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SAN FRANCISCO — Klay Thompson shimmied his way to 32 points, and the Golden State Warriors advanced to their sixth NBA Finals in eight seasons by beating the Dallas Mavericks 120-110 in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals Thursday night.Thompson scored 19 points in the first half, including a 3-pointer that he punctuated with teammate Stephen Curry’s signature shake as the Warriors raced out to a 17-point halftime lead and coasted the rest of the way.AdvertisementAndrew Wiggins added 18 points and 10 rebounds, Draymond Green scored 17 points and Curry had 15 points and nine assists for the Warriors.Luka Doncic overcame a slow start to score 28 points for the Mavericks. Spencer Dinwiddie added 26.AdvertisementAfter missing the playoffs in 2020 and ‘21 in back-to back injury-plagued seasons, the Warriors are returning to a familiar stage. They are the first team to make six finals appearances in an eight-year span since the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls had a pair of three-peats from 1991-93 and 1996-98.Warriors guard Klay Thompson, left, is defended by Mavericks guard Reggie Bullock during the first half of Game 5 of the Western Conference finals Thursday in San Francisco. (Jeff Chiu/AP)The Warriors will host the winner of the Eastern Conference finals between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat on June 2 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The Celtics hold a 3-2 lead heading into Game 6 at home Friday.The Warriors followed their pattern from the first two rounds by bouncing back after squandering a chance to end a series on the road by winning at home. The Warriors are 9-0 at the Chase Center this postseason, tying the 2017 team for the the most consecutive home wins in a single postseason in NBA history.The star this game was Thompson, who sat out the last two seasons with injuries but showed flashes of his old self in this clincher.After making just seven 3-pointers in the first four games of the series, Thompson had eight. He gave the Warriors a 13-point lead in the first half when he hit one from the corner before dancing and added two early in the third quarter for a 23-point lead.The Mavericks cut a 25-point deficit to eight in the final minute of the third quarter but couldn’t get over the hump in the fourth. Thompson’s 3-pointer with just less than 3 minutes left gave the Warriors a 15-point lead.Doncic has typically been a playoff star. His 32.7 points per game in his first 27 playoff games were second best to Jordan’s 33.4 among players with at least 10 playoff games.But he had a rough start in this elimination game. He shot 2-for-10 in the first quarter with his eight misses, tied for the most in the opening quarter of a playoff game since LeBron James missed all nine of his attempts in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Atlanta Hawks in 2015.AdvertisementDoncic was held to six points in the first half, his lowest opening half of his postseason career, on 2-for-12 shooting before finding his stroke in the third quarter.With Otto Porter (left foot) sidelined for a second straight game, the Warriors got a big boost in the first half from 19-year-old rookie Moses Moody.Moody scored all of his seven points in the second quarter with his 3-pointer giving the Warriors a 56-38 lead. Moody scored just six points the first three games of this series before scoring 17 the last two games with Porter sidelined.

DETROIT — The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday said it will not pursue criminal charges against former FBI agents who failed to quickly open an investigation of sports doctor Larry Nassar despite learning in 2015 that he was accused of sexually assaulting female gymnasts.The agency’s inspector general found that two former agents likely provided “inaccurate or incomplete information” when investigators subsequently tried to understand what happened, but more would be needed to file charges, the department said.Advertisement“This does not in any way reflect a view that the investigation of Nassar was handled as it should have been, nor in any way reflects approval or disregard of the conduct of the former agents,” the department said.The government last fall said it would take another look at an earlier decision to forgo charges. At the time, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco told Congress that she had asked the newly confirmed head of the department’s criminal division to review the case.AdvertisementNassar was a Michigan State University sports doctor as well as a doctor at USA Gymnastics. He is serving decades in prison for assaulting female athletes, including medal-winning Olympians.Dr. Larry Nassar appears in court for a plea hearing on Nov. 22, 2017, in Lansing, Mich. The U.S. Justice Department said Thursday it will not pursue criminal charges against former FBI agents who failed to quickly open an investigation of Nassar despite learning in 2015 that he was accused of sexually assaulting female gymnasts. (Paul Sancya/AP)Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics told FBI agents in 2015 that three gymnasts said they were assaulted by Nassar. But the FBI did not open a formal investigation or inform federal or state authorities in Michigan, according to the inspector general’s report.Los Angeles FBI agents in 2016 began a sexual tourism investigation against Nassar and interviewed several victims but also didn’t alert Michigan authorities, the inspector general said.Nassar was finally arrested in November 2016 during an investigation by Michigan State University police.At a Senate hearing in 2021, FBI Director Christopher Wray apologized to Nassar’s victims, saying it was “inexcusable” that agents “had their own chance to stop this monster back in 2015 and failed.”The FBI fired an agent; another one retired. The FBI has also adopted recommendations by the inspector general.Lawyers for Nassar’s victims have said more than 100 young women or teens were assaulted after the FBI became aware of allegations against him. At least 13 are seeking $10 million each from the government.John Manly said it’s “incomprehensible” that agents and others will not be prosecuted.Advertisement“The FBI agents who knew of Nassar’s abuse, did nothing, and then lied about their inaction in violation of their sworn duty and the law have been given a pass,” Manly said.

