Bob Uecker, who parlayed a forgettable playing career into a punch line for movie and TV appearances as “Mr. Baseball” and a Hall of Fame broadcasting tenure, has died. He was 90.

The Milwaukee Brewers, whose games Uecker had broadcast for over half a century, announced his death Thursday morning, calling it “one of the most difficult days in Milwaukee Brewers history.” In a statement released by the club, Uecker’s family said he had battled small cell lung cancer since early 2023.

“Even in the face of this challenge, his enthusiasm for life was always present, never allowing his spirit to falter,” the family said.

Uecker was best known as a colorful comedian and broadcaster whose sense of humor and self-deprecating style earned him fame and affection beyond his .200 batting average.

Born and raised in Milwaukee, Uecker was a beloved member of the baseball community and a pillar of the sport in Wisconsin. He had broadcast Brewers games for the last 54 seasons.

Outfielder Winker and Mets agree to 1-year contract >> Outfielder Jesse Winker and the New York Mets have agreed to a one-year contract, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press, perhaps a signal the team doesn’t expect to re-sign slugger Pete Alonso.

Winker was acquired by the Mets from Washington on July 28 and batted .243 with three homers and 13 RBIs for New York last year. He hit a tying, two-run triple in the Wild Card Series opener at Milwaukee, homered off Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola in Game 3 of the Division Series and had an RBI triple in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Tucker and Cubs avoid arbitration, agree to $16.5M, 1-year contract >> Kyle Tucker and the Chicago Cubs settled the largest of the 17 salary arbitration cases in which proposed figures were exchanged, agreeing to a $16.5 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

Chicago had submitted a $15 million figure and the All-Star outfielder had asked for $17.5 million last week. Absent an agreement, a hearing before a three-person panel would have been held from Jan. 27 through Feb. 14.

Golf

PGA Tour to move Genesis Invitational out of Riviera >> The PGA Tour is moving the Genesis Invitational out of Riviera next month out of respect for the deadly wildfires that have decimated parts of Los Angeles, including the Pacific Palisades neighborhood where Riviera is located.

Still to be determined is where the $20 million signature event, with Tiger Woods as the tournament host, will relocate for Feb. 13-16.

One option is another golf course that already is part of the West Coast Swing — away from Los Angeles — which would limit the costs and hours required to build out a tournament site with everything from grandstands to corporate hospitality to television structures.

Tennis

Tien is the youngest US man in Australia’s 3rd round since Sampras >> Learner Tien, a 19-year-old qualifier from California, became the youngest American man to reach the Australian Open’s third round since Pete Sampras in 1990, upsetting a racket-tossing Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (8), 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) in a match that began Thursday night and ended in the wee hours of Friday.

The 4-hour, 49-minute contest had a bit of everything, including — hard to believe — a six-minute rain delay that interrupted play shortly before 2:30 a.m. with Tien serving at 5-all, 15-all in the fifth set. When they resumed, Medvedev broke and served for the victory at 6-5, but Tien wouldn’t cede a thing. He immediately broke back to force the concluding first-to-10 tiebreaker that he emerged to win shortly before 3 a.m., about two hours after he failed to convert his initial match point.

NHL

BLUE Jackets BEAT SHARKS 4-1 >> James van Riemsdyk scored twice and the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the San Jose Sharks 4-1 onight to extend their win streak to six game.

Kent Johnson had a goal and an assist and Adam Fantilli scored a goal to stretch his point streak to eight games. Van Riemsdyk’s second was an empty-netter with 2:01 remaining.

Tyler Toffoli scored for San Jose, while Alexandar Georgiev stopped 30 shots. The Sharks have now lost four of their last five games and remain at the bottom of the Pacific Division.