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SARASOTA, Fla. -- Baltimore Orioles star shortstop Gunnar Henderson was removed from a spring training game on Thursday because of lower right side discomfort.
Henderson, the 2023 American League Rookie of the Year and a 2024 All-Star Game selection, made a jumping catch of a line drive in the field against Toronto and grounded out in the first inning before he was taken out as a precautionary measure, manager Brandon Hyde said after the game. Hyde said Henderson felt his side tighten up after the catch, but that Henderson doesn't need an MRI.
Henderson, who debuted with the Orioles in 2022 after being drafted in the second round in 2019, has never been on the injured list in the major leagues. He played in 150 games in 2023 and 159 games in 2024, when he set career highs with 31 doubles, 37 homers, 92 RBI, 21 steals and an .893 OPS.
The Orioles are also missing All-Star third baseman Jordan Westburg, who is out for at least a few more days because of a sore lower back.
Burger homers in 1st game since infant's surgery
Countless home runs are hit every spring training. But it would be tough to argue many carry more meaning than the two-run shot Jake Burger hit Thursday.
Burger spent the week at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, where his 4-month-old daughter, Penelope, had open-heart surgery. The procedure, which was planned, was a success, Burger told reporters, and the veteran first baseman rejoined his new Texas Rangers teammates Thursday morning ahead of their spring game against the Seattle Mariners.
A few hours later, Burger stepped to the plate in Surprise, Arizona, and launched a fifth-inning home run off Mariners right-hander Blas Castano. It was his first home run of the spring for Texas, which acquired him in a December trade with the Miami Marlins, and considering the emotions of the previous few days, an incredible moment for the slugger.
"Man, I can't even imagine the two days he went through and how intense it must've been," Texas manager Bruce Bochy told reporters. "It's incredible what his young daughter, Penelope, went through."
Penelope was born Oct. 25 with Down syndrome, a condition in which a person is born with an extra chromosome, causing mild to moderate cognitive disability, developmental delays and physical challenges.
Burger and his wife, Ashlyn, knew Penelope would need heart surgery sometime during spring training. It happened Monday at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital.
"You have to have faith in something when you're in the waiting room there," Burger said, according to The Dallas Morning News. "My faith in God and my faith in my family just grew exponentially. Just blessed and grateful to have Penelope on the mend and ready to come to some Ranger baseball."
1st Burger Bomb of Spring! pic.twitter.com/V1Ci011Oyj
Texas Rangers (@Rangers) February 27, 2025
Burger said he remained with Penelope until late Wednesday night, even holding her hand at the hospital before he took an early-morning flight to Arizona.
When he stepped to the plate against Castano, he was wearing Penelope's hospital band on his left wrist.
"I landed at 7:40, drove straight here and got to work," Burger told reporters. "Maybe that's the secret sauce there. I don't know if I want to do that on a daily basis, but, if we need a home run, maybe? Maybe throw that in there."
Burger will wear No. 21 for the Rangers this season. The number is a nod to trisomy 21, the clinical name for Down syndrome, and by wearing it, Burger has said he hoped it would help raise awareness about the condition.
Benintendi HBP, out 4-6 weeks with broken hand
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Chicago White Sox left fielder Andrew Benintendi will miss four to six weeks with a broken hand after being hit by a pitch in a spring training game on Thursday.
Benintendi was hit on the right hand with an 87 mph fastball by Cleveland right-hander Logan Allen in the first inning and left the game. The White Sox announced the diagnosis as a non-displaced fracture, with no surgery required.
The recovery timetable means Benintendi likely will start the season on the injured list. The White Sox open at home on March 27 against the Los Angeles Angels.
Benintendi signed a $75 million, five-year contract with the White Sox prior to the 2023 season. After debuting with Boston in 2016 and helping the Red Sox with the World Series in 2018, he was traded to Kansas City in 2021. He won a Gold Glove that year and was selected for his first All-Star team in 2022, before being traded to the New York Yankees for the stretch run.
