Los Angeles Dodgers

The 2022 MLB Home Run Derby winner will walk away with more than just bragging rights ... TMZ Sports has learned they'll also get a custom chain and pendant featuring the words "Derby Champ" in 525 Gypsy set Swarovski crystals.

We're told the chain was hand-made in NYC by jewelers Kenny Hwang, Xavier Murillo, and John Luongo ... and MLB will present it to the player who smashes the most homers Monday night.

The chain's 25 inches long (and can be extended to 29 in.) ... and is platinum-plated with 650 handset cubic zirconia.

The crown, which sits atop a baseball design, is plated in 18-karat gold ... and features 5-prong set Emerald cut Lab Grown Sapphires -- totaling 25 carats of total weight.

The Home Run Derby is arguably the most popular event during the All-Star festivities. Last year, New York Mets star slugger Pete Alonso took home the trophy, with Orioles' first baseman Trey Mancini coming in second place.

This year's contest is expected to live up to the hype ... with superstars like Kyle Schwarber, Juan Soto, Jose Ramirez, Ronald Acuna Jr., Corey Seager, Julio Rodriguez, and Pete Alonso (the reigning champ), and soon-to-be-retired legend Albert Pujols participating.

The Home Run Derby goes down at Dodgers Stadium in L.A. on July 18.

Saweetie tapped in to throw the first pitch at the Dodgers game on Thursday ... and it was quite an impressive toss -- especially considering she had on some massive nails and high heels!!

The "Best Friend" rapper was at Dodger Stadium for the ceremonial event for Filipino Heritage Night ... and 50 Cent and Conor McGregor need to take note, 'cause she put them to shame.

While the ball doesn't technically make it to the plate, we gotta give her credit for even getting it that far ... as she was wearing Louboutins and 4-inch nails.

Saweetie showed off a close-up of the nails before the game ... and yeah, they're long as hell and icy to boot.

As for the game against the Chicago Cubs, the Dodgers won 5-3 ... so maybe she's a good luck charm and will get invited back to the Chavez Ravine again sometime soon.

The team thanked Saweetie for stopping by ... and she said she can't wait to come back, so maybe part 2 is on the way??

Mike Brito -- the legendary Los Angeles Dodgers scout who was credited with discovering Fernando Valenzuela, Yasiel Puig and many more -- has died, the team announced on Thursday.

He was 87 years old.

"[We] are saddened by the passing of legendary international scout Mike Brito, who worked in the Dodger organization for nearly 45 years and passed away this evening at the age of 87," the Dodgers said in a statement Thursday night.

"Our thoughts are with Brito's family and friends."

Brito, a native of Cuba, became a scout for the Dodgers back in 1978 -- after a successful baseball career of his own.

Known for his stylish sense of fashion and signature Panama hat, Brito helped the team land some of its most famous players.

In addition to Valenzuela and Puig, Brito was also given credit for discovering stars like Julio Urias.

"I have no words," Puig said in a statement following Brito's passig. "You changed my life Mike Brito. You and your white hat, sir."

Following the announcement of his death Thursday evening, the Dodgers held a moment of silence in honor of his life and legacy just before they beat the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium.

Valenzuela -- now a broadcaster with the team -- said his heart was very heavy after learning of the death.

"Mike was a great man and instrumental in my success as a baseball player on and off the field," Valenzuela said. "No one loved the Dodger organization more than Mike, and we will all miss him very much."

"My prayers go out to his wife, Rosario, and all of his family and friends.”

The days of Dodger fans getting nuts thrown in their faces are long gone -- famous vendor Roger Owens has been banned from his traditional peanut bag-tossing routine ... with officials deeming the practice too dangerous.

79-year-old Owens -- who's famous for his theatrics when delivering a bag of nuts to fans at Dodger Stadium for decades -- claims he's been told by his bosses to refrain from his signature delivery while walking the aisles of the park.

The reason?? Levy Restaurants -- which is in charge of concessions at the stadium -- believes Owens' peanut pitching is a safety concern for spectators.

"I'm so heartbroken about this," Owens told the Los Angeles Times.

The vendor -- who was featured on the "Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson, as well as several movies and TV shows -- isn't going to fight the decision ... but says he's always been responsible with his craft ... and his goal has always been for the fans to be able to catch their purchases.

"They have time to see it coming," Owens told the outlet. "It’s not some bullet that goes straight through. I’m always wanting to make sure that whoever I am throwing to will catch the bag of peanuts."

The decision is most likely to prevent a lawsuit in case an unsuspecting fan gets hit with an errant toss ... but the Dodgers' 2022 ticket agreement seems to cover the team's ass in that event.

