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UCF is set to hire Scott Frost as its head football coach, sources confirmed to ESPN’s Chris Low on Saturday, a move that reunites the Knights with one of their most successful coaches in program history.

Frost led UCF from 2016 to 2017 and led a remarkable turnaround in his second year, guiding the Knights to a perfect 13-0 season and a No. 6 finish in the Associated Press poll. Frost earned national coach of the year honors for that achievement and went 19-7 in his two seasons before leaving to take over Nebraska, his alma mater, in 2018.

Frost, 49, joined the Los Angeles Rams‘ coaching staff in September and has not coached at the college level since he was fired by Nebraska during the 2022 season.

The UCF job opened on Nov. 30 when Gus Malzahn resigned to become the offensive coordinator at Florida State under coach Mike Norvell, who had previously worked for Malzahn as a graduate assistant at Tulsa in 2007 and ’08.

Malzahn went 28-24 in four seasons in Orlando while guiding the program through its transition to Power 4 football from the AAC to the Big 12 in 2023.

The Knights have finished 6-7 and 4-8 in their first two seasons in their new conference and are seeking a spark from a head coach who turned the program into an offensive powerhouse in his two seasons in charge.

Frost’s 2017 UCF team featured the No. 1 scoring offense in FBS at 48.2 points per game and rolled to an undefeated season and an AAC title, a rapid turnaround following a 6-7 debut season. The Knights were left out of the four-team College Football Playoff but claimed a national championship after they defeated a Malzahn-led Auburn team 34-27 in the Peach Bowl to complete its 13-0 season.

Frost left at the end of the season to rebuild Nebraska. The quarterback was a two-year starter for the Huskers and led the program to a national championship in 1997, but he struggled to achieve a turnaround during his five-year tenure as head coach. The Huskers went 16-31 under his leadership and did not achieve a winning season or play in a bowl game.

Frost was dismissed three games into his final season and was paid a buyout of approximately $15 million. He was out of coaching in 2023.

Prior to his first head-coaching stint at UCF, Frost worked as an assistant at Oregon from 2009 to 2015 and served as their offensive coordinator in 2014 when the Ducks made a run to the CFP national title game and quarterback Marcus Mariota won the Heisman Trophy.

The Orlando Sentinel first reported that UCF was closing in on hiring Frost.

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Astros’ Paredes to forgo season-ending surgery

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Astros' Paredes to forgo season-ending surgery

Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes has opted to forgo season-ending surgery on his strained right hamstring and instead will rehab the injury in an effort to return this season, general manager Dana Brown told reporters Monday.

The 26-year-old Paredes, who is hitting .259 with 19 home runs and 50 RBIs this season, was placed on the injured list on July 20 after he was hurt while running to first base. Brown said the injury was “severe.”

Paredes has received a platelet-rich plasma injection and has had multiple rounds of imaging. His rehab stint, which will mostly take place in Houston around the team, will begin after a “long period” of letting the hamstring rest before beginning any sort of exercise, Brown said.

If Paredes undergoes surgery, he likely wouldn’t be able to return for at least six months.

“His whole opinion on this is, he wants to work hard to try to get back this season,” Brown said Monday. “Of course, he’s going to dedicate himself to getting back.”

The Astros were proactive at the trade deadline, acquiring infielder Carlos Correa from the Minnesota Twins. Correa, a Rookie of the Year and two-time All-Star in his prior stint with the Astros, has agreed to move from shortstop to third base while Paredes is out of the lineup.

The Astros (62-50) currently lead the AL West with around 50 games remaining in the regular season.

“He’s doing well and he’s working hard,” Astros manager Joe Espada said of Paredes. “He’s in good spirits, and I know he would rather be on the field. We hope for the best.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Braves’ Riley on IL; Holmes passes on TJ surgery

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Braves' Riley on IL; Holmes passes on TJ surgery

Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley on Monday was placed on the 10-day injured list for the second time in two months with a strained lower abdominal muscle.

Right-hander Grant Holmes, meanwhile, has opted to rehab his injured right elbow rather than undergoing Tommy John surgery, manager Brian Snitker told reporters.

Riley suffered the injury while tagging out Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz near home plate in the Braves’ 4-2 win on Sunday in the rain-delayed MLB Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Riley also landed on the IL on July 12 with a strained abdomen. He returned on July 25.

The Braves recalled infielders Nacho Alvarez Jr. and Jonathan Ornelas from Triple-A Gwinnett before opening a home series against Milwaukee on Monday night. The team optioned outfielder Jarred Kelenic to Gwinnett following Sunday’s game.

Riley is hitting .260 with 16 homers and 54 RBIs.

Snitker said Holmes, who has damage to his UCL, made the decision to not have surgery at the present time after consulting with two doctors. The pitcher could also reconsider and have surgery after the season.

Snitker did not give a timeline as to when Snitker, who was placed on the 60-day injured list on July 27, will begin throwing again. He is not eligible to be activated until Sept. 26.

Holmes is 4-9 with a 3.99 ERA and 123 strikeouts this season. He had 15 strikeouts in a game against the Colorado Rockies in June.

The Braves’ other Opening Day starters also are all on the injured list, with AJ Smith-Shawver out for the season after having Tommy John surgery.

Snitker said All-Star left-hander Chris Sale threw a bullpen session as he works his way back from a fractured rib. He is next scheduled to throw live batting practice.

Reynaldo Lopez, who was placed on the IL on March 29 with shoulder inflammation after one start, is playing catch, but Snitker said there is no timetable for his return.

Spencer Schwellenbach, who is recovering from a fractured elbow, has not resumed throwing.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Yankees sign veteran Maeda to minor league deal

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Yankees sign veteran Maeda to minor league deal

NEW YORK — The New York Yankees signed right-hander Kenta Maeda to a minor league deal.

New York announced the move Monday. The 37-year-old Maeda had been pitching for Triple-A Iowa, the top minor league affiliate for the Chicago Cubs, but he was released Saturday.

The Yankees assigned Maeda to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Maeda had a 7.88 ERA in seven relief appearances for Detroit before he was designated for assignment on May 1. He went 3-7 with a 6.09 ERA in 17 starts and 12 relief appearances in his first year with the Tigers after agreeing to a $24 million, two-year contract in November 2023.

Maeda pitched well in his last two starts with Iowa, giving up one run and five hits in 12 innings. He went 3-4 with a 4.85 ERA in 12 starts with the Triple-A team.

Maeda made his major league debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016, going 16-11 with a 3.48 ERA in 32 starts. He went 6-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 11 starts for Minnesota during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, finishing second in AL Cy Young Award balloting.

Maeda, who sat out the 2022 season because of Tommy John surgery, is 68-56 with a 4.20 ERA in 226 major league games, including 172 starts.

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