Update on the latest sports
APMLB-SCHEDULE-ATHLETICS-RAYS
Chapman leads A’s over Rays 3-2 in McClanahan’s debut
UNDATED (AP) — Matt Chapman homered and hit a go-ahead double with two outs in the ninth inning, leading the Oakland Athletics over the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2. Shane McClanahan, a Tampa Bay left-hander starting on the day after his 24th birthday, made an unusual regular-season debut — becoming the fourth player to appear in the regular season after first playing in the postseason. Throwing at up to 100.5 mph, he was given a 1-0 lead when Austin Meadows hit an RBI double in the first off Chris Bassitt.
NFL DRAFT
NFL takes step toward normalcy with draft on Lake Erie shores
CLEVELAND (AP) — The NFL draft that starts Thursday night in Cleveland will take a step back toward normalcy after being held virtually last year. Some NFL prospects and fans will be there in person, and Commissioner Roger Goodell will be on hand to hug or fist-bump the dozen or so prospects in attendance. And many, if not all, of the teams will be back at their facilities to conduct the selections, not in their homes like last year.
The NFL invited 13 prospects to Cleveland, but Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley tested positive for COVID-19 and won’t attend, according to his agent Drew Rosenhaus.
Quarterbacks are widely expected to go 1-2-3 for just the third time in the common draft era that started in 1967. Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and BYU’s Zach Wilson are expected to be the top two picks, to Jacksonville and the New York Jets. With the third pick, San Francisco is likely to choose among Alabama’s Mac Jones, Ohio State’s Justin Fields and Trey Lance of North Dakota State.
A record could be set with four QBs going in the top four if Atlanta drafts the successor to Matt Ryan or trades down to a quarterback-needy team.
If Fields, Jones and Lance all get taken in the top 10, that would also be a first, beating the four top-10 QBs taken in the 2018 draft when Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen and Josh Rosen all went off the board quickly.
The draft is the NFL’s most popular event after the Super Bowl and opening day.
NFL-NEWS
AP source: Panthers pick up 5th-year option on DJ Moore
UNDATED (AP) — The Carolina Panthers are picking up the fifth-year option on wide receiver D.J. Moore’s contract, according to a person familiar with the situation. The 24-year-old Moore will make $11.1 million in his fifth season, which will be the 2022 season.
In three seasons with the Panthers, Moore has developed into the team’s No. 1 receiver with 3,156 yards on 208 receptions along with 10 touchdowns. He has put together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for Carolina, including a career-high 1,193 yards last season while averaging 18.1 yards per catch. For his career, Moore is averaging 15.2 yards per reception.
In other NFL news:
—_Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst has reiterated that the team remains committed to quarterback Aaron Rodgers amid a report that the reigning MVP doesn’t want to return to Green Bay. ESPN reported Thursday in the hours leading up to the NFL draft that Rodgers doesn’t want to return to the Packers. Gutekunst said in a statement released by the team that “we are committed to Aaron in 2021 and beyond.”
—The Seattle Seahawks have signed former first-round defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche (kihm-DEE’-chay). He was a top prospect coming out of Mississippi, but his NFL career has been mostly a flop. Nkemdiche was the 29th overall pick of the 2016 draft by Arizona and appeared in 27 games over three seasons with six starts. His best season came in 2018 when he had a career-high 32 tackles and 4½ sacks, before a knee injury cut short his season.
NHL-DUCKS-MILLER RETIRING
Ryan Miller’s time: Ducks goalie to retire at end of season
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Anaheim Ducks goalie Ryan Miller will retire at the end of the season, ending an 18-year career.
The 40-year-old Miller is the winningest American-born goaltender in professional hockey history. He has played 794 games for the Buffalo Sabres, the Vancouver Canucks, the St. Louis Blues and Anaheim, where he has spent the past four seasons primarily as John Gibson’s backup.
Miller won the Vezina (VEH’-zih-nuh) Trophy in 2010 as the NHL’s best goaltender for Buffalo. He also was named the most valuable player and best goaltender at the 2010 Winter Olympics while leading the U.S. team to silver medals in Vancouver.
