MLB

Grab a pen and paper, Shohei Ohtani -- former Dodgers star Justin Turner has some solid pointers on how the MLB superstar can succeed with his new team ... telling TMZ Sports there's one simple way to win the fanbase over (if he hasn't already).

Turner -- who signed with the Toronto Blue Jays this offseason -- will forever have a special place in the hearts of Dodger Nation ... after all, he was part of the World Series-winning squad in 2020 and also secured the NLCS MVP when they made it to the Fall Classic in 2017.

With Ohtani deciding to join the "real" L.A. team after spending his first six seasons with the Angels, we asked Red what the two-way athlete would have to do to get the diehard fans on his side ... and he pointed out everyone's probably already over the moon about the historic signing.

"I think he's doing a pretty good job with that already," Turner said this week.

When we asked for one thing in particular that could earn the fanbase's trust ... his solution was simple.

"Hit homers."

There's a ton of hype surrounding Ohtani's move to the Dodgers following his record-breaking 10-year, $700 million deal ... but it's clear Turner thinks he'll fit right in.

We also asked for some L.A. recommendations -- considering Anaheim is NOT the same thing -- and Turner thinks Ohtani's got it all figured out by now.

The Jackie Robinson statue that was stolen from outside a youth baseball park last week has been located ... but unfortunately for fans of the beloved tribute, it was found destroyed beyond repair.

Officials in Wichita, Kansas shared the sad news on Tuesday ... saying the fire department received a call around 8:40 AM for a trash fire at a local park. Once the flames were extinguished, firefighters discovered pieces of bronze in the rubble, which turned out to be from the statue.

It was determined the Robinson figure -- which stood outside League 42's McAdams Park for years -- was not salvageable.

City officials are already planning on making things right again for the community ... with council member Brandon Johnson saying in a press conference he will ensure a replica statue will stand outside the ballpark again.

"We will continue to invest in this community, and this tragic incident will not remove that hope that we all have for the area," Johnson said.

As we previously reported, the Robinson statue was taken early Thursday morning after someone cut it at the ankles and hauled it off in a truck.

No arrests have been made at this time ... but officials are calling on anyone with information to come forward.

A statue honoring baseball icon Jackie Robinson was stolen from outside a youth baseball facility in Kansas this week ... and cops are now searching for the scumbags who ran off with it.

Local police shared surveillance footage of the heist that went down at League 42's McAdams Park in Wichita early Thursday morning ... which appears to show someone cut the Robinson tribute at the ankles, put it in the back of a truck and flee the scene.

Wichita PD shared an image of what's left of the Dodgers legend's bronze figure ... just two feet standing on top of a home plate.

The station said the "community is devastated" over the vandalism ... and is calling on anyone with information regarding its whereabouts to come forward.

"The actions of those individuals who had the audacity to take the statue of Jackie Robinson from a park where kids and families in our community can gather, learn the history of Jackie Robinson, an American icon, and play the game of baseball should upset all of us," Wichita Police Chief Joseph Sullivan said.

"What troubles me even more is that this theft occurred just before the beginning of February, which marks the start of Black History Month."

"Our city wants the statute returned. We also want the individuals who robbed our community of a treasure to be held accountable for their actions."

League 42 was created in 2013 to help children in Wichita learn the sport without worrying about high registration fees ... with hundreds signing up each year. Robinson's trailblazing career and breaking the MLB color barrier served as inspiration for the organization.

9:56 AM PT -- Yasiel Puig y su agente están abordando la pelea e insisten en que estaba tratando de pacificar las cosas y que solo se defendió cuando fue golpeado en la cara.

La ex estrella de la MLB Yasiel Puig se encontró en medio de una pelea en la banca durante un partido de béisbol profesional en Venezuela, lanzando puñetazos y recibiendo golpes de vuelta mientras ambas partes se enfrentaban.

El caos estalló durante el Juego 2 del campeonato de la Liga Profesional de Béisbol Venezolana en la Universidad de Caracas el miércoles, cuando el compañero de equipo de Puig en Tiburones de La Guaira, Maikel García, anotó un jonrón de dos carreras en la parte inferior de la octava entrada para poner a su equipo 10-8 sobre los Cardenales de Lara.

