Red Sox prospect Daniel Flores dies due to complications during cancer treatment - MLB

Red Sox catching prospect Daniel Flores has died due to complications during treatment for cancer, the Red Sox announced on Wednesday. According to a tweet from Victor Gomez, translated by Max Wildstein of The Sporting News, Flores was diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer.

In a statement, Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said, “Everyone at the Red Sox was shocked to hear of Daniel’s tragic passing. To see the life of a young man with so much promise cut short is extremely saddening for all of us. On behalf of the Red Sox organization, I would like to extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to Daniel’s family.”

Flores, 17, was signed out of Venezuela this past July with a $3.1 million bonus. MLB Pipeline ranked the switch-hitting catcher as the fifth-best prospect in Boston’s system, estimating his arrival in the major leagues for 2022. Scouts praised him for his defense.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Manager Mike Matheny and pitching coach Cal Eldred were fired by the Kansas Cty Royals on Wednesday night, shortly after the struggling franchise finished the season 65-97 with a listless 9-2 loss to the Cleveland Guardians.

The Royals had exercised their option on Matheny’s contract for 2023 during spring training, when the club hoped it was turning the corner from also-ran to contender again. But plagued by poor pitching, struggles from young position players and failed experiments with veterans, the Royals were largely out of playoff contention by the middle of summer.

The disappointing product led owner John Sherman last month to fire longtime front office executive Dayton Moore, the architect of back-to-back American League champions and the 2015 World Series title team. Moore was replaced by one of his longtime understudies, J.J. Picollo, who made the decision to fire Matheny hours after the season ended.

Matheny became the fifth big league manager to be fired this year.

Philadelphia’s Joe Girardi was replaced on June 3 by Rob Thomson, who engineered a miraculous turnaround to get the Phillies into the playoffs as a wild-card team. The Angels replaced Joe Maddon with Phil Nevin four days later, Toronto’s Charlie Montoyo was succeeded by John Schneider on July 13 and the Rangers’ Chris Woodward by Tony Beasley on Aug. 15.

In addition, Miami’s Don Mattingly said late last month that he will not return next season.