The New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays used their social media accounts during Thursday night’s game between the teams to spread information about how gun violence affects American life.The move was made in response to recent mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, N.Y. Several notable sports figures — including Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr — have used their platform over the past few days to plead for action to combat gun violence.AdvertisementMLB’s social media accounts are usually used during games to show video highlights, relay baseball statistics or exchange witty jokes with other accounts about the action on the field. On Thursday, that was replaced by posts like “Firearms were the leading cause of death for American children and teens in 2020.”Both accounts then posted links to the sources of their information.Advertisement“In lieu of gave coverage and in collaboration with the Tampa Bay Rays, we will be using our channels to offer facts about the impacts of gun violence.” the Yankees said in a statement. “The devastating events that have taken place in Uvalde, Buffalo and countless other communities across our nation are tragedies that are intolerable.”The Rays also released a statement, saying that the recent shootings “cannot become normal.”“We all deserve to be safe — in schools, grocery stores, places of worship, our neighborhoods, houses and America. The most recent mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde have shaken us to the core. The Tampa Bay Rays are mourning these heartbreaking tragedies that took the lives of innocent children and adults.“This cannot become normal. We cannot become numb. We cannot look the other way. We all know, if nothing changes, nothing changes.”Firearms were the leading cause of death for American children and teens in 2020.— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 26, 2022

Every day, more than 110 Americans are killed with guns, and more than 200 are shot and injured.— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 26, 2022

The Uvalde school shooting was particularly personal for Rays reliever Brooks Raley, who is from Uvalde and still has family who live in the town. He attended the school where the shooting occured.58 percent of American adults or someone they care for have experienced gun violence.— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) May 26, 2022

The NBA’s Miami Heat also took a different approach to raising awareness and calling for change following the Uvalde shootings. Before Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night, the Heat held a moment of silence in memory of those who were killed — followed by a statement urging fans to call lawmakers and demand change.“The Heat urges you to contact your state senators by calling 202-224-3121 to leave a message demanding their support for common sense gun laws,” public address announcer Michael Baiamonte read to the fans, some of whom broke into applause as he spoke.The moment was also broadcast as part of ESPN’s telecast of the game.