Mientras García daba vuelta a las bases, apareció de frente a la banca del equipo contrario y se puso a hablar de más hasta que llegó lentamente a su sector de la cancha.

Naturalmente, los jugadores de los Cardenales se molestaron con la ostentación y un jugador comenzó a aplaudir a García.

La odiosa confrontación llevó a ambos equipos a dejar sus banquillos y ponerse a pelear.

Puig, que jugó en la MLB para los Dodgers de Los Ángeles, los Rojos de Cincinnati y los Cleveland de 2013 a 19, terminó justo en medio del violento altercado, lanzando puñetes y recibiendo golpes en el proceso.

Después de unos minutos, la acción se calmó y ambos equipos regresaron a sus lugares.

Sorprendentemente, nadie fue expulsado por la improvisada pelea y el equipo de Puig se aferró a ganar el partido, 12-10.

Dato curioso, se suponía que otra estrella de la MLB iba a estar en el campo, Ronald Acuña Jr., quien estaba jugando para La Guaira antes del torneo, pero ha estado parado recientemente para prepararse para la temporada 2024.

9:56 AM PT -- Yasiel Puig and his agent are addressing the brawl ... insisting he was trying to play peacemaker in the scuffle, and only defended himself when he was hit in the face.

Ex-MLB star Yasiel Puig found himself in the middle of a bench-clearing brawl during a professional baseball game in Venezuela this week ... throwing punches and getting hit as both sides duked it out.

The chaos broke out during Game 2 of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League's championship series at University of Caracas Stadium on Wednesday ... when Puig's Tiburones de La Guaira teammate Maikel Garcia knocked a two-run dinger in the bottom of the 8th inning to put their team up 10-8 over Cardenales de Lara.

As Garcia rounded the bases, he appeared to hot dog in front of the opposing team's bench ... running his mouth and slowly trotting before reaching home.

Naturally, the Cardenales players took issue with the showboating ... and one player started clapping back at Garcia.

The heated confrontation led both squads to leave their dugouts ... and a scrap broke out.

Puig -- who played in the MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland from 2013-19 -- ended up right in the middle of the violent altercation ... throwing hands and getting hit in the process.

After a few minutes, the action died down ... and both teams made it back to their dugouts.

Surprisingly, no one was ejected for the impromptu fight ... and Puig's team held on to win the contest, 12-10.

Fun fact -- another MLB star was supposed to be on the field ... as Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. was playing for La Guaira prior to the tournament, but has been sitting out recently to prepare for the 2024 season.

The baseball world is rallying behind Chicago Cubs great Ryne Sandberg ... who just revealed Monday he is receiving treatment after being diagnosed with cancer.

The 64-year-old Hall of Famer shared the health update on his social media just minutes ago ... saying, "Last week, I learned that I have been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. I have begun treatment, and I am surrounded by my loving wife Margaret, our incredibly supportive family, the best medical care team, and our dear friends."

Despite the battle ahead, Ryno said he will remain in good spirits and "fight to beat this."

"Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time for me and my family," he added.

The comments section under Sandberg's post has been flooded with words of encouragement from fellow Cubs like Dexter Fowler and David Ross ... as well as countless others.

Sandberg played the majority of his career with the Cubbies from 1982-1997 ... earning 10 All-Star appearances, nine Gold Gloves, seven Silver Sluggers and National League MVP honors in 1984.

His No. 23 jersey was retired in 2005 ... the same year he was enshrined in Cooperstown.

Following his playing career, Ryno managed the Philadelphia Phillies from 2013-15.

The Cubs addressed Sandberg's diagnosis in a statement ... saying, "We cannot imagine how incredibly tough it is right now for Ryne and his family, but we do know Ryne is one tough competitor and a winner."

Trevor Bauer is making drastic changes to his intimacy preferences after years of fighting serious assault allegations made by a former fling ... revealing he's swearing off "rough sex acts" for good.

