Quick hits
Top A’s starter placed on IL with shoulder strain
The Oakland A’s have put A.J. Puk on the 10-day injured list with a strained left shoulder prior to the team’s exhibition series against the San Francisco Giants, manager Bob Melvin said Monday.
The prized left-handed pitcher was taken out of his outing early in a simulated game on Sunday after experiencing discomfort. Puk is in Los Angeles meeting with Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed Puk’s Tommy John surgery in 2018.
Daniel Mengden will take Puk’s spot in Melvin’s starting rotation. Puk was slotted to pitch fifth in the rotation, set to debut a week from Tuesday in the opening game of a short home series against the Colorado Rockies.
Puk, 25, experienced the same injury, a shoulder strain, in spring training 10 days before the coronavirus forced baseball to shut down.
There is no timetable for Puk’s return.
Antonio Brown announces apparent retirement
Reading too much into a tweet from mercurial receiver Antonio Brown is unquestionably risky.
But given the rumors that have swirled connecting Brown to the Seahawks this offseason, it was at least noteworthy that Brown took to Twitter on Monday morning to make what appeared to be a retirement announcement.
“at this point the risk is greater than the reward thank you everyone who been part of this journey i sincerely thank you for everything! life goes on 84!,” Brown tweeted.
As some quickly noted, Brown has announced his retirement at least twice before, including last September after he was released by the Patriots following sexual assault allegations.
Brown hasn’t played since but has been seen working out this summer with Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson in Southern California, as well as with backup Geno Smith, which had helped fuel rumors that the Seahawks might be interested in bringing him back.
Wilson also stated on ESPN last November he would “definitely want” to try to add Brown to Seattle’s roster if it could be done, and more reports surfaced this spring that Wilson would be an advocate of Seattle signing Brown if he were to be available.
Pete Alonso will be mic’d up during games this season for YouTube series
Pete Alonso is on the way to becoming your new favorite regular talk-show host.
The All-Star first baseman is teaming up with Major League Baseball to give fans the opportunity to get to know him through MLB’s YouTube channel — where episodes featuring Alonso being mic’d up during Mets games will be available for public viewing.
Alonso will be mic’d up starting Opening Day on Friday against the Braves. The episodes should be available early in the 60-game season.
This is different than just being mic’d up here and there. What Alonso has in store includes regularly appearing in an actual series of episodes. If all goes to plan, the first baseman will be mic’d up during Mets games with a focus on his conversations with other MLB superstars and teammates. He hopes other players will also be mic’d up.
“I’ll have my own YouTube channel and MLB is going to help produce this and provide the content,” Alonso told the Daily News. “There will be more of an interactive and inside look into the games from what actually goes on. I’m really excited for it.
“I think having a heightened fan experience — especially without fans being in the stands — that’d be really cool and hopefully impacts a lot of fans and brings some new fans in the game because I feel like any chance we have to grow the game of baseball, I feel like it’s a good thing.”