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Tag: Carlos Correa

  • Francisco Lindor, Mets drop series opener to Carlos Correa, Twins after rookie blunders

    Francisco Lindor, Mets drop series opener to Carlos Correa, Twins after rookie blunders

    MINNEAPOLIS — The baby Mets have presented well over the last week, but it’s clear there is still a learning curve.

    The Mets dropped the first game of a series against the Minnesota Twins 5-2 on Friday night at Target Field after a defensive blunder in the bottom of the seventh squandered a competitive performance by right-hander Kodai Senga. With the game tied at 2-2 and Sean Reid-Foley trying to keep it tied, Brett Baty and Francisco Alvarez couldn’t connect.

    With runners on first and second and none out, the Twins executed a double steal. Andrew Stevenson overran the base and stumbled on a wild pitch, giving Alvarez time to throw him out at third.

    But Alvarez, the rookie catcher, overthrew Baty at third. Baty’s throw home went wide and Stevenson came home to give Minnesota the lead. If the Mets are looking for things to improve on in the future, holding runners on base should be near the top of the list.

    “He had trouble finding the ball and thought he had a play at third,” said manager Buck Showalter. “He’s out at the plate if we make the throw. It kind of starts with holding the runner to start with.”

    Reid-Foley (0-1) got two outs, but the AL Central-leading Twins (74-67) rallied. Things fell apart for the Mets (64-76).

    Royce Lewis doubled home Willi Castro. The Mets went to the bullpen for Grant Hartwig and Max Kepler singled to center to score Lewis.

    Then came Carlos Correa, the shortstop who was supposed to be a Met this season.

    Correa’s 12-year $315 million deal fell apart because of concerns about his physical. Negotiations dragged out and he ended up right back where he started last season in Minnesota. The rookie right-hander worked the count full on Correa before the shortstop took a cutter low and inside and pulled it down the left-field line for a double.

    However, this time the damage was contained. Hartwig got Alex Kirilloff to ground out to end the inning.

    Correa did enough damage earlier in the night when he homered off the pitcher that he once expected to be his teammate. The Mets went up 2-1 in the top of the fourth on a two-run double off left-hander Dallas Keuchel by Correa’s friend and Puerto Rican countrymate Francisco Lindor.

    But Correa took Senga deep in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 2-2.

    It was the only real blemish on an otherwise solid outing by right-hander Senga, who remained competitive throughout. He was undeterred when he missed his spots and when one pitch wasn’t working, he went to another.

    “I know I wasn’t my best, but I really wanted to stay out there and go as long as I could,” Senga said through translator Hiro Fujiwara. “Just mixing in a lot of pitches. I had a lot of missed pitches too, but changing velocity and changing location and doing whatever I can to stay out there.”

    The Mets have been conscious of his innings, not wanting to push him past a certain limit of what he’s been used to in Japan. However, he used 101 pitches through six innings with four walks driving up his pitch count. Minnesota took two runs off of Senga on four hits and he struck out five, exiting with the game tied 2-2.

    The Twins scored one in the bottom of the first inning before Senga settled into the game. This is what the Mets have discovered about Senga — he doesn’t give in on nights when he doesn’t have a feel for all of his pitches.

    “Just because I don’t feel good or I’m not feeling my best, it doesn’t mean I just fold and give up the game,” Senga said through Fujiwara. “I’m given four or five days to prepare for this game and I think it’s my job to stay out there and make the game winnable. I take pride in that, yeah.”

    Senga’s season ERA is down to 3.07. He’ll receive some NL Rookie of the Year consideration, and some of it will likely be because of the way he has been able to persevere through tough outings during his first season in North America.

    “A lot of times, those types of outings, where you’re not carrying the normal command of your pitches, are more impressive,” Showalter said.

    Abbey Mastracco

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  • Julien’s pinch-hit homer starts 5-run inning; Twins beat Royals 8-4

    Julien’s pinch-hit homer starts 5-run inning; Twins beat Royals 8-4

    MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Edouard Julien hit a pinch-hit, solo homer to start a five-run eighth inning and the Minnesota Twins went on to beat the Kansas City Royals 8-4 on Monday night.

    Carlos Correa tied a career-high with four hits from the leadoff spot and Byron Buxton drove in a pair of runs with sacrifice flies for Minnesota, which beat Kansas City for the seventh time in eight games this season.

