Seems like L.A.’s Roberts should know the rules

Umpires barred Dodgers manager Dave Roberts from using a position player to pitch the ninth inning against the New York Mets on Saturday night, enforcing a rule that prevents teams from using nonpitchers with a deficit of five runs or fewer.

Roberts said he did not realize the rule was in effect after it was initially passed prior to the 2020 season, then suspended for two years amid rule adjustments prompted by the pandemic.

“It’s a rule that obviously is in place for 2022. They were talking about it in 2020,” he said. “The goalposts have been moving a lot. It’s an oversight on my part, but I do recall that we did it last year. They kind of had to confer to make sure that it was the case. They got it right, the umpires.”

With Los Angeles trailing 9-4, Roberts sent utility player Zach McKinstry to the mound to begin the ninth, but McKinstry was halted by umpires. A lengthy delay and discussion followed, and umpires used headsets to discuss the situation with officials in New York.

Crew chief C.B. Bucknor announced that McKinstry would not be allowed to pitch, and right-hander Evan Phillips began warming in the Dodgers bullpen.

Dog bites Scherzer

Injured Mets ace Max Scherzer confirmed Saturday that his dog bit his pitching hand this week, but he says the wound won’t slow his recovery from an oblique strain.

The New York Post reported Saturday that the right-handed Scherzer was bitten by a dog on his left hand, a second bizarre injury for New York this week after shortstop Francisco Lindor got his right hand caught in a hotel door and fractured the tip of his middle finger.

Schezer, who has been out since May 18 and isn’t expected back until at least late June, confirmed the dog bite on Twitter, saying it was actually his pitching hand that got nipped. He also said his timeline for a return hasn’t changed.

“Just clearing up a few things,” Scherzer wrote. “My dog Rafi hurt her leg on a run. She was howling in pain and I went to calm her down by putting my hands on her. When I did that she bit my right hand. Fortunately it wasn’t a bad bite. I took one day off from throwing and was able to long toss the next day. This will have no effect on my rehab and this is literally a non story.”

Trivia question

Scherzer is tied for the most immaculate innings pitched, three, with these two.

Dog missing no more

An Iditarod sled dog was found safe after disappearing from a checkpoint in the race three months ago and covering nearly 150 miles, the Iditarod Trail Committee said Saturday.

Musher Sebastien Dos Santos Borges of France was picking Leon up and returning with him to France, the trail committee said in a statement.

Leon went missing in March after what the trail committee said was his “escape” from the Ruby checkpoint. In May, residents of the Alaska city of McGrath, over 120 miles south of the checkpoint, reported to Race Director Mark Nordman that they’d seen Leon frequently near a cabin.

The resident of the cabin and another musher left food for Leon in the hopes of catching him, according to the trail committee. He was captured early Saturday morning and was safe, alert and “understandably skinny but seemingly healthy,” said Iditarod spokesperson Shannon Markley.

Leon was expected to see a veterinarian in the coming days and needs a health certificate before he can fly back to France, Markley said.

Trivia answer

Sandy Koufax and Chris Sale.