Baseball

A jet from the Chicago Air & Water Show took a little detour from its route to fly over Wrigley Field on Friday ... scaring the crap outta Cubs players -- and interrupting Hayden Christensen's "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" rendition too!

The wild moment went down during the seventh inning of Chicago's tilt with the Pirates, just as Christensen and his daughter were gearing up to serenade the stadium.

They began singing into mics ... but when the plane caused its ruckus, it stopped them in their tracks!

A night at the ballpark turned violent Wednesday at Angel Stadium ... when a Los Angeles Angels fan was punched and kicked in the head during an altercation in the stands -- and TMZ Sports has learned arrests have been made.

The ugly incident was caught on camera.

The video shows a man in a Mike Trout jersey getting sucker punched by another guy rocking a black shirt. After falling back in his chair, a second man comes up and kicks the Angels fan directly in the head.

Shohei Ohtani and his agent, Nez Balelo, have been sued ... after they allegedly screwed over some real estate business moguls in Hawaii -- costing them a fortune.

The lawsuit was filed in Hawaii Circuit Court last week ... and in it, the case's plaintiffs, Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and Tomoko Matsumoto, claim Ohtani and Balelo sabotaged a $240 million real estate venture they had all entered into.

According to the suit -- which TMZ Sports obtained on Tuesday -- Hayes Sr., a developer, and Matsumoto, a real estate broker, had gotten involved in a luxury housing project on the Big Island ... and brought Ohtani in to help promote it.

Bryce Harper in Banana Ball??? If Party Animals star Tanner Thomas had things his way, that'd be a reality sometime in the near future!

TMZ Sports caught up with the former Virginia Tech outfielder while he was working a ceremonial shift at a Raising Cane's ... and he made it clear, out of all the Big Leaguers he could choose from, he'd want Harper on his squad the most.

"Just a Party Animal," Thomas said of the Phillies first baseman. "He just seems like he's got the mullet, the facial hair, hits bombs. That's definitely a Party Animal."

Jeffrey Louis Starr -- a former child actor -- has died ... TMZ has confirmed with multiple family members.

Starr passed away last month ... with a family source telling us he took his last breath in a hospital in Carbondale, Illinois surrounded by loved ones. We're told he dealing with an illness before he died.

Jeffrey's brother, Kevin, and sister-in-law, Michele, posted on social media after he passed ... remembering Jeffrey as someone who gave great hugs, had a big heart and seemed to make and have friends at just about every place he walked into.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto's home was the target of a burglary attempt on Wednesday morning, TMZ Sports has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... at around 5 AM, three people were seen on surveillance video at the Dodgers star's Los Angeles-area home shattering a glass door and several windows.

Fortunately for the Cy Young candidate, we're told the thieves did not gain access to the place ... scattering once 911 was called by private security.

Frightening scene at the Blue Jays vs. Orioles game on Monday ... when Toronto outfielder George Springer was forced to exit the contest after getting struck in the head by a 96 MPH fastball.

The moment happened in the top of the ninth inning ... when Baltimore right-hander Kade Strowd's 0-0 pitch found the left ear flap of the 12-year MLB veteran's helmet ... sending him to the ground in a heap.

Springer remained in the dirt for some time as trainers checked in on him and teammates and fans watched on. At one point, he raised his head and appeared to say, "wow."

Cleveland Guardians star closer Emmanuel Clase has been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave by Major League Baseball as part of the league's sports betting investigation.

The suspension means Clase is the second Guardians pitcher to get thrown into the probe ... joining Luis Ortiz, who was placed on the league's list on July 3.

In 2025, the 27-year-old has pitched to a 3.23 ERA in 47.1 innings ... securing 24 saves.

One lucky and very, very rich fan is set to walk away with baseball history ... as the home plate Barry Bonds stepped on after hitting his 756th career home run is up for auction -- and it's estimated to sell for $100,000!!

Bidding for the base -- along with a signed ball from the '07 game -- both come with letters of authenticity signed by the former San Francisco Giants slugger himself ... and the package is currently open for bidding via SCP Auctions.

