NATIONALS
Harper sore, not ill
WASHINGTON -- Bryce Harper was out of the Washington Nationals' starting lineup Thursday night because he felt sore after returning this week from a knee injury that sidelined him for about a quarter of the season.
Nationals Manager Dusty Baker wanted to make one thing perfectly clear: "Don't," he said, "be alarmed."
Concern about right fielder Harper's health is understandable, considering the 2015 NL MVP might be the key to Washington's postseason success.
Baker said before the NL East champions faced the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday that nothing new cropped up with Harper, who hyperextended his left knee during a game in August and missed 42 games.
"We decided it would be best to give him the day off," Baker said, "and then he'll try to play through the weekend."
Baker expects Harper to play against the Pirates in the final three games of the regular season.
Harper is batting .324 with a .418 on-base percentage in 408 at-bats this year. Despite missing so much time, he ranks second on the Nationals with 29 home runs and fourth with 87 RBI.
ATHLETICS
More years for Melvin
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Bob Melvin is set to manage at least two more years for the Oakland Athletics, with his latest extension announced Thursday set to take him through the 2019 season.
He had been signed through 2018 in a deal he reached in September 2015. In late July, the 55-year-old former catcher earned his 1,000th managerial win.
"Excited to continue being part of a great organization," Melvin said. "With our younger group of players, I believe we are headed in the right direction. Very appreciative to Billy (Beane), David (Forst) and ownership for their continued support."
The A's have repeatedly expressed their commitment to having the Bay Area native as their on-field leader, and he has handled the challenge of an ever-changing young team and a rash of injuries during his tenure.
Melvin previously managed the Mariners and Diamondbacks, then took over guiding the A's during the 2011 season following the firing of Bob Geren. Oakland could finish last in the AL West for a third consecutive season following three consecutive playoff years.
TIGERS
Junior gets bonus
DETROIT -- Pedro Martinez Jr., a son of the Hall of Fame pitcher, agreed to an $800,000 signing bonus as part of his minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers.
Martinez, 17, whose deal was announced Wednesday, is a third baseman who lives in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
His father won two AL Cy Young Awards and was inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame in 2015.
WHITE SOX
Rodon has surgery
CHICAGO -- Chicago White Sox starter Carlos Rodon had arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder and could miss the beginning of next season, General Manager Rick Hahn said.
The left-hander should miss six to eight months after the surgery, which revealed significant bursitis which was removed in Wednesday's surgery, Hahn said Thursday.
Rodon, 24, missed nearly the first three months of the season with shoulder and biceps problems and went 2-5 with a 4.15 ERA in 12 starts before returning to the disabled list on Sept. 8.
"We'll know more about the specifics of the timing when Carlos completes his rehab and begins throwing in spring training," Hahn said.
In three seasons, Rodon is 20-21 with a 3.95 ERA.
MARLINS
Sale details divulged
NEW YORK -- Derek Jeter has about a 4 percent stake in the group buying the Miami Marlins and retired NBA great Michael Jordan approximately half of one percent, part of a $1.2 billion purchase from Jeffrey Loria that includes $800 million in cash.
Bruce Sherman, who will become the controlling owner, has the highest equity stake in the group -- about 46 percent, according to details obtained by The Associated Press. The figures were provided by a person who spoke on condition of anonymity because they had not been announced.
The incoming group, unanimously approved by baseball owners on Wednesday, will assume $100 million in the team's debt and is restructuring an additional $300 million of the club's debt. The sale is scheduled to close Monday, the day after the regular season ends.
The new ownership committed a $50 million reserve fund to the franchise, which also will receive about $50 million more for reserves as the Marlins' share of money The Walt Disney Co. is paying to acquire additional equity in BAM Tech, which was spun off from Major League Baseball's digital company.
Sherman was co-founder of Private Capital Management, based in Naples, Fla.
Among others in the ownership group (and their approximate stakes) are Viking Global co-founder David Ott (10 percent), Energy Capital Partners senior partner Doug Kimmelman (8 percent), Sigma Group founder Jaime Montealegre (7 percent) and The Beekman Group managing partner John Troiano (5 percent).
Sherman, Jeter, Kimmelman, Ott and Troiano will serve on the team's board.
As part of the $800 million being paid by the incoming group, $90 million is preferred equity.
Loria bought the franchise for $158.5 million in 2002 from John Henry, who became part of the Boston Red Sox ownership group.
-- Democrat-Gazette Press Services
Sports on 09/29/2017