World Series

J.J. Watt didn't let a little thing like a broken leg keep him from throwing out the first pitch in a HUGE Game 3 of the World Series in Houston ... and obviously -- the crowd loved it!!!

Watt's a hometown hero for raising more than $37 MILLION for Hurricane Harvey relief ... so you gotta think the fans will give him a pass for the pitch to Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel being juuuuuuust a bit outside.

J.J.'s season with the Texans is over after having a season-ending surgery a few weeks ago ... but clearly he can still have an impact on the baseball field.

Here's Peyton Manning sliding in the pocket, audible-ing his protection, and keeping the ultimate cool all while being besieged by an unrelenting bull rush ... of World Series fans at Dodger Stadium!

The retired NFL quarterback was chillin' at Game 2 with Houston Astros owner Jim Crane, but it was when he was leaving the stadium that he displayed all the poise that made him one of the greats.

The video is actually quite amazing, Manning signs autographs, takes selfies, moves the group forward, and directs his driver to get in the car (to get him the hell out of there) like he's conducting an orchestra.

G.O.A.T.

Tommy Lasorda bleeds Dodger blue -- and that blood was boiling after Game 2 ... telling TMZ Sports, "That's one loss we shouldn't have had!"

After the Dodgers blew a 3-1 lead late in the game, critics were wondering if Dodgers manager Dave Roberts screwed up by pulling starting pitcher Rich Hill too early.

We asked Lasorda what he thought -- and he deflected -- but it's clear he was unhappy his team took the L.

Vin Scully has respectfully rejected Joe Buck -- telling TMZ Sports he won't accept Joe's offer to return to the broadcast booth for one last inning ... and it's breaking our hearts!

After Vin threw out the first pitch of Game 2 at Dodger Stadium, Buck -- who was calling the game for FOX -- said he would personally hand deliver the mic to Vin if he would consider coming back ... if only for an inning.

After the game, Vin told us it wasn't gonna happen ... saying, "No, I'm done."

As Buck pointed out, Vin spent 67 years with the Dodgers -- and he's as close to royalty as you can get in L.A.

Celebs flocked to watch the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series for the first time in 29 years Tuesday night, and it's more of the same Wednesday ... along with a big Astros fan.

Tiger Woods followed in the footsteps of celebs in attendance for Game 1 to root on the Dodgers in Game 2, while Kate Upton's there to cheer for her fiance -- Houston pitcher Justin Verlander. Peyton Manning's also in the crowd with the Astros owner.

Before the game, Brad Paisley sang the National Anthem, and Dodgers fans were treated with something fantastic -- an appearance by legendary announcer Vin Scully.

The beloved Dodgers play-by-play man returned to the ballpark for the opening pitch, but instead of throwing it out himself, he did what he does best ... grabbed a mic and called up another Dodgers legend -- Fernando Valenzuela -- to do it for him.

It was awesome.

Yasiel Puig is showing his true colors -- DODGER BLUE, BABY!!

The Dodgers stud broke out the hair dye and did a little colorwork on his fro-hawk before taking the field against the Houston Astros for Game 1 of the World Series.

It was definitely a process ... Puig first bleached his hair blonde before turning things blue. We think it turned out pretty good!

Now, Puig and the Dodgers have gotta deliver on the field ... or else he'll have a different case of the blues.

Larry King has made MILLIONS over the years -- but he's drawing a hard line when it comes to how much he'll shell out for World Series tickets.

Don't get it twisted, King -- a HUGE Dodgers fan -- will be sitting in his usual home plate seats for Game 1 on Tuesday. But with tix in his section running at least $6,000 each, he's sending his kids to the nosebleed section.

"My sons who usually sit behind home plate, they're gonna be up in upper left field," King told us Monday night on his way out of Craig's.

The Los Angeles Dodgers will all be upright Tuesday when the National Anthem is sung before game 1 of the World Series ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Sources familiar with the situation tell us, none of the players will take a knee, which is consistent with the entire season ... not a single member of the team has taken a knee. In fact, aside from one Oakland player, there has been no such protest on any team for the entire season.

Our sources say it's such a "nonissue" for the Dodgers ... management hasn't even spoken to the players about it.

The Dodgers might have an even BIGGER advantage in the World Series -- because 'Walking Dead' star Jeffrey Dean Morgan says he's willing to loan his beloved barbed wire bat to Kiké Hernandez.

JDM -- whose character, Negan, has been using his bat, Lucille, to smash heads on the show since 2016 -- was at LAX when we started talkin' baseball.

First off, this dude is the coolest ... taking pics and signing for everyone who recognized him.

But when it came to the legendary bat -- Morgan says there's one guy in New York he REALLY wants to give it to ... if the Astros hadn't spoiled the party.

#MaybeNextYear

The Astros have touched down in L.A. -- and the pitchers are already hitting the hot spots!

