TMZ Sports - Page 50

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.

Chris Paul went absolutely nutty yesterday ... breaking an NBA Playoff record while leading the Phoenix Suns to victory over Curren$y's New Orleans Pelicans, but Spitta Andretti is taking it in stride.

The NOLA rap legend was courtside Thursday night in his hometown to witness CP3 shoot a perfect 33-point game. Following the 115-109 victory, Chris still had enough energy to talk smack to Spitta and his manager Mousa in a viral moment on the sidelines.

The footage is hilarious … CP3 was still in go mode as Curren$y eventually playfully pushed him off.

Curren$y tells TMZ Hip Hop of the heartfelt moment "Chris was just talking s***," as they've been pals for a long time. Remember, CP3 started his future Hall of Fame career with the then-New Orleans Hornets.

Despite the loss, Curren$y says the playoff experience unified the city -- "The Pelicans put it all on the court for us and we filled the arena for them," Spitta continued. I feel like this turnaround season is definitely gonna be a booster shot to the season ticket sales."

Spitta's having a personal come-up in 2022, having dropped off 2 projects this year alone ("Land Air Sea" Chopped + Slopped reissue w/ Cash Fargo and "Continuance" w/ Grammy-Nominated producer The Alchemist) -- and recently blazed his way through a heralded Tiny Desk Concert ... dropped, appropriately, on 4/20.

Tennis legend Boris Becker was just sentenced to 2.5 years in prison after being convicted last month on charges he moved a large sum of money after declaring bankruptcy ... in an effort to hide the funds.

As we previously reported, 54-year-old Becker -- a 6-time Grand Slam winner -- was convicted by a jury earlier this month on multiple charges under the Insolvency Act in Britain ... including charges he concealed assets and debts.

Becker was also found guilty of transferring hundreds of thousands of dollars (well, pounds) from his business account to other accounts after declaring bankruptcy in 2017.

The judge who handed down the sentence said the former #1 ranked tennis player will have to serve half of his sentence, according to CNN.

And, it could've been much worse for Becker ... who was facing up to 7 years behind bars after his conviction.

The judge didn't spare the 3-time Wimbledon champ from taking a verbal beating during sentencing ...  the judge ripped into Boris as a remorseless criminal.

"I take into account what has been described as your fall from grace. You have lost your career and reputation and all of your property as a result of your bankruptcy," the judge said, according to the Press Association.

"You have not shown remorse, acceptance of your guilt and have sought to distance yourself from your offending and your bankruptcy."

The judge continued ... "While I accept your humiliation as part of the proceedings, there has been no humility."

As for Becker ... he seemed somewhat remorseful at times, even saying during his trial that he was embarrassed over the bankruptcy scandal, and even offered to part ways with his wedding ring to help satisfy his debts.

Danica Patrick had her breast implants removed this week ... saying on Friday she believed they were causing her health to deteriorate rapidly.

The former racecar driver opened up about the surgery on her social media page ... explaining that after getting the fake boobs in 2014, she took them out on Wednesday.

Danica said they were causing her "Breast Implant Illness" -- believing the silicone was slowly poisoning her.

Danica did say she was happy with them over the first few years after having them put in ... but in 2018, she started to notice changes in her health. Weight gain, hair loss, dizziness and more affected her, she said.

Then, in 2020, Danica said "the wheels came off."

"I had cycle irregularity, gained more weight, my hair wasn’t looking healthy at all and my face was a different shape (weird I know)," she wrote in her social media post. "So I went down the rabbit hole to figure it out. I did every test that could be done."

Eventually, Danica said she did her homework, and discovered the implants were likely her problem.

Immediately following surgery, Danica said she was feeling better -- posting a side-by-side photo to prove the procedure had helped.

"The picture is a snap shot of a couple hours before and a couple hours after," the 40-year-old said. "Within hours after surgery this is what I noticed - my face had more color and less dark circles (no food before the second pic), my face started producing oil again, I could take a 30% deeper breath into my chest already, and I had so much energy when I woke up."

Danica said she's hopeful her story helps impact others who might be going through a similar experience.

"My belief is, it's not if but when you develop symptoms," Patrick said of people who get the implant procedure done. "Some are right away, others are over 15 years later. Silicone is a foreign object and leaches chemicals."

F1 superstar Daniel Ricciardo brought his signature "shoey' celebration to "The Daily Show" on Thursday ... chugging champagne out of a shoe with Trevor Noah!!

The McLaren driver -- who commemorates every podium finish by downing bubbly out of his sweaty ass boot -- reenacted the iconic Australian tradition on the desk alongside the host ... and it was hilarious!!

