Mars, West Virginia infielder JJ Wetherholt chosen 7th overall by Cardinals in MLB Draft
Looking the part of a Texan for the biggest weekend of his life, Mars and West Virginia product JJ (Jonathan David) Wetherholt was wearing a cowboy hat and snakeskin boots Sunday night when he was selected seventh overall by the St. Louis Cardinals in the MLB Draft in Fort Worth,...
Australian 2B Travis Bazzana taken by Guardians with top pick in MLB Draft
FORT WORTH, Texas — Australian second baseman Travis Bazzana was taken by the Cleveland Guardians with the No. 1 pick in MLB’s amateur draft Sunday, and three players from Wake Forest were selected in the top 10. A former cricket, rugby and soccer player who came to the United States...
MLB All-Stars back in Arlington, where 11 future Hall of Famers started outside in Texas heat in ’95
ARLINGTON, Texas — MLB still was stinging from a strike that had wiped out the World Series the previous season when the 1995 All-Star Game was played in the stifling Texas heat at the Rangers’ new ballpark. Buck Showalter certainly remembers how hot it was when he managed the American...
Marcus Semien replaces Jose Altuve as AL All-Star starter
NEW YORK — Marcus Semien of the host Texas Rangers will replace Houston’s Jose Altuve as the American League’s starting second baseman for the All-Star Game on Tuesday night. MLB said Thursday that Altuve will rest his left hand, which has been sore since he was hit by a 94.3...
Bryce Harper misses game vs. Dodgers with bruised left hand
PHILADELPHIA — First baseman Bryce Harper made a short-lived return to the Philadelphia Phillies’ lineup. The All-Star first baseman sat out Wednesday night against Los Angeles because of a bruised left hand. Harper — who had missed the previous nine games with a strained left hamstring — was hurt at...
Rangers’ Adolis Garcia, Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernandez complete field for Home Run Derby
NEW YORK — Adolis Garcia will represent the host Texas Rangers in Monday night’s Home Run Derby at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernandez completed the eight-man field. Garcia was knocked out by Tampa Bay’s Randy Arozarena last year in the first round...
Rays shortstop Wander Franco is formally charged with sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been formally charged with sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl in the Dominican Republic. Prosecutors filed multiple charges against Franco six months after a judge ordered that he be investigated in connection with sexual and psychological abuse of the...
First Call: Mitch Keller passed over as Tyler Glasnow’s All-Star replacement; ex-Carolina star praises Diontae Johnson trade
At least one former Carolina Panthers star is pumped about his old team landing ex-Steeler Diontae Johnson in a trade. One of the three sons of former Steelers who committed to Notre Dame is already heading elsewhere. Tyler Glasnow is out of the All-Star game. Does that mean Pittsburgh’s Mitch...
Projected as 1st-round MLB pick, Mars’, WVU’s JJ Wetherholt learned lessons on, off the field
Here’s the greatest lesson West Virginia’s JJ Wetherholt learned — or, more accurately, taught himself — on his way to becoming a projected top-10 choice in the MLB Draft: There’s more to hitting a baseball than taking swings in the batting cage until your hands ache. Yes, that fundamental part...
Former Pirates outfielder Raúl Mondesi sentenced to 6 years in jail in the Dominican Republic
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Former Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Raúl Mondesi was sentenced Friday by a Dominican court to six years and nine months in jail and fined $507,000 for corruption during his time as mayor in the city of San Cristobal. Prosecutors accused the 53-year-old Mondesi of embezzling $5...
Mets’ Pete Alonso to compete in Home Run Derby for 5th time
Pete Alonso will participate in his fifth straight Home Run Derby, with the New York Mets first baseman trying to win for the third time. Baltimore’s Gunnar Henderson and Philadelphia’s Alec Bohm also have committed to the July 15 event at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Alonso made the...
7 Phillies, 6 Dodgers picked for MLB All-Star GameVideo
The major league-leading Philadelphia Phillies had a big league-high seven selections for the MLB All-Star Game on Sunday. Three rookies were picked for the July 16 game in Arlington, Texas: Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes, Chicago Cubs pitcher Shoto Imanaga and San Diego outfielder Jackson Merrill. Philadelphia pitchers Zack Wheeler,...
