Estimated read time: 11-12 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
YANKEES-TANAKA INJURED
Yankees pitcher Tanaka hit in the head by drive from Stanton
NEW YORK (AP) — Freddie Freeman tests positive for COVID-19. Masahiro Tanaka gets hit in the head by a line drive. David Price announces he won’t play this season for the sake of his health and his family’s health. Sobering examples of the game’s potential danger took place at camps across the country as Major League Baseball teams continued preparing to start their pandemic-shortened season later this month. The return of baseball didn’t offer much cause for celebration on this Fourth of July.
Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka was alert and sent to a hospital after he was hit in the head by a line drive off the bat of slugger Giancarlo Stanton during live batting practice Saturday, a frightening scene during the team’s first official summer camp workout.
Tanaka’s hat flew off and he immediately collapsed to the ground, cradling his head at Yankee Stadium. Trainers quickly ran to Tanaka, who stayed down for a few minutes before sitting up. Trainers tended to his head and appeared to check his vision.
Tanaka was helped to his feet and walked off the field with help.
Yankee's Manager Aaron Boone also announced that All-Star infielder DJ LeMahieu and right-hander Luis Cessa tested positive for the coronavirus before traveling to New York and are self-isolating at home.
Elsewhere in the majors:
— Dodgers pitcher David Price won’t play this season because of concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, delaying his Los Angeles debut until next year. The five-time All-Star became the latest player to opt out, posting Saturday on Twitter that he wouldn’t participate in the 60-game season that’s scheduled to begin July 23. Price’s announcement came a day after Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout said he wasn’t comfortable with the current climate and might not play. Washington first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, Colorado outfielder Ian Desmond and Arizona pitcher Mike Leake are among those who have already said they’re out this year.
— Arizona’s new pitching addition Madison Bumgarner threw two innings of live batting practice. It was his first outing during the team’s summer camp at Chase Field as the D-backs prepare for a 60-game season. The left-handed Bumgarner signed with the Diamondbacks in the offseason after spending his first 11 seasons with the San Francisco Giants. Bumgarner’s trying to get his arm in shape and avoid COVID-19 as he prepares for opening day. Three players on the Diamondbacks’ 40-man roster have tested positive for coronavirus though the team hasn’t revealed any names.
— Atlanta Braves four-time All-Star Freddie Freeman, premier reliever Will Smith and two teammates have tested positive for the coronavirus. Manager Brian Snitker says the four players, including right-hander Touki Toussaint and infielder Pete Kozma, agreed to have the team disclose their positive tests. Snitker says Freeman had a negative intake test before having a positive test on Friday. Snitker said Freeman has a fever and “is not feeling great.” He says “it will be a while” before Freeman can return to the team. The Braves signed Smith, the former Giants reliever, to a three-year, $39 million deal in the offseason.
— With teams in two pro sports taking a second look at names deemed offensive to Native Americans, the Atlanta Braves are giving no indication they are willing to consider a similar change. The Cleveland Indians said Friday they’re reconsidering their name following the furor over the NFL Washington Redskins name. The Braves released a statement saying the team “honors, supports, and values the Native American community. That will never change.” The Braves said they “have much work to do on and off the field.” The Braves have not said if they will encourage the tomahawk chop and chant by fans this season.
—Milwaukee Brewers veteran Ryan Braun says he’s more likely to play beyond 2020 because of the unusual circumstances of this pandemic-shortened season. Braun had said in January that the upcoming season could be his last. He now believes this year’s 60-game schedule won’t wear him out as much as a full, 162-game season. Braun can also benefit from the National League adopting the designated hitter this season. The former MVP is entering the final season of a five-year, $105 million contract and will turn 37 in November.
— Shohei Ohtani is doing twice as much work as his Los Angeles Angels teammates again. The first serious two-way major league player in decades is alternating between batting practice and bullpen sessions this week. Ohtani is determined to contribute on the mound and at the plate when the Angels return to action later this month for the short major league season. He hopes to pitch about once a week and serve as the Halos’ designated hitter for a few games in between mound starts. He has been waiting to get back in full form since late 2018, when his AL Rookie of the Year campaign ended with Tommy John surgery.
— Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Josh Bell is using his platform to educate himself and others about racial injustice. Bell says he felt angry following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police back in May. Bell is trying to channel his anger into positive change. He’s started a book club with his teammates that focuses on social issues. He is also using his Instagram account to promote “Social Reform Sunday,” which highlights different aspects of inequality. Bell says his ability to reach out to the community has helped ease some of the pain he felt after Floyd’s passing.
NASCAR-BRICKYARD
Johnson missing Brickyard 400 after testing positive
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — NASCAR’s extravagant weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been rocked by its first driver testing positive for the coronavirus.
Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson will miss what was supposed to be his final Brickyard 400 as he quarantines following the Friday test result. He was asymptomatic but wife Chani had tested positive, so Johnson had himself checked.
Johnson on Sunday had hoped to tie Jeff Gordon and Michael Schumacher as the only drivers with five victories at Indianapolis. Instead, Justin Allgaier will drive the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 Chevrolet.
INDYCAR-INDIANAPOLIS
Dixon takes first IndyCar Grand Prix win
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Scott Dixon retook the lead with 18 laps to go and pulled away from Graham Rahal to earn his first IndyCar Grand Prix victory. The five-time series champion beat Rahal to the checkered flag by 19.9469 seconds.
It’s the first time in Dixon’s 20-year career he has opened the season with back-to-back victories. He won the season opener last month at Texas. Dixon, of Chip Ganassi Racing, also broke Team Penske’s five-year reign on the IndyCar GP title.
Dixon’s 48 career wins are third all-time behind A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti.
NBA
NBA announces schedule for Florida scrimmages
UNDATED (AP) — The NBA announced the schedule Saturday for scrimmages at the Disney complex in Florida, with 33 games set for between July 22 and July 28.
Each of the 22 teams that will be part of the season restart has been scheduled for three games.
All three arenas at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex that will be used for the restart will also play host to the scrimmages.
There will be between three and six games per day during that six-day span. The season will officially resume with the start of seeding games on July 30.
Teams begin arriving at Disney for a brief quarantine followed by the start of their training camps on Tuesday.
GOLF-ROCKET MORTGAGE CLASSIC
Matthew Wolff shoots 64 to take Rocket Mortgage Classic lead
DETROIT (AP) — Matthew Wolff had a roller-coaster round that went well enough Saturday to give him a three-shot lead in the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Wolff shot his second straight 8-under 64 to move into position for his second PGA Tour victory. He was at 19-under 197 at Detroit Golf Club. Armour and Bryson DeChambeau were tied for second after 67s.
Wolff made a 14-foot eagle putt at the 559-yard, par-5 14th to pull into a tie with Armour at 17 under, and added birdies on the par-3 15th and par-5 17th.
He finished with the eagle, nine birdies, five pars and three bogeys.
GOLF-KORN FERRY TOUR
Zalatoris wins at TPC Colorado for first Korn Ferry title
BERTHOUD, Colo. (AP) — Will Zalatoris won the TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes on Saturday for his first Korn Ferry Tour victory. Zalatoris closed with a 3-under 69 for a one-stroke victory over Chase Johnson.
The former Wake Forest star earned $108,000 and jumped from fourth to first in the points race for 25 PGA Tour cards.
Zalatoris finished at 15-under 273 for his fourth straight top-10 finish and sixth in nine starts this season. He birdied the par-3 16th and parred the final two holes to help off Johnson. Johnson finished with a 63.
SOCCER-FC DALLAS
MLS tournament match postponed by Dallas positives
DALLAS (AP) — The MLS Is Back tournament match between FC Dallas and the Vancouver Whitecaps has been postponed after six FC Dallas players tested positive for COVID-19.
The group stage match was scheduled to take place Thursday. MLS officials announced the postponement Saturday and said a new time and date would come later.