Initially, there were two mugs sitting on the desk ... but Noah quickly swapped them out for shoes and brought out a bottle of champagne to make Ricciardo feel more "comfortable."

But, the shoes weren't just props -- the guys ended up chugging the booze!!

Of course, the shoey has become quite popular in recent years -- Post Malone has done it in the past, and UFC boss Dana White even did one with heavyweight Tai Tuivasa, too!!

Even though Lamar Jackson seemed shocked the Ravens traded Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, the receiver says it's all cap -- claiming the QB knew about it.

The Ravens made the swap with the Cardinals during the 2022 NFL Draft on Thursday night ... exchanging the 24-year-old wideout and a 3rd-rounder for the 23rd overall pick.

The deal came off as a surprise for NFL fans and players -- including Jackson, who wrote in a tweet, "Wtf."

He also retweeted a fan's comment that said, "WHAT THE F***ING F*** BRO! WE TRADED AWAY HOLLYWOOD 💔💔💔💔💔"

But, Brown says the former NFL MVP knew he wanted out ... saying on the "I Am Athlete Tonight" SiriusXM radio show that he talked to Jackson several times about leaving the Ravens.

"Nah, he wasn't surprised," Brown said. "I talked to Lamar about it after my second year. Then, after my third year leading up to the end of the season, you know, he wasn't playing. I let him know again like, 'Yeah bro, I can't do it.'"

Brown insists his request to leave Baltimore had nothing to do with Jackson, but more about the Ravens' offense in general.

"I love Lamar," Brown said, "The system wasn't for me, personally. I love all my teammates. I love the guys, but it was something I had to think about for myself."

The relationship between Brown and the Ravens ended on good terms, according to the receiver ... who said, "We both handled it the right way."

"I didn't go out and make anything public. I just kept it in house, kept working and it all worked out."

Brown was the first receiver selected in the 2019 NFL Draft and caught 2,361 yards and 21 touchdowns during his three seasons with the Ravens.

Now, he will reunite with his former Oklahoma QB, Kyler Murray, in Arizona.

"Let's run it back!" Murray said after the trade. "Hollywood to the desert … Y'all welcome my boy!"

No need to read NFL draft grades or Round 1 recaps anymore ... Jameson Williams says the Detroit Lions are the clear winners of the event!!

TMZ Sports got the former Alabama superstar in Las Vegas just hours after the Lions took him with the 12th overall pick ... and he told us he believes Detroit won the draft by selecting him and Aidan Hutchinson in the first round on Thursday.

"I think so!" Williams said.

The Hutchinson pick at #2 overall was a no-brainer -- most had the Michigan defensive end as the best player in the pool -- but the Lions had to do some serious maneuvering to draft the speedy Williams.

Detroit dealt picks to Minnesota to move all the way up to 12 ... nabbing the wideout before the Philadelphia Eagles could.

And, Williams clearly believes the moves cemented the Lions as the day's biggest winners.

As for his future in Detroit, Jameson tells us he hasn't spoken with Jared Goff yet ... but says he's feeling good about playing for the Lions and connecting with the QB on some deep-ball magic in the future.

It was a great night to be a "Drake" on Thursday ... 'cause Drake London got picked in the top 10 of the NFL Draft -- and Drake the rapper made a boatload of cash because of it!!!

Here's the deal ... a few months before Roger Goodell officially put the Jacksonville Jaguars on the clock in Las Vegas -- Drake decided to bet some cash on USC wideout and top prospect Drake London.

The "Toosie Slide" rapper threw down $100K -- saying "Drake betting on Drake just feels right" -- believing London would be the first wide receiver off the board. It was a bold bet, considering most had Garrett Wilson as the favorite for that honor.

Turns out, though, London was the top wideout picked -- going #8 overall to the Atlanta Falcons -- and according to Drake's betting slip, that earned him $225k!

London knew about Drake's bet ahead of the draft ... and told the Falcons' official team website that he and his buddies actually got a kick out of it before the event began.

"My friends were hitting my phone saying Champagne Papi bet on me," London said. "So, I thought that was funny."

Of course, placing -- and winning -- big bets is nothing new for Drake ... in fact, the 35-year-old recently got a huge payday for winning at an online roulette table.

But, he doesn't win 'em all ... remember, he famously lost $275k when he thought Jorge Masvidal would beat Colby Covington at UFC 272.

As for London, all bets side, he said he was thrilled to be picked by the Falcons on Thursday.

"I cannot wait to go out there and put on that jersey and just be a Dirty Bird at the end of the day."

