Boston Red Sox

Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, a 2x World Series champion, has died at the age of 57 ... just days after former teammate Curt Schilling revealed the longtime starting pitcher was battling brain cancer.

The Boston Red Sox, Wakefield's team for all but two of his 19 MLB seasons (he spent his early days with the Pirates), announced the devastating news on social media.

"Our hearts are broken with the loss of Tim Wakefield," the BoSox wrote on X.

"Wake embodied true goodness; a devoted husband, father, and teammate, beloved broadcaster, and the ultimate community leader. He gave so much to the game and all of Red Sox Nation."

"Our deepest love and thoughts are with Stacy, Trevor, Brianna, and the Wakefield family."

On the mound, Wakefield could be nearly unhittable … thanks to his knuckleball. TW won 200 games and retired with a 4.41 ERA. Tim struck out over 2,100 batters and earned a trip to the All-Star Game in 2009.

He won two World Series in 2004 and 2007.

Wakefield retired in 2011 ... and was later inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame.

Of course, it wasn't publicly known that the former All-Star was sick until Schilling, on his podcast last week, revealed Tim was battling cancer and fighting for his life, seemingly against the Wakefield family's wishes.

Curt even acknowledged "I don't even know if he wants it shared," but explained he was Christian and remarked ... "I've seen prayer work and so I'm going to talk about it."

Schilling categorized the illness as "a very serious, very aggressive form of brain cancer."

Many were outraged by Schilling's actions ... Jason Varitek's wife, Catherine, blasted the World Series MVP-winning pitcher. The Red Sox also condemned Curt, saying, "Health is a deeply personal matter they intended to keep private as they navigate treatment and work to tackle this disease."

The MLB team added that the Wakefields were asking for "privacy at this time."

Sadly, just three days later, the legendary knuckleballer and father of two, passed away.

Many from the baseball community have begun reacting to the terrible news, with Tim's former teammate, Kevin Youkilis, summing Wakefield up perfectly.

"He was a great teammate and just a great friend."

10:29 AM PT -- The Red Sox just confirmed Curt Schilling did reveal Tim Wakefield's diagnosis without the former pitcher's permission ... saying in a statement Tim and his wife's "health is a deeply personal matter they intended to keep private as they navigate treatment and work to tackle this disease."

The MLB team added that the Wakefields are asking for "privacy at this time."

The wife of Red Sox legend Jason Varitek is furious with Curt Schilling for revealing Tim Wakefield's cancer diagnosis ... saying straight up on Thursday, "F*** you Curt Schilling."

The former Boston star pitcher leaked the news of Wakefield's tragic health condition on his "The Curt Schilling Baseball Show" podcast on Wednesday ... admitting at the time, "I don't even know if he wants it shared."

"But, as a Christian and a man of faith," Schilling continued, "I've seen prayer work and so I'm going to talk about it."

Schilling then revealed Wakefield -- a knuckleballer who starred for the Red Sox from 1995 to 2011 -- is battling "a very serious, very aggressive form of brain cancer."

Schilling went on to call the situation "incredibly serious" ... adding that Wakefield recently underwent surgery for the issue. Schilling then asked for prayers.

Many, however, slammed the former World Series MVP for leaking the diagnosis to the public before Wakefield could ... including Catherine Varitek, who tweeted, "F*** you Curt Schilling, that wasn’t your place!"

Schilling has yet to respond to the backlash.

For his part, Wakefield has not commented on the matter either.

DraftKings issued a mea culpa on Monday morning ... after the gambling site posted a 9/11-themed parlay that many viewed as insensitive.

The bet that fans could place money on was called "Never Forget" ... and it allowed people to wager on if the New York Mets, New York Yankees and New York Jets would all win on Monday -- the 22nd anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in NY.

Immediately after it was posted, though, it was ripped by social media users ... who called it tone-deaf and crass.

In wake of the backlash hours later, DraftKings pulled it from its site ... and issued an apology.

"We sincerely apologize for the featured parlay that was shared briefly in commemoration of 9/11," a DK spokesperson said in a statement to the Boston Globe. We respect the significance of this day for our country and especially for the familys of those who were directly affected.”

DraftKings emitió un mea culpa el lunes por la mañana, después de que el sitio de apuestas publicara una apuesta temática del 11-S que muchos consideraron insensible.

