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FILE – This is a 2025 photo of Sebastian Walcott of the Texas Rangers baseball team. This image reflects the Texas Rangers’ active roster as of Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, when this image was taken in Surprise, Ariz. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)
The Associated Press
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Major League Baseball players have agreed to let a tech company create AI characters of themselves that can chat and interact with fans
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis joined Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred on Tuesday in supporting a proposed new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays, a project that could determine whether the franchise remains in the region long term.
The Rays are under lease at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg through at least the 2028 season, but the Trop sustained significant hurricane damage in 2024 and a $1.3 billion redevelopment deal fell through last year, raising new questions about the future of the team, which is under new ownership.
The newly proposed ballpark would be built in Tampa, in the shadows of the New York Yankees’ spring training facility and across the street from Raymond James Stadium, home to the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
While the governor and commissioner both said they believe baseball belongs in Tampa Bay, few specifics were offered during a news conference in Tampa, including how much the proposal would cost or when it would be completed.
“In the coming days, you’ll see the first renderings of our new development and ballpark, the new forever home of the Tampa Bay Rays that will serve as a catalyst for this new community,” Rays Chief Executive Officer Ken Babby said.
Manfred noted that the key to economic success for most sports franchises is a strong partnership between the team, the community and the local government.
“Today’s an important day, a milestone along a path that I believe will lead to the Tampa Bay Rays being a part of this community for decades to come,” Manfred said.
Last month, the Rays signed a nonbinding memorandum of agreement with Tampa’s Hillsborough College to build a multiuse facility on a 113-acre site along Dale Mabry Boulevard. The project has been compared to Truist Park, where the Atlanta Braves play. The development would include a hotel, residential and retail areas along with multiple restaurants and bars.
The Hillsborough County Commission will discuss the stadium proposal during its regular meeting on Wednesday. An agenda item posted on the county’s website notes that the Rays have expressed intent to “bear a minimum of 50% of the cost of the construction of a ballpark.”
In that document, the team noted it would redevelop the Hillsborough College campus as a mixed-use campus district with retail, restaurants, entertainment, multifamily residential areas, hotels and a new building for classroom and administrative uses.
The remainder of the cost, which hasn’t yet been made public, would be left to public funding of some kind.
It’s unclear whether the county or city would be open to using local financing, which could include a local bed tax, for the project.
Any framework of funding for the stadium would have to be presented to the county commission, the city of Tampa and the Tampa Sports Authority for consideration.
DeSantis, while expressing full support for the proposal, said the state would not contribute direct funding to the stadium but could assist with road improvements and relocating a nearby juvenile justice facility.
The Rays have played 27 of their 28 seasons at Tropicana Field, located across Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg. Last season, the team played at Steinbrenner Field due to damage to Tropicana Field caused by Hurricane Milton in October 2024. The Category 5 storm shredded the roof off the domed stadium, which took over a year to repair.
The storm damage and the rising costs of repairs and new construction contributed to Stuart Sternberg’s decision to withdraw from a proposed deal with St. Petersburg last year and sell the team.
Babby is part of the new ownership group, which includes Patrick Zalupski, the CEO of Jacksonville-based Dream Finders Homes Inc., and Bill Cosgrove, CEO of Union Home Mortgage in Ohio. Babby also leads Fast Forward Sports Group, which owns minor league teams in Jacksonville, Florida, and Akron, Ohio.
Repairs at the Trop are complete, and the team is scheduled to return for the 2026 season.
The Rays are on the clock. Their lease at the Trop could be extended past 2028 until a stadium is completed. But no specifics have been addressed.
Through the years, there have been talks of relocating the team to Orlando or elsewhere.
On Tuesday, Manfred reiterated he does not view the new proposal as a last-ditch effort to keep the Rays in Tampa Bay.
“I do think we’re at a point in the history of the club that something needs to get done, but I would be hesitant to characterize it as it’s this or never again,” Manfred said.
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These days, Buster Posey’s focus is on trying to build a winner as president of baseball operations for the San Francisco Giants.
Eleven months from now, however, writers will be evaluating an earlier part of his career.
Posey is expected to be the top newcomer on the 2027 Hall of Fame ballot. There are no first-ballot inductees this year after the results were announced on Tuesday night. Holdover candidates Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones were the only ones voted in.
Beltrán and Jones were the top returning vote-getters from 2025, so it wasn’t a shock when they received the necessary 75% approval from members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. It helped that the newcomers to the ballot didn’t draw too much attention. Of that group, only Cole Hamels even cleared the 5% threshold to avoid being dropped from future votes.
Next year, Posey has a chance to make the Hall on his first try. A seven-time All-Star who led the Giants to three World Series titles, the star catcher was the National League batting champion and MVP in 2012.
Catcher can be a tough position to predict when it comes to Hall voting, but Joe Mauer made it two years ago on his first opportunity.
“I remember doing like a poll before that ballot came out, just gauging what people thought would happen with Mauer, and the results were all over the place,” said Ryan Thibodaux, who runs an online ballot tracker prior to the announcement of each year’s results. “Some people thought he’d get like 20% and some people thought he’d get elected. I think the sense with Posey, maybe because of Mauer a little bit, is that he could very well get in on the first ballot.”
Andy Pettitte’s vote jumped from 27.9% to 48.5% this year, and Félix Hernández’s increased from 20.6% to 46.1%. That does not mean their chances of being inducted are that similar. Pettitte only has two more years on the ballot before exhausting the 10-year limit. Hernández, on the other hand, has only been on it twice and has plenty of time.
Lately, voters have been quite open to considering the top starting pitchers on the ballot. CC Sabathia was a first-ballot inductee last year, and now Pettitte and Hernández have had big jumps in approval. And Hamels earned 23.8% support in his first time on the ballot.
A concern for Hamels is the fact that eventually, the likes of Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer — each of whom has three Cy Young Awards — will be on the ballot. It’ll be harder for other starters if they’re being compared directly to those three.
But Hernández might get in before that becomes an issue.
The highest vote-getter who didn’t reach 75% this year is Chase Utley, who moved from 39.8% to 59.1%. This was only his third time on the ballot.
“It looks like Utley got himself into a position where he might be elected as soon as next year, although a 16% gain is not easy,” Thibodaux said. “He’ll probably get close if he doesn’t actually get all the way.”
Only one player will be in his 10th year on the ballot next time. That’s Omar Vizquel, who received only 18.4% approval this year.
The slick-fielding shortstop was at 52.6% in 2020, but he was accused of domestic violence by his ex-wife and his support cratered. He was also sued over claims of sexual harassment by a former minor league bat boy.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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CINCINNATI — Pierce Johnson already knew how formidable the Cincinnati Reds were last year after facing them. It also helped that Johnson’s best friend, Emilio Pagan, is the closer on the Reds staff.
