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Sports

Jason Heyward goes on the IL, while the Chicago Cubs give Christopher Morel and Brandon Hughes their 1st MLB call-ups

When the Chicago Cubs drafted Brandon Hughes in 2007, the 16th-round pick hoped one day to roam the outfield at Wrigley Field.He finally got to do that Tuesday during batting practice. Except Hughes’ first big-league call-up came as a pitcher and not an outfielder.AdvertisementThe 26-year-old left-hander converted to pitching in 2019 and quickly ascended through the Cubs farm system. His big-league dream came true amid a flurry of transactions.The Cubs put outfielder Jason Heyward on the injured list without a distinction, an indicator it’s COVID-19-related. Left-hander Conner Menez was optioned to Triple-A Iowa, infielder/outfielder Christopher Morel got called up from Double-A Tennessee and Hughes’ contract was selected from Iowa.Advertisement“He throws a lot of strikes and there’s a lot of deception,” vice president of player development Jared Banner said of Hughes. “Guys just don’t take comfortable swings. So I don’t know whether it’s natural or something specific that he’s learned along the way, but he’s had a tremendous amount of success.”[ [Don’t miss] Willson Contreras’ 1st-inning grand slam — his 100th career home run — sparks the Cubs’ 9-0 win ]Hughes has not allowed a run in 16⅔ innings with 22 strikeouts and three walks between Double A and Triple A this year. He expected family, including his parents, and friends to be at Tuesday night’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.“It’s cool to see the guys that I came up with in the system get opportunities, throw in the games and have success,” Hughes said. “And that takes the nerves off of me a little bit knowing that others have come in and done the job. So I’m ready to do my job.”Morel’s 40-man roster status and defensive flexibility — he has played everywhere except catcher and first base — made him an attractive option while Heyward is sidelined. Morel had a .306/.380/.565 slash line in Double A.[ [Don’t miss] Andrelton Simmons’ return provides the Cubs a timely boost with shortstop Nico Hoerner on the injured list ]“He’s a really energetic, infectious player,” Banner said. “He can play all over the field, and that makes him really valuable. He can run, he can hit with power — he can do so many things on the field that this is a great opportunity for him.”Morel, 22, received the news Monday night from Double-A manager Mike Ryan. His first phone call to share the news went to his parents.“I never thought they were going to call me and make my dream here,” Morel said. “I feel confident with myself. I’m working hard, I’m having fun again. That’s why I’m here.”

Sports

Orlando Magic land the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft lottery, with the Oklahoma City Thunder at No. 2

CHICAGO — The Orlando Magic won the NBA draft lottery Tuesday night and landed the No. 1 pick for the first time since they got Dwight Howard in 2004.It’s the fourth time lottery luck struck for the Magic, who won in back-to-back years in 1992 and 1993, taking Shaquille O’Neal and then trading the rights to Chris Webber for Penny Hardaway.AdvertisementThe Magic finished with the worst record in the Eastern Conference at 22-60 and missed the playoffs for the eighth time in 10 years. But they got a huge win in the lottery, which they had a 14% chance of winning.Duke’s Paolo Banchero, Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren, Purdue’s Jaden Ivey and Auburn’s Jabari Smith are considered the most likely candidates to be taken first. The draft is June 23 in New York.AdvertisementThe Oklahoma City Thunder got the second pick, followed by the Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings.The Detroit Pistons pick fifth, with the Indiana Pacers, Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans and Washington Wizards rounding out the top 10. The rest of the lottery results had the New York Knicks, the Thunder, the Charlotte Hornets and the Cleveland Cavaliers.The lottery, with 14 ping-pong balls numbered 1 through 14 placed into a hopper, sets the first four picks. The remainder of the non-playoff teams go in reverse order of finish.The Rockets, Magic and Pistons had the best odds of winning the lottery at 14%. All three had young teams that finished at the bottom of the NBA.The Magic are committed to building through the draft after trading veterans Nikola Vučević and Aaron Gordon in March 2021 for first-round draft picks in 2023 and 2025. But this past season they were missing two of the young players they are trying to build around with Jonathan Issac and Markelle Fultz recovering from knee injuries.The Pelicans might be one of the biggest winners as the lone playoff team with a lottery pick. They got it in the 2019 trade that sent Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers.With the Lakers struggling to a 33-49 record, eighth-worst in the NBA, that put the Pelicans in position to cash in. They needed the pick to fall in the top 10 in order to keep it, and there was a 99.6% chance of that.Now they’re in position to add a lottery pick to go with All-Star Brandon Ingram.AdvertisementBanchero, Holmgren and Smith decided to turn pro after one college season, while Ivey spent two years at Purdue.The 6-foot-10, 250-pound Banchero was viewed as a likely one-and-done player before he arrived at Duke from Seattle as part of a talented recruited class. He lived up to it, helping the Blue Devils reach now-retired coach Mike Krzyzewski’s record 13th Final Four before losing to archrival North Carolina.

