Guardians owner Dolan dies at 94

MLB BRIEFS

Former attorney Larry Dolan answers questions at a news conference after franchise Richard Jacobs announced an agreement to sell the Cleveland baseball team to Dolan, Nov. 4, 1999. MARK DUNCAN — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE

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CLEVELAND >> Lawrence J. Dolan, owner of Cleveland’s Major League Baseball team since 2000, has died. He was 94.

Dolan died Sunday night of natural causes, the Cleveland Guardians said Monday in a statement.

“Mr. Dolan invested his entire life in Greater Cleveland and impacted our community on so many levels,” Bob DiBiasio, the Guardians’ senior vice president of public affairs, said in a statement. “From his service to our country as a First Lieutenant in the United States Marines, his many philanthropic acts of kindness, career in law, business, education, and sports, many benefited from his engagement, influence, and passion. Especially in the world of sports.”

Dolan, a Cleveland native, purchased the team from Richard Jacobs in 2000 for $320 million. The Dolan family has a 75% stake in the club and is the longest-tenured ownership group in Cleveland franchise history.

Guardians Chairman and CEO Paul Dolan, Larry Dolan’s son, took over as the team’s primary control person in 2013.

“We are saddened by the loss of our Dad, but lucky to have him as part of our lives as long as we did,” Paul Dolan said. “He was a loving husband, father and grandfather who was passionate about his family, work, our community and his love of our local sports teams, including owning the Cleveland Guardians.”

The franchise was known as the Cleveland Indians before changing its name to the Guardians after the 2021 season. Over the past 24 seasons, Cleveland has won seven American League Central Division titles, made nine postseason appearances and advanced to the 2016 World Series before losing to the Chicago Cubs in seven games. Cleveland also hosted the 2019 AllStar Game.

Manaea to miss start of Mets season

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla.>> New York Mets starter Sean Manaea is expected to begin the season on the injured list because of a right oblique strain.

Manaea said he had been dealing with the issue since getting to spring training.

“Didn’t really get worse, it just kind of plateaued,” Manaea said. “The worst part is it just never got any better over the last couple of weeks.”

The left-hander, the Mets’ top starter last season who then got a $75 million, three-year contract, said he had been throwing and pitching but that “recovery hasn’t really been the greatest in between.” He had an MRI over the weekend.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Manaea wouldn’t throw again until he was free of symptoms, and he indicated that could take two to three weeks.

“The good news is ... the tendon is not involved, the rib cage is not involved. So it’s just straight muscle,” Mendoza said. “He’s going to be shut down for a couple of weeks. So, and then we reassess after that, and we’ve got to build him back up again. So, safe to say that he’s probably going to start the season on the IL.”

Mendoza also told reporters at camp on Monday that infielder Nick Madrigal fractured his left (non-throwing) shoulder when he got hurt in a spring training game the previous day.