Atlanta telecaster apologizes
Simpson doubted Soto’s age was 19
Atlanta Braves broadcaster Joe Simpson found himself in the middle of controversy Tuesday after he questioned the age of 19year-old Washington Nationals rookie slugging sensation Juan Soto.
Atlanta and Washington played a split-game doubleheader at Nationals Park. In Game 1, with the Nationals up 8-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Soto batted with two outs and a runner on second. During the at-bat, Simpson and play-by-play man Chip Caray praised the big-hitting Soto, a National League Rookie of the Year front-runner.
“He is … if he’s 19, he has certainly got his man growth,” Simpson said on Fox Sports South. “He is big and strong.”
The comment drew a response from Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo, who later spoke with Simpson about it. Simpson later apologized.
“I had a definite reaction,” Rizzo told The Athletic. “I handled it face to face, privately with him. I believe he understood my stance on his comments.”
In the nightcap, after Soto hit a solo home run in the first, Simpson clarified what he said in Game 1 about the Dominican Republic native.
“If you were with us in Game 1, you might have heard me make a comment off the top of my head about if he’s 19,” Simpson said. “Well, he is. He’s bona fide 19. And he is a full-grown man. He is strong. And he is one heck of a player. You might well just write his name in on the rookie of the year award right now.”
Nationals
Right-handed reliever Kelvin Herrera was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a right rotator cuff impingement, further thinning the back of Washington’s bullpen. Washington already is without closer Sean Doolittle, who is on the DL with a foot injury. Herrera, obtained from Kansas City in June, was serving as the closer in Doolittle’s absence.
Mets
New York will start ace Jacob deGrom in their makeup game against the New York Yankees Monday instead of the originially scheduled Jason Vargas. DeGrom started the Mets’ 8-0 victory against Cincinnati Wednesday, getting the win with six scoreless innings in which he struck out 10 batters. DeGrom leads the majors with a 1.77 ERA but is 6-7 because of the lack of run support in his starts.