Guardians give manager Terry Francona perfect send-off in his final home game, 4-3 win over Reds
Shane Bieber shut down Cincinnati for six innings and the Cleveland Guardians sent manager Terry Francona off with a victory in his final home game, 4-3 over the Reds, whose playoff hopes are hanging by a thread.
MLB suspends Chicago's Tim Anderson 6 games, Cleveland’s José Ramírez 3 for fighting
Chicago’s Tim Anderson has been suspended six games and Cleveland’s José Ramírez for three games by Major League Baseball for fighting and touching off a lengthy, wild brawl between the White Sox and Guardians on Saturday night.
Anderson, Ramírez facing multi-game suspensions as MLB sorts out discipline following wild brawl
Chicago's Tim Anderson and Cleveland's José Ramírez could be facing multi-game suspensions for fighting and triggering a benches-clearing scuffle during Saturday's game between the White Sox and Guardians.
Anderson, Ramírez facing suspensions after fight, 6 ejections in wild White Sox-Guardians brawl
Tim Anderson of the Chicago White Sox and José Ramírez of the Cleveland Guardians exchanged punches at second base Saturday night, triggering a bench-clearing melee in the sixth inning that led to six ejections.
Guardians sweep Rays on Gonzalez's homer in 15th, on to NY
Rookie Oscar Gonzalez broke up the longest scoreless postseason game in major league history with a leadoff home run off Corey Kluber in the 15th inning, giving the Cleveland Guardians a 1-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays and a two-game Wild Card Series sweep.
Cole, Yanks sweep Guardians in series blighted by fan issues
Gerrit Cole bounced back from the shortest start of his career, Anthony Rizzo powered an early offensive barrage and the New York Yankees pounded the Cleveland Guardians 10-2 to complete a three-game sweep in a series marred by fan misbehavior.
Yanks fans pelt Cleveland outfielders with debris after win
Some Yankees fans in the right-field bleachers pelted Cleveland outfielders with bottles, cans and debris in a chaotic scene moments after Isiah Kiner-Falefa and pinch-hitter Gleyber Torres got RBI hits with two outs in the ninth inning to lift New York to a 5-4 win.
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LEADING OFF: Crowds back on opening day, Cole starts season
EARLY TESTSThe Washington Nationals will be short-handed due to a positive coronavirus test for the second straight season opener. General manager Mike Rizzo did not reveal who the five players were, and the only certainty as of Wednesday night was that opening day starter Max Scherzer wasn't one of them. The Nationals did not have any players test positive during spring training prior to that. But in a what-are-the-odds moment, all three are set to start on opening day. To be pitching the same day as those guys is pretty cool.”MITTS AND MITTENSNolan Arenado, Kris Bryant and Miguel Cabrera will be wearing gloves on opening day.
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LEADING OFF: Crowds back on opening day, Cole starts season
All 30 teams are scheduled to be in action, with Gerrit Cole set to throw the first pitch of the season against Toronto at Yankee Stadium. A year after no fans were allowed during the virus-shortened 60-game season, every stadium is open, in varying degrees as teams adhere to coronavirus protocols. But in a what-are-the-odds moment, all three are set to start on opening day. To be pitching the same day as those guys is pretty cool.”AdMITTS AND MITTENSNolan Arenado, Kris Bryant and Miguel Cabrera will be wearing gloves on opening day. Rain is in the forecast along the East Coast, which could affect games at Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium, Citizens Bank Park and Nationals Park.
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MLB to relax virus protocols when 85% on field vaccinated
Mask use would be dropped from dugouts and bullpens, and electronic tracing devices would be eliminated when 85% of major league players and primary field staff are vaccinated against the coronavirus. AdNot many players have been vaccinated, according to MLB, but it expects the pace to increase after teams return to their home cities from spring training. Once the 85% threshold is reached, fully vaccinated players and staff would be able to eat and drink on flights. AdFully vaccinated people who have close contact with someone with COVID-19 would not have to quarantine unless they exhibit symptoms. Vaccinated players and staff would have the option to reduce PCR saliva testing to twice weekly, similar to Tier 2 staff, such as front office and clubhouse employees, owners and groundskeepers.
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Indians minus Ramírez, Reyes after they break virus protocol
New York starter Jordan Montgomery gave up two hits in three scoreless innings. Brubaker allowed two hits over two scoreless innings and Chase De Jong followed with two shutout innings. MARLINS 4, METS 4Miami starter Pablo Lopez gave up a hit and a walk over three scoreless innings. German Marquez scattered three hits and a walk over three scoreless innings for Colorado. Kansas City starter Jakob Junis pitched three innings and gave up one hit, a leadoff homer to Trent Grisham.
