How Angels honored Garret Anderson after team legend's passing

Major League Baseball and theLos Angeles Angelsaremourning the loss of Garret Anderson, who died at the age of 53, the team announced on April 17.

Anderson played 17 MLB seasons, most of them in Anaheim from 1994 to 2008, before playing for the Braves and Dodgers for one season, each. He was a three-time All-Star and named All-Star Game MVP in 2003. He was named a Silver Slugger Award-winner in 2002 and 2003. Anderson helped the Angels win the World Series in 2002.

He was named to the Angels Hall of Fame and the ballclub honored him during their Friday game against theSan Diego Padres.

More:Appreciate Garret Anderson's greatness – even if late Angels star strived to lay low

"The Angels organization is mourning the loss of one of our franchise’s most beloved icons," said Angels owner Arte Moreno in a statement. “Garret was a cornerstone of our organization throughout his 15 seasons and his stoic presence in the outfield and our clubhouse elevated the Angels into an era of continued success.

"Garret will forever hold a special place in the hearts of Angels fans for his professionalism, class, and loyalty throughout his career and beyond. His admiration and respect for the game was immeasurable. We extend our deepest condolences to Garret’s wife Teresa, daughters Brianne and Bailey, son Garret ‘Trey’ Anderson III, and his entire family.”

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Garret Anderson, one of the greatest players in Los Angeles Angels history, has died at the age of 53, the team announced on April 17, 2026.

A three-time All-Star and key part of the Angels’ 2002 World Series title, he holds multiple franchise records, including games played (2,013), hits (2,368), runs scored (1,024), RBI (1,292), and total bases (3,743). He ranked second behind only Hall of Famer Derek Jeter for the most hits from 1997-2003.

Revisit his baseball career, from joining the MLB in the 1990s to his induction into the Angels hall of fame and later becoming a broadcaster for the Angels.

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Remembering Angels great Garret Anderson

Garret Anderson, one of the greatest players in Los Angeles Angels history, has died at the age of 53, the team announced on April 17, 2026.A three-time All-Star and key part of the Angels’ 2002 World Series title, he holds multiple franchise records, including games played (2,013), hits (2,368), runs scored (1,024), RBI (1,292), and total bases (3,743). He ranked second behind only Hall of Famer Derek Jeter for the most hits from 1997-2003.Revisit his baseball career, from joining the MLB in the 1990s to his induction into the Angels hall of fame and later becoming a broadcaster for the Angels.

Angels pay tribute to Garret Anderson

Angel Stadium was rocked with emotion as the major league club in Anaheim soaked in the loss of Anderson. To pay tribute to the Angels' former left fielder, Anderson's initials were cut into the outfield at the ballpark.

The Angels didn't stop there in memorializing one of their greats. A three-minute tribute video was played honoring Anderson and his accomplishments with the Angels throughout his MLB career.

Anderson became only the second player in baseball history in 2000 to hit more home runs (35) than walks (24). He finished fourth in the AL MVP race in 2002 when the Angels won the World Series. He hit .306 with 29 homers and 123 RBIs, while scoring a career-high 93 runs that season.

The Angels outfielder finished his career with 2,529 hits and a career .293 batting average.

Anderson was raised in Granada Hills, Los Angeles, where he starred as a three-sport athlete in football, basketball and baseball. He had a scholarship to play at Fresno State but instead opted for MLB after being selected in the fourth round by the Angels in the 1990 MLB Draft.

Anderson's debut came in 1994 against the Oakland Athletics. He had two hits in four at-bats, including his first career hit on a single to right field off A's pitcher Ron Darling.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:How Angels honored Garret Anderson after team legend's death

byDaniel Coleman

in

April 19, 2026

How Angels honored Garret Anderson after team legend's passing

Major League Baseball and theLos Angeles Angelsaremourning the loss of Garret Anderson, who died at the age of 53, the team announced o...

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Trump says Iran war should end 'soon', both sides may meet at weekend

By Humeyra Pamuk, Ariba Shahid and Asif Shahzad

Displaced people return to their homes after a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel went into effect, at the southern suburbs of Beirut

WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD, April 17 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump expressed confidence that an agreement could soon be reached to end the Iran war and urged the Tehran-aligned Hezbollah group to hold its fire as a 10-day truce went in to effect between Lebanon and Israel.

Trump said the next meeting between the United States and Iran could take place at the weekend and an extension of a two-week ceasefire was ‌possible, but may not be needed as Tehran wanted a deal.

