Three months out, one swing of the bat. Those were the pertinent numbers for Angels outfielder Justin Upton on Monday, as he returned from a turf toe injury that had cost him almost the first half of the season — and then homered on the first pitch he saw in Toronto. Elsewhere, the Padres’ Manny Machado is appealing his suspension, saying he didn’t bump an umpire. In the Dominican Republic, officials say they have identified the alleged mastermind behind the attack on David Ortiz. And in New York, AL home run leader Edwin Encarnacion made a quiet Yankees debut but says there’s plenty of excitement to come.
A lot of frustration came out in this swing. And with Upton joining Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, how good is the middle of the Angels lineup?
Justin Upton spent 72 games on the IL to start the season. He’d been waiting to do this.pic.twitter.com/NbdtsM4lNt
— Sporting News MLB (@sn_mlb) June 17, 2019
Machado got awfully close to umpire Bill Welke, but video says he didn’t actually touch him. It’ll be interesting to see whether his one-game suspension is overturned.
“I didn’t touch him. … The video says it also.”
Manny Machado appealing suspension stemming from Saturday’s ejection. https://t.co/vSBqGKgGJA— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) June 17, 2019
Meanwhile, doctors at Mass General hospital have upgraded David Ortiz’s condition to “good.”
Prosecutors identify suspect who allegedly bankrolled David Ortiz murder-for-hire plot https://t.co/mj5FJRRvm4 pic.twitter.com/ciV5a5fEin
— The Hill (@thehill) June 18, 2019
Edwin Encarnacion went 0-for-4 in his Yankees debut Monday night, but he makes a scary lineup downright terrifying. And remember, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are returning soon, too.
Brian Cashman said the Edwin Encarnacion trade was “not an area of need, but it is an upgrade.”
The deal makes the Yankees outfield Stanton in LF, Hicks in CF, Judge in RF, with Gardner on the bench. Voit and Encarnacion will split between 1B/DH.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) June 17, 2019
With sports betting laws changing all over the country, this is bound to start happening more frequently.
Sources: Cubs considering sportsbook at Wrigley https://t.co/javYJazTvu pic.twitter.com/n472XKJrbe
— ESPNChicago (@ESPNChicago) June 15, 2019
TOP STORIES
• Angels’ Justin Upton hits a home run in his first at-bat of season | Los Angeles Times
• Padres’ Machado denies bumping umpire, to appeal 1-game ban | Associated Press
• DR officials identify man believed to have paid Ortiz hitmen | Associated Press