“After Cincinnati ended up re-signing him he was like, ‘You’re coming here. We’re getting it done.’ When you have your best friend selling you on something, it’s easy to buy in,” Johnson said after signing a $6.5-million, one-year contract on Thursday.
The 34-year old right-hander was 3-3 with a 3.05 ERA in 65 games last year for Atlanta. That included a streak of 26 batters retired over nine games from April 19 to May 10.
Johnson will be entering his ninth big league season. He gets a $5.5 million salary this year as part of a deal that includes an $8 million mutual option for 2027 with a $1 million buyout.
Johnson’s addition adds a veteran arm to the bullpen after the departures of Scott Barlow, Nick Martinez and Brent Suter. The Reds were eighth in the National League with a 3.89 ERA after making the postseason in Terry Francona’s first season as manager.
“Tito’s gonna run a team that’s gonna play the game the right away. That’s something that you notice from the other side. It’s been a lot of good at bats, a lot of pesky hitters,” Johnson said. “I’m excited to get to know these guys and then see see how this year shapes out.”
Johnson can earn $500,000 in performance bonuses for games pitched: $100,000 each for 45 and each additional five through 65. Johnson also can earn $375,000 for games finished: $125,000 apiece for 30, 40 and 50. He would receive a $500,000 assignment bonus if traded.
He is 21-24 with a 3.79 ERA in 328 starts and two relief appearances for the Chicago Cubs (2017), San Francisco (2018), San Diego (2020-22), Colorado (2023) and Atlanta (2023-25). Johnson has a 1.50 ERA in 12 postseason games, 11 of them scoreless.
Cincinnati opened a roster spot by designating right-hander Yosver Zulueta for assignment.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb
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TORONTO — Infielder Kazuma Okamoto and the Toronto Blue Jays agreed to a $60 million, four-year contract, two people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Saturday.
The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not been announced.
Okamoto will get a $5 million signing bonus, a $7 million salary this year and $16 million in each of the following three seasons.
A six-time All-Star, Okamoto has a .277 average with 248 homers and 717 RBIs in 11 Japanese big league seasons, leading the Central League in home runs in 2020, 2021 and 2023. He homered off Colorado’s Kyle Freeland to help Japan beat the U.S. 3-2 in the 2023 World Baseball Classic final.
Under the posting agreement between Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball, a deal must be finalized by 5 p.m. EST Sunday.
Okamoto, a 29-year-old third baseman and first baseman, hit .327 with 15 homers and 49 RBIs in 69 games last year for the Central League’s Yomiuri Giants. He injured his left elbow while trying to catch a throw at first base on May 6 when he collided with the Hanshin Tigers’ Takumu Nakano, an injury that sidelined Okamoto until Aug. 16.
With five-time All-Star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at first, Okamoto presumably would play mostly at third. Addison Barger had 67 starts there last year, Ernie Clement 66, Will Wagner 22, Isiah Kiner-Falefa six and Buddy Kennedy one.
Barger also plays right field, and the addition of Okamoto could mean Andrés Giménez will move from second to shortstop if free agent Bo Bichette doesn’t re-sign. Clement and Davis Scheider could share time at second.
Under MLB’s posting agreement with NPB, the Blue Jays will owe the Giants a posting fee of $10,875,000.
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AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — If Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine could turn back time, he would not have signed the law that legalized sports betting in his state.
With two Cleveland Guardians pitchers and an Ohio-born guard for the Miami Heat snared in separate betting-related criminal probes, the second-term Republican says he now “absolutely” regrets unleashing this unbridled new industry on Ohioans with his 2021 signature.
“Look, we’ve always had gambling, we’re always going to have gambling,” DeWine told The Associated Press last week. “But just the power of these companies and the deep, deep, deep pockets they have to advertise and do everything they can to get someone to place that bet is really different once you have legalization of them.”
His comments reflect a reckoning that’s unfolding across sports and politics as sports betting becomes more ingrained across much of the U.S. The wave of legalization in recent years unleashed a massive industry centered around betting and, more recently, a wave of investigations and arrests tied to allegations of rigged games. It’s a dynamic that DeWine says he doesn’t think lawmakers fully anticipated.
“Ohio shouldn’t have done it,” he said.
DeWine recently emerged as a key player in the negotiations between Major League Baseball and its authorized gaming operators that resulted in the capping of prop bets on individual pitches at $200 and excluding them from parlays. The deal was announced earlier this month, a day after Guardians pitchers Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase were indicted and accused of rigging pitches at the behest of gamblers. Both have pleaded not guilty.
“Gov. DeWine really did a huge service, I think — to us, certainly, I can’t speak for any of the other sports — in terms of kind of bringing forward the need to do something in this area,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred told reporters last week.
And DeWine doesn’t plan to stop there. Shortly after Ortiz and Clase were first placed on paid leave this summer, he announced he’d be asking the commissioners and players’ unions of all the major U.S. sports leagues to ban prop bets — sometimes called micro-betting — like those implicated in the Guardians scandal. While that goal has not yet been achieved — micro-betting is critical to the business strategy in an industry with over $11 billion in revenue in the U.S. this year — DeWine said limits put in place for baseball are a good first step.
“It needs to be holistic, it needs to be universal,” he told the AP. “They’re just playing with fire. I mean, they are just asking for more and more trouble, their failure to address this.”
DeWine’s recent sentiments mark a notable position shift after he pledged to — and then did — sign a legalization law that was sweeping in scope. The legislation allowed adults 21 and older to place sports bets online, at casinos, at racinos and at stand-alone betting kiosks in bars, restaurants and professional sports facilities. Wagering was permitted under the bill on professional sports teams, motor sports, Olympic events, golf, tennis and even major college sports, including Ohio State football.
It was clear in the run-up to DeWine’s re-election in 2022 that the gambling industry was intensely interested in what was transpiring in the state.
An AP investigation that year found that casino operators, slot machine makers, gaming technology companies, sports interests or their lobbyists donated nearly $1 million in 2021 and 2022 to the nonprofit Republican Governors Association, which supported pro-DeWine committees through its campaign arm. Entities and individuals with ties to the industry also donated more than $22,000 directly to DeWine’s campaign, according to campaign finance reports.
A review of more recent campaign filings finds that industry largesse has continued to flow to Ohio politicians with sway over gaming’s future.
Lobbyists and a PAC with ties to Jack Casino, DraftKings, FanDuel, MGM, Gamewise, Hard Rock, Underdog, Rush Street or Caesars have donated about $130,000 to Ohio state legislators in the past three years, records show — about a third of that directed to top House and Senate leaders. Then-Republican Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, who was positioning as DeWine’s likely gubernatorial successor, had received about $9,000 from industry-connected entities and individuals before being appointed to the U.S. Senate.
