ANDERSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow's home was broken into during Monday night's game against the Cowboys in the latest home burglary of a pro athlete in the U.S., authorities said Tuesday.

No one was injured in the break-in, but the home was ransacked, according to a report provided by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies weren't immediately able to determine what items were stolen. A person who is employed by Burrow arrived at the Anderson Township home Monday night to find a shattered bedroom window and the home in disarray. The person called their mother, and then 911 was contacted, according to the report.

Deputies reached out to neighbors in an attempt to piece together surveillance footage.

"Our investigators are exploring every avenue," public information officer Kyla Woods said.

The homes of Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were broken into in October. In the NBA, Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis had his home broken into Nov. 2 and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley's home was burglarized on Sept. 15 while he was at a Minnesota Vikings game.

Portis had offered a $40,000 reward for information.

Both the NFL and NBA issued security alerts to players after those break-ins, urging them to take additional precautions to secure their homes.

In league memos previously obtained by The Associated Press, the NFL said homes of professional athletes across multiple sports have become "increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups." And the NBA revealed that the FBI has connected some burglaries to "transnational South American Theft Groups" that are "reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices."

Some of the burglary groups have conducted extensive surveillance on targets, including attempted home deliveries and posing as grounds maintenance or joggers in the neighborhood, according to officials.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, sidelined all season because of inflammation in his right knee, returned to practice Tuesday, coach Ty Lue said. Leonard could return to game action within the next two weeks, barring any setbacks, sources told ESPN.

It was the first time Leonard, 33, had practiced with the team since last season. Leonard's knee also caused him to bow out of the Paris Olympics in the summer after originally being selected to play for Team USA.

"He did offensive script, defensive work, and just no contact," Lue said. "But he did it pretty much everything else."

Leonard could be seen leaning against a basketball stanchion after practice while James Harden and Kris Dunn got in extra shooting, but he did not speak to reporters.

Lue said Leonard looked good and added that his presence gave the team a lift. The Clippers have lost three out of their past five games and on Tuesday announced that Derrick Jones Jr. has a right hamstring strain and will be reevaluated in two weeks.

"Really good sign, just seeing him out there moving, moving well," Lue said. "I think the biggest thing for him is just the confidence in it. Just having the confidence to keep doing it, not to feel the pain, and just continue to keep getting through it.

"So, it was good to see him on the floor and it gave us a little juice today just for our guys seeing him on the floor, it really picked up our energy."

Without Leonard, the Clippers have been a surprise success story so far, starting the season 14-11 -- sixth place in the Western Conference. They have the No. 6 defensive rating in the league, allowing 108.5 points per 100 possessions. Norman Powell has also been an early surprise after increasing his scoring average from 13.9 points last season to 23.6 points this season in a starting role, generating early Most Improved Player consideration.

"I give our guys credit, our players, no matter who's been here, when guys have been out, we always feel like we have a chance to win and so just go on the floor every single night," Lue said. "Just finding ways to win. It's not going to be the same every night. It could be different every single night, but just trying to find ways to win, trying to find combinations to win. I give our guys credit, they've done that."

Lue said the team would continue to be patient with the process as Leonard inches closer to a return.

"He's got to do a lot more things to really get back on the floor," Lue said. "We just want to make sure he's 100%. We don't want to get him out there, 70%, 75%. Like, let's just take our time, make sure we get it right. ... We're not going to let him skip steps, and so we want to do right by Kawhi."

Lue credited Leonard's mentality with injuries taking their toll on his body. He sat out the entire 2021-22 season because of a torn ACL in his right knee and has missed 204 of a possible 460 games since joining the Clippers in 2019.

"I'm just happy he's doing it again, he's getting close and he's really in a good space mentally," Lue said. "So he's just got to stay with it, stay with the program. Can't get frustrated trying to rush back."

And while the Clippers will gladly welcome the two-time Finals MVP version of Leonard they signed as a free agent in 2018, there's no expectation for him to be that player as soon as he's back in the lineup.

