Commissioner hires Griffey Jr.
Ken Griffey Jr. was hired as a senior adviser to Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred.
The Hall of Fame outfielder will work in baseball operations and on youth baseball development. He is tasked with improving diversity at amateur levels, MLB said Friday.
Griffey will work as an MLB ambassador at youth initiatives and at its special events, including the postseason and the AllStar Game.
More baseball
The baseball players association addressed a longstanding need, hiring Craig Edwards as senior analyst of economics and collective bargaining. Edwards, a 39-year-old who lives in Chicago, spent the past six years researching and writing analysis for FanGraphs.com. He is a graduate of Drake and of Iowa College of Law, and he spent nine years in a legal practice.
• The Baseball Hall of Fame opened an exhibit honoring the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 2020 World Series championship, including game-used items from several players. The Dodgers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in six games to win the franchise’s first Series title in 32 years.
• The Detroit Tigers finalized a $2 million, oneyear contract with catcher Wilson Ramos. Ramos played 45 games in 2020 with the New York Mets, hitting .239 with 5 home runs and 15 RBIs.
• The Indians couldn’t afford to keep Francisco Lindor — or let Cesar Hernandez go. Weeks after dealing Lindor and starter Carlos Carrasco to the New York Mets and cutting $32 million from its payroll, Cleveland signed Hernández to a $5 million contract, one-year after the second baseman’s Gold Glove season with the club.
• Two-time All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto and the Philadelphia Phillies finalized their $115.5 million, five-year contract. Realmuto gets $20 million next season, of which $10 million is deferred, with $5 million each payable on July 15 in 2026 and 2027.
• Pitcher Adam Wainwright is returning to the St. Louis Cardinals for a 17th season. The 39-yearold right-hander and the Cardinals finalized an $8 million, one-year contract. Wainwright will match Bob Gibson (195975) for the second-most seasons with the Cardinals among pitchers, one behind Jesse Haines (1920-37).
College football
Florida promoted Garrick McGee from analyst to quarterbacks coach, filling a vacancy created by Brian Johnson’s departure to the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles. McGee spent the 2020 season working behind the scenes at Florida after a two-year stint at Missouri.
College hockey
The Robert Morris women’s team won its fourth consecutive game, taking down visiting RIT, 5-0. Maggy Burbidge scored twice on the power play while the Colonials limited RIT to just 22 shots on Raygan Kirk, who posted her second shutout of the year.
Pro basketball
New York Liberty guard Layshia Clarendon, who identifies as transgender and nonbinary, announced on social media that she had surgery to remove breast tissue.
“It’s hard to put into words the feeling of seeing my chest for the first time free of breasts, seeing my chest the way I’ve always seen it, and feeling a sense of gender euphoria as opposed to gender dysphoria,” Clarendon wrote on Instagram, along with a photo taken after the surgery. “Sighhhh...freedom... freedom at last.”
Clarendon has been generally open about their identity but felt trepidation in sharing news of the operation due to “the amount of hate, myths & ignorance.” Clarendon decided to share the photo because “I want Trans people to know and see that we’ve always existed & no one can erase us!”
The eight-year veteran of the WNBA averaged a career-best 11.5 points for New York last season.