Home plate umpire Bruce Froemming gestures for a strike on a Detroit Tigers batter during the second inning of play against The Los Angeles Dodgers at Holman Stadium in Vero Beach on Friday March 10, 2006.
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Bruce Froemming, a major league umpire for 37 consecutive years who worked the third-most games in big league history and a record 11 no-hitters, died Wednesday, his son said. He was 86.
Froemming fell just after midnight Tuesday and hit his head on the hardwood floor at his home in Mequon, Wisconsin, and was taken to Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital in Milwaukee, according to Froemming’s son, Steven.
He had brain bleeding that medical personnel could not stop because Froemming was on blood thinners, leading to his death.
Froemming was a semipro baseball player and started his umpiring career in the minor leagues in 1958 at age 18. He worked his way up and joined the National League staff in 1971. He shifted to the unified major league staff in 2000 and retired in 2007 having worked 5,163 games, second at the time to Bill Klem’s 5,373. They were both surpassed by Joe West, who worked 5,460 games before retiring in 2021.
Froemming started his umpiring career at a minor league game in Waterloo, Iowa.
“I thought I was in heaven — on the ballfield, professional athletes, I was starting my professional career,” he told The Associated Press days before his retirement. “But never did you dream at the time, ever even think of going to a big league ballpark, because you had so far to go through the minor leagues to even get a chance.”
He concluded that being a good umpire required “probably being patient with yourself. ... You’re going to make mistakes early on.”
Among the most famous of the no-hitters he worked was on Sept. 2, 1972. Milt Pappas of the Chicago Cubs retired his first 26 batters and went to a 1-2 count on pinch-hitter Larry Stahl before walking him. Pappas then retired Garry Jestadt on a popup.
Froemming was behind the plate for three other no-hitters, by Ed Halicki (1975), Nolan Ryan (1981) and José Jiménez (1999). He worked five World Series.
When he retired, Froemming became a special assistant to MLB’s vice president on umpiring,
He is survived by his wife, the former Rosemarie Loch, whom he married in 1957; two sons, Steven and Kevin; sister Cathy Seizer; half-brother Johnny Froemming; and two grandchildren.
Max Scherzer’s 8-year-old daughter wanted her father back with the Blue Jays so much she wrote a letter to the team in December expressing her hope for his return to Toronto.
After the three-time All-Star agreed Wednesday to a one-year, $3 million contract, the pitcher’s wife, Erica May-Scherzer, posted a copy of the handwritten note by Brooke. May-Scherzer said her daughter wrote the letter, dated Dec. 15, and asked her parents to mail it to the team.
“Dear Blue Jays,” the note began, “I am so sorry that you didn’t win the World Series. I hope that you win next time. I hope my dad is back on the team. My whole family loves spending time in Toronto with our dad. We loved the aquarium, the (CN) Tower and of course the stadium. I am looking forward to come back next season. Love, Max Scherzer daughter”
An eight-time All-Star, Scherzer is a 41-year-old right-hander with a 221-117 record and a 3.22 ERA for Arizona (2008-09), Detroit (2010-14), Washington (2015-21), the Los Angeles Dodgers (2021), New York Mets (2022-23), Texas (2023-24) and Toronto (2025). He ranks 11th on the career list with 3,489 strikeouts — 20 behind Hall of Famer Walter Johnson.
He was went 5-5 with a 5.19 ERA in 17 starts and 85 innings for the Blue Jays last season, and he made three starts in the postseason, beating Seattle 8-2 in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series. He started Games 3 and 7 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
JUPITER, Fla. — The New York Mets plan to put newly acquired ace Freddy Peralta on the mound against Pittsburgh on opening day.
New York traded two prospects to Milwaukee last month for the two-time All-Star.
“When we acquired him, it was pretty clear that he was going to be pitching at the front of our rotation,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Friday before Peralta had three strikeouts in three innings against St. Louis in a spring training game. “He earned it. I’m excited. We’re all excited.”
New York opens March 26 at home.
The 29-year-old right-hander gives the new-look Mets a frontline starter after their rotation struggled in the second half of a disappointing 2025 season. They also signed free agent infielder Bo Bichette and acquired center fielder Luis Robert Jr. in a trade with the Chicago White Sox.
