PLUS SPORTS

Yankees acquire rights to Irabu Ending a four-month saga, the New York Yankees today acquired therights to Japanese pitcher Hideki Irabu from the San Diego Padres for$3 million. As part of the deal, which is subject to approval fromthe ruling executive council, the Yankees will send injuredoutfielder Ruben Rivera and minor league pitcher Rafael Medina to SanDiego in return for three minor-leaguers: second baseman Homer Bushand outfielders Gordon Amerson and Vernon Maxwell. The deal was notannounced, but a source familiar with the negotiations told theAssociated Press on condition of anonymity that it had beencompleted. Irabu's team in Japan, the Chiba Lotte Marines, agreed …