Joe Kelly immediately knew something wasn’t right.The Chicago White Sox reliever received a visit from the training staff after he struck out Franchy Cordero for the second out of the eighth inning Wednesday against the Boston Red Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field.AdvertisementKelly exited the game — a 3-1 White Sox win — was placed on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a strained left hamstring.“It was on the last pitch,” Kelly said Thursday. “Right when I landed. Tried to throw the breaker really hard. It’s not from that, but it came out 86 (mph), (the) leg kind of tightened up on me and it ended up being a strain.”AdvertisementThe right-hander, who signed as a two-year, $17 million deal in March, is 0-1 with a 9.53 ERA in seven appearances for the Sox. He began the season on the injured list as he recovered from a right biceps nerve injury.After a rehab stint with Triple-A Charlotte, Kelly joined Sox on May 9.“I felt comfortable throwing the ball, that’s for sure,” Kelly said. “Unfortunate on the timing of it. Especially with us playing some good baseball. Going to do whatever I can to make it as quick as possible the safe way and then get back. I’m going to still try to throw the baseball as much as I can every day, body workouts, right leg workouts, push, push, push, push and try to get back.”He allowed five runs in two-thirds of an inning May 12 against the New York Yankees at Guaranteed Rate Field but gave up only one run in his last four innings.White Sox reliever Joe Kelly stands on the mound during the eighth inning of a game against the Yankees on May 12, 2022, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)“He understands how valuable he is to us, and we are going to miss him,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “He’s a real weapon.”Kelly got three big outs in Game 1 of a May 22 doubleheader against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Entering with two on and no outs, he struck out Marwin Gonzalez, picked off Aaron Hicks at second and struck out Jose Trevino to maintain a one-run lead.“Kelly was just perfect,” La Russa said after that game.Kelly struck out two batters Wednesday before exiting.Advertisement“He has some nasty stuff,” La Russa said after Wednesday’s game. “He can get you out with three or four pitches. He loves that pressure.”Kelly won’t be available for a stretch that includes games against some familiar faces.“It’s more frustrating knowing that I’ll be missing some big games,” Kelly said. “Former team with the Red Sox, former team with the (Los Angeles) Dodgers coming into town. (Toronto) Blue Jays, Tampa (Bay Rays), these are all stud teams. These are all playoff teams. That’s what I like to challenge myself with. I like throwing the ball in the playoffs just for that same exact reason. Every game is going to be close, every game is going to be exciting.“I’m more frustrated by the fact that I’m going to miss the competition with our guys, especially with our guys in the bullpen throwing the ball well. Going to miss the big at-bats — that’s ultimately the more frustrating thing. Not necessarily, ‘Oh, great, another rehab.’ I’m a little mentally tough with that kind of thing. I’m more mad I’m going to be missing the big dogs, the big teams.”Kelly said the rehab steps include getting his range of motion and strength back.“Everyone’s different on healing,” Kelly said. “If I was someone who worked a regular desk job, they would say three to four weeks. I throw a baseball. It’s my landing leg so could be quicker. I never assume that it’s going to be longer.Advertisement“They’re great at this stuff, obviously we rehabbed to get back on the mound from the nerve injury and I was throwing the ball well. Just follow their lead and don’t do anything dumb while rehabbing. Strengthen it up and get ready to throw.”In Thursday’s corresponding move, the White Sox recalled reliever Tanner Banks from Triple-A Charlotte. He had a 3.00 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 11 relief outings with the White Sox this season before being optioned to Charlotte on Sunday.

CINCINNATI — The Chicago Cubs might be wondering what could have been this week against the Cincinnati Reds.Riding a three-game winning streak after taking the first two games of the four-game series, the Cubs couldn’t sustain momentum the rest of the week.AdvertisementThe Reds clobbered them 20-5 in the finale Thursday, piling up 20 hits for a series split. A 59-minute rain delay only prolonged the inevitable.An eight-run third inning doomed the Cubs and ended Justin Steele’s outing. The game got so out of hand that infielder Andrelton Simmons pitched for the first time in his career in the eighth — and he gave up five runs on five hits and a walk. AdvertisementRight fielder Seiya Suzuki exited the game in the fourth with a sprained left ring finger. He suffered the injury the previous inning when he jammed the finger sliding into second on a stolen base. Manager David Ross sounded optimistic Suzuki avoided a serious injury after he checked out OK, which included a negative X-ray.Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki, left, is checked on by trainers and manager David Ross after suffering an injury while sliding into second on a stolen base in the third inning against the Reds on Thursday in Cincinnati. (Dylan Buell / Getty Images)The Cubs get an off day Friday to regroup before heading to the South Side for a quick weekend series against the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. The Sox won both games at Wrigley Field in early May. Javier Báez and Amir Garrett are no longer around to continue their feud, but heightened tensions between their former teams haven’t dissipated.Cubs reliever Rowan Wick and Reds first baseman Joey Votto have taken over as the protagonists in the bad-blood drama between the sides. The brouhaha from late in Wednesday’s game carried over into Thursday’s series finale. Willson Contreras, who homered in the fifth and admired his shot, was hit with the first pitch of his seventh-inning at-bat. Manager David Ross then was ejected for the second straight game and seventh time in his managerial career. Ross wasn’t interested in rehashing what prompted another conversation with the umpire crew.Cubs manager David Ross argues with umpire Will Little after being ejected in the seventh inning of a game against the Reds on Thursday at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. (Dylan Buell / Getty Images)“I’ll keep that between the umpires,” Ross said. “A lot of it just goes back to (Wednesday).”Contreras then had words with Votto after Wick struck out the Reds slugger to end the seventh. The Cubs’ bullpen started to run onto the field but made it only halfway before returning to the pen as the situation dissipated.Reds first baseman Joey Votto, left, exchanges words with Cubs catcher Willson Contreras after striking out in the seventh inning Thursday in Cincinnati. The Reds won 20-5. (Aaron Doster / AP)It’s unlikely this will be the end of the animosity between the Cubs and Reds and, more specifically, Wick and Votto. The teams still play 15 times, including six consecutive games to end the season.AdvertisementHoerner’s contact-oriented approach has been a welcomed part of the Cubs lineup that too often last season featured too much swing-and-miss.The Cubs’ regular lineup this season features more contact hitters — to the determent of the long ball at times. Hoerner figures to play a big role for the Cubs going forward. Adding power to his offensive profile would be huge for Hoerner and the team.There are some signs of that happening. Hoerner homered during the second inning Thursday in his first start off the injured list.Cubs shortstop Nico Hoerner crosses the plate after hitting a solo home run during the second inning against the Reds on Thursday in Cincinnati. (Aaron Doster/AP)“Two weeks is not too bad,” Hoerner said this week of his IL stint. “I was able to be swinging pretty soon afterward. That wasn’t really a concern in the rehab side of it.”The home run marked his third of the season, which tied his career high, doing so in 101 plate appearances. Hoerner’s career high came in 2019 (82 PAs). He hadn’t homered in 2020 or 2021, a stretch of 296 PAs.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.Hoerner entered Thursday with the highest flyball rate (20.5%) and extra-base hit rate (7.0%) of his career. Getting more pop from Hoerner, combined with his contact rate and defensive performance at shortstop, would take his all-around game to the next level.AdvertisementWith two doubleheaders next week, the Cubs will gain a 27th player and need two additional starters.One player who won’t be brought up to help: top pitching prospect Caleb Kilian. The right-hander is lined up to start Monday after starting Wednesday for Triple-A Iowa. Kilian wasn’t sharp in that outing.However, Ross said before Thursday’s series finale that Kilian is not being discussed as an option for either of the doubleheaders Monday and Saturday. In nine starts with Triple-A Iowa, Kilian has posted a 2.06 ERA, 1.271 WHIP, 41 strikeouts and 15 walks in 39⅓ innings. It’s his first season pitching at that level.“It just looks like real big-league stuff,” Ross said. “He’s having a great season and (his) stuff’s trending up. The velocities moving up. There’s just a lot of good things to like about him. … He’s having a great season, and I’m sure we’ll see him sooner rather than later.”Kilian, acquired from the San Francisco Giants in the Kris Bryant trade, must be added to the 40-man roster in the offseason to be protected from the Rule 5 draft. The Cubs will want to get a look at him sometime this season. Bringing him up for a doubleheader spot start would require putting him on the 40-man, and the Cubs likely want to maintain flexibility there as long as possible.The organization is positioning to be major sellers at the trade deadline again, which would open spots for Kilian not only for the 40-man but in the rotation.

