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sports Diabierna 30 September 2022

Injury-hit Barcelona visits Mallorca with

hole in defense

(AP) — When Xavi tively, in games to prepare for Netherlands. Neither has
Hernández oversaw the the World Cup in Novem- been a first-choice player for
remodeling of Barcelona’s ber. Bellerín hurt his left leg Xavi this season.
squad this summer, the while training for Barcelona.
coach made sure he was so Of the injuries, Araújo’s ap-
well covered at right-back That leaves Barcelona wait- pears to be the most serious.
that his club could afford ing to see if veteran Sergi The 23-year-old defender
to loan out United States Roberto can recover from underwent surgery this week
defender Sergiño Dest to a muscle problem that has in Finland to repair an abduc-
AC Milan. sidelined him for three weeks tor muscle in his right thigh
in time for the trip to the Ba- that he damaged in Uru-
But after a spate of injuries learic Islands. guay’s 1-0 loss to Iran on Fri-
that has decimated Barcelona day.
over the international break, If not, Xavi may be forced to
Xavi may have a huge hole in shoehorn a player with little Over the next three weeks,
his defense ahead of Sunday’s or no experience at right back Barcelona faces two Cham-
game at Mallorca. into the position, draft a play- pions League group games
er from Barcelona’s youth against Inter Milan and a
Jules Koundé, Ronald Araújo team, or opt to play with clásico against Real Madrid
and Héctor Bellerín, who three centerbacks and two on Oct. 16.
have played at right back this wing backs.
season, are all out for an un- The only good news for Xavi
determined period of time. Barcelona will also be with- is that Robert Lewandowski games. Barcelona to its stadium. Its
Koundé and Araújo, who can out midfielder Frenkie de returned in perfect shape only win during that stretch
play at center back as well, Jong and foward Memphis from his stint with Poland. Mallorca, coached by Mexi- came in 2009 with Barcelona
were hurt while playing for Depay after they were both The striker leads the Spanish can Javier Aguirre, has lost already crowned the league
France and Uruguay, respec- hurt while playing for the league with eight goals in six 12 of the last 13 visits by champion.

Yankees star Judge hits 61st home run, ties Maris’ AL record

(AP) — Aaron Judge had many fans consider baseball’s 61 with another Yankee right
gone seven games since “clean” standard for the sport. fielder that hit 61 home runs
his last home run, 34 plate and MVPs, world champi-
appearances of fans quiet- Judge’s two-run homer lifted ons, this is pretty cool.”
ing to a hush and snapping the Yankees to an 8-3 vic-
photos with every pitch. tory over the Toronto Blue Judge has seven games to
Jays and brought relief to the break the record, starting
Then with the score tied 6-foot-7 slugger, who admit- with a series opener against
in the seventh inning on ted having to try to block out Baltimore at Yankee Stadium
Wednesday night, he drove distraction. on Friday night.
a 94.5 mph belt-high sinker
to left, a no doubt rocket. He “Getting a chance to sit at “Definitely some relief get-
had tied Roger Maris’ Ameri- 60 for a while there with the ting to 61. You try not to
can League record of 61 Babe was nice,” he said, “but think about it, but it creeps
home runs in a season, what getting a chance to now sit at into your head,” Judge said.
“I was hoping it would get
over the fence. I didn’t know
at first. I didn’t want to be Boston pitcher Tracy Stallard. 2012.
standing at home plate when Maris’ mark has been ex-
it hits the wall.” ceeded six times, but all have Fans fixated on him in the
been tainted by the stench of Bronx during the last home-
The ball dropped into To- steroids. Mark McGwire hit stand.
ronto’s bullpen and was 70 home runs in 1998 and
picked up by Blue Jays bull- 65 the following year, and He became just the fifth
pen coach Matt Buschmann. Bonds topped him with 73 in player to hold a share of the
He and Toronto closer Jor- 2001. Sammy Sosa had 66, 65 AL season record. Nap Lajoie
dan Romano held onto the and 63 during a four-season hit 14 in the AL’s first season
ball before turning it over to span starting in 1998. as a major league in 1901,
Yankees reliever Zack Brit- and Philadelphia Athletics
ton, who made sure it got to McGwire admitted using teammate Socks Seabold had
Judge. banned steroids, while Bonds 16 the next year, a mark that
and Sosa denied knowingly stood until Babe Ruth hit 29
Judge moved past the 60 using performing-enhancing in 1919. Ruth set the record
home runs Babe Ruth hit drugs. Major League Baseball four times in all, with 54 in
in 1927, which had stood as started testing with penalties 1920, 59 in 1921 and 60 in
the major league mark un- for PEDs in 2004. 1927, a mark that stood until
til Maris broke it in 1961. Maris’ 61 in 1961.
All three stars reached those Judge is hitting .313 with 130
huge numbers playing for the RBIs, also the top totals in After the game, plate um-
Yankees. the AL. He has a chance to pire Brian O’Nora presented
become the first AL Triple Judge with the lineup card.
Maris hit No. 61 for the Yan- Crown winner since De- Judge isn’t sure what he will
kees on Oct. 1, 1961, against troit’s Miguel Cabrera in give the Hall of Fame.