ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs will rely on a pair of new offensive tackles to protect Patrick Mahomes this season. They signed ex-Tampa Bay tackle Donovan Smith to handle the left side and former Jacksonville tackle Jawaan Taylor to handle the right during free agency. They replace Orlando Brown Jr. and Andrew Wylie, who signed elsewhere. The Chiefs also used a third-round pick for Oklahoma's Wanya Morris, who will compete at both positions and potentially provide depth this season. The hope is that Smith and Taylor can help Mahomes avoid the type of injury that nearly derailed their Super Bowl run last season.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Outside linebacker Frank Clark is still in the AFC West. Only now he's with the Denver Broncos instead of the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, who jettisoned him in a cost-cutting move this summer. The Broncos were in desperate need of more oomph in their pass rush and signed Clark for one year and $5.5 million. Clark has reunited with Russell Wilson in Denver. The two played together in Seattle during Clark's first four seasons in the NFL. Clark says neither he nor Wilson are nearing the finish line as they aim to help Denver snap a long playoff drought.
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves have added veteran infielder Nicky Lopez in a trade with the Kansas City Royals. The major league-leading Braves sent left-hander Taylor Hearn to Kansas City for the 28-year-old Lopez, who can play shortstop, second base and third. Hearn was designated for assignment by Texas on July 19. He was traded to Atlanta last week for cash, and he got one out in his only appearance with the Braves on Saturday. Lopez hit .213 with 13 RBIs in 68 games with Kansas City this season.
DENVER (AP) — Ryan McMahon hit a sacrifice fly with the bases load in the bottom of the 10th inning, lifting the Colorado Rockies to a 4-3 win over the San Diego Padres on Monday night in a game delayed 2 hours, 20 minutes by weather. McMahon also homered and doubled, Elehuris Montero also had two hits and Brad Hand (3-1) got the win for Colorado. Rockies second baseman Brendan Rodgers made his season debut with a single in four at-bats as the designated hitter. Rodgers missed the first four months of the season with a surgically-repaired torn right labrum.
CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Guardians have traded starting pitcher Aaron Civale to the Tampa Bay Rays for first base prospect Kyle Manzardo. The Guardians announced the deal Monday, one day before the trade deadline. Civale’s name has been thrown around in trade speculation for weeks, which has coincided with the right-hander pitching as well as he has in several seasons. He posted a 1.45 ERA in six July starts. On Sunday, Civale pitched six scoreless innings in a win over the White Sox. The move creates a bigger void in Cleveland's starting rotation, but the Guardians felt it was worth it to get a player with Manzardo's potential.
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs have reacquired Jeimer Candelario in a trade with the Washington Nationals. Candelario was one of the top bats on the market ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline. He's batting .258 with 16 homers and 53 RBIs in 99 games this season. The Cubs also acquired right-hander José Cuas in a trade with Kansas City for minor league outfielder Nelson Velázquez. Candelario made his big league debut with the Cubs in 2016. The Cubs got Candelario and cash from Washington for minor leaguers DJ Herz and Kevin Made. Herz was an eighth-round pick in the 2019 amateur draft.
AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — The two-time reigning champion United States came an inch short of Women’s World Cup elimination, but Portugal’s late near-miss helped the Americans avoid the biggest upset in tournament history. The Americans slipped through to the knockout round Tuesday despite a listless, uninspiring 0-0 draw. The U.S. won only one game in group play for the first time in tournament history, and scored just four goals over three games. In a hold-your-breath moment, the Americans came an inch away from elimination when Ana Capeta nearly scored in stoppage for Portugal. Her shot hit the left post and the Americans preserved the draw. The tie was just enough to ensure the Americans advanced to the knockout round.
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — The University of Colorado's decision to return to the Big 12 next year is expected to be a boon to football coach Deion Sanders' recruiting efforts in Texas and Florida. The Big 12 now sports four schools in the Lone Star State and has reached into Sanders' homestate of Florida with the addition this year of Central Florida. Athletic director Rick George pointed to the football recruiting boost as one of the benefits of leaving the Pac-12 for the Big 12 in 2024.
PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin says he's put aside his fear to find joy after practicing in pads for the first time since going into cardiac arrest during a game last season. Hamlin said he leaned on his faith in God and himself and the support of family and teammates to overcome any feelings of trepidation he had. The padded practice at training camp marked the next step in the 25-year-old Hamlin's pursuit to resume playing football. Hamlin collapsed and needed to be resuscitated on the field in January. He was cleared to play in April.
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Nearly two weeks after Don Coryell died in 2010 at age 85, an impressive lineup of Hall of Famers gathered to remember the innovative coach whose “Air Coryell” offense produced some of the most dynamic passing attacks in NFL history. John Madden and Dan Fouts were there, along with Joe Gibbs, Kellen Winslow and Charlie Joiner. They had either played for or coached under Coryell, and while remembering the coach’s genius and genuineness, the overwhelming sentiments were sadness and bewilderment that Coryell had yet to join them in Canton. Coryell will finally be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.
MONDAY SCORES
INTERLEAGUE
Final L.A. Angels 4 Atlanta 1
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Tampa Bay 5 N.Y. Yankees 1
Final Baltimore 4 Toronto 2
Final Houston 7 Cleveland 3
Final Seattle 6 Boston 2
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Philadelphia 4 Miami 2
Final Washington 5 Milwaukee 3
Final Cincinnati 6 Chicago Cubs 5
Final Colorado 4 San Diego 3
Final Arizona 4 San Francisco 3
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