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AdvertisementBreaking NewsChicago TribuneJul 14, 2022 at 10:51 amExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 21Windows frame the view past the outfield at the new Catalina Club in the upper deck behind home plate at Wrigley Field on April 6, 2019, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)The U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago filed a 19-page lawsuit against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday alleging that the recent overhaul of Wrigley Field violated federal law by failing to make the park “appropriately accessible” to fans who use wheelchairs or have other disabilities. > > > Read the full story hereRead the lawsuit below.

MOSCOW — American basketball star Brittney Griner is due back in a Russian court Thursday to resume a trial that was jolted last week when she abruptly pleaded guilty to drug possession charges.In Russia, a guilty plea doesn’t mean that the trial is automatically over. Griner’s defense may put forward arguments during the hearing to mitigate the punishment, or a verdict could be announced. But it wasn’t immediately clear what would happen at the hearing.AdvertisementWith the U.S. government under pressure at home to do more to secure her freedom, the guilty plea could be an effort to expedite the court proceedings so any negotiations could move forward. A senior Russian diplomat has said no action could be taken by Moscow until the trial was over.The Phoenix Mercury center and WNBA all-star was detained at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in February while returning to play basketball in Russia. Police said they found vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage. In custody ever since, Griner, 31, faces charges that could bring her a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.Advertisement[ [Read more] Is Brittney Griner’s guilty plea in Russia a step toward the WNBA star’s freedom? ]In pleading guilty during the previous court hearing on July 7, Griner said she had no intention of committing a crime and had acted unintentionally because she packed for Moscow in a hurry.U.S. President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have said they were doing all they could to win the release of Griner, as well as other Americans the U.S. considers “wrongly detained” by Russia, including former Marine Paul Whelan.Washington may have little leverage with Moscow, though, because of strong animosity over its military operation in Ukraine.Russian media have speculated that Griner could be swapped for Russian arms trader Viktor Bout, nicknamed “the Merchant of Death,” who is serving a 25-year sentence in the U.S. after being convicted of conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens and providing aid to a terrorist organization.Russia has agitated for Bout’s release for years. But the wide discrepancy in the seriousness of their cases could make such a trade unpalatable to Washington. Others have suggested that Griner could be traded along with Whelan, who is serving 16 years in Russia on an espionage conviction that the U.S. has described as a setup.The State Department’s designation of Griner as wrongfully detained moves her case under the supervision of its special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, effectively the government’s chief hostage negotiator. The classification has irritated Russia.[ [Read more] Rev. Al Sharpton stirs effort for Brittney Griner’s return amid WNBA All-Star festivities: ‘Bring Brittney home’ ]Asked about the possibility of Griner being swapped for a Russian jailed in the U.S., Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, the senior Russian diplomat, noted that until her trial is over “there are no formal or procedural reasons to talk about any further steps.”Ryabkov warned that U.S. criticism, including the description of Griner as wrongfully detained and dismissive comments about the Russian judicial system, “makes it difficult to engage in detailed discussion of any possible exchanges.”AdvertisementGriner’s detention has been authorized through Dec. 20, suggesting the trial could last months. Griner’s lawyers, however, said they expect it to conclude around the beginning of the August.

