UNDATED (AP) — Slugger Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees agreed to a $19 million, one-year contract, avoiding an arbitration hearing. Judge can make an additional $250,000 for MVP and $250,000 for World Series MVP. He is in the middle of perhaps his best season, batting .304 with 27 homers and 53 RBIs in 68 games for the major league-leading Yankees. He hit a game-winning RBI single during New York’s 7-6 victory over Houston on Thursday night.
Elsewhere around the majors:
— Freddie Freeman wasn’t prepared for the flood of feelings that came in his anticipated return to Atlanta as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He struggled to begin a pregame news conference amid a rush of emotions and dabbed away tears throughout his public comments. He received his 2021 World Series ring from Braves manager Brian Snitker during a pregame ceremony on the field. Atlanta fans stood and cheered, some chanting “Freddie! Freddie!” Freeman answered by removing his cap and raising both arms to the fans.
— New York Mets right-hander Max Scherzer will not be activated from the injured list in time to start the final game of the club’s series against the Marlins in Miami on Sunday. Manager Buck Showalter confirmed Scherzer’s status before the series opener Friday. The three-time Cy Young Award winner has been sidelined since May 19 because of an oblique strain. The 37-year-old, who signed a three-year $130 million free agent deal with the Mets in the offseason, was 5-1 with a 2.54 ERA in eight starts before being hurt. Showalter said Scherzer is making progress but is not ready yet.
— Royals catcher Salvador Perez had surgery on his left thumb and was placed on the 10-day injured list. The operation repaired the ulnar collateral ligament in his thumb, and he’s expected to need eight weeks to recover, manager Mike Matheny said. A seven-time All-Star, Perez is hitting a career-worst .211 with 11 home runs a year after leading the majors with 48 homers and 121 RBIs.
— Toronto Blue Jays hitting coach Guillermo Martínez was suspended for five games and fined by Major League Baseball for a confrontation with umpire Doug Eddings. Martínez was discplined for making contact with Eddings and what MLB termed unsportsmanlike conduct during the lineup cards exchange before Wednesday’s game at the Chicago White Sox. The 37-year-old Martínez began serving the suspension on Friday night.
