Eight MVPs, Cespedes on way to WBC
The USA’s Mike Trout and Mookie Betts, Japan’s Shohei Ohtani and Venezuela’s Miguel Cabrera and Jose Altuve are among eight Major League MVPs on rosters for next month’s World Baseball Classic.
Canada’s Freddie Freeman and the United States’ Paul Goldschmidt and Clayton Kershaw also are on the rosters announced Thursday for the 20-nation tournament, to be played from March 8-21.
Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara of the Dominican Republic is also headed to the tournament, to be played in Tokyo; Taichung, Taiwan; Phoenix; and Miami.
The 600 players include 67 major-league All-Stars, 35 of them from last season. There are seven Rookies of the Year: Trout, Pete Alonso and Devin Williams of the United States; Ohtani; Venezuela’s Ronald
Acuña
and Mexico’s
Players skipping the tournament include Aaron Judge, Yankees teammate Luis Severino of the Dominican Republic and Minnesota shortstop Carlos Correa of Puerto Rico.
Former Mets outfielder Yoenis Céspedes is on Cuba’s roster, which includes active major-leaguers for the first time. Among those are White Sox third baseman Yoán Moncada and outfielder Luis Robert, who are joined by outfielder Alfredo Despaigne, a former star in the Japanese major leagues.
MORE $$$ FOR DARVISH
Yu Darvish has agreed to a new contract with the Padres that guarantees the 36-yearold ace an additional $90 million and will keep him with the club through the 2028 season, a person with direct knowledge of the deal said Thursday.
The right-hander, who has a baffling array of pitches, will make $108 million over six years, including the $18 million he was already due in 2023 before he was set to become a free agent. He’s set to stay under contract with San Diego until he’s 42.
BANNED FOR LIFE
A former tennis player from Morocco was banned for life Thursday after being found guilty of 135 match-fixing offenses.
It is the highest number of match-fixing offenses by one person detected in the sport, the International Tennis Integrity Agency said.
Younes Rachidi, who had a highest doubles ranking of No. 473, has been banned from ever playing in, coaching at or attending any tennis event sanctioned by governing bodies the ATP and WTA. He was also fined $34,000. The International Tennis Integrity Agency said Rachidi was involved in match-fixing with two Algerian players who were recently banned following investigations in Belgium.