Update on the latest sports
APMLB-NEWS
Royals trade Heath to D-Backs
UNDATED (AP) — The Kansas City Royals have traded outfielder Nick Heath, who had been designated for assignment earlier in the week, to the Arizona Diamondbacks for minor league pitcher Eduardo Herrera.
The 27-year-old Heath made his big league debut last year, appearing in 15 games in the shortened season for Kansas City. The 21-year-old Herrera signed with Arizona as an international free agent in 2016. He began his career as a catcher and infielder but converted to pitching two years ago with promising results but has yet to move beyond Class A.
In other MLB news:
— The Tampa Bay Rays have activated Gold Glove center fielder Kevin Kiermaier from the 10-day injured list prior to their game at Yankee Stadium. Kiermaier has been out since April 5 with a strained left quadriceps. He took live at-bats against taxi squad pitcher David Hess prior to Saturday’s game and was deemed ready. He was available off the bench, with Brett Phillips starting in center. The 30-year-old Kiermaier is 1 for 11 this season after batting .217 with three homers in 49 games for the AL champions in 2020.
NFL-NO WORKOUTS
Chargers, Rams, Dolphins, Falcons say no to in-person work
UNDATED (AP) — Players on four more NFL teams will be skipping in-person voluntary workouts because of the pandemic. They are from both Los Angeles franchises, the Falcons and the Dolphins. They posted through their union that they are joining 11 other groups who previously said they would not be on hand for the sessions.
This weekend players from the other 17 clubs are expected to announce plans. The offseason sessions begin Monday. On Wednesday the league sent a memo to all 32 teams saying that the first four weeks of the voluntary program will be virtual. The plan then is to transition to in-person work at team facilities.
WOMEN’S HOCKEY-COACHING CHANGE
US women’s hockey coach steps down due to COVID-19 concerns
UNDATED (AP) — Assistant coach Joel Johnson is taking over the United States women’s national hockey team after Bob Corkum abruptly stepped down citing COVID-19 protocol concerns less than three weeks before the world championships open in Canada.
Corkum didn’t go into detail in saying he was “uncomfortable with the protocols” in a text to The Associated Press.
Corkum reached his decision Frirday as he and players gathered in Maine for the start of training camp in preparation for the world championships in Nova Scotia, which run from May 6-16. Johnson served as Corkum’s assistant and previously coached the U.S. Under-18 and Under-22 teams.
FIGURE SKATING-TEAM TROPHY
Shcherbakova seals Russia’s first World Team Trophy victory
OSAKA, Japan (AP) — World champion Anna Shcherbakova won the women’s free skate on Saturday to seal Russia’s first-ever victory at the figure skating World Team Trophy.
The result ensured that Russia, with 125 points, would win its first World Team Trophy. The United States — the defending champion — was second with 110 followed by Japan with 107.
Only the United States and Japan have won previous World Team Trophy competitions, first held in 2009. Team USA has four victories and Japan has two.
F1-EMILIA-ROMAGNA GP
Hamilton takes pole for Emilia-Romagna GP ahead of Red Bulls
IMOLA, Italy (AP) — World champion Lewis Hamilton has edged out the Red Bull duo to claim the pole position for Sunday’s Emilia-Romagna (eh-MEEL’-yah roh-MAHN’-yah) Grand Prix. It’s Hamilton’s 99th career pole.
Hamilton edged Perez by .039 seconds and was .087 faster than Max Verstappen, who is expected to be his main challenger this season.
Italy’s Emilia-Romagna GP is the second race of the Formula One season. Hamilton won the opener in Bahrain last month, just ahead of Verstappen after a thrilling duel.
