We're less than 15 games into the Major League Baseball season, and we might already have witnessed the catch of the year ... and it wasn't a Big Leaguer who flashed the leather!
In fact, there wasn't even a glove involved -- but instead some sort of ... dough?
The highlight reel moment went down during Bo Bichette's at-bat at Fenway Park during his Blue Jays team's tilt with the Red Sox ... when the star shortstop fouled a ball off into the stands.
The baseball careened towards a Sox fan, who was holding a plate of food in his hands ... but that wasn't gonna stop him from making the catch.
Boston Red Sox star outfielder Jarren Duran is opening up on the serious mental struggles he faced early in his career ... revealing it got so dark for him, he attempted suicide during the 2022 season.
Duran's battle with depression is documented on the new Netflix show, "The Clubhouse: A Year With the Red Sox" ... and in the fourth episode, the 28-year-old explained while he was facing criticism from spectators over his play on the field, he was even harder on himself.
"I was already hearing it from fans," Duran said on the show. "And what they said to me, [it was like], 'I've told myself 10 times worse in the mirror.' That was a really tough time for me. I didn't even want to be here anymore ...."
MLB legend Wade Boggstook home a win bigger than any in his career ... as the 66-year-old rang the ceremonial bell in honor of beating prostate cancer!!
Boggs posted the special moment to his X account Monday morning ... showing him celebrating the victory in his cancer journey while "Smoke On the Water" by Deep Purple played in the background.
The 1996 World Series Champion was first diagnosed back in September 2024 ... making the announcement by posting a photo of a patient's guide to prostate cancer.
Several fans at Sunday night's Dodgers vs. Red Sox game got into a wild brawl ... and the violence all appeared to start because a man poured his beer on a woman.
It happened at some point during L.A.'s win over Boston at Dodger Stadium ... when a couple people began jawing at each other from their seats on the third-base line.
You can see in footage from the stands ... a woman in a pink hat and a man in a grey shirt were in a heated argument -- when, suddenly, the woman seemed to pour something on the guy.
5/20 -- 8:02 AM PT -- Authorities have released Austin Maddox's mugshot ... and he appears a bit beaten up, with red marks on his face, and what looks like a partially swollen eye.
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office
Former MLB third-round pick Austin Maddox was arrested during an anti-child predator sting in Florida last month ... and now, the ex-Red Sox pitcher is facing several felony charges.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office released the results of its five-day "Operation Valiant Knights" bust on Monday ... claiming 27 men believed they were communicating with underage girls online -- but in reality, they were speaking to detectives.
Tyler O'Neill was forced to leave Boston's Patriots' Day game early on Monday ... after he suffered a bloody head wound in a collision with his teammate.
The scary moment happened in the seventh inning of the Red Sox's tilt with the Guardians at Fenway Park ... when Estevan Florial hit a popup to shallow left field that O'Neill and third baseman Rafael Devers both tried to catch.
You can see in footage from the game's broadcast, as they were looking toward the sky to haul in the ball, they didn't see each other -- and they ended up running into one another.
Replays showed the guys' heads collided first ... sending both dudes flying to the turf in a world of pain.
O'Neill seemed to suffer the worst of it -- as he looked to be bleeding from a few parts of his forehead. Devers, though, stayed on the ground for a while too ... and appeared woozy when he got up.
Trainers raced out to tend to both players, and, eventually, they each made their way to the dugout under their own power.
O'Neill was not able to return to the contest ... though Devers did remain in the lineup.
So far, the Sox -- who are down 2-0 in the eighth inning -- have not provided an health update on the duo.
Rob Gronkowski got Red Sox fans fired up for their Patriots' Day game in the most Gronk way possible -- by spiking the ceremonial first pitch straight into the ground!
The New England Patriots legend took the mound at Fenway Park just before Boston took on the Guardians in the annual holiday tilt ... and instead of firing a fastball to his catcher, he decided to bring out his touchdown celebration instead.
Check out the footage, Gronk hurled the baseball into the dirt so hard, it made a loud thud -- and the crowd couldn't have loved it more!!
Even some of the Sox players were spotted cheering it on!!
Gronk then gave his catcher a leaping side bump ... before he settled in to watch the game.
So far, the former tight end's antics have appeared to give at least one of the Red Sox players some juice ... as Wilyer Abreu just robbed Jose Ramirez of a first-inning home run.
