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The University of Colorado will leave the Pac-12 for the Big 12 after the 2023-24 season, as the school formalized its future membership on Thursday. The Colorado Board of Regents voted unanimously in favor of the move during a public videoconference, completing the final step in a process that for the past 24 hours has largely been considered a formality.

“The time has come for us to change conferences,” Colorado president Todd Saliman told the board of regents on Thursday afternoon. “We see this as a way to create more opportunity for the University of Colorado, for our students and our student-athletes and create a path forward for us in the future.”

Colorado’s departure will coincide with the end of the Pac-12 television deal, which expires after the 2023-24 season and means Colorado won’t have to pay an exit fee. Colorado is expected to join the Big 12 at a pro rata basis, which is an average of $31.7 million in television revenue over the course of the league’s new deal starting in 2025.

“Let me state up front that this move was not just based on money or finances,” Colorado athletic director Rick George said. “A decision this big has a lot more to do than just money.”

George and Colorado chancellor Phil DiStefano, who spoke to reporters Thursday evening at a news conference on campus, emphasized their desire for stability, but also spoke about the draw of competing in three different time zones and the national exposure they’ll get from ESPN and Fox as major factors.

George said the university considered athletes will travel less and play in more favorable time slots and still return to campus earlier from road games.

George did not specifically answer a question about whether he had actually seen any figures from a Pac-12 media rights deal, but he said, “Fox and ESPN is who we want to be aligned with.”

Colorado’s decision is the latest blow to the Pac-12, which loses both USC and UCLA to the Big Ten in 2024 and is amid a contracted process of landing a new television deal. Colorado’s swift announcement came less than a week after Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff said he wasn’t worried about the Big 12 trying to poach any teams.

“It’s not a concern,” he said last week at Pac-12 media day in Las Vegas, addressing the topic publicly for the first time this year. “Our schools are committed to each other and the Pac-12. We’ll get our media rights deal done, we’ll announce the deal. I think the realignment that’s going on in college athletics will come to an end for this cycle.”

Colorado’s George was asked Thursday about the timing of the school’s decision, given Kliavkoff’s recent comments.

“Do I think I caught my peers off guard?” he said. “I don’t believe so, but that’s a question you have to ask them.”

The Buffaloes had emerged as the loudest skeptics of Kliavkoff’s ability to land a reasonable television deal. School officials from Colorado met in person with Big 12 officials at a neutral site in early May, per ESPN sources.

George insisted that Colorado’s decision “wasn’t about” any failures by Kliavkoff or frustrations with a lack of a media rights deal.

“George Kliavkoff is doing as good a job as he can do, and he works his ass off and works tirelessly for the members of the Pac-12,” George said. ” … but this decision wasn’t about that. It was about this, and that’s the Big 12 Conference and what’s best for CU and CU athletics and our student-athletes, and that’s what we made this decision based on.”

Colorado’s move marks a return to the Big 12, which it was a member from 1996 to 2010. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Colorado is the first Power 5 team that has left a conference and returned to the same league of its own volition. (Temple was expelled by the Big East after the 2004 season.) Colorado left for the Pac-12 in 2011 and has had no bowl wins and just two winning football seasons since the move. Colorado is coming off a 1-11 season, and new coach Deion Sanders will coach just one season in the Pac-12.

George said he spoke with all of his head coaches about the potential move, but also acknowledged that the Big 12 Conference will align with how Sanders is recruiting.

“I will tell you there’s tremendous benefits for being in the Big 12 for the direction that Coach Prime is going as it relates to recruiting,” George said. “Being able to play in Orlando against UCF, where he’s recruited very heavily. The state of Texas has always been a priority for us, and now playing four teams in that area. … I tried to include all of our coaches in this, and Coach Prime certainly and I had conversations about this, as well as I did with other coaches.”

Since the announced departure of USC and UCLA from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten last summer, the Pac-12 has struggled to land a robust enough television deal to keep its members happy. The immediate expectation is that the Pac-12 would replace Colorado with San Diego State, which has been discussed internally in the Pac-12 prior to Colorado’s departure.

It’s uncertain whether this will create a domino effect of movement from the Pac-12, as Colorado’s decision is the loudest manifestation of the impatience. At a forum in Washington D.C. recently, Arizona president Bobby Robbins indicated that the league’s presidents were going to wait to see the finances of the Pac-12 television deal.

“Right now, I think all 10 of us are solely focused on the deal,” Robbins said June 7. “Once we have that, we have degrees of freedom to make informed decisions.”

The acceptance of Colorado marks a shift for the Big 12, the first major conference school added since the league began play in 1996. The Big 12 added West Virginia (Big East) and TCU (Mountain West) in 2012. In the wake of the departure of Oklahoma and Texas, which will start play in the SEC next year, the Big 12 has added Cincinnati (AAC), UCF (AAC), BYU (independent) and Houston (AAC) for the upcoming season.