    Julien, the Canadian rookie second baseman, hit for Kyle Farmer to lead off the eighth and sent the first pitch he saw from Royals reliever Taylor Clarke for a no-doubt homer to right field. It was the first pinch hit for Julien, who was told he was pinch-hitting but didn’t realize it was leading off the inning.

    Pablo López’s first career shutout was a four-hitter with a career-high 12 strikeouts in the Minnesota Twins’ 4-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

    Minnesota Twins' Max Kepler hits an RBI single against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 4, 2023, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

    Max Kepler had four RBIs, including a three-run homer, while Kenta Maeda continued his strong comeback from the injured list for the Minnesota Twins in a 9-3 win against the Kansas City Royals.

    Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Jorge Lopez (48) throws against the Toronto Blue Jays during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Saturday, June 10, 2023, in Toronto. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

    Reliever Jorge López was reinstated by the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday after using his time on the 15-day injured list to address his mental health.

    Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Sonny Gray throws a pitch to the Baltimore Orioles in the second inning of a baseball game, Sunday, July 2, 2023, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

    Minnesota Twins closer Jhoan Duran forced in the tiebreaking run when he hit rookie Jordan Westburg with a pitch n the eighth inning, enabling the Baltimore Orioles to stop a four-game skid with a 2-1 victory.

    “I was sitting on the couch and they yelled, ‘Eddie, you’re leading off,’” Julien said. “I rushed back to the dugout and I couldn’t find my elbow guard. It was not there. I just picked a random elbow guard, put it on and had no idea what the pitcher had. I just swung.”

    Kansas City had tied the game in the top of the inning on a solo homer by Nick Pratto.

    Clarke (1-3) surrendered five runs on five hits and retired just one of the seven batters he faced.

    “We have confidence in him,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of Clarke. “We’re going to keep putting him out there in leverage, or any situation we feel good about. He’s in a little bit of a rough patch right now, but we’ve seen what he can do on the positive side and we’re going to keep working with him.”

    Clarke held a 2.70 ERA through his first 30 innings this season, but he’s given up 15 earned runs in 5 2/3 over his last seven appearances.

    “It was going so good for awhile, and then the wheels completely fell off,” Clarke said. “It wasn’t even gradual. I don’t know. I wish I had more of an answer for you. I feel like I’m doing everything the same, just the results aren’t there. I have to scrap it over and start from (scratch), from the beginning.”

    Minnesota’s Brent Headrick (2-0) allowed Pratto, the first batter he faced Monday, to homer to lead off the eighth. He retired the next three batters he faced, with two strikeouts.

    Michael A. Taylor drove in the second run in the eighth as his bunt was fielded by Clarke with nowhere to throw. Max Kepler, Correa and Alex Kirilloff followed with three straight RBI singles for the Twins.

    “We did a good job of adjusting in some of these at-bats, of hitting balls in different spots in the zone,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “We’ve talked about those things for a little while this year and you can see, that’s what it looks like when you mix in some good swings and just some tough at-bats.”

    Royals rookie Maikel Garcia reached base four times and hit the first pitch of the game off Joe Ryan for a homer. Kansas City, which had won two straight against the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend, have lost 11 of their last 12 games in Minnesota.

    BOUNCEBACK JOE

    Ryan (9-5) bounced back from his worst outing of the season with his team-high 12th quality start. He surrendered six runs with a career-high five homers allowed in just three innings against Atlanta in his previous start. Ryan settled in after the leadoff homer and gave up just six hits, two runs and struck out nine.

    TRAINERS ROOM

    Royals: C Salvador Perez was out of the lineup with a sore toe after being hit in the foot by a pitch on Sunday. Quatraro said Perez was available off the bench and he was on-deck to pinch-hit when the final out was recorded.

    Twins: An MRI showed a Grade 2 oblique strain for 3B Royce Lewis and the recovery is expected to be about six weeks for Lewis, who’s hit .326 in 26 games for Minnesota this season. … 2B Jorge Polanco (left hamstring strain) has continued his running progression without pain or discomfort and he was scheduled to do “high-effort sprints” on Monday.

    UP NEXT

    RHP Zack Greinke (1-8, 5.15 ERA) will start Sunday afternoon for Kansas City, with Minnesota countering with RHP Kenta Maeda (1-5, 6.23). Greinke is 5-15 with a 4.79 ERA in 32 career games against the Twins. Maeda has allowed two runs in 10 innings since returning from the injured list.

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  • EXPLAINER: Why are baseball teams spending so much money?

    EXPLAINER: Why are baseball teams spending so much money?