Peralta was 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA in 33 starts last season, when he led the National League in wins and finished fifth in Cy Young Award voting. He struck out 204 in 176 2/3 innings and earned his second All-Star selection.
Peralta is set to make $8 million this season and can become a free agent following the World Series. He is 70-42 with a 3.59 ERA and 1,153 strikeouts in 931 innings over eight major league seasons, all with Milwaukee.
STRASBOURG, France (AP) — Lens missed a chance to top Ligue 1 after it fought back from a goal down to draw at Strasbourg 1-1 on Friday.
Argentine striker Joaquin Panichelli scored for the third game in a row to put the home side ahead after 18 minutes at Stade de la Meinau.
Panichelli's 14th goal of the season tied him with Mason Greenwood at the top of the Ligue 1 goalscoring chart.
Lens fought back to equalize 17 minutes into the second half through Mamadou Sangare. A corner kick was cleared to Sangare’s feet and his first-time drive flew through a forest of legs and into the bottom corner.
It was only the second draw in the league for Lens, which was the better team in the second half but found Strasbourg goalkeeper Mike Penders in top form.
A win would have taken it a point clear of league leader and reigning champion Paris Saint-Germain but remained a point behind in second, having played a game more. PSG is at Le Havre on Saturday.
Strasbourg, meanwhile, climbed into seventh. It has lost only two of its last 14 matches in all competitions.
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 29: Cole Anthony #50 of the Milwaukee Bucks dribbles the ball during the game against the Washington Wizards on January 29, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Sabina Shysh/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns mildly shook things up at the February trade deadline by sending Nick Richards and Nigel Hayes-Davis away in exchange for Amir Coffey and Cole Anthony. On the surface, it was a deal that made sense. Phoenix needed to get off some money to get under the luxury tax line, and both Richards and NHD were the expendable assets to do so. Both players seemed to fit the Suns’ style: gritty, tough, disruptive.
Reports surfaced immediately that the team had no intention of keeping Anthony long-term, however.
Still sticking with this. I expect at some point the Suns waive Cole Anthony. He will not play for Phoenix. https://t.co/jkPQphwJNt
The reasoning was simple. The Suns already had Jamaree Bouyea on a two-way contract, and the front office views him as the right fit for that specific role. Bouyea has taken advantage of the opportunity allotted to him, and while nothing is official as of yet, I would not be surprised if this were the next roster-related domino to fall.
While he played in 35 games for the Milwaukee Bucks, averaging 6.7 points on 42/30/62 splits, Anthony has consistently appeared on the injury report with a “not with team” designation.
That situation reached its conclusion today. The Suns are officially waiving Cole Anthony.
The Phoenix Suns have waived guard Cole Anthony, sources tell ESPN. Anthony averaged 6.7 points in 35 games for the Bucks before being moved at the NBA trade deadline.
As Arizona Sports Suns insider John Gambadoro notes, the team was looking to see if a buyout was possible. A buyout would save the team some money if a deal could have been reached. Ultimately, that did not occur, so the organization opted to waive him.
Now that Cole Anthony has been waived (were just waiting to see if a buyout was possible) Suns will turn their attention to converting Jamaree Bouyea to a standard contract by March 4th then adding a player on a two-way contract.
This move allows the organization to convert Bouyea to a guaranteed deal while also freeing up a two-way roster spot. It remains to be seen if the Suns will fill that final opening immediately, but their track record with player development suggests they likely will.
As for Anthony, he now enters the market looking for his next opportunity on either a standard or two-way contract.
AUGSBURG, Germany (AP) — Rodrigo Ribeiro scored for the second game in a row and Alexis Claude-Maurice added a second with the last kick of the game as Augsburg beat Cologne 2-0 in the Bundesliga on Friday.
Six days after he scored in a 3-2 win over Wolfsburg, Ribeiro's cute backheel from a cutback by U.S. defender Noahkai Banks broke the deadlock in the 55th minute.
