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After battling a left forearm contusion, jammed thumb and right elbow contusion, Boston Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval has been diagnosed with pneumonia, according to CSN New England’s Sean McAdam. 

Continue for updates. 

Sandoval to Be Re-Examined Saturday

Thursday, Sept. 24

McAdam added that Sandoval sounds “unlikely” to return to the field in 2015, although Saturday’s testing should provide more clarity on that front.      

“Right now he’s still very ill,” Boston interim manager Torey Lovullo said, per Tony Lee for ESPN.com. “He has a significant upper respiratory infection. We all know what that means. … We’re trying to keep him away from the healthy players.”

As a result of the illness, Sandoval hasn’t appeared in a game since a Sept. 20 showdown against the Toronto Blue Jays. 

Sandoval signed a five-year, $95 million deal with the Red Sox in the offseason, but he hasn’t produced like the star Boston thought it was getting. 

During his first season in Beantown, Sandoval is batting .245 with 10 home runs and 47 RBI. And while his season got off to a hot start thanks to a .312 average in April, his production has fluctuated between average and subpar ever since. 

A .298 batting average in June provided a glimmer of hope, but Sandoval fell back to earth by batting .241 with 13 strikeouts and a single home run in July. 

Sandoval’s opening act in Boston hasn’t gone as planned statistically, and a smattering of injuries has only hindered matters for a player and team who have both underwhelmed in the face of lofty expectations.

With his season potentially over, Kung Fu Panda can focus on getting healthy and improving at the plate during his second season in the American League spotlight.  

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Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado has been one of the few bright spots for the team during a disappointing 2015 campaign, but the season hit another low point when the star left Tuesday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates with an injury.

Continue for updates.

Arenado Suffers Injury Diving for Ball

Tuesday, Sept. 22

Arenado was taken out of Tuesday’s game after trainers examined his wrist, jaw and neck. Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted the third baseman dove for a ground ball that ultimately deflected off his wrist as “he face-planted in the dirt.” Fortunately, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reported the third baseman passed concussion tests. 

This is another blow for a Rockies team well out of postseason contention. Arenado sported a .283 batting average, 39 home runs and 114 RBI entering Tuesday’s game and is one of the best young stars in the league.

At 24 years old, he recently became the youngest player in franchise history to be selected to an All-Star team. It shouldn’t be a surprise, then, that Arenado has drawn rave reviews from teammates all season long. 

“He’s always been a great teammate and somebody who brings energy to the clubhouse and field,” second baseman DJ LeMahieu said, according to the Denver Post‘s Patrick Saunders. “He’s not afraid to make the great play, and he’s never afraid to make mistakes. He goes after it and lets his talent take over.”

A second-round pick by the Rockies in 2009, Arenado has established himself as one of MLB’s most prolific fielders since making his professional debut in 2013.

He’s gunning for his third straight Gold Glove award after capturing the hardware at the hot corner in 2013 and 2014, and any sort of extended absence could derail his chances for a three-peat.

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Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Elian Herrera was forced to leave Saturday’s 9-7 loss to the Cincinnati Reds after colliding with Shane Peterson, according to MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. 

Continue for updates. 

Herrera Taken from Field by Ambulance

Saturday, Sept. 19

Sporting News’ Jesse Spector passed along a look at Herrera being loaded onto a stretcher in the eighth inning: 

Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported X-rays were negative, though Herrera suffered a deep contusion.

Herrera went 1-for-4 prior to departing, and Hernan Perez replaced him at the hot corner.

During his second season with the Brewers, Herrera has emerged as a valuable utility player. According to Baseball-Reference.com, Herrera has logged 309.2 innings at third base, 254.1 innings at second base and 16.4 innings combined in the outfield.

In 82 appearances this season, Herrera has batted .242 with a career-high seven home runs and 33 RBI.

As long as the 30-year-old is out of the lineup, Perez figures to see the majority of Milwaukee’s playing time at third base. Since the Brewers claimed him off waivers from the Detroit Tigers, Perez has batted .277 with one home run and 17 RBI. 

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A former first-round pick of the Tampa Bay Rays has been arrested in connection with an ongoing double-homicide investigation in Corona, California.

According to KTLA.com’s Anthony Kurzweil, John A. Moreno, Chip Yost and Jennifer Gould, 22-year-old Brandon Martin was taken into custody Friday following the shooting deaths of his 64-year-old father, Michael Martin, and 62-year-old ADT security system subcontractor Barry Swanson. 

Martin’s uncle, Ricky Lee Anderson, reportedly suffered “life-threatening injuries” and is now on life support following the incident, per the Corona Police Department.

According to the Press-Enterprise‘s Ali Tadayon, Brandon Martin was apprehended after a police officer spotted the suspect driving a truck that belonged to one of the victims.

“An off-duty Corona police officer on his way to work located a similar vehicle that was taken from the scene last night,” Corona Police Department Sgt. Paul Mercado said, according to ABC7.com’s Leticia Juarez.

