South Korea star’s Cup status iffy Watson returns to Browns practice Mariners add Hernández in trade

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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson speaks to the media, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022, in Berea, Ohio, after the team announced that Watson has reached a settlement with the NFL and will serve an 11-game unpaid suspension and pay a $5 million fine rather than risk missing his first season as quarterback of the Cleveland Browns following accusations of sexual misconduct while he played for the Houston Texans. (Joshua Gunter/Cleveland.com via AP)

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Tottenham Hotspur’s South Korean striker Son Heung-Min warms up ahead of the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Tottenham Hotspur at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern England on October 29, 2022. (Photo by Daniel LEAL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images) ** OUTS - ELSENT, FPG, CM - OUTS * NM, PH, VA if sourced by CT, LA or MoD **

Toronto Blue Jays’ Teoscar Hernandez before a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics in Oakland, Calif., Monday, July 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

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Son Heung-min wore a mask at training with the South Korea team on Wednesday ahead of World Cup in Qatar and later expressed doubt about his availability for the start of the tournament because of his facial injury. The Tottenham forward hasn’t played since Nov. 2 when he sustained a fracture around his left eye following a collision with Marseille’s Chancel Mbemba in the Champions League. Son, above, underwent surgery two days later, sparking concerns about his availability for the World Cup. Speaking at a news conference after training in Doha, Son said it was “difficult for me to say when I can play.” “I will do the best I can under the circumstances,” Son added. “But it’s tough for me to say right now that I will play every game.” South Korea’s first game in Group H is against Uruguay on Nov. 24. Portugal and Ghana are also in the group. The 30-year-old Son said he was willing to take “risks” with his health. South Korea coach Paulo Bento said at the weekend that Son’s condition was being analyzed day by day by the medical staff.

Deshaun Watson whipped a short pass, pulled down on the face mask of his helmet and ducked his head before running across the field while trailing starter Jacoby Brissett and the Browns’ other quarterbacks. Still suspended, Watson is back on the field. More than two months after he began serving an 11-game NFL suspension for sexual misconduct allegations, Watson practiced Wednesday in what he and the Browns hope is the next step in him taking over as their franchise QB. It was Watson’s first on-field team workout since Aug. 30, 12 days after the three-time Pro Bowler reached a settlement with the league following accusation by more than two dozen women of sexually inappropriate behavior during massage therapy sessions in Texas. Watson, who was acquired in a trade from the Texans in March, will play his first regular-season game in 700 days on Dec. 4 when the Browns play the Texans in Houston. Watson reached financial settlements with 23 of 24 civil lawsuits filed against him. Another suit was dropped. Two grand juries declined to indict Watson on criminal charges.

The Mariners made one of the first big moves of the offseason by acquiring outfielder Teoscar Hernández from the Blue Jays in exchange for two pitchers Wednesday. Fresh off the team’s first playoff appearance in more than two decades, the Mariners added a slugging right-handed bat to their lineup with the acquisition of Hernández and addressed one of their offseason needs by finding a corner outfielder. The 30-year-old Hernández hit .267 with 25 home runs and 77 RBIs in 131 games last season for the Blue Jays and joined Mookie Betts as the only outfielders in baseball with at least 35 doubles and 25 homers. Hernández was an All-Star starter in 2021 and finished that season hitting .296 with 32 homers and 116 RBIs for the Blue Jays. He immediately will slot into the middle of the Mariners’ batting order and could end up being a replacement in right field for Mitch Haniger, who’s a free agent. For now, Hernández is a one-year acquisition by the Mariners. He’s entering his final season of being eligible for arbitration before hitting free agency after the 2023 season. —AP