AROUND THE HORN
MLB: Major League Baseball will open the 2022 season on March 31 — as long as there isn’t a work stoppage — and will try for the fourth time to have every team play its first game on the same day for the first time since 1968. The league released the full schedule Wednesday. The collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the players’ association expires Dec. 1. A lockout or strike appears possible. Baseball hasn’t had a work stoppage since a 7 ½-month strike in 1994-95 that caused the first cancellation of the World Series in 90 years. Interleague play next season has the AL East vs. NL Central, AL Central vs. NL West and AL West vs. NL East. Every team is scheduled to play on Jackie Robinson Day, April 15, which falls on a Friday. The All-Star Game will be at Dodger Stadium on July 19, its latest date since 1981 was played on Aug. 9 following a players’ strike. The 2020 All-Star Game was supposed to be at Dodger Stadium but was canceled due to the pandemic. The regular season is scheduled to end on Oct. 2.
Dodgers: Four-time All-Star LHP Cole Hamels agreed to a prorated deal worth $1 million to join the Dodgers for the rest of the season, ESPN reported. The Dodgers will tack on $200,000 in incentives for each start. Hamels, 37, who auditioned for teams during a workout last month in Texas, passed his physical Wednesday morning. A San Diego native, Hamles was limited to only one start with the Braves last season because of shoulder and triceps injuries. The agreement came on the same day that three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer was scheduled to make his Dodgers debut against the Astros.
Angels: 3B Anthony Rendon will have season-ending surgery to repair a right hip impingementy. Rendon was placed on the injured list for the third time this season on July 6. He struggled with injuries and inconsistent production at the plate throughout the second season of a seven-year, $245 million contract he signed as a free agent to join the Angels after winning the World Series in a career year with the Nationals in 2019. The 31-yearold slugger played in just 58 games this season, batting a career-low .240 with six HRs and 34 RBIs.
Brewers: Pinch-hitter Rowdy Tellez launched a three-run HR with two outs in the seventh to put the NL Central-leading Brewers ahead for good in a 4-2 victory over the visiting Pirates. Tellez is batting .340 (18 of 53) with five HRs and 16 RBIs in 21 games since the Brewers acquired him from the Blue Jays on July 6. Brent Suter (10-5) pitched one inning of scoreless relief to earn the win after starter Freddy Peralta struck out nine and allowed six hits, two runs and two walks in six innings. Devin Williams earned his first career save.