The former L.A. Dodgers pitcher spoke on his new sex life with OutKick's Tomi Lahren ... just months after settling a lawsuit with a woman who had accused him of sexually assaulting her on two occasions in 2021.

Other women came forward alleging sexual assault against the pitcher in 2022 and 2023.

Bauer never admitted wrongdoing and claimed it was just kinky sex ... something he has now apparently outlawed.

"I've stopped having, like, casual sexual relationships," the 32-year-old told Lahren. "Stopped agreeing to engage in rough sex acts."

"I'm looking for more people that add value to my life instead of something that I'm doing for a couple of hours on a night and then kind of forget about," he added.

For now, however, the former Cy Young Award winner says dating isn't remotely near his center of attention.

"I have other things that I'm focused on," he said. "I'd like to go back to work. I have a job, I run a business."

"Maybe I go back to dating at some point in the future but not something I'm focused on right now."

The one-time All-Star has not played in the MLB since the allegations surfaced in '21. He did, though, just pitch one season for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, where he logged a 2.76 ERA with 130 strikeouts in 19 games.

Alex Rodriguez isn't a pro athlete anymore, but don't tell his abs ... the legendary slugger shared a shredded shirtless photo, posing with his equally jacked girlfriend, and they look incredible!

48-year-old A-Rod and his fitness trainer boo Jaclyn Cordeiro are on vacation in the Dominican Republic ... and the couple shared some snaps from the trip. Alex's daughter Ella is also on the vacay.

Rodriguez last played baseball in 2016 as third baseman for the New York Yankees, before hanging up his glove and leaving the sport as one of the most feared hitters ever.

Despite being an immortal player, A-Rod admittedly let himself go a bit in retirement, so much so his family expressed concern for him in late 2021, saying he "looked unhealthy."

Rodriguez decided to make some changes to his life (more plants, less red meat, intermittent fasting, and walking) ... and he says it made all the difference.

In 2023, Alex revealed, with help and support from Jac, he'd lost 32 pounds!

Rodriguez didn't spend the whole trip posing without a shirt (though could you blame him?) ... he also spent some quality time with his fam, from some fun in the sun to a chess game with his daughter.

¡Alex Rodríguez ya no es un atleta profesional, pero no se lo digan a sus abdominales! El legendario bateador compartió una foto sin camiseta con su novia y se ven increíbles.

A-Rod, de 48 años, y novia y entrenadora de fitness Jaclyn Cordeiro están de vacaciones en República Dominicana y compartieron algunas fotos de su viaje. La hija de Alex, Ella, también está de vacaciones con ellos.

El atleta jugó al béisbol por última vez en 2016, como tercera base de los Yankees de Nueva York, antes de colgar el guante y dejar el deporte como uno de los bateadores más temidos de la historia.

A pesar de ser un jugador inmortal, A-Rod admitió que se dejó llevar un poco más de la cuenta durante su retiro, tanto que su familia expresó preocupación por él a finales de 2021, diciendo que "parecía poco saludable".

Rodríguez decidió hacer algunos cambios en su vida (más vegetales, menos carne roja, ayuno intermitente y caminar) y dice que hizo toda la diferencia.

En 2023, Alex reveló que, con la ayuda y el apoyo de Jac, ¡había perdido 32 libras!

Rodriguez no se pasó todo el viaje posando sin camiseta (¿podrían culparlo?), también pasó un buen rato con su familia, desde tomar un poco de sol hasta jugar ajedrez con su hija.

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.

Shohei Ohtani is already putting some of his new Dodgers contract to good use ... revealing Thursday he and his team are donating at least $1 million to victims of this week's devastating earthquake in Japan.

The Dodgers announced they and Guggenheim Baseball are putting up $1 million on their own ... while the designated hitter -- who just inked a $700 million pact with LA -- is forking over "his own personal contribution."

All of it is being given with the wish that it will help cities in Ohtani's home country rebuild after a 7.6 magnitude quake leveled homes on Monday, killing dozens.

"My hope is that we continue to come together to support those whose lives have been upended," the two-way superstar said. "I hope for the rapid rescue of missing persons and the reconstruction of the disaster-stricken areas."