It might not be long before another Vaughn is circling the basepaths in the MLB ... 'cause Mo Vaughn tells TMZ Sports his 11-year-old son is showing signs of being a serious baller on the diamond!!
The former AL MVP said this week Lee Vaughn has impressed him so far when he's gotten in between the white lines at ballparks ... telling us, "I honestly think he has a lot better tools than I ever had."
Mo said his offspring bats left, throws right ... and he can run, too!
The former Red Sox star, though, isn't rushing anything with his son right now ... explaining to us he knows how much can change in the baseball world in just a matter of years.
"There's such a marathon of life and game and mindset and many things mentally you have to go through," Mo said. "So, let's just see."
Of course, it wouldn't be unprecedented if Lee were to make it to the Big Leagues. MLB rosters are currently littered with sons of former stars -- including Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr. and, most recently, Jackson Holliday.
If Lee does want to take the baseball route seriously ... he will have some great training from Dad, as Mo has been a helluva coach already for prospects through his Vaughn Sports Academy and Perfect Gameprogram.
But, again, Mo stressed he's going to be super patient with this whole process.
Los Red Sox de Boston están de luto por la pérdida del ejecutivo de larga data Larry Lucchino... el equipo anunció que el ex CEO y presidente falleció el martes a los 78 años.
Después de servir las mismas funciones para los Orioles de Baltimore y los Padres de San Diego, Lucchino -un ex jugador de baloncesto de Princeton- se unió a la organización de los Medias Rojas en 2001 y se encargó de armar un equipo que pondría fin a la sequía de la franquicia de la Serie Mundial.
No solo tuvo éxito en 2004, rompiendo una maldición de 86 años, sino que también llevó a los Sox a dos campeonatos más en 2007 y 2013. Lucchino también fue presidente de los Worchester Red Sox, filial AAA del equipo.
The Boston Red Sox are mourning the loss of longtime executive Larry Lucchino on Tuesday ... with the team announcing the former CEO and president passed away at age 78.
After serving the same roles for the Baltimore Orioles and San Diego Padres, Lucchino -- a former Princeton basketball player -- joined the Red Sox organization in 2001 ... and was tasked with putting together a squad that would end the franchise's World Series drought.
Not only did he succeed in 2004, breaking the 86-year curse, he also led the Sox to two more championships in 2007 and 2013. Lucchino was the chairman of the Worchester Red Sox, the team's AAA affiliate as well.
LeBron James says he's got next after a mysterious Fortnite session popped up on the Fenway Park scoreboard this week ... calling on his fellow Boston Red Sox owners to let him use the big screen to get in some Madden action of his own!!
A clip from outside the historic stadium made rounds on social media on Thursday ... showing an unidentified enthusiast playing the popular video game on the massive outfield display.
King James -- who owns an undisclosed amount of Fenway Sports Group, which includes the Sox -- got wind of the epic moment ... and he wants to flex his skills on the jumbotron, too!!
"Ayyyyeee!! Let me get some Madden games going on there! @FenwaySportsMgt @RedSox 🤣🤣👑," the Los Angeles Lakers superstar said on X.
Of course, James has a history of using scoreboards for his gaming hobby -- as we previously reported, he got in a Madden sesh on SoFi Stadium's scoreboard during an early birthday celebration in 2022.
DECEMBER 2022
Instagram / @kingjames
We take it the four-time NBA champ has enough clout to make it happen ... only question is -- who's gonna be his opponent??
Former MLB GM Dan Duquette -- who was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2022 -- tells TMZ Sports if he were in the Dodgers' front office ... he would've had some reservations about signing Shohei Ohtanito a $700 million contract.
The ex-Boston exec explained that while he believes the two-way star is truly one of the most unique talents the MLB's ever seen ... the elbow surgery he recently underwent would make Duquette nervous.
"I was a little uncomfortable with the values given the injury," Duquette said.
Ohtani, of course, had the procedure back in September ... the second major one his throwing arm's undergone since 2018.
Both the player and the Dodgers don't seem too concerned about it -- they each expect him to take the mound again in 2025 ... but Duquette told us it's a risky situation he might not have wanted to be a part of if he were making decisions in LA.
"This guy is a huge player," Duquette said, referencing Ohtani's 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame. "He hit a couple of home runs, he pitched a really good game, and then he got hurt."
"I don't know that the performance at the top-end of the scale for these great big guys is sustainable. Because there's so much power and force going into a pitch, going into a swing."
