ALAMEDA, Calif. -- While Oakland Raiders receiver Antonio Brown was not asked Tuesday about his severed relationship with his former quarterback after Ben Roethlisberger apologized for his treatment of him in Pittsburgh, Brown did heap praise on his new QB, Derek Carr.

Brown also shined some light on how he's getting along with new teammate Vontaze Burfict, who once knocked Brown out of a playoff game on a hit to the head when with the Cincinnati Bengals.

"It's tremendously important to have a relationship off the field because playing football, you get mentally tired," Brown said after the Raiders' Week 2 OTA practice. "You get frustrated. You always want to have that respect for a guy to know where he's coming from, know what he stands for and know what's important to him so you guys can be on the same page. And do what you desire to do -- win.

"Camaraderie is key. Any team needs camaraderie to win, to know the guys and have their back. That's why we're here today, to build camaraderie, show the guys what I'm about and continue to build it."

Then how, exactly, would Brown, acquired for a third- and fifth-round pick on March 13, describe his relationship with Carr?

"I think it's really growing," he said. "Making a lot of deposits so we have a lot in the bank. Extremely grateful to be out here, to put the work in action. Show these guys what I'm about, on and off the field. It's exciting to build that correlation and see it come to fruition right here."

In nine seasons with the Steelers, Brown teamed with Roethlisberger to go to the playoffs six times. In 10 playoff games, Brown caught 51 passes for 837 yards and four touchdowns.

Carr, meanwhile, has yet to play in the postseason, the Raiders falling to the Houston Texans in the 2016 playoffs as he was recovering from a season-ending broken right ankle suffered in Week 16.

Being a fan of "visualization," Carr said he studies tapes of his receivers from their previous stops.

"That's huge, and seeing how someone breaks on a route -- because half the time you only get a split second when you see them break, you don't get to see the whole picture -- I'm throwing behind massive bodies and I just have to know that that's where the ball is supposed to be," Carr said last week.

"Watching these guys run these routes and watching how they break, you definitely take a look at it, especially with AB. The success that he and Ben had, you'd be silly not to see what they did. I'd be a fool to say, 'Ah, no, let's do it our way.' No, let me see what you all did good, because we can do the same things here, you're just wearing a different color."

Brown and Carr famously vibed at the Pro Bowl in 2018.

"Being with DC at the Pro Bowl was really a fun experience," Brown said. "You know, seeing his passion as a quarterback, seeing his detail and I think we had a moment like, 'Dang that was pretty cool.' Me running a route, him being [able] to throw and being in this position to look back from that day is God's planning."

And when it came to Burfict, Brown said he carried no ill will.

"Well, football is football," Brown said. "You know, obviously, the player I am, there's always a bull's-eye on me. I know when I got the light under my cleats guys are going to take chances and try to hurt me. But it's not personal, it's just part of the game.

"It's not like he's hit me off the field. Then that would be a bigger problem, you know? But it's football. You play the game long enough, you're going to get hit hard. And you know it's just part of the game."

CHICAGO -- A Chicago White Sox employee of the month got to throw out a first pitch. And, to put it mildly, she was just a little bit off target.

The rookie right-hander uncorked one of the most wayward first pitches ever when she plunked a team photographer standing close by, between the mound and the first-base line, before Tuesday's game against the Kansas City Royals.

The ball went right off Darren Georgia's lens, nowhere near the plate.

The woman covered her face with both hands and raised her arms. White Sox pitcher Evan Marshall, her intended catcher, put his hands over his head, then wrapped his left arm around her.

Georgia told NBC Sports Chicago he was able to get a photo just before the woman released the pitch.

Life comes at you pretty fast. pic.twitter.com/ySGgmqSc1n

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) May 29, 2019

"I honestly didn't even see it coming," George said during NBC Sports' broadcast of the game. "I took the photo, and it just hit the camera. It didn't hit my head. The camera's OK. I'm OK. But just shocked."

