Sports

Caps’ Hagelin has hip surgery, out indefinitely

Published

3 years ago

October 11, 2022

admin

4:07 PM ET

Associated Press

ARLINGTON, Va. — Carl Hagelin is out indefinitely after undergoing hip surgery, leaving the Washington Capitals without three veteran forwards as the season begins.

The team said Hagelin had an arthroscopic procedure Monday that is intended to address his chronically injured left hip.

Hagelin, 34, has not played since taking an errant stick to his left eye in practice March 1. He took part in some informal summer workouts at the team’s practice facility but was not on the ice for the start of training camp.

“I hope for a good recovery for Carl,” coach Peter Laviolette said following practice Tuesday. “He’s such a good guy and such an important part of the team. … He was one of our top penalty killers and so we’ll certainly miss him on the ice.”

The Capitals will open the season Wednesday without Hagelin, center Nicklas Backstrom and right winger Tom Wilson. Backstrom is also out indefinitely after hip surgery of his own, and Wilson is expected to miss at least the first month or two working back from a torn ACL in his left knee.

Aliaksei Protas is expected to fill one of those holes on opening night against the Boston Bruins. The big 21-year-old forward earned a spot on the roster with a standout training camp and preseason.

“I worked pretty much whole summer to make my dream come true,” said Protas, who’s expected to start at left wing on the second line with Dylan Strome in the middle and Anthony Mantha on the right. “I am close to it. Now I just need to work even more to prove I deserve to be here.”

Darcy Kuemper, signed to a $26.25 million, five-year contract to stabilize Washington’s goaltending situation as the starter, figures to get the nod against Boston, which opens without injured winger Brad Marchand and defenseman Charlie McAvoy. Kuemper is coming off backstopping the Colorado Avalanche to the Stanley Cup but will be busy making his Capitals debut while his old teammates are watching their championship banner be raised to the rafters.

“I won’t be thinking about that,” Kuemper said. “Not till after the game, for sure.”

Newly signed backup Charlie Lindgren could start Thursday at Toronto but Laviolette would not commit to his goalie for the Maple Leafs game. Former Capitals goalie Ilya Samsonov is set to start for the Leafs.

Sports

Reds place 3B Marte on IL due to oblique injury

Published

2 hours ago

May 7, 2025

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Reds place 3B Marte on IL due to oblique injury

Associated Press

May 7, 2025, 03:44 PM ET

ATLANTA — The Cincinnati Reds placed third baseman Noelvi Marte on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique strain Wednesday.

Marte was scratched minutes before the first pitch of the Atlanta Braves‘ 2-1 win over the Reds in 10 innings Tuesday night. He was reported to have left side discomfort, and the oblique injury was disclosed Wednesday.

Marte is hitting .294 with three homers, 17 RBIs and four stolen bases.

The Reds placed another third baseman, Jeimer Candelario, on the injured list on April 30 with a lumbar spine strain. Santiago Espinal was the fill-in starter for Marte on Tuesday night.

The Reds recalled outfielder Rece Hinds from Triple-A Louisville before Wednesday night’s game against the Braves.

Sports

Brewers’ Contreras playing with fractured finger

Published

2 hours ago

May 7, 2025

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$Brewers' Contreras playing with fractured finger$

Field Level Media

May 7, 2025, 02:46 PM ET

Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras intends to continue playing through a fractured finger that the team believes he first suffered last season.

An X-ray revealed the fracture on his left middle finger, his catching hand, which had grown so painful the team ordered the scan.

Contreras plans to play with a splint on the finger while catching and hitting, according to MLB.com.

Coming off his second All-Star season, Contreras is batting .242 with three home runs and 19 RBIs in 35 games. Contreras hit .281 last year and .289 in 2023. The pain is worse when he’s batting, according to MLB.com.

Contreras, 27, was not in the lineup for Wednesday’s matinee against the Houston Astros, getting the day off after catching the previous two games of the series.

Sports

Astros optimistic on Alvarez as MRI shows strain

Published

2 hours ago

May 7, 2025

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Astros optimistic on Alvarez as MRI shows strain

Associated Press

May 7, 2025, 12:46 PM ET

MILWAUKEE — Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez has a strained muscle at the top of his right hand, a diagnosis that instills optimism he won’t have a prolonged stay on the injured list.

The three-time All-Star went on the 10-day injured list Monday, retroactive to Saturday, and returned to Houston for an MRI that revealed the muscle strain.

“We look at it as good news,” Astros manager Joe Espada said before their Wednesday afternoon game with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Espada expressed hope that Alvarez wouldn’t have to stay on the injured list longer than the required 10 days. He also said the hand issue may have played a role in Alvarez’s slow start.

Alvarez, 27, is hitting .210 with a .306 on-base percentage, three homers and 18 RBI in 29 games this season. He batted .308 with a .392 on-base percentage, 35 homers and 86 RBI in 147 games last year while ranking ninth in the AL Most Valuable Player balloting.

He has posted an OPS of at least .959 and has finished 13th or higher in the MVP voting each of the last three seasons.

“Once he heals, once he gets back, I think we’ll see a more aggressive at bat and be not as cautious,” Espada said. “I think it had something to do with it, yes.”

His potential return could go a long way toward boosting an Astros lineup that hasn’t been as productive as usual this season. The Astros entered Wednesday’s action ranked 21st in the majors in runs (136) and 23rd in OPS (.676). Houston has ranked 11th or better in both those categories each of the last four seasons.