MLB

Jonathan Papelbon went scorched Earth on Fernando Tatis Jr. -- suspended 80 games by MLB for a positive PED test -- saying if he was still pitching in the Majors, he'd drill the Padres star every chance he got!

The former Red Sox star closer shared his feelings on Tatis' blockbuster suspension on the "The Bradfo Sho podcast" ... and he didn't mince his words.

"I'll tell you right now, if I was pitching, every single time I face that dude, I’m drilling him," Papelbon said, adding ... "I don’t care if I'm bringing in a run and losing the game."

"This whole Tatis stuff, man, it almost enrages me. "I worked my ass off so long and so hard and did it the right way. For me, to see something like that, it hurts me so bad."

Papelbon -- who played 12 seasons in the big leagues -- said the problem with Major League Baseball now is players aren't allowed to "police" the game the way they used to when he toed the mound.

"That's the problem with the game today now, is it's changed," Papelbon said. "You throw [at] people now, and you get suspended and all the other BS, and it's like just let the players police the game."

"That's what I miss about the game now is, you look in the past, and the players were the ones who policed the game. Not the damn umpires or the coaches, or any of them. It was the players."

"[And] that's what the game lost," he added.

As we previously reported, 23-year-old Tatis was hit with an 80-game suspension Friday after testing positive for Clostebol, a performance-enhancing substance.

Former NY Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez expressed disappointment with Tatis ... saying the PED suspension may cost him a shot at the Hall of Fame down the road, something A-Rod, unfortunately, is experiencing.

"I'm not going to go to the Hall of Fame probably because of my own mistake," A-Rod said. "And, that's heartbreaking for me. It's heartbreaking to explain that to my daughters. But, that's on me."

"I wish that a lot of these young players who I admire so much would learn from my stupidity and my debacle."

Fernando Tatis Sr. came to his son's defense yesterday ... claiming Tatis Jr. developed a fungus on his skin after receiving a bad haircut and used the banned medication to fix the issue.

Ultimately, JP understands why ex-MLBers, and potentially Tatis' fellow Padres teammates, are upset with his alleged actions ... and Jonathan thinks the distraction could prevent the team from reaching their full potential come playoff time.

Kansas City Royals pitcher Amir Garrett is extending an olive branch -- and some free merch -- to the guy he threw a drink at during a game ... saying he reached out and hooked the fan and his son up with jerseys to apologize for the incident.

30-year-old Garrett was suspended three games on Monday for chucking a drink at a man who was allegedly heckling him during the Royals' 9-2 loss to the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago on Aug. 2 ... but is appealing the punishment.

Garrett is able to play while his fate is determined ... and after K.C.'s game against the Minnesota Twins, he shared his remorse over his actions.

"I'm pretty upset with myself, you know I let that get to me," Garrett told reporters. "But I think I've handled it pretty well."

"I reached out to the fan. We had dialogue and stuff like that. There was no hard feelings there. I sent him a jersey to him and his son. He was very grateful."

Garrett added the interaction "could've went south" ... but cooler heads prevailed and they were cordial to each other.

Garrett has made 41 appearances for the Royals this season ... earning a 2-1 record and allowing 16 hits in 32.1 innings pitched, with a 4.45 ERA.

Fernando Tatís Jr.'s father says his son's positive PED test all happened because of a haircut that went very, very wrong for the MLB superstar.

Fernando Tatís Sr. explained the situation to MLB insider Héctor Gómez on Monday -- saying after the Padres outfielder got a chop recently ... he developed a fungus on his skin.

Tatís Sr. said his 23-year-old son turned to a medication to fix the issue -- but one of the ingredients in the remedy just so happened to trigger a positive test. Those results eventually led to the MLB hitting the slugger with an 80-game suspension last week.

Tatís Sr. wants it to be known that his son is definitely not a cheater -- and simply didn't look closely enough at the ingredient list in medicine for a skin condition.

"All of this has happened because of something that is not worth this issue," Tatís Sr. said. "This is something for the skin, that’s something that’s not performance enhancing and has no testosterone. It has nothing to help you improve in the game."

Tatís Sr. slammed baseball's decision to hand down the ban -- and said it's ultimately going to hurt the game more than the MLB realizes.

"It was a mistake that could have been handled differently," Tatís Sr. said. "Destroy the image of a player for such a small thing, for a situation like this is a catastrophe not just for Tatís Jr., but for all baseball."

"There’s millions of fans that will stop watching baseball."

For his part, Tatís Jr. took responsibility for it all -- explaining he had "no excuse for my error." He did also blame the test results on a skin condition (ringworm) and the medicine he took for it.

"I should have used the resources available to me in order to ensure that no banned substances were in what I took," he said. "I failed to do so."