Standing by the bar in a small Stamford Bridge hospitality suite was a figure who had had not been spotted at the stadium in three years: Roman Abramovich.Last November, the Chelsea owner was back in London at his English Premier League club to host the president of Israel. There was no obvious security entourage around the Russian billionaire and little fuss, just close associate and Chelsea director Eugene Tenenbaum.AdvertisementAfter making small talk with guests and posing for photos with President Isaac Herzog in front of the pitch, the party moved onto an afternoon tea event for around 50 people, with scones and cucumber sandwiches.Abramovich was feted with speeches praising his work through Chelsea to campaign against antisemitism. It looked like the gradual reintroduction of Abramovich into a more high-profile role around Chelsea again, attached to his social activism.AdvertisementThere was, maybe, a British visa to be regained after he withdrew his application for a renewal in 2018.Then everything rapidly changed from Feb. 24 when Russia invaded Ukraine.Three months later, Abramovich is being replaced as Chelsea owner by a group fronted by American investor Todd Boehly, a prospect unimaginable when the oligarch was on the field in Abu Dhabi on Feb. 9 lifting the FIFA Club World Cup.Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich applauds his team during a 6-0 victory against Arsenal in the Premier League on March 22, 2014. (Alastair Grant/AP)It would turn out to be the 21st and last men’s team trophy in 19 years running the team his wealth transformed from being glamorous but only occasionally competing for the biggest trophies, into one of the most successful in European football.Abramovich tried to cling onto Chelsea, even as anger over Russia’s unprovoked aggression toward its neighbor intensified, backed not just by loyal fans but club greats including John Terry hailing him as “the best.”Within hours of the war beginning, Abramovich was accused in the House of Commons of having links to corrupt activity and paying for political influence in Russia. The demands grew for Abramovich to be sanctioned by the British government, which had already thwarted his efforts to regain the visa in recent years, according to a legislator.Sensing the need to act, Abramovich offered cosmetic changes to the ownership on Feb. 26 with the pledge to relinquish “stewardship and care” of the club to its charitable foundation trustees.They had not signed off on the plan, though, and the vague proposal did not quell the anger that a man accused of being so closely linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin could retain the ownership of a high-profile status symbol in the heart of London.AdvertisementAnother public play to shield his reputation from Putin’s war came on Feb. 28 when Abramovich’s PR pushed an apparent move for him to broker peace. Abramovich did not condemn the war, and he has yet to do so despite talking about the need to publicly condemn atrocities only two days before the invasion. The rare comments came in a statement launching a new partnership backing the Jerusalem-based Holocaust museum.“Yad Vashem’s work in preserving the memory of the victims of the Holocaust,” Abramovich said, “is instrumental to ensure that future generations never forget what antisemitism, racism and hate can lead to if we don’t speak out.”Yet, Abramovich never has practiced what he preached, even as Putin framed the war as one of denazification, falsely called the Ukrainian leadership “Nazis” despite President Volodymyr Zelenskyy being Jewish, and areas were reduced to rubble by Russian bombing and shelling. Yad Vashem suspended its partnership with Abramovich, as did the Imperial War Museum in London, where he funded a Holocaust exhibition and which hosted an event for him hours after the start of Russia’s war on Ukraine.It was only six days into the invasion when Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss leaked that Abramovich was actually trying to quickly dispose of Chelsea and the club was publicly put up for sale.“I hope,” Abramovich said, “that I will be able to visit Stamford Bridge one last time to say goodbye to all of you in person.”A week later, any immediate hopes of returning to London were ended by the government. Sanctions and travel restrictions were placed on Abramovich, his assets were frozen, and Chelsea was allowed to operate only under the terms of a government-issued license until the end of May.AdvertisementNew match tickets couldn’t be sold by Chelsea. Players couldn’t be handed new contracts. Even merchandise stores had to close.The job of finding a buyer for Chelsea was placed with the New York-based Raine Group merchant bank. An array of prospective investors went public, some seemingly more viable owners than others, before the bank produced a shortlist of four bidders in early April.The sale ended where it began with Wyss.The Raine Group — working with Abramovich’s associates on the board leading Chelsea — eventually selected the group featuring Wyss and fronted by Boehly, part-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, with investment from Clearlake Capital.The sale price was 2.5 billion pounds ($3.2 billion), the most ever for a team in world sports, with the proceeds having to go to a foundation supporting Ukrainian victims of the war. Boehly also had to pledge to invest 1.75 billion pounds ($2.2 billion) in the coming years in the teams and infrastructure.The final stage of the process encapsulated how laced in politics the process was with approval needed from the British and European authorities that sanctioned Abramovich, ensuring he would not profit from the sale.AdvertisementIt was an unceremonious end to his 19 years as owner.After buying Chelsea for 140 million pounds in 2003, Abramovich ended up with nothing. Not even a return of the 1.6 billion pounds of loans he had to write off to allow the club to be sold and continue playing.It was never about money for Abramovich, though. More about status and winning trophies.“In hindsight, especially with the public profile it would bring me, maybe I would have thought differently about owning a club,” Abramovich was quoted as telling Forbes a year before losing control of Chelsea. “But, at the time, I just saw this incredible game, and that I wanted to be a part of that in one way or another.”No more, in England at least.Ultimately, though, the association with Putin that Abramovich spent so long trying to distance himself from cost him the ability to retain the ownership of Chelsea.