The conference welcomed back the Buffaloes later Thursday with a two-word statement that channeled Michael Jordan.

“Certainly, revenue and expenses are part of the equation,” George said. “We have looked at the cost that we will be incurring from team travel in the Big 12, as well as the initial rebranding. And when we consider the Big 12 revenue, we believe it’s a great win for the University of Colorado. The revenue was not just from the media deal — and there’s a lot of talk about that — but from other revenue streams, and we believe that’s positive.

“We believe the benefits far outweigh the costs for the move into the Big 12 conference,” he added. “Because college sports evolve, so do conferences. It’s our responsibility to put CU in a position of strength for the future. And as an AD, conference realignment is always something that we’re looking at. I feel strongly that today’s decision positions the University of Colorado for years to come.”

The attractiveness of the Big 12 to entice Colorado’s return can be directly related to the television deal brokered by new Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark, which was announced in October. This summer, Yormark opened negotiations with Fox and ESPN to discuss the Big 12’s contract a year early, as the Pac-12’s deal was set to expire after the 2023-24 season.

That helped the Big 12 jump in line and land a pair of linear television partners, leaving the Pac-12 with fewer options and television windows.

The departure of Colorado will reverberate loudly through the Pac-12, a league already shrouded by the uncertainty of the television deal. There’s been little said publicly by the Pac-12’s two dominant programs, Oregon and Washington, as the league waits to see how Kliavkoff can navigate a television deal in what’s considered a bear market. The league could stay at nine schools and not give up any more of the revenue from the upcoming television deal to other programs.

In a statement released Thursday night after a meeting of Pac-12 leadership and presidents, the league said it would “embrace expansion” after its current media rights deal.

“We are focused on concluding our media rights deal and securing our continued success and growth,” the statement said. “Immediately following the conclusion of our media rights deal, we will embrace expansion opportunities and bring new fans, markets, excitement and value to the Pac-12.”

The potential for San Diego State to join the Pac-12 revealed itself publicly recently, with ESPN reporting that the school’s president sent a letter to the Mountain West about the school’s intention to depart the league. In that letter, the school asked for a one-month extension “given unforeseen delays involving other collegiate athletic conferences beyond our control.”

That was in reference to the Pac-12’s television deal, which has come together slowly. But since SDSU didn’t have anywhere to go before the June 30 deadline, it would owe a $34 million exit fee to play in the league prior to the 2025-26 season. The school is expected to remain in the Mountain West for at least the next two years, according to ESPN.

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Dodgers do ‘smartest thing,’ put Yamamoto on IL

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Dodgers do 'smartest thing,' put Yamamoto on IL

LOS ANGELES — Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto was placed on the 15-day injured list before Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Royals with tightness in the triceps of his pitching arm.

Manager Dave Roberts said Yamamoto, 25, would undergo testing Sunday to determine the severity of the injury and a recovery timeline.

“He’s a guy that we’re still trying to learn a lot about, and appreciate the fact that the most important time of the season is yet to come,” Roberts said. “His health is paramount. So for us to be proactive and put him on the IL seems like the smartest thing.”

Yamamoto, playing his first year in the majors after departing his native Japan and signing a record $325 million, 12-year contract, is 6-2 with a 2.92 ERA.

Yamamoto left Saturday’s loss to Kansas City after two innings. He said through an interpreter after the game that his scheduled start the previous Thursday against Texas had been pushed back because of the tightness.

He also said the tightness was gone for most of Saturday, but he started feeling it again when he was warming up before the game.

Yamamoto threw two-hit ball over seven innings at the New York Yankees on June 7. He tossed 106 pitches, the fourth straight time he had thrown more than 100.

Roberts said he has been mindful of Yamamoto’s pitch count, but also noted Yamamoto was used to throwing 120 pitches or more when he pitched in Japan.

With Bobby Miller returning to the rotation for Wednesday’s game at Colorado, the Dodgers will still have a five-man starting staff. Clayton Kershaw will also make his first rehab start this week.

Los Angeles’ rotation went into Sunday’s game with the majors’ seventh-lowest ERA at 3.49.

The Dodgers also placed right-hander Michael Grove on the IL with a right intercostal strain. Right-handers J.P. Feyereisen and Michael Petersen were called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City. To make room for Petersen on the 40-man roster, right-hander Joe Kelly was transferred to the 60-day IL.

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Yankees prospect Dominguez (left side) off to IL

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Yankees prospect Dominguez (left side) off to IL

BOSTON — New York Yankees top prospect Jasson Dominguez was placed on Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s injured list Sunday with a left side injury.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Dominguez suffered the injury on an “awkward” checked swing in his third plate appearance Saturday. He finished the at-bat, striking out looking, and played another inning in center field before he was removed from the game. He went 1-for-3 with a stolen base and two strikeouts.

