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TORONTO — Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah has been honored with a sportsmanship award for defending teammate Alejandro Kirk after the catcher was criticized online for his weight.

Manoah received a roughly $73,000 ($100,000 Canadian) sponsorship prize and immediately donated it to KidSport, a Canadian nonprofit that gives children the opportunity to participate in organized sports.

Earlier this month, Manoah reacted angrily when Montreal radio host Matthew Ross tweeted that Kirk was “embarrassing the sport” because of his weight and figure. Kirk, a first-time All-Star this season, is 5-foot-8 and 245 pounds.

Ross was responding to a video highlight of Kirk scoring from first base in a game Sept. 13 against Tampa Bay. Toronto won 7-2, splitting a doubleheader against the Rays.

Manoah, who has thrown to Kirk in all but one of his starts this season, fired back at Ross, urging him to “step aside from the keyboard.”

“Go ahead and tell that 8 year old kid who is 10lbs over weight that he should quit now,” he wrote. “Let KIRK inspire those kids to continue to chase their dreams and chase greatness.”

Ross subsequently deleted the tweet and shut down his account before issuing a public apology for his remarks.

To recognize Manoah’s actions, ​​Dove Men+Care announced a sponsorship honoring athletes for their sportsmanship and named Manoah as the first recipient.

In a press release Monday, Dove Men+Care praised Manoah for “promoting body positive reassurance” and demonstrating “notable sportsmanship on a global stage.” The company also announced Manoah’s intention to donate the prize to KidSport.

Manoah, who debuted last season, is 15-7 for the Blue Jays, who lead the AL wild-card race. His 2.31 ERA is fourth-lowest in the major leagues. Manoah has a salary of $706,200 this season.

Now in his third big league season, Kirk is batting .293 with 14 home runs and 62 RBIs in 132 games.

Manoah and Kirk were both selected to the AL All-Star team for the first time this season.

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Sources: Reds acquire infielder Lux from Dodgers

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Sources: Reds acquire infielder Lux from Dodgers

The Cincinnati Reds on Monday acquired veteran infielder Gavin Lux from the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Los Angeles will receive a Competitive Balance Round A pick (around No. 37) and outfield prospect Mike Sirota in the deal for Lux, 27, who hit .251 last season with 10 home runs and 50 RBIs.

The Reds have been looking for infield help after they dealt second baseman Jonathan India to the Kansas City Royals in November. Cincinnati added veteran right-handed pitcher Brady Singer from the Royals in the India deal.

Lux played in 139 games for the Dodgers last season, and 129 the season before. In Los Angeles’ run to the World Series title last season, he had one home run and four RBIs in 12 games.

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Castroneves to attempt Daytona 500 qualifying

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Castroneves to attempt Daytona 500 qualifying

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves will attempt to make his NASCAR debut in next month’s Daytona 500 with Trackhouse Racing.

Castroneves, one of the most popular drivers in IndyCar history, has been trying for two years to get a Daytona 500 seat and finally landed one Monday as part of Trackhouse’s “Project 91” designed to give renowned racers from outside of NASCAR a shot in a stock car.

He will attempt to qualify for the “Great American Race” in the No. 91 Chevrolet with sponsorship from Wendy’s. Darian Grubb will be his crew chief.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would enter a NASCAR race and certainly not the Daytona 500 with a team like Trackhouse Racing,” Castroneves said. “This is an opportunity that nobody in their right mind could ever turn down. I am so thankful to Wendy’s for allowing me to wear their uniform and drive their car.”

Project 91 debuted in 2022 when former Formula 1 champion Kimi Raikkonen made his Cup Series debut at Watkins Glen. Project 91 then ran three times in 2023, once with Raikkonen at Circuit of the Americas and twice with three-time Australian V8 Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen.

Van Gisbergen won in his NASCAR debut on the street course in Chicago and that led to last season’s move to full-time stock car competition. The New Zealander will be a full-time Cup Series driver this year.

Castroneves, meanwhile, is at the end of his driving career. One of only four drivers to win the Indy 500 four times, the Brazilian moved into an ownership role with Meyer Shank Racing last season and ran only three races.

His 2021 win at Indianapolis was with Meyer Shank, where he landed after his long career with Team Penske came to a close. Castroneves had been inquiring for the past few years about a chance to run the Daytona 500.

Castroneves is a three-time winner of the Rolex 24 endurance sports car race held on the road course inside Daytona International Speedway. NASCAR’s biggest race is held on the 2½-mile oval.

“Hélio is one of the greatest drivers of all time and exactly the type of driver we want to bring to NASCAR,” Trackhouse owner Justin Marks said. “I think race fans around the world will be excited to see Hélio in NASCAR’s most prestigious race. It also exposes our sport to a global audience and allows them to see just how great of a series we have in NASCAR.”

Castroneves won 31 races in IndyCar and finished second in the championship four times. The other four-time Indy 500 winners are A.J. Foyt, Rick Mears and Al Unser Sr.

Castroneves will need to qualify for the Feb. 16 race at Daytona with a fast time in trials or race his way in via a qualifying race. There are only four open spots in the 40-car field, as 36 are earmarked for teams that hold NASCAR charters. Trackhouse has two chartered Cup cars, but the Project 91 Chevrolet is not one of them.

If Castroneves wins the Daytona 500, he will join Foyt and Mario Andretti as the only drivers to capture that race and the Indianapolis 500.

“I know how much of a challenge this is going to be, but I also know the type of people and team Trackhouse Racing will bring to the effort,” Castroneves said. “I can’t wait to get to the Trackhouse race shop in North Carolina to meet everyone and prepare for Daytona. There is so much I must learn and I’m ready to get started.”

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Wright’s No. 5 to be retired by Mets on July 19

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Wright's No. 5 to be retired by Mets on July 19

NEW YORK — David Wright’s No. 5 will be retired by the New York Mets before a July 19 game against Cincinnati, the team said Monday.

Wright’s number will be the 10th retired by the Mets, the sixth since Steve Cohen bought the team ahead of the 2021 season. Wright also will enter the team’s Hall of Fame, joining Tom Seaver as the only Mets players to receive both honors on the same day.

A seven-time All-Star, Wight hit .296 with 242 homers, 970 RBIs and 196 stolen bases from 2004 to 2018, his career cut short by neck, back and shoulder injuries that required surgery.

Wright, who turns 42 on Dec. 20, became the Mets’ fourth captain in 2013 after Keith Hernandez (1987-89), Gary Carter (1988-89) and John Franco (2001-04).

“David Wright personified class on and off the field,” Mets owners Steve and Alex Cohen said in a statement. “David is the definition of a Met.”

New York previously retired No. 14 (Gil Hodges, 1973), No. 16 (Dwight Gooden, 2024), No. 17 (Hernandez, 2022), No. 18 (Darryl Strawberry, 2024), No. 24 (Willie Mays, 2022), No. 31 (Mike Piazza, 2016), No. 36 (Jerry Koosman, 2021), No. 37 (Casey Stengel, 1965) and No. 41 (Seaver, 1988). In addition, Jackie Robinson’s No. 42 was retired throughout Major League Baseball in 1997.

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