Wes Benjamin is willing to do whatever it takes to further his professional baseball career.The next step on that journey will take place in South Korea.AdvertisementBenjamin, a St. Charles East graduate, was granted his release May 17 by the Chicago White Sox and will report next week to KT Wiz, the defending Korean Baseball Organization League champions.“If you knew what was going on in my head the last week and a half, I was all over the place,” Benjamin said. “I knew it was something I needed to do to better my career in the future.”AdvertisementSeveral factors came into consideration when making the decision, including the effects the move would have for his wife Brittany, who is a teacher.Texas Rangers pitcher Wes Benjamin (63) throws in the first inning against the Oakland Athletics Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, in Oakland. (Scot Tucker / AP/AP)“It’s not just about me,” Benjamin said. “It’s about my family. If there was ever a time to do it, the stars aligned. She’ll be there for most of the season, if not all of it.”Benjamin signed a minor-league deal with the White Sox during the Major League Baseball lockout. The 28-year-old left-hander didn’t make the team out of spring training and reported to Triple-A Charlotte. He made seven starts for the Knights, going 2-0 with a 3.82 ERA.“That was the toughest part for me, leaving this organization that I fell in love with and starting anew, being the new kid at the lunch table,” Benjamin said. “I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity the Sox gave me to play. “That was my goal — help win games and help win a World Series.”Benjamin, who turns 29 on July 26, made his MLB debut in 2020. Over the past two seasons, he appeared in 21 games, accruing just over a year of service time.On the last day of the 2021 regular season, Benjamin was designated for assignment by the Texas Rangers. He later declared free agency, leaving the only professional organization he had ever known.AdvertisementThe KT Wiz showed interest in Benjamin over the winter. KBO rules state that teams can only have three foreign-born players, two of which can be pitchers. Not surprisingly, after winning the championship last season, the team retained all three foreign-born players.“I don’t blame them for that,” Benjamin said. “It was close, but it wasn’t the right time. Now, it’s the right time.”The release of William Cuevas opened a spot for Benjamin, who spoke to White Sox assistant general manager Chris Getz about his options.“He always shoots me straight,” Benjamin said. “What I wanted to avoid was a situation like I had last year in Texas where I would be thrown back and forth, and it looked like it could happen again.”Texas Rangers reliever Wes Benjamin throws against the Oakland Athletics during a game in Arlington, Texas on Thursday, June 24, 2021. (Louis DeLuca / AP/AP)Last season, Benjamin was shuttled five times between the Rangers and Triple-A Round Rock. A similar situation between Chicago and Charlotte could have occurred this season.Advertisement“Getz understood that,” Benjamin said. “An opportunity like this doesn’t always come around. He didn’t nudge me either way. He said life goes on regardless. “I was grateful to him for his support and for understanding my decision. Who’s to say I won’t come back in the future?”The first MLB game Benjamin ever attended featured the White Sox.“It was very difficult to separate the nostalgia side from the reality side,” Benjamin said. “It was something cool to think about. Unfortunately, it will have to wait.”Benjamin said once he arrives in Korea, he will make a minor-league start to shake off the rust and then join the Wiz’s starting rotation.“There’s excitement, nerves, anxiety, but at the end of the day I get to go somewhere new and play baseball,” Benjamin said. “I get to surround myself with a culture I’m not used to. Advertisement“It’s an experience I’ll never forget.”Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.

