Johnny Cueto will start on Opening Day for the San Francisco Giants against the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 26, manager Gabe Kapler told reporters Wednesday.

The Dodgers have already announced that ace left-hander Clayton Kershaw will be their starter for the game.

This will mark Cueto's first time starting the opener for the Giants. The veteran right-hander missed most of last season recovering from the Tommy John surgery he had in 2018.

This won't be his first Opening Day start, however. He started four straight openers for the Cincinnati Reds from 2012 to 2015.

Cueto, 34, has struggled in three spring training starts, posting a 12.79 ERA in 6 1/3 innings pitched.

The two-time All-Star is 126-87 with a 3.35 ERA in 12 major league seasons.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Nate Thompson will miss at least two weeks with a knee sprain, the Flyers announced Wednesday.

Thompson, acquired from the Montreal Canadiens last month, stumbled into the corner boards awkwardly Tuesday night, along with Boston right wing Ondrej Kase, and injured his left knee in the Bruins' 2-0 victory.

Thompson had one point in seven Philadelphia games since the trade. He has four goals and 15 points in 70 game this season. The Flyers recalled forward Connor Bunnaman from their AHL affiliate to take Thompson's roster spot.

It has been a challenging year for Philadelphia coach Alain Vigneault, in his first season, as injuries have shuffled lineups all too often. The Flyers have played through the loss of former No. 2 draft pick Nolan Patrick (migraine disorder), James van Riemsdyk (broken finger) and the stunning bone cancer in blossoming forward Oskar Lindblom. Only van Riemsdyk is expected to return for the playoffs.

The Thompson injury doesn't help, but despite the pitfalls, the Flyers have won nine of the past 10 games, and find themselves in the No. 2 playoff spot in the Eastern Conference's Metropolitan Division with 89 points.

"I believe in our team, I believe in our players and I believe in our process," Vigneault said.

The Columbus Blue Jackets became the first NHL team to say Wednesday they would play home games without fans due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The team's announcement comes after Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said he will issue an order banning spectators from games in the state.

The Blue Jackets' statement says: "Remaining home games while the order is in effect, including tomorrow vs. Pittsburgh, will be played as scheduled, but with restricted attendance in compliance with today's announcement. Admission to games will be limited to home and visiting club personnel, credentialed media and broadcast partners, essential club and arena staff and NHL officials. The games will be closed to the public."

The Blue Jackets' announcement comes after the Golden State Warriors said they would play to an empty arena and the NCAA ruled that all postseason tournaments, including the immensely popular men's and women's basketball tournaments, would be played without fans. Tournament games are scheduled for Dayton and Cleveland.

The Blue Jackets have home games remaining against the Predators on Saturday, the Capitals on March 19, Islanders on March 30 and Lightning on April 2. Home games are at a premium down the stretch of the NHL season as teams jockey for playoff positioning. Despite losing a slew of stars in the offseason, Columbus is clinging to the second wild card in the East.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Brooks Koepka journeyed to golf’s version of the mystic on the mountain for help with his swing.

Frustrated with his game heading into The Players Championship, Koepka flew to Las Vegas after Sunday’s Arnold Palmer Invitational to meet with Butch Harmon, coach to so many world No. 1s and major championship winners before he went into quasi-retirement last year. They worked together on Monday.

“It's one of those things where I just needed a different set of eyes, maybe something might click, because I was failing,” Koepka said Tuesday in his pre-tournament new conference. 

Harmon gave Koepka his fix.

“He saw it in four swings,” Koepka said. “I had planned on being out there all day on Tuesday, except he told me to fly out here, to get out here and practice, because he felt like everything was on the right track. Now, it’s our job to make sure that it progresses.”

Yes, Koepka is still working with Butch’s son, Claude Harmon, as his swing coach, with Pete Cowen as his short-game coach and with Jeff Pierce as his putting coach; but he said the Harmons are like family, which kind of makes Butch the Godfather on Koepka’s team.

“I needed a little bit of reassurance for myself that I was making the right choices,” Koepka said. “I had Claude’s blessing. I told Pete. They were all behind it.”

Butch declined to comment when contacted by GolfChannel.com, saying Koepka said what he wanted to say and that should stand.

