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Tag: Major League Baseball

  • Minnesota Twins hire former pitcher LaTroy Hawkins as bullpen coach


    The Minnesota Twins have hired former pitcher LaTroy Hawkins as their bullpen coach on the staff under new manager Derek Shelton.

    After working as a special assistant to the baseball operations department over the last nine seasons and taking some turns as an analyst on Twins television broadcasts, Hawkins accepted his first coaching assignment. He spent nine of his 21 years with the Twins, culminating with a setup reliever role on the AL Central champion teams in 2002 and 2003. Hawkins is 10th on baseball’s all-time list with 1,042 pitching appearances and one of 13 relievers in history to record a save against all 30 current major league teams.

    The Twins finalized their roster of 11 major league assistants on Friday, retaining pitching coach Pete Maki, assistant pitching coach Luis Ramirez, assistant hitting coaches Trevor Amicone and Rayden Sierra, and Ramon Borrego — who moved from first base coach to third base coach — from the staff this past season under manager Rocco Baldelli.

    The other new hires are bench coach Mark Hallberg, hitting coach Keith Beauregard, first base coach Grady Sizemore, and assistant bench coach Mike Rabelo. Toby Gardenhire, who was manager of Triple-A St. Paul for the last five seasons, was also named major league field coordinator.

    Beauregard, who spent the last three years as hitting coach for Detroit, is the third hitting coach in three seasons for Minnesota. Hallberg spent the last six years on staff with San Francisco, including the last two seasons as first base coach. Rabelo spent the last six years on Pittsburgh’s staff while Shelton was manager there.

    Sizemore joins Hawkins as another staff member with significant major league playing experience, a three-time All-Star outfielder over 10 seasons with four different clubs including Cleveland, where Shelton was his hitting coach from 2005-09. Sizemore spent the last two years with AL Central rival Chicago, including a 45-game stint as interim manager in 2024 after the firing of Pedro Grifol.

    CBS Minnesota

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  • MLB, sportsbooks cap bets on individual pitches in response to pitch-rigging scandal

    Major League Baseball said its authorized gaming operators will cap bets on individual pitches at $200 and exclude them from parlays, a day after two Cleveland Guardians players were indicted and accused of rigging pitches at the behest of gamblers.

    MLB said Monday the limits were agreed to by sportsbook operators representing more than 98% of the U.S. betting market. The league said in a statement that pitch-level bets on outcomes of pitch velocity and of balls and strikes “present heightened integrity risks because they focus on one-off events that can be determined by a single player and can be inconsequential to the outcome of the game.”

    “The risk on these pitch-level markets will be significantly mitigated by this new action targeted at the incentive to engage in misconduct,” the league said. “The creation of a strict bet limit on this type of bet, and the ban on parlaying them, reduces the payout for these markets and the ability to circumvent the new limit.”

    MLB said the agreement included Bally’s, Bet365, BetMGM, Bet99, Betr, Caesars, Circa, DraftKings, 888, FanDuel, Gamewise, Hard Rock Bet, Intralot, Jack Entertainment, Mojo, Northstar Gaming, Oaklawn, Penn, Pointsbet, Potawatomi, Rush Street and Underdog.

    Cleveland pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were indicted Sunday in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn on charges they took bribes from sports bettors to throw certain types of pitches. They were charged with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery and money laundering conspiracy. The indictment says they helped two unnamed gamblers in the Dominican Republic win at least $460,000 on bets placed on the speed and outcome of certain pitches, including some that landed in the dirt.

    Ortiz’s lawyer, Chris Georgalis, said in a statement that his client was innocent and “has never, and would never, improperly influence a game — not for anyone and not for anything.” A lawyer for Clase, Michael J. Ferrara, said his client “has devoted his life to baseball and doing everything in his power to help his team win. Emmanuel is innocent of all charges and looks forward to clearing his name in court.”

    The U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 ruled the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 was unconstitutional, allowing states to legalize sports betting.

    Ortiz appeared Monday in federal court in Boston. U.S. Magistrate Judge Donald L. Cabell granted Ortiz his release on the condition he surrender his passport, restrict his travel to the Northeast U.S. and post a $500,000 bond, $50,000 of it secured. Ortiz was ordered to avoid contact with anyone who could be viewed as a victim, witness or co-defendant.

    Last month, more than 30 people, including Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, were arrested in a takedown of two sprawling gambling operations that authorities said rigged poker games backed by Mafia families and leaked inside information about NBA athletes.