"At some point, not right away," Lue said. "But at some point, we need him to be Kawhi Leonard. And I think he can do that. And just seeing the year he had last year -- 68 games and how he played at a high level. He was really, really playing at a high level. So we just got to get him back to that."

DALLAS -- The Toronto Blue Jays and right-hander Yimi Garcia are in agreement on a two-year, $15 million contract, a source told ESPN on Tuesday.

Garcia, 34, will return to Toronto after the Blue Jays dealt him to the Seattle Mariners at the July trade deadline last season. He posted a 2.70 ERA in 29 appearances for Toronto and a 6.00 ERA in 10 games for Seattle before finishing the season on the injured list with right elbow inflammation.

Garcia is expected to be healthy for the start of the 2025 season.

The veteran reliever qualifies as the first notable offseason addition for the Blue Jays, who are aggressively looking to add top-end talent this winter after a disappointing last-place finish in the American League East.

The Blue Jays were one of five teams to make significant offers to Juan Soto before he chose to sign with the New York Mets. They remain interested in acquiring an outfielder and a starting pitcher.

DALLAS -- The agent for Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado said Tuesday there is "ongoing" discussion with the St. Louis front office as it relates to a potential trade of the eight-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner, who is willing to switch positions to help facilitate a deal.

Arenado, 33, could be on the move as the Cardinals enter a transition phase and are unlikely to compete for a playoff spot in 2025.

"Nolan wants to win, and there's more details, but that's really between them and I don't want to have any effect on what [Cardinals president of baseball operations John] Mozeliak is trying to do," agent Joel Wolfe said from the winter meetings. "Nolan's willing to strongly consider it, if it's the right place to go, but he's not going to go just anywhere.

"He has a full no-trade clause, so he has that right, and he's a veteran player and we hope something good happens, but he's not going to approve and move his family and go play (just anywhere)."

Arenado has offered to play first base if it helps the trade process, and the Yankees are among the interested teams. New York could still play him at third by moving Jazz Chisholm Jr. to second base, assuming free agent Gleyber Torres doesn't re-sign.

Arenado hit just 16 home runs in 2024, the fewest since his rookie year in 2013. He's owed $74 million over the final three years of his contract.

"Nolan was like, 'I'll play shortstop, I'll do whatever, but I'm not insulted to go play first, and I can win a Gold Glove over there,'" Wolfe said.

Wolfe also said another client, Chicago Cubs outfielder/designated hitter Seiya Suzuki, has been approached about a trade. Like Arenado, he has a full no-trade clause.

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has kept in contact with Suzuki's camp throughout the winter.

"I talked to [Hoyer] about it [Monday] night," Wolfe said. "He told me what teams they've been talking to. I don't think he wants to trade, but there may be a scenario where he feels like he has a deal that he can't say no to."

The Boston Red Sox have been looking for right-handed hitting, while the Seattle Mariners want to improve their offense overall. It's unclear if Suzuki would waive his no-trade clause for either team.

Suzuki compiled a career-high 138 OPS-plus in 2024, a number that has gone up in each of his first three big league seasons. He has two years remaining on a five-year, $85 million deal he signed with Chicago before the 2022 season.

Complicating matters is Suzuki's position on the field. By all accounts and metrics, he did not have a good year on defense in 2024 and ended the season as the team's regular designated hitter.

According to Wolfe, it doesn't sound like Suzuki wants to remain in that role.

"I think that if he was being posted in Japan [now] and teams were presenting to them their opportunities and they said you could come here and be our full-time DH, I don't think he would have signed with that team," Wolfe explained.

It's also unclear if promising Suzuki the chance to play the field would entice him to waive his no-trade clause. The Cubs could inform him that if he's not traded, he'd be their full-time DH, which might make the difference. The team is likely to trade either Suzuki or lefty Cody Bellinger.

"It's a small universe where Seiya would consider going," Wolfe said.

DALLAS -- Japanese free agent pitcher Roki Sasaki will begin meeting with MLB teams next week as he begins the process of choosing where he wants to play next season, agent Joel Wolfe said on Tuesday morning at the winter meetings.

