Bauer ‘singled out’ for scrutiny by MLB?
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he believes righthander Trevor Bauer is being “singled out” by Major League Baseball after umpires in Oakland collected several baseballs he threw in his last start, apparently to examine for foreign substances.
Roberts acknowledged Friday that he has noticed umpires collecting sample balls from every pitcher as part of the sport’s crackdown this season on pitchers tampering with balls, but openly wondered why only Bauer’s name appeared as an apparent target of MLB’s investigation in a report by the Athletic on Thursday.
“I just hope that our player is not singled out,” Roberts said. “That’s the one thing I want to guard against.”
Bauer reacted to the report on Twitter on Thursday, writing: “wonder where the articles about balls from every other pitcher being taken out of play in literally every other game this season are? Also lol to @MLB who already has ‘sources’ talking to gossip bloggers about a supposedly confidential process a week into the season.”
COVID news: Blue Jays outfielder Teoscar Hernandez went on the COVID19 injured list after “someone close to him tested positive,” the Toronto Sun reported.
The Blue Jays said contact tracing and followup testing is being performed.
⏩ Blue Jays lefthander Ryan Borucki and Yankees third baseman Gio Urshela went on the COVID list after experiencing side effects from their vaccinations. Injury report: The Dodgers placed Cody Bellinger on the injured list with a bruised left calf. He was spiked by A’s reliever Reymin Guduan on Monday while beating out an infield single . ... Rays righthander Pete Fairbanks (right rotator strain) and Blue Jays righthander Tyler Chatwood (triceps inflammation) were placed on the 10day IL. Briefly: Freeagent pitcher David Carpenter has been suspended for one year for violating the minorleague joint drug prevention and treatment program, reportedly for refusing to take a test . ... Former Giants reliever Hunter Strickland was added to the Rays’ roster from the team’s alternate site.