NEW YORK (AP) — There will be a new pitch on Major League Baseball fields next season.

The San Diego Padres became the first team to announce a deal for ads on their uniforms, saying Tuesday that patches with a Motorola logo will be worn on the right sleeves of their jerseys.

The March 10 memorandum of understanding for a new collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the players’ association gave the 30 teams the right to sell patch ads on uniforms and sticker ads on helmets.

The sides adopted an Aug. 6, 2021, proposal by MLB to amend a section of the Official Baseball Rules which states: “No part of the uniform shall include patches or designs relating to commercial advertisement.”

NBA FINES NETS’ IRVING $50,000

BOSTON (AP) — Nets guard Kyrie Irving has been fined $50,000 for making obscene gestures and directing profane language toward the crowd during Brooklyn’s Game 1 playoff loss to the Celtics.

League operations president Byron Spruell announced the fines Tuesday.

Cameras captured Irving flipping his middle finger toward fans as he ran down the court after making a shot in the third quarter. Irving said after the game that his actions were in response to jeers from fans he said crossed the line.

RULE SHORTENS MILB GAMES

NEW YORK (AP) — Minor league games averaged 2 hours, 39 minutes in the first three days with a pitch clock, down 20 minutes from the prior average this season.

Major League Baseball said Tuesday that the 132 games with a clock averaged 5.11 runs and 15.9 hits, close to the average of 5.13 runs and 16.1 hits for the 335 games without a clock.

The pitch clock enforcement began Friday and data with the clock included games through Sunday.

Time between pitches during a plate appearance was cut from 21.5 seconds to 19.7 seconds, and time between batters was lowered from 43 seconds to 39.7.

ALL-FEMALE TEAM SET FOR 3 RACES

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — IndyCar team owner Beth Paretta announced Tuesday she intends to bring back her all-female team for three races this season but doesn’t intend to compete at next month’s Indianapolis 500.

Swiss driver Simona de Silvestro will pilot the No. 16 Chevrolet at all three stops — June 12 at Road America in Wisconsin, July 3 at Mid-Ohio and Aug. 7 on the streets of Nashville.

Last May, Paretta Autosport worked with series powerhouse Team Penske to get de Silvestro’s car into the Indy 500. This year, she’s working with Ed Carpenter Racing, which already intended to run three cars in the series’ marquee race.

Paretta said running three times rather than once as the fourth car on Carpenter’s team is a better investment toward her goal of making her team a full-time participant in the series.