Nats’ Harper goes nuts; Strasburg to get $175M

Bryce Harper is out to Make Baseball Fun Again and now he seems to be taking another page out of the Donald Trump playbook by “telling it like it is.”

The feisty Nationals All-Star was caught yelling what appears to be the words “f--you” at home plate umpire Brian Knight during the team’s celebration of Clint Robinson’s pinch-hit walk-off home run on Monday.

Knight ejected Harper prior to Robinson’s at-bat and after Nationals shortstop Danny Espinoza was called out on strikes. In between the at-bats is when the home plate ump pointed toward Harper in the Nationals dugout and tossed him.

The ejection was short-lived as Robinson blasted a 1-0 pitch to give the Nationals a 5-4 victory over the Tigers. — John Healy

l The Nationals have reportedly agreed to a contract extension with Stephen Strasburg, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman.

Slated to be a free agent after this season, the Nationals locked up the 27-year-old right-hander, once the biggest phenom in baseball before being derailed by arm trouble, with a reported 7-year, $175 million extension. The deal, according to Heyman, has an opt-out clause and includes large deferrals of cash, which the Nationals have done a lot of, most recently with ace Max Scherzer and his 7-year, $210 million deal, signed before last season.

— Daniel O’Leary

STARS, PREDS WIN, FORCE GAME 7s

Rookie Mattias Janmark ignited a three-goal first period and Kari Lehtonen made 35 saves for the visiting Dallas Stars, who forced Game 7 with a 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. l Viktor Arvidsson scored 2:03 into overtime, and the host Nashville Predators forced a deciding seventh game for their second straight series by beating the San Jose Sharks 4-3.

BRADFORD RETURNS TO EAGLES

Quarterback Sam Bradford returned for voluntary workouts to the Philadelphia Eagles after asking for a trade last month. Bradford issued a statement saying he’s “committed” to his teammates and the organization. He signed a two-year contract worth $36 million with $22 million guaranteed before the Eagles traded up twice in the NFL draft and selected Carson Wentz with the No. 2 overall pick.

KINGS TO HIRE JOERGER

A person with knowledge of the deal tells The Associated Press that the Sacramento Kings agreed to terms with Dave Joerger on a three-year deal to make him their new coach. Joerger went 147-99 in three seasons with the Grizzlies and took them to the playoffs each year.