MANFRED WARNS AGAINST BEANBALLS

FLA.» With baseball NORTH PORT, ablaze over the Houston Astros’ cheating scandal, commissioner Rob Manfred met with nearly half of the major leagues’ managers Sunday and told them to knock off any notion of get-even beanballs.

“I hope that I made it extremely clear to them that retaliation in-game by throwing at a batter intentionally will not be tolerated, whether it’s Houston or anybody else,” Manfred said. “It’s dangerous and it is not helpful to the current situation.”

Cody Bellinger, Kris Bryant, Trevor Bauer and Carlos Correa were among the all-stars recently trading threats, accusations and barbs as spring training opened. The revelation of Houston’s sign-stealing scam, the punishment imposed by Major League Baseball and poorly received apologies by the Astros further enhanced anger across the sport, with players, club management and fans all joining in.

Bettis gets chance with Yankees.

FLA.» Free agent pitcher Chad TAMPA,

Bettis signed a minor-league contract with the New York Yankees with an invitation an invitation to big-league spring training.

The 30-year-old right-hander was 1-6 with one save and a 6.08 ERA in 39 games, including three starts, for Colorado last season. He went on the injured list Aug. 14 with a left hip impingement and didn’t pitch the rest of the year.

Bettis has pitched in parts of seven seasons in the majors, all for Colorado. He is 31-31 with one save and a 5.12 ERA in 164 games, 92 of them starts.

Tony Fernandez dies at 57. TORONTO» Tony Fernandez, a stylish shortstop who made five all-star teams during his 17 seasons in the major leagues and helped the Toronto Blue Jays win the 1993 World Series, died after complications from a kidney disease. He was 57.

Fernandez was taken off a life support system with his family present at a hospital in Weston, Fla., said Imrad Hallim, the director and cofounder of the Tony Fernandez Foundation. Fernandez had been in a medically induced coma and had waited years for a new kidney.

Fernandez won four straight Gold Gloves with the Blue Jays in the 1980s and holds club records for career hits and games played. A clutch hitter in five trips to the postseason, he had four separate stints with Toronto and played for six other teams. He played his first eight seasons with Toronto, then returned later in his career.

Vlhova passes Shiffrin in slalom standings.

KRANJSKA GORA, SLOVENIA» Petra Vlhova won her third straight women’s World Cup slalom to overtake the absent Mikaela Shiffrin on the top of the discipline standings.

Shiffrin, Colorado’s three-time overall championm sat out the race, taking a break from skiing since the death of her father, Jeff Shiffrin, two weeks ago.

Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener was 0.24 seconds behind Vlhova in second place. Katharina Truppe of Austria finished third, trailing by 0.89.

Islanders acquire Devils’ Greene.

N.J.» The New York Islanders NEWARK, solidified their defense for the playoff push, acquiring New Jersey Devils captain Andy Greene.

The Devils got young defenseman David Quenneville and the Islanders’ second-round pick in the 2021 draft in return for Greene.

The deal came eight days before the NHL trade deadline on Feb. 24.

USA wins rare world championships luge medal.

KRASNAYA RUSSIA» USA Luge won the POLYANA, bronze medal in the team relay at luge’s world championships, catching a huge break when the host Russians were disqualified from the final event of the competition.

Summer Britcher, Tucker West and the doubles team of Chris Mazdzer and Jayson Terdiman earned the 18th world championships medal in USA Luge history.