MLB

Scary moment during the Dodgers' first spring training game of the season on Thursday ... Bobby Miller was drilled in the forehead by a line drive.

The scene just unfolded during L.A.'s exhibition tilt with the Chicago Cubs out at Camelback Ranch in Arizona ... as Miller was attempting to sneak a curveball by Michael Busch in the game's second inning.

Busch ended up whacking it -- and it beelined at 105.5 MPH right for Miller's face. Unfortunately for the pitcher, he wasn't able to get out of the way in time.

Former Major League Baseball pitcher Scott Sauerbeck has died at the age of 53, the Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Thursday.

Details surrounding his passing have not been revealed.

Sauerbeck was selected by the New York Mets in the 23rd round of the 1994 draft. After spending time in New York's farm system, Pittsburgh then scooped up the Miami University (Ohio) product as part of the Rule 5 Draft in 1998.

Juan Soto's only been a Met for a few weeks, but he's already proving he's a helluva teammate ... as he just thanked Brett Baty for a kind gesture -- with a new car!!

Baty gave up his No. 22 jersey to Soto after the outfielder inked a massive 15-year, $765 million with New York in December ... and on Thursday, Soto surprised the 25-year-old with a Chevy Tahoe as an expression of gratitude.

The ride featured "Thanks For #22" written on the back ... and when Baty saw it, he was in love.

Ex-MLB star Paul Lo Duca just revealed he was in a bad accident recently ... one that left him with several broken bones.

The former Mets catcher shared the health update on his X page on Wednesday morning ... explaining to his 70,000 followers the incident happened as he was making his way back home to New York from Oaklawn.

He did not get into specifics of the matter ... though he did say his injuries were so bad, "I was not able to eat for the first couple weeks."

The world has finally found something Shohei Ohtani is mediocre at ... parallel parking!!

Check out video TMZ Sports obtained of the Dodgers superstar trying to land his Porsche tight to a curb on Monday night -- it's quite the show.

The Los Angeles pitcher and designated hitter was on his way to attend an eating contest with some of his teammates at a Buffalo Wild Wings in Glendale, Ariz. ... but it took him around a minute to get his ride into a space near the establishment.

MLB legend Wade Boggs took home a win bigger than any in his career ... as the 66-year-old rang the ceremonial bell in honor of beating prostate cancer!!

Boggs posted the special moment to his X account Monday morning ... showing him celebrating the victory in his cancer journey while "Smoke On the Water" by Deep Purple played in the background.

The 1996 World Series Champion was first diagnosed back in September 2024 ... making the announcement by posting a photo of a patient's guide to prostate cancer.

The feud between Patrick Mahomes Sr. and John Rocker clearly didn't end after they were separated on Bourbon St. last week ... as the two spent most of their Tuesday nights hurling insults at one another.

The barbs came just a few hours after video of the guys getting in a heated shouting match in New Orleans went viral.

First, it was Rocker who stated he wished he had "ruined" Mahomes' "bulls*** weekend even more" by punching him during their dust-up. Then it was Mahomes Sr. replying that he wanted Rocker to "keep my name out your loud mouth."

Robinson Cano's 42 years old, but he's adamant he could still be effective in the MLB ... telling TMZ Sports he could "for sure" still get some knocks in the Big Leagues.

The former New York Yankees superstar hasn't logged an official at-bat in The Show since the 2022 season, although when we asked him this week if he still believes he has pro juice left in him ... he didn't mince words.

"Oh," he said with a smile. "For sure. For sure! Yes!"

Ippei Mizuhara was officially sentenced to 57 months in prison on Thursday ... after fessing up to swindling millions from Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani.

Mizuhara's fate was determined in a Santa Ana, California court just minutes ago -- not only has he been sentenced to four years and some change behind bars, but he was also ordered to pay $18 million in restitution -- nearly $17 million to Ohtani and another $1.1 million to the IRS.