La apuesta se llamaba "Nunca Olvides" y permitía a los aficionados apostar a si los Met, los Yankees o los Jets de Nueva York, ganarían el lunes, cuando se conmemora el 22 aniversario de los ataques del 11 de septiembre de 2001 en Nueva York.

Inmediatamente después de su publicación, los usuarios de las redes sociales empezaron a tacharla de insensible y grosera.

A raíz de esta reacción DraftKings lo retiró de su sitio horas más tarde y emitió una disculpa.

"Nos disculpamos sinceramente por el parlay (apuesta) destacado que se compartió brevemente en conmemoración del 11-S", dijo un portavoz del sitio en un comunicado al Boston Globe. Respetamos el significado de este día para nuestro país y especialmente para las familias de aquellos que fueron directamente afectados."

Justin Verlander was so pissed at Alex Cora during their game Tuesday night, he straight up told the Red Sox manager to "f*** off" ... and the heated dispute was all captured on a hot mic!!

The Astros ace had been dealing with some PitchCom issues during the second inning of Houston's tilt with Boston at Minute Maid Park ... and he needed a break from the action to get it all squared away.

But, when Cora thought he was taking advantage of the situation to avoid a pitch-clock violation ... he came out to argue -- and the two then got into it.

"You shook him off five times!" Cora could be heard telling the right-hander.

"I didn't shake that at-bat!" Verlander fired back. "I didn't shake that at-bat! F*** off, Alex!"

The situation was so unique, one of the game's announcers could be heard on the broadcast letting out a loud chuckle.

Ultimately, Verlander would go on to get the last laugh in the situation ... 'cause once he returned to the pitching rubber, he shoved -- going six strong innings while allowing no earned runs and striking out nine.

The San Francisco Giants have a new cleanup hitter ... 'cause after Logan Webb admitted most players were dealing with "the s***s" following their Mexico City trip, the whole team got hooked up with a ton of Dude Wipes!!

Remember, the pitcher was brutally honest about how the team was doing after their two-game series against the Padres in Mexico City last week ... saying three-quarters of the squad was dealing with the runs.

TMZ Sports has learned ... the folks at the popular poo companion company got wind of the ball club's issues ... and decided to help out by sending over enough product to keep their asses clean for the rest of the season!!

We're told the team has 100 packs of Dude Wipes coming their way ... as well as four Dude Bomb "toilet stank eliminators" and 12 toilet sprays -- just in case the guys continue to "turn two" in the clubhouse.

It's not the first time the company had to step up to the plate for baseball stars -- as we previously reported, Dude Wipes helped Red Sox player Kiké Hernandez get back on track after he revealed he crapped his pants in the middle of a game.

MLB star Kiké Hernandez's ass is covered in case he accidentally poops his pants again ... 'cause he was gifted more than a thousand Dude Wipes to get him through the season!!

ICYMI, the 31-year-old recently revealed in a Q&A with Justin Turner he accidentally sharted on the field during the 2020 National League Division Series ... and blamed it on antibiotics he was taking for a tooth infection at the time, which caused him to have diarrhea.

Well, the folks at Dude Wipes got wind of Kiké's misfortune ... and decided to send him a ton of butt-friendly items -- just in case disaster strikes again.

We've learned the personal care brand hooked up the World Series champ with regular and to-go wipes and some toilet spray ... and Kike was stoked!

In fact, Hernandez was so thrilled that he took a photo with a bunch of the product ... smiling from ear to ear.

It was great timing on Dude Wipes' part  ... Red Sox Opening Day is in just two weeks!

Red Sox star Justin Turner just got drilled in the face by a pitch during a spring training game ... and the blow was so violent, it left him oozing blood at home plate.

The scary incident happened during Boston's exhibition tilt with the Tigers ... when Turner came up to bat with two runners on base in the bottom of the second inning.

Detroit right-hander Matt Manning threw a ball up and in ... and Turner couldn't get out of the way -- and it caught him flush in his face.

The former L.A. Dodgers third baseman immediately dropped to the ground in pain ... and video from the game's broadcast showed he was bleeding profusely from his face.

Red Sox trainers raced out to tend to him, covering his mouth with a towel before ushering him into the locker room.

