Sports News Roundup: Perez named Wilson top defensive player; Wolfpack line up Williams and more

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Indians C Perez named Wilson top defensive player

Cleveland Indians catcher Roberto Perez was selected the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year on Wednesday as the glove supplier announced its defensive player awards. Perez, who is one of four first-time honorees on the all-defensive team, threw out an American League-best 40.8 percent of base steals (20 of 49) this season.

Golf: Els names rookies Im, Niemann in Presidents Cup captain's picks

The Internationals will field six debutants at next month's Presidents Cup, with Ernie Els naming rookies Im Sung-jae and Joaquin Niemann among his captain's picks to take on Tiger Woods's United States at Royal Melbourne. South Korean Im, the PGA Tour's rookie of the year, and Niemann, the first Chilean to play in the biennial event, join already qualified debutants Abraham Ancer, C.T. Pan, Li Haotong and Cameron Smith.

Athletics: Diamond League cuts eight disciplines for 2020 season

Eight disciplines have been axed from the core program of the 2020 Diamond League season, reducing the number to 24 -- 12 each for men and women -- to cater to a 90-minute broadcast window, the IAAF said on Wednesday. The Diamond League conducted research to decide which disciplines should be a part of the 2020 season and concluded that the men's and women's 200 meters, discus throw, triple jump and 3000m steeplechase will not be contested.

Rugby: Sonny who? Canadians ask as Wolfpack line up Williams

The rugby world was buzzing on Wednesday as talk intensified that Sonny Bill Williams, the sport's biggest name, was about to sign a record-breaking contract with the Toronto Wolfpack. At the same time, Canadians were asking Sonny who?

College football notebook: 'Good chance' Tua plays vs. LSU

Injured Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has "a good chance" to play in the Crimson Tide's Saturday home game against LSU if he continues to progress, coach Nick Saban said Wednesday. Speaking to ESPN, Saban said Tagovailoa has made strides, and that mobility will be the key factor on whether the quarterback plays for third-ranked Alabama (8-0, 5-0 Southeastern Conference) against second-ranked LSU (8-0, 4-0).

NBA notebook: League reportedly OK that Leonard sits

Los Angeles Clippers star forward Kawhi Leonard wasn't scheduled to play Wednesday night in a much-anticipated nationally televised showdown with the Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the NBA doesn't have a problem with it, according to an ESPN report. The Clippers listed Leonard on the injury report with a knee injury, meaning the club is within its rights to rest Leonard on the front end of a back-to-back.

Doping: In swipe at Russia, U.S. says countries can't be allowed to 'steal' Olympic medals

The election of a new president of the World Anti-Doping Agency should give it the strength to stop countries stealing Olympic medals, the U.S. anti-doping chief said on Wednesday in remarks aimed at Russian state-sponsored doping. Speaking at WADA's World Conference on Doping in Sport, Travis Tygart, a strong critic of WADA's handling of a Russian doping scandal, said the Tokyo 2020 Games would be the fifth Olympics where doping was the main issue instead of athletes' performances.

Pregnant Morgan eyes Olympic return three months after giving birth

Alex Morgan, co-captain of U.S. women's national team, said she plans to play at the Tokyo Olympics even though the Games will take place just three months after she is due to give birth to her first child in April. "It's my goal to play there," Morgan told Reuters in an interview.

NFL notebook: Mahomes (knee) practices fully

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was a full participant in practice on Wednesday for the first time since dislocating his right kneecap last month. Coach Andy Reid said before practice that Mahomes would be more involved, but added the reigning league MVP wouldn't play in Sunday's game at the Tennessee Titans "unless it's safe to do so."

Doping: No point WADA looking into Salazar athletes - USADA's Tygart

There is no point in the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) looking into athletes who trained under banned coach Alberto Salazar because the U.S. Anti-doping Agency has already done that, USADA chief Travis Tygart said on Wednesday. WADA chief Craig Reedie said this week the anti-doping body would begin investigating the athletes who are part of the Nike Oregon Project (NOP).

Also Read: Indians C Perez named Wilson top defensive player