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ARLINGTON, Texas — Clay Holmes won’t be the automatic choice as the closer for the New York Yankees in the short term after giving up a game-ending grand slam to the Texas Rangers for his major-league-high 11th blown save this season.

Manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday the club will consider several options, Holmes included, while continuing to support the two-time All-Star coming off a rough outing.

Rookie Wyatt Langford‘s grand slam followed a single by Carson Kelly and consecutive walks to Josh Smith and Marcus Semien, giving the Rangers a 7-4 victory on Tuesday night.

“In the short term, we’ll kind of just get a little creative with it,” Boone said before the series finale against the Rangers. “I feel like he’s throwing the ball really well in a lot of ways. Last night it was certainly a little off and they got to him. But the reality is he’s really not that far off from being the dominant guy we know he can be.”

Langford fouled off a full-count slider to stay alive before hitting a hanging 85.8 mph slider 407 down the left-field line.

Holmes’ blown saves — which have come in 40 chances — are the most since Dave Righetti had 13 in 1987, tying the Yankees record set by Goose Gossage in 1983.

Boone stuck with Holmes after the right-hander’s previous blown save Aug. 18 against Detroit in Major League Baseball’s Little League Classic. Holmes had five scoreless outings with three saves before the loss to the Rangers.

The closer-by-committee decision from Boone came with the Yankees in a tight race with Baltimore for the best record in the American League and the AL East lead. The Orioles were a half-game ahead to start the day.

Right-hander Jake Cousins has a save and a 2.73 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 30 innings. Luke Weaver, another right-hander, is second to Holmes in appearances with 54 and has finished seven games. Left-hander Tim Hill is 3-0 with a 2.34 ERA in 27 relief outings but has just 13 strikeouts in 34⅔ innings.

Rookie Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt, both coming off the IL, could be developed into closing options.

“Trust a lot of guys,” Boone said. “Just how it matches up is kind of how we’ll go. And that’s how we’ll go into every night. I feel like there’s a lot of guys down there throwing the ball well and capable.”

Holmes spent time in Boone’s office before the game.

“Just kind of checking in and making sure, kind of giving him my thoughts on certainly the short-term look at things,” Boone said. “But also just making sure he’s good and seeing where he’s at. The thing about Clay is, he’s such a solid person and has such a good foundation. It’s why I think he handles this role so well, the ups and downs that inevitably go with it, the pressures that go with it.”

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Fired Moore in custody, suspect in alleged assault

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Fired Moore in custody, suspect in alleged assault

Sherrone Moore was in custody in the Washtenaw (Michigan) County Jail on Wednesday night as a suspect in an alleged assault, just hours after he was fired as Michigan’s football coach for having what the school said was an “inappropriate relationship with a staff member.”

Moore was initially detained by police in Saline, Michigan, on Wednesday and turned over to authorities in Pittsfield Township “for investigation into potential charges.”

Pittsfield police released a statement Wednesday night saying they responded at 4:10 p.m. to the 3000 block of Ann Arbor Saline Road “for the purposes of investigating an alleged assault. … A suspect in this case was taken into custody. This incident does not appear to be random in nature, and there appears to be no ongoing threat to the community.

“The suspect was lodged at the Washtenaw County Jail pending review of charges by the Washtenaw County Prosecutor,” the statement continued. “At this time, the investigation is ongoing. Given the nature of the allegations, the need to maintain the integrity of the investigation, and its current status at this time, we are prohibited from releasing additional details.”

Pittsfield police did not name the suspect in its statement.

Earlier, Saline police stated they “assisted in locating and detaining former University of Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore. Mr. Moore was turned over to the Pittsfield Township Police Department for investigation into potential charges.”

Michigan fired Moore on Wednesday following an investigation into his conduct with a staff member.

“U-M head football coach Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effective immediately,” the school said in a statement. “Following a University investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.”

Moore, 39, spent two seasons as Michigan’s coach, after serving as the team’s offensive coordinator.

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Braves sign vet OF Yastrzemski to 2-year deal

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Braves sign vet OF Yastrzemski to 2-year deal

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves signed veteran outfielder Mike Yastrzemski to a two-year deal Wednesday that includes a club option for 2028.

The 35-year-old Yastrzemski hit .233 with 17 home runs and 46 RBIs in 146 games last year between San Francisco and Kansas City.

Yastrzemski, who spent the first six-plus seasons of his career with the Giants before being sent to the Royals in July, will make $9 million in 2026 and $10 million in 2027. Atlanta holds a club option for 2028. Yastrzemski will make $7 million if the Braves pick up the option. He will receive a $4 million buyout if they do not.

The versatile Yastrzemski, the grandson of Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, can play all three outfield positions and is a career .238 hitter. His best season came in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 campaign, when he batted .297 with 10 homers in 54 games and finished in the top 10 in NL MVP voting.

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Rule 5: Yanks pick Winquest, Rockies get Petit

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Rule 5: Yanks pick Winquest, Rockies get Petit

ORLANDO, Fla. — The New York Yankees made their first selection in a Rule 5 draft since 2011 on Wednesday, taking right-hander Cade Winquest from the St. Louis Cardinals.

Winquest was one of 13 players — and 12 right-handed pitchers — chosen in the major league portion of the draft.

The Rockies took RJ Petit, a 6-foot-8 reliever, with the first pick from the Detroit Tigers. Petit, 26, had a 2.44 ERA in 45 relief appearances and two starts between Double A and Triple A last season. The Minnesota Twins chose the only position player, selecting catcher Daniel Susac from the Athletics.

Clubs pay $100,000 to select a player and must keep him on the active major league roster for the entire following season unless he lands on the injured list. Players taken off the roster must be offered back to the former club for $50,000.

The 25-year-old Winquest recorded a 4.58 ERA with a 48% groundball rate in 106 innings across 25 games, including 23 starts, between Single A and Double A last season. He features a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and touches 98 mph plus a curveball, cutter and sweeper. He is expected to compete for a spot in the Yankees’ bullpen next season.

Right-hander Brad Meyers was the last player the Yankees had chosen in a Rule 5 draft. He suffered a right shoulder injury in spring training and was on the injured list for the entire 2012 season before he was offered back to the Washington Nationals. He never appeared in a major league game.

Also picked were right-hander Jedixson Paez (Colorado from Boston), right-hander Griff McGarry (Washington from Philadelphia), catcher Carter Baumler (Pittsburgh from Baltimore), right-hander Ryan Watson (Athletics from San Francisco), right-hander Matthew Pushard (St. Louis from Miami), right-hander Roddery Munoz (Houston from Cincinnati), right-hander Peyton Pallette (Cleveland from Chicago White Sox), right-hander Spencer Miles (Toronto from San Francisco), right-hander Zach McCambley (Philadelphia from Miami) and right-hander Alexander Alberto (White Sox from Tampa Bay).

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