The Sox -- who acquired Turner last December in free agency -- have yet to announce an update on the 38-year-old's status.

Get a *load* of this ... former Dodgers infielder Kiké Hernandez admitted he crapped on himself on the field during a 2020 playoff game!!

Hernandez's teammate, Justin Turner, who reunited with Kike in Boston with the Red Sox, asked KH for his most embarrassing moment during a Major League Baseball game, and he dropped a bombshell (yes, pun intended).

The Sox utility man told Turner he was taking antibiotics for a tooth infection a few years back, and one of the side effects of the medicine was ... you guessed it, diarrhea.

Kiké recalled the crappy incident, saying he was so pumped after the team got a big out in a pressure-packed situation in the National League Division Series (NLDS), he screamed, "F Yeah!"

"I was DHing and I thought I farted," Hernandez said to Turner. "I went out to lead off the inning. I struck out in three pitches."

He continued ... "When I went in the dugout, I went straight to the bathroom, pulled my pants down, completely sharted."

"So you're saying you misjudged a fart," Turner asked Hernandez. "Uh, no. What I'm saying is I s*** my pants during a game in the playoffs," Hernandez replied to Turner.

The adopted daughter of MLB Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley was arrested in New Hampshire for leaving her baby in freezing temps for over an hour after prematurely giving birth, TMZ has confirmed.

Alexandra Eckersley is facing serious charges ... endangering the welfare of a child, falsifying physical evidence, assault and reckless conduct. Eckersley was arraigned Tuesday and held on $3,000 bail.

Eckersley delivered her baby boy about 3 months early inside a tent in a wooded area of Manchester, NH ... according to NBC Boston. She reportedly was 4 to 5 months pregnant.

Eckersley called police to report she had just given birth, but she initially lied to officers as to the baby's whereabouts -- sending them on a wild goose chase. She was apparently embarrassed she was homeless and living in an encampment with her boyfriend.

As a result, the baby was left inside the tent for 73 minutes in 15-degree weather. Eckersley finally gave the right coordinates and cops found the infant alive, but struggling to breathe. EMS workers performed life-saving measures on the child and rushed him to a hospital, where he was intubated to assist his breathing.

Officials believe Eckersley was high on drugs at the time, although she denies it. When asked why she lied, Eckersley reportedly told cops, "What do they tell when a plane goes down? Save yourself first." Her boyfriend, who was with Eckersley when police first arrived, may also face charges.

The man accused of putting a bullet in David Ortiz's back during a 2019 assassination attempt was sentenced to 30 years in prison this week ... authorities announced Tuesday.

27-year-old Rolfi Ferreras Cruz, who allegedly shot the former Boston Red Sox star at a bar in the D.R. back in June '19, learned his fate at a hearing on Monday.

Nine others were also ordered to spend time behind bars due to their alleged roles in the shooting -- including 28-year-old Alberto Miguel Rodríguez Mota ... who prosecutors said "paid those who carried out the act."

Mota was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

But, the alleged mastermind behind the attack, Víctor Hugo Gómez Vásquez, was acquitted ... due to insufficient evidence.

As we reported, Ortiz was struck by gunfire while he was sitting with friends at the D.R. hotspot ... and was rushed to a nearby hospital.

Officials said his liver and his small and large intestines were damaged by the bullet -- and the former baseball player required multiple surgeries in the ensuing days to fix the issues.

The 47-year-old has since made a full recovery ... returning to his role as an MLB analyst for Fox -- while also making regular appearances at Red Sox games.

Authorities ultimately said they did not believe Big Papi was the intended target of the attack ... instead, revealing they believed a man named Sixto David Fernandez was the man the shooter wanted, allegedly because he'd once ratted out a drug runner to cops.

LeBron James has a new team -- the four-time NBA champ is the newest owner of a professional pickleball team ... and he's teaming up with a group of other hoops stars!

Major League Pickleball announced Wednesday an ownership group, LRMR ventures, led by LeBron James and business partner, Maverick Carter, had purchased a new squad.

Joining the four-time MVP in his latest business venture is his former teammate in Cleveland, Kevin Love, and his good friend and rival over the years, Warriors star Draymond Green.

As MLP expands, the list of high-profile names wanting to associate with the growing sport rises.

