Baseball

The U.S. attorney’s office in Helena, Mont., will not pursue felony criminal drug charges against New York Yankee relief pitcher Steve Howe, Assistant U.S. Atty. Kris McLean told the Independent Record of Helena.

“It doesn’t mean the misdemeanor case is weaker,” McLean said. “It just means we didn’t have the evidence to charge a felony.”

Howe faces trial Jan. 30 in Missoula, Mont., on a federal misdemeanor cocaine possession charge.