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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)

The Chicago Bears are in Week 2 of organized team activities, and as with any team in the early stages of a rebuild, questions abound at many positions. Brad Biggs’ weekly Bears mailbag covers the running backs, secondary and offensive line — and starts by asking where the biggest holes are.Now that the draft and the first few rounds of free agency are over, where do you think the roster is most deficient? Are there any players currently available that would address those needs or will they need to wait until preseason cuts to fill those holes? — @theengineer_danAdvertisementThe Bears certainly hope they have players on the roster who can emerge as options beyond 2022 by proving themselves this season. The offensive line has legitimate questions. Is Larry Borom a starting-caliber player, especially at left tackle? Can Teven Jenkins be a good fit for this offense with his first look coming at right tackle? Who will play right guard? As for the rest of the offense, are the wide receivers good enough to be productive? Are the positive early signs from Justin Fields that the coaching staff has outlined proof he will take a significant step forward in his second season? Without significant investments on the defensive line, with the exception of pass rusher Robert Quinn, can the Bears be solid not only stopping the run, but also rushing the passer? Is there a high-caliber nickel cornerback on the roster? Can free safety Eddie Jackson bounce back from a couple of seasons that weren’t to the level of his contract? The Bears have players in place for all of these positions, and some will step up and provide good answers. How many remains to be seen. Some will fall short and there will be clear needs entering next offseason, when general manager Ryan Poles will have cap space, cash and more draft picks.AdvertisementI wouldn’t expect a windfall of solutions via preseason cuts. Generally, players whom other teams let go can serve as bridge players and depth. It’s less common that a player who is cut loose can be a real building block for the future. Try to be patient with the process. The roster will evolve over the next 15 to 16 months before the 2023 season starts.What positions are most deficient? I’d say the offensive line, wide receiver and maybe the defensive line. But we’ve yet to see the Bears in full pads or in the preseason, and real answers will come during the regular season.[ [Don’t miss] The Bears are back at Halas Hall for OTAs. Here’s a position-by-position breakdown of their roster. ]Do the Bears get a deal done with David Montgomery after this year or do you think they ultimately let him walk? I’m factoring in the emergence of Khalil Herbert. It was a small sample size but given the position, well, you know. — @runbackdaveIt’s difficult to project what Montgomery’s market will look like after this season without knowing how he will perform in the new offense. As a general rule, running backs are largely replaceable. It’s probably the easiest position on the roster to plug in help other than specialists. Look at the variety of backs the San Francisco 49ers have used with great success, and that’s a similar offensive system.Montgomery has been solid for the Bears, but for him to prove real value in this offense, he has to be more dynamic and productive as a pass catcher. Running backs who get paid now, with the exception of someone like Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans, are multidimensional threats. To me, this has less to do with how Herbert performs this season and more with what Montgomery does.Bears running back David Montgomery practices Tuesday, May 24, 2022, during OTAs at Halas Hall. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)Ryan Poles may have successfully remade the secondary on the cheap. The linebacker and defensive line core seems solid too with some promising players. What do you think the defensive ceiling/floor could be for this roster? — @jmcdavittI assume you are talking about the defense in 2022. I agree the Bears made some strong moves in the secondary by drafting cornerback Kyler Gordon and safety Jaquan Brisker in the second round. They will make some rookie mistakes — that’s natural for any first-year players — but the Bears have gotten out of the pattern of seeking veteran bridge players on the back end, at least at those two spots.The defensive line has legitimate questions. It lacks a signature interior player — someone like Tommie Harris, who was in the same scheme the last time the Bears ran the Tampa-2, or DeForest Buckner, who played for Matt Eberflus with the Indianapolis Colts. This defense requires some special players up front to play at a high level because you’re sacrificing size for athleticism, and that makes it challenging to defend the run.AdvertisementAre the Bears going to keep Robert Quinn for the season? If they do, will they get the record-setting 2021 version or the 2020 version? Free safety Eddie Jackson is coming off a couple of subpar seasons. There are fair questions about who will man the nickel position, which should be viewed as a starter. The ceiling for this group in 2022 is probably middle of the pack, and that might be attainable because the Bears don’t face the toughest schedule in terms of quarterbacks. The floor is a little below that.[ [Don’t miss] 3 Bears storylines to watch, including Justin Fields versus Mac Jones — and Lucas Patrick’s nasty edge ]Why is Jaylon Johnson taking second-team reps? — @wustinwields1The coaches wanted to look at a handful of other players who have been involved in the entire offseason program. Matt Eberflus said not to read too much into who is playing with which unit in May, and that’s good advice in this case. Eberflus said a week ago he hadn’t seen enough of Johnson on the field to say a whole lot about him. When asked about Johnson on Tuesday, he was pretty upbeat.“Now I’ve seen him for a week and I like what I see,” Eberflus said. “He’s moving around really good. His change of direction is nice. He’s got really good hands. As you know, he’s got good size. So now just really looking at his coverage ability and it’s in a good spot. We’re just working with him and trying to assess his skills and we’ll coach him as we go.”Barring something unexpected, Johnson will be a starter with second-round pick Kyler Gordon. I wouldn’t be surprised if Johnson is running with the ones at mandatory minicamp in mid-June, if not sooner. It doesn’t hurt for the coaches to send a message that those who consistently show up for voluntary work will get the first chance to be evaluated. That’s probably a motivator on some level.Is there any hope Kindle Vildor can sustain CB1? I know it’s OTAs. — @just_acyAdvertisementThat seems unlikely with Jaylon Johnson entering his third season and second-round pick Kyler Gordon getting consistent work with the starters already. A realistic best-case scenario for Vildor, who struggled at points last season, is to have a competitive training camp and preseason and put himself in position to be a top backup on the outside.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 11 Meet the Chicago Bears’ 2022 NFL draft class. (Jae C. Hong/AP)Likelihood one of the rookie offensive linemen starts Week 1? — @dwcprodzThat seems like a long shot. It looks like the Bears are rolling with Larry Borom at left tackle and Teven Jenkins at right tackle — or at least it’s headed in that direction for the start of training camp. I highly doubt the Bears have a rookie offensive tackle who will prove he’s ready to start in Week 1. The best chance — and again, I don’t think it’s a high probability — is one of the rookies getting in the mix for the right guard job, where Sam Mustipher and Dakota Dozier have spent most of the time with the ones.There’s still a chance a newcomer will arrive with a shot at the right guard job, and remember, sometimes those things play out late. The Bears sort of fell into adding guard Josh Sitton to the starting lineup back in 2016 after the Green Bay Packers released him on Labor Day weekend. When GM Ryan Poles used four Day 3 picks on offensive linemen, it was with the idea that one or two of them could push for a spot in 2023. You can’t rule it out, but speculating now is incredibly difficult because they haven’t put pads on.Any chatter about how Charles Snowden is doing? He would seem to be the fast, lengthy, smart, try-hard kind of defensive end that Matt Eberflus’ system calls for. Pre-draft some even saw him as a Day 2 pick. Obviously his broken ankle turned teams off. He definitely has the measurables. — John R., VietnamI have not heard coaches single out Snowden, but with veterans Robert Quinn and Al-Quadin Muhammad not participating in the voluntary portion of the offseason program to this point — at least from what media have been allowed to view — that has given a handful of other players more reps, more exposure and in some cases more time with the first team. Training camp and preseason