Claude-Maurice made sure of the win deep in stoppage time when, with all of the Cologne players in the opposition box for a last-gasp corner, he charged forward and rolled the ball into the empty net.
Augsburg’s fifth win in six games left it in ninth place, tied on points with Eintracht Frankfurt, the team above it.
Cologne was missing four players with muscle injuries, a rash of absences that coach Lukas Kwasniok said was the worst he had ever faced.
The visitor was the more physical of the two sides in a hard-fought first half and was unfortunate not to go in a goal up at the break after Eric Martel’s header came back off the crossbar.
But Augsburg — wearing a one-off shirt designed to highlight the city’s history — took its chances in the second half as it roared to a club-record-equalling eight consecutive matches unbeaten at home in the Bundesliga.
Cologne has won only one of its last six league games and remained in 12th place.
Striker was demoted to under-21s after refusing to play
Recent club form has not translated to USMNT
Josh Sargent joined Toronto FC from Norwich City in England’s second-tier League Championship on Friday, ending a difficult situation in which the striker was exiled to the under-21 squad after he refused to play in an FA Cup match last month.
Sargent, 26, was signed as a designated player through the 2030-31 MLS season. He had eight goals this season and 56 goals in 157 appearances with the Canaries overall
The Hockey News' main site released their NHL Trade Deadline Board on Friday. In it, they ranked the top 25 trade candidates with the deadline being one week away.
One Chicago Blackhawks player made THN's trade board, as Connor Murphy was given the No. 13 spot.
With Murphy being one of the top defenseman trade candidates in the NHL right now, it is not surprising in the slightest that he has made THN's trade board. He has the potential to generate plenty of interest leading up to the deadline, as contenders are always looking for steady right-shot defensemen with size.
With the Blackhawks having so many young defensemen in their system and Murphy being a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), now seems like the perfect time for the Blackhawks to move him. This is especially so when noting that he has the potential to land the Blackhawks a second-round pick or more in a move.
If the Blackhawks do end up moving Murphy, he is a player who deserves all the respect in the world from Chicago fans. The 32-year-old defenseman has been an important part of the Blackhawks' blueline for nine seasons now and has been a good veteran in their room.
It will be interesting to see what happens with Murphy leading up to the deadline. He is certainly a player to watch from here.
A Pro Football Hall of Famer could become a Major League Baseball owner.
The Athletic reports that Drew Brees has partnered with Vuori founder Joe Kudla to explore the possibility of joining one of the groups that has submitted an initial bid for the San Diego Padres.
The deadline for the first round of bids was Wednesday, February 25. Five groups made bids before the deadline.
The Padres were put on the market in November 2025. A sale could happen by the start of the 2026 MLB season.
In 2012, the Padres sold for $800 million. The record for a baseball team was set in 2020, when the Mets sold for $2.42 billion.
Brees, who was elected earlier this month to the Hall of Fame, started his career with the then-San Diego Chargers. He played for the Chargers from 2001 through 2005. Brees vaulted to superstar status with the Saints, where he played from 2006 through 2020.
During the first inning of their matchup with the Braves, Atlanta’s Jurickson Profar hit a lazy fly ball to left center field that nearly ended in disaster.
Boston’s young stars, left fielder Roman Anthony and center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela both appeared to have a beat on the ball, but there apparently wasn’t great communication between the pair.
The moment Anthony and Rafaela collided in left center field. Talkin' Baseball/X
Anthony made the catch, allowing Ronald Acuna Jr. to score the first Atlanta run of the game from third base, but he collided on the play with Rafaela at the same exact moment — sending both players to the ground on a play that appeared to be catastrophic for a few moments.
As trainers and coaches ran out to check on the pair, Anthony remained face down on the grass while Rafaela didn’t look much better hunched over next to his teammate.
After a minute or so, Rafaela sprung to his feet.
A short time later, Anthony was up and standing as the Red Sox trainer appeared to be checking on his left arm.
Both players fell to the grass after the collision. Talkin' Baseball/X
Both players stayed in the game, and if their next at-bats were any indication, they ended up just fine.