Koepka, 29, winner of four majors, lost his world No. 1 ranking to Rory McIlroy a month ago. He played through a knee injury much of last season, a malady he treated with a stem-cell injection after the Tour Championship. He reaggravated the injury in Asia in the fall and took three months off, missing the Presidents Cup. He hasn’t found his form since returning in January. In five worldwide starts this year – two in the Middle East on the European Tour and three on the PGA Tour – he has yet to record his first top-10. He missed the cut at the Honda Classic two weeks ago and tied for 47th at Bay Hill last week.

“My knee's fine,” Koepka said. “My knee's exactly where it should be.

“It's all me not being able to do what Claude's told me to do, what Pete's told me to do, Jeff on the putting  – that's me. Whether it's lack of concentration, focus, decisiveness, whatever it might be, that's all on my shoulders. It has nothing to do with anybody else.”

Koepka didn’t detail exactly what Butch found in his swing.

“There are a few things that were wrong, and the two things he told me were the same thing Claude's been telling me, but just in a different way, and it clicked, or it felt better,” Koepka said. 

Paris Saint-Germain advanced to the Champions League quarterfinals 3-2 on aggregate with a 2-0 second-leg victory over Borussia Dortmund at an empty Parc des Princes stadium on Wednesday.

The Ligue 1 side faced the prospect of yet another disappointing campaign in Europe after losing 2-1 at Dortmund, however first-half goals from Neymar and Juan Bernat secured passage on an eerie night in Paris.

Neymar, who appeared to hurt his shoulder early in the match, opened the scoring on 28 minutes with a well-placed diving header from an Angel Di Maria cross following a corner kick.

Bernat collected an unlikely second goal just before half-time following a swift PSG move -- the former Bayern Munich man ever-so-slightly redirecting a low Pablo Sarabia cross past Roman Burki and into the far netting.

Pushing and shoving between the teams ensued after a hard challenge on Neymar on the sideline, highlighting a frustrating night for the Germans in France -- new signing Emre Can receiving a red card for pushing the Brazilian after a verbal exchange.

The match was played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus outbreak in Europe, with the French government announcing on Sunday night an indefinite ban on gatherings of more than 1,000 people. However, PSG fans assembled outside the stadium, letting off flares and waving flags in a show of support for the team.

PSG have experienced an impressive run of domestic success since Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Qatar Sports Investments took over the club in 2011 but have never won the Champions League.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. - Tiger Woods will go into the World Golf Hall of Fame next year, voted on Wednesday by a selection committee that chose from 10 finalists.

Woods, 44, is eligible for the 2021 induction after rules were changed earlier this year to reduce the minimum age from 50 to 45. The location of the ceremony, which will include up to three more to be announced in the coming days, has yet to be determined.

"I am both honored and humbled to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame,'' Woods said in a statement after being told by PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan. "This past year has been such an incredible journey and the support I've received from my family, friends and fans has been overwhelming. This achievement is the ultimate recognition to never give up and keep chasing.''

Woods has returned from 2017 spinal fusion surgery to win three times, including the 2019 Masters for his 15th major title and the Zozo Championship last fall for his PGA Tour record-tying 82nd victory.

But Woods was a lock for the Hall of Fame well before that. He has 93 worldwide victories, completed a career Grand Slam three times, won the "Tiger Slam'' in 2000-01 when he won four consecutive majors. He is second to Jack Nicklaus' record 18 major titles.

Woods is also an 11-time PGA Tour player of the year, played on eight U.S. Ryder Cup teams and nine U.S. Presidents Cup teams and was the winning captain for the victorious U.S. Presidents Cup team in December.

"Tiger has done more for the game of golf than anyone ever thought possible, and his historic feats on the course are only one aspect of his impact,'' Monahan said. "His imprint on the game is immeasurable, and his unparalleled legacy is one we look forward to celebrating as he's inducted in the World Golf Hall of Fame next year.''

Several players such as Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els are already in the Hall of Fame dating to when the minimum age for eligibility was 40. It was later changed to 50 and since back to 45 this year.

The selection committee could choose up to four for induction from a list of 10 finalists that included Woods, Padraig Harrington, Tom Weiskopf, Johnny Ferrell, Dottie Pepper, Susie Maxwell Berning, Sandra Palmer and Beverly Hanson. Two contributors, former PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem and architect Marion Hollins.

The World Golf Hall of Fame currently has 60 members and is located in St. Augustine, Florida.

