Ex-Red Sox slugger David Ortiz shot at Dominican bar, recovering after surgeryVideo
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Former Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz was hospitalized Monday following surgery for a gunshot wound after being ambushed by a man in a bar in his native Dominican Republic, authorities said. Dominican National Police Director Ney Aldrin Bautista Almonte said Ortiz was at the...
Craig Kimbrel on Cubs: ‘I’m happy where I am’
CHICAGO — After missing more than one-third of a season while waiting for the right offer, Craig Kimbrel found a home with the Chicago Cubs. “Am I disappointed at where I am? No. not all at all. I’m very happy where I am,” Kimbrel said Friday after the Cubs finalized...
Cubs reach $43M deal with free-agent closer Craig KimbrelVideo
CHICAGO — At the start of spring training, when Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said he had no money to spend, Pedro Strop was asked if the Cubs could use free agent Craig Kimbrel in the bullpen. “I’m never going to say we don’t need a guy like that,” Strop replied....
Sons of former MLB players highlight Day 2 of draft
NEW YORK — Grant McCray will get a chance to leave his mark on professional baseball, but he’ll have a tough time making one as dramatic as his famous father. The Florida high school outfielder, drafted in the third round by San Francisco on Tuesday, is the son of former...
MLB’s Rob Manfred doesn’t expect protective nets to change in season
SEATTLE — MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said he does not expect teams to make changes to the protective netting around ballparks during the season, although he expects conversations to continue about whether netting should be extended. Manfred’s comments Tuesday came less than a week after a young child was struck...
Phillies outfielder Andrew McCutchen out for season with torn ACLVideo
SAN DIEGO — Andrew McCutchen tore his ACL in a rundown and will miss the rest of the season, causing the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies to again reshuffle their outfield. McCutchen hurt his left knee during Monday night’s game against San Diego and an MRI revealed the injury. “It’s not...
Mets fans have message for Tom Brady: ‘There’s only one Tom Terrific’
The lesson for the day – if Tom Brady decides to listen – is simply this: “Don’t mess with angry Mets fans.” Brady has raised the ire of rightfully outraged New Yorkers who can’t believe what they’re hearing: The New England Patriots quarterback, who has won six Super Bowls, wants...
‘Pray for me’: Phillies’ Andrew McCutchen suffers knee injury
Former Pirates MVP Andrew McCutchen hurt his knee on a strange play in San Diego Monday. The Phillies center fielder appeared to twist his knee during this odd rundown. Andrew McCutchen has exited today's game with an injury and had to be helped off the field. pic.twitter.com/bAy1yQ85uH— NBC Sports Philadelphia...
Orioles draft Oregon State catcher Rutschman with No. 1 pick
SECAUCUS, N.J. — The Baltimore Orioles selected Oregon State switch-hitting catcher Adley Rutschman with the No. 1 pick in the MLB Draft. The announcement Monday night at MLB Network studios marked the second time the Orioles have led off the draft and first since they took LSU pitcher Ben McDonald...
Mark Madden: More MLB netting a good idea, but so is common sense
Rory McIlroy drilled a spectator in the head with a tee shot in the PGA’s Memorial Tournament on Friday. Perhaps golf should border the fairways with protective netting. The subject of more protective netting became sadly relevant last Wednesday when a foul ball hit by the Chicago Cubs’ Albert Almora...
Oregon State’s Rutschman, WVU’s Manoah among top MLB Draft prospects
NEW YORK — Adley Rutschman has been a powerful presence at the plate and a formidable force behind it for Oregon State. That tantalizing combination could make the switch-hitting catcher the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft on Monday night. Baltimore leads things off for the second time...
John Steigerwald: Cubs’ Albert Almora Jr. not to blame for girl’s injury
Somebody owes Albert Almora Jr. an apology. Almora is the Chicago Cubs outfielder whose line drive struck a 4-year-old girl Wednesday night in Houston. His emotional reaction received almost as much attention as the little girl being carried up the aisle by her father. Almora Jr. seemed to be blaming...