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Indians' Ramirez, Reyes isolated after COVID-19 violations
CLEVELAND – For the third time in less than a year, the Cleveland Indians are having to isolate players because they broke COVID-19 protocols. Francona said Reyes, who had a virus-related misstep last season, and Ramirez went out to dinner on Friday following an exhibition game in Mesa against the Chicago Cubs. These are the rules that the players’ association and Major League Baseball came up with. Francona understands that players may be fatigued by the COVID-19 guidelines, but they're in place to protect their safety. But these are the rules we’re playing under and the more we follow them, the better chance it gives us to be a complete baseball team.
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Antonetti says Indians cooperating with Callaway inquiry
FILE - Cleveland Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway, left, watches with manager Terry Francona during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, in Detroit, in this May 3, 2017, file photo. Indians manager Terry Francona said no one in the Cleveland organization covered up for former pitching coach Mickey Callaway, who is under investigation by Major League Baseball following allegations of sexual harassment. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)CLEVELAND – Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said Wednesday he couldn't comment on his previous remarks about Mickey Callaway's conduct due to Major League Baseball's ongoing investigation into sexual harassment allegations against the team's former pitching coach. Callaway has been suspended as the Los Angeles Angels pitching coach, pending the outcome of MLB's investigation. He reiterated the team is “fully cooperating with the investigation.”In the most recent story, the husband of a woman who had an extramarital affair with Callaway contacted the Indians multiple times to complain about his behavior in 2017.
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Indians' Francona says team didn't cover up for Callaway
FILE - Cleveland Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway, left, watches with manager Terry Francona during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, in Detroit, in this May 3, 2017, file photo. Indians manager Terry Francona said no one in the Cleveland organization covered up for former pitching coach Mickey Callaway, who is under investigation by Major League Baseball following allegations of sexual harassment. Callaway is currently suspended as the Los Angeles Angels pitching coach, pending the MLB inquiry. Callaway was Cleveland's pitching coach from 2013-17 before he was hired to manage the New York Mets. The Angels already promoted bullpen coach Matt Wise to serve as interim pitching coach last month.
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5-inning games, 2-out innings? Odd MLB spring look on deck
A worker cleans the stadium seats as San Francisco Giants players train during the team's spring training baseball workout in Scottsdale, Ariz., Friday, Feb. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)Colorado Rockies infielder Ryan McMahon figures players can find plenty to do with any extra time they could get at the end of days if spring training games don't go nine innings. Even after that, until the end of spring training, games can be scheduled for only seven innings. Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell said he had already been in touch with Cleveland's Terry Francona by midweek about their spring training opener Sunday. AdJESSE'S TEAMVeteran right-hander Jesse Chavez is re-signing with the Los Angeles Angels on a minor league deal, and will join them in spring training after clearing intake protocols.
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Fungo golf for Giants pitchers; fans for MLB spring games
(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)Right-hander Kevin Gausman’s impressive day at spring training had nothing to do with any of the usual statistics, like strikeouts or innings pitched. Batting practice for San Francisco's pitchers took on a non-traditional look Thursday at Scottsdale Stadium in Arizona. But the stands won't be empty — or full — when the Giants host their spring training opener Sunday. Scottsdale Stadium will have the lowest capacity at 9%, which is about 1,000 fans for Giants home games. Spectators at Scottsdale Stadium may get to see Gausman throw his lively fastball, but not a look at his Fungo golf skills.
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Bieber in camp with Indians after COVID-19 quarantine
FILE - In this Sept. 17, 2020, file photo, Cleveland Indians pitcher Shane Bieber smiles as he walks to the dugout in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers in Detroit. Bieber has reported to training camp with the Cleveland Indians after recovering from COVID-19. The right-hander took part in drills on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021, a day before the Indians hold their first full-squad workout in Goodyear, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)CLEVELAND – Cy Young winner Shane Bieber reported to training camp on Saturday with the Indians after the right-hander was quarantined with COVID-19. Bieber, who was baseball's best pitcher in 2020, was medically cleared and joined Cleveland's other pitchers and catchers in Goodyear, Arizona. Cleveland has one of the AL's best starting staffs, led by Bieber, who is 34-14 in three major league seasons.
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MLB has 0.3% positive COVID-19 rate during intake testing
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)NEW YORK – Thirteen of 4,336 tests for COVID-19 were positive during intake for Major League Baseball's spring training, a rate of 0.3%The commissioner's office said Friday that nine positive samples involved players and four involved staff. After the intake screening, there were no new positives among 2,298 monitoring test samples. All players on 40-man rosters and players with minor league contracts invited to big league training camp are screened. In the final figures released last year, MLB said it had collected 172,740 samples and that 91 had been positive, or 0.05%. Fifty-seven of 91 positives have been players, and 21 of the 30 teams have had a person covered by the monitoring test positive.