Sasaki, 23, was posted by his Japanese team, Chiba Lotte, this week and is free to sign with an organization no earlier than Jan. 15. Because of his age, international rules only permit him to sign a minor league deal unlike last year's top free agent arm, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who signed with the Dodgers for $325 million. Yamamoto is three years older. Players under 25 and with less than six years of experience can only sign minor league deals as an international amateur.

Sasaki was 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA in the Japan Pacific League last season after posting a 1.78 ERA in 2023.

"Some of it is Japanese culture, some of it is just Roki Sasaki," Wolfe said when asked why Sasaki didn't want to wait until he turned 25 to make more immediate money in MLB. "There are no absolutes in baseball, there are no absolutes in life and through Roki Sasaki's eyes -- and if you look at some of the things that have happened in his life -- some of the tragedies that have happened in his life, he does not take anything for granted."

Sasaki lost his father in the aftermath of a 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

He'll first meet teams at a central location next week before beginning visits to individual cities. Upward of half the league scouted him in Japan last season as Wolfe isn't quite sure what his client's desires are just yet.

"I'm not entirely sure yet because I've known Roki for a little over two years now and it's been a little bit difficult to really ascertain what his decision-making process would be for choosing a team because his focus has predominantly been on whether or not he's going to be able to post," Wolfe said. "The best I can say is he has paid attention to how teams have done as far as overall success both this year and in years past."

There has been industry speculation that the Los Angeles Dodgers were the predetermined, clear favorites to land Sasaki -- a notion both the team and Wolfe denied.

"There were some accusations, allegations, all of them false made about predetermined deals, things like that," Wolfe said.

Considering his price tag is just a minor league deal -- teams can't even talk about a potential extension until after he joins their organization -- Wolfe indicated both big- and small-market teams have expressed interest. He was asked if Sasaki wants to join a team that already employs Japanese players. He has a good relationship with Padres star Yu Darvish as well as those who played on Team Japan in the WBC.

"Each player is unique in how they feel about it, and I think it also matters on the player that is already on the team," Wolfe answered. "He asks a lot of questions about weather, about comfortability, about pitching development, and just watching what other Japanese players in the major leagues are doing and how they're doing."

Wolfe dismissed any geography issues outside of the West Coast, citing many cities have direct flights to and from Japan unlike a "decade ago." Wolfe was also asked what his advice to Sasaki is as they begin a unique process which most resembles the one Shohei Ohtani went through before he signed with the Angels in 2017.

"My advice to him is don't make a decision based on [the next contract] because the long-term arc of your career is where you're going to earn your money," Wolfe said. "So it's probably not advisable to make a short-term decision in that regard, to take all of the factors into consideration."

Wolfe is hopeful his client will sign close to when the new international window for spending opens on Jan.15. That would give Sasaki time to clear any visa issues in order to report to spring training on time. He'll have to do so under the guidelines of a minor league deal but can quickly be promoted to the major league team whenever his employer wants.

"It's always been his dream to come to the major leagues since he was in high school," Wolfe said.

Two-time All-Star Max Fried and the New York Yankees are in agreement on an eight-year, $218 million contract, sources told ESPN, the largest guarantee ever for a left-handed pitcher.

The deal, which is pending a physical, is the 12th contract of at least $100 million the Yankees have given out in franchise history, breaking a tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the most by any team.

Fried, 30, who blossomed into one of the best pitchers in the National League over seven years with the Braves, is a two-time All-Star with a 2.81 ERA over the past five seasons in Atlanta -- tops in the majors, just ahead of Corbin Burnes (2.88) among MLB starting pitchers over that span.

While he does not overwhelm hitters with his raw stuff, his artistry on the mound and his ability to go deep into games were attractive to teams in search of an Opening Day-type starter.

The Yankees made the move for Fried -- who was also pursued by the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers -- two days after outfielder Juan Soto left for the rival Mets on the largest contract in professional sports history.

Fried joins one of the deepest rotations in baseball that already includes Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt, Nestor Cortes and Marcus Stroman.

His $218 million deal exceeds that of David Price, who signed with the Red Sox for $217 million in 2015. Price and the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw ($215 million) are the only other left-handed pitchers to receive $200 million contracts.

