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03	September 2018

10-day disabled list the next

The Oakland Raiders released cornerback Sean Smith and right tackle Marshall Newhouse on Monday to create more salary cap room heading into free agency.

The Raiders also officially announced the signing of defensive tackle Justin Ellis to a three-year contract and signed receiver Griff Whalen to a one-year deal. Ellis had agreed to the deal last week to stay off the free-agent market but it was not announced until Monday.

Smith is also facing legal problems. He will plead guilty Tuesday to a felony count of assault with great bodily injury in connection with an altercation in Pasadena last year Andrew Billings Jersey , according to the attorney for the alleged victim.

Smith was accused of assaulting his sister's then-boyfriend, Christopher Woods, on July 4. Two witnesses testified during a preliminary hearing in December that Smith stomped Woods' head as he lay bleeding and unconscious.

Smith will be sentenced to one year in jail and five years of probation in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Attorney Jonathan Dennis said Woods "felt the sentence, obviously, was not as strict as it should have been, but he's pleased he's admitting guilt."

Smith was signed as a big-ticket free agent in 2016 to a four-year, $38 million deal. But he never played up to that level and the Raiders have decided to cut him instead of paying him $8.5 million this year.

Smith got benched in his first game with the Raiders after getting burned by New Orleans' Brandin Cooks for a 98-yard touchdown. He allowed opposing quarterbacks to post a 116.5 passer rating when targeting him in 2016, according to SportRadar.

Smith struggled again early in 2017 and was replaced in the starting lineup by TJ Carrie, before finishing the season strong after John Pagano replaced fired defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. for the final six games.

Smith allowed just 15 catches on 27 targets for 202 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions over the final six games for a passer rating of 64.1 as Pagano better took advantage of Smith's size and strength. That was down from a 113.3 rating in his one-plus season under Norton.

Oakland will again seek to bolster the secondary in free agency L. P. Ladouceur Jersey , looking for a starter at cornerback to pair with last year's first-round pick Gareon Conley.

Carrie is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent Wednesday and is free to talk to potential suitors this week.

Newhouse started 14 games last season for the Raiders but new coach Jon Gruden said at the combine that the play at right tackle last season was inconsistent.

Ellis was originally a fourth-round pick by Oakland in 2014. He has started 41 of the 60 games he has played in during four seasons with the Raiders and is strong against the run.

Whalen has played 43 games over six seasons in the NFL. He has 51 catches for 532 yards and three touchdowns. He also has 47 punt returns for 378 yards and 29 kickoff returns for 701 yards.

Associated Press Writer Brian Melley in Los Angeles contributed to this report

CLEVELAND � Cody Allen is one of the least acclaimed yet most productive closers in the major leagues. On Friday night. when the Cleveland Indians open a three-game series with the Oakland A�s, Allen will be in uniform at Progressive Field for the first time as the Indians� career saves leader.

In pitching the ninth inning of a 3-2 Cleveland win in Kansas City on Wednesday, Allen posted his 140th career save, breaking Bob Wickman�s franchise record of 139, which had stood since 2006.

�He means so much to all of us,� Cleveland manager Terry Francona said of Allen. �This is a kid who was drafted in the 16th round, but through being a consummate professional, he�s now the Indians� all-time leader. That�s pretty awesome. It�s a big accomplishment, and he�s not close to being done.�

Allen (2-3 Orlando Pace Jersey , 3.38 ERA) ranks seventh in the American League this year with 18 saves, but his year-in, year-out consistency has been his trademark. He has had at least 30 saves in each of the last three seasons. Only two other closers in the majors can say that: the Los Angeles Dodgers� Kenley Jansen and Boston�s Craig Kimbrel.

�This is something I�m extremely proud of,� Allen said of passing Wickman as the club�s saves leader. �It�s something I get to hang my hat on for my career. It�s very cool.�

The A�s (48-39) come to Cleveland with nearly the same record as the Indians (48-37), but what a difference a division makes. The first-place Indians lead the AL Central by 11 1/2 games. The A�s are in third in the AL West, 8 1/2 games behind the first-place Houston Astros.

The A�s won two of three games from the Indians last weekend in Oakland. That was part of a longer streak in which the A�s have won eight of their last nine. Since June 16, Oakland is 14-3.

�I think we�re having a lot of fun,� A�s third baseman Matt Chapman told MLB.com, �and no matter what the score is T.J. Lang Jersey , I don�t think we count ourselves out. There�s no panic in the dugout. We just keep playing our game. We trust that we�re a good team.�

On Friday night, the A�s will send Paul Blackburn (2-2, 6.46 ERA) to the mound. In his last start on June 29 in Oakland, Blackburn baffled the Indians, pitching 6 1/3 scoreless innings and giving up just three hits in a 3-1 victory.

Blackburn has started five major league games this year. In the one against Cleveland, he is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and an opponents� batting average of .150. In the other four starts, he�s 1-2 with an 8.83 ERA and an opponents� batting average of .324. In two career starts against the Indians, Blackburn is 1-0 with a 2.19 ERA.

Cleveland will counter with Carlos Carrasco (8-5, 4.24) Jamon Brown Jersey , who will make his first start since June 16, a 9-3 loss to Minnesota in which he was knocked out of the game in the second inning after getting hit in the right arm by a line drive off the bat of Joe Mauer.

Carrasco was placed on the 10-day disabled list the next day with a right elbow contusion. He made one rehab start at Double-A Akron on June 30, pitching four scoreless innings and giving up one hit with four strikeouts and one walk.

Carrasco�s last legitimate start was his best start of the year, a 4-0 win over the Chicago White Sox on June 11. In that game, he pitched seven scoreless innings and gave up two hits and one walk with 11 strikeouts.

In six career appearances, including five starts, against Oakland, Carrasco is 3-1 with a 2.61 ERA.

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