While the Chicago White Sox continue their never-ending quest to get back to .500, they’ve been passed in the American League wild-card race by the surging Baltimore Orioles.Let that sink in for a minute.AdvertisementThe Orioles, a team that lost 110 games last season — including 19 straight in August — and has a payroll of just less than $45.5 million, the lowest in baseball. The White Sox are coming off an American League Central title and back-to-back postseason appearances and have the seventh-highest payroll at $195.6 million.Something is wrong with this picture. How can a team as talented as the Sox be treading water while a rebuilding team full of castoffs and kids is competing for a wild-card spot?Advertisement“In our division, if you can’t pitch, you get blasted, and our pitching is so much better this year,” manager Brandon Hyde said before Wednesday’s 7-1 victory against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. “I had no idea our bullpen would be the way it is.“There’s definitely a different feeling. Our guys have gotten a lot more confidence, and we’re playing a better brand of baseball. It is starting to turn, and we have guys coming up in the system that are going to be here in the next year or two and the No. 1 pick again (in Sunday’s draft).”Orioles manager Brandon Hyde looks on from the dugout during a game against the Rays on Saturday in Baltimore. (Terrance Williams/AP)The Orioles won their 10th in a row Wednesday — their longest winning streak in one season since 13 in 1999 — and are at .500 or better this late in the season for the first time since Sept. 10, 2017. Only three other teams have had at least a nine-game winning streak the season after finishing with the worst record in the majors: the 1902 St. Louis Browns, 1993 Los Angeles Dodgers and 2001 Cubs.While the Orioles still are in last place in the American League East, a wild-card spot is suddenly within reach for a franchise that not so long ago was a laughingstock.“We were nine games under .500 a week and a half ago,” Orioles first baseman/outfielder Trey Mancini said. ”It’s been great. I’m so proud of this team and the way we’ve been playing, how we’ve approached every day.”Mancini pointed to the leadership of Hyde, the former Cubs coach who signed on for the rebuild in 2019 and suffered through seasons of 108 and 110 losses in two of his three years. Hyde is the same person now that he was in August when the Orioles couldn’t buy a win.“That was tough,” Mancini said. “He doesn’t ride the wave. He doesn’t ride the emotional roller coaster that can come with baseball. He’s somebody we love playing for and all respect. He’s such a great manager, and everybody is starting to see that this year. I’ve always thought he deserves to be here for the long haul, and this year is proving it.”Hyde is signed through 2023 but obviously knows there are no guarantees in baseball. He was the bench coach under Rick Renteria when the Cubs manager was abruptly let go and replaced by Joe Maddon after the rebuild had turned the corner in 2014. And Hyde knows Renteria was replaced by Tony La Russa when the Sox were seemingly on the verge of being annual contenders after 2020.AdvertisementHyde said the front office, led by general manager Mike Elias, has supported him all the way.“I have only gotten indications they like what I do and that I’m going to be here,” Hyde said. “I’ve never felt differently. I believe they’re happy with how we’re playing right now.”Cubs manager David Ross, left, talks with Orioles manager Brandon Hyde before a game Tuesday at Wrigley Field. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)And why not? The Orioles’ 21-9 record since June 11 is second-best in baseball behind the Houston Astros (21-8). Mancini said the clubhouse culture has been a factor in the surge.“We hang out away from the field and we make sure we get everyone together,” he said. “It does matter a lot when you’re friends with the guys you play with. You care about them more deeply than baseball. That carries a lot of weight. That’s been … our M.O. this year, me and (Robinson) Chirinos and Rougned (Odor) teaching the young guys that.“Some of us might not be here too much longer, and we want them to know what winning teams do and what the atmosphere should feel like. It’s been pretty cool to experience.”Mancini, whose return from a bout with cancer last year earned him a nomination for the ESPY for Best Comeback Athlete, could be one of those players on the move. He’ll be a free agent after the season and is a possible trade-deadline target for teams searching for a veteran bat who can fit into any clubhouse.Advertisement“I’m here now,” Mancini said. “And I’m going to put my best foot forward for these guys every day.”Elias is unlikely to become a major buyer at the trade deadline, but dealing Mancini could be a blow to the clubhouse if the Orioles are in contention at the Aug. 2 deadline. It’s a tough call for Elias, who knows the rebuild has a ways to go before the Orioles can become annual contenders in the strongest division.“I don’t know what their approach is going to be,” Hyde said. “I think this did come out of nowhere a little bit, and Elias is going to do whatever is best for the organization.”It’s hard to root against the Orioles, who’ve been the talk of baseball as we close in on the All-Star break.Hopefully the Sox are watching … and taking notes.

