Marlins to welcome noisy fans
Practice common in Latin countries
Miami Marlins crowds should be louder next season, even if they’re not bigger.
The attendance-challenged franchise will invite fans to bring musical instruments, bells, whistles and flags to a designated section of Marlins Park in 2019. The move is a way for Marlins fans to show pride in their native countries, celebrate South Florida’s cultural diversity and “get loud,” according to the team website.
Noisemakers are common at baseball games in Latin countries. The section will be called Comunidad 305 — Miami’s area code and the Spanish word for “community.”
This season, the Marlins’ first under a new ownership group led by Derek Jeter, are likely to finish last in the NL in attendance for the 13th time in the past 14 years.
Angels
Los Angeles slugger Albert Pujols is likely to miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on his left knee. Pujols is batting .245 with 19 homers and 64 RBIs for the Angels, who are all but mathematically eliminated from the playoff. Pujols is sixth in baseball history with 633 career homers after surpassing Ken Griffey Jr. this season.
Braves
The Kansas City Royals traded slugging first baseman Lucas Duda to Atlanta for cash considerations after their game Wednesday against Detroit. Duda signed a $3.5 million, one-year deal to take over for departed first baseman Eric Hosmer this season. Duda showed flashes of his prodigious power but hit just .242 with 13 homers and 48 RBIs, making his trade imminent. He goes from last-place Kansas City to first-place Atlanta.
Indians
Andrew Miller’s start-and-stop season has been disrupted again. The Cleveland Indians placed the invaluable reliever on the 10day disabled list with shoulder soreness, an injury the AL Central leaders hope gets better in time for the postseason. Manager Terry Francona said Miller complained about his shoulder Tuesday and received a cortisone injection. Francona said Miller, 32, will be shut down while the shot takes affect and there’s no timetable on when he will pitch again. This is Miller’s third trip to the DL this season.