Sean McVay couldn't help but chuckle after the New England Patriots drafted Cole Strange with the 29th overall pick ... admitting he thought the Chattanooga center would be available MUCH later in the draft!!

The L.A. Rams coach and GM, Les Snead, chopped it up with reporters after Thursday's first round ... and the two were in really great spirits as they answered questions.

The duo cracked jokes for 5 straight minutes -- after all, with zero picks until the third round, they didn't have too much to worry about.

But, the funniest part of the media sesh came when McVay and Snead found out about the Pats drafting Strange late in the first round ... which came as a shock to them both.

"Wow, Strange just went!" McVay said. "How 'bout that?! And, we wasted our time watching him, thinking he'd be at 104, baby."

Here's the thing -- some people are taking the reaction as shade at Bill Belichick and the Pats, with the interpretation being McVay thinks they reached for the center.

But, as Snead points out, Strange is an incredible talent ... and one of the quickest linemen in the draft.

So, chances are, the guys were laughing at how off they were on the possibility of landing prospect ... but either way, the reaction is hilarious.

Cops say Jacksonville Jaguars top pick Travon Walker "lost control" of his ride before he hit two parked cars in a pre-NFL Draft crash ... but they also noted he was wearing a seatbelt and suffered no apparent injuries.

TMZ Sports has obtained the crash report from the April 16 incident in Athens, GA ... and it shows that despite apparently running his 2021 Dodge Durango into two vehicles, he escaped without issue.

In the docs, officials say Walker was driving at around 11 PM "when he lost control of the vehicle and hit 2 parked cars." They noted the posted speed limit in the area was 35 MPH.

The officials in the docs say Walker was "not drinking" -- and was properly wearing a seatbelt. They also said he was not tested for drugs or booze at the scene ... and was uninjured.

Officials released a diagram of the wreck, showing the front of Walker's SUV hit the fronts of the two parked rides in the wreck.

Cops said Walker's car was towed after it suffered "disabling damage."

The 21-year-old spoke about the crash after he was taken with the #1 overall pick ... and he explained to a reporter that it was truly no big deal.

"Just a little fender bender," Walker said. "Nothing crazy. No one was hurt."

Rob Gronkowski tells TMZ Sports he's no closer to making a decision on his football future ... but he did admit he's "staying in shape a little bit" just in case.

Tom Brady's all-time favorite target broke it down with Mojo and Babcock on the TMZ Sports show this week -- just days before he's set to throw his "Gronk Beach" bash in Las Vegas.

The tight end says, for now, he's still relaxing and enjoying his offseason -- and is completely up in the air about his gridiron future.

Gronk, though, did say he hasn't completely let himself go -- leaving the door open for a reunion with Brady in Tampa Bay in 2022.

"We'll see," Gronk said. "I'm staying in shape a little bit. So, we'll see if I don't get too out of shape either. That won't be good for me."

Gronkowski joked this weekend could be the one that ultimately kickstarts his prep for an NFL comeback ... saying he might catch some footballs at his Vegas party and get the itch to play again.

Gronk added that he's sure the fiesta will be a workout of its own, too.

"Gronk Beach may be the party that gets me back to football," Rob said with a smile. "Someone's going to throw me a pass on stage, I'll probably catch it, and be like, 'Man, I miss football.'"

Party goes down at Encore Beach Club on Friday ... could a decision follow soon after???

It's official ... with the #1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars have selected Travon Walker!!!

Roger Goodell just announced the selection on a stage built near the strip in Las Vegas ... officially making the Georgia defensive end the newest Jag.

Of course, the pick is not a total surprise ... most experts' mock drafts in recent weeks have had Walker projected to go #1 overall.

The selection of Walker marks the second time in two years that the Jaguars have picked at the top of the draft -- remember, Jacksonville took Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence #1 in 2021.

Walker, meanwhile, is expected to be getting after quarterbacks right away in Duval. The guy was a star for the Bulldogs in his three seasons in Athens, recording 61 total tackles, 9.5 sacks, 1 interception and 1 forced fumble in his career.

He also helped UGA beat Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide in January's National Championship ... registering three total tackles and one sack in the game.

Doug Pederson and Jaguars fans everywhere are certainly hoping that kind of production continues in Florida in 2022.

Florida high school football legend Sam Bruce -- who played briefly for the Miami Hurricanes -- has tragically died at 24 years old ... his former H.S. announced on Thursday.

In a post on the St. Thomas Aquinas football team's Facebook page, officials wrote, "R.I.P. Sam Bruce ! We Will Miss You and We Love You !"

