MLB: Umps wear wristbands to protest lack of Kinsler ban
Major League Baseball umpires wore white wristbands during games Saturday, protesting “abusive player behaviour” after Detroit second baseman Ian Kinsler was fined but not suspended for his recent verbal tirade against ump Angel Hernandez.
The World Umpires Association announced the action, saying the union strongly objected to the response by the commissioner’s office. Kinsler said this week that Hernandez was a bad umpire and “just needs to go away.”
Crew chiefs Joe West, Gerry Davis and Bill Miller wore the wristbands in
the first games of the day. Most other umpires also had them.
MLB said it had no comment on the union’s statement.
CHAPMAN REMOVED: Aroldis Chapman is out as the New York Yankees closer.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi said before Saturday night’s game with the Boston Red Sox that the hard throwing lefty, who gave up two runs in a non-save appearance in Friday’s 9-6 loss to Boston, is being taken out of that role to work through some location issues.
Chapman will be used “at any point” for now, Girardi said, though he stopped short of naming his replacement. Instead, Dellin Betances and David Robertson will be used based on the situation, to allow flexibility.
Chapman has given up at least two runs in each of his last three outings. Girardi said an injury has been ruled out as a culprit for his recent issues, and that Chapman told him he was willing to do “whatever it takes” for the team to win.
BUSY IN BLUE: The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired outfielder Curtis Granderson and cash from the New York Mets for a player to be named later or cash late Friday, then placed pitcher Yu Darvish on the 10-day disabled list Saturday.
Los Angeles is running away with the NL West.
The Dodgers are 86-34 after Friday’s win at Detroit . Granderson, hitting .228 with 19 homers and 52 RBIs, gives Los Angeles another option for the outfield along with Cody Bellinger, Yasiel Puig, Chris Taylor and Joc Pederson.
Darvish, acquired from Texas on July 31, is 2-0 with a 2.50 ERA in three starts for the Dodgers. The team said he has lower back tightness, which he first noticed after a recent start in Arizona.