With new tier, Dodgers and Angels can sell more tickets
As the Dodgers and Angels prepare to open the major league season this week, the state gave them good news Tuesday: You can sell more tickets!
With Los Angeles and Orange counties approved to move into the orange tier under California’s coronavirus guidelines, the teams can play before up to 33% of their stadiums’ capacity, up from 20% under the red tier.
That means the Angels can sell 14,867 tickets, up from 9,010. On Wednesday, the Angels plan to put an additional 5,000 tickets on sale for each home game, including opening day.
“This is perfect timing for us to welcome back even more of our fans to celebrate the start of our 60th anniversary season,” Angels spokesman Adam Chodzko said.
The Dodgers can sell about 11,200 tickets in the red tier and about 18,480 in the orange tier, but a team official said that current state-mandated distancing requirements would limit Dodger Stadium ticket sales to between 13,000 and 14,000.
The Dodgers said single-game tickets for all April games — not including opening day — would go on sale Friday.
The Angels play their home opener Thursday against the Chicago White Sox. The Dodgers play their home opener April 9 against the Washington Nationals.
— Bill Shaikin
Five-time major league All-Star Adrian Gonzalez announced that he signed with the expansion Guadalajara Mariachis of the Mexican League, giving the new team a marquee attraction and giving Gonzalez a place to train in anticipation of representing Mexico in this summer’s Olympic Games.
— Bill Shaikin
ETC. Rams lose center Blythe to Chiefs
The Rams suffered another loss in free agency as center Austin Blythe agreed to terms on a oneyear contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, according to NFL.com.
Brian Allen, a 2018 draft pick, could replace Blythe, but Allen did not play last season while recovering from a 2019 knee injury.
So, uncertainty surrounds a key position on the offensive line for a team that features new quarterback Matthew Stafford.
— Gary Klein
The Chargers agreed to terms on a one-year contract with cornerback and special-teams player Ryan Smith. A fourth-round pick in 2016, Smith spent the past five seasons with Tampa Bay. He has played almost exclusively special teams the last two years.
— Jeff Miller
The Las Vegas Raiders agreed to a contract extension with left tackle Kolton Miller that will keep him locked up through the 2025 season and is worth $68.7 million . ... The San Francisco 49ers reached a one-year deal with wide receiver Mohamed Sanu . ... The Green Bay Packers re-signed veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis and defensive end Tyler Lancaster . ... The Tennessee Titans agreed to terms with safety Matthias Farley ona one-year contract.
Mexico defeated Honduras 1-1 on penalty kicks in the final of the CONCACAF Olympic-qualifying tournament in Mexico City.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee will not sanction athletes for raising their fists or kneeling during the national anthem at Olympic trials, previewing a contentious policy it expects to stick to when many of those same athletes head to Tokyo this summer.
World No. 1 Ash Barty of Australia won the final nine points to finish off seventh-seeded Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-3 in a women’s quarterfinal of the Miami Open, while men’s top-seeded Daniil Medvedev of Russia reached the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Frances Tiafoe.
John Isner wasted a match point during a third-set tiebreak and fell to seventh-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7).
Los Alamitos had its fourth horse fatality of the year when Nomadess suffered a sudden death event Tuesday morning.
Nomadess was a 3-year-filly quarter horse trained Scott Willoughby.
— John Cherwa
A gold medalist in sledding at the 2002 Winter Olympics has been charged with sexual abuse of a child in Utah, authorities said.
James “Jimmy” Shea made his first court appearance Monday on one count of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and two counts of sexual battery. The incidents occurred in 2020, court documents show.
The PGA Tour is returning to South Carolina for a third time this year, adding an event in the Palmetto State for June to take the spot of the canceled RBC Canadian Open.
The tour said the new tournament, which does not yet have a name, will take place June 10-13, the week the RBC Canadian Open was set to be played.