Former Chicago Bears quarterback Nick Foles, who now plays for the Indianapolis Colts, on May 23 placed his seven-bedroom, 7,664-square-foot mansion in Glencoe on the market for $3.29 million.A onetime Super Bowl MVP, Foles, 33, only played in one game for the Bears last year — a victory, no less — and was released by the Bears on May 1. On May 23, he signed a two-year contract with Indianapolis.AdvertisementFoles’ home was placed into the real estate multiple listing service as already being under contract, which indicates that a buyer was found before it was publicly made available for sale.Built in 2020, the brick and limestone house has 6-1/2 bathrooms, 11-foot ceilings on the first floor, white oak floors with a herringbone pattern, a family room with oversized custom-built bookcases, a walnut kitchen with a large quartzite island and a walk-in pantry, a mud room with an organized closet, a butler’s pantry between the kitchen and the dining room and 13-foot ceilings on the second floor. Other features include a first-floor guest room and a primary bedroom suite with custom bookshelves, motorized draperies and a wet bar. On the lower level are 10-foot ceilings, a theater room with motorized leather seats, a sound system and a projector, as well as an exercise room with a rubber floor, a recreation room with a bar and a sauna.AdvertisementOutside on the 0.44-acre property are a fenced backyard, a sprinkler system, an attached and heated two-car garage and a two-car detached garage.Through a Texas limited liability company, Foles paid $2.8 million in June 2020 for the mansion.Listing agent Alissa McNicholas declined to comment on the listing.The mansion had a $38,891 property tax bill in the 2020 tax year.Goldsborough is a freelance writer.Join our Chicago Dream Homes Facebook group for more luxury listings and real estate news.

Josh Donaldson, who’s been in the limelight since Saturday after referring to Tim Anderson as Jackie Robinson, said he and the White Sox shortstop now have a “mutual understanding” over his “Jackie” comment.“First and foremost, I have the utmost respect for what Tim Anderson brings in the game of baseball,” Donaldson wrote in a statement shared Thursday morning. “I stated over the weekend that I apologized for offending Tim and that it was a misunderstanding based on multiple exchanges between us over the years. My view of that exchange hasn’t changed and I absolutely meant no disrespect. In the past, it had never been an issue and now that it is, we have a mutual understanding.Advertisement“I would also like to apologize to Mrs. Rachel Robinson and the Jackie Robinson family for any distress this incident may have caused,” Donaldson continued. “Jackie was a true American hero and I hold his name in the highest regard.”Back page for May 24, 2022: “Jackie” comment to cost Josh one game and cash. Josh Donaldson, who touched off skirmish Saturday when he called White Sox’s Tim Anderson “Jackie,” as in Robinson, will appeal MLB’s punishment. (New York Daily News)On Saturday, Donaldson said “What’s up Jackie?” to Anderson, who is Black, while he was on base during the Yankees’ game against the White Sox. The incident was viewed as a racial taunt by Anderson and the entire White Sox team, and as plain wrong by the rest of the Yankees. The comment sparked a benches-clearing incident later in that day’s game.AdvertisementDonaldson explained his comment stemmed from an interview Anderson did in 2019, when he referred to himself as a modern day Jackie Robinson, and that he and Anderson joked about it in the past. Anderson, when asked about Donaldson calling him “Jackie” in 2019, said he told Donaldson they “never have to speak again.”“I knew he knew exactly what he was doing,” Anderson told reporters in Chicago of the three-year-old interaction on Tuesday.MLB started investigating Donaldson after Saturday’s incident. It issued the Yankee third baseman a one-game suspension two days later, which Donaldson planned to appeal.Donaldson has not played since Sunday, after going on the COVID-19 IL.

