Padres hope Juan Soto cleared for World Baseball Classic  —  Juan Soto ran sprints in the outfield, took some big swings in batting practice and signed a few autographs at the San Diego Padres spring training complex Wednesday after the early workout to test a left calf that kept him in Arizona.

State boys hockey: Hermantown strikes early, throttles Luverne  — More-  —  Seventy-one seconds was all it took for Hermantown to seize control of its state quarterfinal matchup against Luverne on Wednesday at the Xcel Energy Center.  —  Senior Aaron Evjen scored at the 6:28 mark …

Jets feeling more optimistic about landing star QB Aaron Rodgers: report  —  On Tuesday, Jets brass flew out to California to meet with Aaron Rodgers after receiving permission from the Packers to talk to the star quarterback.  Jets owner Woody Johnson, general manager Joe Douglas …

Inside the Daniel Jones deal  —  As usual we've gotten a look at the details of the Daniel Jones contract.  —  As usual, here they are.  —  1. Signing bonus: $36 million.  —  2. 2023 base salary: $9.5 million, fully guaranteed.  —  3. 2023 workout bonus: $500,000, fully guaranteed.

World Baseball Classic kicks off with Netherlands, Panama victories  —  The Dutch open the 20-team tournament defeating Cuba 4-2, then Panama routs Taiwan 12-5 in a four-hour game  —  TAICHUNG, Taiwan — The 20-team World Baseball Classic got underway after a six-year absence …

UCLA will be without Jaylen Clark for Pac-12 Tournament and possibly longer  —  The Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, who suffered a lower-leg injury Saturday, will not travel to Las Vegas  —  As of Wednesday morning, UCLA's next opponent was unknown.  On paper, the second-ranked Bruins …

Yankees' Carlos Rodon to start season on injured list due to left forearm strain  —  The Yankees will have to wait to deploy their new ace.  —  Carlos Rodon will begin the season on the injured list due to a mild left forearm strain, GM Brian Cashman told reporters on Thursday at the Yankees spring complex in Tampa.

Lorenzo Cain to retire this summer as a Royal  —  Lorenzo Cain is hanging up his cleats.  —  The two-time All-Star and former American League Championship Series MVP will officially retire this summer as a Kansas City Royal.  —  “I left it in the hands of my boys,” Cain, father to three boys ages 5 to 8, told The Athletic.

Dolphins clear cap space with Bradley Chubb restructure  —  The Dolphins signed edge rusher Bradley Chubb to a five-year extension after acquiring him in a trade with the Broncos last year and they've turned back to that contract in order to create some cap space ahead of the new league year.

Judge gets first look in LF, praises Volpe  —  TAMPA, Fla. — Aaron Judge had hoped for more action in his Grapefruit League left field debut, but with pitchers Gerrit Cole and Greg Weissert largely overpowering the Cardinals' lineup, the Yankees' new captain had more time than anticipated to ponder his thoughts.

Trevor Zegras authors another dazzling goal in Ducks' loss to Kraken  —  Zegras slips behind Seattle's defense in the second period, pulls the puck between his legs and flips it over goaltender Philipp Grubauer's shoulder in a 5-2 loss  —  SEATTLE — Trevor Zegras scored a spectacular between …

Aaron Judge's free agency: How a small inner circle and a 3 a.m. phone call kept him a Yankee  —  At about 2 a.m on Dec. 7, a weary Aaron Judge completed his second flight in a 24-hour span, with a third coming up just a few hours later.  He had traveled from Tampa to San Diego to Stockton, Calif., 20 minutes from his home in Linden.

Luke Voit emblematic of ex-Yankees prospects' Bronx glow  —  MORE FROM:  —  PHOENIX — What if we had it wrong?  —  What if the group of position players who fizzled with the Yankees actually overachieved with the team rather than underachieved?  —  What if the business of baseball …

Detroit Tigers 3B Tyler Nevin reports oblique soreness; Andy Ibáñez injures finger  —  LAKELAND, Fla. — Detroit Tigers third baseman Tyler Nevin, in the thick of a fierce competition for a spot on the Opening Day roster, removed himself from batting practice Tuesday and reported soreness in his oblique.