Holding No. 1 pick, Nationals’ front-office upheaval injects more uncertainty into MLB draft
The Washington Nationals are at a pivotal point in their rebuild to baseball relevance, owning the No. 1 overall pick in the Major League Baseball amateur draft that begins Sunday night in Atlanta. There are multiple intriguing prospects they can choose from, including prep shorstop Ethan Holliday, the son of...
Athletics’ Brent Rooker and Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. join Home Run Derby lineup
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Brent Rooker doesn’t plan to change his approach at the plate for the Home Run Derby. “I mean, look, just about every swing I’ve ever taken in my life I’ve been trying to hit a home run,” the Athletics slugger said. “It’s not like I have...
North Allegheny grad Cole Young hits 1st MLB homer, but Mariners fall to YankeesVideo
NEW YORK — Seattle Mariners rookie Cole Young, a North Allegheny graduate, hit his first home run in the majors, but the New York Yankees beat the Mariners, 9-6, on Wednesday night. Young, the No. 9 hitter, hit a two-run blast on an 0-2 count in the seventh inning. Promoted...
First Call: Rooney family member pans Steelers roster and rips idea of paying T.J. Watt big money; Reds honor Dave Parker
Thursday’s “First Call” has some harsh words about the Pittsburgh Steelers from someone within the Rooney family. Dave Parker is honored by one of his former teams. We’ve also got Pirates’ draft speculation and roster building from the Duquesne football team. Family matters If someone named Rooney is unloading their...
Zach McKinstry picked as AL All-Star sub as Tigers tie Dodgers for most picks for Midsummer Classic
The Detroit Tigers have the best record in the majors. Now they are tied for having the most All-Stars, too. Zach McKinstry was picked Wednesday to replace Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña, who has been dealing with a rib injury. The infielder-outfielder will join Detroit second baseman Gleyber Torres and outfielders...
MLB plans to use robot umpire challenge system in All-Star Game next weekVideo
NEW YORK — Major League Baseball plans to use its robot umpire technology for ball-strike challenges in Tuesday’s All-Star Game at Atlanta, another step toward possible regular-season use next season. MLB said Wednesday it intends to make the All-Star announcement Thursday. Teams won 52.2% of their ball/strike challenges during the...
Manager Dave Martinez, GM Mike Rizzo fired by last-place Washington Nationals
WASHINGTON — Manager Dave Martinez and general manager Mike Rizzo were fired by the Washington Nationals on Sunday in moves that were surprising for their timing, even if the club is more than halfway through its sixth consecutive losing season since winning the 2019 World Series. The team announced the...
Clayton Kershaw makes his 11th All-Star team, James Wood the youngest All-Star at 22
NEW YORK — Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw was picked for his 11th All-Star Game and James Wood and Elly De La Cruz boosted the 23-and-under group to five when they were picked Sunday for the July 15 showcase at Atlanta’s Truist Park. Wood at 22 is the youngest of the...
Brewers’ Woodruff strikes out 8, allows two hits in 6 innings for a win in 1st MLB start since 2023
MIAMI — Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff struck out eight and threw two-hit ball through six innings against Miami on Sunday to win his first start in the majors since Sept. 23, 2023. The two-time All-Star hadn’t pitched in the big leagues since having shoulder surgery after the 2023 season....
Holliday’s 2-run homer helps Rogers finally beat Braves as Orioles complete sweep with 2-1 win
ATLANTA — Jackson Holliday’s two-run homer gave Baltimore an early lead and Trevor Rogers ended his career-spanning victory drought against Atlanta by giving up four hits in 6 2/3 scoreless innings as the Orioles beat the Braves 2-1 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep. Rogers (2-0) struck out six...
Mets ace Kodai Senga could rejoin rotation next weekend in Kansas City
NEW YORK — Mets ace Kodai Senga could rejoin the rotation next weekend in the final series before the All-Star break, a little over a month after straining his right hamstring. Senga allowed four runs — three earned — and six hits in 3 2/3 innings during Saturday’s minor league...
41-year-old reliever Jesse Chavez returns again for his 7th stint with Braves
ATLANTA — Jesse Chavez has returned yet again for his seventh stint with the Atlanta Braves, including his second this season. The Braves added the 41-year-old reliever to their major league roster before Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles. It is the sixth move to add the veteran right-hander to...
