SPORTS digest

Yankees’ Pineda set for Tommy John surgery

MINNEAPOLIS

New York Yankees pitcher Michael Pineda is set to have Tommy John surgery this week, likely putting him out of action until at least late next year.

The Yankees said Pineda will have surgery Tuesday to repair a torn ligament in his right elbow.

New York opened a series Monday night in Minnesota. The Yankees began the day holding the second AL wild-card spot and 31/2 games behind AL East-leading Boston.

The 28-year-old Pineda is 8-4 with a 4.39 ERA in 17 starts. He is eligible for free agency after this season.

Cincinnati Reds medical director Dr. Timothy Kremchek will do the surgery. He agreed with the original recommendation by Yankees head team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad that Pineda have Tommy John surgery.

Cubs’ Hendricks perfect in rehab start

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks threw five perfect innings Monday while making his second rehab appearance for Double-A Tennessee.

Hendricks, who led the majors last year with a 2.13 ERA for the World Series champions, was optimistic he could be ready to rejoin the Cubs. Hendricks hasn’t pitched for Chicago since June 4 because of tendinitis in his right hand.

The right-hander struck out three and threw 43 of his 63 pitches for strikes against the Mobile BayBears, a Los Angeles Angels affiliate.

Hendricks says “there was no soreness after the last start. Hopefully if there’s no soreness tomorrow, I should be good to go.”

The 27-year-old Hendricks is 4-3 with a 4.09 ERA in 11 starts for the Cubs. He went 16-8 last year and finished third in NL Cy Young Award voting.

Former Kentucky player Jerry Bird dies

CORBIN, Ky.

Former Kentucky basketball player Jerry Bird, who was a member of the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame and had his No. 22 jersey retired to the Rupp Arena rafters, has died.

An obituary posted by O’Neil-Lawson Funeral Home says Bird died Sunday at a hospital in Corbin. He was 83.

Media report Bird played for Kentucky from 1954 to 1956 and helped the school attain two Southeastern Conference titles in 1954 and 1955. He was part of the 1954 team crowned national champions by the Helms Athletic Foundation after a 25-0 season.

Bird scored 713 career points and had 589 career rebounds under coach Adolph Rupp.

“Jerry Bird was Kentucky through and through,” UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart said in a statement by the school. “He was proud to be a Wildcat and is an important part of Kentucky basketball history.

Bird played one season with the New York Knicks before returning to his hometown of Corbin to work at American Greetings. His is survived by a son, two grandchildren, a brother and a sister. Visitation and services are scheduled for Saturday at Central Baptist Church in Corbin.

Florida’s Callaway gets plea deal in pot case

GAINESVILLE, Fla.

Florida receiver Antonio Callaway has pleaded no contest to misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

Prosecutors dropped a marijuana possession charge as part of Monday’s plea deal, which State Attorney Bill Cervone said was standard for cases involving small amounts of drugs. Callaway also was fined $301.

Callaway, the team’s top playmaker, was cited on May 13 in Gainesville. He was a passenger in a SUV that officers pulled over for a seatbelt violation. Police said officers smelled marijuana in the SUV and found 7 grams of the drug in Callaway’s pocket.

Callaway is entering his junior season. In two years, he has 89 catches for 1,399 yards and 11 touchdowns.

He was suspended last spring amid sexual battery allegations. In court documents, Callaway admitted smoking marijuana, though he was eventually cleared of the battery allegation by a Title IX investigation.

Associated Press