Sports

White Sox designated hitter Yermin Mercedes (73) points to the fans while running the bases after homering in the first inning of the home opener against the Kansas City Royals at Guaranteed Rate Field on April 8, 2021. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

Taylor, who put the teams on the market last year, said Rodriguez and Lore first approached him a week ago. The pair traveled to meet Taylor and his wife at their winter home in Naples, Fla. In a phone interview with The Associated Press, Taylor said he told all interested parties throughout the sale process that keeping the franchises in town was a prerequisite for purchase.

Only 1:03 into the game Saturday, Michael Del Zotto fired a long-range shot that lipped out of Kevin Lankinen’s glove and into the net. Two minutes and 10 seconds later, perpetual Hawks tormentor Cam Atkinson tipped in a goal Jack Roslovic sent cross ice from the wall.

Davies uncharacteristically walked three Pirates in the second, compounding his problems. He had a chance to get out of the inning with only two runs across but couldn’t get the final out. He forced Pirates starter Mitch Keller to hit into a fielder’s choice for the second out; however, the next four batters reached base, driving in five more runs.

In a stunning turnaround after storms doused the course Saturday at the Masters, Matsuyama had four birdies, an eagle and a superb par at the end of a 7-under 65, turning a three-shot deficit into a four-shot lead as he tries to become the first Japanese player to win a men’s major.

“I think that this is — I wouldn’t say one of the best things to happen to us, but something that is very good for us,” coach Vlatko Andonovski said. “In fact, that’s why we came here. We came here to play good teams, we came to Europe to play opponents to get exposed to the different tactics, high-level tactics, organized teams, to try to overcome all of that.”

High salaries and risk of injuries are the main reasons, no doubt. And having a boatload of power arms in the bullpen at your disposal is another. The Sox have seven relievers whose fastball averaged between 95 and 98 mph in the first week of 2021: Codi Heuer (98.2 mph), Michael Kopech (97.0), Garrett Crochet (96.7), Hendriks (96.3), Jose Ruiz (95.9), Aaron Bummer (95.8) and Foster (94.9). You’d imagine those numbers will tick up once their arms are built up and the weather gets warmer.

The Cubs have largely avoided COVID-19 issues. They were the only team last season not to have a player test positive, beginning with the initial intake testing in July. The Cubs had a minor-league player test positive toward the end of spring training this year, but nobody was deemed a close contact.

“I would say from a performance standpoint, we got into the areas of the field we wanted to get in. I think the decision making in those areas, certainly, will need to be better. We missed a few extra passes, we didn’t cover the right areas in the box in some services. But for the first time playing a proper NWSL opponent, we’ll take it and move forward with it.”

LaVine, the first Bulls player to score 30 in the first half since Michael Jordan had as many on Feb. 24, 1997, against the Portland Trail Blazers, had another crowning achievement this season. He began the game as one of three players to average 25 points while shooting 50% from the field, 40% on 3s and 85% on free throws.