MLB

Marcell Ozuna was slapped with a 20-game suspension, retroactively, after commish Rob Manfred says an investigation concluded the Atlanta Braves star outfielder violated MLB's domestic violence policy.

31-year-old Ozuna was placed on administrative leave in May 2021 after he was arrested for allegedly getting physical with his wife. At the time, authorities said Marcell repeatedly grabbed his wife by the neck and slammed her into a wall. Cops claimed they actually witnessed some of the attack.

Ozuna -- one of the leagues best players -- missed 20 games.

The Braves ended up making a deep playoff run -- winning their first World Series since the mid-90s -- without Ozuna's bat and glove.

In addition to the alleged incident, Marcell was also dealing with a serious hand injury he sustained playing at Fenway Park just days before he was arrested. .

The criminal charges were ultimately dropped ... and the 2-time All-Star was never convicted of a crime.

However, Manfred still believes there's enough there to warrant the suspension.

“My office has completed its investigation into the allegations that Marcell Ozuna violated Major League Baseball’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy."

The commissioner continued ... "Having reviewed the totality of the available evidence, I have concluded that Mr. Ozuna violated our Policy and that discipline is appropriate.”

FYI, Ozuna was scheduled to make $12 million last season ... meaning the suspension cost him over 1.5 mil!

A rare piece of memorabilia is hitting the auction block -- a concert ad signed by both Marilyn Monroe AND Joe DiMaggio ... and the item could sell for some serious coin!!!

Here's the backstory -- TMZ Sports is told an 11-year-old girl saw the couple having dinner at The Beverly Hills Hotel in 1952 ... and approached the Yankees legend for an autograph.

Shockingly, the girl had no idea who Monroe was ... so Joe asked if she wanted the model's Hancock as well.

Both Joe and Marilyn signed the inside of a folded concert advertisement that was on their dining table ... scribbling the words, "Warmest Regards, Marilyn Monroe" and "Best Wishes, Joe DiMaggio."

As for the ad, it's for Eddie Bergman and his orchestra at the hotel's Palm Terrace (we're assuming the dude had bangers).

Get this -- there are 9 holes in the old flyer, which came after the girl used a tack to pin her prized possession on her corkboard in her room!

Now, she's ready to part ways with the item -- it's hitting the market Dec. 11 ... and there's a chance it sells for a fortune!!!

A massive amount is not unusual for the celebrity couple ... just this summer, an autographed baseball by Monroe and DiMaggio sold for $384k.

DiMaggio was one of the greatest MLB players ever ... some of his accolades during his 13-year career with the Yanks include winning 9 World Series, 3-time AL MVP and 2-time AL batting champion.

Arizona Cardinals' defensive end J.J. Watt is stepping up in a major way ... by offering to pay for the funeral expenses of all the victims of the Waukesha Christmas parade tragedy.

Watt was devastated after learning of the deadly incident ... calling it "horrific" and expressing concern for those who had been injured and killed.

The incident hits close to home for Watt, especially since he's a Wisconsin native and Badger alum. He also went to high school in nearby Pewaukee, just a few miles from Waukesha.

Now, the Cardinals star is putting his wallet where his enormous heart is ... 'cause he is offering to cover the funeral costs of all the lives lost as a result of the heinous catastrophe.

Of course, J.J. is known to give back -- in 2017, Watt was named the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year ... which recognizes recipients for their charitable efforts.

In 2018, he also offered to cover the funeral costs of the people who died in the Santa Fe High School shooting ... and he raised $37 million in an effort to help rebuild Houston and the Gulf region after they had been ravaged by Hurricane Harvey.

Watt's efforts come at a time where a community reeling from tragedy is looking for a reason to celebrate something positive.

Guess you could say this is a bad ... sign.

The Guardians era is off to a piping hot start ... with Cleveland's new team store sign falling off the stadium wall and breaking into a bunch of pieces.

The Land's MLB team officially said goodbye to its old controversial nickname for good on Friday ... and the Guardians welcomed the change by releasing its new merch for fans to purchase at 9 AM.