The White Sox didn't identify the woman pitcher. But no doubt, her toss is certain to be replayed for years, right up there with the wild first pitch by rapper 50 Cent before a Pittsburgh Pirates-New York Mets game at Citi Field -- that came five years and one day earlier.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Devin Smeltzer took the mound for his first game in the majors, his wife and parents among a sizable crowd at Target Field, set to face National League MVP Christian Yelich and the hard-hitting Milwaukee Brewers.

Nervous?

After fighting to get this far, no way.

Diagnosed with cancer when he was just 9 years old, Smeltzer added another chapter to his inspiring comeback story, pitching six shutout innings in his debut to help the Minnesota Twins beat the Brewers 5-3 on Tuesday night.

"It's everything I've dreamed of. I've worked for this my whole life, been through a lot, and it all came true today," he said after tearful hugs from 21 family members outside the clubhouse, including an extended embrace with his wife, Brianne.

"I joked with my wife after the game, 'I think that's the most calm I've ever been.' I'm usually very high energy," Smeltzer said. "Tonight, I felt like I'd done it a million times."

Smeltzer probably had that many dreams, or more, about baseball success while building to this moment. It was a long way from the day doctors found a grapefruit-sized cancerous tumor against his bladder.

"I know that tomorrow, between the lines, may not happen. It's been told to me before, and I don't take a day for granted out there," he said.

"So, I put a lot into that, and my family goes with that, and pretty much everything I've been through has turned into hard work and determination and putting my nose down and working a lot and just keep pushing."

The 23-year-old Smeltzer allowed three hits, walked none and struck out seven. Showing a funky, three-quarter style delivery, the lanky left-hander threw 69 pitches, 53 for strikes.

He exited with the game scoreless and got a no-decision. Manager Rocco Baldelli said Smeltzer will get another chance at his first win.

"It was really fun experience just watching him keep rolling out there inning after inning and getting the job done," Baldelli said. "He did exactly what he's been doing in the minor leagues."

In nine combined starts at Double-A Pensacola and Triple-A Rochester, Smeltzer was 3-2 with a 1.15 ERA. He got called up this week when the Twins put pitcher Michael Pineda on the injured list with right knee tendinitis.

Smeltzer retired his final eight batters, striking out Lorenzo Cain and Yelich to end the sixth.

Smeltzer danced around damage in the second, third and fourth innings when, with a runner on base, the final out each inning was a catch on the warning track.

The Twins got Smeltzer last July in a trade that sent second baseman Brian Dozier to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Eddie Rosario homered and Max Kepler added a two-run double for Minnesota, which has won 12 of 14 games and has the best record in the majors.

Keston Hiura and Yasmani Grandal homered late for the Brewers.

Rosario capped a five-run seventh inning with a two-run drive off Junior Guerra. It was the Twins' 56th home run in May, setting a franchise record for a month.

That homer came after C.J. Cron doubled off Guerra to make it 3-0. Kepler, selected as the American League Player of the Week, doubled in two runs earlier in the inning against Alex Claudio (1-2).

Matt Magill (1-0) tossed a scoreless inning, and Ryne Harper got the final out for his first career save.

In the fourth, Kepler made a leaping grab at the wall, lost the ball in the transfer and doubled up Ryan Braun at second base. Milwaukee unsuccessfully challenged the catch; the Brewers now are 1-6 in replay challenges this season.

Milwaukee starter Zach Davies allowed five hits and struck out four in six shutout innings. He allowed six earned runs in three innings last Wednesday at home against the Cincinnati Reds.

"I felt like I stuck to my game plan in my last outing, but the execution of pitches wasn't there," Davies said. "Coming into this game, just making sure I'm free and easy, and throwing to my game plan. I ended up executing better, and the results followed."

SUCCESSFUL STARTERS

Smeltzer is the fourth Twins starter in team history to throw at least six shutout innings in his major league debut. Andrew Albers, Anthony Swarzak and Eric Milton are the others.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Brewers: RHP Jeremy Jeffress, who was nearly hit in the head by a line drive on Monday and fell back at an awkward angle, said he feels fine. ... Entering Tuesday, 3B Travis Shaw (right wrist) was 2-for-19 in his first five games on a Triple-A rehab assignment with six strikeouts. Manager Craig Counsell said there is no timetable for his return.