Chicago Cubs left-hander Justin Steele needed few words to describe an unforgettable week.The birth Monday of his first child, a son named Beau, coincided with Steele’s 27th birthday and kicked off a whirlwind from the hospital room to the mound at Wrigley Field over a 72-hour stretch he called “the best in my life.”Advertisement“Becoming a dad was just so special,” Steele said Wednesday. “I bawled my eyes out as soon as it happened. So ready to get back home and love on him.”Steele tried to stay ready for Wednesday’s start against the Baltimore Orioles by working out in the weight room and throwing into a net at Wrigley while the team was in Los Angeles over the weekend. He sneaked in a pre-start nap after bringing Beau home from the hospital Wednesday morning, already bonding over baseball.Advertisement“I’ve definitely been putting my hand in his left hand, like, working around with it, trying to get him used to it, but we’ll see how it goes,” a smiling Steele said. “Whatever he wants to do. Wouldn’t be mad at a shortstop.”In his last start before the All-Star break, Steele allowed four runs (three earned) over six innings for his team-leading fifth quality start of the season in the Cubs’ 7-1 loss to the Orioles. The Cubs have dropped six straight and eight of 10.Steele retired 13 of the last 14 hitters he faced after Trey Mancini’s double in the second.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.“You look at his stuff and when it plays in the zone, there’s a lot of soft contact in there,” manager David Ross said. “When he’s in the zone and keeping those hitters in between, you even saw in the first couple innings when he wasn’t quite as sharp and gave up a couple of hits, balls weren’t hit too hard. … When he’s in the zone and attacking the zone, he’s really hard to hit.”[ [Don’t miss] Kyle Hendricks is shut down for ‘at least’ 2-3 weeks as the Cubs deal with another lengthy injury to a starting pitcher ]Steele bounced back after laboring through the first, needing 26 pitches to finish the inning and allowing three runs. The game could have gotten away from Steele as four of the first five Orioles reached base on a hit. One of the runs scored on a one-out fielding error by left fielder Ian Happ on a single.But Steele refocused and needed just five more pitches to record the last two outs of the first.“Definitely needed to knock some rust off,” Steele said. “But once I kind of found my groove, it was nice.”Despite the rocky inning, Steele regrouped and held the Orioles to one run over the next five innings. He relied on his defense, striking out three and walking one.AdvertisementAt times last year and earlier this season, a rough inning early in a start could derail Steele’s outing and cut his day short. Ross believes that area of improvement indicates growth and maturity.“That’s an aggressive team,” Ross said. “I thought we were only going to get maybe four, maybe five innings out of him, and we get an extra inning there to attack and get those weak ground balls to the left side. He did a really nice job of gathering himself, figuring out what he needed to do better and getting back in the zone.”

CLEVELAND — Amed Rosario led off the fourth for the Cleveland Guardians with an infield hit. He advanced to second on a throwing error by Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson.The game was scoreless. And Lucas Giolito made sure it remained that way, with some help from his defense.AdvertisementAJ Pollock made a great running catch near the right-field line on José Ramírez’s fly ball for the first out. Giolito struck out Josh Naylor, and Franmil Reyes hit a pop-up in foul territory that catcher Seby Zavala nabbed with his glove over the railing near the third-base dugout.Giolito called the plays “massive.”Advertisement“Our job (as starters), we want to go as deep as we can and we want to get as many outs as we can,” he said. “To get that support from the defense, it really lightens the load. Throwing less pitches, it’s great for the energy.”Giolito allowed one unearned run on five hits in 6⅓ innings as the Sox beat the Guardians 2-1 in front of 13,987 on Wednesday to earn a split of the four-game series at Progressive Field.“The goal is to always give the team a chance to win, and I feel like I did that,” Giolito said.Giolito struck out five and walked one as the right-hander followed Dylan Cease’s strong outing in Game 2 of Tuesday’s doubleheader with one of his own.“I just think he used his pitches,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “He used his fastball really well. He’s got a really good fastball and then he’s able to use his off-speed in any count, which you can’t really game plan for him.“He’s liable to throw any of his four pitches in any count. Ahead in the count, behind in the count. It’s tough to hit against.”The Sox played the final three innings without Eloy Jiménez, who exited with tightness in his right leg. The left fielder hobbled after making a running catch in left-center for the final out of the sixth.The Sox said Jiménez is day to day.AdvertisementHe was on the injured list from April 24 to July 6 after suffering a torn hamstring tendon behind his right knee running to first against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. His rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte had a brief pause for what the team called “normal leg soreness.”“He felt a little cramp,” La Russa said after Wednesday’s game. “He thinks it’s a little bit like what he felt when he was getting ready (with Charlotte). They are going to check it (Thursday).“Right now, knock on wood, we don’t think he reinjured it. Probably give him a couple of days off, but we’ll find out more (Thursday).”Eloy Jiménez left the game with tightness in his right leg. He is day-to-day.— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) July 14, 2022

Guardians starter Aaron Civale left after the first with right wrist soreness. The Sox saw a parade of relievers and broke through against Sam Hentges in the sixth.Yoán Moncada led off with a walk and moved to second on Luis Robert’s single. José Abreu drove in Moncada with a double to right. Robert scored when Andrew Vaughn grounded out to short.Giolito exited after allowing a single and a walk with one out in the seventh. The Guardians scored with two outs on a fielding error by second baseman Josh Harrison, but Reynaldo López got Myles Straw to ground out to Harrison to end the threat.AdvertisementKendall Graveman struck out two in a perfect eighth, and Liam Hendriks struck out two in the ninth for his 18th save.“If we can get six innings and hand it off to those guys, we’re in really good hands,” Giolito said. “I’d like to go seven, eight, nine. Obviously we all want to as starters. But got into a little trouble there in the seventh and handed off and they did their thing.”The Sox head into a four-game series against the division-leading Twins on a positive note.“Big wins,” Giolito said. “These games against teams in our division, considering where we’re at, it’s important that we can take as many W’s as we can.“I feel like splitting the series was big considering how it started for us. Got good vibes going into this last series before the (All-Star) break.”