    Aaron Judge, Carlos Correa and Trea Turner combined for almost $1 billion in contracts. Xander Bogaerts, Jacob deGrom, Dansby Swanson, Carlos Rodón, Brandon Nimmo and Willson Contreras added up to another billion.

    And that’s just nine players. Just one lucrative slice of baseball’s December spending spree.

    What a difference a year makes.

    It has been an epic holiday season already for several teams and players — a year after Major League Baseball locked out its players in an ugly labor dispute that delayed spring training.

    Judge decided to stay with the New York Yankees for baseball’s biggest free agent deal ever, a $360 million, nine-year contract. Correa has a pending $315 million, 12-year agreement to join the New York Mets, and Turner signed a $300 million, 11-year contract with Philadelphia.

    Including Wednesday’s transactions, big league teams have handed out more than $2.8 billion in finalized contracts to major league free agents this offseason. That dwarfs the winter spending at this point in each of the last five years.

    Through Dec. 20, 2021, that number was $1.9 billion. It was $187.4 million in 2020 — when teams were coming off the abbreviated season caused by the coronavirus pandemic — $1.6 billion in 2019, $655.95 million in 2018 and $413.25 million in 2017.

    “Whether it’s ownership, whether it’s teams that fell short in the playoffs, teams that did well in the playoffs, teams that are ready to take a step from maybe a three-, four- or five-year rebuild, you look up and there’s few teams that are taking a step back,” Padres general manager A.J. Preller said during baseball’s winter meetings.

    “Almost everybody (is) looking to advance forward. And that, along with some really quality players, is why it’s a very aggressive market.”

    HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

    The March labor agreement that set industry rules through 2026 is one factor behind the increased spending, but there are several more forces at play.

    The labor deal included an expanded playoff format, leading to more TV money for owners, and cleared the way for advertising on uniforms and helmets for the first time.

    Under the five-year agreement, the luxury tax threshold rises to $244 million by the final season and tax rates remain unchanged at the initial, second and third thresholds. A new fourth threshold was added — supposedly aimed at Mets owner Steve Cohen — but it looks as if the billionaire views that hefty tax bill more like a nuisance as he pushes his team’s payroll to near $400 million.

    If a more punitive threshold system, like a salary cap, had been instituted — almost certainly a popular concept among some owners — the spending likely would have been more muted this offseason.

    Labor peace, of course, is good for business in general, but MLB also is in the process of dispersing the $900 million it received from The Walt Disney Co. for its remaining share of a streaming service technology company. That money is expected to go out to clubs before the end of the year.

    MLB had new streaming network packages on Apple TV+ and Peacock last season, and it announced in October that fans watched more than 11.5 billion minutes of game action on MLB.TV during the regular season, a record for the streaming package.

    This year’s World Series had lackluster TV ratings, and in a cord-cutting era, there are major questions about the viability of the regional sports networks that carry baseball games. Attendance was down 5% from its pre-pandemic level, but the spending indicates at least some optimism about baseball’s health.

    It’s also reflective of an unusually deep free agent class. Judge is the reigning AL MVP, and Turner, Correa, Bogaerts and Swanson are All-Star shortstops. Justin Verlander won the AL Cy Young Award with Houston last season, and then signed an $86.7 million, two-year contract with the Mets.

    WHAT’S NEXT?

    Looming over all this spending is Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani, who can become a free agent after the 2023 season. If Ohtani gets to free agency, he likely would smash each of baseball’s financial records for player contracts.

    Ohtani, who turns 29 in July, hit .273 with 34 homers and 95 RBIs this year. He also went 15-9 with a 2.33 ERA in 28 starts.

    San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado can opt out of his $300 million, 10-year deal after the upcoming season, giving up $150 million over the final five seasons, and he almost certainly is monitoring all the money being handed out this offseason.

    “People are discussing who are the free agents in ’24 and ’25 now because it’s like all a big puzzle,” San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler said. “So what happens this offseason is definitely going to impact what happens two offseasons from now.”

    Machado’s decision is likely one reason why San Diego gave Bogaerts a $280 million, 11-year contract.

    Also worth watching are baseball’s small-market owners, most of whom have been standing quietly off to the side since the end of the season. There is undoubtedly some private grousing going on behind the scenes, especially over some of the longer deals that dilute the intended effect of the sport’s tax system.

    “We have a level of revenue disparity in this sport that makes it impossible for some of our markets to compete at some of the numbers we’ve seen,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said during the winter meetings.

