712 Digital Group - top

Midwest Sports Headlines: 7/15/20

Sports

July 15th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have agreed with defensive tackle Chris Jones on a four-year, $85 million contract extension that includes $60 million in guarantees, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Tuesday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced the signing. The Chiefs and representatives for Jones have been working on a contract extension ever since last year, when they remained far apart on terms and the Pro Bowl selection skipped the entirety of the offseason program. Jones was back in time for training camp and helped the Chiefs win their first Super Bowl in 50 years in February.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Left-hander Danny Duffy will start for the Kansas City Royals when they open the season against the Indians in Cleveland next week. The 31-year-old Duffy will make his third start on opening day, although this one is far different than the others. The game July 24 will begin a season shortened to 60 games because of the coronavirus pandemic that will last through August and September. Duffy went 7-6 with a 4.34 ERA in 23 starts last season.

UNDATED (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals have enjoyed a relatively quiet ramp-up to next week’s opener of their abbreviated season. Their core players have continued to test negative for COVID-19 during their workouts at Busch Stadium ahead of next week’s opener to their abbreviated season. They haven’t had any injuries pop up that could dramatically alter their plans for the starting rotation or lineup. And the few questions they did have during the spring, such as how they would cast their deep platoon of outfielders and how they would stack their bullpen, have been largely answered.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals hope their youth gives them a unique ability to adapt to the rapidly changing environment in which they hope to not just complete a 60-game abbreviate season but actually contend into the final weeks of September. Already, that flexibility has been put to the test with four positive COVID-19 tests, including both of the catchers on their 40-man roster. All were asymptomatic and they hope all of them are back for the start of the season next week in Cleveland.

CHICAGO (AP) — Jake Burger is going to play in a local league this summer in his hometown of St. Louis after the Chicago White Sox approved the plan for their first-round pick in the 2017 amateur draft. It’s a chance for the third baseman to get back on the field after he tore his left Achilles tendon twice, sidelining him for each of the previous two seasons. The cancellation of this year’s minor league season left prospects like Burger without anywhere to go for game action that could help continue their development. It remains to be seen how many teams permit their prospects to play in organized leagues this summer.