Sports

Pitcher has to scrap glove over white in flag patch

Published

1 year ago

April 25, 2024

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Associated Press

Apr 25, 2024, 01:10 AM ET

CHICAGO — Cubs reliever Luke Little said he had to change his glove before he entered Wednesday night’s 4-3 victory over the Houston Astros because of an American flag patch.

Manager Craig Counsell went to insert Little with one out in the seventh inning. But as the 6-foot-8 left-hander went through the usual check by umpires for pitchers coming into the game, he was told he had to swap out his glove.

“The issue was the American flag was on his glove,” Counsell said. “Pitchers’ gloves, they’re pretty strict about not having white on the pitchers’ gloves. Apparently the flag had what could be a distraction to the hitter.”

As Little went to the mound to warm up for his ninth appearance of the season and No. 16 for his career, a clubhouse attendant went to his locker to find a replacement. The first glove he brought to Little also had an American flag patch, so he went back to get another one — which hadn’t been broken in.

“I had to beat it a little bit, try and get it flexed out,” Little said. “Of all the things to do is breaking in a glove during a game.”

The 23-year-old Little, a North Carolina native, said he has been using the same glove since Class A ball. After the issue was resolved, he retired each of the two batters he faced.

Following the victory, Little posted “Proud to be an American … Go Cubs Go” on social media, along with a flag emoji and a GIF of wrestler Hulk Hogan playing a guitar in front of an American flag.

“The clubbies told me that they had got an email from MLB that I’m not allowed to wear it,” he told the AP. “But I just didn’t assume that they were just going to just cut me. It’s not like it has an advantage in the game. It’s not like it blinds the hitters. Just representing my country.

“Just a whole debacle. Got to get ready without it and throw through it.”

A message was left late Wednesday night seeking comment from MLB.

Sports

Pirates ball-crusher Cruz accepts HR Derby invite

Published

2 hours ago

July 8, 2025

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Pirates ball-crusher Cruz accepts HR Derby invite

Field Level Media

Jul 8, 2025, 04:16 PM ET

Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz accepted an invitation on Tuesday to compete in Monday’s Home Run Derby in Atlanta.

Cruz is the fifth player to commit to the competition, held one day before the All-Star Game. The others are Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Atlanta Braves, Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals and Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins.

Cruz, 26, is known for having a powerful bat and regularly delivers some of the hardest-hit homers in the sport. His home run May 25 at home against the Milwaukee Brewers had an exit velocity of 122.9 mph and was the hardest hit homer in the 10-year Statcast era.

But Cruz has never hit more than 21 in a season, and that was in 2024. He’s on track to set a new high this year and has 15 in 80 games.

Cruz has 55 career homers in 324 games with the Pirates.

Cruz will be the first Pittsburgh player to participate in the Derby since Josh Bell in 2019. Other Pirates to be part of the event were Bobby Bonilla (1990), Barry Bonds (1992), Jason Bay (2005), Andrew McCutchen (2012) and Pedro Alvarez (2013).

Overall, Cruz is batting just .203 this season but leads the National League with 28 steals.

Among the players to turn down an invite to the eight-player field are two-time champion Pete Alonso of the New York Mets, Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies and 2024 runner-up Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals.

Defending champion Teoscar Hernandez of the Los Angeles Dodgers recently turned down a spot as a consideration to nagging injuries.

Top power threats Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees and Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers also are expected to skip the event.

Sports

Yanks moving Chisholm back to 2B after 3B stint

Published

2 hours ago

July 8, 2025

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Yanks moving Chisholm back to 2B after 3B stint

Field Level Media

Jul 8, 2025, 01:40 PM ET

New York Yankees All-Star Jazz Chisholm Jr., after making 28 starts in a row at third base, is moving back to second base starting with Tuesday’s game against the Seattle Mariners, manager Aaron Boone said.

Boone confirmed the change on the “Talkin’ Yanks” podcast on Tuesday.

Chisholm, who is batting .245 with 15 home runs, 38 RBIs and 10 steals in 59 games, has recently been bothered by soreness in his right shoulder, which he said is an issue only on throws.

He said he prefers to play second base and prepared in the offseason to exclusively play in that spot before injuries played havoc with Boone’s lineup card, starting with Chisholm’s oblique injury in May.

Third baseman Oswaldo Cabrera went down with a season-ending ankle injury on May 12.

DJ LeMahieu manned second base while Chisholm was at third, but Boone has a better glove option in Oswald Peraza, a utility man with a stronger arm plus defensive skills across the infield.

LeMahieu, 36, is batting .266 with two home runs and 12 RBIs this season.

Sports

White Sox reinstate OF Robert (hamstring) from IL

Published

2 hours ago

July 8, 2025

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White Sox reinstate OF Robert (hamstring) from IL

Field Level Media

Jul 8, 2025, 03:55 PM ET

The Chicago White Sox reinstated outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list Tuesday.

Robert, 27, has struggled this season through career lows in batting average (.185), on-base percentage (.270) and slugging percentage (.313). Through 73 games, he has amassed just 16 extra-base hits (eight doubles, eight home runs) in 285 plate appearances.

He does have 22 stolen bases in 28 attempts and is just one shy of his career- high in steals.

In a corresponding move, the White Sox optioned infielder Tristan Gray to Triple-A Charlotte. Gray was just recalled before Monday night’s game but did not play.