will be big for players such as Snowden, who is a holdover from the previous regime. The spring is critical for Snowden to show he can pick up the techniques the coaching staff is highlighting and can understand the defense. When it comes to turning the corner and really getting after the quarterback, he’ll have to wait until pads go on in training camp.Advertisement“It’s hard to me to assess a couple things this time of year,” Matt Eberflus said. “Pass rush is hard to assess because it’s a little bit easier for the rushers to get around because there’s no pads on, but once you put the pads on and those tackles can really block ‘em, I think that’s when you really assess what it is. Same thing in the running game. How do you really assess the running game as well?”[ [Don’t miss] Bears 2022 schedule: Here’s who they’ll play — and our predictions for each matchup ]How do you think they are gonna work with Khyiris Tonga? Will they still line him up at nose tackle or try to move him to three technique? — @chicagostatmuseTonga, a seventh-round pick in 2021, was a nice surprise for the Bears as a rookie, appearing in 15 games and logging 216 defensive snaps (23%). He was an ideal fit as a nose tackle in the 3-4 scheme, so there’s a little bit of projection for him in the new front. The Bears listed him at 6-foot-4, 338 pounds last season, and they have yet to adjust the measurements for returning players. When I asked defensive line coach Travis Smith what the target weight is for Tonga this season, he said that’s a decision that involves the strength staff and powers above him. For comparison, the Colts didn’t have a defensive lineman above 314 pounds (veteran tackle Grover Stewart) at the start of last season. Tonga definitely is not a three technique, but he has a chance to play the nose in this defense, even though it’s different from manning that spot in a 3-4.“Our big thing in our front is to make sure that we’re effort first,” Smith said. “We can correct everything else. And so as long as our guys — whatever their weight is — (are) able to run and play consistently at a high level, I’m good with it.“He’s moving good. For a big man, he’s got really great feet. Recall the (term) dancing bear. We have some big men that can move, stay on their feet. We want our big men to play sideline to sideline. We’re a penetrating, vertical, edge-setting defense, but we run. All four of us. We want all four guys running. As long as they can do that, their weight is good to me.”ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 30Virginia McCaskey, the daughter of George Halas, took over as majority owner of the Chicago Bears in 1983. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

Memorial Day Weekend is almost here, which means it’s time to crown the NCAA Division I men’s and women’s lacrosse champions. After more than two weeks of games, only four teams remain in the respective brackets.Here’s what you need to know:AdvertisementMENNo. 1 seed Maryland 18, Virginia 9AdvertisementNo. 5 seed Princeton 14, No. 4 seed Yale 10No. 6 seed Rutgers 11, No. 3 seed Penn 9No. 7 seed Cornell 10, Delaware 8WOMENNo. 1 seed North Carolina 8, No. 8 seed Stony Brook 5No. 2 seed Maryland 18, No. 7 seed Florida 5No. 3 seed Boston College 20, No. 6 seed Loyola Maryland 13No. 4 seed Northwestern 15, No. 5 seed Syracuse 4AdvertisementMEN(at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut)No. 6 seed Rutgers vs. No. 7 seed Cornell, Saturday, noon, ESPN2No. 1 seed Maryland vs. No. 5 seed Princeton, Saturday, 2:30 p.m., ESPN2WOMEN(at Johns Hopkins’ Homewood Field in Baltimore)AdvertisementNo. 1 seed North Carolina vs. No. 4 seed Northwestern, Friday, 3 p.m., ESPNUNo. 2 seed Maryland vs. No. 3 seed Boston College, Friday, 5 p.m., ESPNUMENRentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn., Monday, 1 p.m., ESPNWOMENJohns Hopkins’ Homewood Field in Baltimore, Sunday, noon, ESPNAdvertisementChris Cotter, Ryan Boyle and Katie George will handle the call of Saturday’s first semifinal between Cornell and Rutgers on ESPN2. Anish Shroff, Quint Kessenich and Paul Carcaterra will provide the play-by-play and commentary for the second semifinal between Maryland and Princeton on ESPN2 and will return to call Monday’s national championship on ESPN.For the women, play-by-play commentator Jay Alter and analysts Sheehan Stanwick-Burch and Dana Boyle will be on the call for the semifinals and championship game from Homewood Field in Baltimore. The semifinals will be broadcast on ESPNU, and the national championship will be broadcast on ESPN for the first time.MENNo. 