MLB attendance down another 1.4%, 4th straight drop
NEW YORK — The Tampa Bay Rays and Miami Marlins drew 12,653 on Wednesday night — combined. Baltimore, Cincinnati, Minnesota and Tampa Bay set stadium lows this year. Kansas City had its smallest home crowd since 2011 and Toronto and San Francisco since 2010. The Marlins’ average attendance is less...
MLB to keep monitoring netting issue after child is hitVideo
HOUSTON — Major League Baseball said Thursday it will keep examining its policy on protective netting at stadiums a day after a young fan was struck by a foul ball and hospitalized. The girl was hit during Wednesday night’s game between the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros, an incident MLB...
First Call: An Antonio Brown, Vontaze Burfict family feud; Austin Meadows stays hot
Wednesday’s “First Call” gives us the first “feud” between Antonio Brown and Vontaze Burfict. And the Raiders really did sign Richie Incognito. The worst first pitch ever. Another Austin Meadows homer. It’s time to play the feud Antonio Brown and Vontaze Burfict had their first family feud in Oakland. No,...
Woman delivers worthy candidate for ‘Worst First Pitches Ever’Video
There’s an old saying: “They couldn’t do that bad if they tried.” The adage was put on full display Tuesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago. A woman, who was honored as the White Sox’s “Employee of the Month” threw out the ceremonial first pitch for the home team...
Phillies OF Odubel Herrera arrested in domestic case, put on leave
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Odubel Herrera has been placed on administrative leave by Major League Baseball following his arrest in a domestic violence case at an Atlantic City casino. The commissioner’s office put Herrera on leave Tuesday, a day after his arrest on an assault charge at...
Bill Buckner, forever known for error in 1986 World Series, dies at 69Video
BOSTON — Bill Buckner, a star hitter who became known for making one of the most infamous plays in major league history, died Monday. He was 69. He died after a long battle with Lewy body dementia, Buckner’s family said in a statement. The disease causes Alzheimer’s-like symptoms along with...
Cubs manager Maddon drops protest over Doolittle’s delivery
WASHINGTON — The Chicago Cubs dropped their protest over the pitching delivery of Washington reliever Sean Doolittle. Cubs manager Joe Maddon made the announcement before Sunday night’s game against the Nationals. Maddon came out twice in the ninth inning of a 5-2 loss Saturday night to complain to plate umpire...
Paul Newberry: Penny-pinching Rays running with big-market teams
They play in an architectural nightmare of a ballpark. They are treated like pariahs in their own community. They have to get by with one of baseball’s stingiest payrolls. Yet, somehow, the Tampa Bay Rays make it work. It’s one of the most compelling stories in sports, even if few...
Diehard Fan: Actor Bruce Willis hits BP, throws 1st pitch in PhiladelphiaVideo
Baseball has been called a humbling game. But on Wednesday after some feeble swings during batting practice and a less-than-average first pitch for the Phillies, baseball taught actor Bruce Willis not to quit his day job. Bruce Willis takes batting practice pic.twitter.com/mZJ1o5bDbI— Michael McGarry (@ACPressMcGarry) May 15, 2019 Willis, who...
President Trump boasts that Red Sox swept a sub-.500 team thanks to him
There’s a particular subset of Donald Trump tweets in which he tries to take credit for things for which he obviously deserves no credit. This is different than that genre of tweets in which Trump claims, retroactively, to have been right about something, a prolific genre of its own. Here,...
Giants’ Derek Holland calls injury ‘fake,’ rips front office
SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants weren’t pleased with Derek Holland’s results in the starting rotation, so they asked the struggling left-hander to pitch in relief. If Holland wanted to express frustration with the decision, manager Bruce Bochy and president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi have said their doors are always...
Revolving door working for New York Yankees
NEW YORK — Michael Tauchman reported to the New York Yankees for the first time before an exhibition game at Washington, three days before Opening Day and two days after he was acquired from Colorado in a trade. “Aaron Judge came over during batting practice, said, ‘Hey man, you’re here...
Rays pitcher Tyler Glasnow expected to miss 4-6 weeks with forearm strain
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays placed pitcher Tyler Glasnow on the 10-day injured list because of a mild right forearm strain that’s expected to sideline him four to six weeks. Glasnow left during the sixth inning of Friday night’s 4-3 loss to the New York Yankees with...
