
Blue Jays prospect RHP Jake Bloss to undergo UCL surgery
May 13 - Jake Bloss, one of the top prospects for the Toronto Blue Jays, will undergo surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow.
The 23-year-old right-hander, ranked as the No. 6 prospect for Toronto by MLB Pipeline, began the season in Triple-A Buffalo, but the 6-foot-3, 223-pound pitcher exited his May 3 start against the Iowa Cubs while holding his right arm. Imaging revealed the extent of the injury.
Bloss posted back-to-back scoreless outings toward the end of April leading up to the injury, a promising turn after he struggled early with 13 earned runs over 11 1/3 innings over the previous three starts.
Toronto manager John Schneider said Tuesday that he was unsure if Bloss will need full Tommy John surgery.
Bloss, a 2023 third-round draft pick, was acquired last year from the Houston Astros, for whom Bloss made three appearances in 2024. He went 0-1 with a 6.94 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings.
--Field Level Media
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
41 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Truth behind popular energy drink that is 'flagged as cocaine' in drug tests
A viral claim suggesting that Celsius energy drinks can cause false positives for cocaine in drug tests has sparked widespread confusion. The controversy began when a Detroit Tigers sports reporter tweeted on June 8 that Major League Baseball (MLB) teams are advising players to avoid the popular drink. 'Celsius has an ingredient known to flag as cocaine in MLB drug testing, and although it's not officially banned, it's strongly discouraged,' they wrote in a now-deleted post. The post quickly spread across social media, likely due to how popular Celsius has become in the US. It is third-largest energy drink company in the nation. But the drug testing body from MLB has since come out to say the claims are not true. The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) said: 'We are not aware of any specific ingredient in Celsius that would cause a positive drug test result, nor have we communicated such concerns to any MLB club or player.' Still, it comes as a time when Americans are becoming increasingly concerned about ingredients in their food and drink. Celsius drinks contain about 1,810 mg of taurine, far exceeding the typical daily intake of 40–400 mg. Taurine may promote the growth of bacteria linked to colorectal cancer, which are often more abundant in affected individuals' guts But there is no scientific evidence supporting the notion that Celsius ingredients could be read as cocaine in a drug test. Drug tests for cocaine detect a specific metabolite called benzoylecgonine, a substance not found in Celsius or any of its listed ingredients. Celsius contains common energy drink ingredients like caffeine, green tea extract, and guarana seed extract, as well as artificial sweeteners. These are not classified as banned substances, and there is no scientific evidence that they can trigger a false positive for cocaine. Celsius, however, is not on the list of certified energy drinks for professional athletes. Products like C4 and Red Bull do carry the NSF certification and are commonly recommended to athletes for added assurance. Obtaining NSF Certified for Sport status involves rigorous testing, including lot-by-lot analysis for banned substances, label accuracy, and manufacturing audits. Celsius may not pursue this certification due to the significant cost, time, and effort required, especially if their target market includes non-athlete consumers who don't prioritize NSF certification. has reached out to Celsius for comment but has not received a response. However, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has not banned Celsius specifically, but it does enforce strict limits on caffeine intake for student-athletes. 'Some collegiate athletes may have questions about whether one ingredient in CELSIUS products – caffeine derived from guarana extract – raises any issues under NCAA rules,' Celsius stated on its website. It states that a urine caffeine concentration above 15 micrograms per milliliter will trigger a positive result, typically the equivalent of consuming 500 mg of caffeine within a few hours of competition. A single can of Celsius contains 200 to 270 mg of caffeine, meaning two cans consumed in a short time frame could easily exceed the NCAA threshold. These limits are in place to reduce health risks from excessive stimulant use, including jitteriness, rapid heart rate, and dehydration. Celsius energy drinks contain guarana, taurine, and L-carnitine, none of which are banned by the NCAA or US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). However, guarana is a concentrated source of caffeine, and excessive consumption could push athletes over the NCAA's caffeine threshold. A 12-oz can of Celsius typically contains about two eight-ounce cups of coffee. The FDA recommends healthy adults limit caffeine to 400 mg daily (roughly two cans of Celsius), but individual sensitivity varies. For some, even one can may cause jitters or other effects. Caffeine's half-life of three to five hours means repeated consumption can lead to accumulation. Celsius has faced a class-action lawsuit over alleged misbranding, such as misleading claims about preservatives.


Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
Canadiens D Lane Hutson claims Calder Trophy
June 10 - Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson was named the winner of the Calder Memorial Trophy on Tuesday. The trophy is awarded annually "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League." The award is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Hutson earned 165 of a possible 191 first-place votes and totaled 1,832 points, finishing well ahead of Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf (15, 1,169) and San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (11, 1,104). The 21-year-old Hutson received the trophy at a surprise party his family had organized to celebrate his selection as a finalist. Hutson led all rookies with 66 points, and his 60 assists tied the single-season NHL record for most by a rookie defenseman alongside Larry Murphy. Celebrini, 18, played 70 games and scored 25 goals -- second among rookies behind the Philadelphia Flyers' Matvei Michkov -- and his 63 points tied with Michkov for second. Wolf, 24, was 29-16-8 with a 2.64 goals-against average, .910 save percentage and three shutouts for the Flames, who selected him in the seventh round of the 2019 draft. --Field Level Media


The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Concerns raised over World Cup tickets and travel as tournament draws nearer
As the countdown continues to the largest World Cup in history, scheduled to unfold across 16 stadiums in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, key details surrounding the event remain shrouded in mystery. With just a year to go, FIFA has yet to announce when general ticket sales will commence, how much most seats will cost, where the draw will take place, or what security measures will be in place. The lack of information has stirred uncertainty, including whether fans from all nations will be welcome. Eleven of the venues are located in the US, where all matches from the quarterfinals onward will be played. Security is also a concern. The 2024 Copa America final in Miami Gardens, Florida, was delayed by 82 minutes after spectators breached security gates. "That was certainly a reminder and a wake-up call if anybody needed it that those types of things are going to be used in terms of the ultimate assessment of whether this World Cup is successful," said former US defender Alexi Lalas, now Fox's lead soccer analyst, highlighting the critical importance of robust security arrangements. US President Donald Trump's travel ban on citizens from 12 nations exempted athletes, coaches, staff and relatives while not mentioning fans. Vice President JD Vance made what could be interpreted as a warning on May 6. 'Of course everybody is welcome to come and see this incredible event. I know we'll have visitors probably from close to 100 countries. We want them to come. We want them to celebrate. 'We want them to watch the game,' he said. 'But when the time is up they'll have to go home. Otherwise they'll have to talk to Secretary Noem,' he added, speaking alongside Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. Back in US for first time in 32 years The 1994 World Cup sparked the launch of Major League Soccer with 12 teams in 1996, and $50 million in World Cup profits seeded the US Soccer Foundation, tasked with developing the sport's growth. MLS now has 30 teams, plays in 22 soccer specific stadiums and has club academies to grow the sport and improve talent. Next year's tournament will include 104 games, up from 64 from 1998 through 2022, and the 11 US stadiums are all NFL homes with lucrative luxury suites and club seating. It also will be the first World Cup run by FIFA without a local organizing committee. 'The legacy initiative of 2026 is around how we ensure that soccer is everywhere in this county," US Soccer Federation CEO JT Batson said. "How do we ensure that every American can walk, ride their bike or take public transit to a safe place to play soccer? 'How do we make it to where every school in America has soccer accessible to their students? And how do we make it to wherever every American can truly see themselves in the game?' Interest in soccer has vastly increased in the US, with England 's Premier League averaging 510,000 viewers per match window on NBC's networks last season and the European Champions League final drawing more than 2 million viewers in each of the past five years on CBS. However, CBS broadcast just 26 of 189 Champions League matches on TV in 2024-25 and streamed the rest. MLS drew about 12.2 million fans last year, second to 14.7 million in 2023-24 for the Premier League 's 20 teams, but MLS has largely disappeared from broadcast TV since starting a 10-year contract with Apple TV+ in 2023. Apple spokesman Sam Citron said the company does not release viewer figures. In a fractured television landscape, different deals were negotiated by FIFA, UEFA, MLS, the NWSL, the USSF and the five major European leagues. 'You basically have over 2,800 game windows per season aired in the United States and so that requires distribution largely on streaming platforms like Paramount+ or ESPN+, but it's difficult for new fan adoption and it makes reach kind of challenging,' said Gerry Cardinale, managing partner of RedBird Capital Partners, which holds controlling interests in AC Milan and Toulouse and owns a non-controlling stake of Fenway Sports Group, parent of Liverpool. ' Kids today are getting weaned on Premier League football and Serie A football, and when you watch that as a product, it's hard for MLS to compete.' 1994 World Cup set attendance record The 1994 World Cup, a 24-nation tournament, drew a record 3.58 million fans for 52 matches. Ticket prices ranged from $25-$75 for most first round games and $180-$475 for the final at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. FIFA, which has about 800 people working at an office in Coral Gables, Florida, says it will announce information on general tickets in the third quarter. It wouldn't say whether prices will be fixed or variable. Hospitality packages are available on FIFA's website through On Location. For the eight matches at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, including the final on July 19, prices range from $25,800 to $73,200 per person. Variable ticket pricing possible FIFA appears to be using variable pricing for this year's Club World Cup, played at 12 US stadiums from June 14 to July 13, and some prices repeatedly have been slashed. Marriott Bonvoy, a US Soccer Federation partner, has been offering free tickets to some of its elite members. Asked about Club World Cup ticket sales and team base camp arrangements, Manolo Zubiria, the World Cup's chief tournament officer, hung up four minutes and five questions into a telephone interview with The Associated Press. Brendan O'Connell, the publicist who arranged the interview, wrote in an email to the AP: 'The guest was not prepared for those questions.' FIFA's media relations staff would not make FIFA president Gianni Infantino available to discuss the tournament. Ahead of the 1994 World Cup, FIFA announced in May 1992 the draw would take place at Las Vegas on Dec. 18 or 19, 1993. FIFA has not revealed plans for this year's draw but appears to be planning for Las Vegas on Dec. 5. Regular ticket sales began in February 1993 for the US soccer family and general first- and second-round sales started that June. Fans submitted lottery applications in October 1993 for games from the quarterfinals on. Teams could train away from World Cup cities While not detailing ticketing plans for next year's tournament, FIFA is spreading it beyond the host cities and lists about 60 possible base camps for teams to use, paired with hotels. Some are fancy — The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia — and some more Spartan — the Courtyard by Marriott Mesa at Wrigleyville West in Arizona. Thousands of arrangements must be coordinated. Major League Baseball is drawing up its schedule to ensure that the four teams whose ballparks share parking lots with World Cup stadiums — in Arlington, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; Philadelphia; and Seattle — won't play home games on the dates of tournament matches. Boris Gartner, CEO of La Liga North America, a joint venture of the Spanish soccer league and Relevent Sports, said the 2026 World Cup should be viewed as just another step in the sport's long-term growth in the United States. 'If you have a clear understanding of the market and the audience, a clear understanding of the value that these properties bring to media companies, and you mix content with a commercial strategy, with the right media distribution strategy, this is something that will continue to grow over the next two decades," he said. 'If more people are watching the NWSL, more people are going to be interested in soccer that could potentially end up watching a Bundesliga game or La Liga game.'