As diehard Clevelanders lined up to get their swag, the new sign that was being placed on the Progressive Field wall tumbled to the ground. Luckily, no Guards fans were injured during the incident, according to Tom Withers of the AP.

It's yet another hiccup for Cleveland since the name change was announced -- as we previously reported, the organization was sued by the Cleveland Guardians roller derby team last month ... being accused of bullying the OG Guardians into changing their name.

Here's hoping it's smooth sailing from here -- 'cause someone could get hurt.

Bryce Harper was so overwhelmed by winning the second MVP award of his career on Thursday ... he broke down in tears.

MLB Network cameras captured the emotional moment ... just seconds after the league announced the Philadelphia Phillies star was the recipient of the honor.

Harper -- who was wiping tears off his cheeks throughout his interview with the network -- said this one meant a significant amount to him, considering he had started the year in April by being drilled in the face with a 97 MPH fastball.

"This year was tough," Harper said. "Starting off getting hit in the face, it was definitely a tough couple days for me. Tough couple weeks for me trying to get back."

Harper thanked his family, his wife, his teammates -- and even his chef for helping him get through the year, joking, "I never went to bed hungry!"

Harper -- who previously won the NL MVP back in 2015 with the Washington Nationals -- beat out Juan Soto and Fernando Tatis for the honor this year ... and it was well deserved.

Mookie Betts showed off his big heart at a Thanksgiving charity event on Wednesday -- and then he showed off his dance moves ... and it was all awesome!!!

The MLB superstar was out at Algin Sutton Recreation Center in South L.A. -- just a few miles from Dodger Stadium -- giving away turkey dinners with a side of moves.

The 29-year-old passed out birds and all the fixin's to those in need ... and then he hit the Wobble with a bunch of people in attendance.

Check out the footage, it's clear the dude can play baseball well AND dance at a high level too!!!

As for the event, it was a Brotherhood Crusade affair that officials say Mookie had a hand in inspiring.

The giveaway included whole turkeys, vegetables and corn bread dressing -- and it ain't hard to see everyone there was stoked for the free dinners.

There will be two Guardians in Cleveland after all ... the MLB team formerly known as the Indians just announced it's settled its lawsuit with a local roller derby squad -- and both will use the "Guardians" nickname going forward.

The baseball-playing Guardians made the announcement Tuesday ... revealing both sides reached "an amicable resolution" this week after the roller derby team had filed a lawsuit in late October.

In the suit, the roller derby team accused the MLB org. of trying to bully its way into jacking the roller-skating squad's longstanding nickname -- and wanted to put a stop to it all.

The derby team claimed the baseball team ripped off parts of their logo -- and then, according to derby team owner Gary Sweatt, offered "likely no more than fifteen minutes of annual team revenue" when settlement talks initially began.

But, the MLB team said in a statement things have changed in the last few weeks ... and both parties are now happy with each other.

"Both organizations will continue to use the Guardians name," the MLB org. said in its statement.

Terms of the settlement, however, were not revealed.

Former MLB shortstop Julio Lugo -- who played in the Big Leagues for 12 years -- reportedly died on Monday.

He was just 45 years old.

ESPN's Enrique Rosas said Lugo's family confirmed the death, explaining they believe the ex-baseball player suffered a heart attack.

No further details surrounding the death have been given.

Lugo -- who was set to celebrate his 46th birthday on Tuesday -- was drafted by the Houston Astros in 1994 and eventually played in the MLB from 2000-2011.

The infielder played for seven teams -- the Astros, Rays, Dodgers, Red Sox, Cardinals, Orioles and Braves -- but he was most known for his time in Boston.

After signing a four-year, $36 million contract with the Sox in 2006 -- he went on to help the team win the 2007 World Series.

Lugo logged 1,279 hits in his career ... and finished with 198 steals and a batting average of .269.

The death is the second tragic one in the MLB in less than two weeks ... former Mets reliever Pedro Feliciano also passed away at age 45 just 8 days ago.

Ex-MLB player Pedro Feliciano -- who pitched for the New York Mets for 9 seasons -- died on Sunday night, baseball analyst Eduardo Perez reported.

