AROUND THE HORN
Blue Jays:
The Blue Jays announced plans Thursday for a $230 million renovation of Rogers Centre, their downtown home since 1989 but said the change will not involve replacing the artificial turf surface with grass. The renovation, to be undertaken in stages over the next two or three winters, will begin with the team adding raised bullpens in left and right field, adjusting the dimensions and heights of the current outfield wall and adapting outfield seating areas to add bars and patios, as well as a section of bleachers. “The largest focus was to focus on modernizing the fan experience,” Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro said. Shapiro did not disclose the outfield dimensions and fence heights.
Marlins: Marlins righthander Max Meyer will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery, the club announced Thursday. Los Angeles Dr. Neal ElAttrache is scheduled to perform the arthroscopic procedure sometime in the near future. Meyer could miss most or all of the 2023 season. The 23-year-old Meyer, one of Miami’s top prospects and the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 First-Year Player Draft, left his second major league start on Friday in Pittsburgh after throwing 10 pitches. He missed a month earlier this season with right ulnar nerve irritation. Meyer (0-1) was a combined 9-8 with a 2.77 earned-run average in 35 minor league starts before being called up by the Marlins . ... Daniel Castano was hit on the forehead by a 104 mph line drive off the bat of Donovan Solano in the first inning of the Marlins’ 7-6 win over the Reds on Thursday. The 27-year-old left-hander fell to the field on his knees and held a hand to his head as catcher Jacob Stallings,
manager Don Mattingly and athletic trainers went to the mound to check on him. Castano did not appear to lose consciousness, and the door on the outfield fence opened as a cart prepared to enter the field. Castano rose to his feet about 90 seconds later and left the field under his own power, a towel draped over his neck, after Solano walked over, put a hand on his shoulder and spoke with the pitcher. The Marlins said Castano showed mild concussion symptoms.
Yankees: Andrew Benintendi wouldn’t say whether he will get vaccinated for COVID-19 now that he’s with the first-place Yankees rather than the lastplace Royals. A day after the Yankees acquired the 28-year-old All-Star from the Royals for three minor league pitchers, Benintendi was hitting leadoff and playing left field against his former team on Thursday night. He was among 10 Royals who missed a four-game series at Toronto from July 14-17 because he was not vaccinated and could not enter Canada. He lost $186,813 of the $8.5 million salary. The Yankees have a three-game series at Toronto from Sept. 26-28. “Right now, you know, I’m still positioned in the same spot. I’m open-minded about it,” Benintendi said.
Tigers: Unvaccinated lefthander Andrew Chafin was put on the restricted list by the Tigers before the opener of a four-game series in Toronto on Thursday. Foreign nationals who aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19 are not allowed to enter Canada, save for limited exceptions that require a 14-day quarantine. Unvaccinated baseball players are placed on the restricted list, where they are not paid and do not accrue major league service time.