Benintendi matched his career high in 2024 with 20 homers but batted just .229, his worst average for a full season, excluding the pandemic-shortened 2020 schedule. He has played in 286 games in two seasons with Chicago.
World number two Alexander Zverev suffered a shock early exit from the Mexican Open with a straight-set defeat against teenage qualifier Learner Tien.
Australian Open finalist Zverev, the top seed in Acapulco, put in an uncharacteristically error-strewn performance as American Tien won 6-3 6-4.
Tien, 19, beat Briton Cameron Norrie in the previous round and will face Czech Tomas Machac in the quarter-finals.
"I just went out there and tried to control my side of the court," said Tien.
"Obviously I knew it was going to be a tough match. To come through feels great... I think just focusing on what I can control and keeping my cool as best as I can has really taken me a long way."
Tien is the youngest American man to record a victory against a top-three opponent since Andy Roddick in 2001.
He has enjoyed a memorable few months, reaching the final at the Next Gen ATP Finals in December before making it through to the fourth round at the Australian Open in January.
Zverev is one of six seeds to exit the competition in the second round.
Casper Ruud, Tommy Paul and Holger Rune all pulled out because of a stomach bug, while Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe were beaten by David Goffin and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina respectively.
Ruud finished runner-up at the ATP 500 event in 2024 but the second seed did not make it to the court for his encounter against local favourite Rodrigo Pacheco Mendez.
"I was hoping to overcome this stomach illness that showed up yesterday," Ruud said on Instagram.
"Hoping to come back stronger in a couple of days and come back here to Mexico next year."
Rune, seeded fourth, began his match against Brandon Nakashima but had to retire while trailing 3-0 in the first set.
"Furious and so sad at the same time. Had food poisoning and was unable to play today," Rune said on X.
"One of my favourite places is Mexico and I love this tournament. Absolutely not the way I wanted it to end."
Newcastle's last trophy came in 2004 when they defeated Sale Sharks 37-33 at Twickenham in the Powergen Cup.
Since then, all of the current Premiership clubs have won a trophy - with the exception of the north east outfit.
The Falcons sit bottom of the league with two wins from their 11 games, but Diamond has targeted a strong showing in the Premiership Rugby Cup all season.
And with Newcastle not losing as many of their players to international duty as many other clubs, they sense an opportunity.
"Our captain, Callum Chick, produced a really good presentation ahead of the group stages called '21'," revealed Diamond, twice a winner in this competition with Sale in 2020 and Worcester Warriors two years later.
"It was about 21 years since we had won anything and he showed pictures of that day at Twickenham. Micky Ward, our defence coach, was playing for us.
"It really hit home with the players."
Kidwell eyes Tigers success as he makes coaching switch
Tigers are fourth in the table, 11 games into their 18-match Premiership campaign, and will face Glasgow Warriors in the Round of 16 of the European Champions Cup.
Kidwell, a rugby league World Cup-winning player with New Zealand in 2008 who went on to coach the national side between 2016 and 2018, had a spell playing the 13-man game in England with Super League side Warrington Wolves.
That stint came early in his career and before be collected a National Rugby League title with Sydney Roosters in 2002.
He got to another NRL Grand Final with Melbourne Storm later in his career, but it was not until he moved into coaching that he helped the Victorian club to the Australian crown.
Chieka says Kidwell will bring "a unique perspective" and "offer a valuable, new point of view" for the remainder of the season.
"Having worked with him before, I know what positives he will bring into our environment and that extends beyond just the players to the coaches and staff with the experience and knowledge he can pass on to them to help us improve," Cheika said.
"David was a tough player, successful player and both of those mindsets are going to be important for us."
Ex-England coach Jones returns to South Africa staff
Former England defence coach Felix Jones will become an assistant coach with South Africa from next week.
Jones stepped down from his position with England in December after becoming disillusioned in Steve Borthwick's set-up.
The 37-year-old was part of the Springboks' coaching staff during their 2019 and 2023 World Cup victories, working under head coach Rassie Erasmus in the first of those triumphs.
"We are delighted to welcome Felix back and we are excited to see him pick up where he left off in 2023," said Erasmus, who returned as head coach when Jacques Nienaber left for Leinster following the 2023 World Cup win.
