Steelers release veteran Adams

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The youth movement along the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive line took another significant step on Wednesday when the team released eight-year veteran Montravius Adams.

The move to cut Adams — who had one year left on his contract — came less than a week after Pittsburgh selected two defensive tackles in the NFL draft. The Steelers took former Oregon standout Derrick Harmon 21st overall and added Iowa’s Yahya Black in the fifth round.

Adams, 29, made 21 starts across three-plus seasons in Pittsburgh, appearing in 46 games. The 6-foot-4, 304-pound Adams was a space-eater in the middle of the Steelers’ defensive front, getting 72 tackles but just one sack in Pittsburgh.

Adams began his career in Green Bay in 2017 after the Packers nabbed him in the third round of the draft. He played four seasons in Green Bay primarily as a reserve. He moved on to New Orleans in 2021 before the Steelers claimed him off waivers in the middle of that season.

Pittsburgh is looking to shore up a defensive line that was frequently bullied during a five-game losing streak to end the season, most notably in a playoff loss to Baltimore in which the Steelers gave up 299 yards rushing to Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and company.

Naylor powers Guardians

CLEVELAND (AP) — Bo Naylor hit a three-run homer and Luis Ortiz kept Minnesota’s hitters off balance and off the scoreboard for 6 1/3 innings, leading the Cleveland Guardians to a 4-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night.

Naylor connected in the seventh inning off reliever Brock Stewart after the Guardians finally scratched out a run against Minnesota starter Pablo López (2-2), who held Cleveland scoreless over the first 6 1/3 innings.

Cade Smith (1-0) struck out the only two batters he faced. Emmanuel Clase pitched the ninth — he gave up one run and two hits with a wild pitch — for his fifth save. It was the struggling All-Star closer’s first save since April 19.

Brooks Lee homered for the Twins.

Ortiz and López matched zeros over the first six innings before the Guardians got something going in the seventh with José Ramírez starting the rally with a single and stolen base. With one out, Carlos Santana’s topper was fielded cleanly by López, but he threw wildly to first allowing Ramírez to score.

Stewart walked Gabriel Arias and struck out Daniel Schneemann before Naylor touched him for his fourth homer and second in two nights.

After giving up a two-out double in the first inning, López retired 14 straight hitters before Angel Martínez doubled in the sixth.

Caitlin Clark Iowa tickets run $440

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Caitlin Clark fans will have to pay a premium on the secondary market if they want to be at Carver-Hawkeye Arena for Sunday’s matchup between the WNBA’s Indiana Fever and the Brazilian national team.

The average paid price of $440 per ticket on the secondary market as of Wednesday has made it the most in-demand event involving Clark, according to ticketing technology company Victory Live, which analyzes sales across the secondary market.

Clark will be playing on the court where she rose to stardom with the Iowa Hawkeyes. The all-time leading scorer in Division I history is from West Des Moines and played for the Hawkeyes from 2020-24. She was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft and the league’s rookie of the year.

Asking prices on the secondary market Wednesday for the preseason game ranged from $146 to $2,368.

The previous high average paid price for a Clark game was $411. That was March 3, 2024, when she scored 35 points against Ohio State to pass Pete Maravich as the Division I career scoring leader.

Victory Live also reported that the average paid price for a Fever away game in the 2025 season was $272, up from $171 in 2024. The average is $197 for a Fever home game, more than double the $92 home average last season.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball