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Former All-Star closer Bobby Jenks dies at 44

Bobby Jenks, a two-time All-Star closer and World Series champion with the Chicago White Sox, has died, the team announced Saturday. He was 44.

The White Sox said Jenks died Friday in Sintra, Portugal, where he was being treated for adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer.

Jenks helped the White Sox win the 2005 World Series, saving four games in six appearances during the postseason. He was an All-Star in each of the next two seasons while saving 41 games in 2006 and 40 in 2007.

He retired 41 consecutive batters in 2007, matching a record for a reliever.

“He was embarrassing guys, good hitters, right away,” former White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko said in a video tribute.

Jenks saved 173 games for the White Sox from 2005 to 2010 before finishing his career with 19 appearances in 2011 for the Boston Red Sox. For his career, he was 16-20 with a 3.53 ERA and 351 strikeouts in 348 appearances, all in relief.

“He and his family knew cancer would be his toughest battle, and he will be missed as a husband, father, friend and teammate,” White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. “He will forever hold a special place in all our hearts.”

Jenks began his career with the Angels, who drafted the hard-throwing right-hander in the fifth round of the 2000 amateur draft. He was eventually placed on assignment and picked up by the White Sox.

He is survived by his wife, Eleni Tzitzivacos, their two children, Zeno and Kate, and his four children from a previous marriage, Cuma, Nolan, Rylan and Jackson.

“As a teammate,” said former White Sox outfielder Aaron Rowand, “he was the best.”

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Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy heads to IL with left knee bone bruise

The Dodgers will be without Max Muncy for approximately six weeks after the third baseman was placed on the injured list Thursday with what the team is calling a bone bruise in his left knee. Muncy was injured in the sixth inning of Wednesday’s walk-off win over the Chicago White Sox when Chicago’s Michael Taylor slid headfirst into third on an unsuccessful attempt to steal third base.

The Dodgers now have 13 players on the injured list.

Taylor’s helmet hit Muncy’s knee, bending it sideways and flipping the infielder to the ground. The collision was so gruesome, SportsNet LA, which was broadcasting the game, did not show replays. Muncy writhed on the ground in obvious pain before being helped to the clubhouse.

Muncy, who entered the Dodger clubhouse Thursday afternoon wearing a blue elastic support bandage on his left leg, said he originally feared the worst, but an MRI found no structural damage.

“It was tough news, but it was also great news,” he said. “I still get to play baseball this year instead of coming back next year around April. So it was kind of best-case scenario.”

Muncy, who said his knee felt stiff but not painful, was scheduled to meet the Dodger doctors later Thursday but said he intended to embark on an aggressive rehabilitation process.

“Everybody’s body is different,” he said. “You know, some guys heal extremely fast, some guys heal extremely slow. Traditionally, I’ve always healed fairly fast.”

Taylor also left the game with a shoulder contusion. The White Sox have listed his status as day to day.

Muncy’s place on the roster was taken by outfielder Esteury Ruiz, who was acquired on April 2 from the Athletics in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher Carlos Duran. Ruiz appeared in 66 games for triple-A Oklahoma City, batting .292 with eight homers, 37 RBIs and 38 stolen bases.

Muncy’s absence will leave a big hole in the Dodgers’ lineup. He led the team with a .333 average and 24 RBIs in June, when he matched Shohei Ohtani for the lead in home runs with seven. He is hitting .250/.375/.457 for the season and is third on the team with 55 RBIs.

“He’s huge,” pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who was on the mound when the injury happened, said of Muncy. “I don’t really know why he stole there. It just seemed unnecessary. We’re all holding our breath that Munc is going to be OK.

“He’s obviously a huge part of our team, especially the last two months.”

Max Muncy tags out Michael Taylor trying to steal third base as Muncy gets injured on the play in Wednesday's game.

Michael Taylor’s helmet collided with Max Muncy’s left knee on his unsuccessful attempt to steal third base, injuring Muncy in the process.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Miguel Rojas, who hasn’t played since injuring his left hand on an attempted steal Sunday, started at third base Thursday. Kiké Hernández, who took Muncy’s place Wednesday, is also likely to see some time at third in Muncy’s absence.

Hernández is hitting .204/2.70/.383 while Rojas, primarily a second baseman, is batting .250/.289/.380.

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Ketel Marte in tears after being heckled about late mother

Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte was in tears after a heckler made comments about his late mother during the Diamondbacks’ game against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night at Rate Field.

That fan has been banned indefinitely from all MLB parks, The Times learned Wednesday morning.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo put his arm around Marte during a pitching change in the bottom of the seventh inning in an effort to comfort the two-time All Star. According to the Diamondbacks broadcast, Marte had also been crying while kneeling behind second base.

Lovullo later said on the Diamondbacks broadcast that he told Marte in that moment: “I love you and I’m with you, and we’re all together, and you’re not alone. And no matter what happens, no matter what was said or what you heard, that guy’s an idiot and shouldn’t have an impact on you.”

According to the Arizona Republic, Lovullo said he heard the comments made toward Marte during the player’s at-bat during the top of the seventh inning and that he and bench coach Jeff Banister asked for the responsible fan to be removed.

MLB confirmed that the heckler had been ejected from the stadium.

“We commend the White Sox for taking immediate action in removing the fan,” the league said in a statement emailed to The Times.

The Diamondbacks and White Sox did not immediately respond to requests for comments from The Times.

Marte is in his 11th MLB season. He played the first two years with the Seattle Mariners and has been with the Diamondbacks since 2017. His mother, Elpidia Valdez, died in a car accident in the Dominican Republic the same year.

Marte did not speak to reporters after the Diamondbacks’ 4-1 win, during which he went two for four with a solo home run in the first inning.

“I’ve known Ketel for nine years, and he’s had some unbelievable, unbelievably great moments, and some hardships as well, and some really, really tough moments in his life, and I know those,” said Lovullo, who has been the Diamondbacks manager since 2017. “And the end of the day, we’re human beings, and we have emotions, and I saw him hurting, and I wanted to protect him.”

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