1 seed Maryland: Seeking fourth NCAA Tournament title (first since 2017)No. 5 seed Princeton: Seeking seventh NCAA Tournament title (first since 2001)No. 6 seed Rutgers: Seeking first NCAA Tournament titleAdvertisementNo. 7 seed Cornell: Seeking fourth NCAA Tournament title (first since 1977)WOMENNo. 1 seed North Carolina: Seeking third NCAA Tournament title (first since 2016)No. 2 seed Maryland: Seeking 15th NCAA Tournament title (first since 2019)No. 3 seed Boston College: Seeking second straight NCAA Tournament titleNo. 4 seed Northwestern: Seeking eighth NCAA Tournament title (first since 2012)AdvertisementMENNo. 1 seed Maryland: Fifth-year senior attackman Logan Wisnauskas (55 goals, 40 assists)No. 5 seed Princeton: Senior attackman Chris Brown (30 goals, 41 assists)Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.No. 6 seed Rutgers: Junior attackman Ross Scott (49 goals, 23 assists)No. 7 seed Cornell: Fifth-year senior attackman John Piatelli (60 goals, 15 assists)WOMENAdvertisementNo. 1 seed North Carolina: Fifth-year attacker Jamie Ortega (64 goals, 41 assists)No. 2 seed Maryland: Graduate student attacker Aurora Cordingley (66 goals, 50 assists)No. 3 seed Boston College: Graduate student attacker Charlotte North (82 goals, 23 assists)No. 4 seed Northwestern: Graduate student attacker Lauren Gilbert (74 goals, 26 assists)

This has been a banner spring for Abby Bosco. After spending four years with the Penn women’s lacrosse program, she will play in her first Final Four as a member of Maryland’s team.Nearly as rewarding is the amount of support Bosco has received from her former Quakers teammates — with many of whom she still communicates.Advertisement“There have been a ton of congratulatory texts, even from the coaches and trainers,” she said. “Everyone is definitely in my corner. A lot of people have said, ‘It’s so cool you’re getting to play in the Final Four. This is awesome.’”Maryland’s Abby Bosco, left, is one of several players who used the NCAA transfer portal to their advantage and contributed immediately to their new teams. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun )Bosco is one of several players who used the NCAA transfer portal to their advantage and contributed immediately to their new teams. For the No. 2 seed Terps (19-1), Bosco, a graduate student defender, ranks second among all Division I players in total ground balls (63). She is joined by former Johns Hopkins graduate student attacker Aurora Cordingley, who ranks fourth in the nation in points per game (5.8), and former North Carolina sophomore midfielder Shannon Smith, who is the only player on the team with at least 10 goals, 10 assists, 10 ground balls, 10 caused turnovers and 10 draw controls.AdvertisementIn fact, three of the four semifinalists have benefitted from the transfer portal. Top-seeded North Carolina (20-0) — which will open play Friday against No. 4 seed Northwestern (16-4) at 3 p.m. — has been buoyed by former Notre Dame graduate student attacker Andie Aldave (50 goals and 11 assists), former Penn State junior midfielder Olivia Dirks (19 goals and 30 draw controls) and former Richmond graduate student attacker Sam Geiersbach (29 goals and 25 assists).And No. 3 seed and reigning national champion Boston College (18-3) — which will face Maryland at about 5:30 p.m. — paired former Temple graduate student defender Courtney Taylor (84 draw controls, 31 ground balls and 25 caused turnovers) with former Duke graduate student attacker and 2021 Tewaaraton Award winner Charlotte North (82 goals, 23 assists and 132 draw controls).As much as the Terps, Tar Heels and Eagles have capitalized from the transfer portal, their respective coaches expressed some caution about going to the well too often.“The transfer portal, to me, is very dangerous and can be a slippery slope,” said Boston College coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein, an Annapolis High and Maryland graduate.Added North Carolina coach Jenny Levy, a Roland Park graduate: “Overall with [name, image and likeness deals] and the transfer portal, I think some of this needs to be re-evaluated, quite honestly.”Emily Sterling would rather shift the spotlight around, continuing to share any praise with her teammates on the defensive end of the field. But she acknowledged that she has recently raised her level of play.https://t.co/XUePCjakWM— The Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun) May 25, 2022