Per KTLA.com, Sgt. Brent Nelson confirmed Martin was detained Tuesday for a mental-health evaluation after he made threats against his family. However, Martin was released Thursday. 

Martin debuted in the Rays farm system as a shortstop in 2011, but he played only three seasons in the minors after the team drafted him 38th overall out of Santiago High School in Corona. 

According to RaysColoredGlasses.com (via Tadayon), Martin missed the 2014 season because of an undisclosed “personal matter.”

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Pittsburgh Pirates rookie infielder Jung Ho Kang went down with a nasty leg injury following a takeout slide from Chicago Cubs outfielder Chris Coghlan on Thursday, and the team’s worst fears were confirmed hours after a 9-6 loss. 

According to ESPN’s Jim Bowden, Kang is done for the year after suffering a torn left MCL and fractured tibia that will require surgery.  

Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette passed along a statement from Kang, via his agent, after the diagnosis was made official: 

“There was nothing out of the ordinary about the play or Coghlan’s slide,” Yahoo Sports’ Kyle Ringo wrote. “Similar plays happen in games every day around the major leagues because baserunners are taught to slide into the infielder, trying to disrupt a throw.”

ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers provided an overview of Coghlan’s thought process as the play unfolded:

“I hate that he’s hurt,” Coghlan said, per CSNChicago.com’s Patrick Mooney. “He’s a great player and you never want to injury anybody.” 

Pirates star Andrew McCutchen was also quick to express sympathy for his injured teammate: 

Prior to being ruled out for the rest of the year, Kang was piecing together a stellar debut season with the Pirates. Not only was he batting .287 with 15 home runs and 58 RBI, but Kang offered the Pirates positional versatility around the infield. 

According to Baseball-Reference.com, Kang logged 535.1 innings at third base and 425.1 innings at shortstop. He also notched 4.1 wins above replacement, which ranked third among all Pirates players behind Starling Marte and McCutchen at the time of the injury. 

Although the Pirates own a two-game lead over the Chicago Cubs for the NL’s top wild-card spot and a 100 percent chance of qualifying for the postseason, per FanGraphs, Kang’s absence could loom large as Pittsburgh attempts to make its first National League Championship Series appearance since 1992.  

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Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto was ejected from Wednesday night’s 5-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates following a heated argument with home plate umpire Bill Welke over not being granted a timeout, and MLB took action Friday, condemning the star’s actions.

According to MLB Communications, the league has banned Votto for two games, but he won’t start serving the suspension until his appeal is heard:

Votto has declined to discuss the ejection or the incident following it. This differs from the apology he gave following a May 6 game against Pittsburgh where he made contact with umpire Chris Conroy during a verbal altercation.

“I feel like, as a major league player, I have a responsibility to be a good example for younger players,” Votto said then, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer‘s John Fay. “And making contact with an umpire is unacceptable. During this entire thing, that’s the one thing I feel very remorseful for.”

According to MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon, Votto has now been ejected three times this season and seven times over the course of his nine-year career. Sheldon also noted Votto was suspended for one game after bumping into Conroy.

Votto has been on a tear since the All-Star break, batting .392 with 12 home runs, 29 RBI and an on-base percentage of .568. His average and OBP also rank at the top of the big leagues during that span.

And while the Reds are floundering in last place in the National League Central, the team needs Votto in tow to try to offer a silver lining as the season draws to a close.

After snagging an 11-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday, Cincinnati will look to keep things rolling Friday and at least snag a split of the four-game set before the weekend starts.

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The Detroit Tigers underwent an organizational shake-up earlier this year by ousting former president and general manager Dave Dombrowski, and it appears that more changes could be on the horizon with manager Brad Ausmus on the hot seat.

Continue for updates.

Avila Comments on Reports Ausmus Not Expected Back in 2016

Friday, September 11

Tigers general manager Al Avila released a statement regarding Ausmus’ status with the team: 

Avila admitted the team was in an “awkward” situation, but said “you deal with it and move on,” according to ESPN.com.

Ausmus Reportedly Set to Be Fired

Friday, Sept. 11 

Citing a front office source, WDIV-TV Local 4 News’ Bernie Smilovitz (via ClickonDetroit.com) reported Ausmus will be fired at the end of the 2015 season.

“The source said new general manager Al Avila wants to bring in his own manager for a fresh start,” ClickOnDetroit.com noted. “Owner Mike Ilitch reportedly wants to bring a championship to Detroit but doesn’t feel Ausmus is the guy to do it. Ilitch is reportedly unhappy about miscommunication with the players and strategic mistakes on the field.”

“I haven’t been told anything,” said Ausmus, per the Detroit News‘ Chris McCosky.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports noted the team could target former Twins manager Ron Gardenhire or former Cubs manager Rick Renteria. 

