Dodgers acquire Kimbrel, send Pollock to White Sox
The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired eighttime All-Star reliever Craig Kimbrel from the Chicago White Sox for outfielder AJ Pollock.
Kimbrel was 4-5 with 24 saves in a combined 63 games with the Chicago Cubs and White Sox last season. The Cubs shipped him across town at midseason in exchange for Codi Heuer and Nick Madrigal. Kimbrel was 2-2 with the White Sox with one save in 24 games.
Kimbrel rediscovered the form that made him one of the game’s best closers and was named to his eighth All-Star team last season.
The 33-year-old right-hander was the NL Rookie of the Year in 2011. He led the league in saves from 2011 to 2014. Kimbrel ranks ninth all-time in the majors with 372 saves as he begins his 13th season.
Pollock hit .282 with 65 home runs and 199 RBIs in three seasons with the Dodgers. The 34-year-old outfielder’s best season came last year, when he batted. .297 with 21 homers and 69 RBIs in 117 games.
Lea Maurer becomes 1st woman to lead USC swim programs
LOS ANGELES — Two-time Olympic medalist Lea Maurer was named head coach of Southern California’s men’s and women’s swimming teams Friday, making her the first woman to lead both programs.
Maurer had served as interim head coach after Jeremy Kipp was placed on administrative leave by the university last fall amid allegations of abusive behavior toward athletes. He resigned in March.
Athletic director Mike Bohn said Maurer “demonstrated her tremendous leadership and relationship-building abilities over the past few months leading our teams.”
Maurer becomes the first woman to coach a USC swimming team since Pokey Richardson led the USC women from 1977-79.
During her interim stint, Maurer guided the USC women to a 16thplace finish and the men to 26th place at the NCAA championships.
Maurer came to USC in July 2020 as associate head coach of the swimming program. She was women’s head swimming coach at her alma mater Stanford from 2006-12. She was an assistant coach at Northwestern in 199495. She spent 10 years coaching the boys and girls teams at Lake Forest High in Illinois, where future Olympic champion Matt Grevers was among her swimmers.
Competing under her maiden name of Loveless, she won a gold medal in the 4x100
meter medley relay and a bronze in the 100 backstroke at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Her husband, former Stanford swimmer Erik Maurer, previously coached with her.
Kentucky appeals court denies Baffert’s motion for stay
FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Kentucky Court of Appeals on Friday rejected trainer Bob Baffert’s motion for emergency relief from a 90-day suspension.
As a result of the order signed by Acting Chief Judge Allison Jones, the Hall of Fame trainer’s suspension is scheduled to begin on Monday.
“The Court emphasizes that it makes no determination of the merits of Baffert’s contentions of error,” Jones wrote. “The underlying motions for interlocutory relief along with any additional, dispositive motions shall be assigned to a three-Judge panel of this Court following expiration of the response time provided in the Civil Rules.”
Signage outside Baffert’s barn at Santa Anita was removed as part of a California Horse Racing Board rule that mandates any trainer who is suspended for 60 days or more be banned from all CHRB-licensed facilities.
Baffert had already transferred four promising 3-year-old colts to other trainers so they can run in major prep races and
potentially earn points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby on May 7. One of those, Doppelganger, is entered in Saturday’s $1.25 million Arkansas Derby.
Churchill Downs has suspended Baffert for the 2022 and 2023 Kentucky Derbies. Baffert is fighting that ban in federal court.
The suspension will be honored in all 38 racing states.
Palmer holds 2-shot lead after 2 rounds of Valero Texas Open Shibuno leads Chevron Championship halfway through 2nd round
SAN ANTONIO — Ryan Palmer shot a bogey-free round of 6-under 66 at the Valero Texas Open to lead by two shots over Kevin Chappell, Dylan Frittelli and Matt Kuchar after Friday’s second round.
Palmer, at 10 under, surged into the lead with consecutive birdies midway through the back nine.
Chappell, the 2017 tournament winner, had the day’s low round of 65. Frittelli also got away with no bogeys during his 66, and Kuchar shot 69 with four-straight birdies on the back.
Palmer’s last Tour win came in 2019. He took the lead with a 5-foot birdie putt at the par-5 14th. At 15 he converted another birdie putt inside 10 feet.
RANCHO MIRAGE — Hinako Shibuno’s first impression of Mission Hills Country Club was far from confidence-inspiring — and, in hindsight, mistaken.
She shot a 6-under 66 in the second round for a 9-under 135 total. A year and a half after tying for 51st in her debut, she took a one-stroke lead into the weekend on the mountain-framed course hosting the major championship for the last time.
The tournament that started in 1972 and became a major in 1983 is shifting to Houston next year after failing to attract a sponsor willing to keep it at Mission Hills.
Shibuno opened with a tap-in birdie on the par-4 first and had another on the par4 10th.
Defending champion Patty Tavatanakit (69), Annie Park (67) and Jennifer Kupcho (70) were a stroke back. Sei Young Kim (67) and Hyo Joo Kim (67) followed at 7 under.
MLB umpires to announce replay decisons for 1st time
NEW YORK — In addition to “Play ball!” and “Yer Out!”, big league umpires will be heard saying “Overturned!” and “Upheld!” for the first time this season.
“Major league umpires will conduct inpark announcements during the replay review process,” Major League Baseball announced Friday. “We’re pleased to launch this enhancement to the ballpark and broadcast experiences. Training has been held in Arizona and Florida this spring.”
MLB was the last major pro sport in North America to institute replay when it began late in the 2008 season for home run calls. Video reviews were vastly expanded for the 2014 season.