Their concerns stem from the notion that greener pastures in the form of more playing time and greater glory await players diving into the transfer portal. Walker-Weinstein said it can be good for players who “genuinely have not found a home,” but it also provides an “out” for athletes.“I think in some ways, one of the toughest and most important lessons you can learn is that sometimes there isn’t an out,” she said. “Sometimes you just have to find a way and tough it out and find happiness because there’s happiness everywhere.”Levy is quick to acknowledge that the Tar Heels have taken advantage of the transfer portal. But she noted that the portal has opened the door for dissatisfied or disgruntled players to leave their current teams for shinier and brighter toys.Advertisement“Even my own players here who have gone from freshman year to senior year, when they reflect on their first two years, [there is] the growth that they’ve gone through in just learning how to play the game, learning how to be a good teammate, learning how to work and train,” she said. “I think it’s a bad message to send to players, ‘Well, I’m not getting what I want, so I can transfer.’”Taylor, the Eagles defender, had planned to call it a career after her senior year at Temple last spring. But training with the U.S. national team in June refreshed her, and after entering the portal in June, she chose Boston College over Northwestern. What she’s found in Chestnut Hill is what she was looking for: “That every single person on the team gives 110% every day.”“I didn’t really find that at Temple,” added Taylor, who graduated with a bachelor’s in supply chain management and is working towards her MBA. “I loved my four years, but I just thought that was enough. I didn’t want to go back and not have a chance to win again.”Joining a new school means making new friends, adjusting to an unfamiliar campus and academic schedule, and absorbing a different playbook. Aldave, the North Carolina attacker who hails from Baltimore and graduated from McDonogh, admitted that moving from Notre Dame to North Carolina took some time, noting “you’re kind of like a freshman.”No. 2 seed Maryland women’s lacrosse returns to NCAA Final Four for 12th time in 13 seasons with 18-5 thumping of No. 7 Florida https://t.co/cEJH7RSPQG— Baltimore Sun Sports (@BaltSunSports) May 19, 2022

When the fit is right, however, transfers can enhance a team’s outlook. The trio of Bosco, Cordingley and Smith turned a Maryland program that went 10-7 and lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season into one that will make its 12th Final Four appearance in the last 13 years.Advertisement“It just gives me chills,” Bosco said of helping the Terps capture what would be an NCAA-leading 15th title. “You dream of winning a national championship, and to do something so special with such a special group of people, it would mean everything.”Bosco’s coach, Cathy Reese, said she thinks the popularity surrounding the transfer portal has increased as athletes ponder how to use the extra year of eligibility provided by the NCAA. But she admits she’s worried about “the trickle-down effect,” citing the thousands of basketball and football players who enter the transfer portal seeking more playing time.“We’ll see how that transitions,” she said. “This is all still pretty new right now, and I think adding that COVID year is what made it possible.”Will more programs follow the path traveled by North Carolina, Maryland and Boston College and mine the transfer portal? Much like professional organizations, the NCAA can be a copycat league.“I’ve spoken to a few coaches who didn’t use the transfer portal this year, and they’ve all said, ‘We’re going to hit the transfer portal hard after this year,’” said ESPN analyst and former Virginia midfielder Dana Boyle. “So I think that they’re recognizing the importance of it. I think it does create this wild, Wild West sort of dynamic, but I do think that is part of sports in general. I don’t know if you can get away from that.”Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.ESPN analyst and former Georgetown attacker Sheehan Stanwick Burch said the financial temptation of the transfer portal is different in lacrosse compared with football and basketball, which can offer full scholarships. But she said teams that have holes to fill or are seeking to strengthen a certain position can capitalize on the transfer portal.Advertisement“I don’t see it going away in the near future,” she said.NCAA Final FourNO. 2 MARYLAND VS. NO. 3 BOSTON COLLEGEFriday, 5:30 p.m.Homewood FieldTV: ESPNU