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Tag: Blake Snell

  • Shohei Ohtani Named MLB’s No. 1 Player for Fourth Time

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    For the fourth time in his career, MLB Network named Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers DH/SP, as the No. 1 player in baseball right now

    The accolades never seem to end for Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers DH/SP.

    MLB Network named Ohtani, a four-time MVP, as the best player in baseball for the fourth time in his career. Ohtani was the No. 1 player heading in 2022 and 2023, before losing to Atlanta Braves OF Ronald Acuna Jr. in 2024, but then reclaimed it in 2025 and now 2026.

    Ohtani has been with the Dodgers since he signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the club on Dec. 11, 2023, where he has won back-to-back World Series with Los Angeles.

    Across 158 games in 2025, Ohtani slashed .278/.392/.622 with a league-leading 1.014 OPS and 179 OPS+, 55 home runs, 102 RBIs, and a 7.5 fWAR at designated hitter. On the mound, Ohtani pitched 47.0 innings across 14 starts, with a 1-1 record, 2.87 ERA, an 11.87 K/9 and 1.72 BB/9. These numbers earned Ohtani his second consecutive National League MVP award.

    During the Dodgers playoff run, Shohei won NLCS MVP for his performance against the Milwaukee Brewers, capped off with a three home run game at the plate and 6.0 IP, zero runs, two hits, three walks and 10 strikeouts on the mound in game four to complete the sweep. In the World Series, Ohtani slashed .333/.500/.778 with a 1.278 OPS, three home runs and nine RBIs as the Dodgers beat the Toronto Blue Jays in seven games

    Before the 2025 season, Ohtani had been off the pitching mound since August 2023 because Ohtani tore his UCL on Aug. 23, 2023 and got Tommy John surgery the following month, according to Yahoo Sports. This kept him off the mound for all of 2024 and for almost half of 2025.

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    Despite not being able to pitch, Ohtani still produced at the plate in 2024, as he won his third MVP that year and became the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season, creating the “50-50 club,” according to Sporting News.

    Ohtani made his pitching debut with the Dodgers on June 16 against the division rival San Diego Padres, where he pitched one inning. Since he was returning Ohtani from a major injury, Ohtani had to be built back up through the season, which is why he pitched just 47 innings. Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts said he expects to regularly use Ohtani as a starter, but it’s not going to be a regular five-man rotation.

    “I don’t want to go down the six-man rotation road, but I do feel that giving him six, seven, eight days off to kind of allow him to continue to stay rested and build up, I think that’s in our process,” Roberts said during the 2025 Winter Meetings. “But again we have a long way to go, but we’ve got some viable candidates.”

    Other Dodgers on the top 100 right now were: RHP Edwin Diaz at No. 83, LHP Blake Snell at No. 54, 1B Freddie Freeman at No. 22, OF Kyle Tucker at No. 21, C Will Smith at No. 20, SS Mookie Betts at No. 18 and RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto at No. 13.

    Dodgers pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training on Feb. 13, and opening day is March 26, but fans can watch Ohtani sooner than that as he will play for Team Japan during the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Team Japan’s first game is on March 6 against Team Chinese Taipei.

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    Tony Gleason

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  • Yesavage pitches Blue Jays past Dodgers 6-1 for 3-2 lead in World Series

