LAS VEGAS >> Former Las Vegas Raiders President Marc Badain was hired Thursday for the same position with the Athletics.

Badain succeeds Dave Kaval, who announced his resignation on Dec. 27. Sandy Dean, who has been spearheading approval and construction of a new stadium in Las Vegas, had been the acting president.

After leaving Oakland at the end of the 2024 season, the A’s will play at least three seasons at a Triple-A ballpark in West Sacramento. They hope their Las Vegas stadium will open for the 2028 season.

Badain also was a key figure in the Raiders move in 2020 to Las Vegas, where they shared the Coliseum with the A’s. He was the Raiders for 30 years before resigning in July 2021. Badain most recently was with the Oak View Group Las Vegas — Arena and Entertainment, which is in the process of trying to build an arena that could become home to an NBA expansion franchise.

Gil sidelined for at least 3 months >> Yankees pitcher Luis Gil will be sidelined for at least three months because of his lat strain and designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton would have surgery on his elbows only as a last resort, according to general manager Brian Cashman.

Infielder DJ LeMahieu told reporters he has a grade 1 or 2 left calf strain and will be sidelined for several weeks in his fifth straight injury-hampered season.

Pro football

Jaguars agree to trade WR Kirk to Texans >> The Jacksonville Jaguars found a trade partner — a division rival, no less — for receiver Christian Kirk before officially releasing him.

The Jaguars agreed to trade Kirk to AFC South opponent Houston for a seventh-round draft pick in 2026, a person familiar with the move said.

The Texans were looking for a slot receiver after Tank Dell underwent a second knee surgery earlier this week. They also are letting veteran Stefon Diggs leave in free agency.

The 28-year-old Kirk will now pair with Nico Collins to give the Texans a formidable duo for quarterback C.J. Stroud, assuming Kirk can stay healthy.

Browns restructure Watson’s contract >> Deshaun Watson’s contract has been reworked again by the Cleveland Browns as the team looks to clear salary cap space with the new league year less than one week away.

A person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press on Thursday that the latest restructuring of the quarterback’s contract will clear nearly $36 million in cap space for the Browns.

The Browns were nearly $22 million over the cap before restructuring Watson’s deal.

It is the second time in three months that Watson’s contract was reworked. In December, the sides added void years through 2030 to give the Browns additional financial flexibility to spread out dead money on the contract instead of taking a massive hit in one season.

Rams will keep WR Atwell >> Receiver Tutu Atwell has agreed to return to the Los Angeles Rams on a one-year deal for $10 million, a person with knowledge of the deal told the Associated Press.

Atwell has 99 receptions for 1,343 yards and four touchdowns in his four years with the Rams, who drafted him out of Louisville in the second round in 2021. He had career highs of 42 catches for 562 yards last season despite playing just 39% of Los Angeles’ offensive snaps.

Tennis

Fred Stolle dies at 86 >> Fred Stolle, a winner of two Grand Slam singles titles and 17 major doubles trophies, has died, Tennis Australia said. He was 86.

Nicknamed “Fiery Fred” or “Fiery” for short, he lost the first five Grand Slam singles finals he reached — four of them to fellow Australian Roy Emerson. He also fell in consecutive Wimbledon finals in 1963, 1964 and 1965.

He broke through on his least favorite surface, on clay at the 1965 French Championships, beating Tony Roche in the final.