See wild play that earned Giants manager Tony Vitello his first ejection

Jerar Encarnacion reached first base on an error, until he didn't.

San Francisco Giantsmanager Tony Vitello took exception and earned the first ejection of his MLB career in the process.

In the bottom of the seventh inning in Sunday's5-2loss to theNew York Metsat Oracle Park, Encarnacion chopped a sinker from Mets pitcher Huascar Brazobán into the infield and took off toward first base. Brazobán fielded the ball and fired it to first baseman Mark Vientos, who couldn't hang on as the ball plopped out of his glove and hit the ground.

But first base umpire Nestor Ceja called Encarnacion out anyways, declaring that he failed to stay inside the runner's lane. The call itself though, was controversial because umpires usually only make it when a runner interferes with the ball or the throw, which Encarnacion did neither of.

“Jerar was on the grass,” Vitello told reporters postgame. “You’re not going to be automatically out for being on the grass only if the (umpire) sees that the runner impedes the throw. The throw didn’t hit the runner.”

Vitello immediately confronted Ceja on the field, the veins in his neck popping as he got in the ump's face and delivered an expletive-filled rant that's sure to get a lip reading from Jomboy in the next few days. Ceja entertained Vitello for a while, standing in front of him with his arms crossed as the two exchanged words before Ceja ultimately sent Vitello packing for the rest of the game.

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“I said one last thing, just out of frustration or being all fired up. That was complete nonsense,” Vitello said. “I think it was misinterpreted a little bit. When you’re on the field that long, and you’re not a player, you’re probably out of place a little bit.”

As Vitello walked back through the dugout and into the clubhouse, he received pats on the backside in support from several of his players.

The last time Vitello had been ejected was just under a year ago on May 4, 2025 for arguing balls and strikes while he was coaching at the University of Tennessee.

Through the first 10 games of the season, the Giants are 3-7 under Vitello. The Mets, meanwhile, improved to 6-4 with Sunday's win.

Cleveland Guardians players warm up as the launch of NASA's Artemis II is shown on the center-field video board at Dodger Stadium on April 1, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Ballpark vibes and wild celebrations a during 2026 MLB season

Cleveland Guardians players warm up asthe launch of NASA's Artemis IIis shown on the center-field video board at Dodger Stadium on April 1, 2026.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Giants manager Tony Vitello ejected for first time in MLB career

byAlex Forten

in

April 06, 2026

See wild play that earned Giants manager Tony Vitello his first ejection

Jerar Encarnacion reached first base on an error, until he didn't. San Francisco Giantsmanager Tony Vitello took exception and...

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After missing more than 2 months with right knee injury, Stephen Curry returns for Warriors

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry swished a 3-pointer on his second shot from deep and raised his arms in delight when the ball went through.

Rockets Warriors Basketball

He was looking to do the same on the last possession with Golden State down a point, but missed a long, straightaway 3-pointer.

No matter the result, Curry is back and healthy at long last for the Warriors after a right knee injury, and everyone at Chase Center celebrated right along with him inGolden State’s 117-116 lossto the Houston Rockets on Sunday night.

With Curry back, the Warriors hope to make it out of the play-in tournament.

"There were a lot of nerves all day, my family supporting me at home when I was a nervous wreck trying to pass the hours before I got to the arena but once you get back into your routine I've been doing it so long muscle memory takes over and the adrenalin takes over," Curry said. "I appreciate the fans and the reception and just the buzz that was in the arena because you know at a certain point you won't be able to tap into that. So very grateful, it was a beautiful day and now I can kind of settle in to how we're going to finish the year.”

Coming off the bench in the regular season for the first time in 14 years, Curry was greeted by a warm standing ovation and greetings on the big screen — he also expressed his gratitude on video — when he entered with 4:54 left in the opening quarter.

He immediately passed off for an assist on a dunk by Charles Bassey, who just signed with Golden State earlier in the day. Curry made a 3-pointer with 34 seconds remaining in the period.

“You can just feel it, we're back in the mix, we're back in the fight with Steph,” coach Steve Kerr said.