CLEVELAND — The records speak for themselves.The Chicago White Sox lost six of their first eight games against the Cleveland Guardians and five of six against the Minnesota Twins.AdvertisementIf the Sox are going to rise from third place in the American League Central, they have to improve against the teams ahead of them in the standings.The Sox wrapped up a four-game series against the second-place Guardians on Wednesday at Progressive Field. Up next is the final series before the All-Star break: four games against the first-place Twins beginning Thursday at Target Field.Advertisement“I was taught you treat every game like it’s the last game of your life,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said before Wednesday’s game, answering no when asked if he’s a different manager now compared with his final year in St. Louis in 2011. “So the urgency is there because you have to win that game. “That’s why I don’t feel like anything that was accomplished before (at previous stops) matters with this job. Because that’s before. And that was true with whatever club you’re on. You have a good year and the next year, ‘Hey, you won two years ago.’ No, you’ve got to win that year.[ [Don’t miss] Column: Ken Williams to the rescue? More like another maddening moment in a miserable White Sox season. ]“I know the circumstance here and I’ve been here before. I literally want to win as much as I ever have in my life. So if we can’t get above .500 — and we haven’t and this hasn’t been fun — but I still respect and admire what’s in there (in the clubhouse) and how we keep pushing. And I believe it’s coming.”The Sox (42-45) entered Wednesday 5½ games behind the Twins (49-41) and 1½ behind the Guardians (43-43).“If you’re preaching accountability for the players, you better start with yourself,” La Russa said. “I think our record should be better, so I should manage better.”The eight-game trip had an inauspicious start Monday when the Guardians scored five runs in the first inning on the way to an 8-4 win. Shane Bieber silenced the Sox bats in Game 1 of Tuesday’s split doubleheader, limiting them to three hits in a 4-1 Guardians win. Dylan Cease provided a lift in Game 2, striking out nine and allowing five hits in 5⅔ innings in a 7-0 Sox victory.White Sox starter Lucas Giolito throws to first to retire the Guardians’ Austin Hedges during the third inning Wednesday, July 13, 2022, in Cleveland. (David Dermer/AP)“(Cease’s) slider is one of the best pitches in baseball,” Sox pitching coach Ethan Katz said Wednesday. “It’s hard to think of anybody who has a better pitch than that in the game. As teams made adjustments, he’s made adjustments. He’s throwing it in the zone a lot more consistently.“Teams are trying to line up lefties against him to try to combat it. He’s still figuring out ways and doing a good job getting it in the zone and continuing to grow and continuing to build confidence. It’s really nice to see.”AdvertisementKatz thinks Cease, who leads the AL in strikeouts (142) and is third in ERA (2.30), should be an All-Star. He wasn’t on the roster when pitchers and reserves were announced Sunday.“I feel for him,” Katz said. “It’s something I know he really wanted. If something does open up, I hope he’s considered (as an addition). He’s one of the most exciting pitchers in baseball and deserves an opportunity to show what he can do at center stage. It’s a tough one to swallow.”Cease is slated to pitch Sunday’s series finale against the Twins. Johnny Cueto, Michael Kopech and Lance Lynn are scheduled to start the first three games.The Twins are countering with Sonny Gray, Devin Smeltzer and Dylan Bundy in the first three games with their Sunday starter to be determined.[ [Don’t miss] Column: White Sox need more than a couple of wins to prove they’re a serious threat in the AL Central ]It’s an opportunity for the Sox to make up ground in what has been a remarkably disappointing season.“Based on experience, when you try to explain something, some people will take the explanation and some people will say that’s excuse making and you’re covering,” La Russa said. “You’re better off just saying the record is not good enough. And I like it best when you say whatever part of the game you don’t like, the manager is responsible for making it better.Advertisement“Now internally, if you look at how our season has gone — in my opinion — we’ve had some games of where ‘What the heck was that about?’ But there have been a lot of times when we followed up with a real gutsy performance that has kept us hanging around. And that’s why I think the club feels good about the price we’ve paid and where we are and let’s get hot. But what we feel is important because that controls your confidence and your personal urgency.“But there’s no way if somebody critiques your record (and) says you’ve been a losing club for the first few weeks of the season and you come out and say, ‘It’s OK.’ It’s not OK. Accept it. We had expectations for a reason. We’ve got talent. And when we get hurt (with injuries), everybody gets hurt. And so you’ve got to win with what you’ve got.”

