4 of the top 5 picks in this year’s MLB draft were Black — the result of minority development and other grassroots programs
CHICAGO — History was made in the first round of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft. For the first time in 30 years, nine Black players were drafted in the first round, including four of the top five selections. The Arizona Diamondbacks drafted high school outfielder Druw Jones with the...
First Call: Steelers fans won’t like list of potential destinations for Roquan Smith; Jose Quintana solid again for St. Louis
Thursday’s “First Call” wonders if the Pittsburgh Steelers can land Chicago Bears star Roquan Smith in a trade. If they can’t, who will? Also, a former Pirate is shining for his new team. A former Penguin is now a college coach. And a former Steeler may not be able to...
Terry Francona suggests New Brighton host an MLB game: for the hot dogs, of courseVideo
DYERSVILLE, Iowa — Egypt. Australia. A hot dog place in Pennsylvania. A junior college in Chicago. If MLB is looking for another place for a game, oh man, do we have some fun ideas. The second “Field of Dreams” game is Thursday night in the cornfields of eastern Iowa, near...
Chris Sale out for year after breaking wrist in bike accident
BOSTON — Boston Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale broke his right wrist in a bike accident over the weekend and will miss the rest of the season, the team said Tuesday, the latest setback during an injury-plagued three years for the ace. Sale had surgery Monday and is expected to...
Yankees DH Matt Carpenter fractures left foot on foul ball
SEATTLE — New York Yankees designated hitter Matt Carpenter broke his left foot Monday night when he fouled off a pitch against the Seattle Mariners and will be out indefinitely. Carpenter, wearing a protective boot in the Yankees’ clubhouse after their 9-4 win, said he’s hopeful he might only miss...
Cubs to cut OF Jason Heyward after the season
CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs will cut ties with right fielder Jason Heyward after this season, ending one of baseball’s most expensive and unproductive free-agent signings with a year left on his contract. “We’re not going have him with the team next year,” Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer...
Phillies pushing hard for 1st playoff berth since 2011
PHILADELPHIA — Bob Boone waved to the Phillies crowd that accentuated the “Booooo” in his name in honor of the Gold Glove-winning catcher that caught the last out of the 1980 World Series. He was an All-Star, a defensive whiz in Philly, a revered member of that championship season who,...
Brewers tumble out of 1st in division after trading Hader
MILWAUKEE — In the week since trading four-time All-Star closer Josh Hader, virtually nothing has gone right for the Milwaukee Brewers. They owned a three-game lead in the NL Central when they sent Hader to the San Diego Padres, but have gone 1-5 since and trail the streaking St. Louis...
Twins’ Kirilloff to have season-ending wrist surgeryVideo
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Twins outfielder and Plum grad Alex Kirilloff will undergo season-ending surgery on his right wrist, the team announced Sunday. Kirilloff, a 2016 first-round draft pick, will travel with Minnesota on its road trip to Los Angeles and undergo ulnar shortening surgery on Tuesday. “Any time you’re talking...
Rose dismisses sexual misconduct questions at Phillies feteVideo
PHILADELPHIA — Pete Rose dismissed questions Sunday about his first appearance on the field in Philadelphia since the franchise scrapped 2017 plans to honor him because of a woman’s claim she had a sexual relationship with baseball’s hit king when she was a minor. “It was 55 years ago, babe,”...
London Calling: Cubs-Cardinals set for London in June 2023
NEW YORK — Major League Baseball plans to return to London next year for the first time since 2019. The league announced Thursday that the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs will play a two-game series on June 24-25, 2023, at London Stadium. The NL Central rivals were supposed to...
First Call: Steelers floated as trade partner for Bears’ tackle; Steel Curtain snubbed on ESPN list; Josh Bell’s Padres debut
In Thursday’s “First Call,” members of the Steel Curtain have been snubbed by ESPN. The Steelers are being connected to an offensive tackle who is potentially getting traded. Ex-Pirate Josh Bell played his first game with his new team. And Gerrit Cole suffers through an unbelievable first inning in Yankee...
A look at buyers and sellers from busy MLB trade deadline
This is quite a time to be a season ticket holder for the San Diego Padres. Great weather, a jewel of a ballpark — and perhaps the most exciting lineup in baseball for the near future. The Padres landed the biggest prize of this year’s trade deadline — and maybe...
