AROUND THE HORN
Yankees:
The 2nd U.S. Court of Appeals has denied a request by the Yankees to rehear the team’s attempt to keep sealed a letter from baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred to general manager Brian Cashman detailing an investigation into sign stealing. In a brief order without explanation Thursday, the appellate court said its active judges had denied the team’s petition to have the entire 13-member court hear the case or order a rehearing before a three-judge panel. Circuit Judge Joseph F. Bianco ordered the letter unsealed on March 21 after hearing the case with Chief Judge Debra Ann Livingston and Circuit Judge Gerard E. Lynch. They upheld an April 2020 ruling by U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff to dismiss a lawsuit by fantasy sports contestants who claimed they were damaged by sign stealing in Major League Baseball. Rakoff also ordered Manfred’s letter be unseald. The five men who sued participated in fantasy contests hosted by DraftKings from 2017-19. Manfred ruled in January 2020 that the Astros violated rules against electronic sign-stealing during home games en route to their World Series title in 2017 and again in 2018. He suspended manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow for one season each, and both were fired by the team. Manfred fined the Astros $5 million, the maximum under MLB rules and stripped the team of its next two first- and second-round amateur draft picks. Manfred fined the Red Sox in 2017 for using Apple Watches to pass along signals and fined the Yankees a lesser amount for improper use of a dugout telephone in an earlier season. He concluded in April 2020 that sign-stealing efforts by the Red Sox on their way to the 2018 title were less egregious than those by the 2017 Astros. Alex Cora, who had lost his job as the Red Sox manager, was suspended for the 2020 season for his role as the Astros’ bench coach.
Marlins: Marlins infielder Joey Wendle is guaranteed $4,625,000 under a one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration, a deal that could be worth up to $11.55 million for two seasons. Wendle gets a $4.55 million salary this year under the contract agreed to late Thursday, and the deal include a $6.3 million mutual option for 2023. Wendle had been scheduled for a hearing Tuesday. He had asked for a raise from $2.25 million to $4.9 million and had been offered 4.35 million.
Giants: The Giants placed right-hander Anthony DeSclafani on the 10-day injured list with right ankle inflammation Friday. Manager Gabe Kapler made the announcement prior to the Giants’ game against the Nationals. DeSclafani (0-1, 6.08 ERA) allowed five runs and nine hits over five innings in a loss to the Mets on Thursday. Kapler said the plan is for DeSclafani to have an MRI on Monday.
Cardinals: Paul Goldschmidt helped slow down rookie fireballer Hunter Greene, Steven Matz pitched one-run ball over five innings and the Cardinals stretched the Reds’ losing streak to 10 games with a 4-2 victory Friday night. Greene delivered 39 fastballs at least 100 mph in his previous start, the most in a game since pitch tracking began in 2008, but the 22-yearold topped out at 97.2 mph Friday. Goldschmidt and the Cardinals took advantage. The veteran slugger smashed three hits and drove in two.