However, one thing Duquette was fine with was the structure of the deal -- which will reportedly pay Ohtani $20 million for the next 10 years ... before it gives him $680 mil from 2034-2043.
Duquette told us the deferrals will benefit everyone -- from the team, to the player, to the league as a whole.
"If you do it right," said Duquette, who famously signed Manny Ramirez to a Red Sox contract packed with deferrals before the 2001 season, "it's a win-win-win for everybody."
David Ortiz aún lamenta la muerte de Tim Wakefield ... le dijo a TMZ Sports esta semana que su excompañero de Red Sox era un "gran tipo, hombre".
"Gran tipo", repitió.
Ortiz se sinceró con nosotros sobre Wakefield durante unos minutos mientras se encontraba en Los Ángeles ... unos días después de que el exlanzador estrella de Boston falleciera de cáncer cerebral.
Big Papi dijo que el lanzador de bolas de nudillos era franco "como mi familia, hombre" ... y se puede ver en el video, obviamente aún sigue adolorido por el fallecimiento.
Ortiz y Wakefield formaron una amistad durante su estancia en el Fenway Park - podrán recordar que compartieron un vestidor durante nueve temporadas. Y, los dos formaron un fuerte lazo ... Wakefield asistió a Cooperstown el año pasado para ser testigo del ingreso de Ortiz al Salón de la Fama.
Papi no es el único exjugador de los Red Sox que ha expresado su dolor por la muerte de Wakefield - varios de sus excompañeros de equipo también enviaron sus condolencias y oraciones en redes sociales.
David Ortiz is still mourning the death of Tim Wakefield ... telling TMZ Sports this week his former Red Sox teammate was a "great guy, man."
"Great guy," he repeated.
Ortiz opened up to us about Wakefield for a few moments while out in Los Angeles ... just days after the former Boston star pitcher died from brain cancer.
Big Papi said the knuckleballer was straight-up "like my family, man" ... and you can see in the clip, he's obviously still in pain over the passing.
Ortiz and Wakefield grew close during their time together at Fenway Park -- you'll recall, they shared a locker room with one another for nine seasons. And, the two formed such a strong bond ... Wakefield actually showed up to Cooperstown last year to watch Ortiz get inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Papi is hardly the only former Red Sox player to express heartbreak over Wakefield's death -- multiple former teammates sent thoughts and prayers on social media as well.
Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, a 2x World Series champion, has died at the age of 57 ... just days after former teammate Curt Schilling revealed the longtime starting pitcher was battling brain cancer.
The Boston Red Sox, Wakefield's team for all but two of his 19 MLB seasons (he spent his early days with the Pirates), announced the devastating news on social media.
"Our hearts are broken with the loss of Tim Wakefield," the BoSox wrote on X.
"Wake embodied true goodness; a devoted husband, father, and teammate, beloved broadcaster, and the ultimate community leader. He gave so much to the game and all of Red Sox Nation."
"Our deepest love and thoughts are with Stacy, Trevor, Brianna, and the Wakefield family."
On the mound, Wakefield could be nearly unhittable … thanks to his knuckleball. TW won 200 games and retired with a 4.41 ERA. Tim struck out over 2,100 batters and earned a trip to the All-Star Game in 2009.
He won two World Series in 2004 and 2007.
Wakefield retired in 2011 ... and was later inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame.
Of course, it wasn't publicly known that the former All-Star was sick until Schilling, on his podcast last week, revealed Tim was battling cancer and fighting for his life, seemingly against the Wakefield family's wishes.
The Curt Schilling Baseball Show
Curt even acknowledged "I don't even know if he wants it shared," but explained he was Christian and remarked ... "I've seen prayer work and so I'm going to talk about it."
Schilling categorized the illness as "a very serious, very aggressive form of brain cancer."
9/28/23
TMZ.com
Many were outraged by Schilling's actions ... Jason Varitek's wife, Catherine, blasted the World Series MVP-winning pitcher. The Red Sox also condemned Curt, saying, "Health is a deeply personal matter they intended to keep private as they navigate treatment and work to tackle this disease."
The MLB team added that the Wakefields were asking for "privacy at this time."
Sadly, just three days later, the legendary knuckleballer and father of two, passed away.
Many from the baseball community have begun reacting to the terrible news, with Tim's former teammate, Kevin Youkilis, summing Wakefield up perfectly.
"He was a great teammate and just a great friend."
