Update on the latest sports
APMLB-NEWS
Nats put Strasburg on IL with right shoulder inflammation
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Nationals placed right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg on the 10-day injured list Sunday because of right shoulder inflammation. The move is retroactive to April 15.
The 2019 World Series MVP was set to start against the Arizona Diamondbacks and will now be replaced by right-hander Paolo Espino, after the Nationals selected his contract. It is the fourth career start for the 34-year-old Espino.
Strasburg, 32, is 0–1 with a 6.30 ERA in two starts this season. He gave up three homers and seven earned runs in four innings in his last start, a 14-3 loss at St. Louis on Tuesday. His move to the IL was retroactive to Thursday.
In another move Sunday, the Nationals put right-hander Wander Suero on the 10-day IL with a left oblique strain and recalled righty Ryne Harper from the alternate training site in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Suero appeared in eight games out of Washington’s bullpen this season, with a 1.42 ERA.
Meanwhile, Nationals manager Dave Martinez says lefty Luis Avilán has a torn ligament in his pitching elbow and is “weighing his decision on what to do.” He says the 31-year-old Avilán could have Tommy John surgery or “sit out and see if it heals.”
In other MLB news:
— San Francisco Giants closer Jake McGee and right-hander Logan Webb have gone on the injured list because they’re feeling lingering effects from the COVID-19 vaccine. The Giants are hoping both pitchers will be on the list for only a game or two. McGee blew a save for the first time this season when he gave up two runs in the ninth inning of last night’s 10-inning loss at Miami. The Giants recalled catcher Chadwick Tromp from the alternate training site and activated left-hander Alex Wood from the 10-day IL to start Sunday’s game at Miami.
— Jay Bruce will be retiring after the New York Yankees’ game against Tampa Bay on Sunday. Yankees manager Aaron Boone made the announcement before New York played the Rays. The 34-year-old Bruce is a three-time All-Star outfielder. He went to spring training with the Yankees on a minor league contract and made the major league roster as a first baseman when Luke Voit injured a knee. Bruce is hitting .118 with one homer and three RBIs in 39 plate appearances, and he remained active for Sunday’s game. He has a .244 average with 319 homers and 951 RBIs in 14 seasons. He previously played for Cincinnati, the New York Mets, Cleveland, Seattle and Philadelphia.
NBA-SPURS FINED
NBA fines Spurs for violating resting rules in game they won
NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA has fined the San Antonio Spurs $25,000 for violating the league’s player resting policy — in a game the Spurs won by 26 points.
The Spurs sat DeMar DeRozan, Patty Mills and Jakob Poeltl for rest Saturday night in Phoenix. It didn’t matter, as six Spurs players scored in double figures in a 111-85 rout of the Suns. According to the league’s resting policy, teams should not rest multiple healthy players for the same game. When they do rest healthy players, it is supposed to be in home games.
Under Gregg Popovich, the Spurs have long rested players even when they are healthy, one of the reasons the league first implemented a resting policy in 2017. Teams can be fined $100,000 for violating it.
TENNIS-FRENCH OPEN-FEDERER
Federer to play French Open
PARIS (AP) — Roger Federer announced Sunday he will play at the French Open, and the Swiss star is preparing for it on home clay at a tournament in Geneva next month.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion revealed his plans on his official Twitter page.
Federer will aim for his 104th career title at the Geneva Open, which takes place May 16-22 — shortly before Roland Garros begins in Paris on May 30.
The 39-year-old Federer won his only French Open in 2009 and lost to 13-time champion Rafael Nadal in the semifinals two years ago. He did not play there last year.
F1-EMILIA ROMAGNA GP
Verstappen beats Hamilton in dramatic Emilia-Romagna GP
IMOLA, Italy (AP) — Max Verstappen has won a dramatic Emilia-Romagna (eh-MEEL’-yah roh-MAHN’-yah) Grand Prix after world champion Lewis Hamilton hit a wall.
The race was temporarily suspended following a separate incident involving Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas.
Verstappen led for the majority of the race on the wet Imola (EE’-moh-lah) track as the Red Bull driver beat Hamilton by 22 seconds for the 11th win of his career. Lando Norris was third.
The race was red-flagged on lap 34 after Bottas and Williams driver George Russell were involved in a crash.
F1-MIAMI GP
Miami GP to join F1 calendar from 2022 in 10-year deal
MIAMI (AP) — There will be two Formula One races in the United States next year with the new Miami Grand Prix added to the calendar from 2022. Next year’s race will be the first in a 10-year deal and is in addition to the existing grand prix at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas. The exact date of the race has yet to be confirmed but F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali says it would be in the “second quarter of next year.” It will be the first ever F1 race in Miami and the first in Florida since 1959. It will take place at a new circuit in the Hard Rock Stadium complex in Miami Gardens.