While Fried's career includes up-and-down postseason performances, it's impossible to forget his six shutout innings in Atlanta's World Series-clinching Game 6 in 2021. He arrived in Atlanta as the headliner in a trade for Justin Upton after undergoing Tommy John surgery following two disappointing seasons in San Diego's farm system.

The No. 7 pick in the 2012 draft, Fried projected as a classic spin-heavy left-hander whose command would be his biggest strength.

That proved prophetic. Fried's best pitches are his curveball and slider, and while models regard his fastball as below-average, his command of it -- and ability to mix pitches -- has brought him continued success. Over the past five years, Baseball-Reference has him third among all pitchers in WAR and FanGraphs 11th.

The biggest question regarding Fried is whether he can evolve into the rarest sort of starter: productive and prolific. His career-high innings total, 185, came in 2022.

In 2024, with Braves co-ace Spencer Strider out after Tommy John surgery, Fried posted a 3.25 ERA in 174 innings, struck out 166, walked 57, allowed only 13 home runs and led MLB with a pair of complete games. His year-by-year ERAs over the four prior seasons: 2.25, 3.04, 2.48 and 2.55.

ESPN Research contributed to this report.

Though none of them are confirmed as starters as of Monday, the matchups featuring the Toronto Maple Leafs at New Jersey Devils and Minnesota Wild at Utah Hockey Club may well feature goaltenders among the top 13 in goals-against average in each and every crease, as well as goaltenders among the top six in save percentage in three out of the four.

Among goalies with at least 300 minutes (a very generous qualifier), Filip Gustavsson is the runaway leader in both GAA and save percentage. Both Leafs netminders, Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll, are among the top five in each statistical measure. Karel Vejmelka of Utah clocks in at fifth in goals-against average and sixth in save percentage. Jacob Markstrom is a stretch to include, ranking 13th in goals-against average but a distant 25th in save percentage.

Still, it's an impressive array of starters ready to tend twine in two key matchups on Tuesday.

This raises the question: Does having a statistically elite goaltender influence sports betting outcomes? Specifically, we'll focus on the over/under.

There are a couple of chicken-versus-egg problems that can't easily be solved here.

For one, the sportsbooks almost surely bake some of this into the odds, so the outcomes are slanted toward the under. The sportsbooks don't always know for certain who the starter will be in each game, particularly if we look at the Wild, where Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury have very different statistical outcomes. This season, 62% of games have had a 6.5 total for the over/under. However, when a starting goalie among the statistical leaders is involved, that number drops to 53%.

Secondly, the list of statistical leaders has evolved throughout the season, making this analysis specific to the current moment (as of Dec. 10). For instance, Joseph Woll wasn't among the leaders earlier in the season, when he started late due to injury. His inclusion in our sample reflects his recent performance rather than his season-long numbers. To clarify, the current leaders haven't necessarily been dominant all season, but we are analyzing past games based on their status as leaders now.

Setting aside those two issues, let's look at how the results have broken for over/unders involving the top goaltenders.

Overall, regardless of the over/under threshold, the games with the goalies have managed to trend more toward the under. In total this season, 53.6 percent of games have been under. Games with the top 13 goalies in goals-against average have been under 56.5 percent of the time, while games with the top six goalies in save percentage have been under 64.8 percent of the time. This showcases the ability of these leaders to definitely influence the results at least a little, especially if they have a sterling save percentage.

For games with a 6.5 over/under total, the overall hit rate for under this season is 57.8%, but for the GAA leaders it is 62.6% and for the save percentage leaders it jumps to 74%. That's right; In the 47 games with a 6.5 total involving the six leading goaltenders in save percentage (Gustavsson, Connor Hellebuyck, Stolarz, Lukas Dostal, Woll and Vejmelka), 35 of the games have gone under.

The margins narrow when sportsbooks account for these goaltenders. For games with a 5.5 total, the overall under hit rate is 46.7%, rising to 49.4% for GAA leaders and 53.7% for save percentage leaders.