Alex Rodriguez kept it real when talking about Padres star Fernando Tatís Jr. -- who received an 80-game suspension for a positive PED test -- saying he wishes young players would "learn from my stupidity" and not make the same mistakes he made as a player.

A-Rod made the comments during the "KayRod" broadcast of "Sunday Night Baseball" ... with the former NY Yankees slugger saying the young shortstop may never see the Hall of Fame after getting popped, and that disappoints him.

"I wish that a lot of these young players who I admire so much would learn from my stupidity and my debacle," Rodriguez said, "And, it almost brings me to tears to see a kid like Tatis who's 23 years old, that for the rest of his career, he's just going to play it out."

"There's probably no Hall of Fame," A-Rod continued, before acknowledging he will likely never make it to Cooperstown, despite deserving to be there, steroids aside.

"I'm not going to go to the Hall of Fame probably because of my own mistake. And that's heartbreaking for me. It's heartbreaking to explain that to my daughters. But that's on me."

As we reported, Tatis Jr. -- one of the best players in the sport -- was suspended 80 games by MLB for testing positive for Clostebol, a performance-enhancing substance.

On Friday, shortly after the suspension was announced, Fernando issued a statement claiming he accidentally ingested the banned substance when taking medication for ringworm.

Rodriguez -- who played 22 seasons in MLB (3x AL MVP, 14x All-Star -- was suspended in 2013 by commissioner Bud Selig for using performance-enhancing drugs and violating the league's drug prevention and treatment program.

A-Rod, the Yanks third baseman at the time, received a 211-game suspension ... which sidelined him for the remainder of the 2013 season and the entire 2014 campaign.

Rodriguez has admitted to taking the PEDs and recognizes his mistake will be inextricably linked to his career, something he didn't want to be the reality for rising superstars like Tatis.

Make some room in Cooperstown for Justin Crawford in about two decades -- 'cause Johnny Damon says the Philadelphia Phillies' top draft pick is about to have a MONSTER MLB career!!

Damon -- who used to play against Justin's father, Carl Crawford, in The Show -- made the guarantee to TMZ Sports while out at an event in NYC earlier this month.

"He'll probably steal 500 bases," Damon said of Justin, "hit a couple hundred home runs. Just be a menace to his opponents throughout the years."

Justin was officially taken by the Phils with the #17 overall pick in last month's MLB draft -- and because of his skill set and famous father pedigree, everyone's assuming he's got a bright future ahead of him.

But, Damon, who had to try to get Carl off the base paths for years when the two were AL East rivals in the early 2000s, took it one step further -- and said he's expecting flat-out, Hall-off-Fame-level greatness from the 18-year-old.

"I'm happy for Carl," Johnny said. "And I know his son is going to have a great Major League career."

Shocking news in the baseball world ... Fernando Tatis Jr. -- one of the best players in the MLB -- has just been suspended 80 games!

Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the ban on Friday afternoon -- after he and the league say the San Diego Padres' all-world shortstop tested positive for Clostebol, a performance-enhancing substance.

According to the MLB, Tatis' suspension will begin immediately.

The Padres, meanwhile, said in a statement that they were "surprised and extremely disappointed" to learn of the positive test.

The team added that they "fully support" MLB's joint drug prevention and treatment program and "are hopeful that Fernando will learn from this experience."

After sitting out all of this season with a wrist injury, Tatis Jr. was just about to return to the Padres within the next few days.

And, everyone in the org. was stoked for it -- because the team just added stars Juan Soto and Josh Bell at the trade deadline ... and figured the duo, plus Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and the rest of the roster, would then push for a World Series run.

Tatis Jr. will now be ineligible to compete in the postseason this year -- and due to the length of the ban, he'll have to serve part of the suspension in the 2023 season as well.

The wife of Tim Lincecum -- one of the best MLB pitchers of all time -- has sadly died ... the San Francisco Giants announced on Thursday night.

She was just 38 years old.

Cristin Coleman, who dated Lincecum for years, passed away following a battle with cancer in late June ... but it hadn't been widely reported until the Giants mourned her loss in a series of tweets on Thursday.

"The Giants were extremely saddened to learn of the passing of Tim Lincecum's wife, Cristin Coleman," the team wrote. "Our deepest condolences go out to Tim, Cristin's family and all those whose lives she touched as a friend and teacher."

"She was beloved by the Giants family and her caring and genuine spirit touched those of us who were fortunate enough to know her during her and Timmy's years with us."

According to the San Mateo Daily Journal, Coleman -- an elementary school teacher and principal -- died "peacefully" on June 27, surrounded by family.

Coleman's parents, according to the outlet, said in a statement at the time of her death that she "was the light of our lives, a beautiful human being who touched so many hearts."

Lincecum, who's rarely been seen since his retirement from baseball following the 2016 season, has yet to publicly comment on the loss.