Dodgers superstar Freddie Freeman was so overcome with emotion in his first time back in Atlanta since he left the city this offseason, he sobbed at the podium in front of a throng of reporters.

The first baseman -- who spent his entire career in ATL and helped the Braves win a World Series last season before leaving in free agency -- was a wreck on Friday afternoon while trying to talk about what his time in Atlanta meant to him.

As media members peppered him with questions before the Dodgers took on his former Braves team at Truist Park ... he needed a huge towel to wipe away snot and tears.

In fact, Freddie was so overwhelmed by the moment, he initially had to walk out of the press conference to gather himself before beginning.

"It's hard to put into words," he said. "Just happy to be back."

Freeman -- who played in Atlanta for 12 years -- is considered one of the greatest Braves of all time ... but following failed contract talks this past offseason, he bolted for Los Angeles, signing a six-year, $162-million deal with the Dodgers.

Freddie's been a star for his new squad -- already piling up 8 home runs with a .303 batting average ... but it's clear, at least part of his heart and soul still remains in Georgia.

"Jeopardy!" champ Amy Schneider says she's gonna take Fox Sports at its word, that they did not intentionally cut out her first pitch at a Giants game celebrating Pride Day at the stadium.

Amy tells TMZ ... "They say the reason they misled their viewers was for cross-promotion, not anything to do with me, so I'll take them at their word." The director of the broadcast reached out to her personally to apologize and reiterate it had nothing to do with her identity. She believed him and accepted his apology.

ICYMI, Amy, the 1st openly transgender "Jeopardy!" champ, was invited to throw the ceremonial first pitch at the Dodgers/Giants game. Problem was ... Amy's pitch never made air. Instead, Fox Sports ran another first pitch from several days earlier ... at the hands of Kurt Busch.

Fox Sports said the video of that pitch was part of a promotional package for an upcoming NASCAR race in Northern California.

They made it clear ... the intention was not to disrespect Amy, adding first pitches are rarely aired on the Network during games.

There are doubters on social media who aren't buying the story, but Amy is taking the explanation at face value.

Captain John J. Sax, son of Dodgers great Steve Sax, was one of five U.S. Marines killed when their aircraft went down during a training exercise in southern California on Wednesday.

He was 33 years old.

The cause of the accident, which occurred about 150 miles from San Diego, is still under investigation.

John, who served the corp. for over five years and was awarded The National Defense Service Medal, was identified as one of the occupants on board the aircraft at the time of the fatal crash. His father confirmed the tragic news in a statement on Saturday.

"It is with complete devastation that I announce that my precious son, Johnny was one of the five US Marines that perished on Wednesday, June 8, in the Osprey Military crash near San Diego," Steve said to CBSLA-TV.

"For those of you that knew Johnny, you saw his huge smile, bright light, his love for his family, the Marines, the joy of flying airplanes and defending our country! He was my hero and the best man I know, there was no better person to defend our country."

Steve, 62, won the National League Rookie of the Year award in 1982 and the Silver Slugger award in 1986.

Sax, who played eight seasons with the Dodgers (he also spent time with the Yankees, White Sox and A's), made five All Star teams. He also won two world championships with Los Angeles ... in 1981 and 1988.

Sax retired in 1994.

Major League Baseball released a statement on the passing of Steve's son ... saying, "Today we remember the lives of John Sax, the son of former All-Star Steve, and four fellow Marines of the Purple Fox family who perished in a tragic aircraft accident."

"With gratitude for their service to our country, we send our deepest condolences to their families and friends."

Earmuffs, kids!!!

Dodgers pitcher Tyler Anderson dropped a massive F-bomb during a game on Thursday that was so loud, it was actually captured on a hot mic at the stadium.

Anderson let the obscenity fly in the fourth inning of L.A.'s game against the White Sox in Chicago, after throwing his fourth ball to Jose Abreu.

The pitch, on a 3-2 count, just barely missed ... but Anderson still clearly hated it.

"F***!!!!" he screamed.

The game's broadcasters had fun with the moment ... with one saying, "There was something that he yelled when he delivered that ball and I'm thinking, you're a very young man, close your headset. You don't want to hear that."

Anderson ended up being pulled from the game a few batters later -- not because of cussin', but rather because he was just ineffective -- but it all still could end up OK for him.

Tom and Chet Hanks had a blast at the Dodger game on Sunday ... belting out "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" together -- and TMZ Sports has the vid!!

The Oscar-winning actor and his "White Boy Summer" son had a box seat for L.A.'s 5-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies ... and during the 7th inning stretch, the duo passionately joined in on the traditional tune.

