MLB
Tigers acquire Soria from last-place Rangers
NEW YORK – The first-place Detroit Tigers reinforced the back end of their shaky bullpen, acquiring closer Joakim Soria from the Texas Rangers for minor league pitchers Corey Knebel and Jake Thompson.
The trade was finished Wednesday during Texas’ rain-shortened loss to the New York Yankees.
Soria is 1-3 with a 2.70 earned-run average and 17 saves in 19 chances. Detroit has been looking to upgrade a relief corps that ranked 12th out of 15 American League teams with a 4.37 ERA.
Soria moves from the last-place Rangers to the AL Central-leading Tigers and gets reunited with the closer he replaced in Texas this season. Joe Nathan, a Rangers reliever from 2012 to 2013, has a 5.89 ERA and 20 saves in 25 tries this year for Detroit.
NBA
Sterling stays, Rivers goes; and ‘death spiral’ begins
LOS ANGELES – Head coach Doc Rivers said he will resign from the Los Angeles Clippers if Donald Sterling remains owner, the team’s interim chief executive officer testified, saying such a move would be a “disaster” for the franchise.
“If Mr. Sterling continues as owner, he does not want to continue as coach,” Richard Parsons said in court Tuesday, recounting recent conversations with Rivers.
His testimony was a rare foray into the basketball side of the Clippers at a probate court trial that has focused on the narrow question of whether Sterling’s wife, Shelly, can sell the team for $2 billion to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer as the NBA looks to force Donald Sterling from the league over racist statements.
Parsons, a former chief executive at Citigroup and Time Warner who took over leadership of the Clippers in May during the media blitz surrounding Sterling’s banishment, said under questioning by Ballmer’s lawyer that Rivers’ departure would “accelerate the death spiral” of the Clippers.
Cavaliers’ trade opens up cap space for Love
CLEVELAND – A person familiar with the trade said the Cavaliers sent guard Carrick Felix to Utah for three players with non-guaranteed contracts, a deal to give them more assets to go after Kevin Love.
The moves will allow the Cavs to clear $3.3 million in salary cap space. Cleveland has been in talks with Minnesota about a blockbuster trade for Love, hoping to team the All-Star forward with Kyrie Irving and LeBron James.
NHL
Avalanche finally re-sign the gentlemanly O’Reilly
DENVER – The Colorado Avalanche avoided arbitration with Ryan O’Reilly by signing the versatile forward to a two-year deal.
O’Reilly led the team with a career-high 28 goals last season and won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the player who best exemplifies gentlemanly conduct. He also had six game-winners as the Avalanche advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 2009-10 under first-year head coach Patrick Roy.
The Avalanche made it an offseason priority to lock up the 23-year-old O’Reilly, but the two sides were far apart on numbers and appeared headed toward arbitration. Team executive Joe Sakic said Wednesday the team now is “looking at the upcoming training camp and season with a lot of excitement.”
Colorado selected O’Reilly in the second round of the 2009 draft.
WNBA
CSU star and WNBA veteran Hammon, 37, will retire
SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Stars veteran Becky Hammon will retire after the season, her 16th in the WNBA.
The Stars said Wednesday that the team’s all-time leader in assists, points per game and three-point field goals made has left an indelible mark on the league. The 37-year-old Hammon, a former Colorado State star, is a six-time All-Star who ranks first in history in free-throw percentage (89.6 percent, minimum 300 attempts) and seventh in total points (5,756).
Associated Press