Sports

Dylan Cease and the Chicago White Sox navigate traffic on the basepaths in a 3-0 win in Game 1 of a doubleheader

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Dylan Cease had to deal with traffic in every inning of Tuesday’s start against the Kansas City Royals.The Chicago White Sox right-hander made the big pitches each time.AdvertisementCease allowed seven hits and struck out nine in 5⅔ innings, leading the Sox to a 3-0 victory in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Kauffman Stadium.“(The Royals) did a really good job of getting on,” Cease said. “There was a lot of traffic today, but fortunately I executed pitches with guys in scoring position pretty well and got some big strikeouts.”AdvertisementCease surrendered a season-high six runs in four innings in his last start Thursday against the New York Yankees. He bounced back, combining with four relievers for the shutout.“He gave us all that he had,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “He got into the sixth with two outs and that’s outstanding.”Cease faced challenges from the start, as Royals leadoff batter Whit Merrifield doubled in the first. He moved to third with one out, but Cease struck out Salvador Perez and Ryan O’Hearn to end the inning.The Royals had runners on second and third with one out in the third. Cease again struck out Perez and O’Hearn.“I have enough experience now to where I know when I’m doing too much and not enough,” Cease said. “It’s just staying the course and trusting it.”[ [Don’t miss] Lucas Giolito expected to start Wednesday for the White Sox after returning from the COVID injured list ]The Royals came up empty again in the fourth when Hunter Dozier was thrown out at the plate trying to score from first on a single. The play at the plate wasn’t close.All three runs came in the fifth. Reese McGuire doubled and scored on AJ Pollock’s sacrifice fly to left. José Abreu made it 3-0 with a two-out, two-run double.Abreu went 2-for-3 with a walk.Advertisement“Looking more like himself, isn’t he?” La Russa said.Abreu fielded a grounder and beat O’Hearn to first for the third out of the fifth as the Royals stranded two more runners.Cease exited after striking out MJ Melendez for the second out of the sixth on his 94th pitch.“He worked hard,” La Russa said. “I didn’t want to push him there in the sixth. He gave us what he had. He worked out of some jams.”Bennett Sousa struck out pinch hitter Michael A. Taylor with a runner on second to end the sixth.[ [Don’t miss] Johnny Cueto pitches 6 scoreless innings in his White Sox debut ]Joe Kelly allowed a double and two walks to begin the seventh. Kelly bounced back, striking out pinch hitter Carlos Santana (Perez left with a left thumb sprain) and O’Hearn and getting Dozier to pop out to second.Advertisement“His command you can tell, he hasn’t been here,” La Russa said of Kelly, who was on the injured list April 4 to May 9 as he recovered from a right biceps nerve injury. “He’s got outstanding stuff. He’s a great competitor. He’s got great guts.“You see that pitch he made on Santana and O’Hearn. … He’s tough as nails. When he had to, he made pitches. It’s the sign of a champion.”White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson (7) and first baseman José Abreu (79) celebrate after the first game of a doubleheader Tuesday, May 17, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. (Charlie Riedel/AP)The Royals went 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position and struck out 14 times.“The way that I was taught to look at it is what did they have to hit,” La Russa said. “We pitched Perez (1-for-3 with two strikeouts) like the Hall of Famer he is. There were very few mistakes in RBI situations.”Before the first game, the Sox selected the contract of pitcher Davis Martin from Triple-A Charlotte, added reliever Kyle Crick from Charlotte as the 27th player for the doubleheader, placed starting pitcher Michael Kopech on the paternity list and transferred reliever Garrett Crochet (season-ending Tommy John surgery) to the 60-day IL.Martin, 25, made his major-league debut as the Game 2 starter. He is 4-1 with a 2.50 ERA and 41 strikeouts in seven starts between Charlotte and Double-A Birmingham this year.AdvertisementHe allowed two runs or fewer in four of his five starts at Birmingham before being promoted to the Knights on May 5. He is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA and eight strikeouts in two outings with Charlotte.