At least one powerful state lawmaker, Republican House Finance Chairman Brian Stewart, had vowed to introduce legislation protecting prop bets prior to professional baseball’s crackdown.
“I think that prop bets are a significant part of sports betting in the state of Ohio,” Stewart told cleveland.com in August. “It’s something that clearly a lot of Ohioans have taken part in and enjoy, and I don’t think there’s something that we should eliminate entirely.”
Amid such pushback, DeWine and others now view voluntary buy-in from leagues, players’ unions and sportsbooks as a superior approach to pursuing gambling restrictions on a state-by-state basis, where the authority lies.
Matt Schuler, executive director of the Ohio Casino Control Commission, said the baseball deal DeWine helped broker has shown it can be done.
“He’s using the bully pulpit and he’s able to connect with the right people in that way,” Schuler said of DeWine. “No one thought that everyone could get on the same page, but now they did because everyone realizes the risk. The bets are small, but the risk is big, and so, having observed gaming and regulated it for about 14 years, this is impressive.”
DeWine said his concerns with sports gambling began almost as soon as Ohio’s law took effect in 2023. Very quickly, his office began receiving reports that gamblers were threatening members of the University of Dayton basketball team.
So he contacted NCAA President Charlie Baker, whom he knew from Baker’s time as governor of Massachusetts, and learned that he shared DeWine’s concern. He got Baker to write a letter requesting the removal of collegiate prop bets from the list of legal wagers that sportsbooks operating in Ohio could place, which allowed DeWine to usher the change through the casino commission.
After the Guardians case emerged this summer, DeWine approached Manfred with the same idea. They hadn’t both been governors, but DeWine did have one cache going in: his family’s long-time ownership of North Carolina’s Asheville Tourists. DeWine said Manfred asked him to hold off on pushing unilateral action in Ohio, in hopes of getting the parties to agree to a new national rule.
“I would have preferred to have completely done away with the micro-prop bets, but this is the area that he was able to settle on with them, and I was pleased with that,” DeWine said. “And so, I think that’s progress.”
DeWine, who faces term limits next year, said he would be happy to sign a repeal of Ohio’s sports betting law at this point, but he’s certain there’s not enough support for that at the Ohio Statehouse.
“There’s not the votes for that. I can count,” he said. “I’m not always right, but I can pretty much guarantee you that they’re not ready to do this.”
Instead, he’ll continue to make his case in other ways.
DeWine, an avid baseball fan, particularly of his hometown Cincinnati Reds, said he believes “these sports are playing with dynamite here and the integrity of the sports is at stake.”
“So, you try to do what you can do, and you try and warn people, and try to take action like we did with collegiate, and you try take action like what we’re doing with baseball,” he said. “But we’ve got to keep pushing these other sports to do it, too.”
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AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.
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TULSA, Okla. — Former New York Mets great Darryl Strawberry praised Jesus and thanked President Donald Trump for pardoning his past tax evasion and drug charges as he preached Sunday at a Tulsa church.
Jackson Lahmeyer, founder of Pastors for Trump, welcomed the eight-time All-Star to the pulpit of Sheridan Church, where more than 400 worshippers cheered when Strawberry mentioned Trump’s decision earlier this month to issue the pardon.
“God just completely set me free when he gave me a pardon from President Donald J. Trump,” said the 1983 National League Rookie of the Year. “Other presidents had opportunities, but they didn’t do it.”
Strawberry hit 335 homers and had 1,000 RBIs and 221 stolen bases in 17 seasons with the Mets, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees.
For years, the four-time World Series champion battled legal, health and personal problems. He served 11 months in a Florida state prison for a 2002 probation violation.
Now 63, the retired outfielder credits his Christian faith for turning his life around and allowing him to remain sober for more than two decades.
“All glory to God because he found me in a pit and put me in a pulpit,” Strawberry said during his 45-minute sermon. The devil “should have killed me when he had a chance,” he joked.
Lahmeyer, the independent charismatic congregation’s lead pastor, said he became involved in politics during the COVID-19 pandemic when threatened with arrest for conducting a drive-up service from a rooftop.
A member of the National Faith Advisory Board, Lahmeyer said he and Trump discussed Strawberry while meeting at the White House a few months ago.
“Trump knows all the stats,” Lahmeyer said in an interview. “He’s a huge fan of Darryl Strawberry.”
Lahmeyer said he and Trump did not discuss a possible pardon.
“We were just talking about how Darryl had completely transformed his life and that he was coming to preach at my church, which the president thought was just incredible,” the pastor said.
For his part, Strawberry — who got to know Trump while appearing on his “Celebrity Apprentice” reality TV show in 2010 — said he was surprised to receive a call from Trump on Nov. 6 informing him of the pardon.
“We just talked about my baseball career in the 1980s and what kind of player I was,” Strawberry told The Associated Press. “He was just telling me how great of a player I was … and he just kind of joked around that he couldn’t hit a baseball. I said, ’Well, the way you hit a golf ball, you can hit a baseball.’”
From there, the conversation progressed to Strawberry’s past crimes. He pleaded guilty in 1995 to tax evasion for failure to report $350,000 in income from autographs, personal appearances and sales of memorabilia.
“He told me, ‘You know you did some very bad things,’” Strawberry said. “But he said, ’Today, the way your life is and what you’re doing, your faith and helping people and being sober, I’m giving you a full pardon. You’re going to be clean. I’m wiping everything out.’”
Strawberry said the news overwhelmed him.
“I was really thankful to God,” he said. “God has really changed my life and kind of brought me to a really humbling place of doing his work.”
Strawberry, who lives in St. Louis with his wife of 19 years, Tracy, said he travels about 260 to 270 days each year to speak about Jesus and his life’s transformation.
He was scheduled to speak at Sheridan Church in September, but his sermon was postponed after the death of Davey Johnson, who managed the Mets’ 1986 world championship team. Lahmeyer “was kind enough to let me go and do the eulogy for my manager,” Strawberry told the congregation.
Church members and visitors interviewed after Sunday’s assembly said hearing Strawberry’s comeback story inspired them.
“That’s what the power of Jesus does,” said Shirley Carson, a Trump supporter who began attending Sheridan Church two and a half years ago
Steve Smith, who lives in nearby Sand Springs, wore a Mets hat and brought a poster for Strawberry to sign.
“I have waited 40 years to meet Darryl Strawberry,” the longtime Mets fan said after posing for a photo with his baseball hero.
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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
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Randy Jones, the left-hander who won the Cy Young Award with the San Diego Padres in 1976 during a 10-year major league career, has died. He was 75.