Curry finished with 29 points on 11-for-21 shooting and became the 26th player in NBA history with 9,000 field goals. He was 5 of 10 on 3s, playing 26 minutes.

Fans chanted “We want Steph! We want Steph!” during the fourth quarter, seemingly unaware of his minutes restriction.

This marked the first time he has come off the bench in a regular-season game since March 7, 2012, against Memphis. He last was a reserve in Game 4 of the first round of the 2022 playoffs during the Warriors’ last championship run.

Curry's pregame warmup is always a must-see show long before the main event, and the cheers were extra loud for his latest session now that he's finally back on the floor.

He was cheered before tipoff, too, and was supposed to play 24 minutes following a two-plus-month absence and 27 straight games sidelined because of a right knee injury.

He signed a few autographs after his shooting routine then missed his full-court heave before disappearing into the tunnel.

“He's one of the most beloved players in league history, Bay Area history in any sport and I think a long absence like this reminds everybody how lucky we are to see him, to watch him, to coach him, to play with him,” Kerr said. “So tonight's a special night because we're reminded of how lucky we've been and how lucky we still are.”

Kerr said before the game that it's still unclear how many of the remaining games Curry will play given Golden State has five contests in eight days with a back-to-back the rest of the way — and the expectation is he wouldn't play on consecutive nights.

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The schedule will be determined by how Curry feels and input from Vice President of Player Health and Performance Rick Celebrini.

Soon, Curry will be starting again.

Rockets coach Ime Udoka knew Houston would have its hands full with No. 30 back.

“One of the best movers in the game,” Udoka said. "... Obviously, we’ve seen him enough and know some things that have hurt us in the past.”

Curry scrimmaged several times this past week to test his injured right knee, and he said Saturday it was never a consideration to shut it down for the rest of the season. Kerr hoped to have Curry and younger brother Seth finally play together.

At the 6:19 mark of the second quarter, they did — the first time brothers played together in Warriors franchise history, according to Elias.Seth Curryalso has been injured much of the season.

Seth Curry did appear in six preseason games for Golden State in 2013 then played for the team’s G League Santa Cruz Warriors that year — with the brothers playing all of 100 seconds together during the fourth quarter of two games during that ’13 preseason.

“That was special,” Curry said. “We both had very difficult years, honestly him more than me with injuries. I was joking calling us the rehab brothers. It's been like that all year but to have that moment coming out of a timeout, talking about our matchups, I was having flashbacks to Charlotte Christian in high school my senior year, his sophomore year was the last time in an actual game. ... That was a dream come true to be honest, it hasn't really sunk in yet.”

Their mother, Sonya, was in the stands for the moment.

Curry warmed up in Kevin Durant's “Scoring Title” Nike KD 4s with former teammate Durant playing for the Rockets.

After Saturday's practice, Curry said dealing with the pain is part of his “new normal” and the offseason will require a significant reset.

The 38-year-oldCurry initially expected to be playingright after the All-Star break, but the recovery was prolonged by some difficult moments when he would feel good, push hard then pay for it the following day.

The Warriors (36-42) lost their fourth straight game. They were 13-25 this season without Curry — including 9-18 during the recent stretch with him sidelined by patellofemoral pain syndrome.

Curry was thrilled to battle Durant again — knowing these moments won't last forever. The feeling was mutual.

“Amazing,” Durant said about Curry’s comeback night.

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/NBA

byAlex Forten

in

April 06, 2026

After missing more than 2 months with right knee injury, Stephen Curry returns for Warriors

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry swished a 3-pointer on his second shot from deep and raised his arms in delight when the ball went t...

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Toddler injured by wolf at Zoo America after crawling under a fence to enclosure

A child sustained minor injuries Saturday morning after crawling under a fence at Zoo America in Pennsylvania and approaching a wolf enclosure.

The unsupervised 18-month-old breached the park's perimeter fencing and made their way to the wolves' primary metal enclosure, according to a statement from Zoo America, where the child reached their hand through the barrier.