Is there an edge to exploit here? Maybe, but it has to feel right, too. The Leafs and Devils have a 6.5 total on the board, but does it feel like these two power plays can be kept at bay to stay under that? Especially when we really had to stretch to get Markstrom into this conversation to begin with. I'll probably take the under in a same-game parlay, but it's not something I'm attacking.

I would feel stronger about games with goalies at both ends among the statistical leaders, like the potential for the Minnesota-Utah matchup. The problem there is that the line opened with a 5.5 total, so the quality goaltending is already accounted for.

Keep this tilt in mind though. If you see top goalies battling each other and a 6.5 total, that under is worth attacking most of the time. Maybe we'll get one on Thursday when Dostal and the Ducks visit Woll and the Leafs.

Latest odds as of publication. For latest odds movement, go to ESPN BET.

Featured games

Toronto Maple Leafs at New Jersey Devils

7 p.m., Prudential Center, Watch live on ESPN+, Hulu and now Disney+

• Devils (-1.5, +170), -135 money line

• Maple Leafs (+1.5, -215), +115 money line

• Total 6.5: (Over +105, Under -125)

Both teams enter the matchup following losses: two straight for the Leafs and a shutout defeat for the Devils. It's the second head-to-head matchup for Devils coach Sheldon Keefe against his old club, with the Leafs getting the better of him for his first home game at the Prudential Center way back on Oct. 10.

The Leafs have been rotating their goaltending evenly of late, with Stolarz next up if the rotation holds. Markstrom is a lock for the Devils after Jake Allen was in net for Sunday's loss to the Avalanche.

As mentioned already above, I'm bearish on the under even though it's a 6.5 total mostly because of the firepower on both power plays. However, there's a special on offer that I like for this game that finds a happy medium: Both Teams To Score 3-plus Goals (+130). It's stronger odds than the over and is the most likely way we get there, as this doesn't feel ripe for one side to dominate. Don't forget, technically the under could still hit if the game goes to a shootout at 3-3.

For players props, both of these teams currently have one player on their top power-play unit that gets better odds just because they aren't one of the superstars, so why not stack them? Matthew Knies for Over 0.5 total power-play points (+375) and Stefan Noesen for Over 0.5 total power-play points (+375) combine for +1581 in a same-game parlay.

Minnesota Wild at Utah Hockey Club

9:30 p.m., Delta Center, Watch live on ESPN+, Hulu and now Disney+

• Wild (-1.5, +200), -120 money line

• Utah HC (+1.5, -275), +100 money line

• Total 5.5: (Over -120, Under +100)

Gustavsson hasn't experienced a loss since Nov. 25 to the Winnipeg Jets, but it's been a stretch of less-than-dangerous opponents since then outside of one matchup with the Vancouver Canucks. Utah, meanwhile, has also had a quality run of games in that same timeframe, only not getting a point in the standings in a 2-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Dec. 2.

In other words, both of these teams are coming in relatively strong, if you look past the Wild's loss on Saturday with Fleury in the crease ( his first loss of the season, by the way).

The Wild have been defying the odds when they are road favorites with a much better record both against the spread (7-4) and moneyline (8-3) than the rest of the league.

The strength of the recent goaltending has me interested in the under even though this is a 5.5 total. As much as I would prefer the odds from the spread for the Wild instead of the moneyline, picking a favorite to beat the spread and going with the under is a recipe for disaster. So the same-game parlay here might be Wild moneyline (-120) and Under 5.5 total goals (-105) for combined odds of +226. Those who feel a little spicier than I can change that to Wild -1.5 game spread (+200) with a custom Under 4.5 total goals (+240) to spike their parlay to +774, but that's really calling for a specific result (3-1 or 2-0 for the Wild).

Betting trends

While we are on the topic of over/under, let's check in on the overall data this season.

Of the 444 games through Monday, 238 games have been under (53.6%), while 206 games have been over (46.4%).

But, when it comes to games with 6.5 total, 160 games have been under (57.8%), while 117 games have been over (42.2%).

And, when it comes to games with 5.5 total, 78 games have been under (46.7%), while 89 games have been over (53.3%).

