SPORTS

National baseball writer Bob Nightengale got the talking started with a post on X. HOUSTON — Alex Bregman remains a free agent, but now there’s a report that the Astros and the longtime Houston third-baseman are talking again and the door is open for him to return to Houston. And if he does come back, … Read more

Ippei Mizuhara is due to be sentenced Feb. 6 after pleading guilty to bank fraud and subscribing to a false tax return. LOS ANGELES — A nearly four-minute audio recording allegedly captured Shohei Ohtani ‘s former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara impersonating the baseball star on a call with a bank as he attempted to transfer $200,000 for … Read more

The starters were picked through a system of weighted balloting: 50% was fan voting, 25% was a media panel and 25% was voting by current players. LeBron James is extending his All-Star records. And Giannis Antetokounmpo is the people’s choice, again. The NBA revealed the starters — some of them, anyway — for the revamped … Read more

A multi-Grammy award winning singer will be leading the Super Bowl halftime show festivities alongside Kendrick Lamar. NEW ORLEANS — Guess who’s joining Kendrick Lamar on the Super Bowl halftime stage? None other than multi-Grammy winner singer SZA. Lamar and Apple Music released a trailer Thursday of him walking on a football field before SZA walked up … Read more

Victor Wembanyama put on a show in his home country. Can they go 2-0 in Paris after Saturday’s match? PARIS, France — Victor Wembanyama scored 30 points in his first NBA game on his native French soil, Devin Vassell added 25 and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Indiana Pacers 140-110 on Thursday night. Wembanyama finished … Read more

Ian Kinsler won’t make the Hall of Fame. And it could be a while before another Ranger does. ARLINGTON, Texas — Ian Kinsler won’t make the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The former Texas Rangers second baseman — a club Hall of Famer and a mainstay on the some of the best teams in Rangers … Read more