He was just 45 years old.

Perez did not reveal a cause of death for Feliciano ... but the ESPN broadcaster did say the former reliever passed away in his sleep.

"He was a really good [baseball player] but a better person off the field," Perez said. "He will be missed."

Perez added Feliciano had been out jet skiing with his family earlier Sunday.

Feliciano was drafted by the Dodgers in 1995 and ultimately made his MLB debut for the Mets at 25 years old in 2002.

He went on to throw for the Mets until 2010 -- and then signed a two-year deal with the Yankees, though he didn't play for the Pinstripes in either 2011 or 2012 while battling injuries.

He eventually re-signed with the Mets in 2013, but didn't log any more time in the Big Leagues following that season.

Feliciano revealed in '13 he had been diagnosed with a rare medical condition -- one in which he said doctors found he had a "little hole" in his heart. It's unclear if that played any role in his death Sunday.

RIP

The Atlanta Braves partied like its '95 on Friday ... with players getting bombarded with beers getting thrown at 'em by fans at the World Series parade -- and it's hilarious!!

TONS of fans were out and about in the streets of Atlanta to watch the champs soak in the rewards of their hard work.

The Braves -- who haven't won the Fall Classic since 1995 -- capped off a Cinderella postseason run by defeating the Brewers, Dodgers, and the pesky Astros.

As the parade made its way through ATL, the players made sure to show their appreciation for the fans in attendance ... and well, the fans returned their favor.

In the video, you can see a fan in the crowd tossing a beer to Austin Riley -- a third baseman for the squad -- and he's able to snag the brew from the air!!

Dansby Swanson was also able to snag a beer Stone Cold Steve Austin-style ... and we gotta admit, the throw was just as impressive as the Gold Glove-worthy catch.

Welp, he was trying to do something nice ... but former President Donald Trump knocked a kid upside the head with a baseball at the World Series, and the video is pretty funny.

(The boy is okay!!)

#45 was in the house at Truist Park in Atlanta for game 4 of the World Series last Saturday night -- sitting in an open-air suite with Melania Trump -- a game the Braves won 3-2 over the Astros.

The video shows a young boy desperately attempting to get DT's attention. Finally, the ex-prez heard the kid, and asked him to throw a baseball for him to sign.

The boy complies ... and Trump -- who claimed he could've gone pro as a baseball player -- made a nice catch, snagging the ball, which was underthrown by the kid.

The 75-year-old politician grabbed a marker from a Secret Service agent ... and signed the baseball.

Then came time to toss the ball back ... and that's when Trump plunked a kid square in the dome, after an adult male who was with the kid failed to make the routine catch.

Thankfully, the boy appears to be okay ... and fans nearby were able to retrieve the baseball.

The silver lining ... we previously reported on Trump-signed balls that have sold for around a thousand bucks a pop.

As for Trump, he spoke about his baseball prowess back in 2004.

“I was supposed to be a pro baseball player. At the New York Military Academy, I was captain of the baseball team. I worked hard like everyone else, but I had good talent.”

The Atlanta Braves punished the Astros, and then they pummeled the Houston locker room with booze -- and video of their celebration is EPIC!!!

Just minutes after the Braves beat the 'Stros 7-0 in Game 6 to win the World Series ... they hit the showers and had a wild celly.

It all kicked off with a speech from manager Brian Snitker -- and as soon as he finished praising his team, the guys went crazy!!

Check out the footage, they sprayed the 66-year-old down from head-to-toe with champagne ... getting it all up in his eyes (we're sure it hurt so good!).

The dudes then broke out cigars and more booze -- soaking in every bit of the team's first championship since 1995.

As for on the field, Jorge Soler won the World Series MVP award ... piling up 3 home runs in the 6 games against Houston.

No word yet on what the slugger and the rest of the guys did to celebrate after they left the locker room and headed home ... but we're sure it included more alcohol and more stogies.

The Cleveland Guardians are continuing to take steps toward moving on from their past ... beginning the process of removing a huge "Indians" sign from Progressive Field on Tuesday.