"A wolf approached and made contact with the child's hand," the zoo said. "This type of response is consistent with natural animal behavior, and was not a sign of aggression."

At no point was the toddler ever inside the wolf's enclosure, according to Zoo America's review of the incident.

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Zoo America did not indentify the family. Details of the injuries were not provided, though the zoo described them as minor.

Zoo America said that the safety of its visitors is a top priority but that guests are also expected to "remain within designated areas and closely supervise children at all times."

"Our habitats are designed with multiple layers of protection, and clear signage and barriers are in place to help ensure safe viewing," it said.

Zoo America is part of the Hersheypark amusement park in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The sprawling entertainment campus boasts being the largest amusement park in the U.S. and includes its theme park, zoo, and boardwalk.

The zoo is accredited by the Association Of Zoos And Aquariums and has a dedicated conservation effort. It participates in the Species Survival Plan program, which works to foster sustainable and genetically diverse population of specifically designated species.

byAlex Forten

in

April 05, 2026

Toddler injured by wolf at Zoo America after crawling under a fence to enclosure

A child sustained minor injuries Saturday morning after crawling under a fence at Zoo America in Pennsylvania and approac...

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Devils beat Montreal 3-0, ending the playoffs-bound Canadiens' 8-game winning streak

MONTREAL (AP) — Jacob Markstrom made 18 saves for his first shutout of the season and the New Jersey Devils beat Montreal 3-0 on Sunday night, ending the Canadiens' eight-game winning streak hours after they clinched a second straight playoff spot.

Devils Canadiens Hockey

The Canadiens got the playoff spot when Detroit lost 5-4 to Minnesota. They are the first Canadian team to secure a playoff berth this season.

Cody Glass, Timo Meier and Connor Brown scored for New Jersey as it fights to keep its slim postseason chances alive. Jack Hughes had two assists.

The Devils won their 11th consecutive game in Montreal, the longest active run in the NHL against a single opponent. The Canadiens haven't beaten New Jersey at the Bell Centre since a 2-1 overtime victory on Dec. 14, 2017.

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Jacob Fowler made 17 saves for Montreal. The Canadiens capped an undefeated five-game trip with a 4-3 shootout win over the Devils in New Jersey on Saturday.

Montreal's Cole Caufield remained a goal short of 50 for the second straight game after scoring his 48th and 49th on Thursday night against the New York Rangers.

Meier scored on a tap-in midway through the first period after a shot from Hughes went through Fowler's legs and hit the post. Glass burst through the neutral zone and beat Fowler late in the second.

Brown added an empty-netter.

Up next

Devils: Host Philadelphia on Tuesday night.Canadiens: Host Florida on Tuesday night.___AP NHL:https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Devils: Host Philadelphia on Tuesday night.

Canadiens: Host Florida on Tuesday night.

AP NHL:https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

byAlex Forten

in

April 05, 2026

Devils beat Montreal 3-0, ending the playoffs-bound Canadiens' 8-game winning streak

MONTREAL (AP) — Jacob Markstrom made 18 saves for his first shutout of the season and the New Jersey Devils beat Montreal...

Read More

Mookie Betts injury update: Dodgers place SS on IL with oblique strain

On the same day that storm clouds delayed theLos Angeles Dodgers' series finale against the Nationalsin Washington, D.C Sunday, April 5, the team has also gotten some clarity on the injury to star shortstopMookie Betts.

The Dodgers are placing Betts on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain, manager Dave Roberts announced pregame. In the corresponding roster move, the team has recalled infielder Hyeseong Kim from Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Betts drew a walk in his lone plate appearance in the top of the first inning of Saturday's 10-5 win over the Washington Nationals and scored from first on a two-run double from Freddie Freeman, but he exited the game with what was initially described as lower back tightness. Miguel Rojas replaced him at shortstop for the bottom of the first.

Betts underwent an MRI Saturday night, which revealed an oblique strain that the Dodgers believe likely happened on a check swing during his at-bat but that he didn't feel until he started running the bases.