Yasiel Puig is clearly hoping he hasn't taken his last at-bat in the Major Leagues ... the former Dodgers superstar tells TMZ Sports he'd still like to return to the MLB following his current stint in Korea.

The 31-year-old, who hasn't played in an MLB game since suiting up for Cleveland in 2019, says he's very happy with how things are going in the KBO League -- but he said, candidly, "It's better to be in Los Angeles or in MLB."

Puig, though, knows he has to prove some things in Korea before he can get another look with an MLB team -- and he seems determined to make that happen.

"God put me in this spot to do the best I can to show people that I've changed from five or six years ago," the outfielder said.

Puig has been playing for the Kiwoom Heroes this season after signing with the team as a free agent this offseason, and he's been doing well, hitting .259 with 13 home runs in 85 games.

But, Puig admits some of his old issues are still cropping up on the diamond -- and he's trying his best to eliminate those so he can eventually get back in an MLB team's uniform.

Puig said if it takes another year in the KBO to ultimately show he deserves another shot in The Show -- he'd do it, telling us he's very grateful for the time he's had so far in Korea.

The corn rows out at the "Field of Dreams" game won't be without the late Ray Liotta after all -- the actor who starred in the 1989 film will be recognized during the MLB's big event, TMZ Sports has learned.

Our sources tell us ... there's going to be some sort of homage to Liotta during the Reds vs. Cubs game on Thursday night in Dyersville, Iowa.

Unclear exactly what the nod will feature ... but Liotta, who played Shoeless Joe Jackson in the movie that the stadium and game are based on, is going to have some kind of presence at the field.

Liotta has already received some "Field of Dreams" love this month -- Kevin Costner, who starred alongside Ray in the movie, penned a sweet message to his friend on his Instagram earlier this week, remembering him and his famous role.

"In honor of MLB at Field of Dreams this week, I wanted to share some memories from the movie," Costner said in the post, "but more importantly remember the amazing Ray Liotta."

"'Shoeless Joe Jackson' will be out there with all of us for a great night of baseball in the fields of Iowa."

As we reported, Liotta sadly passed away in the Dominican Republic in late May. He was 67 years old.

RIP

Trevor Bauer's assault accuser is firing back at the MLB star after he sued her earlier this year ... filing a countersuit for battery against the Cy Young winner in Los Angeles.

Lindsey Hill, from San Diego, filed a lawsuit for sexual battery and battery in federal court on Tuesday, again alleging 31-year-old Bauer beat her up on two occasions during sex, punching and choking her.

Bauer's always adamantly denied the allegations, maintaining he and Lindsey had a consensual, sexual relationship. The L.A. county district attorney's office investigated Hill's claims and opted not to file charges against the Dodgers pitcher. A judge also denied Hill a restraining order, calling claims in the petition "materially misleading"

In Hill's newly filed civil lawsuit, she claims her "life has been turned into a nightmare by a powerful man who mercilessly battered her and counted on facing no consequences whatsoever for his despicable conduct."

Lindsey claims Bauer got physical with her on two occasions ... in April and May of 2021.

"Last year, disgraced Major League Baseball player Trevor Bauer violently and sadistically abused Hill in the most appalling manner imaginable, sexually battering and battering a defenseless woman."

Hill doesn't specify how much she's seeking in damages.

Back in April 2022, Bauer sued Hill claiming she made up the damaging allegations in an effort to derail his career and secure a payday for herself.

Despite not being charged criminally, Bauer was hit with one of the longest suspensions in MLB history ... two years without pay. Trevor immediately appealed the suspension .. which is still ongoing.

He'd be eligible to return about 20 games into the 2024 MLB season.

The Diamondbacks vs. Pirates game on Wednesday night got a whole lot more interesting in the 8th inning ... when two fans invaded the field -- and juked the hell out of stadium security while they were out there!

The guys jumped from the stands in the middle of a Pirates player's at-bat and raced toward the outfield ... and then caused chaos for several moments.

Video shot from inside of Chase Field in Phoenix shows the men did laps around a bevy of guards who were trying to bring them down -- and at one point, one of the guys even stripped his shirt off.

The highlight of their jaunt, though, came when one of the men evaded a security member so badly, the worker actually fell flat on their face.

But, after running around for nearly a full minute -- the guys gave up, and guards appeared to take them off the field without further incident.

Bizarre scene in the Pirates game on Tuesday night -- a player's phone spilled out of his pocket while he was sliding into a bag ... and his manager was pissed about it!

Pittsburgh second baseman Rodolfo Castro committed the blunder in the fourth inning of the Buccos' tilt with the Diamondbacks ... when he went head first into third base.

As the 23-year-old was reaching the bag safely, his iPhone flew from his back pocket ... and hit the base at the same time as he did.

