LDN - Sports

Major League Baseball notebook: Outfielder Werth announces retirement

[June 28, 2018] Veteran outfielder Jayson Werth is calling it a career after 15 seasons.

Werth, who was playing for Triple-A Tacoma on a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners, told Fancred Sports' Jon Heyman as much in a phone call Wednesday.

"I'm done ... whatever you want to call it," said Werth, who injured his hamstring in a minor league game in Nashville, Tenn., two weeks ago.

Werth, 39, became a free agent last November after completing a seven-year, $126 million deal with the Washington Nationals. He was batting .206 with four home runs and 19 RBIs in 36 games with Tacoma.

--The Detroit Tigers abruptly fired pitching coach Chris Bosio, saying the former big leaguer violated club policy with "his insensitive comments."

There have been no reports to what Bosio said, though multiple reports said general manager Al Avila said the comments were directed at a team employee.

Sports anchor Brad Galli of Detroit ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV tweeted that Bosio "used racist language toward a team employee."

Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire added Bosio to his staff prior this season, Gardenhire's first in charge in Detroit. Bosio served as pitching coach for the Chicago Cubs from 2012-17.

--The Chicago Cubs activated right-handed closer Brandon Morrow from the 10-day disabled list, optioning righty Cory Mazzoni to Triple-A Iowa in a corresponding move.

Morrow was placed on the DL on June 20 (retroactive to June 17) due to lower back tightness. He told reporters at the time he injured himself while taking off his pants after returning home from a Cubs road trip.

Morrow, 33, has 16 saves in 17 chances this season, with a 1.59 ERA in 26 appearances.

--Los Angeles Angels infielder Zack Cozart is set to undergo surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, the team announced.

Cozart will have the surgery in Los Angeles in the "near future," and a timetable for his potential return wasn't announced. However, the severity of the injury, determined while he was receiving a second opinion, likely means his season is over.

The 32-year-old Cozart, in the first season of a three-year, $38 million contract he signed with the Angels as a free agent over the winter, was hitting .219 with five home runs and 18 RBIs in 58 games before hitting the DL.

--With the return of injured four-time All-Star Dustin Pedroia still uncertain, the Boston Red Sox added some insurance at second base by signing veteran Brandon Phillips to a minor league contract.

Phillips, who signed a day before his 37th birthday, has not played in the majors or minors this season after splitting last season with the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels. In 2017, Phillips hit .285/.319/.416 with 13 home runs and 60 RBIs in 144 games.

In 16 seasons, the three-time All-Star has a .275 career batting average with 210 homers and 209 stolen bases with the Cleveland Indians (2002-05) and Cincinnati Reds (2006-16), in addition to the Braves and Angels last season.

--The Baltimore Orioles placed outfielder Craig Gentry (left rib fracture) and right-handed reliever Darren O'Day (left hamstring strain) on the 10-day disabled list prior to their game against the Seattle Mariners.

Gentry's DL placement is retroactive to June 24. In corresponding moves, the Orioles recalled infielder Steve Wilkerson and right-hander Jimmy Yacabonis from Triple-A Norfolk.

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Nationals left fielder Jayson Werth (28) is congratulated by third base coach Bob Henley (13) after hitting a solo home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters Picture Supplied by Action Images

Yacabonis, 26, is expected to start in place of Dylan Bundy, who was placed on the DL with a sprained left ankle Tuesday, in the series finale against Seattle on Thursday afternoon. Wilkerson, also 26, returns to the club after collecting one hit in five at-bats across three games in making his major league debut last week.

--Shortly after Atlanta police identified the body found a day earlier inside a SunTrust Park freezer, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported the man was at the stadium to install new beer technology that is catching on around Major League Baseball parks.

According to multiple reports, the body found Tuesday was that of 48-year-old Todd Keeling of White Bear Lake, Minn. According to reports, a Cobb County police spokeswoman said an autopsy would be performed in an effort to determine cause of death. Multiple reports also indicate police have no reason to suspect foul play at this time.

The AJC's Ben Brasch reported Keeling is the inventor of Draftwell, a technology that was expected to cut down pour times from the tap at SunTrust from an average of 14 seconds to five. Brasch spoke with Keeling's aunt, Fran Kuchta, who told him that police believed Keeling got stuck in the freezer and could not get out.

--Kansas City Royals right-handed reliever Justin Grimm was placed on the 10-day disabled list because of an injured right shoulder.

The Royals recalled Jason Adam, 26, from Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move before their game against the Brewers in Milwaukee.

The DL stint for Grimm, 29, is retroactive to June 24 with what the team is terming right shoulder impingement syndrome. Grimm is 1-3 with a 13.50 ERA in 16 appearances this season.

--The Los Angeles Dodgers have emerged as the front-runner to land Baltimore Orioles star shortstop Manny Machado, according to a report from USA Today citing league executives and scouts.

Adding Machado's bat would give the Dodgers' offense a boost as the defending National League champs look to make a push to return to the playoffs. The rival Arizona Diamondbacks are also said to be in the hunt for Machado.

The Dodgers lost All-Star shortstop Corey Seager in early May for the rest of the season after he underwent Tommy John surgery. Machado, who turns 26 on July 6, will be a free agent after the season.

--Field Level Media

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