that forced him to miss last year’s AL Division Series. Orioles manager Brandon Hyde acknowledged that, because of the delay, he is expecting Means to start the season on the IL.

Elias also announced that top catching prospect Samuel Basallo has a stress fracture in his right elbow and won’t start throwing until April. The Orioles will plan to use Basallo as a designated hitter during spring training, but he won’t return to catching until April at the earliest.

Bradish, 27, went 12-7 with a 2.83 ERA over 30 starts during his breakout 2023 season. He was slated to be a cornerstone of an Orioles starting rotation strengthened by their acquisition of 2021 Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes earlier this month from the Milwaukee Brewers.

Without Bradish and Means, who pitched in just four games last season as part of his recovery from 2022 Tommy John surgery, the defending AL East champion Orioles have two openings in their rotation behind Burnes, Grayson Rodriguez and Dean Kremer.

Tyler Wells and Cole Irvin both have starting experience, and Elias also acknowledged that the Orioles would be open to adding another pitcher to their rotation before the start of the season.

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McDavid passes Kurri for 2nd on Oilers’ points list

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McDavid passes Kurri for 2nd on Oilers' points list

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Connor McDavid continues setting records and moving up scoring lists.

McDavid had two goals and an assist in the Edmonton Oilers‘ 5-3 win against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night, passing Jari Kurri for second all time in points in Edmonton history. McDavid, a three-time Hart Trophy winner for league MVP and five-time scoring champion, now has 1,044 points in his 10-year career and trails only Wayne Gretzky on the franchise list.

Kurri had 1,043 points in his 10 years with the Oilers, playing on a line with Gretzky for much of it. Gretzky, the NHL’s all-time leading scorer, had 1,669 points in nine seasons in Edmonton.

“Quite a remarkable feat,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. “For him to go up the scoring list as quickly as he has, and within an organization that has had so many significant players. I’ve seen so many remarkable things from him. He’s a tremendous player and great teammate. I said I wouldn’t be surprised anymore just because he surprises you so often over these years, but it’s a nice feat for him and the guys are very proud of him.”

McDavid’s second goal was of the highlight variety. He shot the puck from a tough angle, lifting it over Minnesota goalie Filip Gustavsson without much room.

McDavid didn’t speak to reporters after the game. He was involved in a collision with Minnesota forward Marcus Johansson in the second period in which McDavid’s elbow hit Johansson in the face. There was no penalty called, but it drew the ire of the Wild.

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Injured Caps goalie Lindgren returns to practice

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Injured Caps goalie Lindgren returns to practice

Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren practiced with the team on Wednesday for the first time since his upper-body injury on Friday.

He will travel with the team to Ottawa but is still on injured reserve and isn’t eligible to play in Thursday’s game against the Senators. Lindgren, 31, can be activated on Saturday, when Washington hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“Not quite ready with being on the IR and that, but another positive step being on the ice today,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said.

Lindgren took a hit to the head and left the Capitals’ home game against the Montreal Canadiens on Friday. In the first minute of the second period, he was struck in the side of the head by Montreal’s Nick Suzuki, who was checked into the goalie by Brandon Duhaime. The game resumed, but Lindgren was pulled approximately two minutes later, and the Canadiens went on to win 3-2 in overtime.

Lindgren is 10-8-2 with a 2.65 goals-against average and .900 save percentage in 21 starts.

He has a career record of 63-47-14 with a .277 GAA and .907 save percentage in 131 regular-season games (123 starts) for the Montreal Canadiens (2015-20), St. Louis Blues (2021-22) and Capitals.

Washington forward Sonny Milano participated in his first full practice since sustaining an upper-body injury on Nov. 6 against the Nashville Predators. Milano, 28, wore a non-contact jersey as he continues his recovery. Milano has played in three games this season.

He has 137 career points (62 goals, 75 assists) in 313 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets (2015-20), Anaheim Ducks (2020-22) and Capitals.

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Bill to honor ‘Miracle on Ice’ team reintroduced

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Bill to honor 'Miracle on Ice' team reintroduced

WASHINGTON — A bill to award Congressional Gold Medals to the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” Olympic hockey team was reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate on Wednesday.

The ongoing effort, which included the bill being first introduced in October, needed to be submitted for consideration again in the 119th Congress.

Rep. Pete Stauber, R-Minn., reintroduced the Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act in the House along with co-sponsors Reps. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., Mike Quigley, D-Ill., and Bill Keating, D-Mass. Sens. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., and Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., reintroduced it in the Senate.

USA Hockey executive director Pat Kelleher said he encourages fans to contact their congressional representatives to express their support for the bill’s passage. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the league enthusiastically supports the legislation.

February marks the 45th anniversary of the Americans beating the heavily favored Soviet Union on the way to the gold medal on home ice in Lake Placid, New York.

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