MLB

Great news ... the child that took a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. line drive to the forehead during Monday night's Home Run Derby is now doing OK.

Sources close to the situation tell TMZ Sports ... despite how bad things looked after the youngster was rocked in the noggin by a baseball in left field at T-Mobile Park, the kid was treated immediately on-site -- and was doing so much better on Tuesday, he was actually able to attend the All-Star Game in the evening.

We're told the boy's parents were present in Seattle to comfort him following the whole ordeal.

It all initially appeared like it could have been much worse ... because after he was hit by the Guerrero Jr. shot, the kid crumpled to the ground in pain.

He was later seen with a bandage on his head -- though he was, fortunately, able to walk away from the stadium under his own power.

Barry Bonds is patiently waiting for Cooperstown to unlock its doors and finally let him in ... saying he personally feels like he belongs in the Baseball Hall of Fame, as he was never convicted of using steroids.

The home run king made a rare statement on his H.O.F. snub with the "Hollywood Swingin'" podcast this week ... saying he is bothered by the fact his own sport continues to hold a grudge when the court of law has vindicated him.

Of course, BB is widely considered one of, if not the greatest, athletes to ever step foot in the batter's box ... but his legacy was tarnished by allegations of using performance-enhancing drugs.

But, Barry says records are records, and MLB already punishes players when they break rules ... so he's upset that the baseball hall has decided to "double punish" people who have made mistakes at some point in their careers.

Bonds was convicted of obstruction of justice back in 2011 over his alleged use of PEDs ... but ultimately, the case was dropped.

Barry believes the sentence overturn should justify his place in the Hall ... and the media does not hold the higher ground when it comes to determining who should be regarded as the greats.

Barry -- who hit 762 home runs during his career -- was an MVP before anyone ever accused him of using 'roids ... and many believe he belongs in the Hall despite the scandal.

A fun day at the ballpark turned into a nightmare for one Home Run Derby volunteer on Monday night ... because as he was trying to help shag balls at the MLB's pre-All-Star Game event, he got drilled in the face by a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. line drive.

The scary incident happened during the final round of the showcase at T-Mobile Park in Seattle ... when Guerrero Jr. was trying to put up a big HR total to beat out Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena for the event's trophy.

The Toronto Blue Jays star came up hacking ... clearing the wall with one swing -- but on his next attempt, he got a little on top of the ball ... and smoked a 115 MPH frozen rope to left field.

One of the many younger aids who the league brought in to help corral baseballs attempted to catch it on the fly -- but it missed his glove, and hit him right in the forehead.

Immediately, the guy crumpled to the ground in pain.

One of the many spectators in the crowd told TMZ Sports ... trainers raced to tend to the young man, wrapping his head in a bandage before giving him what appeared to be an ice pack.

Further details regarding the status of the injured volunteer are unclear, however ... we've reached out to MLB officials for comment, but so far, no word back yet.

Zach LaVine's been at the center of near-constant trade speculation -- the Bulls star took out some of that frustration during a star-studded celebrity softball game, smashing a monster home run!

He flashed some leather, too ... robbing an HR in left field!

It all happened at MLB's 2023 All-Star Celebrity Softball Game in Seattle -- the site of the All-Star Game this weekend -- featuring stars like Joel McHale, Chloe Kim, Donovan Mitchell, Jennie Finch, Felix Hernandez, and Ryan Howard, amongst many more.

In the third inning, with Mariners legend Brett Boone on the mound, LaVine, a lefty, stepped to the plate and absolutely put a charge into one, hitting a bomb over the right-field softball fence.

Zach immediately knew the ball was gone ... he stood at the plate admiring his work, before tossing the bat, and beginning his home run trot.

Of course, softball fences are pushed in because the bigger ball's difficult to hit far. But, Zach hit the ball so hard, he nearly cleared the right field wall at T-Mobile Park.

Later in the game, LaVine showed he's more than just a bat.

Former Mariners star Mike Cameron was at the plate, and he drove a ball to deep left-center. Zach tracked the ball, and using every bit of his 6'5" frame, arm extended, caught it (sending center fielder Howie Mandel to the ground), robbing the home run.

LaVine wasn't the only NBA player showing out ... Cavs star Donovan Mitchell also hit a HR.

