Sports

Jordan Montgomery has reunited with the Texas Rangers in Surprise, Ariz., about 10 months after his second Tommy John surgery, and said he is happy to be back. The team says it hopes to have him back in the rotation shortly after the Aug. 3 trade deadline, though timelines remain fluid.

The Marlins have chosen Sandy Alcántara to make a franchise-record sixth Opening Day start on March 27; the team said he looks physically strong and is planning to pitch for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic.

Trevor Story has chosen to remain with the Boston Red Sox and says he will take on a larger leadership role while building on a healthy 2025 season.

Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia spoke at spring training about the death of his daughter, Sterling Sol Vesia, who died shortly after birth on Oct. 26, and described wide support from teammates, opponents and fans as he begins grief counseling and returns to pitching.

Reds president Nick Krall told the Cincinnati Enquirer he has not discussed bringing back Nick Castellanos after the outfielder was released by the Phillies, and Krall said he was unsure if Castellanos would fit the current roster, which recently added Eugenio Suárez.

Oneil Cruz reported to Pirate City in Bradenton for early Spring Training and has been intentionally facing left-handed pitchers after a difficult 2025 season.

Indiana defensive coordinator Bryant Haines won the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach at a ceremony in Hot Springs, Arkansas. His unit ranked among the FBS leaders in several defensive categories and helped Indiana capture its first national championship.

Justin Verlander has signed a one-year contract to rejoin the Detroit Tigers, and he and Tarik Skubal are now teammates at spring training and speaking publicly about their roles.

Paul Goldschmidt will take a supporting, mentoring role while Ben Rice is expected to receive the majority of playing time at first base for the Yankees this season; Goldschmidt is projected to be used mainly against left-handed pitchers and as a late-inning defensive substitute.

Nikola Topić entered Thursday's game for the Oklahoma City Thunder and scored his first NBA points after undergoing treatment for testicular cancer; he finished with two points in a 110-93 loss.

De'Aaron Fox was named an All-Star as a replacement for Norman Powell, marking the second All-Star selection of his career; he will join USA Stripes for the new round-robin All-Star format.

Brayan Bello has shifted into the fourth spot in the Red Sox rotation and is working to refine his changeup while reviving a curveball as he reports early to spring camp and prepares to pitch for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic.

Freshman Layla Hays wore assistant coach Randi Henderson's name during Iowa's annual Pink Out breast cancer awareness game, and Iowa beat Washington 65-56 to snap a three-game losing streak.

Left-hander Framber Valdez signed a reported $115 million deal with the Detroit Tigers and was introduced at a Lakeland, Fla., press conference; his journey from the Dominican Republic and a long Houston tenure were central to the presentation.

Mohamed Diawara began playing after watching his sister as a child and has worked into the New York rotation, including a 14-point game in a win at Philadelphia.

The Minnesota Twins signed reliever Liam Hendriks to a minor-league contract with an invitation to big-league camp, according to team sources. The 37-year-old spent much of 2025 sidelined by injuries and underwent elbow surgery after returning from Tommy John.

The Red Sox acquired infielder Caleb Durbin, a 5-foot-7 player the club sees as a defensive presence who could play second or third as Boston evaluates its infield during spring camp.

Kyle Larson and Hendrick Motorsports agreed to a contract extension that keeps Larson with the team through the 2031 season, and Hendrick also announced multi-year extensions for crew chief Cliff Daniels and sponsor HendrickCars.com.

Most veterans reported to spring training in Clearwater while the Phillies plan to give extended looks to young players such as Aidan Miller, Justin Crawford and Andrew Painter; several roster matters, including Nick Castellanos’ status, remain unresolved.

Team USA opens Olympic play Thursday at the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena and will play four preliminary-round games (against Latvia, Denmark and Germany) before any potential advancement to elimination rounds.

Brian Callahan, previously the Cincinnati Bengals' offensive coordinator and most recently the Tennessee Titans' head coach, has been hired by the New York Giants as quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator, NFL Network reported.

On his first day in the San Francisco Giants dugout at Scottsdale Stadium, Tony Vitello met with players and reporters and received public support from Matt Chapman and the club's president Buster Posey while questions remain about the team's bullpen.

Spring practice will begin around Saint Patrick's Day and end with the Blue-Gold Game on April 25, and Notre Dame's men's and women's basketball teams and the hockey program are struggling this season.

Danny Casper is the new U.S. men's Olympic curling skip, and he has continued to compete while managing lingering symptoms from Guillain-Barré syndrome diagnosed in early 2024.

Maxim Naumov, who lost his parents in a midair collision over the Potomac River last year, qualified for the Olympic free skate and spoke about acting out of love rather than fear.

Klint Kubiak, introduced as the Las Vegas Raiders' new head coach, spoke plainly about earning the trust of players and fans and emphasized a blue-collar approach focused on effort and actions.

Andrew McCutchen changed his Twitter profile image after the Pirates signed Marcell Ozuna to a one-year deal; the team has not yet decided whether to re-sign McCutchen.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker received a warm tribute in his return to Minnesota as the Timberwolves beat Atlanta 138-116, and newly acquired Ayo Dosunmu scored 21 points in his second game while beginning to learn the Wolves' system.

Nikola Topic made his NBA G League debut for the Oklahoma City Blue after recovering from a major knee injury and chemotherapy for testicular cancer, recording seven points and seven assists in 16 minutes during a 137-135 overtime win.

Louisville defeated NC State 118-77 to extend its win streak to four games, paced by Mikel Brown Jr.'s 45 points and Ryan Conwell's 31. The Cardinals shot 60 percent as a team and limited NC State to four made three-pointers.