When Cole Kmet was asked this week to assess his play in 2021, the Chicago Bears tight end noted what he believed was an obstacle in his first two NFL seasons — multiple quarterback changes.That included a 2020 season in which the Bears waffled between Mitch Trubisky and Nick Foles and a 2021 season in which Andy Dalton was the starter through training camp and the first two games before he was injured. The Bears turned to Justin Fields, who later missed five games with injuries and COVID-19.AdvertisementFormer Bears coach Matt Nagy and offensive coordinator Bill Lazor both called plays in that span.“I’ve had a lot of not just quarterbacks but quarterback changes, so it’s tough,” Kmet said. “I mean, it’s tough on a player trying to get a feel for guys and different scheme changes depending on who the quarterback is. So for me it’s just always doing what I’m asked, and at the end of the day that’s all you can control.”AdvertisementAs Kmet enters Year 3, the second-round draft pick finally should have quarterback continuity with Fields. He seized on an opportunity earlier this offseason to work out with Fields and wide receiver Darnell Mooney in Atlanta, which he said was as much about building their relationship as their chemistry on the field.Bears tight end Cole Kmet practices during organized team activities Tuesday at Halas Hall. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)There are, of course, more changes under new coach Matt Eberflus, offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and a very different tight ends room. But Kmet seemed enthusiastic about what the new offense can do for him and Fields.Kmet said he can get a feel for how tight ends will be used in Getsy’s offense by looking at similar offenses around the league, with Robert Tonyan in Green Bay and George Kittle in San Francisco.“You see how the tight end is involved in the run scheme, and off of that, the play-action movements,” he said. “And all of those type of things can be really advantageous for tight ends.”[ [Don’t miss] Column: If Chicago Bears pass rusher Robert Quinn wants out of town, a trade could be a win for all parties ]Pressed for reasons for optimism about the offense at this early juncture, he added: “It is a ‘we’ll see.’ I don’t want to get too much in detail with it, but Justin’s on the move a lot, and I think he does well with that. That’s been exciting to see, and you see the types of throws he can make with his legs and on the run and off schedule. No pads right now, but you see that type of stuff and it gets exciting.”Kmet has room for growth after a 2021 season in which he totaled 60 catches on 93 targets for 612 yards. That was a big bump from his rookie season totals of 28 catches for 243 yards as he saw a significant increase in playing time.But Kmet knows he could make a bigger impact this year, particularly in the red zone. Kmet didn’t have any touchdown catches in 2021. He had five catches on 12 targets inside the 20-yard line and no catches on four targets inside the 10, according to Pro Football Reference.On Tuesday, Kmet recalled two end-zone opportunities in 2021 he wished he had back — one on a timing issue between him and Fields against the San Francisco 49ers and another missed connection against the Green Bay Packers.Advertisement“I look back at each part of my game and that was an area that was lacking for me,” he said.[ [Don’t miss] More Pilates, less beer: How Teven Jenkins is working to earn the trust of his new Chicago Bears coaches ]As he looks to better himself this offseason, Kmet said he is focused on hands catches and “really craving violence through my blocks, especially on double teams.”He also will attend “Tight End University,” the three-day event in Nashville, Tenn., organized by Kittle, Travis Kelce and Greg Olsen. Kmet, who went to the inaugural event last year, said it’s chance to have fun with other tight ends — “I’m not going to lie, that’s most of the trip” — but also pick their brains on how they work on and off the field.As for his work at Halas Hall during organized team activities, Kmet said he has tried to show the new staff he is capable of being involved in multiple aspects of the offense.Getsy said earlier this month that he was impressed with Kmet, both because of the mindset he brings to his work and his flexibility as a player.“I’m excited to see him have a bunch of different roles in our offense,” Getsy said. “Some players that are out there, they’re kind of like, ‘This is what they do well.’ But I think the more guys that you can get in a system that can do a bunch of different things, the more success you’re going to have, and I think Cole is one of those guys.”AdvertisementBears quarterback Justin Fields (1) celebrates his touchdown run with tight end Cole Kmet (85) and other teammates against the Rams on Sept. 12, 2021, at Sofi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)As Kmet navigates working under the new coaches, he tries to keep in mind what his uncle, Jeff Zgonina, once said about what it took to last 17 seasons in the NFL.Zgonina, who was a defensive lineman for seven teams, said, “You feel like you’re getting cut every day.” It doesn’t mean operating with fear, Kmet said, but an urgency to put in the work.“Regardless of whether it was the old regime, new regime, this is the NFL — jobs are on the line every day — so you’ve got to come to work with that,” Kmet said. “Like, it’s go time. There’s no reason not to study the night before. You’ve got to know your stuff before you come in. There’s no excuse for not knowing what to do on a play whether they installed it correctly or not. You’ve got all the sheets. You’ve got everything. You’ve got to be a pro and know what you’re doing.”ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 11 Meet the Chicago Bears’ 2022 NFL draft class. (Jae C. Hong/AP)ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 15New Bears coach Matt Eberflus speaks after being introduced on Jan. 31, 2022, at Halas Hall. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)