MLB Notebook: Owners approve sale of Marlins to Jeter group

Two people familiar with the vote say major league owners have approved the sale of the Miami Marlins by Jeffrey Loria to an investment group led by Bruce Sherman and Derek Jeter.

The people confirmed the vote to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the approval had not been announced. One of the people said the vote was unanimous, with 75 percent approval needed.

A signed $1.2 billion agreement was submitted to Major League Baseball last month to sell the Marlins to a group led by Sherman, a venture capitalist who will be the controlling owner. Jeter, a 14-time All-Star shortstop for the New York Yankees, plans to be a limited partner in charge of the business and baseball operations.

The closing is expected to be within a few days. Minority owners in the Sherman-Jeter group include NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan, who will have a small stake.

Sherman spent much of his financial career in New York and has a home in Naples, Florida.

As part of the transition, four well-known Marlins executives were told last week they won’t be retained. They were special assistant to the president Jeff Conine, who goes by the nickname Mr. Marlin, and three special assistants to the owner – Hall of Famers Andre Dawson and Tony Perez, and former manager Jack McKeon, who led the Marlins to the 2003 World Series championship.

Team president David Samson is not expected to be retained.

Loria, 76, departs widely unpopular because of his frugal ownership and the public financing that helped build 5-year-old Marlins Park. The Marlins are assured of their eighth consecutive losing season, the longest streak in the majors, and they’ll sit out the playoffs for the 14th year in a row, which is the longest streak in the National League.

Altuve 4th straight 200-hit season

Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve has reached 200 hits for the fourth season in a row.

With his single in the first inning of Wednesday’s game at Texas, Altuve became only the fourth right-handed hitter in major league history with four consecutive 200-hit seasons.

The last right-handed hitter with at least four consecutive 200-hit seasons was Michael Young, with five in a row for Texas from 2003-07.

If Altuve finishes the season as the A.L. hits leader, he will be the first player ever to lead either league in hits outright in four consecutive seasons.

Clearing the bases

Rangers 3B Adrian Beltre is likely done for the season after playing 13 games with a strained left hamstring before the Texas Rangers were eliminated from playoff contention. Beltre is his 20th major league season and got his 3,000th career hit in July. He wasn’t in the lineup for the series finale against the Houston Astros on Wednesday. He hit .311 with 17 homers and 71 RBIs in 93 games this season. … Twins 3B Miguel Sano took 60 swings on Wednesday, a positive step as he tries to recover in time for the postseason. Sano has been on the disabled list since Aug. 20 with a stress reaction in his left shin. … Giants RHP Matt Cain says he’ll retire after his start at home on Saturday against San Diego. Cain, 3-11 this season, made his big-league debut with the Giants in 2005. He pitched in two of the Giants’ three winning World Series appearances since 2010. The 32-year-old has a career record of 104-118 with a 3.69 ERA. The three-time All-Star pitched the first perfect game in Giants’ history in 2012. … Veteran 1B Adrian Gonzalez will not be on the Dodgers’ N.L. Division Series roster because of back tightness – an injury that has plagued him all season – and is expected to miss the entire postseason. The 35-year-old Gonzalez started at first base on Tuesday and went 2 for 4 with a home run, his third this season, before the back problem had flared up again. He is batting .242 with 30 RBIs in 71 games.