Tom and his son looked as close as ever as they vibed out to the song ... with Chet wrapping his arm around his dad as the "Finch" star pumped his fists in excitement throughout the jingle.

We're told Tom had a classic approach to the game -- keeping track of all the action on the diamond with an old school scorebook.

Of course, Tom and his son have remained tight over the years -- but Chet has previously opened up about the struggles of having a world-famous pops.

Gabriel Iglesias is gearing up for some record-setting gigs at his beloved Dodger Stadium, and, in the wake of the Dave Chappelle incident ... he's not worried about getting got by violent hecklers.

Gabriel, AKA Fluffy, joined "TMZ Live" to talk about being the first comedian ever to perform at the iconic home of the L.A. Dodgers, as a part of the "Netflix Is A Joke" 12-day festival.

Fluffy tells us he wanted to go big or go home, and sure enough ... this is the biggest venue he's ever played. He's filling more than 45,000 seats this weekend, making it the 3rd biggest comedy show ever ... and the biggest ever in Los Angeles.

Of course, the attack on Chappelle is on the mind of all comedians -- many are ramping up security measures -- but Gabriel says he's not worried at all.

He broke news with us about someone jumping on his stage last week in Seattle ... revealing his security team -- which he calls the best -- immediately took down the guy. But, "professionally," he says.

A third woman has come forward and accused Trevor Bauer of crossing the line during sex ... claiming the pitcher choked her unconscious and slapped her in the face without consent back in 2013 and 2014.

The accusations were published just hours after MLB handed Bauer a 2-year ban for violating the league's domestic violence and sexual assault policy. The woman claims she spoke with league investigators during its 10-month-long probe.

The woman claims she met Bauer on a dating app in April 2013 ... back when he was a member of Cleveland's minor league team in Columbus.

The woman makes it clear the sex during their relationship was always consensual -- but claims during intercourse, "things happened outside of my consent," according to the Washington Post.

Among the allegations, the woman claims Bauer choked her during sex, which she agreed to "to a certain point." However, she says in ensuing encounters, he grabbed her throat until she passed out, which she says she was against.

She claims Bauer choked her unconscious dozens of times ... and he would only stop if she "got pissed and was like desperate about it" or if she passed out.

The woman says on one of the occasions, after she regained consciousness, Bauer was anally penetrating her without her consent.

The woman says she actually has video of at least one of the alleged choking incidents ... 'cause Bauer allegedly recorded their sexual encounters with a GoPro camera either mounted on a tripod or strapped to his head.

The accuser is represented by high-powered attorney Joe Tacopina, who claims he has seen the video -- "She’s clearly struggling to breathe and tapping his arm to let go, and you see her skin color darkening," the attorney told the Post.

The allegations are similar in nature to that of Bauer's other accusers ... who say their sexual encounters all started consensually, but went to a place that was beyond their approval.

Bauer -- who hasn't pitched since June 2021 -- has vehemently denied any wrongdoing since the first accusations were made public ... and has vowed to appeal his 2-year ban from MLB.

Police and the district attorney investigated claims made by Bauer's first accuser in California ... but officials opted not to file charges. This week, Bauer filed a lawsuit against her, claiming she tried to ruin his career.

Trevor Bauer just got hit with one of the longest suspensions in MLB history -- the ace was suspended 2 years without pay after Major League Baseball concluded its investigation into claims of sexual assault.

MLB launched a probe in June 2021 after a woman accused the Cy Young winner of going too far during two sexual encounters in April and May 2021 ... allegedly punching and choking her unconscious ... resulting in bumps, bruises, scratches and other injuries.

The league concluded after an extensive investigation, he did, in fact, violate the league's joint policy on domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse.

Bauer -- who has adamantly denied any wrongdoing -- says he will appeal the punishment and expects to win.

"In the strongest possible terms, I deny committing any violation of the league's domestic violence & sexual assault policy," Bauer said in a statement.

"I am appealing this action and expect to prevail. As we have throughout this process, my representatives & I respect the confidentiality of the proceedings."

Bauer's suspension comes two months after it was determined he would not face criminal charges over the allegations.

"After a thorough review of all the available evidence, including the civil restraining order proceedings, witness statements and the physical evidence, the People are unable to prove the relevant charges beyond a reasonable doubt," the district attorney said at the time.

Bauer went on to sue his accuser and her attorney ... claiming she fabricated her accusations in order to ruin his career and extract money from him.

Bauer hasn't pitched since June 2021 ... and if the suspension holds, will be almost 34 when he will be able to step on the mound again.

Bauer is in the middle of a 3-year, $102-million deal ... and was slated to make more than $30 million in 2022 and 2023. In other words, if the suspension holds, he will lose more than $60 million.

