Major League Baseball roundup – Reuters

(The Sports Xchange) – Baseball stars Bryce Harper and Kris Bryant are on-the-field foes in the National League Division Series but the Las Vegas natives worked together on a public service announcement that was set to run during Friday’s Game One between the Washington Nationals and visiting Chicago Cubs.

Harper of the Nationals and Bryant of the Cubs are devastated over the Sunday night shootings that left 58 dead and approximately 500 injured in Las Vegas. So on Thursday, the two former NL MVPs got together to film the announcement in hopes of helping their hometown recover from the devastating tragedy.

“In the NLDS, and the platform we have, the PSA was an easy thing to do,” Bryant said. “We wanted to help out in any way we can. People are going to be struggling for a long time — just as they are after the hurricanes. You see this country coming together. Whatever we can to get people to support, we’re ready to do.”

Bryant and Harper, former youth league baseball teammates in Las Vegas, both said they know people who attended the concert and escaped with non-life-threatening injuries.

“I was wondering what we can do from afar,” Harper said. “It’s tough. You want to go down there and help out. … We just want to get the word out and have people provide even a dollar to whatever organization you want. It all counts.”

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Arizona Diamondbacks coach/translator Ariel Prieto did not use his Apple Watch for any “baseball-related communication” during his team’s National League wild-card game against the Colorado Rockies, Major League Baseball announced.

Prieto and the Diamondbacks, however, have been fined an undisclosed amount for having the device in the dugout during Wednesday’s game, which Arizona won 11-8. The money from the fines will be donated by the Office of the Commissioner to hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico, MLB said in its statement.

Wearing a smartwatch violates baseball’s rules regarding the use of electronic devices. MLB said its department of investigations “forensically examined” Prieto’s watch and revealed no evidence that it was used for “any purpose in the dugout.”

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Cleveland Indians outfielder Michael Brantley could return to the starting lineup for Sunday’s Game Three of the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees.

Manager Terry Francona said Brantley will test his injured right ankle in the outfield at Yankee Stadium on Saturday’s workout day. A decision likely will be made after the workout.

Brantley, a two-time All Star, missed 50 consecutive games due to the injury before being activated list last Saturday.

Meanwhile, Indians designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion was removed in the first inning of Game Two with a right ankle sprain.