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    Lisa Lorey in New York contributed to this story.

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    Follow Jay Cohen at https://twitter.com/jcohenap

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  • EXPLAINER: How Correa lost Giants deal, ended up with Mets

    EXPLAINER: How Correa lost Giants deal, ended up with Mets

    SAN FRANCISCO — Fans of the San Francisco Giants spent a week reveling in the good news: Carlos Correa was coming to the Bay Area, lured by a megadeal worth $350 million over 13 years.

    And then, just like that, the two-time All-Star was gone, poached by the New York Mets and deep-pocketed owner Steven Cohen.

    For fans of both teams, it was a stunning, topsy-turvy 24 hours. San Francisco woke up Tuesday morning expecting the Giants to introduce the 28-year-old in black and orange. Then the news conference was canceled without explanation.

    When The Associated Press reported a few hours later that there had been a medical concern flagged during Correa’s physical, fans elsewhere — but especially in New York — began licking their chops.

    The next shoe dropped while most fans were asleep. Correa’s agent, Scott Boras, had quickly gotten to work finding new suitors, and New York’s $315 million, 12-year offer was enough to attract Correa to the Big Apple instead.

    News of Correa’s agreement with the Giants broke Dec. 13. Here’s a look at how that deal never came to pass.

    WHAT HAPPENED TO CORREA’S $350 MILLION CONTRACT WITH SAN FRANCISCO?

    The Associated Press reported on Correa’s late-night agreement with San Francisco after baseball’s winter meetings, citing a person familiar with the negotiations. The person was granted anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical and had not been announced by the team.

    That practice is common in baseball. News of big free-agent signings frequently breaks when an agreement is reached, but teams and players rarely confirm the deal until the ink is dry on the contract. And all player contracts are subject to physicals. Usually, those exams are treated as a formality. Occasionally, a real issue arises.

    The Mets dealt with their own physical hiccup in 2021, when they declined to sign first-round draft pick Kumar Rocker over concerns with his medical scans.

    But never has a free agent of Correa’s ilk had an entire deal scrapped like this.

    Boras told The Athletic on Wednesday that he gave the Giants “a reasonable time” to execute the deal.

    “If you’re not going to execute, I need to go talk with other teams,” he said.

    Farhan Zaidi, the Giants’ president of baseball operations, issued only a brief statement Wednesday.

    “While we are prohibited from disclosing confidential medical information, as Scott Boras stated publicly, there was a difference of opinion over the results of Carlos’ physical examination,” Zaidi said. “We wish Carlos the best.”

    WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE GIANTS?

    It’s yet another big free-agency whiff for Zaidi’s front office. Another tough winter for the jilted Giants and their increasingly impatient fan base, too. San Francisco went 81-81 last season to miss the playoffs a year after a franchise-record 107 wins and an NL West title.

    The Giants were determined to create some long-term stability in the middle infield and might be reeling from this blow for a while. Zaidi has taken heat for failing to land a top free agent, and San Francisco already swung and missed on Aaron Judge this offseason — he was re-introduced by the New York Yankees on Wednesday after finalizing a $360 million, nine-year contract.

    The Giants have veteran shortstop Brandon Crawford signed through 2023, but he has hinted this could be it. He also has dealt with injuries in recent years and was limited to 118 games last season.

    Correa was to be his heir apparent and the face of the franchise for the next decade-plus.

    WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE METS?

    Cohen is going for it like no other owner has done before.

    A year after the 101-win club lost in the NL wild-card round to San Diego, the Mets feel they’ve added the missing piece to make them a World Series contender — thanks to Cohen’s ability to foot the bill.

    His addition would increase the Mets’ luxury tax payroll next year to the $385 million range, putting them on track to pay a record tax of about $110 million — more than double the current high of $44 million set by the 2015 Los Angeles Dodgers. The estimates would change if Correa’s deal contains deferred money or if New York trades players.

    Correa would cost the Mets $49.88 million next year in salary and tax, if there is no deferred money in the deal.

    The Mets’ offseason haul has also included bringing back outfielder Brandon Nimmo on a $162 million, eight-year deal, adding AL Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander on an $86.7 million, two-year contract and signing Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga on Saturday to a $75 million, five-year deal.

    WHAT’S NEXT?

    The top shortstops are signed, leaving limited choices remaining on the market. Justin Turner joined the Red Sox and Xander Bogaerts signed in San Diego.

    The Chicago Cubs introduced their new shortstop, Dansby Swanson, on Wednesday after he finalized a $177 million, seven-year contract.