"We're going to see what happens. But I think we're very close to making a deal with Iran," he told reporters outside the White House, adding if an agreement was ‌reached and signed in the Pakistani capital Islamabad, he may go there for the occasion.

Hours later while in Las Vegas, Trump went further, saying the war "should be ending pretty soon".

The war with Iran has been unpopular in the United States and has left Trump with a political headache just months before a crucial midterm election ​at home.

The U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran that started on February 28 has triggered the worst oil price shock in history and led to an International Monetary Fund downgrade of its outlook for the global economy and a warning that prolonged conflict could push the world to the brink of recession.

A Pakistani source involved in mediating between the U.S. and Iran said on Friday there was progress in backdoor diplomacy and that an upcoming meeting between the two sides could result in the signing of an agreement.

The two sides would first sign a memorandum of understanding followed by a comprehensive agreement within 60 days, the source said.

"Detailed agreement comes later. Both sides are agreeing in principle. And technical bits come later," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

A diplomatic source said the key Pakistani mediator, army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, had been holding talks ‌in Tehran since Wednesday and had made a breakthrough on "sticky issues".

OIL PRICE FALLS ON DEAL HOPES

Oil ⁠prices fell in early trade on Friday and Asian stocks headed for a second week of strong gains on optimism the Middle East conflict could be nearing an end, even though the critical Strait of Hormuz, an artery for a fifth of the world's oil and gas supply, remains effectively closed.

The MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.8% as investors locked in profits after a blistering rally ⁠this month, with the index close to its highest since the Iran war broke out.

Japan's Nikkei slipped 1% after hitting a record high on Thursday and almost all stock markets were back to pre-war levels.

Brent crude futures declined to $98.17 a barrel at 0434 GMT while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures fell to $93.47 a barrel, trimming gains from the previous session.

France and Britain will chair a meeting on Friday of around 40 countries aimed at signalling to the United States that some of its closest allies, many chided by Trump for failing to act, are ready to help restore freedom of ​navigation ​in the Strait of Hormuz once conditions allow.

Iran has largely closed the strait to ships other than its own and Washington this week imposed a blockade ​on ships entering or leaving Iranian ports. Analysts said the blockade could prevent roughly 2 million barrels ‌per day of Iranian crude from reaching its primary buyer China.

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Only a trickle of vessels have passed through the strait since the war started, compared to an average 130-plus each day before the conflict.

HOPES FOR 'MEANINGFUL TALKS'

The ceasefire in Lebanon went into effect on Thursday and Trump said he had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese counterpart Joseph Aoun and planned to invite them to the White House for "meaningful talks" that could happen over the next week or two.

Iran has insisted that any peace deal should also cover the fighting in Lebanon. The ceasefire was part of an understanding reached with the U.S. and mediated by Pakistan, Iranian media reported, citing a foreign ministry spokesperson.

"May have been a historic day for Lebanon. Good things are happening!!!" Trump said on social media late on Thursday.

In an earlier post, he urged Hezbollah to respect the ceasefire.

"I hope Hezbollah acts nicely and well during this important period of time. It will be an GREAT moment for them if they do. No more killing. Must finally have PEACE!" he said.

Conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed ‌Hezbollah in Lebanon was reignited by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. Hezbollah opened fire in support of Tehran on March 2, prompting an Israeli offensive in ​Lebanon that authorities say has killed 2,000 people, 15 months after their last major conflict.

Celebratory gunfire rang out across parts of Beirut as the clock struck midnight ​on Thursday to mark the start of the truce and witnesses heard explosions from rockets fired in celebration, prompting a ​safety warning and threat of arrests from the Lebanese Army.

But the pause in hostilities remained fragile, with the army early on Friday reporting that Israel had already violated the ceasefire with intermittent shelling of several southern ‌Lebanese villages.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which had said earlier that its forces ​remained deployed in the area, in what a spokesperson said was ​in response to continued Hezbollah militant activity.

Hezbollah released a lengthy statement on its military operations against Israel throughout Thursday, which listed its last attack as being 10 minutes before the ceasefire took effect.

The truce was "essential, urgently needed and a demand shared by all," senior Hezbollah official Bilal Lakkiss told NBC News ahead of the start of the ceasefire, but said the group would not comply with Israel’s demand that it disarm "except within a framework tied to a broader national security vision".