(Salaries in present-day value calculated by MLB Labor Relations Department, impacted by deferrals and signing bonuses)

1. Juan Soto, Mets - $61,875,000

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 2. Cody Bellinger, Yankees - $42,500,000

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 3. Bo Bichette, Mets - $42 million

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 3. Zack Wheeler, Phillies – $42 million

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 5. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays - $40,214,286

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 6. Aaron Judge, Yankees – $40 million

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 7. Anthony Rendon, Angels - $38,571,429

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 8. Jacob deGrom, Rangers - $38 million

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 9. Mike Trout, Angels – $37,116,667

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 10. Gerrit Cole, Yankees – $36,000,000

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 11. Jose Altuve, Astros – $33 million

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 11. Kyle Tucker, Dodgers - $33 million

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 13. Tyler Glasnow, Dodgers - $32,500,000

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 14. Francisco Lindor, Mets - $32,477,277

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 15. Tarik Skubal, Tigers – $32 million

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 16. Carlos Correa, Astros – $31,500,000

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 16. Corey Seager, Rangers - $31,500,000

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 18. Sonny Gray, Red Sox – $31 million

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 19. Corbin Burnes, Diamondbacks – $30,790,069

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 20. Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees - $29 million

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 21. Nathan Eovaldi, Rangers – $28,536,643

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 22. Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers – $28,206,684

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 23. Dansby Swanson, Cubs – $28 million

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 24. Carlos Rodon, Yankees – $27,833,333

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 25. Stephen Strasburg, Nationals (*retired) – $27,814,045

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 26. Bryce Harper, Phillies - $27,538,462

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 27. Trea Turner, Phillies – $27,272,727

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 28. Blake Snell, Dodgers - $27,152,056

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 29. Kris Bryant, Rockies - $27 million

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 30. Yordan Alvarez, Astros - $26,833,333

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

See the top 30 highest paid players in MLB baseball

(Salaries in present-day value calculated by MLB Labor Relations Department, impacted by deferrals and signing bonuses)1. Juan Soto, Mets- $61,875,000

Roberts told reporters that he felt "a little something in (his) stomach" when he learned of the MRI results but felt reassured once he spoke with Betts.

"He's actually in better spirits," Roberts told reporters. "Obviously disappointed, but just the way he feels today, and I think he's had some dealings with that before and said it's better than he recalls past experience. So that was encouraging."

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TheDodgers injury reporton MLB.com lists Betts' expected return for May. And while Roberts said he "would take the under" on the standard 4–6-week recovery period, he hesitated to put a definitive timeline due to the tricky nature of oblique injuries.

The Dodgers have three main options to turn to in Betts' absence between Rojas, Kim and rookie Alex Freeland. Roberts said he sees Rojas and Kim taking on the bulk of the reps at short and keeping Freeland in an everyday role at second base.

"That's how I'm gonna divvy it up and then we'll see," Roberts said. "We got three starters in Toronto, so Hyeseong will play short against Scherzer, and then we'll probably start two of the three."

As for the lineup, Roberts mused about the possibility of moving center fielder Andy Pages up in the order after starting off the season on tear, going 15-for-30 at the plate with three home runs and 10 RBI through eight games, though Roberts also said he likes the dynamic of the lineup as-is.

But regardless, losing Betts for a stretch of time is a blow for the Dodgers. He had gotten off to a slow start at the dish – as has most of the top of the order – but went 2-for-6 with a two-run go-ahead homer in the third inning of Friday's 13-6 win in DC.

"We were starting to get going a bit," Roberts said. "And he way he's playing defense, he's a big part of what we do. Any time you miss it's going to take some time to get your footing, so disappointed for him. But hopeful that it's not long term."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Dodgers' Mookie Betts placed on injury list with oblique strain

byAlex Forten

in

April 05, 2026

Mookie Betts injury update: Dodgers place SS on IL with oblique strain

On the same day that storm clouds delayed theLos Angeles Dodgers' series finale against the Nationalsin Washington, D...

Read More