    Cubs President Jed Hoyer has learned to never get ahead of himself, and like so many others, he was shocked to hear of the Giants’ about-face. He wouldn’t address San Francisco’s situation directly.

    “Medical processes, I feel like in this job over time you start never thinking about anything until … not only are you in the end zone, but like they’ve done the review process and the booth has confirmed it,” Hoyer said. “I just think you don’t celebrate until things are done, in part because we’ve all, if you do this long enough, you end up a part of a situation where what seems to be done may not be.”

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    AP Baseball Writers Ronald Blum, Mike Fitzpatrick and Jay Cohen contributed to this report.

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  • AP source: Carlos Correa, Giants reach $350M, 13-year deal

    AP source: Carlos Correa, Giants reach $350M, 13-year deal

    Star shortstop Carlos Correa and the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a $350 million, 13-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

    The person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the agreement was subject to a successful physical.

    Correa also was a free agent one year ago after leaving the Houston Astros, and he reached a $105.3 million deal with the Minnesota Twins. That agreement gave him the right to opt out after one year and $35.1 million to hit the market again.

    And the 28-year-old Correa indeed moved once more, this time to a Giants team that recently missed out in its bid to sign free agent Aaron Judge.

    Correa’s guarantee will be the fourth-largest in baseball history. Mike Trout got a $426.5 million, 12-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels, Mookie Betts has a $365 million, 12-year agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Judge, the new AL home run champ and MVP, is getting $360 million for nine years to remain with the New York Yankees pending a physical.

    Correa was one of the headliners in a stellar group of free agent shortstops that also included Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson — Swanson is the only one in that group still available.

    Correa got the latest big-money deal in a spending spree during the first offseason of baseball’s new labor contract.

    Philadelphia signed Turner for $300 million over 11 years, San Diego got Bogaerts for $280 million over 11 years, Texas signed pitcher Jacob deGrom for $185 million over five years and the New York Mets retained outfielder Brandon Nimmo for $162 million for eight years.

    Correa hit .291 with 22 home runs and 64 RBIs in his one season with Minnesota.

    Brandon Crawford, a three-time All-Star, has been the Giants’ shortstop since 2011. Crawford, who turns 36 next month, slumped to a .231 average with nine homers and 52 RBIs last season, down from a .298 average with 24 homers and 90 RBIs in 2021.

    Crawford has a $16 million salary in 2023, then can become a free agent. He has dealt with injuries in recent seasons and might consider retirement at the conclusion of his deal, so the Giants were searching for a shortstop of the future.

    The Giants went 81-81 last season, a year after posting a franchise-record 107 wins.

    Correa was selected by Houston with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 amateur draft, and he played a key role in the Astros’ rise from the bottom of the AL West to the franchise’s first World Series title in 2017.

    He hit a career-best 26 homers in 2021 in his last year with Houston, also finishing with a .279 batting average and 92 RBIs. He earned his second All-Star selection and first Gold Glove.

    Just last weekend, Correa joined many of his former Astros teammates in Las Vegas for an Ultimate Fighting Championship event.

    Correa, the 2015 AL Rookie of the Year, has a .279 career average with 155 homers and 553 RBIs in eight big league seasons. He also has been a stellar postseason performer with 18 homers and 59 RBIs in 79 games.

    The Astros’ 2017 championship was tainted by a sign-stealing scheme, and Correa has been lustily booed in some cities since the scandal surfaced.

    Agent Scott Boras negotiated the deals for Correa, Bogaerts and Nimmo. Correa’s agreement raised Boras’ free-agent contracts this offseason to $1.01 billion for nine players.

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    AP Baseball Writers Jay Cohen and Janie McCauley contributed to this report.

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  • Astros’ Peña 1st rookie hitter to win World Series MVP

    Astros’ Peña 1st rookie hitter to win World Series MVP

    HOUSTON — Jeremy Peña’s key to success was keeping his head dry.

    Capping a freshman season like no other, he became the first rookie position player to win a World Series MVP award Saturday night after hitting .400 in the Houston Astros’ six-game victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

    “The hardest part was just blocking everything that’s not part of the game,” Peña said. “There’s a saying that you can’t sink a ship with water around. It sinks if water gets inside. So I just try to stay strong and keep the water outside my head.”

    Peña also won a Gold Glove and was the AL Championship Series MVP. The 25-year-old shortstop became the first hitter to win those three prizes in a career, according to OptaSTATS — and he did it all in his rookie season.