Jones died Tuesday, the Padres announced Wednesday, without disclosing a location or cause.
Jones pitched eight seasons for San Diego and two for the New York Mets, going 100-123 with a 3.42 ERA. He still holds the Padres franchise records with 253 starts, 71 complete games, 18 shutouts and 1,766 innings pitched.
Jones was one of the majors’ best pitchers in 1975 and 1976, earning two All-Star selections and becoming the first player to win the Cy Young for the Padres, who began play as an expansion team in 1969.
He finished second in Cy Young voting behind Tom Seaver in 1975 after going 20-12 with an NL-leading 2.24 ERA for a San Diego team that won just 71 games.
Jones won the award one year later, winning 22 games for a 73-win team while pitching 315 1/3 innings over 40 starts, including 25 complete games — all tops in the majors. The still-young Padres experienced a surge in attendance whenever he pitched from fans who appreciated his everyman stature and resourceful pitching skills, and he made the cover of Sports Illustrated.
He earned the save in the 1975 All-Star Game, and he got the victory for the NL in 1976. He never regained his top form after injuring his arm during his final start of 1976, but he remained a major league starter until 1982 with the Mets.
Jones was a ground ball specialist who relied on deception and control instead of velocity, leading to his “Junkman” nickname. His career statistics reflect a bygone era of baseball: He started 285 games and pitched 1,933 career innings in his 10-year career but recorded only 735 career strikeouts, including just 93 in his Cy Young season.
“Randy was a cornerstone of our franchise for over five decades,” the Padres said in a statement. “His impact and popularity only grew in his post-playing career, becoming a tremendous ambassador for the team and a true fan favorite. Crossing paths with RJ and talking baseball or life was a joy for everyone fortunate enough to spend time with him. Randy was committed to San Diego, the Padres and his family. He was a giant in our lives and our franchise history.”
Born in Orange County, Jones returned to San Diego County after his playing career ended and became a face of the Padres franchise at games and in the community. A barbecue restaurant bearing his name was established at the Padres’ former home, Qualcomm Stadium, and later moved to Petco Park along with the team.
Jones announced in 2017 that he had throat cancer, likely a result of his career-long use of chewing tobacco. He announced he was cancer-free in 2018.
Jones’ No. 35 was retired by the Padres in 1997, and he joined the team’s Hall of Fame in 1999.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
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SEATTLE — Hall of Fame left-hander Randy Johnson will have his No. 51 retired by the Seattle Mariners during a pregame ceremony on May 2, 2026, the club announced Thursday.
In June, the Mariners said Johnson’s No. 51 would become the fifth number retired by the franchise, joining Ken Griffey Jr. (No. 24), Edgar Martinez (No. 11) and Ichiro Suzuki, who had his No. 51 retired this summer. All MLB teams have retired Jackie Robinson’s No. 42.
Johnson went 130-74 with a 3.42 ERA across 10 seasons with the Mariners.
“I’m happy that my contributions over the 10 years that I was there are being acknowledged now,” the 62-year-old Johnson said via Zoom in June. “It’s been a long time, that’s for sure.”
Johnson enjoyed more success with the Arizona Diamondbacks, with whom he won four consecutive Cy Young Awards in addition to a World Series in 2001. However, the lanky left-hander nicknamed the “Big Unit” because of his 6-foot-10 frame fondly remembers his Seattle tenure.
Johnson made his major league debut in 1988 with the Montreal Expos and was traded to Seattle in 1989. After some initial control issues with the Mariners, he found his stride with a breakout season in 1993. He went 19-8 with a 3.24 ERA that year, the first of his six 300+ strikeout seasons.
The year Johnson looks back on with particular fondness is the 1995 season, during which he went 18-2 with a 2.48 ERA and won his first of five Cy Young Awards. The Mariners’ future in Seattle was cast into doubt when in September of that year, King County voters rejected subsidy taxes to build a new stadium.
Simultaneously, the Mariners enjoyed a prosperous season on the field at the Kingdome, which culminated in reaching the AL Championship Series before falling to Cleveland. Ultimately, the King County Council approved funding for a new stadium,
“Looking back at it now and that story being documented by the Mariners, it worked out,” Johnson said. “I’m just thankful that I was a big part of that and everybody else was a big part of it, and everything just kind of gelled for all the players.”
Johnson was traded to the Houston Astros midway through the 1998 season and spent the remainder of his career with the Arizona Diamondbacks (1999-2004, 2007-08), New York Yankees (2005-06) and San Francisco Giants (2009).
The 10-time All-Star finished his 22-year big league career with a 303-166 record, 3.29 ERA and 4,875 strikeouts, second only to Nolan Ryan’s 5,714. Johnson is among just four pitchers in MLB history with at least 300 wins and 4,000 strikeouts, joined by Ryan, Roger Clemens and Steve Carlton.
Johnson is second in Mariners franchise history in strikeouts and wins, as well as third in innings pitched. He was retired into the Mariners Hall of Fame in 2012, and the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015. The Arizona Diamondbacks retired his No. 51 in 2015.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
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TOKYO (AP) — It’s become an annual ritual: Shohei Ohtani wins a Most Valuable Player award and Japan celebrates with newspaper extra editions handed out at a major train station.
The two-way Japanese star claimed his fourth career MVP award on Thursday night, and on Friday morning in Tokyo — the Japanese capital is 14 hours ahead of the American east coast — the extras hit the streets.
A congratulatory message came in immediately from the top of the government and from down on the sidewalk.
“Ohtani’s constant effort and dedication contributed significantly to the team’s victory and boosted team morale,” Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said.
This is an understatement.
Ohtani led the Los Angeles Dodgers to their second straight World Series title, earning him a second consecutive National League MVP award. He also won the award in the American League in 2023 — and in 2021 — playing for the Los Angeles Angels.
All the MVP awards have been unanimous.
Ohtani hit .282 and led the NL with a 1.014 OPS. He also had 55 home runs, 102 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. He retuned to the mound in June after missing 1 1/2 seasons as a pitcher because of an elbow injury. He struck out 62 batters in 47 innings.
In the postseason he had arguably the greatest single game in MLB history. He hit three home runs while striking out 10 over six innings on Oct. 17, leading the Dodgers over the Milwaukee Brewers to win the NL Championship Series in four straight games.
“Winning the MVP was considered a certainty, so the real question was whether he would receive a unanimous vote,” said a fan who identified himself only as Aki, a nickname. “In the end he did, securing the MVP unanimously.”
Another Dodgers fan Yoshio Inoue said he was looking forward to seeing Ohtani play for Japan in Tokyo in next year’s World Baseball Classic.
“I’d love to see Ohtani return to Tokyo, kick off the season there, and hopefully win his fifth MVP award,” Inoue said.
