The Toronto Blue Jays want to play their home games in a major league ballpark this season. That's according to pitcher Anthony Bass, who says the front office is working to find a major league ballpark for the team. Canada denied the Blue Jays' request to play at Rogers Centre because the regular-season schedule would require frequent travel back and forth from the United States, where COVID-19 cases are surging. The team's minor league options are its training facility in Dunedin, Florida, or its Triple-A affiliate stadium in Buffalo.
In other MLB news:
Philadelphia second baseman Neil Walker, Texas pitcher Edinson Vólquez and Pittsburgh pitcher Derek Holland have made opening-day rosters. So have Milwaukee first baseman Logan Morrison, Cincinnati pitcher Nate Jones, Tampa Bay pitcher Aaron Loup and New York Yankees pitcher Luis Avilán. The seven were among the former free agents the clubs had to make decisions on by Sunday, five days ahead of opening day. New York Mets catcher René Rivera and Colorado catcher Drew Butera were given $100,000 retention bonuses this weekend, allowing those teams to keep them with minor league contracts. Among those released ahead of the deadline were Philadelphia pitcher Francisco Liriano and infielder Logan Forsythe, Mets first baseman Matt Adams and Washington reliever Fernando Abad. Released players remain eligible to re-sign with the teams.
Nationals outfielder Victor Robles took part in his first workout of the summer following a two-week quarantine. Robles had some at-bats, ran the bases and says he should be ready to start opening day.
The Tigers have announced that Matthew Boyd will start the season opener against Cincinnati. Boyd had been slated to start the opener in March and now will get the chance a few months later.
GOLF
Jon Rahm will move to the top of world golf rankings after a convincing victory at the Memorial. Rahm closed with a 3-over 75 for a 9-under total, three strokes ahead of second-round co-leader Ryan Palmer at Muirfield Village. The 25-year-old Spaniard was leading by seven shots on Sunday before a double-bogey on the par-5 11th cut into his advantage. Rahm later received a two-stroke penalty after being initially credited with a five-stroke win. To become the No. 1 golfer, Rahm had to win the tournament and hope Rory McIlroy finished no better than third. McIlroy tied for 32nd. Rahm joins Seve Ballesteros as the only Spaniards to reach No. 1. Tiger Woods carded a 76 for the second time in three days, leaving him at plus-6.
In other golf news, Jack Nicklaus revealed during the CBS telecast of the Memorial that he and his wife tested positive for the coronavirus at the onset of the pandemic. He said his wife had no COVID-19 symptoms, while Nicklaus had a sore throat and a cough. Nicklaus said they were home in North Palm Beach, Florida, from March 13 "until we were done with it" on about April 20. Nicklaus and his wife, Barbara, turned 80 a month apart at the start of the year.
NASCAR
Richard Childress Racing had a successful day at Texas Motor Speedway. Austin Dillon stayed in front after a restart with two laps to go and beat rookie Tyler Reddick to the checkered flag. That gave Childress a 1-2 NASCAR Cup finish and quite a show for spectators spread out in the stands. Dillon raced to his third career win and first since Daytona at the start of the 2018 season. He stayed in front on three late restarts, the first after an incident with 29 laps left that shuffled the fast car of Ryan Blaney to a lap back. Joey Logano finished third, with Kyle Busch coming in fourth a day after he finished ahead of the field in two races. Series points leader Kevin Harvick was fifth.
SOCCER
In the MLS is Back Tournament, the San Jose Earthquakes shook Chicago Fire FC 2-0, and the Seattle Sounders downed Vancouver Whitecaps FC 3-0.
In other soccer news, Bolivian soccer federation president César Salinas has died from complications linked to COVID-19. He was 58. The federation announced the death on its social media channels. Salinas had been admitted to a private clinic in La Paz this month for treatment after contracting the coronavirus. The former chairman of Bolivian club The Strongest became president of the national federation in 2018.
NFL
NFL players are publicly pleading with the league to address several health and safety concerns on the eve of training camp. The league informed teams on Saturday that training camps will open on time even though discussions with the players' union regarding testing for the coronavirus and other health and safety protocols are ongoing. Rookies for Houston and Kansas City are set to report Monday and rookies for other teams are due on Tuesday. Players for all teams are scheduled to report by July 28. Many prominent players expressed their thoughts in a social media blitz Sunday. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, whose wife is pregnant, wrote: "We want to play football but we also want to protect our loved ones." And Saints quarterback Drew Brees tweeted, "If the NFL doesn't do their part to keep players healthy there is no football in 2020." He wrote, "We need Football! We need sports! We need hope!"
NHL
Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby is dealing with an unspecified health issue. Crosby left a team scrimmage early on Saturday and then was held out of practice a day later. Neither head coach Mike Sullivan nor assistant coach Mark Recchi offered any detail on what might be ailing Crosby. The Penguins have about two weeks to get ready to face Montreal in the qualifying round of the playoffs.
F1
Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has won the Hungarian Grand Prix for the eighth time to equal Michael Schumacher's single-venue record and take the championship lead. Hamilton's latest victory from pole position was as comfortable as the nearly 9-second margin over Max Verstappen suggested. The British driver's 86th GP win moved him just five behind Schumacher's F1 record of 91. Hamilton is also demanding more support from Formula One's governing body and urged other drivers to make more of an effort in the fight against racism. Some drivers took a knee and others again did not in disorganized scenes before Sunday's race. As in the previous two races this season, all drivers were supposed to gather before the national anthem to stand while wearing "End Racism" T-shirts. Hamilton and others like his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas and Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel took a knee but others appeared to be hurriedly arriving late and not even in position.
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