MILWAUKEE -- When the Bucks announced Sunday that the MRI on the left knee of reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo revealed a minor joint capsule sprain and that he would spend only a short time on the sideline, the basketball world breathed a sigh of relief.

So did Antetokounmpo, who admitted Wednesday afternoon that he was very nervous about what the results of the imaging would show.

"Yeah. I s--- my pants," Antetokounmpo said with a smile after practicing fully with his teammates Wednesday ahead of Milwaukee's game against the Boston Celtics on Thursday night. "When I was on the floor [during Friday's game against the Lakers], I was thinking about, 'This is my knee.'

"But thank god. I got the good training staff that train me really well and prepare me for those types of falls and those types of moments. Thank god it wasn't something really, really serious, so I was happy, the team was happy, my family was happy."

So was his coach, Mike Budenholzer, who was forced to wait along with everyone else until the news came that Antetokounmpo's injury wasn't a major one.

"I mean, I'm human," Budenholzer said. "Until you get that picture and you hear back from the doctors, you try to stay upbeat and positive, but you're just never sure until you get the word."

Antetokounmpo suffered the injury when he landed awkwardly during Friday's loss to the Lakers and continued playing after it, finishing with 32 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in 36 minutes.

At first, he felt good about the fact he could continue playing on it. But when he woke up Saturday morning, he was worried that something was seriously wrong -- then had to wait to both get the MRI and the results before finally knowing that it wouldn't serve as a reason to sideline him for a long time.

"I was nervous probably when I fell on the floor," he said. "When I was able to walk it off and play a few minutes, that felt better. But the next day, I was extremely sore, so I was nervous. And then, later the next day, later in the day, I was probably nervous the whole day until the MRI.

"But as I said, I have faith in Suki [Hobson, Milwaukee's head strength and conditioning coach]. She did a great job training my body and having it ready for moments like that."

The question now is whether Antetokounmpo will play Thursday against the Celtics. He said he practiced fully Wednesday -- including taking part in all contact portions of practice and a scrimmage -- but both he and Budenholzer cautioned that it was no certain thing that, after sitting out Milwaukee's losses to the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets on Sunday and Monday, he would return against Boston.

"At the end of the day, I have to go home, come back tomorrow and see how I feel tomorrow," Antetokounmpo said. "I might go back home and my knee might swell up. I don't know. So I have to see how it feels tomorrow morning, and if I feel good, and if they clear me through the medical staff, I will play."

Said Budenholzer: "We'll take it slowly and always probably err on the side of caution, but a good day for Giannis."

Meanwhile, the Bucks -- like the rest of the NBA -- continue to wait and see how things develop with regard to the coronavirus in the wake of it officially being designated as a pandemic by the World Health Organization on Wednesday. The NBA is holding conference calls with ownership, team presidents and general managers Wednesday and Thursday to discuss next steps, while the Golden State Warriors already are facing the reality of playing without fans in attendance.

Antetokounmpo said the idea of playing games without fans -- something he said he hadn't done since playing preseason friendlies in Europe -- will be a strange one for him to adjust to.

"It's going to be hard," he said. "As an athlete, you play for the fans. At the end of the day, we are out there to win games, but we are out there to entertain them also.

"When you have a momentum swing, when you have a dunk and a 3, and there is silence ... it takes a lot out of your energy. It doesn't give you energy. So it's going to be hard.

"It's going to be hard to play without fans, if we play without fans, but we've got to do what we've got to do."

One thing Antetokounmpo isn't worried about, however, is Milwaukee's three-game losing streak. Asked if the Bucks would benefit from these "tough" times sometime down the road this season, he smiled.

"Tough? We lost three in a row," he said. "That's tough? I've lost like, what, 18 in a row my rookie year? It's not tough at all.

"I know we're a good team, we're a great team, we win games, but losing three in a row, that's not tough. We just have to come in, work on our games, smile, keep on fighting and go out there and do our jobs."

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- The Texas Rangers have placed left-hander Yohander Mendez on the suspended list for violating his contract by seeking unauthorized outside medical care.

President of baseball operations Jon Daniels announced the move Wednesday prior to a spring training game against the San Francisco Giants.

Mendez has been held out of spring training game action with left shoulder inflammation.

Asked whether Mendez had violated that policy, Daniels said "there's more to it than that, but I'm not going to get into it."