The headline in the Asahi newspaper read simply: “Othani MVP.”
“The television always shows Ohtani so I watch him too,” said fan Mai Koga. “He is such a great man and truly a pride of Japan.”
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
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Two-way Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani was the unanimous winner of the National League Most Valuable Player award on Thursday, giving him three straight MVPs and fourth overall in a career that’s quickly reaching legendary status
Two-way Japanese star Shohei Ohtani was the unanimous winner of the National League Most Valuable Player award on Thursday, his third straight year receiving the honor and fourth overall.
Ohtani became just the second player in MLB history to win at least four MVP awards, trailing only seven by Barry Bonds.
The 31-year-old Ohtani won American League MVP with the Los Angeles Angels in 2021 and 2023. He signed with the crosstown Dodgers the following offseason and won NL MVP in 2024 during his first season in Chavez Ravine. He’s also won the World Series in both his seasons with the Dodgers.
Ohtani garnered all 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. He’s won all four of his MVPs in unanimous fashion.
Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber finished second with 23 second-place votes while New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto was third with four.
Ohtani hit .282 and led the NL with a 1.014 OPS. He also had 55 homers, 102 RBIs and 20 stolen bases.
The right-hander returned to pitching in June after missing 1 1/2 seasons on the mound because of an elbow injury. He struck out 62 batters over 47 innings, slowly increasing his workload while preparing for the postseason.
Ohtani continued to shine in October with arguably the greatest single game in MLB history. He hit three homers at the plate while striking out 10 over six dominant innings on Oct. 17, leading the Dodgers over the Milwaukee Brewers to finish an NL Championship Series sweep.
Schwarber was a finalist for the Phillies after hitting an NL-best 56 homers and leading the big leagues with 132 RBIs. The three-time All-Star played in all 162 games, anchoring a lineup that won 96 games.
Soto overcame a slow start to the season to have his typically stellar offensive output. The four-time All-Star — who signed a $765 million, 15-year deal last December — had 43 homers, 105 RBIs and an NL-best 38 stolen bases.
The American League MVP winner was to be announced later Thursday, with New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh and Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez the finalists.
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Major League Baseball said its authorized gaming operators will cap bets on individual pitches at $200 and exclude them from parlays, a day after two Cleveland Guardians players were indicted and accused of rigging pitches at the behest of gamblers.
MLB said Monday the limits were agreed to by sportsbook operators representing more than 98% of the U.S. betting market. The league said in a statement that pitch-level bets on outcomes of pitch velocity and of balls and strikes “present heightened integrity risks because they focus on one-off events that can be determined by a single player and can be inconsequential to the outcome of the game.”
“The risk on these pitch-level markets will be significantly mitigated by this new action targeted at the incentive to engage in misconduct,” the league said. “The creation of a strict bet limit on this type of bet, and the ban on parlaying them, reduces the payout for these markets and the ability to circumvent the new limit.”
MLB said the agreement included Bally’s, Bet365, BetMGM, Bet99, Betr, Caesars, Circa, DraftKings, 888, FanDuel, Gamewise, Hard Rock Bet, Intralot, Jack Entertainment, Mojo, Northstar Gaming, Oaklawn, Penn, Pointsbet, Potawatomi, Rush Street and Underdog.
Cleveland pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were indicted Sunday in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn on charges they took bribes from sports bettors to throw certain types of pitches. They were charged with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery and money laundering conspiracy. The indictment says they helped two unnamed gamblers in the Dominican Republic win at least $460,000 on bets placed on the speed and outcome of certain pitches, including some that landed in the dirt.
Ortiz’s lawyer, Chris Georgalis, said in a statement that his client was innocent and “has never, and would never, improperly influence a game — not for anyone and not for anything.” A lawyer for Clase, Michael J. Ferrara, said his client “has devoted his life to baseball and doing everything in his power to help his team win. Emmanuel is innocent of all charges and looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
The U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 ruled the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 was unconstitutional, allowing states to legalize sports betting.
Ortiz appeared Monday in federal court in Boston. U.S. Magistrate Judge Donald L. Cabell granted Ortiz his release on the condition he surrender his passport, restrict his travel to the Northeast U.S. and post a $500,000 bond, $50,000 of it secured. Ortiz was ordered to avoid contact with anyone who could be viewed as a victim, witness or co-defendant.
Last month, more than 30 people, including Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, were arrested in a takedown of two sprawling gambling operations that authorities said rigged poker games backed by Mafia families and leaked inside information about NBA athletes.
Billups’ attorney, Chris Heywood, issued a statement denying the allegations. Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, said in a statement his client is “not a gambler” and “looks forward to winning this fight.”
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NEW YORK (AP) — Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were indicted Sunday on charges they took bribes from sports bettors to throw specific pitches that would trigger winnings on in-game prop bets.
Prosecutors identified pitches from Clase and Ortiz that helped two unnamed gamblers from their native Dominican Republic win at least $460,000. This included throwing pitches intentionally outside of the strike zone or within certain velocity ranges. Here’s a closer look at those pitches.
The indictment cites this outing without a photo of the specific pitch, saying the scheme included a bet of about $27,000 that Clase would throw a pitch of greater than 94.95 mph. Clase began with a 98.5 mph cutter to the New York Mets’ Starling Marte that was low and inside in the 10th inning. Marte flied out on the next pitch, but the Mets rallied for a 10-9 win on RBI singles by Francisco Alvarez and Francisco Lindor. Clase took the loss.
The indictment cited bets of about $38,000 for a ball or hit by pitch and velocity slower than 94.95 mph. An 89.4 mph slider to Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers bounced well short of home plate starting the ninth inning and hit catcher Mike Zunino near a shoulder, leading an athletic trainer to check on the catcher. Jeffers struck out four pitches later and Clase got the save in a 4-2 win.
The indictment cited bets of about $58,000 for a ball or hit by pitch and velocity slower than 94.95 mph. Clase started the ninth inning with a 91.4 mph slider to Boston’s Jarren Duran that was caught just above the dirt. Duran walked on four pitches and was stranded as Clase got the save in a 5-3 win.
The indictment cited bets of about $15,000 for a ball or hit by pitch and velocity slower than 98.95 mph. An 89.4 mph slider to Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. bounced opening the ninth inning. Witt singled three pitches later, starting a two-run, ninth-inning rally in the Guardians’ 6-3 win.
The indictment cited bets of about $11,000 for a ball or hit by pitch. A 99.1 mph cutter to Philadelphia’s Max Kepler was in the dirt starting the ninth inning. Kepler grounded out five pitches later and the Phillies went on to win 3-0.