The former Angels and Dodgers employee pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of tax fraud back in June 2024 ... owning up to taking the money from Ohtani's bank account to clear his debts with bettors.

Major League Baseball has fired umpire Pat Hoberg ... after it was determined he shared a sportsbook account with a friend who bet on baseball games.

The league announced Monday afternoon Hoberg -- who called a perfect game in the 2022 World Series -- failed to "uphold the integrity of the game" and deleted messages that were key to an investigation into the matter.

It all started back in February 2024 ... when a sports betting operator notified MLB the 38-year-old opened an account under his own name with his pro poker player buddy. That friend bet on baseball games ... but there is no evidence Hoberg manipulated any MLB action.

8:30 AM PT -- A spokesperson for the Washington Wizards tells TMZ Sports they're planning to honor the crash victims with a moment of silence before their game against the Lakers in D.C. later Thursday.

D.C.-area sports teams are sending their thoughts and prayers to the dozens of people who are believed to have lost their lives in a midair plane crash Wednesday night.

The Nationals said in a statement they were "devastated" by the fatal collision that occurred when a Black Hawk helicopter seemed to fly into an American Airlines jet just above the Potomac River.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their loved ones," the MLB org. wrote.

Chicago Cubs owner Thomas Ricketts is used to getting an earful from fans about his baseball team ... but now he's even drawing the ire of LITTLE KIDS -- 'cause a six-year-old child called him cheap straight to his face!

TMZ Sports obtained the hilarious clip shot last weekend at the team's annual fan summit called "Cubs Convention." In the clip, Ricketts, owner and team chairman, was making the rounds signing autographs and chatting it up with supporters ... when he encountered the disgruntled young boy.

We're told the plan was for the kid to ask Ricketts to sign a bat inscribed with "The cheapest owner in Baseball" ... though TR obviously didn't play along.

Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, impersonated the MLB superstar on a phone call with a bank in order to swindle the Dodgers' designated hitter out of $200,000 ... newly released audio reveals.

The three-and-a-half-minute conversation was put out by federal prosecutors on Thursday, and in it ... you can clearly hear Mizuhara pretending to be Shohei.

In fact, after the bank's phone operator asks Mizuhara straight up "Who am I speaking with?," Ippei says without hesitation, "Shohei Ohtani."

Ichiro Suzuki is a very forgiving person ... 'cause the baseball superstar, who fell one vote short of being the second-ever unanimous Hall of Famer, has extended an invite to the foolish writer -- let's grab a drink!

Suzuki -- along with CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner -- met with the media on Thursday in Cooperstown to discuss all things baseball. Ichiro expressed gratitude for the writers who voted for him ... and acknowledged the one person who didn't think he was worthy of the selection.

"I would like to invite him over to my house," Suzuki said through a translator. "We'll have a drink together, and we'll have a good chat."

Ichiro received 393 out of 394 votes (Derek Jeter also missed out on being a unanimous selection by a single vote).

Mariano Rivera and his wife, Clara, are adamant they have never covered up child sexual abuse ... this after a new lawsuit alleged otherwise.

The New York Yankees legend and his partner issued the denial on Thursday morning ... with their attorney, Joseph A. Ruta, saying in a statement the allegations against the two "are completely false."

The suit was filed in New York earlier this month by Mother A Doe ... who alleged that back in 2018, her juvenile daughter was sexually abused at a summer camp in Florida that was affiliated with the Rivera's church, Refuge of Hope.

Roki Sasaki is getting a warm welcome in Los Angeles ... with the Dodgers' new star pitcher landing a personal meet-and-greet with LeBron James at the Lakers game!!

The 23-year-old Japanese athlete was front and center at the Purple and Gold's home win over the Washington Wizards ... getting a courtside view of King James' triple-double performance in the 111-88 victory.

The 40-year-old made sure to take a second to chop it up with the flamethrower ... shaking his hand as they exchanged pleasantries during shootaround.