OAKLAND, Calif. — Oakland Athletics pitcher Frankie Montas was suspended 80 games by Major League Baseball after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.
The penalty was announced Friday, a day after another fine outing by the 26-year-old right-hander.
He is 9-2 with a 2.70 ERA in 13 starts.
The A’s are 40-36, meaning Montas could return for the final week of the regular season. Montas, however, becomes ineligible for postseason play this year.
The commissioner’s office said Montas tested positive for Ostarine, a PED. He is the sixth player this year suspended under the major league drug program.
In a statement released by the players union, Montas said he never intended to use a banned substance.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Rangers third baseman Asdrúbal Cabrera plans to appeal a four-game suspension from Major League Baseball for throwing equipment on the field that hit an umpire.
MLB handed down the suspension Friday, a day after umpire crew chief Bill Miller was hit on the foot by a small shin guard or batting gloves thrown from the dugout by Cabrera after he was ejected in the sixth inning of a 4-2 win over Cleveland.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The mayor of St. Petersburg isn’t into the “silly” business he thinks Major League Baseball and the Tampa Bay Rays are conducting.
As a result, he said he will not introduce a proposed deal that would see the Rays split time in Montreal.
“I have no intention of bringing this idea to our City Council to consider,” Mayor Rick Kriseman said at a news conference Thursday. “In fact, I believe this is getting a bit silly.”
The Rays received the go-ahead by MLB to explore the possibility of hosting home games in both St. Petersburg and Montreal.
Plenty of roadblocks remain. The Rays’ lease at Tropicana Field does not expire until 2027.
CHICAGO — Jeff McNeil homered and drove in three runs while making his first career start in right field, helping New York beat Chicago.
Michael Conforto also connected as the slumping Mets won for just the fourth time in their last 11 games.
OMAHA, Neb. — Michigan scored in all but one inning against a struggling Texas Tech pitching staff and beat the Red Raiders to continue its improbable postseason run and reach the College World Series finals.
One of the last four teams to receive an at-large bid to the 64-team tournament, the Wolverines (49-20) reached the CWS for the first time since 1984 and will play for their first national championship since 1962.
They’ll play a best-of-three series against Vanderbilt or Louisville starting Monday.