The indictment cited bets of about $3,500 for a ball or hit by pitch and velocity slower than 99.45 mph. A 89.1 mph slider to Milwaukee’s Jake Bauers bounced opening the ninth inning. Bauers struck out five pitches later and Clase got the save in a 2-0 win.
The indictment cited bets of about $10,000 for a ball or hit by pitch and velocity slower than 97.95 mph. An 87.5 mph slider to Cincinnati’s Santiago Espinal bounced starting the eighth inning. Espinal singled four pitches later. Clase was relieved by Joey Castillo with two outs and two on and got a strikeout in a game the Reds won 4-1.
The indictment cites the outing without a photo of the specific pitch, saying the scheme included bets of about $4,000 that a pitch would be a ball or hit batter. Clase started the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Andy Pages with a slider that bounced just behind the plate, but Pages swung and missed. Pages grounded out two pitches later to start the ninth and Clase got the save in a 7-4 win. The indictment says a bettor sent Clase a text with a GIF of a man hanging himself with toilet paper and Clase responded with a GIF of a sad puppy dog face.
The indictment cited bets of about $13,000 that a pitch would be a ball. A first-pitch 86.7 mph slider to Seattle’s Randy Arozarena bounced starting the second inning. Arozarena walked on five pitches and scored the game’s first run on Miles Mastrobuoni’s RBI single in a five-run inning of a game the Mariners won 6-0.
The indictment cited bets of about $18,000 that a pitch would be a ball. A first-pitch 86.7 mph slider to St. Louis’ Pedro Pagés bounced and went to the backstop opening the third inning. Pagés homered two pitches later for the game’s first run in a three-run inning, and the Cardinals won 5-0.
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NEW YORK (AP) — Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted on charges they took bribes from sports bettors to throw certain types of pitches, including tossing balls in the dirt instead of strikes, to ensure successful bets.
According to the indictment unsealed Sunday in federal court in Brooklyn, the highly paid hurlers took several thousand dollars in payoffs to help two unnamed gamblers from their native Dominican Republic win at least $460,000 on in-game prop bets on the speed and outcome of certain pitches.
Clase, the Guardians’ former closer, and Ortiz, a starter, have been on non-disciplinary paid leave since July, when MLB started investigating what it said was unusually high in-game betting activity when they pitched. Some of the games in question were in April, May and June.
Ortiz, 26, was arrested Sunday by the FBI at Boston Logan International Airport. He is expected to appear in federal court in Boston on Monday. Clase, 27, was not in custody, officials said.
Ortiz and Clase “betrayed America’s pastime,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said. “Integrity, honesty and fair play are part of the DNA of professional sports. When corruption infiltrates the sport, it brings disgrace not only to the participants but damages the public trust in an institution that is vital and dear to all of us.”
Ortiz’s lawyer, Chris Georgalis, said in a statement that his client was innocent and “has never, and would never, improperly influence a game — not for anyone and not for anything.”
Georgalis said Ortiz’s defense team had previously documented for prosecutors that the payments and money transfers between him and individuals in the Dominican Republic were for lawful activities.
“There is no credible evidence Luis knowingly did anything other than try to win games, with every pitch and in every inning. Luis looks forward to fighting these charges in court,” Georgalis said.
A lawyer for Clase, Michael J. Ferrara, said his client “has devoted his life to baseball and doing everything in his power to help his team win. Emmanuel is innocent of all charges and looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
The Major League Baseball Players Association had no comment.
MLB said it contacted federal law enforcement when it began investigating unusual betting activity and has fully cooperated with authorities. “We are aware of the indictment and today’s arrest, and our investigation is ongoing,” a league statement said.
In a statement, the Guardians said: “We are aware of the recent law enforcement action. We will continue to fully cooperate with both law enforcement and Major League Baseball as their investigations continue.”
Clase and Ortiz are both charged with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery. The top charges carry a potential punishment of up to 20 years in prison.
In one example cited in the indictment, Clase allegedly invited a bettor to a game against the Boston Red Sox in April and spoke with him by phone just before taking the mound. Four minutes later, the indictment said, the bettor and his associates won $11,000 on a wager that Clase would toss a certain pitch slower than 97.95 mph (157.63 kph).
In May, the indictment said, Clase agreed to throw a ball at a certain point in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the batter swung, resulting in a strike, costing the bettors $4,000 in wagers. After the game, which the Guardians won, one of the bettors sent Clase a text message with an image of a man hanging himself with toilet paper, the indictment said. Clase responded with an image of a sad puppy dog face, according to the indictment.
Clase, a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year, had a $4.5 million salary in 2025, the fourth season of a $20 million, five-year contract. The three-time AL save leader began providing the bettors with information about his pitches in 2023 but didn’t ask for payoffs until this year, prosecutors said.
The indictment cited specific pitches Clase allegedly rigged — all of them first pitches when he entered to start an inning: a 98.5 mph (158.5 kph) cutter low and inside to the New York Mets’ Starling Marte on May 19, 2023; an 89.4 mph (143.8 kph) slider to Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers that bounced well short of home plate on June 3, 2023; an 89.4 mph (143.8 kph) slider to Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. that bounced on April 12; a 99.1 mph (159.5 kph) cutter in the dirt to Philadelphia’s Max Kepler on May 11; a bounced 89.1 mph (143.4) slider to Milwaukee’s Jake Bauers on May 13; and a bounced 87.5 mph (140.8 kph) slider to Cincinnati’s Santiago Espinal on May 17.
Prosecutors said Ortiz, who had a $782,600 salary this year, got in on the scheme in June and is accused of rigging pitches in games against the Seattle Mariners and the St. Louis Cardinals.
Ortiz was cited for bouncing a first-pitch 86.7 mph (139.5 kph) slider to Seattle’s Randy Arozarena starting the second inning on June 15 and bouncing a first-pitch 86.7 mph (139.5 kph) slider to St. Louis’ Pedro Pagés that went to the backstop opening the third inning on June 27.
The charges are the latest bombshell developments in a federal crackdown on betting in professional sports.
Last month, more than 30 people, including prominent basketball figures such as Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, were arrested in a gambling sweep that rocked the NBA.
Sports betting scandals have long been a concern, but a May 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling led to a wave of gambling incidents involving athletes and officials. The ruling struck down a federal ban on sports betting in most states and opened the doors for online sportsbooks to take a prominent space in the sports ecosystem.
Major League Baseball suspended five players in June 2024, including a lifetime ban for San Diego infielder Tucupita Marcano for allegedly placing 387 baseball bets with a legal sportsbook totaling more than $150,000.
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This story was first published on Nov. 9. It was updated on Nov. 11 to correct that, according to an indictment, a bettor sent Clase an image of a man hanging himself with toilet paper. Clase didn’t send that image to the bettor.