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    Trey Yesavage set a World Series rookie record with 12 strikeouts, and the Toronto Blue Jays opened Game 5 with back-to-back homers in a 6-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday that moved them within one win of their first championship since 1993.Davis Schneider and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. connected on Blake Snell’s first and third pitches, the first consecutive homers to start a Series game.Yesavage, a precocious 22-year-old right-hander who began his season last April pitching before 327 fans in Class A, took over from there.With a sinking splitter, spinning slider and overpowering fastball that quieted LA bats and a crowd of 52,175, he broke the prior rookie record of 11 strikeouts set by Don Newcombe for the Dodgers in a 1-0 loss to the New York Yankees in the 1949 opener. Getting six Ks each with his splitter and slider, Yesavage became the first Series pitcher with 12 strikeouts and no walks.“I’m kind of blown away by what he did,” Toronto manager John Schneider said.After losing a Game 3 heartbreaker in 18 innings Monday night, the resilient Blue Jays bounced right back with two comfortable wins.Toronto leads 3-2 in the best-of-seven matchup and can dethrone the defending champions back home when the Series resumes Friday night at Rogers Centre. No team has won consecutive titles since the Yankees took three in a row from 1998-2000.“We’ve got to kind of wipe the slate clean and find a way to win Game 6 and pick up the pieces and see where we’re at,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.Yesavage allowed three hits over seven innings and his only run when Kiké Hernández homered on a high fastball to trim the Dodgers’ deficit to 2-1 in the third.Seranthony Domínguez and Jeff Hoffman finished a four-hitter.“When three of my pitches are in the strike zone, or even two, like part of tonight, I mean, I’m in control,” Yesavage said. “Just stay in the strike zone and get ahead.”Yesavage debuted with the Blue Jays on Sept. 15, his fifth level of baseball this year. He went 1-0 in three regular-season starts and is 3-1 in five postseason outings.Yesavage induced 23 swings and misses — most in a Series game since pitch tracking started in 2008, one more than San Francisco’s Tim Lincecum in 2010 Game 5.“Obviously the stuff is incredible, but the maturity to go and handle these moments is unbelievable. It was a special thing to watch today,” teammate Bo Bichette said. “I think he’s ultra confident, but you never hear it in the clubhouse, which I think says something about him. He comes here to work and try to help us win. I can’t say enough good things about his performance.”Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, dropped to 0-2 in the Series, allowing five runs, six hits and four walks over 6 2/3 innings.Roberts shook up his slumping batting order, dropping Mookie Betts as low as third for the first time since 2021 and benching outfielder Andy Pages in favor of Alex Call. It didn’t spark an offense that is hitting .202 in the Series and has solo shots on seven of its eight home runs. Los Angeles has scored just four runs in its last 29 innings.The Dodgers also threw four wild pitches in a span of two innings.“We’ve got to make some adjustments,” Roberts said. “We’ve been in elimination games, a core group of these guys, and we’ve got to find a way to win a game. That’s it.”Davis Schneider, batting first only because regular leadoff hitter George Springer got hurt in Game 3, sent Snell’s first pitch into the left-field bleachers. Guerrero hit the third into the Dodgers’ bullpen for his eighth home run of the postseason.Davis Schneider mimics different stances during the year, including Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Bobby Witt Jr. and even the Dodgers’ Will Smith during the World Series. The part-time outfielder and second baseman was in an old stance of his from the minor leagues against Snell.Snell started with three fastballs, then avoided another one for 22 consecutive pitches before striking out Andres Giménez with a heater to end the second.Ernie Clement added a fourth-inning sacrifice fly for a 3-1 lead after right fielder Teoscar Hernández came up short on a sliding catch attempt as Daulton Varsho’s drive bounced into the right-field corner for a leadoff triple.Another run scored on a wild pitch in the seventh by Edgardo Henriquez, who then allowed Bichette’s RBI single. Isiah Kiner-Falefa added a run-scoring single in the eighth off Anthony Banda.“I think we just want to be the toughest outs we can possibly be,” Bichette said. “We’re a team, man, and we’ll do anything we can to win.”

    LOS ANGELES —

    Trey Yesavage set a World Series rookie record with 12 strikeouts, and the Toronto Blue Jays opened Game 5 with back-to-back homers in a 6-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday that moved them within one win of their first championship since 1993.

    Davis Schneider and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. connected on Blake Snell’s first and third pitches, the first consecutive homers to start a Series game.

    Yesavage, a precocious 22-year-old right-hander who began his season last April pitching before 327 fans in Class A, took over from there.

    With a sinking splitter, spinning slider and overpowering fastball that quieted LA bats and a crowd of 52,175, he broke the prior rookie record of 11 strikeouts set by Don Newcombe for the Dodgers in a 1-0 loss to the New York Yankees in the 1949 opener. Getting six Ks each with his splitter and slider, Yesavage became the first Series pitcher with 12 strikeouts and no walks.

    “I’m kind of blown away by what he did,” Toronto manager John Schneider said.

    After losing a Game 3 heartbreaker in 18 innings Monday night, the resilient Blue Jays bounced right back with two comfortable wins.

    Toronto leads 3-2 in the best-of-seven matchup and can dethrone the defending champions back home when the Series resumes Friday night at Rogers Centre. No team has won consecutive titles since the Yankees took three in a row from 1998-2000.

    “We’ve got to kind of wipe the slate clean and find a way to win Game 6 and pick up the pieces and see where we’re at,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

    Yesavage allowed three hits over seven innings and his only run when Kiké Hernández homered on a high fastball to trim the Dodgers’ deficit to 2-1 in the third.

    Seranthony Domínguez and Jeff Hoffman finished a four-hitter.

    “When three of my pitches are in the strike zone, or even two, like part of tonight, I mean, I’m in control,” Yesavage said. “Just stay in the strike zone and get ahead.”

    Yesavage debuted with the Blue Jays on Sept. 15, his fifth level of baseball this year. He went 1-0 in three regular-season starts and is 3-1 in five postseason outings.

    Yesavage induced 23 swings and misses — most in a Series game since pitch tracking started in 2008, one more than San Francisco’s Tim Lincecum in 2010 Game 5.