Twins: CF Byron Buxton left in the second inning with a bruised right knee after crashing hard into the fence in front of the bullpens as he tried to catch a second-inning triple by Grandal. "I feel fine. It's just one of those things where I come out to get looked at. Just to be precautionary," he said.

UP NEXT

Brewers: Send RHP Chase Anderson (2-0, 3.25) to the hill on Thursday for the start of a four-game series in Pittsburgh. The Pirates plan to go with RHP Joe Musgrove (3-5. 4.27).

Twins: Open a 10-game road trip Thursday with the first of four games at the Tampa Bay Rays. LHP Martin Perez (7-1, 2.95), who has won six of eight starts since joining the rotation, is scheduled to face the Rays' Charlie Morton (5-0, 2.54).

CINCINNATI -- Derek Dietrich was describing his three-homer game for the media when Scooter Gennett walked past and put it in a slightly different perspective.

"Anybody can hit three, Derek,'' said Gennett, who did him one better in 2017.

No, Dietrich's latest big game didn't set any records. But it extended one of the most unexpected home run tears by a Cincinnati Reds player in recent years. Dietrich hit three homers -- all two-run shots -- and the Pittsburgh Pirates suffered yet another injury to their rotation Tuesday night as Cincinnati pulled away to an 11-6 victory.

"This is more than just a hot streak,'' Reds manager David Bell said.

Dietrich grounded out in his first at-bat and connected in the fourth off Jordan Lyles (5-2), who left after the inning with discomfort in his left hamstring. Dietrich then connected off Geoff Hartlieb in the fifth and again in the seventh for his first three-homer game.

After the third homer, the 13,824 fans at Great American Ball Park demanded a curtain call. Still holding his batting helmet, Dietrich emerged from the dugout and raised both arms.

He didn't get another at-bat to try to match Gennett, who tied the major league record with four homers at Great American Ball Park on June 6, 2017.

Signed to a minor league deal in February with a chance to compete for a spot off the bench, Dietrich has received playing time with Gennett sidelined since spring training due to a groin injury. Dietrich's 17 homers already has set a career high, and 12 of his past 17 hits have been home runs.

It only took Dietrich 118 at-bats to get to 17 homers, the seventh fewest at-bats by a player with 17 homers since 1961, behind luminaries such as Barry Bonds (116), Albert Pujols (112) and Mark McGwire (93).

"They let me be myself,'' Dietrich said. "They believe in me. They gave me an opportunity. That's all I've ever needed along the way.''

Most of the damage has been against the Pirates, who have allowed eight of his homers.

"He's hitting our mistakes extremely well,'' Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "The balls are not where we wanted them, and he's clobbered them.''

Lyles had an awkward follow-through on a pitch in the fourth but completed the inning. The Pirates already are missing starters Jameson Taillon and Trevor Williams. They've had 22 players on the injured list this season, with starter Chris Archer also missing time because of a sore thumb.

Now, there's a chance Lyles will have to miss time, as well.

"We've got the injury bug so far this year,'' Lyles said. "Everybody knows it.''

With its seventh loss in nine games, Pittsburgh fell to 26-27, the first time the Pirates have been below .500 since May 3.

Lucas Sims (1-0) was called up pregame and struck out a career-high nine in 7⅓ innings, the longest outing of his career. He gave up Kevin Newman's grand slam in the eighth, the rookie's first major league homer.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Over the next week, as the Major League Baseball draft approaches, a creative team could sign Dallas Keuchel or Craig Kimbrel.

That looks like a simple sentence. In truth, it is 21 words of absurdism. It is, in many ways, the perfect summation of how baseball's economic system short-circuited. It is disparate ingredients swimming in the same stock pot and producing something gamy and funky and generally unappetizing. It is also worthy of a clause-by-clause breakdown, to tie together these elements and make sense of a baseball story that didn't need to be.

Over the next week ...

