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05/08 02:07 CDT LEADING OFF: Twins' Buxton, Reds' Votto added to IL
LEADING OFF: Twins' Buxton, Reds' Votto added to IL
By The Associated Press
A look at what's happening around the majors today:
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BAD LUCK BUX
Byron Buxton's breakout season has been put on pause --- a disappointing turn
for the Minnesota Twins' oft-injured center fielder. Buxton was added to the
10-day injured list Friday with a strained right hip.
The 27-year-old is hitting .370 with nine homers and five stolen bases and led
the majors with 2.4 wins above replacement (per FanGraphs) before Friday's
games --- a hair ahead of Angels star Mike Trout. A Platinum Glove winner as
the AL's best defender at any position in 2017, Buxton has played more than 100
games just once in his big league career.
Outfield prospect Trevor Larnach was called up from Triple-A.
VOTTO OUT
Reds first baseman Joey Votto could be sidelined for a month with a broken left
thumb. Votto was added to the 10-day injured list Friday after being struck on
the thumb with a pitch by Chicago's Dallas Keuchel on Wednesday. Votto is not
expected to need surgery, but the team expects him to be out at least three
weeks and maybe more.
The 37-year-old is batting .226 with five homers and 17 RBIs. He batted .286
and hit his 300th career home run on Reds' recently completed homestand.
PROTOCOL UPDATE
A fifth major league team has been able to relax coronavirus protocols after
85% of its players and other on-field personnel completed vaccination. MLB and
the players association made the announcement Friday without identifying any
teams and said seven additional teams had reached the 85% level of having
received final doses and would be able to relax protocols within two weeks once
they are fully vaccinated.
Relaxed protocols include dropping the requirements for facemasks in dugouts
and bullpens, and loosening restrictions on mobility during road trips. MLB
said Friday that more than 83% of all tier 1 individuals such as players,
managers, coaches, athletic trainers and support personnel had been partially
or fully vaccinated, up from 81% on April 30.
BACKSTOPPED
A tiny crack in Roberto Prez's finger has turned into a large problem for the
Indians. Cleveland's two-time Gold Glove catcher will miss at least two months
after surgery Friday on a fractured right ring finger. There is no definitive
timeline for Prez's recovery, but the Indians are planning to be without him
for a significant period.
Prez's loss is a big blow to the Indians, who entered Friday night's series
opener against Cincinnati leading the AL Central after winning nine of 11. The
32-year-old is one of baseball's best defensive catchers and handles the
Indians' strong pitching staff. Austin Hedges will get the bulk of starts while
Prez is sidelined with Rene Rivera serving as his backup.
MANAGE THIS
Former Major League Baseball player and manager Bobby Valentine is taking a
swing at politics, announcing Friday that he's running for mayor of his
Connecticut hometown. Valentine, 70, currently serves as the athletic director
at Sacred Heart University. He posted a video on social media and said he'll
run as an independent candidate in Stamford.
"The greatest commodity I have is my time and I want to give my time and my
energy and my wherewithal back to the city that has given me so much over my
lifetime," he said.
Valentine, a Stamford native, was a three-sport high school star in the city.
He played in the majors from 1969-79 and managed the Texas Rangers, New York
Mets and Boston Red Sox.
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