    “Obviously the stuff is incredible, but the maturity to go and handle these moments is unbelievable. It was a special thing to watch today,” teammate Bo Bichette said. “I think he’s ultra confident, but you never hear it in the clubhouse, which I think says something about him. He comes here to work and try to help us win. I can’t say enough good things about his performance.”

    Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, dropped to 0-2 in the Series, allowing five runs, six hits and four walks over 6 2/3 innings.

    Roberts shook up his slumping batting order, dropping Mookie Betts as low as third for the first time since 2021 and benching outfielder Andy Pages in favor of Alex Call. It didn’t spark an offense that is hitting .202 in the Series and has solo shots on seven of its eight home runs. Los Angeles has scored just four runs in its last 29 innings.

    The Dodgers also threw four wild pitches in a span of two innings.

    “We’ve got to make some adjustments,” Roberts said. “We’ve been in elimination games, a core group of these guys, and we’ve got to find a way to win a game. That’s it.”

    Davis Schneider, batting first only because regular leadoff hitter George Springer got hurt in Game 3, sent Snell’s first pitch into the left-field bleachers. Guerrero hit the third into the Dodgers’ bullpen for his eighth home run of the postseason.

    Davis Schneider mimics different stances during the year, including Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Bobby Witt Jr. and even the Dodgers’ Will Smith during the World Series. The part-time outfielder and second baseman was in an old stance of his from the minor leagues against Snell.

    Snell started with three fastballs, then avoided another one for 22 consecutive pitches before striking out Andres Giménez with a heater to end the second.

    Ernie Clement added a fourth-inning sacrifice fly for a 3-1 lead after right fielder Teoscar Hernández came up short on a sliding catch attempt as Daulton Varsho’s drive bounced into the right-field corner for a leadoff triple.

    Another run scored on a wild pitch in the seventh by Edgardo Henriquez, who then allowed Bichette’s RBI single. Isiah Kiner-Falefa added a run-scoring single in the eighth off Anthony Banda.

    “I think we just want to be the toughest outs we can possibly be,” Bichette said. “We’re a team, man, and we’ll do anything we can to win.”

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  • Blake Snell on his strong rehab start with Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, ready to return to Giants

    Blake Snell on his strong rehab start with Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, ready to return to Giants

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    WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) – Giants starting pitcher Blake Snell talks with reporters following Friday night’s dazzling debut with the River Cats, where he helped Triple-A Sacramento defeat the Oklahoma City Baseball Club 5-1.

    The two-time Cy Young Award winner talks about building off of last week’s rehab start with San Jose, how he’s feeling coming off of a left adductor strain, the injury bug biting San Francisco, looking forward to returning to the big leagues and Sutter Health Park as a home for Major League Baseball games next season.

    Snell, 31, tossed five scoreless innings on Friday night without allowing a hit. He struck out 10 batters, walked one, a hit batter in the first inning and he threw a wild pitch after getting his signs crossed up with River Cats catcher Jakson Reetz.

    Snell’s impressive outing consisted of 60 pitches, 41 of them for strikes, before he left the game in the fifth inning to throw 15 more pitches in Sacramento’s bullpen.

    “I’m anxious to get back to the big leagues, but be myself and to be able to help the team out, “Snell said after Friday’s outing. “Early on, I didn’t help the team at all. Didn’t help myself at all. Being able to feel strong, confident and make the pitches I know I can make, I’m really excited about that.”

    After signing with the Giants late into Spring Training, Snell is looking to overcome his poor outings with San Francisco before going down with the adductor injury. He went 0-3 in those starts with a dubious 11.57 ERA, allowing 15 runs over 11.2 innings pitched, giving up 18 hits, and recording 12 strikeouts to five walks.

    In what figures to be his last test before returning to the Giants, Snell said that he’ll be talking to the organization over the weekend to assess his progress, but he hopes his next start will be with San Francisco.

    “We’ll get back tomorrow and talk, and see where to go from there,” Snell said.

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    Sean Cunningham

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  • SF Giants manager Bob Melvin sees Sacramento as a baseball town, looks to the season ahead

    SF Giants manager Bob Melvin sees Sacramento as a baseball town, looks to the season ahead

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    WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) – San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin talks about Sunday’s exhibition with the Triple-A River Cats, Sacramento as a baseball town, the uncertain future of Pablo Sandoval, the late additions of Blake Snell and Matt Chapman, facing his former A’s team to end the exhibition schedule before Opening Day in San Diego against his former Padres team and his friendship with Dusty Baker, who has rejoined the Giants organization.