The Chicago Cubs won’t be seeing Kyle Hendricks on the mound anytime soon.While the initial report on Hendricks was encouraging that he won’t need surgery on his right shoulder, the timeline for the veteran’s return suggests late August is his best-case scenario. AdvertisementAnd even that could be too optimistic. Hendricks will be shut down for at least two to three weeks, manager David Ross said Wednesday, before he begins a throwing progression.“So he’s going to take a bit,” Ross said.AdvertisementOnce Hendricks is cleared to throw, playing catch would be the first step, eventually ramping up to long toss and then bullpen sessions. He likely would need at least one rehab start in the minors before coming off the injured list. Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.Hendricks, 32, exited his July 5 start against the Milwaukee Brewers after three innings because of right shoulder discomfort. He had 12 days off between starts in early June because of a bothersome shoulder with the hope the extended layoff would resolve the issue. An MRI last week showed no structural issues, but the injury will cost Hendricks weeks on the IL.Hendricks’ injury means more starts for right-hander Adrian Sampson and continued opportunities for left-hander Justin Steele and righty Keegan Thompson to prove they’re everyday starters.“They’re doing a really nice job of that,” Ross said. “And so it’s the next-guy-up kind of mentality. It sucks for Kyle, it stinks for us, but we’ll go about our business and he’ll get back as soon as he can.”Four Cubs starters — Wade Miley, Marcus Stroman, Drew Smyly and Hendricks — will have missed more than a month this season because of various injuries. Stroman and Smyly returned last weekend in Los Angeles, while Miley, who has been on the IL since June 11 with a left shoulder strain, has progressed only to playing catch.The Cubs expected to rely heavily on that veteran foursome coming into the season, potentially making the rotation a strength after last year’s lackluster production from their starters. However, Hendricks, Miley, Stroman, and Smyly have combined to start only 40 of the Cubs’ 88 games with a combined 4.56 ERA in 199⅓ innings.“If you want to go down that road of, well, if everybody was healthy, we’d be really good — I don’t care to play that game,” Ross said. “Everybody goes through adversity and we’ve got to figure out a way to win. It gives other guys opportunities.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals will be without 10 of the 26 players on their active roster for their upcoming trip to Toronto because of Canadian restrictions on travelers who aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19.Manager Mike Matheny said Wednesday that the club will be without position players Andrew Benintendi, Hunter Dozier, Cam Gallagher, Kyle Isbel, MJ Melendez, Whit Merrifield and Michael A. Taylor along with pitchers Dylan Coleman, Brad Keller and Brady Singer.AdvertisementThe team is set to play four games in Toronto. The 10 players will be placed on the restricted list and forfeit four days of pay and major-league service time in accordance with the terms of MLB’s collective bargaining agreement.“It’s an individual choice,” Matheny said. “The organization’s done a real good job bringing in professionals and experts to talk guys through tough conversations and then put it in their hands to make the decisions they believe is best for them and their families.”AdvertisementBenintendi will lose $186,813, Merrifield $153,846, Keller $106,044 and Dozier and Taylor $98,901 each. Among the others, the lost pay for Gallagher will be $19,451, Singer $15,962, Isbel $15,426, Coleman $15,399 and Melendez $15,385.The club will name their replacements Thursday, along with an announcement about other staff who won’t be traveling with the club.