Bobby Jenks, 2-time All-Star closer and World Series champion with the Chicago White Sox, dies at 44
CHICAGO — Bobby Jenks, a two-time All-Star closer and World Series champion with the Chicago White Sox, has died, the team announced Saturday. He was 44. The White Sox said Jenks died Friday in Sintra, Portugal, where he was being treated for adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer. Jenks helped...
Mets add pitchers Paul Blackburn, Dedniel Núñez to long injured list
NEW YORK — Already running low on pitching, the New York Mets added starter Paul Blackburn and reliever Dedniel Núñez to a crowded injured list Thursday in their latest flurry of roster moves. Núñez has a right elbow sprain and could require Tommy John surgery for the second time in...
Nationals slugger James Wood joins Ronald Acuña Jr., Cal Raleigh in Home Run Derby
WASHINGTON — Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood became the third player to announce he will take part in the Home Run Derby. The derby will be held on July 14, the night before the All-Star Game, at Truist Park in Atlanta. Wood joins Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and Mariners...
Dodgers’ Muncy on injured list with knee bruise
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy went on the injured list Thursday with a left knee bone bruise. He left in the sixth inning Wednesday night after a collision with Chicago White Sox center fielder Michael A. Taylor, who was attempting a steal. Muncy took a...
Angels place rookie second baseman Christian Moore on injured list with sprained thumb
ATLANTA — The Los Angeles Angels placed rookie second baseman Christian Moore on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a sprained left thumb. Moore left the Angels’ 8-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night with the injury. Moore dove for Ozzie Albies’ ground ball in the sixth inning,...
Young players in key roles in Marlins’ improvement
MIAMI — After Eury Pérez struck out his season-high seventh batter Thursday, the 6-foot-8 Marlins right-hander pumped his fist and looked up at the stands at Miami’s loanDepot Park. It was another win for the Marlins — their ninth in 10 games — and the first victory of the season...
Nationals slugger James Wood joins Ronald Acuña Jr., Cal Raleigh as participants in Home Run Derby
WASHINGTON — Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood became the third player to announce he will take part in the Home Run Derby. The derby will be held July 14, the night before the All-Star Game, at Truist Park in Atlanta. Wood joins Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and Mariners catcher...
Guardians’ Luis Ortiz placed on leave by MLB amid gambling investigation, AP sources say
Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz was placed on non-disciplinary leave on Thursday due to a gambling investigation by Major League Baseball, two people with knowledge of the investigation told The Associated Press. The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the nature of the investigation. The...
U mad, bro?: Pittsburgh fans launch opinions on Steelers’ trade, Sidney Crosby’s legacy, Oneil Cruz’s focus
When the Pittsburgh Steelers are involved in one of the NFL’s biggest player-for-player trades in 20 years, you know people are going to have opinions. When Sidney Crosby is rumored as a trade chip on draft night, you know Penguins fans are going to react. And you know that whenever...
Clayton Kershaw reaches 3,000 career strikeouts, is 20th pitcher to do so in MLB historyVideo
LOS ANGELES — When Clayton Kershaw made his major league debut as a gangly 20-year-old with a devastating curveball, he was considered a one-in-a-million talent. On Wednesday he entered a much smaller club, becoming the 20th pitcher in history to strike out 3,000 batters. The milestone came in the sixth...
Braves pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach out with broken elbow, hopes to return this yearVideo
ATLANTA — Braves right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach broke his right elbow during a start last weekend and was placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday as left fielder Jurickson Profar returned from an 80-game drug suspension and slumping outfielder Alex Verdugo was designated for assignment. Schwellenbach said he felt tightness while...
Freddie Freeman, Will Smith join Shohei Ohtani to give Dodgers 3 All-Star starters
The Los Angeles Dodgers will have three fan-elected starters in the All-Star Game, with first baseman Freddie Freeman and catcher Will Smith joining designated hitter Shohei Ohtani as winners in final ballot totals announced Wednesday. Detroit will have three fan-picked starters for the first time since 2007 after second baseman...
Boston’s Chapman lights up radar gun at age 37 and has bigger numbers in mind than his 350th saveVideo
BOSTON — At 37-years-old, Boston closer Aroldis Chapman routinely lights up the radar gun at 100 mph. He also sees a bigger number he would like to reach. Chapman pitched a perfect ninth inning Wednesday and earned his 350th career save as the Red Sox beat the Cincinnati Reds, 5-3,...