Scary scene during the Yankees vs. Orioles game Wednesday night ... a cameraman was drilled in the forehead by an errant throw -- and the baseball did so much damage, the guy had to spend the evening in the hospital.

It happened during the fifth inning ... when Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson hurried a throw to first base in an attempt to get Anthony Volpe out.

The toss, though, sailed high on the Baltimore rookie ... and it ended up going into a dugout where YES Network cameraman Pete Stendel had been filming.

Video from the game's broadcast shows the baseball caught Stendel flush ... and he immediately crumpled to the ground in pain. Trainers rushed over to help him -- before they strapped him to a backboard and took him away from the field.

Stendel was able to give the crowd a wave while he was being transferred out of the stadium ... and, fortunately, YES Network officials said later in the evening he was conscious while he undergoing further examination at a local medical facility.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone, meanwhile, said after the game the whole thing was horrifying.

"Definitely praying for him," Boone said following NY's 6-3 loss. "It was good to see him, obviously, coherent and obviously raising his hand going off."

Get well soon, Pete.

The 2023 Home Run Derby champion will be walking away with a whole lot more than bragging rights next week ... they'll be getting a sweet new chain, too!!

The MLB revealed on Wednesday it's giving the event's winner some bling for the second straight season -- and this year's iteration of the jewelry is awesome.

According to the league, it weighs three pounds and features over 1,000 stones.

It also has a centerpiece made of recycled glass and 75 carats of white and yellow Swarovski Crystal embellishments. And, get this, the center even spins!!!

There will be eight guys gunning for it on Monday night at T-Mobile Park in Seattle -- Luis Robert, Pete Alonso, Mookie Betts, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Adolis Garcia, Randy Arozarena, Julio Rodriguez and Adley Rutschman.

Last year's winner, Juan Soto, will not be involved -- but he sure seemed to enjoy the 2022 version of the drip after he locked it all up at Dodger Stadium.

New York Yankees relief pitcher Jimmy Cordero will not take the mound again this season ... the MLB has suspended him for the rest of the year for violating its domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy.

In making the announcement, league officials said Cordero has accepted the punishment ... and the ban will begin immediately.

As part of the policy, the 31-year-old will now also have to "participate in a confidential and comprehensive evaluation and treatment program," the league added.

The MLB and the Yankees did not reveal the specific allegations against Cordero that led to the suspension ... though New York officials said in a statement they "are fully supportive" of the decision.

"There is no justification for domestic violence," the Yankees said, "and we stand with the objectives, standards, and enforcement of MLB's Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy."

Cordero had pitched in 31 games for the Pinstripes this season ... earning a 3-2 record and a 3.86 ERA. He had just thrown for the team on Sunday.

There will be two versions of Oneil Cruz out on the diamond when the Pirates star makes his return later this season ... TMZ Sports has learned he just got a few new tattoos put on his body -- including one of himself!!

We're told the Pittsburgh shortstop -- who's been out since April while dealing with a broken leg -- wanted to commemorate his meteoric first few seasons in the Big Leagues with some tats ... so he hit up Jaime Ortiz to get the art put down.

The 24-year-old baseball player -- regarded as one of the brightest young stars in the sport -- sought to get a photo of himself, a lion, and an MLB ball ... and Ortiz certainly delivered.

Check out the images -- the super realistic lion and the tat of Ortiz sit side by side on Cruz's (ultra valuable!) right shoulder. The photo of the baseball, meanwhile, was placed on one of his forearms.

Ortiz, a Zen Ink Tattoos artist, tells us ... Cruz wanted the lion because it symbolizes leadership and being a protector -- while maintaining humility at the same time. The image of Cruz in a Pirates jersey, Ortiz said, represents a reminder of his roots and his prime.

As for the baseball, Ortiz tells us that was "all about his passion to the game!"

"It describes it all by itself," he added.

Cruz sat for 14 hours over two days to get it all done ... and he was clearly thrilled with the end result, posting it to his social media page earlier this week.

Andre Johnson and Adrian Peterson, along with other current and retired NFL players tried to take each other's heads off in an intense game of volleyball ... and let's just say Eric Reid is probably sorry he didn't bring his football helmet!

But, it was all for charity ... and that's gotta ease (some of) the pain.

