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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Rain has stopped the Daytona 500 on Sunday after 11 laps, not long after President Donald Trump in his heavily armored presidential limousine known in Washington as “The Beast” led the drivers on two laps around the track.

The caution flag came out with defending Daytona 500 champion William Byron out front.

Rain started falling in Turns 1 and 2, the West side of the 2½-mile Daytona International Speedway.

Trump spoke to the drivers as he led them through several ceremonial laps.

“This is your favorite president. I’m a big fan. I am a really big fan of you people,” Trump told the drivers. “How you do this I don’t know, but I just want you to be safe. You’re talented people and you’re great people and great Americans. Have a good day, have a lot of fun and I’ll see you later.”

Trump left the track during the rain delay and returned to Air Force One to head back to West Palm Beach, Florida, where he’s staying for the weekend.

Before it landed prior to the race, Air Force One buzzed the Daytona International Speedway. Trump traveled from West Palm Beach with several guests, including his son Eric.

NASCAR officials this week moved up the start time for Sunday’s race by 70 minutes because of potential rain. Inclement weather is expected to be in the area between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. ET, with forecasts showing 99% chance of rain. And since it takes roughly two hours to dry the track, it could be 7 p.m. before the race resumes.

“Captain America” actor Anthony Mackie gave the command for drivers to start their engines.

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Tigers send struggling ’24 closer Foley to minors

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Tigers send struggling '24 closer Foley to minors

The Detroit Tigers optioned Jason Foley, their closer for most of the 2024 season, to Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday.

Foley, 29, signed a one-year, $3.15 million contract with the Tigers in January, avoiding arbitration. He struggled in spring training, going 0-1 with a 6.14 ERA — giving up five runs on 10 hits in 7⅓ innings.

He appeared in 69 games last season, finishing 41 and converting 28 of 32 save opportunities while going 3-6 with a 3.15 ERA. In four seasons with the Tigers, he is 7-9 with a 3.16 ERA in 210 relief appearances.

It’s unclear who will fill the Tigers’ closer role for the Tigers, with Beau Brieske, Will Vest, Tyler Holton and Tommy Kahnle all possibly being in the mix.

The Tigers open the regular season against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Field Level Media contributed to this report.

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Mets RHP Blackburn (knee) to go on 15-day IL

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Mets RHP Blackburn (knee) to go on 15-day IL

HOUSTON — New York Mets right-hander Paul Blackburn will begin the season on the 15-day injured list with right knee inflammation, team president of baseball operations David Stearns announced Wednesday during the team’s workout at Daikin Park.

Stearns also said that right-handed relievers Max Kranick and Huascar Brazoban and catcher Hayden Senger have made Mets’ opening day roster.

After the workout, infielder Luisangel Acuna was informed that he had made the roster, a source confirmed to ESPN, rounding out the Mets’ projected 26-man roster. The club has until noon Thursday to finalize the group before opening the season against the Houston Astros.

Blackburn was slated to pitch out of the bullpen to begin the season. Stearns said Blackburn reported knee soreness in the days after his last spring outing. He received an injection for the discomfort and will be shut down for seven to 10 days. Stearns added that the injury isn’t believed to be serious, and Blackburn is expected to return before the end of April.

Acuña and outfielder Alexander Canario were the only two healthy position players who attended the Mets’ workout Wednesday and hadn’t been told whether they made the roster.

With Acuña on the roster, barring a last-second development, Canario won’t make the team. Canario, who is out of options, would be exposed to waivers if he isn’t put on the roster. The Mets already have six outfielders on their projected roster.

“It’s really just ensuring we stay open to what might be out there,” Stearns said during the team’s workout. “This is a highly active time of year as players are on waivers, players have assignment clauses, players have upward mobility clauses, players take their outs and become free agents, players become available at the last minute before rosters are submitted. And the last thing we want to do is tell a player that they are on the opening day roster and then have to walk that back before rosters are due.”

Acuña, the younger brother of former Braves MVP Ronald Acuna Jr., is a former top prospect who impressed during his first major-league stint at the end of last season. The 23-year-old Venezuelan batted .308 with a .966 OPS and three home runs in 14 regular season games as the Mets fought for a playoff spot down the stretch. He mostly played shortstop in place of the injured Francisco Lindor, and has played second base and center field as a pro. This spring, he spent time at third base for the first time.

Kranick, a 27-year-old lifelong Mets fan from Pennsylvania, hasn’t pitched in the majors since appearing in two games for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2022. Brazoban, 35, was traded to the Mets last summer and posted a 5.14 ERA in 19 appearances with the team.

Senger, at 27 years old, has never been on a major-league roster, having spent the last seven seasons in the minors. The opportunity opened for him opened when starting catcher Francisco Alvarez fractured his left hand earlier this month. Senger was a 24th-round pick in 2018 who has spent the last two winters working at a Whole Foods in the Nashville area while his wife, Ryann, worked as a physician’s assistant to help keep his dream alive.

“I gotta give a shoutout to my wife,” Senger said. “She has worked for a lot of years to support me through this and it kind of made it all worth it now that I get to say I’m a Major League Baseball player.”

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Stanton, LeMahieu among 8 Yanks placed on IL

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Stanton, LeMahieu among 8 Yanks placed on IL

Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton, who continues to deal with tendinitis in both elbows, was one of eight New York Yankees players to be placed on the injured list Wednesday.

There is no clear timetable for the 35-year-old Stanton to return. He was bothered by elbow pain last season when he batted .233 with 27 homers and 72 RBIs in 114 games.

Infielder DJ LeMahieu, who suffered a left calf strain during a spring training game on March 1, also was put on the 10-day IL. LeMahieu, 36, batted .204 with two homers and 26 RBIs in 67 games last season.

Also going on the injured list were right-handers Clarke Schmidt (rotator cuff tendinitis), Jonathan Loaisiga (right elbow), Ian Hamilton (viral illness), Scott Effross (left hamstring strain), JT Brubaker (left rib fractures) and Clayton Beeter (right shoulder impingement).

New York also optioned right-hander Yerry de los Santos to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Field Level Media contributed to this report.

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