“Lack of communication,” manager Alex Cora told reporters after the game. “We’ve got to be better. When [proper communication] doesn’t happen, things like that can happen … If he calls it, it’s the center fielder’s ball.”
Anthony and Rafaela added that it wasn’t too serious in the end.
“I just wanted to take a second, we got the wind knocked out of both of us I think a little bit there and hit him pretty hard and wanted to make sure he was good,” Anthony said. “Weird feeling at first but nothing too crazy.”
Anthony singled to center in his very next time at the plate.
A few pitches later, Rafaela hit a 400-foot home run to the same part of the yard.
Trainers checking on the pair. Talkin' Baseball/X
Scary moment as Roman Anthony and Ceddanne Rafaela collide in the outfield going after a fly ball
Both players received attention from the trainers but were able to stay in the game pic.twitter.com/CICcfsWLoi
The Red Sox are assuredly breathing a sigh of relief with so much depending on Anthony, 21, and Rafaela, 25, in 2026 and beyond.
Anthony burst onto the scene last season, hitting .292/.396/.463 across 303 plate appearances and finishing third in the American League Rookie of the Year race after widely being considered the best prospect in the sport.
In his second full big league season in 2025, Rafaela hit 16 home runs and stole 20 bags while winning the Gold Glove award in center field.
DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 25: The sneakers worn by Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the Denver Nuggets on February 25, 2026 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. –– Teoscar Hernández has seen Santiago Espinal at his best.
In 2022, the two were teammates with the Blue Jays. And that summer, Espinal had a breakout campaign, earning an All-Star selection as a do-everything, play-everywhere utilityman on a 92-win team that reached the playoffs.
“He’s a really good player,” Hernández said. “He understands the game. He understands every situation. And he understands everything that he has to do.”
TEMPE, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 21: Santiago Espinal #21 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates during the first inning of the spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium on February 21, 2026 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) Getty Images
Four years later, they were reunited with the Dodgers this spring.
Only now, Espinal is the lowest rung on the ladder, trying to resurrect his big-league career after three disappointing seasons that forced him to settle for a minor-league deal in Los Angeles this winter.
“The Dodgers told me I’d have a great opportunity here to compete,” Espinal told The California Post this week. “And as soon as I got here, they welcomed me with open arms.”
At first glance, the 31-year-old infielder may seem like a superfluous piece for the two-time defending World Series champions. Their lineup is already stacked with fellow former All-Stars. They have younger options like Hyeseong Kim and Alex Freeland capable of rounding out the roster. And Espinal’s underwhelming production since that 2022 season –– he has posted a minus-0.4 WAR in that time, per Fangraphs –– has put him at a career crossroads, facing a steep uphill climb for any sort of prominent MLB role.
However, at this point of the spring, there are already signs he could have an outside chance of making the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster.
To Teoscar Hernández, his potential value is clear.
“I see him as a Kiké Hernández type of player,” Teoscar said. “He can play and contribute in a lot of ways.”
Kiké Hernández will likely miss the first half of the season as he recovers from offseason elbow surgery, creating an opening for a super-utility player. The Dodgers’ initial plan to replace him was also scuttled before camp, when free-agent signing Andy Ibáñez was lost on waivers amid a 40-man roster crunch.
And while Kim and Freeland are competing to help fill his void at second base, the Dodgers might consider keeping only one of them on their Opening Day roster, allowing the other to return to Triple-A and get regular at-bats rather than ride the bench at the big-league level.
This is where Espinal could come in –– providing a potential last-man-on-the-bench option who would be capable of playing all over the field, taking professional at-bats when called upon, and unfazed by the likely limited playing time he would get.
“Things bode well for him,” manager Dave Roberts said Friday, offering a hint about Espinal’s chances of breaking camp with the club. “He’s really a helpful, winning player in my opinion, (who) raises the floor.”
GLENDALE, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 23: Santiago Espinal #21 of the Los Angeles Dodgers rounds third base to score a run against the Seattle Mariners during the fourth inning of a spring training game at Camelback Ranch on February 23, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) Getty Images
Even after just three weeks with the team, Espinal has already found a comfort level in the Dodgers’ organization.