Rangers activate World Series closer Josh Sborz, put Dane Dunning on IL
ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Rangers reliever Josh Sborz, who got the final seven outs in the team’s World Series-clinching game last fall, was activated from the injured list Friday after missing nearly two months because of a right rotator cuff strain. The Rangers brought Sborz back from his second IL...
Aaron Boone says Yankees unconcerned about criticism from Aaron Judge’s hitting coach
NEW YORK — Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he was unconcerned about criticism from Aaron Judge’s personal hitting coach. Richard Schenk posted Thursday on X: “They’ve lost 13 out of 18 while he’s hitting like an MVP. The Yankees offensive player development is terrible.” “People are going to say things,...
Red Sox reliever Chris Martin placed on injured list with elbow inflammation
NEW YORK — Boston Red Sox right-hander Chris Martin was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday because of right elbow inflammation, and left-hander Cam Booser was recalled from Triple-A Worcester. Boston made the placement retroactive to Thursday, a day after the 38-year-old Martin pitched one inning against Miami. “We’ll...
Bochy won’t have any of his players in AL All-Star lineup at home after Texas had 5 starters in ’23
ARLINGTON, Texas — The American League starting lineup that Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy will write out for the All-Star Game won’t include any of his own players. A year after the Rangers had five All-Star starters — four voted in by fans, and another as an injury replacement —...
Shohei Ohtani elected to start at DH in 4th straight All-Star Game, joins Aaron Judge as only holdovers
NEW YORK — Shohei Ohtani became the first player elected to start at designated hitter in four straight All-Star Games, joined by New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge as the only holdovers from last year in the lineups announced Wednesday for the July 16 game at Arlington, Texas. Philadelphia could...
Philadelphia radio host Howard Eskin suspended from Phillies home games over ‘unwelcome kiss’
PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia sports radio host Howard Eskin has been suspended from Phillies home games for the rest of the season after investigations by his employer showed he kissed a worker for Citizens Bank Park’s food service provider without consent. Audacy, the parent company for Philadelphia’s SportsRadio 94WIP, said in...
Shohei Ohtani says he won’t participate in Home Run Derby during All-Star festivities
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani won’t participate in the Home Run Derby on July 15 despite the Japanese superstar ranking second in the majors with 27 homers for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ohtani has taken part in the Derby just once, exiting in the first round in 2021 at Coors...
Brewers continue trying to address their starting rotation by acquiring RHP Aaron Civale from Rays
Milwaukee has acquired veteran right-hander Aaron Civale from the Tampa Bay Rays in the NL Central-leading Brewers’ latest attempt to boost a starting rotation that’s been decimated by injuries. The Brewers are sending minor league infielder Gregory Barrios to Tampa Bay in exchange for Civale. They designated right-hander Taylor Clarke...
U mad, bro?: Pre-Fourth fireworks on state of the Penguins, insufficient Pirates, Mike Tomlin’s recent playoff fade
Thursday is Independence Day. So I plan on celebrating my independence from work. Hence, we are posting “U mad, bro?” a day early this week. Don’t worry. I’m offering up plenty of fireworks about the Penguins’ current roster, the Pirates’ ups and downs and Mike Tomlin’s recent track record. This...
Mets OF Brandon Nimmo faints in hotel room, cuts forehead
WASHINGTON — New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo missed Monday night’s game against the Washington Nationals after fainting in his hotel room overnight and hitting his head when he fell. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Nimmo cut his forehead but did not have a concussion. “He went through all the...
11 people injured when escalator malfunctions in Milwaukee ballpark
MILWAUKEE — Eleven people were injured Saturday when an escalator malfunctioned at American Family Field in Milwaukee following the Brewers’ loss to the Chicago Cubs, a team official said. Six people were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, and five others were treated at the ballpark, according to Tyler Barnes, the senior...
Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña misplays pop fly while doing in-game TV interview
NEW YORK — Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña misplayed a fly ball Friday night in a game against the New York Mets while participating in an in-game interview. Peña was involved in an interview with Apple TV+ just before New York’s Jeff McNeil popped up toward the shortstop area with...
Phillies place Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber placed on injured list
PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Phillies placed All-Star first baseman Bryce Harper and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber on the 10-day injured list after both were hurt in Thursday night’s 7-4 loss to Miami. Harper strained his left hamstring running the bases in the ninth inning, and Schwarber strained his left groin...
