AROUND THE HORN
■ Media: Thom Brennaman resigned as a Reds broadcaster, one month after he used an anti-gay slur on the air. “My family and I have decided that I am going to step away from my role as the television voice of the Cincinnati Reds,” Brennaman said in a statement. “I would like to thank the Reds, Reds fans and the LGBTQ community for the incredible support and grace they have shown my family and me.” On Aug. 19, Brennaman used the slur moments after the Fox Sports Ohio feed returned from a commercial break before the top of the seventh inning in the first game of a doubleheader against the Royals in Kansas City, Missouri. Brennaman didn’t seem to realize he was already on air. He later apologized. The Reds took Brennaman off the broadcast in the fifth inning of the second game, handing his duties to alternate play-by-play man Jim Day. On Friday, Brennaman, 57, again apologized and said he hoped to continue as a broadcaster.
■ Nationals: Manager Dave Martinez agreed to a three-year extension worth $7.5 million, according to reports. The new deal will keep Martinez, 55, with the club through the 2023 season. Martinez led the Nationals to the franchise’s first World Series championship in 2019, his second season as the team’s skipper. After a title defense slowed by injuries and inconsistency during a 60game season delayed and shortened by the coronavirus pandemic, the Nats were 23-34 and last in the NL East before facing the Mets on Friday night. The Nats were eliminated from the playoffs earlier in the week.
■ Brewers: RHP Corbin Burnes was placed on the IL with a strained left oblique, likely ending his breakthrough season. Brewers manager Craig Counsell said that if the team advances to the playoffs, Burnes would be unavailable for the first round and would be doubtful for the second round. Burnes is 4-1 with a 2.11 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 592⁄ innings, a
3 dramatic improvement from a 2019 campaign in which he went 1-5 with an 8.82 ERA. He suffered his first loss of the season Thursday by allowing three runs and six hits over 32⁄
3 innings as the Brewers fell 4-2 to the Cardinals. The injury, which was described Thursday night as lower back discomfort, appeared to bother Burnes throughout the fourth. Burnes was placed on the IL after undergoing an MRI.
■ Blue Jays: Hyun Jin Ryu pitched seven shutout innings and the Blue Jays clinched their first postseason spot since 2016, beating the Yankees 4-1 on Thursday night. The Blue Jays secured at least an AL wild-card spot and ensured their eighth trip overall to the postseason. Blue Jays players embraced on the diamond at their temporary home of Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York after Rafael Dolis struck out Aaron Hicks to end it. The Blue Jays entered Friday’s games trailing the Yankees by two games for second place in the AL East. Both teams have three games remaining. The Blue Jays host the Orioles, while the Yankees host the Marlins.