PREDAZZO, Italy (AP) — Evgeniy “Zhenya” Maloletka is an Associated Press staff photographer based in Kyiv, Ukraine. He has won numerous awards for his work covering the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He is covering his first Winter Olympics at the Milan Cortina Games.
For me any photograph, including this one, must convey a sense of presence and evoke emotion and feeling — both in the person who took it and the person who will see it.
It’s always good in a photo when there’s something unfamiliar, something new, something you might not have seen before. This makes you stop for a a second and forces you to think and analyze what you’re seeing.
In this case, the rain did a good job. My lens was covered in raindrops. At first, I considered removing them but once I saw what the effect was, I decided to leave them and use them in the photo. The result is as if your glasses are splattered with rain, and you’re forced to look into the light which creates glare from the tiny droplets.
AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Kacper Tomasiak, of Poland, soars through the air during the ski jumping men's large hill individual at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Predazzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
NEW YORK (AP) — Brent Rooker was placed on the 10-day injured list by the Athletics on Friday because of an oblique strain, ending a streak of 213 consecutive games played for the outfielder and designated hitter.
Zack Gelof was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas to fill the roster spot prior to the Athletics’ series opener at the New York Mets.
Manager Mark Kotsay didn’t provide a timeline for the All-Star slugger, who will miss his first game Friday since Aug. 15, 2024, the last time the Athletics were at Citi Field.
“We’re hopeful that Rook can get back as soon as possible,” Kotsay said.
Rooker was injured while fouling off a changeup in the first inning of Thursday’s 1-0 victory at the New York Yankees.
“I’m a little tight and a little sore, but we’ll get imaging done and see what that says,” Rooker said after the game.
Rooker is hitting .146 with two home runs and seven of his eight RBIs in his three games before Thursday.
His playing streak is the club’s fourth longest since 2000. It's also the longest streak for an A's player since Marcus Semien appeared in 276 straight games from June 28, 2018-Aug. 29, 2020.
“It was the first thing I thought about — I know Rook prides himself on playing every day,” Kotsay said.
Last season, Rooker hit .262 with 30 homers and 89 RBIs when he appeared in every game and earned All-Star selection. He also took part in the Home Run Derby, hitting 17 but failing to move on to the semifinals after losing the tiebreaker by less than an inch in total distance.
Rooker signed a $60 million, five-year contract in January 2025, a deal that could be worth up to $92 million over six seasons. That would take him through the 2029 season, the year after the A’s are scheduled to move to Las Vegas.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
Athletics' Brent Rooker swings at a strike, and then left the game following the at bat, during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Thursday, April 9, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