The Chicago Blackhawks aren’t expected to make a big splash in free agency this summer, but one signing certainly has raised eyebrows: Max Domi.The team reportedly opened Wednesday’s signing period by reaching deals with the controversial center, who last played for the Carolina Hurricanes, and former Los Angeles Kings winger Andreas Athanasiou. Both were unrestricted free agents. The Athletic’s Scott Powers first reported the moves.AdvertisementDomi, 27, has irked some peers, coaches and fans with his actions on and off the ice, such as tweeting remarks about immigration in 2017 and sucker-punching Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad in during a preseason game in 2018, which led to a suspension.The seven-year veteran split last season between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Hurricanes and had 11 goals and 28 assists.AdvertisementA former Detroit Red Wings draft pick, Athanasiou, 27, had 11 goals and six assists in 28 games for the Kings last season.Hawks general manager Kyle Davidson was scheduled to address media Wednesday during the third day of development camp but the session was postponed.Meanwhile, despite teams possibly clamoring — to widely varying degrees — for Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Seth Jones, it doesn’t yet appear any of them will be moving on from Chicago to escape Davidson’s rebuild.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.At least not at the moment.TSN analyst Pierre LeBrun tweeted Wednesday that he spoke with Pat Brisson, the three players’ agent, and said they are taking a measured approach so far. “Brisson says while they’re not necessarily in agreement with the direction the team is taking,” LeBrun tweeted, “they will let the dust settle first and then patiently make the best decisions for each player as it pertains to their respective careers.”Kane and Toews have been vocal about their desire for a quicker turnaround for the team — a year or two — than what Davidson has expressed to reporters, which has ranged from three to five years, or longer.Trading Alex DeBrincat and Kirby Dach on draft day certainly sets back the Hawks’ timeline and forces Kane, Toews and Jones to reevaluate their future with the Hawks.AdvertisementLeBrun’s report aligned with what Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli was hearing.“A number of teams have inquired about Patrick Kane in recent days, but they’ve been told a trade is unlikely at this time,” he tweeted.A number of teams have inquired about Patrick Kane in recent days, but they’ve been told a trade is unlikely at this time.Kane and #Blackhawks have been in continuous dialogue. He’d like to see how season goes, and it would be an in-season move – if at all.@DailyFaceoff— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 13, 2022

TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays fired manager Charlie Montoyo on Wednesday and promoted bench coach John Schneider to interim manager for the remainder of the season.Triple-A manager Casey Candaele was named interim bench coach.AdvertisementThe 13th manager in Blue Jays history and the first from Puerto Rico, Montoyo went 236-236 in parts of four seasons. The Blue Jays beat the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday to snap a four-game losing streak and improve to 46-42, which would put them in a playoffs as a wild-card team if the season ended Wednesday despite being in fourth place in the AL East.The Blue Jays are 3-9 in July. They went 1-6 on a trip against the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners.AdvertisementThe Jays’ skid started July 2, when they were swept in a doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays. Montoyo and first-base coach Mark Budzinksi left the dugout during Game 2 after learning of the death of Budzinski’s teenage daughter, Julia.Several members of the Blue Jays organization flew together to Virginia on Monday’s off day to attend Julia Budzinski’s funeral.Montoyo, 57, replaced John Gibbons as Blue Jays manager after the 2018 season. Montoyo’s contract was extended through 2023 on April 1.Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo walks on the field after Bradley Zimmer was hit by a pitch during the seventh inning against the Mariners on Thursday in Seattle. (Ted S. Warren/AP)Montoyo oversaw a tumultuous period in Blue Jays history, with the team playing home games in three cities last season, including two minor-league parks, because of border restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Jays also played their 2020 home schedule at their Triple-A stadium in Buffalo, N.Y.Montoyo led the Jays to a 32-28 record and a wild-card spot in the expanded playoffs after the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, but the Blue Jays were swept by the eventual AL champion Rays in the opening round. The Jays went 91-71 in 2021 and missed tying for the AL wild card by one game.Before joining the Blue Jays, Montoyo spent six seasons on the Rays’ major-league coaching staff, including his final three as bench coach. He spent 18 seasons as a minor-league manager in the Rays system and also worked with the Puerto Rican team at the 2009 World Baseball Classic.