Red Sox fire Farrell after playoff exit
John Farrell racked up a lot of wins and a World Series title as manager of the Boston Red Sox. But past success wasn’t enough to save his job after consecutive early playoff exits.
Boston fired Farrell on Wednesday after the team’s second straight loss in an American League division series.
The Red Sox announced the move less than 48 hours after they were eliminated from the World Series hunt with a 5-4 loss to the Houston Astros. Farrell’s contract had been scheduled to run through the 2018 season.
“I thought it was the appropriate time to make a change for the betterment of the organization,” said Dave Dombrowski, president of baseball operations.
Farrell managed the team to its eighth World Series title in 2013, his first season in charge of the club. He had a record of 432-378 in five seasons with Boston.
“Despite an end to this season that we all wanted to be different, I am proud of this ballclub and the resiliency shown,” Farrell said in a statement released by the Red Sox. “I have enjoyed every moment of this job — its peaks and its valleys. There are few, if any, positions in life that create so much passion on a daily basis.” preseason game Friday night in Orlando.
As for James’ status for Tuesday night’s game against the Celtics and former Cavaliers All-Star guard Kyrie Irving, Lue was noncommittal. “Not sure,” he said. “Got treatment all day today, so I’m not sure if we should be concerned or not. But it’s pretty sore today so we’ll just see what happens.”
Andrew Wiggins signed a fiveyear contract extension worth nearly $150 million with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Wiggins, 22, averaged 23.6 points last season, his third in the league.
Mike Ditka apologized for saying he wasn’t aware of any racial oppression over the last 100 years in the United States. The famed Chicago Bears coach came under fire for making the comments during a radio interview on Monday about NFL players kneeling during the national anthem. He issued an apology the next day, saying he was talking about professional football and not society as a whole. “I have absolutely seen oppression in society in the last 100 years,” the Hall of Fame tight end and Super Bowlwinning coach said in statement to WGN-TV in Chicago. “The interview was about the NFL and related issues. That’s where my head was at.”
Former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Ben Hawkins died on Monday, the team said. He was 73. A third-round pick of the Eagles in 1966, Hawkins spent eight of his nine NFL seasons in Philadelphia.
Rafael Nadal lost only four points on serve in a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Jared Donaldson in the second round of the Shanghai Masters. The top-ranked Spaniard and No. 2 Roger Federer both advanced by winning their opening matches in straight sets. Federer defeated Diego Schwartzman 7-6 (4), 6-4, winning the match with his 14th ace on his second match point. Nadal and Federer are both in contention for the season-ending No. 1 ranking, although only Nadal can clinch that honor this week. Nadal will be guaranteed to retain the No. 1 ranking through the end of the season if he wins his first career Shanghai title and Federer loses before reaching the semifinals.
Stanford women’s basketball coach Tara VanDerveer signed a three-year contract extension through the 2019-20 season.
Carlos Nuzman sent his resignation letter as head of the Brazilian Olympic Committee from a prison. He’s been held there since last week amid an investigation into a vote-buying scheme to bring the 2016 Olympics to Rio de Janeiro. The national Olympic committee immediately designated vice president Paulo Wanderley to replace Nuzman, who had headed the BOC for 22 years. Wanderley will serve the three years remaining on Nuzman’s term. Wanderley described Nuzman’s resignation as “a relief.”