Workers load an All-Star sign onto a trailer after it was removed from Truist Park in Atlanta on Tuesday. Major League Baseball relocated the All-Star Game to Coors Field in Denver after pulling it from Atlanta over objections to sweeping changes to Georgia’s voting laws. John Spink/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP
DENVER — The All-Star Game will be played at hitter-friendly Coors Field.
Major League Baseball officially announced the new venue Tuesday after pulling the Midsummer Classic from Atlanta over objections to extensive changes to Georgia’s voting laws.
Coors Field last hosted the All-Star Game in 1998. The game will be July 13.
“Major League Baseball is grateful to the Rockies, the city of Denver and the state of Colorado for their support of this summer’s All-Star Game,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “We appreciate their flexibility and enthusiasm to deliver a first-class event for our game and the region. We look forward to celebrating our sport’s best players and entertaining fans around the world.”
MLB decided to move the game from Truist Park in Atlanta in response to Georgia voting rules signed into law by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp on March 25. Critics, including the CEOs of Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines and Coca-Cola, have condemned the changes as being too restrictive.
The Georgia law includes new limits on voting by mail and greater legislative control over how elections are run, amid a push in Republican-led states to reduce voting options after former president Donald Trump made baseless claims of widespread fraud in last year’s election.
Colorado has a Democratic governor in Jared Polis and a Democratic-controlled legislature.
The Rockies presented a detailed blueprint for hosting the game, from providing hotels to security. Polis and Mayor Michael Hancock also pledged to supply facilities and services as needed to support this year’s festivities.
Manfred made the decision to move the All-Star events and the amateur draft from Atlanta after discussions with individual players and the Players Alliance, an organization of Black players formed after the death of George Floyd last year, the commissioner said in a statement.
On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki defended voter access in Colorado and noted that it allows registration on election day and widespread voting by mail.
San Diego Padres Manager Jayce Tingler, right, and a trainer help Fernando Tatis Jr, left, off the field after Tatis hurt his shoulder while swinging at a pitch in the third inning Monday’s game against the San Francisco Giants. Derrick Tuskan/Associated Press
PADRES: Star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. suffered a partially dislocated left shoulder on a hard swing Monday night and left the game against the San Francisco Giants.
Tatis struck out against Anthony DeSclafani and winced in pain as he fell to the ground. He cradled his left arm while he got up, and Manager Jayce Tingler and a trainer held his left arm against his body as he walked off the field.
The 22-year-old Tatis left a game late in spring training with left shoulder discomfort but was back two days later. Tingler said then that Tatis had been dealing with left shoulder discomfort since his minor league days. Tatis later said he’d had it since rookie ball.
Tatis has struggled this season, committing five errors and hitting just .167, although he hit a 465-foot home run in Sunday’s loss to Arizona.
He signed the longest contract in big league history on Feb. 22, a 14-year, $340 million deal.
NATIONALS: Starting pitchers Jon Lester and Patrick Corbin, closer Brad Hand and four position players expected in the lineup – left fielder Kyle Schwarber, first baseman Josh Bell, second baseman Josh Harrison and catcher Yan Gomes – were put on the 10-day injured list by the Washington Nationals on Tuesday.
Backup catcher Alex Avila and reserve infielder Jordy Mercer also went on the IL before Washington played its first game of the season at home against the Atlanta Braves. The Nationals’ first four games on the schedule were postponed because of a coronavirus outbreak within the team. Four players tested positive for COVID-19, and an additional seven were placed under quarantine after contact tracing found that they might have been exposed to the illness.
The Nationals have not publicly identified the 11 players involved. The team’s announcement of those nine players on the IL did not specify why they are sidelined. A 10th player who was put on the injured list on Tuesday, reliever Will Harris, was taken off the active roster for what the team said was right hand inflammation.
In other moves, Washington selected the contract of recently signed catcher Jonathan Lucroy to the major league roster and put him in the starting lineup Tuesday. Other moves included recalling nine players sent to the alternate training site: catcher Tres Barrera, right-hander Sam Clay, infielder Luis García, right-hander Ryne Harper, outfielder Yadiel Hernandez, infielder Carter Kieboom and right-hander Kyle McGowin.
Outfielder Cody Wilson was brought up as a replacement player.
RAYS: Tampa Bay placed center fielder Kevin Kiermaier on the 10-day injured list with a left quadriceps strain prior to Tuesday night’s game at Boston.
The defensive whiz experienced tightness in his leg Monday night before being removed from the lineup during the third inning of an 11-2 loss to the Red Sox. Infielder Kevin Padlo was recalled from the taxi squad to replace Kiermaier.
The Rays also claimed catcher Deivy Grullón on waivers from the Cincinnati Reds. Right-handed reliever Chaz Roe (right shoulder strain) was transferred to the 60-day IL to create an opening on the 40-man roster.
YANKEES-RANGERS: Infielder Rougned Odor was traded from the Texas Rangers to the New York Yankees for minor league outfielders Antonio Cabello and Josh Stowers.
The 27-year-old Odor did not make the Rangers’ Opening-Day roster and was designated for assignment on April 1. He is a left-handed hitter, and the Yankees have a mostly right-handed lineup.
Odor is a second baseman but also played third at spring training.
He has two guaranteed seasons at $12 million each remaining as part of a $49.5 million, six-year contract. The deal includes a $13.5 million team option for 2023 with a $3 million buyout. Texas will pay the Yankees cash to cover most of what Odor is owed.
Odor has a .237 career average with 146 homers and 458 RBI in seven major league seasons. He hit .167 with 10 homers and 30 RBI in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and batted .200 with two homers and five RBIsin 35 spring training at-bats for the Rangers.
New York starts right-handed hitters with the exceptions of switch-hitting center fielder Aaron Hicks and left-handed hitting first baseman Jay Bruce, who is starting while Luke Voit recovers from knee surgery.
BRAVES-BREWERS: The Atlanta Braves acquired infielder Orlando Arcia from the Milwaukee Brewers for right-handed pitchers Chad Sobotka and Patrick Weigel.
Arcia had been the Brewers’ starting shortstop from 2018-20, but was expected to split time between shortstop and third base this year in more of a utility role.
This move clears the way for Luis Urias to take over as the Brewers’ everyday shortstop. The Brewers had acquired the 23-year-old Urias along with pitcher Eric Lauer from San Diego in a November 2019 trade that sent outfielder Trent Grisham and pitcher Zach Davies to the Padres.
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