"This is the actual home plate from the San Francisco Giants and Washington Nationals MLB game on August 7th, 2007, at AT&T Park, where I hit my 756th career home run in the contest, passing Hank Aaron for sole possession of first place on the all-time MLB home run leaderboard," Bonds' letter says.

1:57 PM PT -- Little League just released a statement on the ruling, saying, in part, "While we understand and support the excitement and competition of our tournament, player safety and proper sportsmanship among all participants and fans must remain a focus. We respect the determination and judgement of the umpire who was present and are disappointed that a legal ruling contradicts the integrity of Little League International’s value and rules."

The Little Leaguer who was suspended for his bat-flip celebration just had his ban overturned.

TMZ Sports has confirmed Gloucester County Chancery Judge Robert Malestein ruled in the youth baseball player's favor on Thursday ... just two days after the boy's father, Joseph Rocco, sued Little League to get his son's punishment thrown out.

Malestein said part of the basis for his decision centered on official Little League accounts previously celebrating bat flips.

Brian Grant -- a 2002 MLB draft pick -- was arrested this week in North Carolina ... after authorities say he murdered a locksmith.

According to the Oak Island Police Department, officers were dispatched to Grant's home on Wednesday over a report of gunfire ... and they discovered 61-year-old Randy Stewart dead from a gunshot wound.

An investigation led authorities to believe Grant was the shooter ... and the former pitcher was taken into custody and booked on a charge of second-degree murder.

7/24 -- 7:30 AM PT -- Milford Police confirmed to TMZ Sports that Eliezer Rosario Lebron, 19, was charged with assault and battery. He is a player on the East Springfield team.

A spectator, 17, was also charged with assault, disturbing the peace, and affray.

Two individuals involved in the violent brawl at a Massachusetts youth baseball game are expected to be charged for their actions, police confirmed to TMZ Sports.

The Milford Police Department relayed the update on Wednesday ... less than two days after the shocking fight between the crowd and players at the Milford Post 59 and East Springfield game at Fino Field.

The melee was caught on a MyMilfordTV livestream, showing a spectator who was heckling players run onto the field to throw hands with the East Springfield team.

A Cubs fan tumbled into a basket at Wrigley Field on Monday night in a hunt for a home run ball ... and the wild scene was all captured on video.

It happened in the second inning of Chicago's tilt with the Kansas City Royals ... after Jac Caglianone took a Ben Brown knucklecurve deep to left field.

The ball crash landed into a net at the top of the wall -- giving the star rookie a home run ... but in an effort to retrieve the keepsake, a man in a black tank top and Cubs headband fell head-first into the webbing.

Ketel Marte says around $400,000 worth of items were stolen from his home while he was playing in the MLB All-Star Game last week.

The Diamondbacks second baseman spoke with reporters on Sunday for the first time since his Arizona pad was ransacked by thieves ... and he explained it was "not good" to know he lost so much, but he relented there's not much he can do about it now.

"You just got to move on," he said through a translator.

Looks like the sports world is getting in on the viral Kiss Cam moment at the Coldplay concert this week ... 'cause several baseball teams recreated the stunning scene at their Friday night games!

Check out the hilarious video of the Philadelphia Phillies' mascots poking fun at the situation ... "Clocks" by Coldplay plays as the Kiss Cam locks in on the Phillie Phanatic cuddling up to a female Phanatic -- which looks just like him in a blonde wig.

When the Phanatic couple realizes they've been caught ... they quickly duck out of sight -- just like Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and HR Chief Kristin Cabot did at Wednesday's Coldplay show in Boston. But they weren't the only ones to jump in on the trend.

Alex Cora had himself an All-Star break he'll remember for the foreseeable future ... 'cause the Red Sox manager was in attendance for the Coldplay concert on Wednesday in Boston -- the same show where an alleged affair was put on display for the world to see!

Cora met with media members on Friday just ahead of his team's series opener against the Chicago Cubs, and he was asked how he enjoyed his past few off days.

He cracked a wry smile and said, "It was good," before he revealed, "I was actually in the Wednesday [Coldplay] concert."