MLB Notes: Mike Trout out 6-8 weeks after thumb surgery

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ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Mike Trout has undergone successful surgery on his injured left thumb, and the Los Angeles Angels slugger is likely to be out for at least six weeks.

Dr. Steve Shin performed surgery on Trout on Wednesday, the Angels said.

Trout had surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament and dorsal capsule. The typical recovery time for the procedure is six to eight weeks.

The two-time AL MVP injured his hand while sliding headfirst into second base in Miami on Sunday. Trout is off to another spectacular start to the season, batting .337 with 16 homers, 36 RBIs and a 1.203 OPS.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia hopes Trout has a chance to beat the estimated recovery time. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons had a similar surgery and returned in five weeks last season.

Nationals: Harper’s suspension reduced by 1 game
NEW YORK -- Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper has agreed to drop his appeal of a four-game suspension and will have one game shaved from the punishment.

Harper reached the agreement Wednesday with Major League Baseball and was to begin serving the suspension immediately.

The punishment stemmed from a bench-clearing brawl on Monday after Harper was hit by a 98 mph fastball from Giants reliever Hunter Strickland. There's no word on Strickland, who received a six-game suspension and also had planned to appeal.

The bad blood between the two stemmed from a pair of home runs Harper hit off Strickland in the 2014 playoffs.

MLB Chief Baseball Officer Joe Torre's explanation of the disciplinary decisions said Strickland intentionally hit "Harper with a pitch, inciting the bench-clearing incident and fighting," while Harper's suspension came "for charging the mound, throwing his helmet and fighting."

Each player also was fined an undisclosed amount.

White Sox: Broadcaster Harrelson to retire after next season
CHICAGO -- White Sox broadcaster Ken "Hawk" Harrelson, a colorful character known for his folksy sayings and unbridled enthusiasm for his longtime team, will retire after working 20 games next year in his 34th season in the booth.

The 75-year-old Harrelson, who also played in the majors for nine seasons with four teams and served as Chicago's general manager for a short time, will work primarily Sunday home dates in 2018. After he finishes his TV duties, he will serve as a team ambassador for the 2019 season.

"There's not a better organization in baseball than the Chicago White Sox," Harrelson said before Chicago faced the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night. "It's just that simple. You can tie us but you can't beat us. To be in the situation I've been in, I've been blessed to have been in this situation for all these years. Do the math. Go figure."

Harrelson began his broadcasting career with the Boston Red Sox in 1975. He moved to Chicago in 1982, partnering with Hall of Fame pitcher Don Drysdale. After stints as the White Sox GM and broadcast work with the Yankees and NBC, he returned to the White Sox booth in 1990.

Harrelson's long tenure with the White Sox has produced several beloved sayings on the South Side of Chicago. There is "You Can Put It On the Board, Yes!" for White Sox home runs, and "He Gone" after a White Sox pitcher gets a strikeout. "Mercy" also is a popular staple.

The White Sox gave out a Hawk Harrelson alarm clock with some of his sayings for a home game this year, and it was one of their most popular promotions of the season.

"There will never be another personality in the booth quite like Hawk Harrelson," White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf said in a release (see full story).

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