The Ultimate Most Dopest Dodgeball Charity Challenge went down last week in Texas ... pitting 4 teams, captained by Alex Bregman (the MLB star couldn't be there, but his wife Reagan held it down) DeAndre Hopkins, Chester Pitts, and reigning Super Bowl champ Justin Reid.

The captains all played for charities near and dear to their hearts. Cecil Shorts III, Tank Dell, DJ Reader and a bunch of other guys also participated.

Pitts and Reid's team were the last teams alive ... and Eric Reid was the last man standing on his squad. Despite fighting like hell against multiple players from Pitts' team, Eric was taken out by a line drive throw from Andre Johnson.

To add insult to injury, someone on Johnson's team fired another ball a split second later, and it smacked ER directly in the side of the face/head. Thankfully, Eric was okay (you don't play 7 NFL seasons if you aren't tough)!

FYI, headshots are usually illegal in dodgeball, but it technically wasn't the shot that eliminated Reid.

Domingo German received ALL of the love after throwing a perfect game Wednesday night ... getting a hero's welcome at the Yankees' team hotel -- and TMZ Sports has video of it!!

The star pitcher showed up to the swanky San Francisco spot just minutes after making history in an 11-0 win over the A's at the Oakland Coliseum -- and you can see in the footage, a TON of fans showed up to celebrate his moment with him.

As soon as he stepped off the bus, Pinstripes supporters cheered loudly ... and showered him with "Perfect game!" chants.

German was so grateful for the warm responses -- he spent a few moments signing autographs for those who lined up.

One of the fans who was there tells us ... German appeared super happy the entire time, thanking everyone there for their support.

Of course, the 30-year-old deserved all of the praise after his performance on the mound ... his nine flawless innings marked just the 24th time in MLB history that a pitcher has been perfect throughout a night at the ballpark.

No word yet on how the party was when Domingo got inside the hotel ... but the Yanks had a day game Thursday afternoon -- so it probably wasn't too rowdy.

Cody Bellinger ... MLB star, father, and now fiancé -- the Chicago Cubs first baseman just proposed to his Sports Illustrated model girlfriend, and she said yes!!!

Chase Carter -- who has also graced the cover of Maxim magazine -- shared the exciting news on social media, posting a photo of her massive new ring in front of the Chi-town skyline.

Fans of Carter and Bellinger -- who began dating in 2020 -- were stoked for the couple ... with one follower saying, "That’s a huge ring holy moly."

Another one commented, "I'm over the moon happy for you guys!!!"

The World Series champ and Carter welcomed their second child together in April ... after having their first daughter, Caiden, in November 2021.

There's a lot happening for Cody. In addition to the second baby and engagement, Bellinger also signed with the Chicago Cubs after a rocky end to his tenure in Los Angeles.

Of course, the 2-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner signed a 1-year deal with Chicago in December 2022 after the worst offensive season of his career ... where he's looking to return to his old form.

Victor Wembanyama's ceremonial first pitch at the Yankee game was a flop ... but things are looking up for the NBA phenom, 'cause he's getting a chance to redeem himself -- courtesy of San Antonio's minor league baseball team!!

Remember, the 19-year-old French superstar showed off his arm at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday ... and it definitely didn't go as planned, as his toss sailed wayyy wide of home.

But the 7'5" giant won't have to live in embarrassment forever -- TMZ Sports has learned the San Antonio Missions (the San Diego Padres Double-A minor league affiliate) are set to provide the new Spurs hooper with an opportunity to settle his score.

The Missions tell us Victor has an "open invitation" from the team's president to throw out the first pitch at one of their upcoming games ... so he can (hopefully) hurl a strike this time around.

The team added ... "The entire city of San Antonio, as you can imagine, is incredibly excited about Victor being a Spur."

FYI -- it would be a pretty convenient trip for Wemby, as the Missions play ball just 15 minutes away from AT&T Center.

Wembanyama seemed serious about wanting retribution for his first pitch earlier this week ... telling JJ Redick during ESPN's 2023 NBA draft broadcast, "I wish I could do it again, man ... I'm gonna do way better."

Mets star Edwin Diaz won't be on a mound this season, but that doesn't mean he won't still be looking fly -- TMZ Sports has learned he's just copped a sweet new necklace ... that's worth a quarter of a million dollars!!