NUCLEAR AMBITIONS A ​STICKING POINT

Tehran's nuclear ambitions were a sticking point at talks in Islamabad last weekend, where the ‌U.S. proposed a 20-year suspension of all nuclear activity by Iran. Tehran suggested a halt of three to five years, according to people familiar with the proposals.

Trump on Thursday said Iran had offered not to possess nuclear weapons for ​more than 20 years.

Iran has demanded that international sanctions be lifted and Washington has pressed for any highly enriched uranium to be removed from Iran.

Two Iranian sources said there were signs of a compromise on the HEU ​stockpile, with Tehran considering shipping part of it out of the country.

(Reporting by Reuters bureaus, Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

byDaniel Coleman

in

April 18, 2026

Trump says Iran war should end 'soon', both sides may meet at weekend

By Humeyra Pamuk, Ariba Shahid and Asif Shahzad Displaced people return to their homes after a 10-day ceasefire between Leban...

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Dodgers’ longtime prospect Ryan Ward, 28, finally getting first MLB call-up

DENVER –– After seven years of waiting for his shot, Ryan Ward is on the verge of his first big-league opportunity.

The Dodgers are bringing Ward to Denver on Saturday and are expected to officially activate him later in this weekend’s series against the Rockies, sources confirmed, marking what will be a first career call-up to the majors for the 28-year-old outfielder.

While it wasn’t immediately clear what the corresponding roster move will be, the choreographed nature of Ward’s promotion –– he will be on the taxi squad Saturday, a source said –– could suggest a non-injury-related maneuver, such as another player going on the paternity list.

TheAthletic first reported the news of Ward’s call-upFriday.

Ward was originally an eighth-round draft pick in 2019 who has slowly climbed up the Dodgers’ farm system. Last year, he was the Pacific Coast League MVP with Triple-A Oklahoma City, hitting .290 with 36 home runs and 122 RBIs.

This season, he was batting .324 in his first 18 Triple-A games, adding four more home runs and 14 RBIs to a distinguished minor-league resume.

Despite those gaudy numbers, Ward has had to wait –– and wait, and wait –– for a chance at the MLB level.

He was added to the club’s 40-man roster at the end of last season but did not make the big-league team after a poor spring training performance.

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Still, over seven career seasons in the minors, the left-handed hitter has a .266 average, 154 home runs, 139 doubles and 520 RBIs.

The Massachusetts native and Bryant University product has received rave reviews from Dodgers personnel about his growth in recent seasons, specifically with the way he has improved his plate discipline.

Since the start of last year, he has 95 walks against 141 strikeouts.

He is a corner outfielder by trade but can also contribute at first base.

“The thing I like about Ryan is he’s performed,” manager Dave Roberts said this spring. “We’ve asked him to do certain things, whether it’s positional versatility or cutting back on the strikeouts, hit for a little more power. He’s done all that.”

Roberts said then he expected Ward to get an opportunity in the majors at some point this year.

“For him to not get a shot [yet], I’m sure he’s frustrated and understandably so,” Roberts said. “But the message for him is to keep putting up numbers and knock the door down and hopefully the opportunity comes for him.”

That’s exactly what Ward has done, ranking seventh in the PCL so far this season in OPS. And now, his long wait is almost up, with a promotion to the majors having finally arrived.

byDaniel Coleman

in

April 18, 2026

Dodgers’ longtime prospect Ryan Ward, 28, finally getting first MLB call-up

DENVER –– After seven years of waiting for his shot, Ryan Ward is on the verge of his first big-league opportunity. The Dodgers a...

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Charles Barkley, Michael Jordan take major step toward repairing friendship after 14-year spat

Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan weren’t just two of the biggest stars in the NBA in the 1990s, they were also teammates on the Dream Team in the 1992 Olympics and close friends who happened to love golf.

But Barkley’s criticism over a decade ago of Jordan’s then-role as owner and head of basketball operations of the Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets) damaged that relationship.

Now, they appear to have mended fences — and golf will once again be involved.

The problems started in 2012, when Barkley said on ESPN Chicago’s Waddle & Silvy show that “the biggest problem has been I don’t know if [Jordan] has hired enough people around him who he will listen to. One thing about being famous is the people around you, you pay all their bills, so they very rarely disagree with you because they want you to pick up the check… I don’t think Michael has hired enough people around him who will disagree.”

Barkley added at the time: “I love Michael, but he has not done a good job.”

Jordan, not surprisingly, did not appreciate those comments and in 2020, Barkley noted their relationship hadn’t recovered.

