Oneil Cruz insists he’s a shortstop. One problem: genetics. The Dominican Republic native was 6-foot-1 or so 16-year-old when the Pittsburgh Pirates signed him. The tools — particularly the power and arm strength — were evident. So was the potential. That potential has only grown ...

PITTSBURGH — Ben Roethlisberger is returning for an 18th season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and is taking a pay cut to do it. The team and the two-time Super Bowl winner announced on Thursday they have agreed on a new contract that assures the 39-year-old will be back in 2021. Financial ...

COLUMBUS — No. 7 Ohio State is searching for answers to its perplexing February fade as No. 4 Illinois comes to town for the regular-season finale Saturday ahead of what promises to be an arduous Big Ten tournament. Postseason success in college basketball is all about peaking in March, ...

CLEVELAND — The Browns won’t be chasing a quarterback in free agency. They aren’t stressing over which one to take in the NFL draft or looking to make a trade. For once, they appear to be set at QB. Baker Mayfield has brought wins, change and calm to Cleveland. Coming off a solid ...

CLEVELAND — Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said Wednesday he couldn’t comment on his previous remarks about Mickey Callaway’s conduct due to Major League Baseball’s ongoing investigation into sexual harassment allegations against the team’s former pitching ...

CLEVELAND — T.J. McConnell set an NBA record with nine steals in the first half and posted his second career triple-double with 16 points, 13 assists and a franchise-best 10 steals, leading the Indiana Pacers to a 114-111 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. McConnell ...

Steven Brault can exhale — sort of. For the first time in his major league career, the relentlessly upbeat Pittsburgh Pirates lefty is not spending spring training freaking out over whether he’ll have a job at the end of the month. The 28-year-old will be in the starting rotation when the ...

CLEVELAND — Responding to claims the team protected Mickey Callaway, Indians manager Terry Francona said no one in the Cleveland organization “covered up” for the former pitching coach who’s under investigation by Major League Baseball following allegations of sexual ...

CLEVELAND — Kevin Stefanski’s first season as an NFL head coach was sublime, almost storybook. He ended Cleveland’s long playoff drought, won a postseason game — watching from his basement as he recovered from COVID-19 — and guided his team around endless obstacles in a global ...

Hubbard graduate — and the Eagles’ defensive coordinator for the past five seasons — Sam Bellino is expected to be approved next Monday as the sixth football head coach at Lakeview High School. Bellino will replace Tom Pavlansky who coached the Bulldogs for the past 22 seasons before ...

NHL: Pens, Jackets win with fans PITTSBURGH — Kasperi Kapanen scored two goals and the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 5-2 on Tuesday night. The Penguins won in front of their fans for the first time in almost a year, as state coronavirus restrictions were eased at ...

Shane Bieber’s final start last season was rough. His first one in 2021 wasn’t too much better. The AL Cy Young winner gave up four runs and didn’t make it through his scheduled two innings on Monday as the Cleveland Indians lost to the Kansas City Royals 8-6 in Goodyear, Arizona. But ...

HOUSTON (AP) — Collin Sexton scored 39 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers handed the hapless Houston Rockets their 12th straight loss with a 101-90 victory on Monday night. The Cavaliers have won a season-high four straight after losing their previous 10 games. “It gives our guys ...

COLUMBUS — Luka Garza rushed through a national TV interview after No. 9 Iowa routed No. 4 Ohio State on Sunday because he couldn’t wait to start celebrating with teammates back in the locker room. “They waited on me, and we had a little celebration,” Garza said after scoring 24 ...

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Oliver Wahlstrom and Jean-Gabriel Pageau each scored power-play goals and rookie Ilya Sorokin made 20 saves as the New York Islanders finished a strong February with a 2-0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday night. The Islanders went 8-2-2 during February, with all ...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nick Cousins, Eeli Tolvanen and Erik Haula scored and Juuse Saros made 28 saves to lead the Nashville Predators to a 3-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Roman Josi had two assists for the Predators, who have won four of five. Kevin Stenlund scored and Joonas ...

As sure as the sun will rise tomorrow, winter will defrost and great fishing days will soon be upon us. Just when we get to the point where winter seems like it will never break, the thaw begins. Sure, we’ll get another blast, but most ice fishers are stowing their sleds and augers and ...

CLEVELAND — Once adversaries, Eddie Rosario and Indians manager Terry Francona are now allies. So when Rosario, who spent the past six seasons hammering Cleveland pitchers while in Minnesota, sat down with Francona at spring training camp in Arizona for the first time last week, the ...

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Aaron Henry had 18 points to help Michigan State improve its chances of making the NCAA Tournament with a 71-67 win over No. 4 Ohio State on Thursday night, two days after coach Tom Izzo’s team beat No. 5 Illinois by nine points. The Spartans (13-9, 7-9 Big Ten) ...

COLUMBUS — Patrick Kane broke a scoreless tie in the third period for his 399th career goal, Malcolm Subban got his first shutout of the season and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-0 on Thursday night to sweep a two-game series. After combining for 11 goals in the ...