So how do those play out with the trusty $1 bet thought experiment?

• Putting $1 on every 6.5 game to be under would have grossed: $135.62 on 160 wins and lost $117 for a net result of $18.62.

• Putting $1 on every 6.5 game to be over would have grossed: $114.75 on 117 wins and lost $160 for a net result of -$45.25.

• Putting $1 on every 5.5 game to be under would have grossed: $80.41 on 78 wins and lost $89 for a net result of -$8.59.

• Putting $1 on every 5.5 game to be over would have grossed: $70.72 on 89 wins and lost $78 for a net result of -$7.28.

Of all the basic bet strategies, from over/under, to moneyline, to spread for favorites or underdogs on road or at home, the 6.5 under bet is the only one performing in the black. This is thanks to some pretty healthy odds hitting sometimes. While low odds like -130 and -125 have won the most (31 and 30 times, respectively), there have been a lot of hits on better-paying odds on the 6.5-total unders this season: -110 has won 16 times, -105 has won 10 times and even money has won nine times.

TURIN, Italy -- José Mourinho has hit back at Pep Guardiola's claim that he wants to see Manchester City relegated to League One by saying he only wants "justice in football."

Fenerbahce coach Mourinho, who built a fierce rivalry with then-Barcelona boss Guardiola during his time in charge of Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, reignited hostilities with Guardiola by saying he won three Premier League titles "fairly and cleanly" after the City manager had responded to taunts from Liverpool supporters by raising six fingers to signify the number of titles he has won at the Etihad.

Guardiola then said that Mourinho's comments were rooted in him being "on a huge list that they want the team [City] being in, I don't know, League One or the Conference" if the club loses its battle against 115 charge of breaking Premier League financial rules.

But speaking ahead of Fenerbahce's Europa League tie against Athletic Bilbao, former Chelsea and Manchester United manager Mourinho said that his comments were only made because he wants to see fairness.

"It's not true that I want Man City to be relegated," Mourinho said. "It's true that I like justice, and many times small clubs are punished by going 5, 10 over budget and the rules for Financial Fair Play.

"For example, I suffered in Roma three years with great limitations about it. I don't think it's fair that the big sharks - when I say sharks, I say financial sharks -- they always find a way to escape the rules.

"I'm just a football man, a man that loves football, more than being a professional football man I am very passionate, I just like justice in football. But apart from that, no bad feelings."

Guardiola was not asked about Mourinho's comments during his pre-match news conference ahead of Wednesday's Champions League clash against Juventus in Turin.

But Mourinho attempted to play down suggestions of a new rift with Guardiola by saying there are "no problems" between the two men.

"In relation to Pep, let me say something -- we were together for three years [at Barcelona]," Mourinho said. "I was an assistant and he was a player.

"I like him a lot and he knows that. He likes me and I know that, there are no problems between us. One thing are words and another thing is deep feelings."

Meanwhile, Guardiola said he is unlikely to manage another club side when he leaves City after recently signing a new contract until 2027 at the Etihad.

"I won't coach another team," Guardiola told Dani Garcia's Desmontadito YouTube show. "I'm not talking about the long-term future, but what I won't do is leave Manchester City to go to another country and do the same thing I'm doing now.

"I won't have the energy. Maybe with a national team, but that's different, it's not every day, every three days.

"But right now, no. I'm right here. "

Liverpool maintained their 100% record in this season's Champions League with a 1-0 win at Girona on Tuesday, the only goal of the game coming from Mohamed Salah's second-half penalty.

Girona suffered their fifth defeat of the competition but made Liverpool work for the victory and in the opening half had chances to take the lead but were foiled by the visitors' keeper Alisson.

Liverpool struggled against a side happy to sit back and soak up the pressure and break on the counter-attack, but found the breakthrough from the penalty spot with Salah converting in the 63rd minute after Luis Diaz was fouled.

A sixth win from six keeps Liverpool top of the league phase standings on 18 points, five ahead of Inter Milan who are in action at Bayer Leverkusen later on Tuesday, while Girona remain on three points in 30th place.