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“The guy was like a brother to me for, shoot, 20-something years,” Barkley said six years ago. “And I do… I feel sadness. But to me, he’s still the greatest basketball player ever. I wish him nothing but the best. But there’s nothing I can do about it, brother.”

Until now, apparently.

Speaking on Chris Russo’s Mad Dog Unleashed on SiriusXM on Friday, Barkley said the two have started talking again and will hit the links after the NBA season is over.

“We had a conversation,” Barkley said. “We’re going to get together and play golf as soon as basketball is over.”

As Russo said to Barkley, “Charles, that’s a big story because he was mad at you!”

But Barkley insisted the issues weren’t that deep.

“We’re not like Prince William and Prince Harry,” said Barkley, who is on “Inside the NBA” on ESPN, while Jordan is a minority owner with the Hornets, whose season ended Friday night in a play-in loss to the Orlando Magic. “We always had a lot of love for each other. But we talked, actually, in the last probably 72 hours. We decided to get together and play golf as soon as basketball is over.”

byDaniel Coleman

in

April 18, 2026

Charles Barkley, Michael Jordan take major step toward repairing friendship after 14-year spat

Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan weren’t just two of the biggest stars in the NBA in the 1990s, they were also teammates on the Dream...

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Matt Fitzpatrick builds 3-shot lead at RBC Heritage, but Scottie Scheffler lurks

Another strong finish from England's Matt Fitzpatrick would put him where he wants to be in the RBC Heritage.

Fitzpatrick turned in a strong stretch on the back nine Saturday to shoot a 3-under-par 68 and keep the lead through three rounds at Hilton Head Island, S.C.

"I felt like I was making good enough swings to make a turnaround on the back nine," Fitzpatrick said. "Obviously, some nice momentum with the hole-outs on 14 and 15."

Fitzpatrick moved to 17-under 196 and increased his lead to three shots, but world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler stands as his closest pursuer going into Sunday's final round.

Fitzpatrick's eagle 3 on the 15th at Harbour Town Golf Links capped a four-hole stretch that he played at 4 under. He settled down after three bogeys on the front side.

"It's always satisfying when you can turn it around, particularly if you have not played that well and you are struggling a little bit and not scoring as well as you want," Fitzpatrick said.

Scheffler shot 64 to climb into second. Brian Harman (63) joined Austria's Sepp Straka (67) and South Korea's Si Woo Kim (66) at 13 under.

Fitzpatrick will be aiming for his second victory of the year. He won a month ago at the Valspar Championship, just one week after a runner-up finish at The Players Championship.

Saturday's turnaround was rewarding.

"I was pleased the way I hit the ball off the tee coming in," Fitzpatrick said. "Obviously, then just some good putting on that back nine to take advantage of it."

He rolled in a putt from off the green -- 26 feet away -- the par-3 14th. On the next hole, he chipped from off the green for the eagle on a shot from just inside 30 feet.

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Scheffler sizzled at the start Saturday with birdies on five of the first six holes.

"I was a little bit behind the 8-ball going into today but had a nice round to put myself back in position," Scheffler said. "... As you start kind of getting back into contention, I think that's always fun."

Fitzpatrick said he understands there will be a pro-Scheffler tone in Sunday's galleries.

"We're in America, so I wouldn't expect any different," Fitzpatrick said. "Yeah, they've got to support their guy, and that's totally fine."

Harman became the clubhouse leader before the final groups reached the round's midway mark. Harman began the day in 27th place, but he posted birdies on the final three holes to be the first to finish at 13 under.

"Just tried to keep the pedal down," Harman said. "It's going to take a low number to win. The weather is going to turn a little bit (Sunday), so it was nice to get out there with some good conditions."

Still, Harman said the setup could work to his advantage.

"You really have to think your way around this place," he said. "It's not just a bomb-and-gouge. I'm not a bomber."

The golfers at 12 under are Andrew Novak (65), Gary Woodland (66), Patrick Cantlay (68), Sweden's Ludvig Aberg (68) and South Africa's Aldrich Potgieter (67).

"I think I kind of got to go in with the same kind of attack mentality as today and get it going, go post a number, and see how guys handle the wind late," Novak said.

--Field Level Media

byDaniel Coleman

in

April 18, 2026

Matt Fitzpatrick builds 3-shot lead at RBC Heritage, but Scottie Scheffler lurks

Another strong finish from England's Matt Fitzpatrick would put him where he wants to be in the RBC Heritage. Fitzpatrick tur...

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