A look at what’s happening around the majors today:
NATIONAL DECLINE
The Nationals could use a spark before the July 4 fireworks go off in D.C. Washington is at risk of falling below .500 for the first time since May 2 as it continues a series against Boston at 11 a.m. EDT. The Red Sox thumped the Nationals 11-4 on Tuesday Tre'Quan Smith Color Rush Jersey , giving Washington its fourth straight loss and 16th in 21 games to fall to 42-42. That slide has the preseason NL East favorites chasing the Braves and Phillies in the division. Erick Fedde (1-3, 6.00) tries to stop Washington’s skid against Boston left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (9-3, 4.11).
THE SHO GOES ON
Shohei Ohtani is back from the disabled list, albeit without full use of his electric right arm. The Japanese two-way sensation has been cleared to hit and was in the Angels’ lineup as a designated hitter Tuesday night, but he won’t be pitching anytime soon due to a Grade 2 sprain of his ulnar collateral ligament suffered more than three weeks ago. Ohtani has received stem cell therapy and a platelet-rich plasma injection on his right elbow. The Angels say they’ll re-evaluate Ohtani for pitching in three weeks.
ROTATION RESET
Gerrit Cole (9-2) will pitch on regular rest for the Astros after a slight tweak to their rotation. Lance McCullers Jr. was initially scheduled to start at Texas JK Scott Color Rush Jersey , but Cole will pitch instead. Justin Verlander (9-4) will follow Thursday at home against the White Sox and McCullers goes Friday. Manager A.J. Hinch said the switch keeps Cole and Verlander pitching every fifth day, and provides extra rest for McCullers (9-3) and Charlie Morton (10-2). The reset rotation means likely All-Star selection Verlander is scheduled for the final game before the break. ”This is always going to be the priority,” said Hinch, the All-Star manager who then won’t have Verlander available to pitch for the AL team on July 17 in Washington D.C.
BAUER POWER
Trevor Bauer tries to carry over an outstanding June when the Indians play at Kansas City. Bauer (7-6, 2.45) was 3-3 with a 2.18 ERA last month http://www.buccaneersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-m.j.-stewart-jersey , striking out 62 batters in 41 1/3 innings. He gets probably his easiest test of the year against the Royals, who scored a major league-low 58 runs in June – the second-lowest output was Tampa Bay at 87.
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The wife of Ottawa Senators captain Erik Karlsson has filed an order of protection against the girlfriend of one of Karlsson’s teammates, alleging harassment and cyberbullying.
In an application for a peace bond filed May 4 in an Ottawa court, Melinda Karlsson alleges that Monika Caryk posted hundreds of derogatory online messages aimed at her and her husband. Caryk is the longtime partner of Senators forward Mike Hoffman.
”Monika Caryk has uttered numerous statements wishing my unborn child dead,” Karlsson said in the sworn statement. The Karlssons’ first child Terrell Edmunds Color Rush Jersey , a son named Axel, was stillborn in March.
The Ottawa Citizen was first to report on the allegations.
Karlsson also claimed that Caryk ”uttered that she wished I was dead and that someone should `take out’ my husband’s legs to `end his career.’
”Monika Caryk has posted over 1,000 negative and derogatory statements about me as a professional.”
The Senators said in a statement Tuesday that the NHL club is ”investigating this matter in co-operation with the NHL and will take whatever steps are necessary to protect the safety and privacy of our players and their families.”
Hoffman denied the allegations in a statement to the Citizen.
According to Canada’s Department of Justice website, a peace bond is a protection order that requires a person to keep the peace and be on good behavior, and is used when that person appears likely to commit a criminal offense http://www.ravensauthorizedshops.com/authentic-robert-griffin-iii-jersey , but there are no reasonable grounds to believe that an offense has actually been committed.
The Karlssons were the target of cyberbullying in March. An ugly online comment was posted on Erik Karlsson’s Instagram account after the defenseman made a post acknowledging the support he and Melinda received following their son’s death.
Karlsson was drafted 15th overall by the Senators in 2008 and has blossomed into an elite NHL defenseman, while Hoffman is one of the team’s top forwards with four straight seasons of more than 20 goals.
The allegations are the latest controversy in what has been a rough few weeks for the Senators. Assistant general manager Randy Lee has been charged with harassing a hotel shuttle driver in Buffalo during the NHL’s pre-draft scouting combine two weeks ago. He was initially scheduled to appear in court on June 22, the day the league holds the first round of its two-day draft in Dallas, but the court date is now July 6.
And late last month, former captain Daniel Alfredsson told Ottawa blogger Sue Sherring that he hoped the Senators get a new owner in place of Eugene Melnyk.
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