Connect with us

Published

12 months ago

on

  • Associated Press

May 8, 2024, 05:52 PM ET

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot was placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with a bruised lower left leg.

The right-hander departed his start Sunday after getting hit on the calf by a 107.5 mph line drive off the bat of the New York Mets‘ Starling Marte.

Both Pepiot and Rays manager Kevin Cash said they believe it will be a short-term injury.

“Really feel like this is a smart thing to do for him,” Cash said. “To land on that leg 100 times here in a couple of days probably didn’t make the most sense.”

Pepiot played catch for seven minutes Wednesday, including simulated mound throwing on level ground. He said being placed on the IL is frustrating.

“I don’t want to leave the team in a bad position,” Pepiot said. “Try to make it happen, go out there, and then end up screwing the bullpen for a second time.”

Pepiot hopes to throw off a mound this weekend or early next week.

“Just trying to take it day by day,” Pepiot said. “The swelling has gone down.”

Pepiot immediately fell to the ground but was able to get back up on his own after getting hit by Marte. He was removed after throwing a couple of warm-up pitches from the mound.

Pepiot is 3-2 with a 3.68 ERA in seven starts. He was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in December in a trade in which the Rays sent ace Tyler Glasnow to the National League club.

Right-hander Taj Bradley was reinstated from the 15-day IL and will start Friday night against the New York Yankees after being out all season with a right pectoral strain. Bradley allowed one run and two hits over 11 innings in two starts with Triple-A Durham.

“His stuff has been very, very good,” Cash said. “He’s throwing the ball over the plate. He’s controlling the running game. He’s got a lot of confidence with all of his pitches right now. He knows he’s going to have to mix against the Yankees on Friday.”

Other injured Rays starting pitchers could return this season.

Left-hander Jeffrey Springs, coming back from Tommy John surgery, is scheduled for a simulated game Thursday and an extended spring training game May 20.

Right-hander Shane Baz, also rehabbing following Tommy John surgery and a left oblique strain, is slated to make his second start with Triple-A Durham on Friday night.

Righty Drew Rasmussen is expected to resume throwing off a mound this month after undergoing hybrid internal brace surgery on his throwing elbow. He had two previous Tommy John procedures.

Ace Shane McClanahan is throwing at 90 feet following his second Tommy John operation. He is not expected back this season.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Sports

Sovereignty outduels Journalism to capture Derby

Published

59 mins ago

on

May 4, 2025

By

Sovereignty outduels Journalism to capture Derby

  • ESPN News Services

May 3, 2025, 07:18 PM ET

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Sovereignty outdueled 3-1 favorite Journalism down the stretch to win the 151st Kentucky Derby in the slop on Saturday.

Trainer Bill Mott won his first Derby in 2019, also run on a sloppy track, when Country House was elevated to first after Maximum Security crossed the finish line first and was disqualified after a 22-minute delay.

This time, he knew right away.

Sovereignty won by 1½ lengths and snapped an 0-for-13 Derby skid for owner Godolphin, the racing stable of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

It was quite a weekend for the sheikh. His filly, Good Cheer, won the Kentucky Oaks on Friday and earlier Saturday, Ruling Court won the 2,000 Guineas in Britain.

Sovereignty covered 1¼ miles in 2:02.31 and paid $17.96 to win at 7-1 odds.

Journalism found trouble in the first turn and jockey Umberto Rispoli moved him to the outside. He and Sovereignty hooked up at the eighth pole before Sovereignty and jockey Junior Alvarado pulled away.

Baeza was third, Final Gambit was fourth and Owen Almighty finished fifth.

Rain made for a soggy day, with the Churchill Downs dirt strip listed as sloppy and horse racing fans protecting their fancy hats and clothing with clear plastic ponchos.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Continue Reading

Sports

Zilisch to miss Xfinity race in Texas after wreck

Published

4 hours ago

on

May 3, 2025

By

Zilisch to miss Xfinity race in Texas after wreck

  • Associated Press

Apr 30, 2025, 07:23 PM ET

FORT WORTH, Texas — Connor Zilisch, the 18-year-old driver already with two NASCAR Xfinity Series race wins, will miss Saturday’s race at Texas because of lower back injuries sustained in a last-lap wreck at Talladega.

Trackhouse Racing said Wednesday that its development driver will return as soon as possible to the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. The team didn’t provide any additional details about Zilisch’s injuries.

Cup Series regular Kyle Larson will drive the No. 88 in Texas. After that, the Xfinity Series has a two-week break before racing again May 24 at Charlotte.

Zilisch, sixth in points through the first 11 races, was driving for the win at Talladega Superspeedway when contact on the backstretch sent his car spinning, and head-on into inside wall.

Zilisch won in his Xfinity debut at Watkins Glen last Sept. 14. He added another win this year at Austin, the same weekend that he made his Cup Series debut. He has six top-10 finishes in his 15 Xfinity races.

Continue Reading

Sports

23XI, Front Row ask judge to toss NASCAR claim

Published

4 hours ago

on

May 3, 2025

By

23XI, Front Row ask judge to toss NASCAR claim

  • Associated Press

Apr 30, 2025, 07:08 PM ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The two teams suing NASCAR asked a judge to dismiss the sanctioning body’s counterclaim in court Wednesday.

In a 20-page filing in district court in North Carolina, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports opposed NASCAR’s motion to amend its original counterclaim. The teams argued that the need to amend the counterclaim further demonstrates the weakness of NASCAR’s arguments, calling them an attempt by NASCAR to distract and shift attention away from its own unlawful, monopolistic actions.

NASCAR’s counterclaim singled out Michael Jordan’s longtime business manager, Curtis Polk. Jordan is co-owner of 23XI Racing.

The legal battle began after more than two years of negotiations on new charter agreements — NASCAR’s equivalent of a franchise model — and the 30-page filing contends that Polk “willfully” violated antitrust laws by orchestrating anticompetitive collective conduct in connection with the most recent charter agreements.

23XI and Front Row were the only two organizations out of 15 that refused to sign the new agreements, which were presented to the teams last September in a take-it-or-leave-it offer a mere 48 hours before the start of NASCAR’s playoffs.

The charters were fought for by the teams ahead of the 2016 season and twice have been extended. The latest extension is for seven years to match the current media rights deal and guarantee 36 of the 40 spots in each week’s field to the teams that hold the charters, as well as other financial incentives. 23XI and Front Row refused to sign and sued, alleging NASCAR and the France family that owns the stock car series are a monopoly.

NASCAR already has lost one round in court in which the two teams have been recognized as chartered organizations for the 2025 season as the legal dispute winds through the courts. NASCAR has also appealed a judge’s rejection of its motion to dismiss the case.

Continue Reading

Trending