Bregman, Red Sox agree to $120M, 3-year contract

Alex Bregman and the Boston Red Sox agreed to a $120 million, three-year contract, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Wednesday night.

Bregman can opt out after the 2026 and 2027 seasons to become a free agent again.

A two-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion during nine years with Houston, the 30-year-old third baseman is coming off one of his poorest offensive seasons.

Cardinals’ Mozeliak calls Arenado “pink elephant in the room”

JUPITER, Fla. >> After spending much off the offseason trying to trade Nolan Arenado, St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak admits it would be awkward if the third baseman arrives in camp Monday.

“Obviously, the pink elephant in the room is what are we going to do with Nolan Arenado,” Mozeliak said Wednesday on the first day of workouts. “Candidly, we’re still looking at what that might look like and could something happen in the next week? Possibly. Could this go into camp? Possibly.”

Angels’ Rendon out long term with hip surgery

TEMPE, Ariz. >> Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon needs hip surgery and will be out for an extended period, his latest major injury setback since joining Los Angeles.

General manager Perry Minasian told reporters at the Angels’ spring training complex Wednesday that Rendon will miss a significant amount of playing time for the fifth consecutive season.

World Cup of Hockey is set to return in 2028

MONTREAL>> The World Cup of Hockey is returning in 2028, setting the stage for the sport to get on a routine of international competitions with the world’s best players every other year.

The NHL and NHL Players’ Association unveiled plans Tuesday to host a tournament officials hope to stage in February at roughly the same timeframe as the Olympics.

The 4 Nations tournament was pared down and pushed back from initial planning because of questions over Russia’s participation given the country’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Those questions remain about the World Cup.

NCAA committee recommends adding women’s flag football

INDIANAPOLIS>> The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics has recommended that Divisions I, II and III sponsor legislation to add flag football to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program.

At least 65 NCAA schools are sponsoring women’s flag football at the club or varsity levels this year, with more slated to join in 2026. Flag football also has been added as a sport for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

Swiss skiers Allmen and Meillard win gold in the team combined event

SAALBACH-HINTERGLEMM, Austria >> Franjo von Allmen became a double world champion and Loic Meillard claimed his fourth career world championship medal when the Swiss pair won gold in the new team combined event on Wednesday.

They led a Swiss sweep of the podium at the worlds, 0.27 seconds ahead of silver medalists Alexis Monney and Tanguy Nef.

Stefan Rogentin and Marc Rochat were 0.43 behind and took bronze.

— The Associated Press