AROUND THE HORN
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Dodgers: Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer intends to invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and will answer no questions in the case of a woman seeking a five-year restraining order against him, his attorney said in court Wednesday. Bauer’s lawyer Shawn Holley told a judge the only questions he will answer are “his name and what he does for a living,” and cited a pending criminal investigation by police in Pasadena, California. The legal team seeking the order for a woman who says Bauer choked her into unconsciousness and punched her in two sexual encounters said that Bauer was the last remaining witness they intended to call at the hearing. Holley asked Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Dianna Gouldsaltman to allow Bauer to avoid taking the stand entirely, as defendants in criminal cases do. Normally in civil matters, a witness would invoke the Fifth Amendment on a question-by-question basis. Gould-saltman adjourned the hearing for the day, saying she would read legal precedents provided by Holley and issue a decision Thursday morning. The judge may also issue her decision on the domestic violence restraining order.
Tigers: Hall of Fame pitcher and Tigers broadcaster Jack Morris was suspended indefinitely for racist comments he made about Angels star Shohei Ohtani during Tuesday’s game. When asked by the play-by-play announcer how the Tigers should pitch to Ohtani in the sixth inning, Morris adopted an exaggerated East Asian accent while saying “be very, very careful.” When Ohtani came back up in the ninth, Morris issued a lengthy apology.
Athletics: RHP Chris Bassitt has a broken bone in his cheek that will need surgery to repair but he sustained no eye damage after being struck on the side of the head by a line drive. Bassitt was taken to the hospital after getting hit by a ball from Brian Goodwin’s bat in the second inning of a 9-0 loss to the White Sox on Tuesday night. The A’s ace has shown no signs of a concussion and a scan of his brain was normal, though Bassitt can’t recall everything that happened during the ordeal. A’s GM David Forst said it’s too soon to guess whether Bassitt will pitch again this season or how long it could take him to recover. Six weeks is a typical healing time for such an injury. Bassitt, 32, is 12-4 with a 3.22 ERA in 25 starts this season.
Padres: Former NL Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta allowed five runs in3 innings before exiting his Padres debut with an injured left hamstring. Arrieta (5-12), 35, wassigned Monday after being placed on waivers by the Cubs.
Yankees: 1B Anthony Rizzo returned to the Yankees lineup after a bout with COVID-19, and closer Aroldis Chapman was also activated prior to Wednesday’s series finale against the rival Red Sox. Rizzo, acquired in a trade with the Cubs on July 29, hit second. The three-time All-star had been sidelined since Aug. 8 after testing positive for the coronavirus. Rizzo, a cancer survivor as a teenager, said in June while still with the Cubs that he decided not to get the COVID vaccine. Chapman, a seven-time All-star, had been on the 10-day IL with left elbow inflammation.
Blue Jays: OF George Springer was placed on the 10-day IL on Tuesday with a sprained left knee. There’s no timetable yet for his return, but Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo hopes Springer will return before the end of the regular season. Springer, 31, the 2017 World Series MVP while with the Astros, has been on the IL two other times in his first season with the Jays.