"He was a vital cog in the coaching team from 2019 to 2023 and his experience, professionalism, and excellent work ethic will make him a great addition.
"After spending some time in England, his experience of studying opposition teams in the Six Nations and other international tournaments will add immense value in assisting us as we cast an eye on a tough international season ahead."
Former Ireland wing Jones is one of three new appointments to Erasmus' backroom staff along with physiotherapist Lance Lemmetjies and team dietician Robyn Moore.
"As a team we are well aware that we need to keep improving and growing if we want to remain one of the best teams in the world and to give ourselves the best possible chance to defend our World Cup title in Australia in 2027," Erasmus added.
"Felix, like all the other coaching and support staff, will play a key role in guiding us to do so."
Ireland's Peter O'Mahony, Cian Healy and Conor Murray will retire from international rugby at the end of this year's Six Nations.
The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) confirmed that Ireland's former captain O'Mahony and most-capped player Healy will retire from rugby at the end of the season, while Murray will "pursue a playing opportunity abroad" when his Munster deal concludes this summer.
All three players are five-time Six Nations champions, two-time Grand Slam winners and have earned over 100 caps for Ireland.
O'Mahony, Healy and Murray will hope to secure a sixth Six Nations title and third Grand Slam by helping Ireland win their final two matches against France and Italy.
"Hi everyone, we've got some news to share: this will be our last Six Nations in green," the trio said in a video posted on Ireland's X account.
"It's been an unbelievable journey and I consider myself very lucky but the job isn't done and we've a big couple of weeks ahead.
"The three of us have done some very special things together but we're not done yet.
"Your support over the years has been incredible and has never gone unnoticed, so thank you and we hope to see you in the Aviva [Stadium] one last time next weekend [against France]."
Ireland interim head coach Simon Easterby said it has been a "privilege" to work with O'Mahony, Healy and Murray since 2014, when he joined the coaching set-up.
"They have each played a huge role in the success of Irish rugby over the course of their careers and they continue to inspire their team-mates around them," said Easterby.
"Watching how openly they engage with players in their own position and continue to add value around the set-up is testament to their collective character and they are also adding real value on the pitch.
"Knowing each of the guys, they will be focused on achieving even more success this season and we are determined as a group to end their careers with Ireland on a high over these last two rounds."
SPEEDWAY, Ind. This years USAC Hall of Fame class of inductees has been revealed.
USACs 12th Hall of Fame includes driver/car owner Jack Bowsher, driver Dave Darland, car owner/official Bob Estes, car owner/crew chief Bob Hampshire, promoters Roger and Linda Holdeman, official Tommy Hunt and driver Gordon Johncock.
The official 2025 USAC Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place at USAC headquarters in Speedway, Ind., on Wednesday afternoon, July 2.
JACK BOWSHER
Although he never earned a championship in USAC Stock Car competition, Jack Bowsher was undoubtedly one of the preeminent figures of the sport.
Born in Harmony, Ohio on Oct. 2, 1930, the U.S. Navy veterans USAC career spanned more than two decades. Prior to tackling USAC full-time, Bowsher found major success with three consecutive ARCA crowns in 1963-1964-1965.
His USAC resume ranks among the upper echelon. His 21 wins as a driver rank seventh; his 32 pole positions as a driver place him third; his 162 starts as a driver are eighth best; and his 38 car owner victories slot him third.
As a driver and car owner, Bowsher was equally proficient, finishing as the runner-up in USAC entrant points on three-straight occasions in 1968-1969-1970, while also placing two entries inside the top-five of the points in all three seasons. In 1971, he took second in the standings as a driver, boosted by a four-race winning streak.
Among those winning USAC Stock Car races in Jack Bowsher-owned cars are Parnelli Jones and A.J. Foyt, the latter of whom won four times in Bowshers ride en route to the 1968 driving title. Bowsher died on April 8, 2006, at age 75.
DAVE DARLAND
One of eight USAC career Triple Crown champions, by the time he hung up the helmet in 2023, Dave Darland had amassed more USAC National Sprint Car victories than any other driver.