The giant, 80-foot aluminum logo has been at the venue since 1994 ... but as the team transitions away from its old name, crews have now begun the teardown of the script imagery.

Workers started with the top of the I, carefully removing it with the help of cranes and cables. The rest of the sign is expected to come down later this week.

The team is trying to replace it with a new "Guardians" sign for the 2022 season.

As we previously reported, Cleveland's MLB team moved on from its former nickname after it had been seen as divisive and offensive to Indigenous people for years.

In July, the team announced it would be switching to the "Guardians" -- a nod to the "guardians of traffic" on the city's Hope Memorial Bridge.

Wanna own Barry Bonds' iconic 500th home run ball??

Welp, it’s too late ... ‘cause the piece of history just sold at an auction for a whopping $300k!!

Bonds' ball -- which was hit off Dodgers pitcher Terry Adams -- was among the top sellers in SCP Auctions' Fall catalog ... and sold for $50k more than expected.

It’s not hard to see why someone would want to get their hands on this particular item -- Bonds is one of, if not THE greatest, hitters in MLB history ... and he’s got a legitimate argument in the GOAT discussion.

Of course, this homer ball was recovered as a result of the valiant efforts of a fan who retrieved it from the waters of McCovey Cove on April 17, 2001.

On top of the Bonds ball, the Honus Wagner T206 card -- considered the Holy Grail of sports collectibles -- sold for an incredible $1.1 million.

Altogether, the auction -- which closed this past weekend -- set more than two dozen records, with sales totaling $5.6 million.

SCP President David Kohler said ... "The sports memorabilia market is on fire, as evidenced by the world records we set."

"From high-end graded cards to the best of sports memorabilia, the results of our Fall Premier Auction are astonishing."

Bill Belichick is just like everyone else in New England, mourning the death of Boston Red Sox legend, Jerry Remy ... who passed away after a year 13-year battle with cancer over the weekend.

The Patriots coach ended his weekly interview on WEEI ... memorializing the 68-year-old former player (infielder) and broadcaster of over 3 decades.

“Before we sign off, I just wanted to say to all of our fans out there, who are mostly Red Sox fans, how much we all are saddened by Jerry’s passing and how much he meant to all of us, the connection that he was to the Red Sox, his voice in the game and (how great) it was for the fans,” Belichick told the guys.

The 6x Super Bowl-winning head coach continues ... “He meant so much to Boston sports as a player and as an announcer, and his commentary of the game and insight into the game."

"We’ll all miss him. I know our fans are Jerry Remy and Red Sox fans, too, so our sympathy goes out to the Remy family. I just want to express my and all of our appreciation for all that he did to make Boston sports enjoyable and exciting for all of us. We’ll certainly miss him.”

The Red Sox also released a statement on Remy's death, with team owner John Henry saying ... "We are saddened by the loss of a beloved player, broadcaster, and 13-year cancer warrior."

Remy -- who played 7 seasons for the Sox as a 2nd baseman -- was inducted into the team's Hall of Fame in 2006.

Jerry -- who was born in Massachusetts -- was last seen at Fenway on October 5 for the Wild Card game against the New York Yankees. He threw out the first pitch to former teammate and broadcast partner, Dennis Eckersley.

Luis Robert's $1 million Lambo now officially matches his flashy game -- 'cause the MLB player just got the ride covered in a Naruto wrap ... and it's awesome!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... the Chicago White Sox star is a huge anime fan, so he sought out Alex Vega from The Auto Firm in South Florida to get the ride tricked out.

And, it didn't take long for Vega to deliver a masterpiece ... 'cause he wrapped the thing head-to-toe with images from the cartoon -- and it all actually glows in the dark!

You can see in photos of the whip, the hood has Naruto and Sasuke on it -- and near the headlight is where the ride's wrap lights up at night.

We're told the custom job cost around $10,000 to do ... but don't worry, Robert's wallet can take the hit.

The rising MLB superstar signed a staggering 6-year, $50 MILLION contract with the Sox back in 2020 -- before he had ever even taken an at bat in the Major Leagues.