A year after Ausmus led the Tigers to 90 wins and an American League Central Division title, Detroit has floundered in the division’s cellar. Following Thursday night’s loss to the Cleveland Indians, the Tigers are 64-76—good for the second-worst record in the AL. 

But despite the hiccup, Bleacher Report’s Scott Miller believes Ausmus could thrive with a new franchise: 

Still in only his second year as a manager, the 46-year-old Ausmus has plenty of room to grow as a leader on the bench.

After he led Detroit to a successful 2014 campaign that resulted in a playoff berth, teams in need of a rising star would be wise to target the former All-Star catcher if he hits the open market.    

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The Oakland Athletics are in the midst of a down year, but the team has remained steadfast in its commitment to manager Bob Melvin. 

According to the team’s official Twitter account, the A’s agreed to terms with Melvin on a two-year contract extension that will keep him in Oakland through 2018. Financial details of the new pact were not disclosed. 

The 2012 AL Manager of the Year led the franchise to playoff appearances every season from 2012 to 2014, and he reiterated Wednesday that he’s looking forward to a future in the Bay Area. 

“I’m fully committed to this team, this organization, and this fan base,” Melvin told reporters Wednesday, according to the team’s official Twitter account.  

Bleacher Report’s Scott Miller was quick to note that Melvin remains one of MLB‘s best managerial minds: 

A’s players—including catcher Stephen Vogt—seemed to agree with that sentiment based on their reactions to the news, according to the San Francisco Chronicle‘s Susan Slusser: 

Melvin broke into the managerial ranks during the 2003 season with the Seattle Mariners, and he’s established himself as one of the league’s best baseball minds over the past 12 years.

According to Baseball-Reference, Melvin owns a career winning percentage of .509 with the Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks and A’s, and that figure has ballooned to .532 since he arrived in Oakland. 

“(Bob Melvin) comes in believing he’s going to win,” general manager Billy Beane said at Wednesday’s press conference, according to the A’s Twitter account. 

With Melvin at the helm, Oakland is primed to throttle back into contention in the AL West as it gets ready to shake off a disappointing 2015 campaign. And given his esteemed track record, fans shouldn’t expect anything less.   

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Alex Rodriguez is in the midst of a record-setting year, and he added another milestone to his resume Tuesday night against the Baltimore Orioles.

In the sixth inning, Rodriguez blasted his 30th home run of the season by sending a Kevin Gausman pitch into the left field seats at Yankee Stadium, chasing the starter from the game. 

According to MLB Stat of the Day on Twitter, Rodriguez has now slammed 30 home runs in 15 seasons, which is tied for the most all time alongside Hank Aaron. 

MLB.com passed along video of the historic dinger: 

Sports Illustrated‘s Kenny Ducey offered a look at the top of the leaderboard following Rodriguez’s record-tying bomb:     

Rodriguez—who missed the 2014 season because of a performance-enhancing drug-related suspension—snapped his streak of three straight campaigns without 30 home runs. After hitting at least 30 every season from 1998 to 2010, Rodriguez hit 16, 18 and seven during the 2011, 2012 and 2013 seasons, respectively.

A-Rod joined MLB’s 3,000-hit club June 19 via a solo home run and recently passed Rod Carew and Rickey Henderson on the all-time hit list, milestones that have highlighted his return to form at the plate throughout the 2014 season. 

Following a year off, the 40-year-old is batting .258 with 78 RBI as the Yankees’ designated hitter extraordinaire.

“What he does and what he’s been doing, I’m obviously very happy to see it, but I’m not surprised by it,” Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner said, according to Newsday‘s Neil Best. 

Based on the clip at which Rodriguez has crushed the ball into the stands all season long, the Yankees could prove to be a formidable contender for the AL pennant once postseason play gets underway. 

A stranglehold on one of the AL’s wild-card spots for the time being is encouraging, but a late-season run that allows the Yankees to assume the top spot in the AL East would help bolster New York’s confidence entering the second season.

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Play between the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees was overshadowed by a scary incident Saturday night when a fan fell from the upper deck at Turner Field and landed on the concrete behind home plate, according to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch.

The Braves offered their condolences after confirming the fan died:

“Lt. Charles Hampton of the Atlanta Police Department homicide unit said police don’t suspect foul play at this point,” according to ESPN’s Wallace Matthews. “He said no fans were hurt in the lower-level seats where the man fell.”

Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution added more details on the tragedy:

The fall occurred in the top of the seventh inning, as the Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez was walking to the plate amid a chorus of boos. The man apparently fell off the upper deck, the 400 level of the stadium, behind the home-plate area and landed between the second and third row of seats on the first level in section 202. Fans seated in that area immediately scattered, and paramedics rushed in to try to revive him.

A similar incident occurred in 2011 when a Texas Rangers fan died after reaching for a ball thrown by Josh Hamilton and falling from the outfield stands at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

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