Agent expects Addison Russell to be cleared after lengthy MLB probe

By Gordon Wittenmyer

MIAMI – After more than a month, Major League Baseball continues to look into social-media allegations of domestic violence made against Cubs shortstop Addison Russell with no timetable for a resolution.

But Russell’s agent on Monday sounded confident his client will be cleared by MLB.

“I’m not familiar with their process. I only know in this instance there’s very few witnesses, very few people involved,” Scott Boras said while attending an All-Star media event with clients. “We know what Addison said to us [in denying the allegations]. I don’t want to pre-empt any findings. All I know is the facts that we have do not suggest there’s a foundation for what the social media report was.”

In an Instagram post, a friend of Russell’s wife accused him of physically abusing his wife. The post was deleted within hours but not before it caught the attention of Cubs officials, who talked to Russell and informed MLB.

Two weeks later, Russell’s wife said through an attorney that she has declined to talk to MLB about the issue. Both filed for divorce separately in June.

“There are no facts,” Boras said of the allegation. “There’s been some [social] media reports, and the substantiation of those reports has not come forward.

“I don’t foresee anything in the future going forward.”

LeMahieu in middle of Rockies’ rise

He gets discounted by critics because of his home ballpark and was discounted by his original team, which threw him into a trade before he had a full year in the majors.

But former Cub DJ LeMahieu is starting to look more at home on baseball’s bigger stages as he prepares for his second All-Star game, one of four Rockies to be selected.

“I can enjoy it a little bit more the second time,” said the Rockies’ second baseman, who made the All-Star team in 2015 and won a batting title in 2016. “The first time was very fast. So hopefully I can enjoy this one a little bit more.”

LeMaheiu was traded by the Cubs to Colorado before the 2012 season, with Tyler Colvin, for Ian Stewart and Casey Weathers.

He said he doesn’t spend much time thinking about the trade anymore, especially with the Rockies on the rise.

“We had a really good first half,” he said. “I’m just really excited to be here with these other guys from the Rockies.”

Judge wins HR Derby

Who else? Yankees power-hitting phenom Aaron Judge crushed 47 total home runs – with an average distance of 402 feet – to win the 2017 All-Star Home Run Derby Monday night.

Judge, who already broke the Yankees’ rookie record for homers in a season (30), beat the Twin’s Miguel Sano 11-10 in the final round of the match-play event.

He beat Dodgers rookie Cody Bellinger in the semifinal round 13-12 and the Marlins’ Justin Bour in the first round 23-22.

Aces

When NL manager Joe Maddon named Nationals ace Max Scherzer to start Tuesday’s game, Scherzer became the fifth pitcher in history to start for each league. He also started in 2013 as a Detroit Tiger.

The four others: Vida Blue, Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, Roy Halladay,

Follow me on Twitter @GDubCub

Email: gwittenmyer@suntimes.com