“He’s getting testing today,” Boone said before the Yankees faced the Boston Red Sox on Sunday. “But it’s enough to put him on the IL right away at least. I’m sure we’ll have an idea — hopefully have an idea — with what exactly we got by tonight or [Monday].”

One of the more heralded prospects in recent years, Dominguez, nicknamed “The Martian,” made his major league debut last September before his 21st birthday. He played in eight games for the Yankees, batting .258 with four home runs, before tests revealed a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He returned to the field after surgery in mid-May on rehab assignment.

The rehab assignment ended Wednesday when the Yankees, who have a surplus of outfielders, activated Dominguez from the 60-day injured list and optioned him to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Dominguez slashed .389/.405/.609 in nine games in Triple-A before the injury.

Dominguez was in the outfield for Gerrit Cole‘s dominant rehab start Friday for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The question now is whether Cole’s next outing will be his season debut in New York this week.

The Yankees are choosing between having Cole and Cody Poteet start Wednesday against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. The team has “TBA” listed for now.

“I think we’re just going to get through today and probably make it tonight or certainly [Monday],” Boone said.

Cole, 33, has made three rehab starts since returning to game action after being diagnosed with nerve irritation and edema in his right elbow in mid-March. On Friday, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner held the Rochester Red Wings to one unearned run on two hits over 4⅓ innings. He struck out 10, walked none and threw 68 pitches. In all, he has given up two runs (one earned) across 12⅓ innings in his rehab showings.

“We don’t have to make that final call right now,” Boone said. “He’s going to pitch, probably in that five- or six-day window coming off his last one. Let’s just not tie ourselves to something until really we have to.”

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Astros RHP Blanco pulled after 7 amid no-hit bid

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Astros RHP Blanco pulled after 7 amid no-hit bid

HOUSTON — Ronel Blanco had the second hitless outing of his brief major league career but was pulled after seven innings as the Houston Astros beat the Detroit Tigers 4-1 on Sunday.

Manager Joe Espada shared part of the conversation he had with Blanco when he removed the dominant right-hander from the game.

“I just told him how proud I am of what he’s doing,” Espada said. “This is a guy that came out of nowhere and he continues to perform at a high level. He has really picked his team up through injuries and he goes out there and he does things we need him to do.”

Blanco (7-2), who threw the only no-hitter in the majors this season April 1 against Toronto, was just as good this time in the 20th start and 37th appearance of his career. The 30-year-old threw 94 pitches with 65 strikes and tied a season best with eight strikeouts. He walked three.

“I was just attacking the strike zone,” he said through an interpreter.

Ryan Pressly replaced Blanco to start the eighth and gave up the Tigers’ first hit, a two-out single by Wenceel Perez.

Jose Altuve hit a three-run homer for Houston.

Blanco is the second pitcher in franchise history to have two starts with at least seven hitless innings in the same season, joining Framber Valdez, who did it last year.

The Tigers couldn’t do much of anything against Blanco a day after they had a season-high 19 hits in a 13-5 trouncing of the Astros.

Blanco didn’t allow a baserunner until he walked Gio Urshela with two outs in the fifth.

He then walked Akil Baddoo and Carson Kelly to load the bases, but retired Zach McKinstry on a flyout.

Espada said it wasn’t a difficult decision to replace Blanco because of how many pitches he has thrown this year, noting that he has had four outings with more than 100 pitches and two with 98.

“But did I want him to be more efficient earlier and give him a shot? One hundred percent,” Espada said.

Blanco said he wasn’t upset when Espada took him out.

“I threw a lot of pitches and I wasn’t going to be able to finish it,” he said. “So, I just accepted it.”

Blanco made a good defensive play for the second out of the sixth when he grabbed a comebacker hit by Matt Vierling. He then sat down Riley Greene on a popup.

Urshela reached with two outs in the seventh on a throwing error by third baseman Alex Bregman. Blanco then retired Baddoo on a fly ball that center fielder Jake Meyers caught on the warning track.

“We did battle,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “We obviously couldn’t get anything started against him. The three walks, you have a chance with two outs, but he wiggles out of it. And then he just continued to hit spots and threw a lot of different pitches.”

After the hit by Pérez, Pressly sat down Vierling before Josh Hader took over for the ninth. Mark Canha singled with one out and scored on a double by pinch hitter Andy Ibanez.

Urshela grounded out and Hader struck out pinch hitter Jake Rogers to end it.

Detroit starter Kenta Maeda (2-3) permitted five hits and four runs in five innings.

Altuve hit a leadoff single before moving to second on a wild pitch with one out. The Astros took a 1-0 lead when he scored on a single by Yordan Alvarez.

Mauricio Dubon singled with one out in the second and Chas McCormick drew a two-out walk. Altuve made it 4-0 with his shot to center field.

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