Sports

‘A complete reset’: Chicago Bears are challenging Jaylon Johnson to earn the trust of new coach Matt Eberflus

Since the day he joined the Chicago Bears a little more than two years ago, Jaylon Johnson has emphasized the biggest prerequisite for top-tier cornerbacks.“Have a short memory,” he said again Tuesday.AdvertisementSo perhaps it was apropos that when Johnson was asked about making notable individual growth during a 2021 season full of failure by the Bears defense, he couldn’t remember the pronounced struggles.“What made our pass defense not very good?” Johnson asked with genuine curiosity. “It’s easy to say we weren’t good. But I want to know the numbers.”AdvertisementWell, for starters, Bears opponents posted a 103.3 passer rating, the highest allowed by any NFL defense.Only the Washington Football Team and Indianapolis Colts allowed more touchdown passes than the 31 the Bears gave up.The Bears also finished in the bottom five in interceptions (eight) and yards allowed per pass attempt (7.6) despite allowing only 191.6 passing yards per game.[ [Don’t miss] The Bears are back at Halas Hall for OTAs. Here’s a position-by-position breakdown of their roster. ]So what was that experience like for Johnson, emerging as a reliable cover corner on a defense that had its issues?“I mean, I felt like I was struggling too,” he said. “At the end of the day, we’re all in this together. We just have to be on one page. I feel like a lot of things (last season) were more mental than physical.”Fair enough.Now its on to the future and into the latest phase of the Bears’ massive reboot, which is continuing with the first week of organized team activities in Lake Forest. Johnson took the practice field Tuesday with a lot of new faces around him. He has a new head coach in Matt Eberflus, a new defensive coordinator in Alan Williams and a new defensive backs coach in James Rowe.The Bears also used last month’s draft to make upgrades to their secondary, adding cornerback Kyler Gordon and safety Jaquan Brisker with second-round selections. Both rookies project to be Week 1 starters.AdvertisementJohnson is observant enough to realize there’s a whole lot of starting over again happening at Halas Hall — even for established veterans.[ [Don’t miss] Bears 2022 schedule: Here’s who they’ll play — and our predictions for each matchup ]“It’s a complete reset,” he said. “Everything I’ve done in the past with the other coaches, with the other staff, it really doesn’t mean anything.“I mean, the film is not going to lie to you. But at the end of the day, they want me to show them what I can do in person.”So what can Johnson teach the new coaching staff in the next month during OTAs and minicamp?“It just comes down to work ethic,” he said. “It’s just earning that respect as a hard worker and doing extra. I mean, right now it’s not too much about production. It’s really about knowing your assignment and playing hard.”Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson works out Tuesday, May 17, 2022, during organized team activities at Halas Hall. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)Johnson was impressive through large stretches of 2021, raising his hand to shadow the opponent’s top receiver when necessary and showing he’s more than capable of growing into an NFL standout. His interception total (one) through two seasons leaves something to be desired, but he earned respect throughout the locker room last year with his competitive edge, to-the-point voice and tone-setting approach to practices and games.AdvertisementOn multiple occasions, former Bears safety Tashaun Gipson endorsed Johnson as an emerging star with the potential to become a top-five cornerback in the league. But at least for now, Eberflus is challenging Johnson to prove himself every day.After saying Tuesday that Gordon has been “lighting it up” in practice this week, Eberflus called Johnson “a work in progress,” emphasizing that the third-year cornerback has plenty to work on.When pressed for specifics, Eberflus stressed the need to see Johnson play with his own eyes more frequently.“I want to see him in person,” Eberflus said. “I’ve got to have time on task. So I don’t really know how to answer that question right now. … I’ve got to see the guy cover. I’ve got to see how he takes his angles, how he plays the ball. I’ve got to see all those things before we’re going to start diving into the details of that and coaching him.”[ [Don’t miss] 7 questions for 7 positions as the Bears prepare for OTAs — the next step in the offseason program ]Johnson noted vast differences in the system Eberflus and Williams are installing from the ones he played in under coordinators Chuck Pagano and Sean Desai during his first two seasons. For starters, in the Bears’ new scheme, cornerbacks will have their eyes on the quarterback more often while asked to master the nuances of zone coverages.But after feeling a breakthrough in Year 2 with his comfort level and confidence, Johnson feels certain he can cross the necessary bridges quickly.Advertisement“I feel as confident as ever,” he said. “I don’t feel like there’s anything I can’t do.”He also acknowledged the enthusiasm he felt three weeks ago when the Bears used their top two draft picks to add to the secondary.“(I was) excited just to have some high-level guys come in and be able to contribute,” Johnson said. “They’re ballhawks. They’re ball hungry. That’s definitely a good thing, knowing they’re aggressive.”ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 11 Meet the Chicago Bears’ 2022 NFL draft class. (Jae C. Hong/AP)To that last point, Johnson expressed a the-sooner-the-better attitude toward getting Gordon and Brisker on the field and locked in with the starters.“I’d throw ‘em in the fire if you’re asking me,” he said. “I mean, they’re our first two draft picks. I feel like we’ve got to see what they can do right now. And then we can know what the attitude and what the vibe is heading into camp.“If I was the coach, I wouldn’t ease them into it. I would throw them out there.”AdvertisementAs the Bears continue their transition, they need Johnson to play a prominent role and continue to push himself. That process must accelerate in May and into June so that Johnson can earn the coaching staff’s full trust before training camp.