    “It has a lot to do with my family, my upbringing,” he said.

    Peña praised Dusty Baker, the Astros’ 73-year-old manager. When Baker made his major league managerial debut for San Francisco on April 6, 1993, the leadoff hitter for the other team was Peña’s father, St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Gerónimo Peña.

    “Dusty Baker’s a legend in the sport,” Jeremy Peña said. “Not just because he’s been around. He’s had success at this game. He brings the best out of his players. He gives you the confidence to just go out and play hard and let the game take care of itself.”

    Peña singled to chase Phillies starter Zack Wheeler in Game 6, giving the Astros two baserunners for the first time. Yordan Alvarez followed with a go-ahead, three-run homer that sent Houston to a 4-1 victory.

    Peña finished the postseason with a .345 batting average, four homers, eight RBIs and a 1.005 OPS. He also became the first rookie shortstop to win a Gold Glove, as well as the first to homer in the World Series.

    Just 24 when he was handed the starting job at the beginning of the season after Carlos Correa left as a free agent, Peña became the third rookie at any position to earn World Series MVP, joining a pair of right-handed pitchers: the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Larry Sherry in 1959 and Miami’s Liván Hernández in 1997.

    Peña’s 18th-inning homer completed a Division Series sweep at Seattle and he hit a go-ahead drive off Noah Syndergaard in Game 5 of the World Series. His Game 2 jersey is headed to the Hall of Fame.

    “You have to make tough decisions in this job, and Jeremy’s making it look like it was an easy decision, and it wasn’t,” Houston general manager James Click said. “Carlos is a great player, and he’s been a huge part of this franchise. But to do what Jeremy did, to step in and elevate his game in the playoffs, it just speaks to his hard work, his character and the talent that he has. There’s not that many special guys on the planet that can do what he just did.”

    Peña became the ninth player to win MVP of a League Championship Series and the World Series in the same season. He batted .353 with two homers and four RBIs against the Yankees in the ALCS.

    The only other player to win an LCS MVP award, World Series MVP and a Gold Glove during their career was pitcher Orel Hershiser, who took all three prizes with the Dodgers in 1988.

    Peña hit .291 with 22 homers and 63 RBIs during the regular season and likely will finish high in AL Rookie of the Year voting. Seattle outfielder Julio Rodríguez is the favorite.

    Others to win LCS and World Series MVP in one year were Pittsburgh’s Willie Stargell (1979), St. Louis’ Darrell Porter (1982), Hershiser (1988), Hernández (2003), Philadelphia’s Cole Hamels (2008), the Cardinals’ David Freese (2011), San Francisco’s Madison Bumgarner (2014) and the Dodgers’ Corey Seager (2020).

    Only four other rookies were LCS MVPs: Baltimore right-hander Mike Boddicker in 1983, Hernández in 1997, St. Louis right-hander Michael Wacha in 2013 and Tampa Bay outfielder Randy Arozarena in 2020.

    Peña thought back to last year’s Game 6 loss to Atlanta at Minute Maid Park, where he joined the Astros but was inactive.

    “These guys were left with a bitter taste in their mouth last year,” he said. “Me being in the dugout last year, I didn’t want to experience that again.”

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  • Astros rookie star Peña delivers again in World Series win

    Astros rookie star Peña delivers again in World Series win

    PHILADELPHIA — Jeremy Peña trotted around third base, looked toward the Houston dugout and gave the most casual two-handed shrug you’ll ever see on a ballfield.

    Like it was any routine game in May.

    Only this was November. In the World Series. In the biggest game of his life.

    Yep, this Peña postseason just kept getting better and better.

    Showing the polish and poise of a proven veteran, the 25-year-old Peña put on quite an all-around performance Thursday night. He became the first rookie shortstop to homer in the World Series, added two key singles and made a critical leaping catch in a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 5.

    “Rookie or not rookie, it doesn’t matter,” Peña said. “We’re in the World Series. You just go out and play. Go compete and let the best man win.”

    Having already won the AL Championship Series MVP award and a Gold Glove in the last two weeks, the emerging star from the Dominican Republic helped Houston move one win away from the ultimate prize — the World Series trophy.

    Ahead 3-2 in the matchup with the Phillies, it’s hard to imagine now the Astros started the season with many fans wondering how in the world they would replace All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa, who signed with Minnesota as a free agent.

