An Orange County, Calif. court reinstated the defamation lawsuit filed by former Angels clubhouse manager Bubba Hankins, who was fired in March 2020 for providing "sticky stuff" to pitchers during his time with the team. Hankins sued the Angels and MLB for defamation, alleging that both parties made comments that damaged his reputation and made it impossible for him to get a job in baseball.
The suit was dismissed in January 2021 by Orange County Superior Court Judge Geoffrey T. Glass, but a panel of three judges overturned that decision on Wednesday, per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register.