Sports

Orioles’ Matt Harvey suspended 60 games for drug distribution following testimony in Tyler Skaggs-Eric Kay trial

Major League Baseball announced Tuesday that Orioles pitcher Matt Harvey has been suspended 60 games without pay for violating the league’s joint drug prevention and treatment program.The suspension, retroactive to April 29, is for “participating in the distribution of a prohibited drug of abuse,” which came to light during Harvey’s testimony in the February trial of former Los Angeles Angels employee Eric Kay for the death of Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs.AdvertisementKay was found guilty of two felony counts and faces a minimum of 20 years in prison for distributing drugs to Skaggs, which led to the Angels pitcher’s overdose death in 2019. Sentencing is scheduled for June 28, according to ESPN.Matt Harvey’s 60-game suspension, retroactive to April 29, is for “participating in the distribution of a prohibited drug of abuse,” which came to light during Harvey’s testimony during the February trial of former Los Angeles Angels employee Eric Kay for the death of Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs. (Ulysses Muñoz/The Baltimore Sun)Harvey, 33, was among the players who testified they received oxycodone pills from Kay while with the Angels, though Harvey also acknowledged that he had given oxycodone to Skaggs and used cocaine during his career.AdvertisementAt the trial, Harvey, who spent last season with Baltimore, said he believed his testimony would threaten his career.MLB said in February that it would conduct a review of the matter after the trial was completed, and it was reported a suspension was a possibility. In April, the Orioles signed Harvey to a minor league deal, with executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias acknowledging that Harvey was in a “very unique situation.”“Obviously, he’s in the situation he’s in right now because of off-the-field things,” Elias said last month. “But getting to know him last year, understanding his approach to what’s gone on, our point of view is that this was something that shouldn’t prevent him from having another chance with this organization, especially with the way he conducted himself last year.”A right-hander who started the 2013 All-Star Game and starred for the New York Mets before spending time with the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals and Angels, Harvey had a 6.27 ERA in 28 starts for the Orioles in 2021 after signing a minor league deal with them in spring training. Harvey had been pitching in extended spring training games in Florida.“We support all aspects of MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program and their ruling in this particular case,” Elias said in a statement Tuesday. “I am glad that Matt now has the opportunity to put this part of his past behind him and pursue another shot with our organization after serving his suspension.”Before the Orioles’ second game of their series against the New York Yankees, they shuffled their bullpen.Baltimore recalled right-hander Logan Gillaspie and selected left-hander Nick Vespi’s contract from Triple-A Norfolk. To create roster spots, the Orioles optioned infielder Rylan Bannon and designated left-hander Logan Allen for assignment.Gillaspie, 25, was added to the Orioles’ 40-man roster this offseason after signing with Baltimore in June. He began his professional career in independent leagues, playing catcher, first base and shortstop in addition to pitching, before signing with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2019. In nine outings between Double-A and Triple-A this year, Gillaspie had a 3.14 ERA.AdvertisementAlthough they chose to protect Gillaspie from being exposed in the Rule 5 draft, the Orioles didn’t secure Vespi, an 18th-round pick in 2015. But because of the league’s 99-day lockout, the Rule 5 draft was canceled and Vespi remained with the organization. He didn’t allow an earned run over 14 1/3 innings with Triple-A Norfolk, striking out 21 batters.“I’ve been working on this day since 2015, so I’m excited that it’s finally here,” Vespi said. “Right now, I’m still a little numb.”Orioles prospects Robert Neustrom and Nick Vespi are facing an uncertain future. It’s only fueled them. https://t.co/KFhEbJgyMS— Baltimore Sun Sports (@BaltSunSports) May 12, 2022

Added manager Brandon Hyde: “He’s pitching lights-out in Norfolk. … It’s nice to see somebody who’s gone down and really dominated a level and really earned his way here.”One of five players Baltimore received from the Los Angeles Dodgers in return for Manny Machado in 2018, Bannon, 26, went 2-for-14 in his first major league stint. Allen, 24, made three appearances for the Orioles after they claimed him on waivers from Cleveland about two weeks ago, allowing three runs in 1 2/3 innings.Left-hander John Means was in Baltimore on Tuesday for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery last month, stopping by the Orioles’ clubhouse and saying hello to teammates.First baseman Ryan Mountcastle (left wrist forearm strain) hopes to come off the 10-day injured list when first eligible this weekend.Outfielder Austin Hays was in the Orioles’ lineup for the first time since suffering severe cuts on his left hand when diving into first base Thursday. Shortstop Jorge Mateo, dealing with sore ribs after a collision with Detroit first baseman Spencer Torkelson on Sunday, won’t start until Wednesday at the earliest, Hyde said.Right-hander Dean Kremer (strained left oblique) will start Wednesday for Double-A Bowie to begin a rehab assignment. The Orioles hope to build him up to pitch multiple innings. “It’s going to take a while,” Hyde said.