Justin Verlander and Dallas Keuchel -- along with relief pitcher Tyler Clippard hit up Delilah in West Hollywood on Sunday evening ... one of the hottest joints in town (Bieber was there last month).

Don't worry ... nothing crazy happened. They all appeared sober and left before midnight.

Justin said the guys were gonna try and win the World Series for the city of Houston. Keuchel said the guys feel pretty good about their chances.

The Dodgers keep winning -- first the NL pennant, and now Stevie Wonder tells TMZ Sports he's willing to pick up his harmonica and perform the national anthem at the World Series!!!

Of course, there's some backstory here ... Wonder famously took a knee (and then a 2nd knee) during the height of the NFL national anthem demonstrations earlier this year.

Which begs a few questions ... would the Dodgers be cool with Stevie? Would Stevie use the massive platform to demonstrate again? Who are they gonna get bigger than Stevie Wonder?!

Stay tuned ...

It would be awesome if it happened ... but the Dodgers tell TMZ Sports ... Vin Scully will NOT be firing up his legendary microphone for a World Series cameo.

The greatest Dodgers broadcaster of all time retired last year -- but many are holding out hope he will come back to work to call an inning or two now that the Blue Crew is playing in the WS.

But unfortunately, it ain't gonna happen.

We spoke with Dodgers exec. Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Lon Rosen who tells us, "Neither Vin Scully nor Sandy Koufax will be returning to action for the World Series. They will be enjoying the Dodgers like all the rest of our great fans."

Scully watched the Dodgers clinch the NLCS from the couch with his wife and daughter -- and they were so excited, they tweeted out a celebratory pic!

Early Friday morning, Vin emailed with L.A. Daily News reporter Tom Hoffarth about the possibility of a World Series broadcast booth cameo and said, "I honestly don’t feel I belong there and I would not want anyone to think I was eager for a spotlight."

We reached out to Vin's daughter Cat who tells us Vin's "really enthused" about the Dodgers making the World Series and is considering going to at least 1 game ... but as of now, there's "nothing percolating" about a comeback.

After smashing 3 home runs and clinching the National League pennant -- Dodgers hero Kiké Hernandez had a message for his team ... WE AIN'T DONE YET!!

Hernandez gave the victory speech in the locker room after the Dodgers punched their ticket to the World Series on Thursday night ... and it was awesome.

"First of all great job," Kiké said ... "I don't remember the last time the Dodgers got to the World Series 'cause I wasn't even born yet!"

Then this -- "We got 4 f**king games to go!"

Congrats!

David Ortiz says he's got a great idea which teams are gonna end up in the World Series ... and in true Red Sox fashion, he's showing no love for the Bronx Bombers.

TMZ Sports spoke with the Boston legend and current FS1 analyst at Mastro's in Beverly Hills about his fall classic picks ... and Big Papi has no faith in the Yanks to bounce back from being down 0-2.

Kansas City Royals ace pitcher Yordano Ventura was killed Sunday in a car crash in his native Dominican Republic ... the same day former MLB player Andy Marte also died in a separate crash in the same country.

Ventura was known for his electric fastball, but also for his short temper. He was suspended for 9 games last season for throwing a ball at an Orioles 3rd basemen.

His nickname was Ace Ventura, and he was on the team when the Royals won the World Series in 2015. Ventura finished 6th in the Rookie of the Year vote in 2014.

At his last game, Ventura wore a hat honoring the late and fellow pitcher Jose Fernandez. The hat also paid tribute to the late St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras, who also died in a car crash in the Dominican Republic a few years ago.

The Royals confirmed Ventura's death Sunday, saying "Our prayers right now are with Yordano's family as we mourn this young man's passing."

As for Marte ... he was a third basemen in the MLB for 14 years, having played with the Braves, Red Sox, Indians, and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ventura started in Marte's last professional game with the D-backs in 2014.

Ventura was 25 years old, Marte was 33.

President Obama seems to have a White House rule -- no special shout-outs to athletes accused of domestic violence ... because Aroldis Chapman got no love at the White House today.

Chapman was with the Chicago Cubs as part of their World Series trip to 1600 Pennsylvania ... and stood directly behind POTUS as Obama cracked jokes about the team.

But as Obama broke down the final outs in Game 7 ... which Chapman pitched in ... B.O. never mentioned Aroldis by name.

Remember, Obama gave the exact same treatment to Hope Solo when the Team USA women's soccer team hit the White House in 2015 after winning the World Cup.

What do they have in common? Pretty disturbing domestic violence allegations.

Aroldis was accused of attacking his girlfriend and though he was never convicted of a crime, he did admit poking her and firing off his gun in anger.

Solo is accused of beating up her sister's son ... and that case is still in the court system.

Obama did crack jokes about other players ... typical dad humor stuff.

We'll see if Trump continues the tradition when he takes office.