Family of Rays prospect killed in triple homicide

The wife, child and mother-in-law of a Double-A pitcher in the Tampa Bay Rays organization were killed in a small Virginia town Tuesday, with police arresting the brother-in-law of right-hander Blake Bivens and charging him with three counts of first-degree homicide, sources told ESPN.

Matthew Thomas Bernard, 18, of Keeling, Virginia, was arrested after a manhunt that dispatched dozens of police officers around the community near the Virginia-North Carolina border.

Police said they did not know the motive of Bernard, who was naked at the time of his arrest after leading authorities on a short on-foot chase. Police have not named the victims.

In a statement, the Rays said: “Earlier today we learned that Blake Bivens, a pitcher with our Double-A affiliate, the Montgomery Biscuits, suffered a terrible family tragedy in southern Virginia. Our hearts are broken for Blake.”

The Biscuits had canceled a doubleheader scheduled for Tuesday in Chattanooga, Tennessee, due what the team called a “tragic event.”

CEO Lou DiBella later tweeted out a statement.

A statement from CEO & Managing Owner, Lou DiBella. pic.twitter.com/Uocm0juKb7

— Montgomery Biscuits (@BiscuitBaseball) August 28, 2019

Bivens, 24, was chosen by Tampa Bay in the fourth round of the 2014 draft out of high school in Danville, Virginia. After spending most of his career as a starting pitcher, he transitioned to a relief role this year and was 4-0 with a 3.95 ERA.