Nationals drop Kelley after outburst
Shawn Kelley’s outburst on the mound got him booted from the Washington Nationals.
The Nationals designated the right-hander for assignment Wednesday, a day after he threw his glove to the ground and glared into the dugout while working the ninth inning of a 25-4 blowout of the New York Mets.
Kelley entered the game with Washington leading 25-1. He appeared agitated and was working quickly, and already had given up a run when the plate umpire warned him to slow down. After the warning, he gave up a two-run home run to Austin Jackson, prompting the outburst.
“I thought [the way] he acted, portrayed on the field last night, was disrespectful to the name on the front of the jersey, the organization, specifically [manager] Davey Martinez,” general manager Mike Rizzo said. “You’re either in or you’re in the way. I thought he was in the way.”
Kelley apologized for his actions, saying he just wanted the game to end.
“I was just trying to get through the inning and get the game over with,” Kelley said. “I thought everybody had seen enough baseball for one evening.”
Kelly, 34, signed as a free agent with Washington in December 2015 and appeared in 135 games with the team. He had a 3.34 earned-run average in 35 appearances this season. He has pitched in 424 games, all in relief, over 10 seasons with four teams, and has a 3.73 career ERA. Cespedes, Cueto to have surgery
New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes and San Francisco Giants right-hander Johnny Cueto are set to have surgery Thursday.
The Mets said Cespedes will have surgery in Green Bay, Wis., to remove bone calcification in his right heel.
He will have surgery on his left heel at another time. The procedures likely will sideline the slugger from eight to 10 months.
Cespedes, 32, hit .262 in 38 games, with nine home runs and 29 runs batted in.
Cueto will have elbow ligament-replacement surgery in Los Angeles. He is 3-2 with a 3.23 ERA in nine starts.
Etc.
Shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria was designated for assignment by the Tampa Bay Rays to open a roster spot for outfielder Tommy Pham, who was acquired Tuesday in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals. Mets infielder Jose Reyes became the first MLB player to give up two home runs in one game and hit two home runs in his team’s next game. Reyes pitched one inning in New York’s 25-4 loss to Washington on Tuesday.