Every morning, he has worked out on the main practice field at Camelback Ranch alongside the team’s big-league regulars –– and, notably, not with the other minor-league hopefuls on field No. 2 at the club’s spring facility –– taking ground balls alongside Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, Miguel Rojas and Freddie Freeman.
Behind the scenes, he feels he’s made promising improvements, too.
Espinal and Dodgers hitting coaches have dug through film of his old swing, trying to shift his line-drive approach back to the big part of the field as it was early in his career (when he batted .280 and amassed 4.6 WAR between 2020 and his All-Star 2022 campaign). So far in Cactus League play, it has helped him start 4 for 9 at the plate, including a hard-hit RBI single in Friday’s game against the Giants.
Espinal has also been soaking up the experience of being around such a star-laden roster, drawing inspiration from Freeman, Rojas and Betts most of all.
“Like, one thing in the cage, I never see Mookie pull the ball. It’s always right-center,” Espinal said. “That’s something that’s a very little detail, but to me it’s like, ‘Hey, let me try that, too. Let me see how my swing path can change by doing that.’”
Still, Espinal’s most important skill is his versatility with the glove.
He could spell Muncy at third base on occasion against left-handed pitching. He can factor into the mix at second and play the corner outfield spots when needed. And though regular at-bats, even as a pinch hitter, might be hard to come by, he’ll be eager for any opportunity that comes his way –– trying to show that his 2022 form is still in there as he chases down a potential Opening Day roster spot.
“I’m happy that he has a chance to show what he’s capable of,” Teoscar Hernández said. “He can be really big for this team this year.”
Jul 9, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) reacts after hitting a home run against the Athletics in the fourth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Just officially a month away from the Atlanta Braves’ opening day, the team’s offense is showing glimpses of high intensity and promise that fans are hoping will carry over into the regular season. Taking the win (15-8) against Boston, they’re ending the first full Spring Training week on a high note and ready to build on their momentum.
The headlines speak for themselves. Not missing a beat, Ronald Acuña Jr., going 2-for-3 in his plate appearance, not only showed consistent quickness as he picked back up on his base-stealing, but he also collected his first homer of the spring that resulted in a grand slam to bring in Michael Harris II, Jonah Heim and Jorge Mateo, extending the Braves’ lead by nine runs (12-3) in the bottom of the third.
A force that continued to make noise in the Braves’ offense was Mike Yastremski, also going 3-for-3 and collecting two homers and three RBI’s of his own. This piece seems to be a smart move for the Braves’ front office, as his offensive prowess could help move the needle for the team as a whole and continue to put runs on the board to extend their campaign.
On the pitching side, Chris Sale is coming off just two innings with electric movement on the mound in his first appearance this past Sunday. In today’s matchup, it seems it wasn’t as strong a performance, only staying out for 2.2 innings; he gave up three earned runs that included two homers; however, he also collected three strikeouts to end the day. Though fans would like to see Sale out longer and more power in his arsenal that he’s displayed just last weekend, it’s still early enough in Spring Training to deem these innings as warmups to allow just enough of a feel against the competition.
Was this Sale’s best start? Not even close, but is it time to panic? Not at all. The impactful lefty is taking each opportunity as it comes and making adjustments when needed. It was after a two-run homer from Boston’s Ceddanne Rafaela that relief pitcher Darius Vine subbed in to take the mound.
One of the arguably most exciting additions to the team, Robert Suárez, also made his spring debut in today’s game. The former Padres’ closer reached 100 mph multiple times on the radar gun and almost struck out the side if not for giving up a single from a Red Sox outfielder (Braiden Ward) before reaching 100.1 mph on a four-seamer to end the inning and his stint on the mound (1 IP/ 1 H/ 0 ER/ 0 BB/ 1 K). Aaron Bummer came in to replace him at the top of the sixth.
Braves country, if there’s one thing to take away from this game, it’s that the offense as a whole would’ve made you beyond proud, and building excitement going into the regular season if they keep up with this momentum. Could this be a sneak peak on what we should expect in exactly one month from today?
Tomorrow, the fun continues as the Braves take on the Orioles with Spencer Strider taking the mound.
