Top prospect for Reds suspended for 80 games
Noelvi Marté, a 22-yearold infielder who is the Cincinnati Reds’ top prospect, has been suspended Friday for the first 80 games of the season following a positive test under Major League Baseball’s drug program.
Marté tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance Boldenone. He was expected to be the Reds’ starting third baseman this season. The suspension is without pay.
Marté made his major league debut last Aug. 19 and hit .316 with three homers, 15 RBIs and six stolen bases in 35 games.
More baseball
Former NL MVP Joey Votto said he has agreed to a minor league contract with his hometown Toronto Blue Jays.
The 40-year-old first baseman became a free agent last fall. Votto hit .202 with 14 homers and 38 RBIs in 65 games last year. He didn’t play his first game until June 19, 10 months to the day after surgery on his left biceps and rotator cuff. A sixtime All-Star and the 2010 NL MVP, Votto has a .294 average with 356 homers and 1,144 RBIs.
Golf
Scottie Scheffler and Wyndham Clark were among six players tied for the lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, Fla. The others tied for the lead are: Shane
Lowry, former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, British Open champion Brian Harman and Russell Henley.
• Tiger Woods won’t be at The Players Championship next week at TPC Sawgrass. The PGA Tour released the field for its premier championship and Woods was not part of it.
• Narin An shot a 7-under 65 to join Sarah Schmeizel in the lead after the second round of the Blue Bay LPGA on China’s southern island of Hainan.
• The NXXT Golf mini tour for women announced it has updated its eligibility policy to require all players to be a biological female at birth.
Auto racing
German automaker Audi said it has reached an agreement for a full takeover of the Sauber team ahead of its entry as a full Formula 1 constructor in 2026.
• Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen qualified on pole position for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, extending his strong start to the season. Verstappen was fastest by 0.319 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, with the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez 0.016 further back.
Tennis
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek moved on at the BNP Paribas Open with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over power-hitting American Danielle Collins. On the men’s side, Australian
Open champion Jannik Sinner cruised to a 6-3, 6-0 win against Thanasi Kokkinakis to extend his winning streak to 16 matches.
Pro football
The Baltimore Ravens have agreed to a four-year contract extension with defensive