Dodgers donate $2M toward hurricane relief in Puerto Rico
Los Angeles Dodgers owner and chairman Mark Walter says the team is donating $2 million to support rebuilding efforts in Puerto Rico after last year's devastation caused by Hurricane Maria.
Walter announced the donation to Habitat for Humanity of Puerto Rico on Tuesday. Infielder-outfielder Kike Hernandez, who played for both the Oklahoma City RedHawks and Oklahoma City Dodgers, and his fiancee Mariana Vicente selected the charity and added over $225,000 earned through their fundraisers.
The donation will go toward rehabilitating and reconstructing damaged homes in Humacao, Santa Isabel, Ponce, Patillas, Arroyo and constructing new housing in Guayama. According to government estimates, the hurricane severely damaged or destroyed more than a third of the island's 1.2 million occupied homes and more than 60,000 new homes need to be constructed.
Around the horn
•The Tampa Bay Rays have obtained infielder/outfielder Rob Refsnyder from the Cleveland Indians for $90,000. Refsnyder, 27, has spent parts of three big league seasons with the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays, batting .233 with 14 doubles, two homers and 17 RBIs.
•Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Brad Boxberger will open as closer, earning the job over former Broken Arrow High star Archie Bradley and Yoshihisa Hirano.A 2015 AL All-Star with Tampa Bay, Boxberger led the AL with 41 saves that season but hasn't had one since. He was limited by injuries to 57 appearances during the past two seasons.
•The San Diego Padres are demanding an apology from Entercom for an "offensive, insensitive and completely unacceptable" tweet by a new talk show host on the team's flagship radio station.
Kevin Klein, scheduled to start a show on 97.3 FM on Thursday — opening day for the Padres, tweeted a picture Monday of the Coronado bridge with the words "JUMP(asterisk) . (asterisk) to a new morning show."
The tweet sparked outrage from many, including some who said they knew people who had committed suicide by jumping from the bridge.
In a statement, Padres owners Ron Fowler and Peter Seidler apologized for the behavior of the station.
•Yovani Gallardo has been released by the Milwaukee Brewers. Milwaukee made the move Monday, two days after manager Craig Counsell said Gallardo had been told he would not be on the opening-day roster.
Gallardo reached the major leagues with Milwaukee in 2007 and spent eight years with the Brewers, starting their 2014 opener. He was 5-10 with a 5.72 ERA for Seattle last year.
•One of the organization's most popular managers, Dusty Baker, is rejoining the San Francisco Giants nearly 16 years after his difficult departure.
The 68-year-old Baker, who was fired as skipper of the Washington Nationals after last season, will serve as a special adviser to CEO Larry Baer working in both the baseball and business operations of the club.
•Former Oklahoma star pitcher Chase Anderson says he is ready for Milwaukee's opener at San Diego on Thursday.
He was 12-4 with a 2.74 ERA last year for a team with 86 wins, six back of the NL Central champion Chicago Cubs and one behind Colorado for the second NL wild card.
"I prepare like it's another game," he said. "It's more heightened for baseball fans. I'm just going to go out there and try and set the tone for our team and get us a win."
•The Braves bolstered their bench by agreeing to one-year deals with outfielder Peter Bourjos and utility player Ryan Flaherty, who were released by other teams late in spring training.