Castro -- who was just called up from the Minor Leagues for Tuesday night's game -- was initially oblivious to it all, but had to pick it up after an ump pointed out to him that it was on the ground. He then handed it over to his third base coach, who didn't appear pleased.

Following the game, which the Pirates ended up losing, manager Derek Shelton was clearly not thrilled with Castro either ... telling media members, "This was just a kid who made a mistake. It’s just one of those things we move forward from and tell him, 'You can’t do that.'"

Castro, meanwhile, said afterward he felt "horrible" about the incident ... and added that it was completely unintentional.

Of course, outside of the unprofessional look of having a phone out during the middle of playing in an MLB game ... the league has become highly sensitive to technology use in the field of play (thanks, Astros).

The Padres didn't show much fight on the field on Monday night, but their fans in the stands certainly did ... as several men got involved in a wild fracas out in right field.

The melee happened at some point during San Diego's lifeless 1-0 loss to the Giants at Petco Park -- when four people got into a tiff.

It's unclear what started the altercation, but video shows it got violent in a hurry ... when one fan in a Padres jersey attempted to Sparta-kick a man down a row of stairs.

The guy, though, somehow ended up staying on his feet -- and then he dragged the Padres supporter down the stairs himself.

Eventually, two other guys jumped into the fray and began throwing punches.

The men traded blows for a few seconds -- before a bevy of security guards raced into the action to break it up.

Chris Sale's awful season just got a whole lot worse ... the Boston Red Sox revealed on Tuesday he suffered a broken wrist in a bike accident over the weekend and is now done for the rest of the year.

Sale -- who was nursing a finger injury that he sustained after taking a line drive off his hand on July 17 -- had been riding his bike on Aug. 6 when the accident happened, according to the team.

The 33-year-old was diagnosed with a "right distal radius fracture" ... and the Sox said he had to undergo surgery on Monday in Massachusetts to fix the issue.

Sale will now miss the rest of the season, but Boston said it expects him to be ready for Spring Training next year.

This year is certainly one the lefty pitcher would love to forget -- after starting the season on the injured list with a ribcage injury, he had an infamous meltdown in a rehab assignment, and then broke his finger just a few days later.

The Juan Soto trade has now made the Padres so intriguing, even Kawhi Leonard had to make the drive down from L.A. to catch one of the new outfielder's games at Petco Park!!!

The Clippers superstar was spotted sitting in the front row of the Pads' contest against the Giants in San Diego on Monday night ... getting his first up-close look at Soto and the new-and-improved SD team with his own eyes.

Leonard -- who rarely makes public appearances -- showed up to the event with his fam decked out in Padres gear ... and munched on some French fries as he cheered on the home team.

Sadly for Kawhi, Soto and the rest of SD didn't do much ... they only recorded five total hits and lost the game 1-0.

But, don't be too upset for Leonard -- we're sure he found plenty to do after the game ... after all, he spent his college days in San Diego at SDSU, so the guy knows how to have a good time in America's Finest City no matter how the baseball team performs.

Soto and the Padres, meanwhile, will try to put on a better show on Tuesday night when they face the Giants again.

Pete Rose took the field in Philly for the first time in a long time -- which was quickly met with criticism after how he responded to questions about old allegations of statutory rape.

The controversial baseball legend --  who's been effectively banned from the game for life after it was discovered he gambled on matchups while playing -- was trotted out Sunday at Citizens Bank Park, where the org was honoring the 1980 WS team ... including himself.

He got a mixed bag response -- a standing O and lots of cheers, but some boos too.

Mind you, this was supposed to happen a few years ago -- but plans were scrapped after a woman claimed she'd had sex with PR while she was just 14 or 15 in the 1970s.

Rose admitted they had sex while on the Reds, but said he thought she was 16 -- the legal age of consent in Ohio -- and insisted they never left state lines ... so, presumably, it was all kosher, from his POV. That story torpedoed his would-be ceremony in 2017 ... but on Sunday, when it resumed, a reporter asked him about those allegations anew, and it didn't go well.

Inquirer reporter Alex Coffey tweeted, "I asked Pete Rose what he would say to people who say his presence here sends a negative message to women. His response: 'No, I’m not here to talk about that. Sorry about that. It was 55 years ago babe.'"

Of course, that got backlash almost immediately. Coffey further expanded, later saying Rose attempted to apologize to her for the earlier interaction ... but that, too, was seemingly botched. PR reportedly said to her, "Will you forgive me if I sign 1000 baseballs for you?"

Coffey goes on to say that when he was again asked about the old rape claims and questions about it, he reportedly said ... "I'm going to tell you one more time. I'm here for the Philly fans. I'm here for my teammates. I'm here for the Phillies organization. And who cares what happened 50 years ago."

One last gem from Rose ... "You weren't even born. So you shouldn't be talking about it, because you weren't born. If you don't know a damn thing about it, don't talk about it."