For 211 days, Keuchel and Kimbrel have been free agents, available to sign with any of MLB's 30 teams. That's an entire offseason, all of spring training and the first third of the season. Neither the excitement of the winter nor the improvement of rivals nor the fear of camp not turning out as intended nor the rigors of 50-plus games has changed that.

There is a distinct expectation, among teams with and without a need to sign a pitcher -- the latter admittedly is in far shorter supply than the former -- that it will happen after the clock strikes 12:01 a.m. and Sunday turns into Monday. At that moment, the draft-pick compensation attached to Keuchel and Kimbrel -- because they rejected qualifying offers from Houston and Boston, respectively -- will disappear and teams' only outlay for the players will be monetary.

Executives privately admit that it's a terrible look -- that no matter what Keuchel or Kimbrel went into the winter seeking, two pitchers with their pedigrees remaining free agents into the third month of a season reflects poorly on the industry writ large. Keuchel, 31, is a workhorse. Only a dozen pitchers have thrown more than his 950⅓ innings over the past five seasons -- and just five of those sported a better ERA. Kimbrel, who turns 31 today, has been the best closer of his generation and posted more wins above replacement through age 30 than every reliever but Lee Smith and Bruce Sutter, each of whom threw nearly 250 innings more in that time span than Kimbrel.

Clearly teams did not believe Kimbrel was worth the $120 million over six years they say he sought over the winter. Keuchel likewise did not appeal to them at a similar number of years and an even higher per-annum price. But still a free agent? Even with seven American League teams and as many as 13 in the National League with at least some hope for the playoffs? A draft pick is going to get in the way of that?

... as the Major League Baseball draft approaches ...

If indeed a rush on Keuchel or Kimbrel commences when draft-pick compensation vanishes, it will only reinforce the need to once and for all untether free agency from the draft. Every iteration of the system linking the two has been abused or contributed to a dampening of the free-agent market. The general premise sounds noble: Give back to teams that lose the best free agents, penalize the teams rich enough to sign them. The reality is muddier and plays out to its grubbiest endpoint with Keuchel and Kimbrel: The penalty applies to all teams, not just the richest, and gets passed on to the players, to whom draft picks tether themselves.

Teams already do all they can to undercut the value of players, much as players try to extract the most out of teams. The power imbalance reveals itself in the perception of offers. Keuchel and Kimbrel have been castigated this winter for overvaluing themselves; teams, meanwhile, have offered well below the value of both players' projected numbers, and they're instead lauded for fiscal responsibility or attempts to get a good deal.

The draft-pick excuse is the apex of this. Yes, draft picks do have value -- and a fair amount of it, actually, because MLB's core economic system depresses the earning potential of players through their prime years. At the same time, if the draft -- which, best-case scenario, churns out a major-league-ready player within two years -- so clearly exceeds in importance what's happening in the major leagues right now, perhaps it's time to send the pendulum in a different direction. Because contending teams are going to lose out on Keuchel or Kimbrel due to fear over draft-pick value -- or, better put, teams that can legitimately strengthen their chances of winning a World Series will opt instead for the lottery ticket.

... a creative team ...

Here's the fun part. Any of those 20 contending teams can jump the market. If they really believe the beginning of the draft is going to jump-start two markets that never really materialized in the first place, they can call Keuchel's agent, Scott Boras, or Kimbrel's agent, David Meter, and say: Forget the pick, let's do a deal.

There are so many options too. Start with Kimbrel. Teams might be more inclined to jump the market if he opts for a one-year deal. Kimbrel is also wary of the volatility of relief pitching and teams believe he will continue to look for a multiyear pact. Wariness will greet such a tack.

A shorter-term deal, on the other hand, suddenly makes plenty of sense for the Chicago Cubs. They don't have a closer. The salary that will count against their luxury-tax number is what Kimbrel is being paid, not the full-season figure. They're already above the second tax threshold, and Kimbrel isn't going to take them to the third. And they'd have to give up just the 64th pick, which carries slightly more than $1 million in bonus money (and an implied value, because of the return, of closer to $4 million).

