Connect with us

Published

on

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge has been named the captain of Team USA for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, Team USA manager Mark DeRosa said Monday.

Judge will be making his WBC debut. He did not play in the WBC in 2023 when Team USA, also managed by DeRosa, lost to Japan in the title game. Angels star Mike Trout served as captain of that team.

“Just getting a chance to represent this country, what this country means to me,” Judge told MLB Network. “Honestly, every game, during the national anthem [and] ‘God Bless America,’ getting a chance to sit out there, for me it’s a time to reflect about all the brave men and women that have fought for this country and given me the opportunity to step on a baseball field and play a game that I love.

“Now, getting a chance to have ‘USA’ across my chest and represent all the great people in our country and represent what this country means, it’s a great opportunity. I never had this opportunity before, even growing up as a kid, so I’m definitely looking forward to it.”

Judge, who turns 33 on April 26, is the first player to be named to the team.

“I got an opportunity before I get too old and Mark doesn’t want me anymore,” Judge said at Yankee Stadium later Monday.

The reigning American League MVP — his second — is off to another hot start in 2025, hitting .357 with six home runs and 20 RBIs through his first 15 games. The six-time All-Star and three-time AL home run leader has 321 home runs and 736 RBIs with a career batting average of .289 since entering the majors in 2016.

Judge, who said he declined to play in the 2023 tournament after having just gone through free agency and being named Yankees captain, said he did not give the Yankees advance notice of his selection this time around.

“I felt like first my responsibility [in 2023] was to the Yankees,” Judge said. “I wanted to be a big part of getting the Yankees back where they need to be, so I felt I couldn’t miss that first spring training.”

Said Yankees manager Aaron Boone: “I think it’s the perfect face to be captain of Team USA.”

DeRosa said he told Trout about his decision to go with Judge as captain on Sunday.

“I reached out to Trout yesterday, told him where we were going,” DeRosa said. “He said, `He’s the one.'”

Teams have been more reticent to allow starting pitchers to participate in the preseason tournament.

“From a position-player standpoint I could probably fill out five lineups with guys that want to do it,” DeRosa said. “It’ll be the pitching that we have to lock down.”

Former Yankees star Andy Pettitte will be serving as pitching coach on DeRosa ‘s staff.

The World Baseball Classic will run from March 5 to March 17, 2026. Games will take place in Houston, Miami, Tokyo and San Juan, Puerto Rico, with the semifinals and championship game in Miami.

The U.S. will be with Britain, Brazil, Italy and Mexico in Group B of the first round at Houston’s Minute Maid Park from March 6-11.

“Something happens when you put U-S-A across your chest and you walk into the dugout and you see all those games,” DeRosa said. “You’re playing for way more than yourself. You’re playing for your great-grandfather. You’re planning for your grandparents, your parents, what they represent, your morals, your values, everything.”

Team USA last won the World Baseball Classic in 2017.

The Associated Press and Field Level Media contributed to this report.

Continue Reading

Sports

College football spring transfer portal: Live news, rumors and analysis

Published

on

By

College football spring transfer portal: Live news, rumors and analysis

College football‘s spring transfer portal period opens Wednesday and runs through Friday, April 25.

More than 2,200 players have elected to transfer this offseason. This period is the last chance for underclassmen to switch teams before the start of the 2025 season and for schools to bolster their roster.

The biggest news of the spring period happened this past weekend when Tennessee parted ways with quarterback Nico Iamaleava. The former four-star recruit, who threw 19 touchdown passes in 2024, was seeking an increase in his NIL package. He is now looking for a new home.

With players officially able to enter their names in the portal, we’re tracking all the latest news and developments.

Transfer portal coverage:
Best available player rankings
What to expect

Continue Reading

Sports

Kent State fired Burns for violations of contract

Published

on

By

Kent State fired Burns for violations of contract

Kenni Burns was fired as Kent State‘s football head coach for multiple violations of his contract, including how he used a personal credit card.

