Sports

O’s Means, Wells need surgery, done for season

Published

10 months ago

June 1, 2024

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Associated Press

May 31, 2024, 05:27 PM ET

BALTIMORE — John Means and Tyler Wells will miss the rest of the season because of elbow problems that require surgery, a blow to Baltimore’s pitching depth as the Orioles try to defend their AL East title.

Means returned late last season from Tommy John surgery but has made only eight starts since. Wells made 43 starts over the past two years but only three in 2024.

General manager Mike Elias said the two players will have their UCLs repaired. He said it’s not clear yet what type of surgery they’ll have, meaning the recovery time frames are a bit uncertain.

“It’s really disappointing,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Two guys you really pull for. We were hoping for better news.”

The Orioles began the season without starting pitchers Means and Kyle Bradish. Now Bradish is back, but Dean Kremer has missed over a week with a triceps strain — and Means and Wells may not return until after the start of next season.

“I think it’s a strong likelihood,” Elias said. “You get the repair, my understanding is that’s kind of roughly a 11-, 12-month kind of thing, front to back, in terms of getting yourself back on TV, so to speak. It can be longer than that.”

Albert Suarez was set to start Friday, with Corbin Burnes, Grayson Rodriguez, Cole Irvin and Bradish rounding out the rotation for now.

Kremer could presumably replace Suárez when he returns, which Elias said might potentially be before the end of June.

“I think usually baseball teams try to go into spring training with eight or nine starting pitching options, and now we’re down a couple,” Elias said.

The Orioles have largely withstood their injuries in the rotation so far. Burnes, acquired in an offseason trade, has looked like an ace. Bradish (1.75) and Irvin (2.84) have both posted impressive ERAs, and Rodriguez has 61 strikeouts in 51 innings. Means was 2-0 with a 2.61 ERA.

Suárez was 2-0 with a 1.53 ERA entering Friday’s start, having split time between the rotation and bullpen.

The problem is now Baltimore has only one scheduled off day in June — and the Orioles face the Rays, Blue Jays, Braves, Phillies, Yankees, Astros, Guardians and Rangers in that month. A six-man rotation might be useful for the Orioles, but it’s hard to say who else they can use as a starter until Kremer gets back.

“I think we’re keeping all options open right now,” Hyde said. “You forecast what you hope the next three weeks is going to look like, but stuff like this happens.”

The Orioles’ farm system has been loaded with top prospects, but most of them are position players. Left-hander Cade Povich was 5-1 with a 2.35 ERA for Triple-A Norfolk entering his start Friday.

“Cade is definitely a guy who’s on the tip of our tongues right now. He’s having a tremendous season in Triple-A,” Elias said. “We’re watching every little thing he does. As we enter this stretch now, with all of these games coming up, with no off days, we’ve had internal dialogue about six-mans for stretches and things like that. He’s put himself in position for that type of consideration.”

Sports

Rangers’ Gray fractures wrist on comebacker

Published

2 hours ago

March 15, 2025

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$Rangers' Gray fractures wrist on comebacker$

ESPN News Services

Mar 15, 2025, 07:49 AM ET

The Texas Rangers‘ pitching staff took another hit Friday, when right-hander Jon Gray suffered a right wrist fracture.

Gray was struck by a line drive from Colorado Rockies first baseman Michael Toglia to lead off the fourth inning that knocked him out of the game.

“Not good news, not good news,” manager Bruce Bochy told reporters. “It’s terrible. I feel awful for him, to be this close to getting the season going. It’s just not good news. I’ll get back in there and find out more, but right now, there is a fracture.”

Gray’s injury is the third setback for the Rangers rotation this week. The team said Thursday that left-hander Cody Bradford would start the season on the injured list because of soreness in his throwing elbow. Tyler Mahle had been scratched from a start with forearm soreness, but the right-hander returned to pitch in a minor league game Thursday.

Gray went 5-6 with a 4.47 ERA in 23 appearances (19 starts) for the Rangers last season, when he was shut down in September for a foot injury that required surgery. He is in the final year of a four-year, $56 million deal.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Sports

Ohtani hits long home run in return to Japan

Published

2 hours ago

March 15, 2025

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Ohtani hits long home run in return to Japan

Associated Press

Mar 15, 2025, 07:17 AM ET

TOKYO — Japanese star Shohei Ohtani showed off some prodigious power in his return to the Tokyo Dome on Saturday night.

In an exhibition game against the Yomiuri Giants, the three-time Most Valuable Player belted a long two-run homer to right field in the third inning to give the Dodgers a 4-0 lead, setting off a roar from the roughly 42,000 fans in attendance.

The Dodgers put on quite a power display in the third with Michael Conforto, Ohtani and Teoscar Hernández all going deep to give Los Angeles a 5-0 advantage.

The Dodgers are playing in Japan as part of the Tokyo Series. The team is playing two exhibition games against Japanese teams before starting the regular season with two games against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Ohtani became the first player in MLB history to have at least 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in one season in 2024. He played several seasons for the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan before coming to the U.S. in 2018 with the Los Angeles Angels.

Sports

Dodgers’ Betts to miss Japan games with illness

Published

2 hours ago

March 15, 2025

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Dodgers' Betts to miss Japan games with illness

Associated Press

Mar 15, 2025, 05:59 AM ET

TOKYO — Shortstop Mookie Betts will miss the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ two exhibition games in Japan because of an illness, manager Dave Roberts said Saturday.

Roberts said he’s still hopeful that the eight-time All-Star will be available for the team’s first regular season game against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday at the Tokyo Dome. The Dodgers are playing the Yomiuri Giants and Hanshin Tigers — two teams from Japan — in exhibition games on Saturday and Sunday.

Roberts said the 32-year-old Betts started to feel flu-like symptoms during the team’s final day in Arizona, but team doctors said he was OK to make the long trip to Japan.

“Mookie is here today, but he’s been really sick,” Roberts said. “Lost some weight, so we’re trying to get him hydrated. He’s going to work out a little today, but he won’t be playing either tonight or tomorrow.

“Then when we have our off day, our workout day, we’ll see how he is.”

Betts is making the full-time transition to shortstop this season after playing most of his career in right field and second base. The 2018 AL MVP hit .289 with 19 homers and 75 RBI last season, helping the Dodgers win the World Series.