If the Cubs want a closer, they can trade for one -- and give up top prospects to do so -- or simply pay cash for Kimbrel. However mediocre he looked last October, Kimbrel pitching ninth innings in October instead of Pedro Strop, Steve Cishek and others would round out an awfully talented team.

Keuchel, on the other hand, would seem to fit very nicely with the New York Yankees or Tampa Bay Rays, who happen to be in first and second place in the AL East. Every Yankees player is mandated, it seems, for at least one injured-list stint, so there's still room in the rotation for Keuchel. And the Rays, whose only starters are Blake Snell and Charlie Morton, have nothing but room until the return of Tyler Glasnow from the IL and the ascent of prospects.

For the Yankees, it would cost the 38th pick and nearly $2 million in bonus money. The Rays would forfeit the 40th pick. As Craig Edwards noted at FanGraphs, each of those picks is worth about $8 million in value. The Rays are unlikely to jump the market, even if it would so behoove them. The Yankees could because they're the Yankees, but they have embraced value with great rigor.

So will anyone get creative? Will the Brewers say forget it, be willing to forfeit the 133rd overall pick (and its $425,000 in draft dollars) and give Josh Hader a chance to breathe with the addition of Kimbrel? Will the Braves, so deep already in young talent, cede the 60th pick so they don't have to go against the Dodgers or Cubs in the first round of the playoffs with Luke Jackson closing games? Can the Rays or Dodgers or Padres or even the Red Sox get the reliever each needs before the draft pick turns into a pumpkin? Will the Phillies solve their fifth-starter issue not internally but with Keuchel -- and give up only the 91st pick in the process? Do the Brewers or Cardinals or Twins or even the Astros grab that starter to round out their rotation? Does anyone want to win enough that a team, before the draft ...

... could sign Dallas Keuchel or Craig Kimbrel.

That's not exactly a fair question. Of course teams want to win. Professional sports would not exist otherwise. The better question: Do they want to win so badly that they're willing to do something irrational?

Because in most of these cases, it's true: Jumping the market to sign Keuchel or Kimbrel just days before they can avoid giving up a draft pick to do so would be irrational. It also would avoid the idea of a bidding war ... which could wind up being nothing more than a red herring. As valuable as the draft picks might be to teams, their ultimate decision to sign a player will depend in large part on what he's asking.

And whether teams are willing to meet that price, of course, depends on what he can reasonably provide. At this point, Keuchel and Kimbrel will take a few weeks minimum to prepare for major league games. The good news is they'll be fresh, rested and presumably ready to be taxed even harder than usual down the stretch and into the playoff drive.

Both understand they're pitching for big paydays at this point. If Keuchel can stay healthy and produce in the postseason, surely a team will give him a representative multiyear offer next winter. If Kimbrel can be the guy who knows where his 99 mph fastball is going and can throw enough strikes with his curveball to keep hitters honest, he might not get $120 million, but half that isn't out of the question. Both understand too that they shouldn't be anywhere close to this position, that baseball is a sport with enough mediocrity that Keuchel and Kimbrel's unemployment is farcical. There are hundreds upon hundreds of worse pitchers in the major leagues today.

That should be remedied soon. Maybe not this week, unless a team recognizes an opportunity, and maybe not even early next week, but soon enough. It wouldn't necessarily right a wrong in full, but at least it would take a step in the right direction and remind MLB that as it meets soon with the players' union to discuss changes to the economic system, this case -- and broken draft-pick compensation -- should be among the first things discussed.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Ty Gibbs has picked up six additional races in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East driving DGR-Crosley’s No. 17 Monster Energy Toyota Camry.

He will compete at Memphis (Tenn.) Int’l Raceway this weekend alongside teammates Tanner Gray and Drew Dollar.

Gibbs has one previous start for DGR-Crosley, which occurred earlier this season at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway. In his K&N Pro Series debut, the 16-year-old Joe Gibbs Racing development driver qualified ninth and went on to earn a second-place finish.