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Associated Press reporters Eric Tucker in Washington and Ron Blum in New York contributed to this report.
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LONDON — LONDON (AP) — Prince Harry went to Toronto for events marking the end of World War I and found himself on an apology tour for offending Canadians.
Speaking to a military charity on Thursday night, the Duke of Sussex sought to once again address the “blue-hatted elephant in the room.” He was referring to his widely ridiculed choice to wear a Los Angeles Dodgers cap at a World Series game in Los Angeles against the Toronto Blue Jays.
It was seen as a major snub in Canada, a British Commonwealth nation, where his father, King Charles III, is the head of state. He was blasted on social media in the Great White North.
Harry apologized for the blunder and tried to put a humorous spin on the incident he referred to as “Hat Gate.”
“When you’re missing a lot of hair on top, and you’re sitting under floodlights, you’ll take any hat that’s available,” he joked in an interview with Canadian broadcaster CTV.
He then donned a Blue Jays cap that happened to be an arm’s length away.
The incident was perceived by some as a test of his allegiance between his birthplace and his adopted home in the U.S. The prince and his wife, Meghan, stepped down from royal duties in 2020 and moved to Canada briefly before settling in California.
The appearance of Harry and Meghan at Game 4 of the series — that LA went on to win in seven games — also rankled some Dodgers fans who were upset at their prime position behind home plate.
The couple sat in the first row – in front of LA royalty — Dodgers great Sandy Koufax and LA Laker star Magic Johnson, who is a part owner of the team.
Harry said the couple, who live about an hour west of Los Angeles in the ritzy coastal enclave of Montecito, had been invited to the game by the team owner.
He felt “under duress” and wore the hat as a polite gesture, something he told the Toronto audience that he thought Canadians — known for their civility — would support.
Harry was in Canada for two days of events and meetings in advance of Remembrance Day on Tuesday that honors armed forces members who died in the line of duty.
“I am truly sorry for wearing a Dodgers cap,” he said to applause at a dinner for the True Patriot Love Foundation, a charity for Canadian service members and veterans.
He then played up his connections to the country, including the fact that his actor wife — before they married and when she was known as Meghan Markle — lived so long in Toronto filming the show “Suits” that many thought she was Canadian.
“Hopefully you can forgive her as a native Californian for her Dodger’s loyalty, even if for just one evening,” he said. “But all jokes aside, this city has always meant a great deal to me — you provided me a wife.”
Harry insisted that he was rooting for the Jays for the final three games of the series — an admission that he told CTV might make his return to LA more difficult.
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NEW YORK — The $500 million Los Angeles Dodgers’ thrilling World Series win over the Toronto Blue Jays attracted record international attention for Major League Baseball, affirmed LA’s status as the sport’s best team and drew more attention to baseball’s payroll disparity heading into what is likely to be contentious labor negotiations.
Los Angeles’ 5-4, 11-inning win over Toronto in Game 7 on Saturday night capped a postseason with seven winner-take-all games, two more than any previous year.
Shohei Ohtani is building a case as the sport’s best player ever with his unprecedented two-way performances, captivating audiences outside the U.S. unlike any previous player.
“It just absolutely been the greatest benefit to the game that you can imagine throughout the year,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred.
Toronto’s success this year sparked interest throughout Canada, which gave the Blue Jays nationwide support.
Aaron Judge, Bobby Witt Jr., Paul Skenes and Cal Raleigh already have committed to play for the United States in next year’s World Baseball Classic, which is gaining increased interest with each addition.
And MLB is negotiating to send big league players to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics during an extended All-Star break.
“Players are interested in playing, whether it’s for the Team USA or any number of other teams around the world,” union head Tony Clark said.
Minutes after the Dodgers became the first repeat champion since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees, Dodgers star Freddie Freeman said matching that pinstriped power was the next goal.
“The Yankees are three-time back-to-back,” he said, “so we get to use that same narrative next year.”
Those Yankees are among just four instances of teams winning three or more consecutive championships alongside five by the 1949-53 Yankees, four by the 1936-39 Yankees and three by the 1972-74 Oakland Athletics.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts attracted attention after the National League Championship Series sweep of Milwaukee when he yelled to Los Angeles fans: “They said the Dodgers are ruining baseball. Let’s get four more wins and really ruin baseball!”
Los Angeles entered the World Series having spent $509.5 million in major league payroll and projected luxury tax, plus another $6.5 million for pitcher Roki Sasaki’s minor league signing bonus.
Including Sasaki’s bonus, the Dodgers spending for its two World Series title teams totaled at least $890 million. The New York Mets, who failed to reach the playoffs this year after getting knocked out in last year’s NLCS, have spent about $860 million in 2024 and ’25.
In a sign of how much payroll disparity has increased, the Athletics spent less than $150 million over the same period.
Manfred repeatedly has said owners haven’t settled on their labor proposals, but the players’ association is bracing to resist a push for a salary cap. Demand for a cap from owners is what led to a 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95 and the first cancellation of the World Series in 90 years.
The labor contract expires on Dec. 2, 2026, and bargaining is likely to start this winter or spring.
Following the success of Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, more Japanese players may sign with MLB teams.
Munetaka Murakami, a third baseman and first baseman who turns 26 in February, is expected to be posted by the Yakult Swallows. He hit .273 with 22 homers and 47 RBIs this year, limited to 56 games by an oblique injury. A two-time Central League MVP, in 2022 he hit 56 homers to break Sadaharu Oh’s record for a Japanese-born player while becoming the youngest player to earn Japan’s Triple Crown.
Kazuma Okamoto, a 29-year-old third baseman and first baseman. will be posted by the Yomiuri Giants. He has 248 homers in 11 Central League seasons, hitting 30 or more from 2018-23.
Tatsuya Imai, a 27-year-old right-hander, could be posted by the Seibu Lions. He struck out 17 against Yokohama on June 17, breaking Daisuke Matsuzaka’s prior team record of 16 from 2004.
Game 7 of the World Series was MLB’s last with human umpires making all ball/strike calls.
Starting next season, the Automated Ball/Strike System will be installed in all big league ballparks and batters, catchers and pitchers will be able to appeal decisions to a high-tech system of cameras tracking each pitch and judging whether it crossed home plate within the strike zone.
Each team has the ability to challenge two calls per game and a team retains its challenge if successful, similar to the regulations for video review, which has been in place for many calls since 2014. Teams that exhaust their challenges get one additional challenge in each extra inning
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TORONTO — Late homers by Miguel Rojas and Will Smith rallied the Los Angeles Dodgers past the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in 11 innings Saturday night — one of the wildest Game 7s in World Series history.
