Altuve, Arenado, Chisholm, Rodón won’t play in All-Star GameVideo
Houston second baseman Jose Altuve, San Francisco Giants pitcher Carlos Rodón, St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado and Miami Marlins second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. won’t be playing in Tuesday’s All-Star Game. Altuve, an eight-time All-Star who was selected as a starter in fan voting, was struck on the...
Fox Chapel’s Patrick Monteverde’s baseball journey in high gear in High-A ball
Patrick Monteverde took an unusual path toward becoming a Major League Baseball draft choice. So it’s only proper that a possible road to Miami winds through Beloit, Wisc. The 2016 Fox Chapel graduate is currently pitching – and pitching well – for the Beloit SkyCarp, a High-A affiliate of the...
Hard-throwing Kumar Rocker ready for his second MLB draft
TROY, N.Y. — Kumar Rocker is ready for a second go-round in the MLB draft. A year after he was the lone first-round pick to not sign with a team, the hard-throwing right-hander and former Vanderbilt star is fresh from a brief professional tune-up that has him on track to...
MLB to pay minor leaguers $185 million to settle lawsuitVideo
NEW YORK — Major League Baseball agreed to pay minor leaguers $185 million to settle a federal lawsuit alleging violations of minimum wage laws, a case that progressed through the courts for eight years without reaching a trial. An early estimate is that perhaps 20,000 players could share the money....
Scherzer, Harper, others discuss how NL DH rule changes gameVideo
Max Scherzer misses hitting. He misses pitching to pitchers. And yet the New York Mets right-hander is just fine with the full-time addition of the designated hitter to the National League as of this season, nearly 50 years after the American League adopted it. “The biggest benefit,” the three-time Cy...
HR Derby matchups set: Top-seeded Kyle Schwarber vs. Albert Pujols
NEW YORK — The matchups are set for baseball’s Home Run Derby. Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber will be the top seed next Monday at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles thanks to his 28 home runs through Wednesday — most among the eight players in the field. Schwarber will face...
First Call: Cameron Heyward’s practical view on Acrisure Stadium name change; Pirates head to Colorado
Friday’s “First Call” has a hot take from Steelers captain Cameron Heyward on the new name for Heinz Field. A former Penn State star is running out of time to avoid the franchise tag. The Pirates will miss facing a former teammate at Coors Field. And Jaromir Jagr wants NHL...
Freddie Freeman’s ex-agent sues Doug Gottlieb over tweet about Braves negotiations
ST. LOUIS — Almost three weeks ago, Freddie Freeman fired his agents at Excel Sports Management as his representatives in the wake of a dramatic offseason free-agency process. In a libel lawsuit filed Thursday by Excel and its lead agent, Casey Close, against sports radio personality Doug Gottlieb, the agency...
10 unvaccinated Royals players skipping trip to Toronto
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals spent Thursday patching up a roster missing 10 players who were barred from traveling to Toronto because of their covid-19 vaccination status while trying to smooth over their damaged image among fans. Among the nearly 40% of players on the 26-man roster...
Blue Jays fire Montoyo, promote Schneider for rest of season
TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays fired manager Charlie Montoyo on Wednesday and promoted bench coach John Schneider to interim manager for the remainder of the season. Triple-A manager Casey Candaele was named interim bench coach. The 13th manager in Blue Jays history, and the first from Puerto Rico, Montoyo...
All-Stars Carlos Rodon, J.D. Martinez, Garrett Cooper in; Josh Hader, Bryce Harper outVideo
NEW YORK — San Francisco left-hander Carlos Rodon, Boston designated hitter J.D. Martinez and Miami first baseman Garrett Cooper were added Tuesday for next week’s All-Star Game. They replaced Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper and Houston’s Yordan Alvarez, who are hurt, and Milwaukee closer Josh Hader, who is skipping the July 19...
Alonso, Pujols, Acuña, Soto in for Home Run Derby
ATLANTA — Mets slugger Pete Alonso will try to become the first player to win the All-Star Home Run Derby three consecutive times against a field that will include the Cardinals’ Albert Pujols, the Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr. and Washington’s Juan Soto. The New York first baseman said Monday he...
Norwin’s Max McDowell maturing in Yankees system
Sure, Max McDowell wanted to be there in person when the New York Yankees played the Pittsburgh Pirates in a recent two-game series at PNC Park. The minor-league catcher would have given just about anything to get a call-up to join New York’s big club on the North Shore, 20...
