CHICAGO — Jason Heyward, who launched his 16-year major league career with the Atlanta Braves in 2010 and won a World Series title with the Chicago Cubs in 2016, announced his retirement on Friday.

Heyward played in 34 games with San Diego in 2025, hitting .176.

For his career, Heyward hit .255 with 186 home runs with six teams. He also played for St. Louis, Houston and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The outfielder won five Gold Gloves, including four straight seasons from 2014 through 2017.

Heyward, whose nickname is “J Hey,” played his first five seasons with the Braves and set career highs with 27 homers and 82 RBIs for Atlanta in 2012. He was drafted by the Braves in 2007 from Henry County High School in suburban Atlanta.

Heyward played for the Cubs for seven seasons, from 2016 through 2022. He said he plans to focus on his Jason Heyward Baseball Academy, a youth development program based in Chicago.

Hamlin sticking with Buffalo

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Safety Damar Hamlin is returning to Buffalo for a sixth season after signing a one-year contract with the team on Friday.

Hamlin was a free agent after his one-year contract expired. And he’s staying in Buffalo where the 28-year-old has served as an inspiration for perseverance following his remarkable comeback after a near-death experience three years ago.

The one-time Pitt standout has shown no signs of a setback since he went into cardiac arrest and needed to be resuscitated on the field during a game at Cincinnati in January 2023.

Though he was eased back into action in being limited to playing five games the following season, Hamlin had a career-high 14 starts in 2024. He was relegated to a backup role last season and limited to just five games after landing on injured reserve because of a pectoral injury sustained in practice.

Hamlin is expected to compete for a backup spot on a team and defense in transition.

Former Raiders OL dies at 52

Former All-Pro center Barret Robbins, largely known for leaving the Oakland Raiders’ team hotel on the eve of their most recent Super Bowl appearance in 2003, died at 52.

The Raiders confirmed his death on Friday. Ex-teammate Tim Brown, a Hall of Fame wide receiver, announced Robbins’ death on social media Thursday night.

Brown said Marissa Robbins told him her husband died in his sleep overnight. No cause of death was provided by the team. Robbins played all nine seasons for the Raiders. He was a first-team All-Pro selection in 2002, his second to last season.

Robbins, a second-round pick out of TCU in the 1995 NFL draft, played all nine seasons for the Raiders.

Sakamoto wins on her way out

PRAGUE — Kaori Sakamoto bid farewell to figure skating with a fourth world championship title before retirement as one of the most decorated skaters in decades.

Sakamoto took to the ice to cheers from a packed arena in Prague and delivered a typically artistic and consistent final free skate to stay ahead of her Japanese teammate Mone Chiba.

After signing off to Edith Piaf’s “Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien,” Sakamoto made a double fist pump as her coaches hugged rink-side and Chiba stood to applaud.

Minutes later, Sakamoto jumped up and danced in celebration at leaving on a personal-best total 238.28 points and embraced Chiba, who scored 228.47. “I’m so happy,” Sakamoto said to whoops from the crowd. “I’m grateful that I get to skate here.”

Nina Pinzarrone took a surprise bronze on 215.20, a breakthrough moment after years of being overshadowed by her Belgian teammate, 2022 world silver medalist Loena Hendrickx.

The Associated Press