Trevor Bauer is now suing the San Diego woman who accused him of sexual assault ... with the MLB star claiming she made up allegations against him in order to ruin his baseball career and extract money from him.

The lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports, was filed in California on Monday. The docs show Bauer is suing both Lindsey Hill and one of her attorneys, Fred Thiagarajah, over what he claims are fabricated sexual assault allegations.

Bauer, as he's done repeatedly since Hill initially accused him in 2021, completely denied having non-consensual sex with the woman.

Bauer also, once again, denied ever choking Hill without her consent. He also denied ever punching or scratching her.

Bauer did acknowledge that the two had sex on two occasions -- one in April 2021 and one in May 2021 -- but he claimed over and over again in the suit that the actions during those encounters were consensual.

In his suit, Bauer claims despite consenting to "rough sex," Hill falsely filed a police report against him and accused him of sexual assault in order to sink his baseball career and to try to reach a financial settlement with him. Bauer also claims in the suit that Thiagarajah helped her perpetuate the false allegations.

He also says the two photographs of Hill's alleged injuries were altered and filtered to make them look worse than they were.

In the lawsuit, Bauer said he was filing the action in order to "expose and seek redress for the false and malicious statements and related conduct of Ms. Hill and Mr. Thiagarajah."

He's suing for damages.

As we reported, several months after Hill made her allegations against Bauer ... prosecutors declined to charge the L.A. Dodgers pitcher, saying in a statement, "the People are unable to prove the relevant charges beyond a reasonable doubt."

Things got real between the L.A. Dodgers and San Diego Padres fans this weekend ... a bunch of brawls popped off at Petco Park, and the action was caught on video!

The series went down from Friday to Sunday ... and several fights broke out around the stadium. Men, women ... everyone partook in the fisticuffs.

In one of the more violent videos, you see two men wearing Padres attire goin' at it with two other guys rockin' L.A. gear -- as the men just tee off on each other.

Things took a scary turn at one point ... one of the guys seemingly slammed the back of his head on a metal bench.

Another showdown happened involving a big group of people ... and it was captured from two different angles.

Thankfully, stadium security eventually arrived and order was restored before the fight got any worse.

FYI, the Dodgers beat the Padres two out of three games ... and (thankfully) don't see each other again until 4th of July weekend.

Kendrick Lamar is a man of the people -- the rap superstar hit up the Dodger game and sat with fans in the stands on Tuesday ... just days after announcing his highly-anticipated album.

The pgLang rapper has been the talk of the town since revealing he's got a new project coming next month ... and despite all the hype surrounding him, Kendrick managed to show his supporters appreciation by mingling with them at the game.

Of course, K. Dot is rarely out in public and hardly has a social media presence ... so whenever he's seen out and about, it's always a big deal for fans.

The Dodgers' broadcast made sure to highlight Kendrick's surprise appearance ... showing him on the big screen in left field as the crowd cheered for the SoCal native.

Lamar has hit up Blue Heaven on Earth in the past -- in 2015, he threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Carl Crawford ... and it was a much better throw than some of the recent celebs who've been tapped to do the tradition (we're looking at you, 50 Cent, Conor McGregor, and Dr. Fauci).

It's been an exciting few months for Kendrick -- he performed during the Super Bowl LVI halftime show with Mary J. Blige, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Eminem. As always, Lamar had the visuals and aesthetics on point and he performed two of his classics -- "m.A.A.d city" and "Alright."

Kendrick's next album is expected to be his last one with Top Dawg Entertainment -- the lyricist previously announced he was leaving the TDE label.

The Dodgers are about to win a game over the Minnesota Twins ... but their fans are FURIOUS -- 'cause Clayton Kershaw was yanked from the contest despite being perfect through 7 innings.

The L.A. ace and future Hall of Famer was just pulled by manager Dave Roberts ... even though he was absolutely dealing.

Through the game's first 21 outs, Kershaw had 13 strikeouts ... and allowed no Twin to reach base. He seemed poised to record just the 24th perfect game in MLB history.

But, despite only throwing 80 pitches, Roberts pulled the starter before he could finish off the 8th and the 9th innings.

And, to make matters worse, Kershaw's replacement -- reliever Alex Vesia -- gave up a knock in the 8th to ruin any shot at a combined perfect game.

Roberts, though, was just trying to protect his stud pitcher by removing him -- because, after all, Kershaw had a shortened spring training and he's had a history of injuries.

Still, fans are livid that the 34-year-old didn't at least get the chance to make history -- with many taking to social media to blast Roberts for the call.

Kershaw, meanwhile, didn't seem too pissed ... he was smiling in the dugout after being pulled.