adplus-dvertising
Connect with us

Sports

Bo Bichette avoids major damage to knee, IL (for now) after injury scare vs. Orioles

Published

 on

Bo Bichette has been the Blue Jays’ best offensive player this season. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette, somewhat miraculously, will not immediately be going on the injured list after suffering what appeared at the time to be a fairly serious knee ailment while running the bases against the Orioles on Monday night.

According to Blue Jays manager John Schneider, the two-time All-Star is day-to-day after an MRI revealed no significant structural damage. Schneider added that an eventual IL stint hasn’t been completely ruled out, but that Toronto will wait and see for a few days and let the swelling and inflammation subside before making any further decisions on that front.

General manager Ross Atkins later added a little more colour to Schneider’s update, noting some “inflammation in the patellar tendon.” Atkins added that Bichette will rest in the near-term as the team decides whether or not to move the star shortstop to the IL.

All things considered, however, it looks like this was best-case scenario for Bichette and the Blue Jays, especially considering the pain the former appeared to be in immediately following the play.

While attempting to decelerate as he trotted around first base after poking one into the right-field corner, Bichette abruptly put on the brakes, keeled over, and allowed Orioles infielder Jorge Mateo to tag him without putting up a fight. After limping and hobbling around for a few seconds, Bichette was immediately helped off and appeared to be in some serious discomfort as he headed toward his team’s dugout in front of a stunned-silent Rogers Centre crowd.

Santiago Espinal replaced Bichette at shortstop in the bottom of the fourth inning as the Blue Jays dropped the first of a critical four-game set with the Orioles.

With the waters surrounding Bichette’s condition muddy as Tuesday’s trade deadline approached, Toronto picked up some insurance for its superstar by acquiring glove-first shortstop Paul DeJong from the St. Louis Cardinals.

Bichette leads the American League with a .321 batting average and 144 hits after reaching base on an infield single in the first on Monday night. Bichette, who also topped the AL in knocks in 2021 and 2022, has 17 home runs and 59 RBI in 106 games this season.

Following that aforementioned 4-2 loss to Baltimore on Monday, the Blue Jays sit 6.5 games behind the Orioles for first in the AL East while holding the third and final wild-card spot in the American League heading into Tuesday’s action.

 

728x90x4

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

PWHL MVP Spooner set to miss start of season for Toronto Sceptres due to knee injury

Published

 on

 

TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.

The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.

She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.

Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.

Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.

The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

 on

 

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

___

AP cricket:

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

 on

 

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source link

Continue Reading

Trending