Retired NFL quarterback Drew Brees became the owner of the Mad Drops Pickleball Club in July ... joining Lakers co-owner Jim Buss who is a part of the ownership group.

James already has an ownership stake in Fenway Sports Group, the owner of the Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park, and Liverpool F.C., the English Premier League soccer team.

And now, James can add this latest acquisition to his impressive portfolio.

Chris Sale's awful season just got a whole lot worse ... the Boston Red Sox revealed on Tuesday he suffered a broken wrist in a bike accident over the weekend and is now done for the rest of the year.

Sale -- who was nursing a finger injury that he sustained after taking a line drive off his hand on July 17 -- had been riding his bike on Aug. 6 when the accident happened, according to the team.

The 33-year-old was diagnosed with a "right distal radius fracture" ... and the Sox said he had to undergo surgery on Monday in Massachusetts to fix the issue.

Sale will now miss the rest of the season, but Boston said it expects him to be ready for Spring Training next year.

This year is certainly one the lefty pitcher would love to forget -- after starting the season on the injured list with a ribcage injury, he had an infamous meltdown in a rehab assignment, and then broke his finger just a few days later.

A couple of Red Sox fans turned Fenway Park into their own Octagon during Monday night's game ... with two men getting into a violent altercation on the ground -- forcing security to get involved.

The incident went down as Boston hosted the Cleveland Guardians ... and it all seemingly got started over a beverage.

The person who posted the altercation claims the man in red spilled a drink on the fan in white ... which led to both guys duking it out on the stadium floor.

The fan in white throws several punches as the man in red holds him down on the concrete ... before two security guards intervene and diffuse the situation.

No word on whether the guys were arrested -- the video cuts off as the guards swoop in and hold them back.

One fan is heard yelling, "let's f***ing go, woo!!" as the altercation unfolds ... with others watching the action in the distance.

Red Sox star Chris Sale lost his mind following a rocky rehab start Wednesday night ... destroying items and completely trashing a runway in his team's dugout.

The meltdown was all captured on video following the ace's short outing with Boston's Triple-A affiliate, the Worcester Red Sox.

In the short clip, you can see the 33-year-old pitcher -- who was throwing for the WooSox in another effort to make it back to the Big Leagues from a rib injury -- ripping items off the wall and kicking them violently.

Sale was clearly pissed about his 3.2 innings pitched, which featured five walks, five strikeouts and one earned run given up.

According to Worcester Telegram reporter Joe McDonald, one of the items Sale wrecked was a TV ... though the reporter added it had already "been broken for over a month."

No word yet if Sale -- who's in the middle of a five-year, $145 million contract with the Red Sox -- has been asked to pay for repairs.

Despite the blowup, Sale did say after the game he was ready to return to Boston's Big League roster.

"I know today was a little bit of a hiccup but it's nothing that can't be ironed out," he told the Boston Globe. "I just want to be a part of it. I want to get back to doing my job and pulling my weight."

Sale -- who missed the end of the 2019 season and the 2020 season due to Tommy John surgery -- was expected to be a key contributor to the Sox this season before suffering his rib injury in February.

Awful news out of Red Sox nation ... Drago -- the German shepherd who became famous for roaming the field at Fenway Park over the past few years -- has died at 10 years old.

The pup's owner, Red Sox head groundskeeper Dave Mellor, mourned the passing in a message to the Associated Press this week.

"I was blessed he was in my life as he saved my life, changed my life, inspired me, and gave hope to my life in ways I hadn't had in decades and didn’t know were possible,” Mellor said. "I am absolutely heartbroken."

Mellor, a die-hard Red Sox fan and a former star high school pitching prospect, got Drago back in 2014 in order to help deal with the PTSD he was suffering from after he was involved in two horrific car crashes earlier in his life.

The two quickly became inseparable -- and Drago soon joined Mellor at his job tending to the grounds at Fenway Park, where the dog quickly became beloved by Red Sox players, staffers and fans.

Sadly, Drago suffered a stroke before Boston hosted the Oakland Athletics last week, and died two days later.

The Red Sox org. showed a heartfelt message on the video board at the ballpark last Friday when the team played the St. Louis Cardinals ... saying that Drago was a companion who provided countless memories over the years.

"We send love and support to his family, honor his service and recognize a life well-lived," the Sox's tribute read. "We will miss you, Drago.”