Kent State did not provide details on why Burns was fired last Friday, but a copy of Burns’ dismissal letter was obtained by The Associated Press through a public records request.

University president Todd A. Diacon outlined five reasons for cause for Burns’ firing, with the first being “significant, repetitive, and intentional violation (or a pattern of conduct which may constitute or lead to a major violation), as determined by Kent State University after appropriate investigation, of the University’s policies and procedures regarding your P-card (personal card) expenditures.”

Burns was sued last September by Hometown Bank in Kent, Ohio, for $23,852.09 plus interest in unpaid credit card purchases, which exceeded the credit limit of $20,000. Burns did not make minimum monthly payments on the card and was 60 days past due in August, according to a Portage County Court of Common Pleas document.

The case was dismissed a couple months later when Burns made payment.

Burns was put on administrative leave with pay on March 27, a couple of days before the Golden Flashes began spring practices. Athletic director Randale Richmond said in the letter to Burns that he was being investigated for committing deliberate or serious violations of policies outlined by the university.

“My family and I are saddened by the news today,” Burns posted on social media after he was fired. “We are thankful for the relationships and connections we have made with the players, coaches, and staff over the past few years. The team bond we have is not transactional but that of a family. Kent G.R.I.T. will bind us forever, and for that I am thankful. I am proud of you all, and we will be rooting for you this season and beyond.”

Calls and emails by The Associated Press to Lee Hutton III, Burns’ attorney, have not been returned.

Burns was 1-23 in two seasons at Kent State. The team went 0-12 last season, the fifth winless season in school history. Before arriving at Kent State, Burns was the running backs coach at Minnesota.

Offensive coordinator Mark Carney will serve as the interim coach for the upcoming season with a national search taking place at the end of the year.

Kent State opens its season on Aug. 30 against Merrimack, a Football Championship Subdivision foe.

The Golden Flashes schedule gets more difficult after that, including road games against Texas Tech (Sept. 6), Florida State (Sept. 20) and Oklahoma (Oct. 4).

Continue Reading

Sports

Badgers lose starting LT Heywood to ACL tear

Published

on

By

Badgers lose starting LT Heywood to ACL tear

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin offensive tackle Kevin Heywood is expected to miss all of the upcoming season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in spring practice.

Heywood, the Badgers’ projected starter at left tackle, hurt his knee in practice Thursday. Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell revealed the severity of the injury on Tuesday.

“That was one that’s going to be really difficult and tough, but it’s also part of the game,” Fickell said. “We’ve been fortunate up front in the last two seasons to have those guys prepared and be able to last through the season. Now we’re going to have to figure out how we’re going to manage some of that and move some other guys around and expect some other guys to step up, whether it’s Leyton Nelson, an Emerson Mandell, guys like that have got to step in.”

Wisconsin had benefited from remarkable stability on its offensive line during the first two years of Fickell’s tenure.

The Badgers had the same starting offensive line for each of its 12 games last year, with Jack Nelson at left tackle, Joe Brunner at left guard, Jake Renfro at center, Joe Huber at right guard and Riley Mahlman at right tackle. Brunner, Renfro and Mahlman are back this year.

Wisconsin also had the same starting offensive line for all 12 of its regular-season games in 2023, with Nelson at left tackle, Huber at left guard, Tanor Bortolini at center, Michael Furtney at right guard and Mahlman at right tackle. The only change that season came in the ReliaQuest Bowl loss to LSU, with Renfro getting to start after missing the entire regular season with an injury to his lower left leg.

Heywood was expected to take over this season for Nelson, who had started at left tackle each of the last three years. Heywood had participated in all 12 games for Wisconsin last year while playing special teams and making occasional appearances on offense.

His injury represents a setback for a Wisconsin team seeking to bounce back after its streak of 22 consecutive winning seasons and bowl appearances ended last year. The Badgers finished 5-7 last season and lost their final five games.

Continue Reading

Trending