What I'm hearing on the MLB free-agent market with the Padres, Astros and more  —  A three-year, $58.5 million contract seemed high for free-agent first baseman José Abreu, who turns 36 on Jan. 29.  The Athletic's Keith Law criticized the Astros for paying him that much.

What 2022-23 MLB free agency so far means for the winter meetings  —  Just one year and one day ago, the wildest 24 hours in the history of baseball free agency unfolded.  With the inevitability of a lockout by the league placing an artificial deadline on transactions, teams rushed to sign free agents …

Rose Bowl agrees to deal allowing early CFP expansion in '24  —  The last remaining obstacle to expanding the College Football Playoff to 12 teams in the 2024 and 2025 seasons has been cleared.  —  The Rose Bowl reached an agreement that officially paves the way for the College Football Playoff …

Dolphins LT Terron Armstead showing encouraging signs in recovery from pectoral strain  —  Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel updates injury status of offensive tackles Terron Armstead and Austin Jackson leading up to game against San Francisco 49ers.  (South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Jayson Tatum (49 points), high-octane Celtics roll past Heat 134-121  —  BOSTON — This was about trying to keep pace, with the Boston Celtics scoring at a pace that would have tested the Miami Heat on their best and healthiest nights.  —  With Boston entering averaging …

Lonzo Ball is no closer to returning to the court for the Chicago Bulls: ‘He still has pain’  —  PHOENIX — The Chicago Bulls still don't have an answer on Lonzo Ball.  —  It has been nearly a year since Ball initially injured his left knee in a Jan. 14 game.

With Justin Fields still feeling out if he can play with a left shoulder injury, Chicago Bears add fourth QB as a precaution  —  ExpandAutoplay  —  1 of 171  —  Bears quarterback Justin Fields warms up before the game against the New York Jets on Nov. 27, 2022, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford …

Competitive Balance rounds set for '23 Draft  —  While the top of the 2023 Draft order is yet to be determined, with the first-ever Draft Lottery set for Tuesday, some things are starting to take shape later on in the Draft, particularly after the first and second rounds.

Ben Simmons out 3 games with left lateral upper calf strain  —  Nets star Ben Simmons will miss at least the next three games with what the team is calling a left lateral upper calf strain.  —  He will be reassessed after Sunday's matchup against the Boston Celtics, after which the Nets …

Yasiel Puig changing plea to not guilty of lying to investigators  —  NEW YORK — Former major league outfielder Yasiel Puig has decided to withdraw his agreement to plead guilty to a charge of lying to federal agents investigating an illegal gambling operation.

Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry, spitball master, dies at 84  —  GAFFNEY, S.C. — Baseball Hall of Famer and two-time Cy Young Award winner Gaylord Perry, a master of the spitball who wrote a book about using the pitch, died Thursday.  He was 84.  —  Perry died at his home in Gaffney …