Lamar Hunt Bids on Royals

The owner of the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, Lamar Hunt, wants to buy his city’s baseball team to “assure that the Royals will remain in Kansas City.”

Hunt, a sports entrepreneur who is joined in the bid by Western Resources utility, called the venture “very important to mid-America.”

Hunt announced his plans Tuesday, the deadline to submit preliminary bids for the American League franchise. He said his bid is competitive but would not elaborate. The Royals have been without an owner since its founder, Ewing Kauffman, died in 1993.

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Steve Avery, a two-time 18-game winner, is headed back to the minors after pitching only 4 2/3 innings with the Boston Red Sox this season.

Avery agreed to go to triple-A Pawtucket of the International League after clearing waivers to make room for Robinson Checo, who is scheduled to start against the Angels on Thursday. The moves will be effective today.

Avery can stay with Pawtucket for no more than 19 days, and Manager Jimy Williams said he would be back with the Red Sox within that time. Avery was 18-8 in 1991 and 18-6 in 1993 with Atlanta. But he was 7-13 in 1995 and 7-10 in 1996 before Boston signed him as a free agent. He was 6-7 last season, when he was bothered by a groin injury and had three rehabilitation starts in the minors.

The Red Sox were obligated to pick up Avery’s $3.9-million salary this season when Williams gave him his 18th start last Sept. 25, rather than bypass him, which would have allowed them to let Avery go.

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Seattle outfielder Jay Buhner underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and will be sidelined at least six weeks. . . . Minnesota’s Otis Nixon will undergo surgery on his broken jaw today, sidelining the outfielder for at least two weeks. While Nixon has been able to play with the injury, the bones haven’t healed properly, allowing the jaw to slip out of alignment.