FC Dallas confirmed Wednesday that players had tested positive upon their arrival in Florida for the month-long tournament. The entire FC Dallas delegation is quarantining in their rooms at the walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort.
Vancouver’s team is scheduled to arrive in Orlando on Monday.
MLS said the postponement would allow both teams to have additional training days in Orlando before opening tournament play.
FC Dallas will now play its first tournament match July 15 against the Seattle Sounders.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-TENNIS-TIAFOE
Frances Tiafoe has coronavirus, exits Atlanta tennis event
ATLANTA (AP) — Frances Tiafoe has tested positive for the coronavirus and withdrawn from the All-American Team Cup tennis tournament. He was scheduled to face Tennys Sandgren on Saturday in the weekend tournament in Atlanta involving eight top American men’s players.
The event is allowing a limited number of fans and not requiring masks, though will provide them if requested.
Tiafoe defeated Sam Querrey on Friday, but was showing symptoms after the match and a test was positive. He says he had tested negative for the virus as recently as a week ago.
INDYCAR-DIVERSITY PROGRAM
IndyCar donates $1 million to establish diversity program
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway are making an active effort to increase diversity throughout the industry with a $1 million donation to a new “Race for Equality & Change” initiative. The initiative will support both internal and external programs.
IndyCar does not have any Black drivers. Bubba Wallace is the only full-time black driver in NASCAR’s top Cup Series.
The initiative announced before Saturday’s race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is aimed at both developing diversity within the sanctioning body and at the speedway, as well at the grassroots racing levels.
F1-AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX
Bottas takes pole position for season-opening Austrian GP
SPIELBERG, Austria (AP) — Valtteri Bottas has upstaged Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton by taking pole position for Formula One’s season-opening Austrian Grand Prix.
The Finnish driver edged out the world champion by .012 seconds at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. Red Bull driver Max Verstappen was back in third place and Lando Norris gave McLaren a boost by finishing fourth. Verstappen has won the past two years in Austria. Hamilton was chasing a record-extending 89th career pole.
Ferrari struggled with Charles Leclerc nearly one second behind in seventh and Sebastian Vettel a miserable 11th.
HORSE RACING-ENGLISH DERBY
Pacesetter Serpentine goes wire-to-wire
EPSOM, England (AP) — The first English Derby to take place without spectators has taken a surreal turn as 25-1 shot Serpentine went out as the pacemaker and was never caught for a stunning six-length victory at an empty Epsom Downs.
The nature of Serpentine’s wire-to-wire victory added to the bizarre feel of the 241st running of the classic. The course was fenced off and there were only a few hundred people on site at a prestigious event that usually attracts as many as 100,000 race-goers.
Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien claimed a record eighth win in the race.It marked another triumphant day for O’Brien, who saddled the winner of the Oaks hours earlier. Race favorite Love was his eighth winner of the classic for fillies.
SPORTSBOOK ERROR
Bellagio error may be biggest sportsbook loss for Vegas
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The nearly quarter-million dollars in winning wagers reportedly placed at MGM Resorts last Sunday might be the largest sportsbook loss in Las Vegas history on bets made after an event has started. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports seven longtime Las Vegas bookmakers can’t recall a larger loss. ESPN reports Sunday’s bets were allowed to be placed because incorrect start times were posted on some Korean and Chinese baseball games due to a manual entry error. The Nevada Gaming Control Board is reportedly investigating the matter.
MLB-BRUMMETT OBIT
Ex-MLB pitcher Tyson Brummett, 3 others die in plane crash
AMERICAN FORK, Utah (AP) — A former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher and three others died in a plane crash in rural Utah. The Utah County Sheriff’s Office says ex-pitcher 35-year-old Tyson Brummett of Salt Lake City was flying the small plane, which crashed near Box Elder Peak in American Fork Canyon just before 8 a.m. Friday. A witness said the plane went into a downward corkscrew motion as it crashed. TV station WPVI reports all four people on board did not survive. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