“I’m really happy to be running more K&N races with DGR-Crosley,” said Gibbs. “They are at the top of their game and the defending Series Champion. When I climb in one of their Camrys, I know that I’m in equipment capable of winning. I really enjoy working with Blake [Bainbridge, crew chief] and the entire 17 team, as well as having David [Gilliland] around to lean on for advice. I think we will pick up some wins together this season.”

New Smyrna was the first of his string of second-place finishes. Gibbs has four ARCA Menards Series starts this season where he has finished in the second position three times. He is hungry for a win and hopes to do that this weekend with DGR-Crosley.

“I’ve got my sights set on winning in Memphis,” Gibbs noted. “I have more experience in the bigger stock cars now and feel confident going into the weekend. At New Smyrna, I didn’t really know what I was doing. Once I got a feel for it, I really enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to getting back in my Monster Energy Camry, learning as much as possible and hopefully ending the day in victory lane.

Gibbs’ K&N Pro Series East schedule for the remainder of the 2019 season is as follows: Memphis Int’l Raceway, Iowa Speedway, Watkins Glen International, Bristol Motor Speedway, Gateway Motorsports Park and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He will also continue running a part-time schedule in the ARCA Menards Series with Joe Gibbs Racing and a handful of late model stock car races for Nelson Motorsports.

TOPEKA, Kan. – If Tommy Johnson Jr. keeps the consistent pace he’s put together for more than a year, he knows that will bode well for the outcome of his NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.

But the Funny Car standout is more than ready to add a few wins to his resume.

The veteran has advanced to at least the semifinals at nearly half of his races dating back to the start of the 2018 season, but Johnson is still looking for his first win in that span. That’s something he’ll look to change in his 11,000-horespower Make-A-Wish Foundation Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat at the upcoming Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals presented by Minties, June 7-9 at Heartland Motorsports Park. The 17-time event winner hopes to pick up his first career victory at the facility, while also adding another impressive layer to his run of consistent performances.

“One of these days, that tide will turn and we’ll get a win,” said Johnson, who is currently fourth in the Funny Car points standings. “In order to win, you have to be competitive, so maintaining that is key. There are times the guys get bummed because you come so close to getting it done, but it’s still a lot better than losing first round. It’s a great group and they work really hard, and they’ve learned over time the results of being consistent and going rounds.”

Clay Millican (Top Fuel) and Courtney Force (Funny Car) were last year’s winners. It is the 10th of 24 races during the NHRA season and action will be intense with a special Primetime qualifying session at 8 p.m. on June 7. Johnson and his team, led by crew chief John Collins, will have to dial up something big under the lights and then run well during the warmer conditions on raceday, but that hasn’t been a problem over the last few seasons.

Johnson has been impressively consistent to the tune of one final round and three semifinal appearances through the first eight races in 2019, running well in any condition. He firmly believes that it will eventually lead to victories, but a good showing during this stretch of four straight races could pay dividends as Johnson seeks his first world title in the loaded Funny Car class.

“If you want to win a championship, a lot of that groundwork is laid in the summer,” Johnson said. “The more consistent you perform, you’re only going to get better and running well at these summer races is kind of our team’s M.O. We’re excited about the summer months. I sure do like the way our car performs in those conditions and it’s a good stretch to really put yourself in a better position. If you can run well, it doesn’t take long for it to have an impact.”

The races start to come in a hurry as it moves to summer, but Johnson welcomes that, especially with his car running well. He’s also less than two rounds out of second place, meaning Johnson has a great opportunity to make a big move in the class. But to pick up his first win in Topeka, which has shown to be a fast track over the years, Johnson will have to deal with the likes of points leader Robert Hight, defending world champion J.R. Todd, Don Schumacher Racing teammate Ron Capps, who has enjoyed back-to-back wins, John Force and Matt Hagan.

“As a driver, you don’t mind the back-to-back races,” Johnson said. “You can get into a groove and my team is pretty experienced, so they know how to pace themselves. Growing up in Iowa, (Topeka) was close to a home race for me. The track surface has always been good and yielded some big performances, but you also have that heat and humidity, so it throws everything at you. It’s a really tight rope you have to walk, but we’ve learned how to navigate that.”