Tigers calling up 2013 draft pick Corey Knebel

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The Tigers optioned left-hander Robbie Ray to Triple-A Toledo after today’s start against the Rangers and Chris Iott of MLive.com hears that the team will call up right-handed reliever Corey Knebel for Friday’s game.

It’s been a rapid rise for Knebel, who was drafted No. 39 overall by the Tigers in last June’s First-Year Player Draft. The 22-year-old has posted a 0.90 ERA and 68/19 K/BB ratio over his first 50 innings in pro ball. This includes 11 appearances in Double-A this year and three scoreless appearances after a recent promotion to Triple-A. He’ll be the second player from the 2013 draft class to reach the majors, as the Indians called up fourth-rounder Kyle Crockett for a brief stint last week.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, Knebel features a mid-90s fastball and a power curveball. He could be an impact arm in Detroit’s bullpen before long.

Anthony Rendon fan interaction video looked into by MLB

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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OAKLAND, Calif. – Major League Baseball is looking into a video circulating on social media that appears to show Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon grab a fan by the shirt through the bleacher guardrails after Thursday night’s game in Oakland, a league spokesperson said Friday.

Rendon looks to have grabbed the fan’s shirt near his chest through the bars of the railing and exchanged words with him before appearing to take a swipe at the bill of the man’s ballcap and walking into the tunnel.

Angels spokesman Adam Chodzko says the team has no comment. The Angels do not play Friday, but the club expects Rendon to address the video Saturday in the clubhouse before the game against the Oakland Athletics in Oakland.

The video shows the fan, dressed in A’s colors, approach the railing as Rendon turns toward him from the tunnel walkway below. Rendon then appears to grab the man’s shirt and ask him what he just said, accusing the fan of calling him a derogatory term before swiping at his ballcap.

The A’s won the game 2-1.