    “I never saw it as having to fill shoes,” Peña said. “I just had to come in and be myself, play my game. But at the end of the season, once we accomplish our goal, which is to go all the way, then I’ll sit down and reflect on the journey. But there’s still work to do and we’ve got to lock in.”

    Again proving the biggest moments in baseball aren’t too big for him, the expressive and exuberant Peña grounded a hard RBI single up the middle in the first inning, then reached high to spear Nick Castellanos’ liner to thwart a potential rally in the third.

    In the fourth, Peña lofted a go-ahead, solo drive into the left-field seats for a 2-1 lead and chased Phillies starter Noah Syndergaard.

    “It felt good off the bat but I didn’t know if it was enough,” Peña said. “I was running normal and then when the umpire signaled, that’s when I started jogging.”

    Peña pointed his right index finger high as he approached second base and slapped his hands together after crossing the bag. He gave a shrug moments later — shades of Michael Jordan, maybe — and put his hands together to form a heart after touching home plate.

    No wonder manager Dusty Baker and the Astros love him so much.

    “Well, he came into camp as a young player. He had his eyes open. He always paid attention. You could tell he was very attentive and confident, but quiet,” Baker said. “Boy, he’s played remarkably well. Boy, I mean, he’s really carried us for a while here through this postseason, and that’s especially tough for a young player, a young shortstop. And I’m just glad we have him.”

    Peña showed he could play small ball, too, adeptly delivering a hit-and-run single that set up a much-needed insurance run in the eighth.

    The three-hit show made Peña 8 for 21 (.381) with a pair of doubles to go along with the homer in the World Series.

    That’s all come after he was 7 for 16 (.353) with two home runs and two doubles in the four-game sweep of the Yankees in the ALCS.

    “I just go out and enjoy it, have fun, play hard, play my game, and then just trust my preparation,” Peña said. “There’s a lot of preparation that’s gone into this.”

    He credited his Houston teammates for helping him keep his composure under pressure in close games this time of year.

    “They prepare for every single game. It rubs off on you. They have a sense of calmness because they have been here I guess four years out of the last six,” Peña said. “So you just gravitate towards them and just go out and compete and have fun.”

    The Astros thought they saw something special as Peña batted .253 with 22 home runs during the regular season while excelling on defense.

    This October — and November — the Astros and the baseball world have seen just how special.

    “I talked to him earlier in the year about being ready, especially in a clutch situation, and to remain aggressive. And he works at it. He works at his game,” Baker said.

    “Every once in a while these guys come along — not that often. But it just goes to show you, I mean, his future is very, very bright.”

    ———

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

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  • Love ’em or hate ’em, Series-bound Astros keep on winning

    Love ’em or hate ’em, Series-bound Astros keep on winning

    They’re off to the World Series for a fourth time in six seasons, a remarkable feat of staying power for a franchise in any era of baseball history, let alone one that includes a 12-team playoff gauntlet filled with potential pitfalls.

    Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. put it succiently on Sunday night: “This is not easy.”

    Even so, the dichotomy that is this generation of Houston Astros will probably never go away.

    They left no doubt that they’re the best team in the American League this season, sweeping aside slugger Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees in four games after Sunday’s 6-5 victory.

    It should be a lovable group. There’s pint-sized star Jose Altuve, two-time All-Star Alex Bregman, ace right-hander Justin Verlander and a slew of up-and-coming players like ALCS MVP Jeremy Peña, Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker. There’s also Dusty Baker, the 73-year-old manager who is still searching for his first World Series title and the oldest man to lead a team to the Fall Classic.

    And yet…

    The stench of the 2017 cheating scandal — when the Astros were found to have illicitly stolen signs that season — still lingers, even though 21 of the 26 players on this year’s ALCS roster were not on the 2017 team.

    Only Altuve, Bregman, McCullers, Verlander and Yuli Gurriel remain. The quintet has endured a firehose of hate from fans and even fellow players since the scandal was brought to light before the 2020 season. The catcalls were still heard at Yankee Stadium over the past few days, but as the Astros piled up the runs and wins, there was a hint of another emotion.

    Grudging respect.

    “They got better treatment here this time than in previous times here,” Baker said. “So maybe it was a different crowd or maybe the crowd has finally forgiven things of the past.”

    That’s probably wishful thinking.

    But it’s also probably time to admit that these Astros — trash cans or no trash cans — are simply really good at baseball.

    “When everything happened a few years ago, we knew the one thing that we could do is we could win and we could win and win a lot,” McCullers said. “I understand people are still not going to like us. They’re going to boo us, but at some point you have to respect what we’re doing.”