The 25-year-old Mendez appeared in just three big league games last year due to an elbow injury. He was expected to compete for a bullpen spot this spring.

The MLB regular season is just around the corner, and there are plenty of opportunities to make futures bets before the first pitch is thrown on Opening Day.

With spring training in full swing, the Dodgers and Yankees are the heavy favorites to reach the Fall Classic. Here are the season win totals, division odds, pennant odds and World Series odds for all 30 teams.

Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook as of March 9.

AL East

Baltimore Orioles (1000-1 to win World Series)

Wins: 56.5
Win division: 1000-1
Win AL: 300-1

Boston Red Sox (60-1)

Wins: 83
Win division: 10-1
Win AL: 25-1

New York Yankees (3-1)

Wins: 100.5
Win division: -450
Win AL: +150

Tampa Bay Rays (25-1)

Wins: 91
Win division: 4-1
Win AL: 12-1

Toronto Blue Jays (100-1)

Wins: 76
Win division: 50-1
Win AL: 40-1

AL Central

Chicago White Sox (15-1)

Wins: 85
Win division: +275
Win AL: 6-1

Cleveland Indians (40-1)

Wins: 86
Win division: +325
Win AL: 16-1

Detroit Tigers (1000-1)

Wins: 58
Win division: 250-1
Win AL: 300-1

Kansas City Royals (250-1)

Wins: 66
Win division: 150-1
Win AL: 80-1

Minnesota Twins (16-1)

Wins: 93
Win division: -160
Win AL: 7-1

AL West

Houston Astros (8-1)

Wins: 94.5
Win division: -240
Win AL: +325

Los Angeles Angels (20-1)

Wins: 86
Win division: 6-1
Win AL: 9-1

Oakland Athletics (20-1)

Wins: 90.5
Win division: +375
Win AL: 9-1

Seattle Mariners (250-1)

Wins: 66.5
Win division: 250-1
Win AL: 100-1

Texas Rangers (60-1)

Wins: 78.5
Win division: 18-1
Win AL: 22-1

NL East

Atlanta Braves (14-1 to win World Series)

Wins: 90
Win division: +160
Win NL: 7-1

Miami Marlins (1000-1)

Wins: 65
Win division: 500-1
Win NL: 300-1

New York Mets (18-1)

Wins: 87
Win division: +320
Win NL: 9-1

Philadelphia Phillies (28-1)

Wins: 85
Win division: +350
Win NL: 14-1

Washington Nationals (20-1)

Wins: 88.5
Win division: +260
Win NL: 9-1

NL Central

Chicago Cubs (20-1)

Wins: 85
Win division: +230
Win NL: 10-1

Cincinnati Reds (20-1)

Wins: 85
Win division: +220
Win NL: 10-1

Milwaukee Brewers (50-1)

Wins: 83
Win division: 5-1
Win NL: 22-1

Pittsburgh Pirates (400-1)

Wins: 68
Win division: 150-1
Win NL: 150-1

St. Louis Cardinals (12-1)

Wins: 86
Win division: 2-1
Win NL: 7-1

NL West

Arizona Diamondbacks (30-1)

Wins: 84.5
Win division: +950
Win NL: 15-1

Colorado Rockies (100-1)

Wins: 73
Win division: 40-1
Win NL: 50-1

Los Angeles Dodgers (3-1)

Wins: 101.5
Win division: -1000
Win NL: +135

San Diego Padres (22-1)

Wins: 83
Win division: 10-1
Win NL: 11-1

San Francisco Giants (100-1)

Wins: 67.5
Win division: 150-1
Win NL: 40-1

Northampton Saints have signed Scotland prop Gordon Reid until the end of the season to cover Alex Waller's injury.

The 33-year-old joins after playing for both Pro14 side Glasgow Warriors and Super6 club Ayrshire Bulls since November on a partnership deal.

He has 41 international caps and featured in all four of Scotland's World Cup matches last autumn.

"I'm looking forward to getting into training straight away and putting my hand up for selection," Reid said.

He has had two stints at Glasgow - helping them win the Pro12 in 2014-15 - and has also previously spent two seasons in the Premiership with London Irish.

Waller is out for the rest of the campaign with an Achilles injury.

"To get someone of Gordy's quality, straight in from training with Scotland's Six Nations squad, is excellent news for us," said Northampton scrum coach Matt Ferguson.