Bruce's former 7-on-7 team, the South Florida Express, also confirmed the tragedy on Thursday ... writing in a tweet, "We are saddened to hear about the loss of one of the greatest players to ever come through SFE."

"Your infectious energy, and the ability to make anybody laugh will forever live in our hearts. We spoke with Sam's family, they just ask you to pray for their family during this time."

Further details surrounding Bruce's death have not yet been revealed.

Bruce was a superstar on the gridiron for Florida powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas ... lighting up fields so often, he got the nickname, "The Samborghini."

Bruce eventually earned a four-star rating and received dozens of scholarship offers ... before he eventually signed with the Miami Hurricanes in 2016.

Bruce did not play in a game for the 'Canes, however, as he was dismissed for violations of team rules just months into his freshman season.

Bruce went on to attend Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C. and Southeastern University ... and later played for the Indoor Football League. He said in 2021 that he had been involved in the making of the Kurt Warner biopic, "American Underdog."

Bruce's former teammates and others in the football world have been mourning his death on social media Thursday ... with Chad Johnson even posting a heartbroken emoji on his Twitter page.

WOWWW!!!

WWE Superstar Bobby Lashley fell over the ring and landed on his head after the rope collapsed during his match with Drew McIntyre ... and the video is insane.

The frightening moment went down during WWE's Thursday night live event in England ... when Bobby and Drew were going at it in the middle of the ring -- and then disaster struck.

McIntyre reversed a power slam that Bobby was attempting ... then pushed Lashley into the ropes as a part of his counter move.

Lashley then bounced off the ropes and tried to clothesline Drew, but the savvy veteran avoided it ... sending Lashley flying to the other side of the ring, where he fell over the rope.

As the momentum of Bobby's weight hits the top rope, it suddenly collapsed ... sending the 273-pound athlete flying.

At one point, Lashley's body appeared to fold up as if he was an accordion ... with the former WWE champ presumably landing on his head and neck.

No doubt a scary sight for McIntyre, who was in disbelief at what happened ... as was much of the WWE universe in attendance at the show.

Of course, this isn't the first time we've seen a wrestler take a bad fall in his match. Big E -- whose real name is Ettore Owen -- suffered a broken neck after Ridge Holland botched a belly-to-belly suplex on him outside the ring.

Fortunately for E, his recovery is going well ... and the big guy is in good spirits.

The NFL Draft is here -- and since the big event is in Vegas this year, the draftees had to make sure their fashion game was on point ... and they certainly didn't disappoint!!

Aside from the picks and wild moves, the most talked about part of the night is always the swaggy 'fits these future superstars decide to wear when their names are called ... and lucky for you, we got the best looks all in one place.

Getting things started off is Cincinnati DB Ahmad Gardner who lived up to his nickname by rockin' a baby blue suit, white shirt and some bling that says "SAUCE" in all caps.

Utah Utes linebacker, Devin Lloyd, is photoshoot fresh with a black shirt and custom burgundy suit -- which appears to have different pictures of his career and personal highlights.

21-year-old Kayvon Thibodeaux hit the red carpet to chat with Hall of Famer Michael Irvin and Melissa Stark ... wearing a Dolce & Gabbana suit and shoes from Italy.

Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams is wearing a red suit with a white shirt ... and as for the feets, he's sportin' some red and white Louis Vuitton trainers.

FYI, on the G.O.A.T. app, the kicks Williams has on his feet cost about $5K.

Jermaine Johnson II, a defensive end for Florida State, pulled up to draft donning a smooth gold and black blazer with black pants and black loafers.

Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal has his hometown of Okeechobee in Florida literally woth him for his big moment ... with the city's name designed on the inside of his blazer.

USC star wideout Drake London has a flashy chain with his initials "DL" on it ... as he's wearing a burgundy suit with a white shirt and handkerchief

Maybe LeBron James is cool with the Lakers missing the playoffs after all -- the King just took his closest friends on a jaw-dropping getaway to the Maldives ... and the vacation looked insane.

Okay, let's be real -- the 4-time champ definitely wishes he was making another run at an NBA title right now ... but hitting up a private island instead definitely doesn't suck.

Bron posted a ton of footage from the trip ... which included bike rides, soaking in the beach waters, riding on boats and enjoying all the food and drink the group could handle.

The group included James' wife, Savannah, longtime trusted friend Ernie Ramos and his wife, Klutch Sports COO Fara Leff, DJ Bamboozle and more.

It was a trip that most people can only dream of ... and we're assuming the whole thing cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.