Born on Sept. 4, 1966, in Lincoln, Indiana, Darland earned his stripes by becoming a force on the local Indiana sprint car circuit. In time, hed take the USAC world by storm, capturing four national driving titles: Silver Crown (1997), Sprint (1999) and Midget (2001-2002).
The first of his 62 USAC National Sprint car triumphs arrived in 1993, and proved to be the first of his 115 total USAC feature victories (nationally and regionally), which also includes 30 National Midget triumphs and 14 Silver Crown. Hes one of only seven drivers to surpass 100 career USAC wins.
His 1,334 USAC National starts rank number one all-time as do his 797 USAC Sprint Car starts between 1986-2023. One of Darlands greatest attributes is his longevity of success.
In fact, Darland scored at least one USAC national feature victory in a record 24 consecutive seasons between 1993-2016. All these years later, Darland has solidified his position as one of the all-time USAC greats, a status he will retain for eternity.
BOB ESTES
As one of USACs founding fathers, Bob Estes was monumental in the clubs formative years both on and off the track.
Born in Los Angeles, California on Sept. 21, 1913, following a foray as a driver himself, Estes focus soon shifted toward business and race team ownership.
Following his service in World War II, Estes purchased a Lincoln-Mercury dealership in Inglewood, California. With his dealership employee and car builder Jud Phillips as his sidekick, Estes team captured AAA Midwest Sprint Car championships in 1953-1954 with Pat OConnor.
At USACs inception in 1955, Estes was elected as the national car owner representative, a role he helmed until 1960. Later, hed also serve USAC as its western regional representative.
OConnor and Estes earned the inaugural USAC Midwest Sprint Car title in 1956. With Don Branson in 1959, Estes team duplicated its USAC Midwest Sprint championship. Estes also fielded several Indianapolis 500 entries, finishing a best of third with Don Freeland in the 1956 race.
Aside from the ovals, Ken Miles captured victory during the 1959 USAC Road Racing opener in Pomona, California, driving a Porsche RS Spyder owned by Estes. Estes died on Dec. 11, 2001, at the age of 88.
BOB HAMPSHIRE
Without question, Bob Hampshire was instrumental in two of the most dominant eras by any driver in USAC history.
Born on Sept. 25, 1946, Hampshires initial success as a USAC car owner came with Jac Haudenschild, who corralled a pair of wins in 1982. Yet Hampshires most iconic seasons came in association with Jack Hewitt. In all, the pair teamed up for 22 USAC Sprint Car victories between 1985-1997.
That said, Hampshire and Hewitts success on the USAC Silver Crown trail was simply dominant. Armed with their Challenger Chevy nicknamed Gussie, they annihilated the competition, winning all six dirt races they entered in 1986. In 1987, they repeated as series champs.
Hampshire is credited with 14 USAC Silver Crown owner wins, which once ranked as the most in series history. However, as a crew chief, Hampshire has orchestrated a boatload of victories with Hewitt at 6R Racing and 21 more with Kody Swanson at DePalma Motorsports between 2014-2018, a run which included four series titles in a five-year span.
In 2014, Hampshire was named USACs Chief Mechanic of the Year, and in 2018, his 63 became the first number officially retired for use in the USAC Silver Crown series.
ROGER & LINDA HOLDEMAN
When Roger Holdeman purchased Indianas Winchester Speedway in 1970, the half-mile, high-banked oval was already world famous for its breathtaking speed and incomparable competition.
But in the years to follow, Holdeman took the hallowed grounds to another level while hosting 123 races between USACs Sprint, Midget and Stock Car divisions, many of which featured unique double and tripleheader formats along with cornerstone events such as the Rich Vogler Classic, Sammy Sessions Memorial, Border Wars and Oldtimers Weekend.
It was also a perfect match. Born and raised in Winchester, Roger graduated in 1957 from Winchester High School where he served as class president. As caretaker of Winchester Speedway, he oversaw a complete reconstruction of the grandstands, multiple repaves, the creation of a tunnel and new track lights.