The natural disaster struck around 4 PM on New Year's Day ... and as of Friday morning, hundreds of people still remain missing in the rubble.

Ohtani is clearly hurting for those who are struggling to survive ... as are the Dodgers, who said in a statement Thursday, "Our thoughts are with all of Japan in wake of this tragedy."

If you're a baseball fan with a quarter of a million dollars lyin' around -- you're in luck ... 'cause an ultra-rare bat that Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente once used and signed is about to go on sale!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... the Hillerich & Bradsby signature model U1 bat that Clemente swung during the 1971 season is hitting Heritage Auctions in February -- and it's awesome.

The 36-inch, 35.5-ounce relic has been photo-matched ... and it's also been autographed by Clemente himself.

The inscription -- which Clemente made out to famed memorabilia collector Carey Diab -- reads, "To my friend Carey, Best Wishes Always, Roberto Clemente." It also has the No. 21 written on the knob.

Experts at Heritage Auctions expect it to go for $250K when it ultimately sells ... explaining, "It is one of a tiny handful of known photo-matched Clemente gamers."

Clemente was the first Caribbean and Latin-American MLB player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame after playing 18 seasons in the pros. In his career, he logged 3,000 hits and 240 home runs.

He also won two World Series with the Pittsburgh Pirates and became a 15-time All-Star, a four-time NL batting champ, and an NL MVP. Clemente also won 12 Gold Gloves.

Mookie Betts is on the move, but he ain't leaving the Dodgers ... TMZ Sports has learned he's now got a giant new house to live in!!

Real estate sources tell us ... the MLB superstar just copped a $15 million pad this month in Encino -- just a few miles away from Dodger Stadium.

We're told the place is sweet ... featuring super sleek and modern lines.

Unclear of how many beds, baths and bells and whistles it all officially comes with -- though it sits on 2 acres ... so there's plenty of room for Mookie to work on his base-running skills if he wants.

Of course, Mookie's been living in L.A. for a while now -- he was traded to the City of Angels prior to the 2020 season -- though after having his second child earlier this year ... seems he was in need of an upgrade.

We're told Craig Knizek and Scott Gorelick of The Agency repped the seller ... while Morgan Trent of AKG | Christie's International Real Estate repped the baseball player in the sale.

Mookie Betts está en movimiento, pero no está dejando a los Dodgers ... ¡¡¡TMZ Sports ha indagado que tiene una nueva casa gigante para vivir!!

Fuentes de bienes raíces nos dicen que la superestrella de la MLB acaba de comprar un palacio de $15 millones este mes en Encino, a pocos kilómetros de distancia del Estadio de los Dodgers.

Nos dicen que el lugar es dulce, con líneas super elegantes y modernas.

No está claro cuántas camas, baños, campanas y silbatos tiene, pero cuenta con 2 acres, así que hay un montón de espacio para que Mookie trabaje en sus habilidades de base-running si quiere.

Por supuesto, Mookie ha estado viviendo en Los Ángeles desde hace un tiempo. Fue traspasado a la Ciudad de los Ángeles antes de la temporada 2020, aunque después de tener a su segundo hijo a principios de este año parece que necesitaba una actualización.

Nos dicen que Craig Knizek de The Agency representó al vendedor, mientras que Morgan Trent de AKG | Christie's International Real Estate representó al jugador de béisbol en la venta.

Shohei Ohtani has only been a Dodger for about a week, but he's already getting the superstar treatment in L.A. ... with brand-new murals popping up all over the city!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... famous street artist Jonas Never -- who has done work featuring LeBron James and Anthony Bourdain in the past -- decided to welcome Ohtani to the Dodgers by whipping together a new piece near downtown L.A.

JN used the Prociety shop as his canvas ... and we're told the whole thing took a day and a half to complete.

Of course, Ohtani is no stranger to the area -- after all, he spent the first six years of his MLB career with the Angels.

Jonas also had help from fellow artist Droyce on the project ... and we gotta say, it came out great!!

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 Ohtani to 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.