The closer -- who's currently on New York's injured list after tearing up his knee during the World Baseball Classic back in March -- hit up Victor Rodriguez, aka Tajia Diamonds, for the piece recently ... and the jeweler just finished the product this week.

And, check out the images ... it came out awesome!!

The pendant features a trumpet -- a nod to Diaz's famous "Narco" walkout song -- as well as his jersey number 39 ... and it's completely iced out.

Rodriguez tells us it has 75 cts of VS diamonds and F color stones.

As for the chain it sits on ... Rodriguez says that's decked out too -- with 100 cts of VS diamonds.

The pitcher also got a custom bracelet to go along with the drip for his neck ... and it's got his No. 39 all over it.

In total, we're told the bill came out to $250K ... but don't worry, Diaz can certainly afford it -- he just inked a five-year, $102 million contract this past offseason.

4:04 PM PT -- It's a good thing Wemby is a great basketball player, 'cause the prospect's first pitch was quite the stinker ... flying waaaay outta the strike zone and past the catcher.

Wemby was a good sport over it all ... smiling as he made his way to home plate after the toss.

It was pretty expected, though -- after all, baseball ain't the biggest sport in France.

Keep your head up, buddy!!

Future NBA star Victor Wembanyama is throwing the first pitch at the New York Yankees game on Tuesday ... and the giant hooper showed off just how massive he is prior to the ceremonial toss by covering a baseball with his whole hand!!

The soon-to-be San Antonio Spur shared a snap of himself holding a baseball leading up to the big moment ... and the 7'5" athlete made the damn thing look more like a golf ball.

"Lmaooooo," Wemby said on Instagram ... fully aware that he is a freak of nature.

The French superstar was friendly as usual with fans before the game ... signing autographs as he rocked a Yankee jersey and a pair of unreleased Nike x Drake kicks.

As we previously reported, Wemby touched down in the States on Monday ... and was bombarded by supporters, which was a glimpse of what the rest of his life will look like.

The game starts at 4 PM PT ... and Wemby will take the mound prior to the Yankees' tilt against the Seattle Mariners.

Detroit Tigers star Spencer Torkelson absolutely lost it on an umpire after a strike call on Monday night ... going on an f-bomb-laced rant -- and the first baseman's whole temper tantrum was picked up on a hot mic!!!

The PG-13 scene played out in the bottom of the seventh inning of the Tigers' tilt with the Royals at Comerica Park ... when Torkelson was up to bat with two runners on.

Down by just a run, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft was looking to help his team take a late lead ... but, instead, the game's homeplate ump rang him up on a borderline pitch.

Torkelson clearly hated the call -- and he immediately laid into the guy.

"Oh my f***ing God!" the 23-year-old screamed. "The f*** are you looking at?!?"

Somehow, Torkelson was able to make it back to his dugout without being ejected from the game.

It all ended up well for Torkelson despite the blowup -- the Tigers' next batter, Kerry Carpenter, hit a three-run home run that ultimately gave Detroit the win.

True to their word, Catholic groups in the thousands rallied outside Dodger Stadium -- even blocking parking lot entrances -- due to the team's Pride Night plans to honor an LGBTQ group that satirizes nuns.

A sea of peaceful protesters seemed to nearly surround the entire venue Friday night, ahead of the Dodgers shining a spotlight on The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

The Sisters are a charitable org, but one that features members in drag dressed as nuns and they've been known to perform "communion" with tequila. It's all done tongue-in-cheek, they would say, but that's what mobilized the protestors.

The level of turnout was insane -- one huge group chanted, "save our children" while marching near the stadium -- all indications of just how much of a national story this showdown over The Sisters had become.

The Dodgers had actually scrapped the plan to include the group in its Pride night after backlash from the Catholic League and Sen. Marco Rubio.

But, then LGBTQ groups threatened to boycott the team's Pride Night ... and The Sisters were re-invited to Dodger Stadium.

Even a few players, including Clayton Kershaw, were vocal about their opposition to the Dodgers honoring The Sisters. In a seeming bit of compromise, the team recently announced it would bring back Christian Faith and Family Day on July 30.

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were honored inside Dodger Stadium -- but it went down about an hour before the game against the rival San Francisco Giants, so very few fans witnessed it.