Shohei Ohtani a 2-way All-Star; ex-Pirates Gerrit Cole, Clay Holmes, Starling Marte make teamVideo
NEW YORK — A year after Shohei Ohtani became baseball’s first two-way All-Star, the Los Angeles Angels sensation did it again. Ohtani was picked for the American League pitching staff Sunday as an MLB selection, two days after he was elected by fans to start at designated hitter. Former Pirates...
Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani to start MLB All-Star Game
Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels were elected Friday to start in the July 19 All-Star Game along with outfielders Mookie Betts and Trea Turner of the host Dodgers. Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk and Miami second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. were voted to start as first-time...
First Call: Steelers’ Cam Heyward unhappy with ESPN poll; interesting odds after Baker Mayfield trade; Pirates trade chip emerges
In Thursday’s “First Call,” Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward is feeling a bit slighted by an ESPN poll. We’ve got a follow-up on a potential free agent acquisition for the Steelers. One Pirate is getting attention on the Major League Baseball trade market. And we check on the adjusted...
Reigning NL MVP Bryce Harper vows to return to Phillies this seasonVideo
PHILADELPHIA — Bryce Harper has three pins in his left thumb, a cast on his left hand and an unyielding belief that he will return from injury this season to try and lead the Phillies to their first playoff appearance in 11 years. “I’ll be back,” Harper said. With those...
Astros’ Kyle Tucker tries to steal home amid PitchCom malfunction
HOUSTON — Houston’s Kyle Tucker was thrown out Thursday night when he tried to steal home while New York Yankees starter Luis Severino tinkered with his malfunctioning PitchCom device. Alex Bregman had just hit a two-run double to put Houston up 2-0, and Tucker was on third with two outs...
First Call: Where Steelers’ Chris Boswell ranks among NFL kickers; Pirates host hot division-leading Brewers
In Thursday’s “First Call,” we find out where Steelers kicker Chris Boswell ranks among the best at his position in the NFL — and within his own division. A former WPIAL star is looking to imprint his team’s NFL success a bit more this season. And the Pirates may be...
St. Petersburg mayor reopens talks on future of Rays stadium site
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The mayor of St. Petersburg, Florida, is reopening talks about the future of the Tropicana Field site where baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays play their home games. Mayor Ken Welch said Wednesday that two previous proposals for the 86-acre downtown location are being scrapped, with a new...
Bryce Harper set for thumb surgery; Phillies hope he returns this yearVideo
PHILADELPHIA — Phillies slugger Bryce Harper will have surgery Wednesday to repair his broken left thumb, and the team hopes the 2021 NL MVP can play again this season. Manager Rob Thomson did not offer a timetable for Harper’s return Tuesday, only saying he hoped Philadelphia’s franchise player would return...
First Call: Could USFL give Steelers OLB depth?; Deshaun Watson update; memorable Pirates anniversary
Monday’s “First Call” suggests an unconventional plan toward finding a solution to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ lack of depth at outside linebacker. There is an update on the Deshaun Watson situation. Josh Allen’s interesting angle to the Buffalo Bills playoff loss. We’ve got a look at the next opponent for the...
Melee mayhem: Big brawl, 8 ejected, Angels top Mariners 2-1Video
ANAHEIM, Calif. — A lengthy bench-clearing brawl resulted in the ejections of six players and both managers in the second inning of the Los Angeles Angels’ 2-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Sunday. Three of the first four hitters in the Mariners’ lineup were ejected, and three Angels pitchers...
Phils’ Bryce Harper on IL with broken thumb, no date for returnVideo
SAN DIEGO — Reigning NL MVP Bryce Harper was placed on the 10-day injured list Sunday with a broken left thumb and the Philadelphia Phillies haven’t yet announced a timeline for his return. Former No. 1 overall draft pick Mickey Moniak was recalled from Triple-A to take Harper’s roster spot....
Norwin grad Matijevic homers again in Astros’ no-hit win over Yankees
When the baseball finally landed in the second deck high above the field at historic Yankee Stadium, JJ Matijevic had his second big-league hit. Two hits. Two home runs. Matijevic, who started at first base, hit another solo homer as the Houston Astros no-hit the New York Yankees, 3-0, on...