In 1988, Roger married Linda, who had served as the promoter at Oswego Speedway. By 1989, the two were managing the tracks day-to-day duties and even constructed their new home outside turn one. A year later, Roger and Linda were named USACs Race Organizers of the Year for 1990.
Roger passed away at age 58 in 1996. Later that year, Linda was the recipient of the Diana Fell Gilmore Woman Behind the Scenes award.
TOMMY HUNT
The Hunt family was born to be motorsports lifers, and Tommy Hunt certainly fits the mold to a T.
Tommys father, Joe Hunt, was a magneto magnate and a longtime champ car team owner, employing many of the greatest drivers of the era. Tommys son, Tony Hunt, is a 10-time USAC driving champion in both rear engine machinery and sprint car racing.
Tommy was entrenched in the sport from day one, serving on the crew for his dads team. Eventually, Tommy became a driver himself, most notably scoring three California Racing Assn Sprint Car feature wins, plus 1974 Most Improved Driver honors, while also running the familys magneto business until 1986.
Those experiences prepared Tommy for his role of 28 years at USAC between 1986-2013 in which he served as Vice President and the head of the series west coast operations where he oversaw the Midget, Sprint Car, Supermodified divisions, and was instrumental in introducing both the F2000 and Russell Pro series to USAC as well as the introduction of the Ford Focus Midget series.
Serving the sport with integrity, professionalism and doing things the right way, Tommy was honored with the Dick Jordan Award of Excellence in 2024.
GORDON JOHNCOCK
Gordon Johncock was a natural behind the wheel and became one of the premier drivers of his era, and of any era.
Born on Aug. 5, 1936, in Hastings, Mich., Johncock initially made his mark in supermodifieds, winning throughout the Midwest and as far east as New Yorks Oswego Speedway.
In sprint cars, Johncock scored the inaugural Williams Grove National Open in 1963. With USAC in 1964, he opened eyes by conquering Indianas daunting Winchester Speedway, while also setting a new world record in qualifying, doing so without brakes at an average speed of nearly 105 mph.
Finishing fifth as an Indianapolis 500 Rookie in 1965, Johncock carried onward to his first Indy Car win at Milwaukee that same year, the first of his 20 career USAC National Championship victories.
His defining moments came at Indianapolis in the tragedy-marred 1973 race, and again in 1982, when his 0.16 second winning margin over Rick Mears proved to be the closest in race history at the time. In 1976, he earned the series championship.
Johncock was adept at adapting to any setting, even winning a pair of USAC Stock Car races in 1972 at Milwaukee and in 1973 at Texas World Speedway.
Wyshynski's NHL trade deadline Big Board: From superstar shocks to pending free agents to glue guys
The rise of the salary cap changes everything in the NHL.
On Jan. 31, the league and the NHLPA announced an agreement to create "increased predictability" about the salary cap over the next three seasons, provided there's a new collective bargaining agreement beyond the 2025-26 season. The upper limits for the cap are projected as:
2025-26: $95.5 million
2026-27: $104 million
2027-28: $113.5 million
It's a shrewd negotiating tactic, giving the players a sense of the league's prosperity and their own future earning potential under a skyrocketing cap. But it also materially changed how teams could approach the March 7 NHL trade deadline.
"I think this is going to be an interesting deadline. Everybody's like, 'We're going to have money next year.' So I wonder if you might see some actual contracts move," one NHL team executive said. "I think teams might be looking at free agency this summer and wondering what they're actually going to get out of it. So maybe they're willing to trade for Seth Jones or something at the deadline."
With that salary cap bump on the horizon, here's a look at the players who could move before the NHL trade deadline on March 7 at 3 p.m. ET, from the shocking possibilities to the pending free agents to the players with low-cost contracts who could be the difference in winning the Stanley Cup.
This list was compiled through conversations with league executives and other sources, as well as media reports. ESPN insiders Kevin Weekes and Emily Kaplan added their input in its creation. Salary figures are from Cap Wages and PuckPedia.
Let's begin with the biggest names.
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