    It’s a franchise that’s kept rolling despite the upheaval the cheating scandal wrought. Manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow were suspended for a year by MLB and eventually fired before being replaced by Baker and James Click. Many of the best players from that 2017 team have retired or moved on to other teams.

    Star outfielder George Springer left for the Blue Jays. Two-time All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa signed with the Twins. Right-handed pitcher Charlie Morton left for the Rays and is now with the Braves.

    Altuve is among those who have witnessed it all. Now his team is back in the World Series: The Astros host the Phillies in Game 1 on Friday.

    Those who wanted the Astros to suffer a quick, embarrassing downfall in the aftermath of 2017 continue to be disappointed.

    “When you talk about Springer, Charlie Morton, Carlos Correa, you’re talking about all superstars, and to get players to fill that spot it’s not easy,” Altuve said before Game 4 on Sunday. “The fact that we’re still playing really good and being in these situations, like I said, we just have to give a lot of credit to the front office group.”

    In a way, the Astros saga is a fitting chapter for a sport that can never seem to completely enjoy its biggest moments.

    Judge set the AL record for homers with 62 this season and the debate raged about whether he should be considered the all-time single-season record holder. Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa all hit more in the National League, but for many, their accomplishments are overshadowed by links to performance-enhancing drugs.

    Now the debate will rage about the Astros.

    Altuve has become a pro at deflecting vitriol. He knows some in baseball would love for them to go away.

    That doesn’t appear to be happening any time soon.

    “I do as best as I can to keep everything away and just focus on the game and just be ready to help my team,” Altuve said. “Like I said, it doesn’t matter where I play, I just got to be 100% focused on the game.”

    ———

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

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  • Carlos Correa Plans To Enter Another Deep Free Agent Shortstop Pool

    Carlos Correa Plans To Enter Another Deep Free Agent Shortstop Pool

    When the game of musical chairs among an unprecedented class of free agent shortstops ended in late March, Carlos Correa was left without a seat.

    Correa signed a somewhat complicated contract with the Minnesota Twins on March 22, more than a week after the lockout-delayed spring training began.

    Going into the offseason, Correa was one of four premium shortstops to hit the open market.

    Corey Seager signed a 10-year, $325-million deal with the Texas Rangers. The Detroit Tigers signed Javier Baez to a six-year, $140-million contract and Trevor Story agreed to the same deal with the Boston Red Sox.

    Story agreed to play second base because Boston already had Xander Bogaerts.

    That left Correa to agree to a three-year contract worth $105.3 million that would pay him yearly salaries of $35.1 million from 2022-24. However, agent Scott Boras also had opt-out clauses put into the deal that would enable Correa to void the remainder of the contract after both the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

    While nothing is official, Correa told El Nuevo Dia earlier this week that he plans to void the recent of his contract and jump back into the free agent market this upcoming offseason. He would walk away from a guaranteed $70.2 million.

    The move is a bit of a calculated risk as Correa could again find a soft market for his services. However, it is also understandable why Correa is willing to bet on himself.

    The longtime Houston Astros stalwart had an outstanding offensive season for the Twins, hitting .291/.366/.467 in 136 games with 22 home runs. On the downside, he had three defensive runs saved after registering 20 for the Astros in 2021.

    Despite playing eight seasons in the major leagues, Correa just turned 28 years old last month. He seemingly has many more good years ahead.

    However, Correa will also be wading into another free agent pool again loaded with impact shortstops.

    Bogaerts is expected to opt out of the final three years and $60 million of his six-year, $120-million contract with the Red Sox. He hit .307/.377/.456 with 15 home runs in 150 games this season and had four defensive runs saved.

    The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Trea Turner should generate plenty of interest.

    In 160 games, Turner had a .298/.343/.466 slash line, 21 homers, 100 RBIs and 27 steals. However, his fielding was questionable as he had -1 defensive runs saved.

    The Atlanta Braves want to re-sign Dansby Swanson, but he can reach the open market five days after the World Series ends. Durability is certainly one of Swanson’s calling cards as he played in all 162 games during the regular season, hitting .277/.329/.447 with 25 homers, 18 stolen bases and nine defensive runs saved.

    Bogaerts is 30 years old while Turner is 29 and Swanson is 28. All three are young enough to command long-term contracts.

    Will the trio cause Correa to again be without a team when the offseason ends? Time will tell but it should be an interesting market to follow.

    John Perrotto, Senior Contributor

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