Yamamoto impressive in debut for Dodgers
Even Shohei Ohtani was intrigued by Yoshinobu Yamamoto's exhibition debut Wednesday, making the 30-minute drive through Phoenix suburbs in a white convertible to show his support for a fellow Japanese star, even though he wasn't playing in the game.
Yamamoto put on quite a show. The 25-year-old struck out three batters over two scoreless innings against the defending World Series champion Texas Rangers, giving a glimpse into why the Los Angeles Dodgers believe the right-hander can become a big league ace.
“I was just trying to do my job, trying to stay calm and focus on what I have to do,” Yamamoto said through an interpreter.
Yamamoto opened by striking out All-Star Marcus Semien on six pitches, then gave up Evan Carter's single before Wyatt Langford grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Yamamoto started the second by striking out Nathaniel Lowe on three pitches and retiring Jonah Heim on a flyout to left. Working with a long, deliberate windup and a fastball that hovered in the mid-90s, Yamamoto ended his outing by striking out Leody Taveras on four pitches.
Hockey
5 HOCKEY PLAYERS CHARGED IN CANADA WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT
WILL HAVE A JURY TRIAL >> The five hockey players charged with sexual assault in Canada have asked for and been granted a trial by jury.
Daniel Brown, one of the lawyers representing former NHL player Alex Formenton, confirmed the request for a jury trial in an email Wednesday to The Associated Press.
“Earlier this week, all five players selected a trial by jury and they are confident that jurors drawn from the community will decide this case fairly and impartially after hearing all the evidence and testimony,” Brown wrote.
The Globe and Mail was first to report the step toward a jury trial. It was not immediately clear when the trial will begin, though a backlog of cases in Canada could push it well beyond 2024.
Formenton and current NHL players Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers, Dillon Dube of the Calgary Flames and Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils are facing charges in connection with an alleged sexual assault that took place in London, Ontario, in 2018. McLeod is facing an extra charge of being party to an offense.
NBA NBA DENIES KNICKS' PROTEST OF LOSS IN HOUSTON >>
The NBA has denied the Knicks' protest of their loss in Houston, two days after New York won a game in large part because of a call that was determined to be incorrect.
The Knicks protested their 105-103 loss to the Rockets on Feb. 12, a game that ended with Houston's Aaron Holiday making two free throws after officials called a foul on New York's Jalen Brunson with 0.3 seconds remaining. After the game, referee Ed Malloy said the contact between the players was marginal and no foul should have been called.
However, that is not grounds to overturn the result, the NBA ruled Wednesday.
There hasn't been a protest upheld in the NBA since the 2007-08 season, when an error by the Atlanta stat crew led to Miami's Shaquille O'Neal fouling out of a game when he had only five fouls at the time. The league ordered the final 51.9 seconds of their game to be replayed.
NFL CHIEFS ARE RELEASING WIDE RECEIVER VALDESSCANTLING >>
The Kansas City Chiefs are releasing wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday, giving the Super Bowl champions some much-needed salary cap flexibility.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the Chiefs had not announced the move, which would save $12 million that they could use to shore up their offense or help keep defensive stars Chris Jones and L'Jarius Sneed next season.
The Chiefs gave ValdesScantling a three-year, $30 million deal two years ago in the hopes that Patrick Mahomes could turn the former Packers wide receiver into a viable deep threat. But while Valdes-Scantling had memorable moments in Kansas City, including a TD catch in the Super Bowl, he was plagued by dropped passes and never put up the numbers the Chiefs expected of him.