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Sports brief: 7/23/20

Sports

July 23rd, 2020 by Ric Hanson

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Royals outfielder Hunter Dozier has tested positive for COVID-19 and was placed on the injured list before the club played its final exhibition game against the Cardinals in St. Louis on Wednesday. The 28-year-old Dozier is coming off a breakthrough season in which he hit 26 homers with 84 RBIs and tying for the American League lead in triples. He is expected to play a big role for the Royals during their abbreviated 60-game season, which begins against the Indians on Friday night in Cleveland.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Clint Bowyer would usually be swamped by family and friends during the first of two trips to his home track this season. Instead, the Cup Series star will be running in front of mostly empty seats again at Kansas Speedway. The series has had limited fans for select races since returning fro the coronavirus pandemic, but hot spots in Kansas and neighboring Missouri forced officials to pull the plug on fans earlier this month. That doesn’t take the pressure off Bowyer, though. He’s still looking to secure a playoff spot for this season and a ride for next.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mookie Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers have struck baseball’s first big-money deal since the coronavirus pandemic decimated the sport’s economics. The 12-year, $365 million contract runs through 2032 and removes the top offensive player from next off-season’s free-agent class. The deal is baseball’s second-largest in total dollars behind the $426.5 million, 12-year contract for Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout covering 2019-30.

UNDATED (AP) — The NFL Players Association says 95 players are known to have tested positive for the coronavirus. That number is up from 72 in the union’s last report on July 10. The NFLPA and the NFL reached agreement Monday on COVID-19 testing as rookies begin reporting to training camps. Most veterans come in next week, though some players rehabbing injuries could report this week.