First Call: ESPN calls a former Steeler the best ever at his position; Jose Quintana debut date for Cardinals
Wednesday’s “First Call” has an honor for a legendary former Pittsburgh Steeler. We know when Jose Quintana is making his St. Louis Cardinals debut. Jameson Taillon had a rough outing for the Yankees. And what will James Washington’s injury mean for the Cowboys? The GOAT at center ESPN.com revealed a...
Legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully dies at 94Video
LOS ANGELES — Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully, whose dulcet tones provided the soundtrack of summer while entertaining and informing Dodgers fans in Brooklyn and Los Angeles for 67 years, died Tuesday night, the team said. He was 94. Scully died at his home in the Hidden Hills section...
MLB trade recap: Juan Soto, Josh Bell to Padres; Twins, Phillies add
CHICAGO — Juan Soto is joining Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. in San Diego. Jorge Lopez, Michael Fulmer and Tyler Mahle are going to Minnesota. Noah Syndergaard, David Robertson and Brandon Marsh are heading to Philadelphia and Joey Gallo is looking for a fresh start with the Los Angeles...
Washington sends star outfielder Juan Soto, Josh Bell to San Diego for package of prospects
SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Padres acquired superstar outfielder Juan Soto from the Washington Nationals on Tuesday in one of baseball’s biggest deals at the trade deadline, vaulting their postseason chances by adding one of the game’s best young hitters. The Padres also obtained first baseman Josh Bell while...
First Call: Steelers work out Maulers QB; ex-Steeler suffers long-term foot injury; Josh Bell traded with Juan Soto
The Steelers may have an interest in a former Pittsburgh Mauler. An ex-Steeler suffers a significant injury setback in Dallas. Another one is heading to Arizona. Ex-Pirate Josh Bell was traded. And a former Robert Morris hockey player is on the move. All that in Tuesday’s “First Call.” Pittsburgh(ish) connection...
Brewers trade All-Star closer Josh Hader to PadresVideo
SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Padres acquired All-Star closer Josh Hader from the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday in exchange for recently benched closer Taylor Rogers and three other players in a blockbuster deal between NL playoff contenders. The NL Central-leading Brewers shipped one of the game’s top relievers to...
Luis Castillo traded to Mariners by Reds for 4 prospects
HOUSTON — The Seattle Mariners acquired the top starting pitcher on the trade market Friday night, getting All-Star Luis Castillo from the payroll-paring Cincinnati Reds for four minor league prospects. Cincinnati obtained infielders Noelvi Marte and Edwin Arroyo, and right-handers Levi Stoudt and Andrew Moore. Marte was the Mariners’ top-rated...
All-Star Andrew Benintendi won’t say whether will get vaccinated with YanksVideo
NEW YORK — Andrew Benintendi wouldn’t say whether he will get vaccinated for covid-19 now that he’s with the first-place New York Yankees rather than the last-place Kansas City Royals. A day after New York acquired the 28-year-old All-Star from the Royals for three minor-league pitchers, Benintendi was hitting leadoff...
Nationals’ Josh Bell among top trade targets with deadline approachingVideo
WASHINGTON — Dave Martinez writes Josh Bell’s name on the Washington Nationals lineup card virtually every single game this season and plans to keep doing so. “I look at it like that every day until something else happens,” Martinez said. Something could happen to change that very soon. While Juan...
Angels’ Mike Trout sidelined at least another week with back issuesVideo
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Mike Trout will go at least another week without doing any baseball activity because of his ailing back, Los Angeles Angels trainer Mike Frostad said Wednesday. There a chance the injury could affect the three-time AL MVP in some capacity for the rest of his career,...
No. 1 pick Jackson Holliday gets $8.19 million bonus from OriolesVideo
BALTIMORE — Jackson Holliday slipped on a Baltimore Orioles jersey, jammed the team’s cap over his long, sandy blond hair and grinned broadly as the cameramen clicked away. And boy, did he have reason to smile. The 18-year-old high schooler and No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 amateur draft...
Jackie Robinson Museum opens after 14 years of planning
NEW YORK — Long dreamed about and in development for longer than the big league career of the man it honors, the Jackie Robinson Museum opened Tuesday in Manhattan with a gala ceremony attended by the widow of the barrier-breaking ballplayer and two of his children. Rachel Robinson, who turned...