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  • Hot Harper carries Phillies into 1st World Series since 2009

    Hot Harper carries Phillies into 1st World Series since 2009

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    PHILADELPHIA — The billionaire owner of the Philadelphia Phillies pounded his fists on Bryce Harper’s chest and joked the Phillies slugger was almost underpaid at $330 million over the life of his contract.

    It was absurd to put a price tag on the moment for John Middleton as he pulled in Harper for a hug while the National League championship celebration swirled around them on the field. This was a moment the duo visualized when Middleton took a jet in February 2019 to Las Vegas to court Harper in meetings and dinners that would eventually yield a 13-year, $330-million deal, the biggest in baseball history for a free agent.

    So when Harper and Middleton finally embraced — once the Phillies beat San Diego 4-3 on Sunday in Game 5 of the NLCS and reached their first World Series since 2009 — yeah, the feelings were a bit more personal.

    “You bet it was! Of course it was,” Middleton said. “(It’s) $330 million later, mutual promises of being committed to winning and doing whatever it took to win.”

    Harper delivered in the postseason, a place seen only in fits and spurts for a franchise that has two World Series championships in 140 years. The tater forever etched as an all-timer in team history — the one that had Middleton and Phillies fans everywhere pleading for the ball to keep going — was his game-winning, two-run homer in the eighth that lifted Philly into the World Series and left even Harper momentarily bewildered.

    “Oh my gosh. I just did that,” Harper said in the dugout.

    Sure did.

    Next stop, Houston.

    The Phillies open the World Series on Friday against the Astros with more than a puncher’s chance against the defending American League champions strictly because of Harper. The numbers only tell part of the tale, even as the 30-year-old designated hitter is piling up stats among the best in postseason history, all while declaring Citizens Bank Park is his house. He leads in the clubhouse, and from his Phillie Phanatic cleats and headband, to his novelty T-shirts to his shoutouts for Philly sports legends, he has embraced the fans and the pressure of playing in the city like few outsiders ever have in any sport.

    “All the things we thought he was, have turned out to be true,” Middleton said. “There’s been no disappointments. Sometimes when you go through that process you think you understand somebody and what you really get is a little bit different. There is nothing different with Bryce. He is just committed to winning. He’ll do whatever it takes. I think if I told him he had to play third base, he’d play third base.”

    The right fielder who bowed to Phillies fans each time he ran out to start the game was forced into a DH role in April because of a small tear in the ulnar collateral ligament of his throwing elbow. Because Harper could not throw with the injury, had the National League not adopted the DH rule this season, he might have missed a considerable chunk of time, if not the season. Remember, too: When Harper’s thumb was broken by a pitch from San Diego’s Blake Snell in late June, there were concerns he might not be back until next year.

    The 2021 NL MVP slumped a bit late in the season as the Phillies made a run a the NL wild card. But in the playoffs against St. Louis, Atlanta and the Padres, Harper’s numbers soared higher than his jersey sales. Unlike Padres slugger Manny Machado, Harper did not ask for an out in his contract, though his postseason play would have provided ample negotiation fuel.

    Among his October achievements:

    — Harper is hitting .419 with six doubles, five homers, 11 RBIs, 10 runs scored and a 1.351 OPS in the postseason.

    — His 11 extra-base hits are most for a Phillies player in a postseason and his 10-game hitting streak matches Lenny Dykstra (1993) for the team’s longest in the playoffs.

    — Harper’s go-ahead home run was the sixth in MLB postseason history in the eighth inning or later that gave his team the lead when trailing in a potential series-clinching game.

    “As good as it gets,” Phillies manger Rob Thomson said. “I mean, he’s proved to me over and over and over again that there’s no moment that’s too big for him, and he’s come through so many times. You just kind of expect it when he goes to the plate.”

    Harper almost does, too. With the Phillies down 3-2 and reliever Robert Suarez on the mound, Harper had a message in the dugout.

    “Let’s give them something to remember,” Harper said.

    He got the help he needed once J.T. Realmuto led off the inning with a single. Padres manager Bob Melvin elected to stay with the right-handed Suarez against the lefty Harper rather than bring in Josh Hader, the hard-throwing lefty closer.

    Harper started 1-1, then fouled off three straight pitches in the rain as a sellout crowd of 45,485 grew louder. He took ball two. Then, boom. Harper hammered a 98.9 mph sinker to left-center, and minutes later, the Phillies had won the game and the pennant. He had long ago won over Philly.

    “I just looked at my dugout and kind of it’s for all of them,” Harper said. “It’s for this whole team. It’s for this whole organization. We haven’t been here for a long time. It’s for every single fan that’s here now and that isn’t here. It’s for all of them no matter where you came from, who you are, you’ve got Phils on your chest, you’re family. I really believe that. That’s from right here.”

    ———

    More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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