Los Angeles overcame 3-0 and 4-2 deficits and escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth to become baseball’s first repeat champion since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees won three titles in a row.
Here are the top moments from the epic Game 7:
The Blue Jays took an early 3-0 lead when Bichette connected against Ohtani for his first homer since Sept. 2 — a few days before sustaining a left knee injury that sidelined him until the World Series and still hampered him throughout.
Ohtani was pitching on three days of rest, and although he was up to 100.9 mph with his fastball, his command was shaky and he appeared to run out of steam in the third. After fielding Nathan Lukes’ sacrifice bunt, he threw a wild pitch to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and allowed Bichette’s homer on the next pitch, his 51st and last of the night.
Both benches and bullpens cleared after Dodgers left-hander Justin Wrobleski hit Giménez on the right hand with a pitch in the fourth inning. Wrobleski had already thrown two high-and-inside fastballs to Giménez with his first and fourth pitches before hitting him with a 96.4 mph fastball with one out.
After the players returned to their benches and bullpens, the umpires huddled briefly before crew chief Mark Wegner issued a warning to both teams. Play resumed after a four-minute break between pitches.
Max Muncy trimmed Toronto’s lead to 4-3 with a solo homer in the eighth, and that also guaranteed Ohtani would bat in the ninth. But the two-way superstar didn’t have to be the hero, after all.
Rojas hit the first tying home run in the ninth inning or later of a World Series Game 7, according to Stats Perform. His one-out drive off Jeff Hoffman was just his second home run since the All-Star break and his second in 20 career postseason games.
Blake Snell allowed two Toronto baserunners, prompting Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to bring in Yoshinobu Yamamoto a day after he threw 96 pitches in a Game 6 victory. Yamamoto hit Alejandro Kirk with a pitch, loading the bases, before the Dodgers escaped with two helter-skelter defensive plays.
With the infield playing in to prevent the winning run, Rojas fielded Daulton Varsho’s grounder to second base and nearly fell over. He gathered himself and threw home, but the toss briefly pulled Smith off the plate. Smith’s toe barely reconnected with the plate in time to get the forceout, a call confirmed by video review.
Then center fielder Andy Pages, who had just been inserted off the bench to provide better defense, collided with left fielder Kiké Hernández while catching Ernie Clement’s long fly on the left-center warning track. Pages held on for the final out of the inning despite knocking Hernández to the ground.
Los Angeles loaded the bases with one out in the 10th inning, but Seranthony Domínguez got two quick outs to escape. Giménez threw out Mookie Betts at home plate on Pages’ grounder to shortstop, then Guerrero fielded Hernández’s grounder to first and flipped to Domínguez covering the bag on a close play.
Smith set a record for most innings caught in a single World Series with 74, and he helped ensure he wouldn’t have to catch a 75th with his solo shot in the 11th.
Smith hit a 2-0 slider from Shane Bieber into the Blue Jays’ bullpen in left field, giving the Dodgers their first lead of the night. It was the first extra-inning homer in a World Series Game 7.
Guerrero doubled off Yamamoto leading off the bottom of the 11th and advanced to third on Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s sacrifice bunt, and Toronto got the potential winning run on base when Addison Barger walked.
Yamamoto then induced a game-ending 6-6-3 double play from Kirk, cementing the Dodgers’ second consecutive title and his World Series MVP award.
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TORONTO — Dave Roberts needed few words to tell Shohei Ohtani he was starting baseball’s biggest game: Game 7 of the World Series for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Toronto Blue Jays.
“Shohei, we don’t have long conversations,” the Dodgers manager said Saturday, 2 1/2 hours before the final game of the year.
Max Scherzer was slated to be on the mound for Toronto, only the fourth pitcher to start multiple winner-take-all Game 7s. The Dodgers were trying to become the first repeat champion since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees and the Blue Jays were hoping for their first title since 1993.
Ohtani is batting .318 in the World Series with three homers, five RBIs and eight walks. The unprecedented two-way star is 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA after striking out six and walking one in his Game 4 start, when he threw 93 pitches.
His only prior outing on three days’ rest was on April 21, 2017, when he allowed two hits over seven innings and struck out 11 in a 2-0 win over Kansas City. His start at Boston on April 17 was cut short by a rain delay after two innings and 31 pitches.
Every other major league start by Ohtani has been with five or six or more days’ rest.
“As far as innings, not sure,” Roberts said. “It depends how he comes out, how he looks, how he’s throwing, how he’s feeling. So I just kind of want to withhold kind of expectation and kind of read and react.”
Starting Ohtani made more sense than using him in relief.
Under a rule adopted for the 2022 season, pitchers who start games in the batting order can remain in the game as a designated hitter after leaving the mound. If Ohtani would start the game only as a DH and then would take the mound, the Dodgers would lose their DH and pitchers would have to bat in that slot if Ohtani was relieved.
Roberts said the rule was a factor in having Ohtani start.
“You don’t kind of pigeon hole him in his usage,” he said.
Roberts anticipated the other dozen pitchers on his roster would be available. That included Tyler Glasnow, who threw three pitches in getting the final three outs of the Dodgers’ 3-1 victory in Game 6, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who threw 96 pitches over six innings for the win.
Scherzer was joining Bob Gibson (1964, ’67, ’68) and Lew Burdette and Don Larsen (both 1957 and ’58) in starting multiple winner-take-all Game 7s in the World Series.
Scherzer also started the last World Series Game 7 in 2019, boosted by a cortisone injection for an irritated nerve near his neck. Mad Max didn’t have a clean inning and left after five trailing by two runs before his Washington Nationals rallied to win 6-2 in Houston.
A 41-year-old right-hander and three time Cy Young Award winner, Scherzer allowed three runs and five hits over 4 1/3 innings in Game 3 on Monday, which the Dodgers won in 18 innings.
Toronto manager John Schneider said 22-year-old rookie Trey Yesavage was likely to appear in relief on two days’ rest after throwing 104 pitches over seven innings in the Blue Jays’ Game 5 win.
“We kind of have targeted spots in the lineup that we want him to face, and you got to kind of see when that is. It could be early, it could be late,” Schneider said.
Yesavage made three relief appearances this year in the minors, two for Triple-A Buffalo and one for Double-A New Hampshire.
“I think it’s cool that he’s a little bit versed in it,” Schneider said. “Obviously, different stage tonight than it is pitching in Triple-A, but I think he’s shown he can handle it, so he’ll be ready to go.”
Yesavage entered to start an inning in all three relief appearances.
“I’m going to try to give him a clean inning. I’m not sure it’s going to happen, with anyone really tonight, but that would be ideal.” Schneider said. “I think whenever a guy is used to starting an inning, you kind of want to do that with him, but I think he understands that that may not happen tonight.” ___
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