    Billups’ attorney, Chris Heywood, issued a statement denying the allegations. Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, said in a statement his client is “not a gambler” and “looks forward to winning this fight.”

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    AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

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  • MLB pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz charged with taking bribes to rig pitches for bettors

    NEW YORK (AP) — Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted on charges they took bribes from sports bettors to throw certain types of pitches, including tossing balls in the dirt instead of strikes, to ensure successful bets.

    According to the indictment unsealed Sunday in federal court in Brooklyn, the highly paid hurlers took several thousand dollars in payoffs to help two unnamed gamblers from their native Dominican Republic win at least $460,000 on in-game prop bets on the speed and outcome of certain pitches.

    Clase, the Guardians’ former closer, and Ortiz, a starter, have been on non-disciplinary paid leave since July, when MLB started investigating what it said was unusually high in-game betting activity when they pitched. Some of the games in question were in April, May and June.

    Ortiz, 26, was arrested Sunday by the FBI at Boston Logan International Airport. He is expected to appear in federal court in Boston on Monday. Clase, 27, was not in custody, officials said.

    Ortiz and Clase “betrayed America’s pastime,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said. “Integrity, honesty and fair play are part of the DNA of professional sports. When corruption infiltrates the sport, it brings disgrace not only to the participants but damages the public trust in an institution that is vital and dear to all of us.”

    Ortiz’s lawyer, Chris Georgalis, said in a statement that his client was innocent and “has never, and would never, improperly influence a game — not for anyone and not for anything.”

    Georgalis said Ortiz’s defense team had previously documented for prosecutors that the payments and money transfers between him and individuals in the Dominican Republic were for lawful activities.

    “There is no credible evidence Luis knowingly did anything other than try to win games, with every pitch and in every inning. Luis looks forward to fighting these charges in court,” Georgalis said.

    A lawyer for Clase, Michael J. Ferrara, said his client “has devoted his life to baseball and doing everything in his power to help his team win. Emmanuel is innocent of all charges and looks forward to clearing his name in court.”

    The Major League Baseball Players Association had no comment.

    Unusual betting activity prompted investigation

    MLB said it contacted federal law enforcement when it began investigating unusual betting activity and has fully cooperated with authorities. “We are aware of the indictment and today’s arrest, and our investigation is ongoing,” a league statement said.

    In a statement, the Guardians said: “We are aware of the recent law enforcement action. We will continue to fully cooperate with both law enforcement and Major League Baseball as their investigations continue.”

    Clase and Ortiz are both charged with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery. The top charges carry a potential punishment of up to 20 years in prison.

    In one example cited in the indictment, Clase allegedly invited a bettor to a game against the Boston Red Sox in April and spoke with him by phone just before taking the mound. Four minutes later, the indictment said, the bettor and his associates won $11,000 on a wager that Clase would toss a certain pitch slower than 97.95 mph (157.63 kph).

    In May, the indictment said, Clase agreed to throw a ball at a certain point in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the batter swung, resulting in a strike, costing the bettors $4,000 in wagers. After the game, which the Guardians won, one of the bettors sent Clase a text message with an image of a man hanging himself with toilet paper, the indictment said. Clase responded with an image of a sad puppy dog face, according to the indictment.

    Clase, a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year, had a $4.5 million salary in 2025, the fourth season of a $20 million, five-year contract. The three-time AL save leader began providing the bettors with information about his pitches in 2023 but didn’t ask for payoffs until this year, prosecutors said.

    The indictment cited specific pitches Clase allegedly rigged — all of them first pitches when he entered to start an inning: a 98.5 mph (158.5 kph) cutter low and inside to the New York Mets’ Starling Marte on May 19, 2023; an 89.4 mph (143.8 kph) slider to Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers that bounced well short of home plate on June 3, 2023; an 89.4 mph (143.8 kph) slider to Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. that bounced on April 12; a 99.1 mph (159.5 kph) cutter in the dirt to Philadelphia’s Max Kepler on May 11; a bounced 89.1 mph (143.4) slider to Milwaukee’s Jake Bauers on May 13; and a bounced 87.5 mph (140.8 kph) slider to Cincinnati’s Santiago Espinal on May 17.

    Prosecutors said Ortiz, who had a $782,600 salary this year, got in on the scheme in June and is accused of rigging pitches in games against the Seattle Mariners and the St. Louis Cardinals.

    Ortiz was cited for bouncing a first-pitch 86.7 mph (139.5 kph) slider to Seattle’s Randy Arozarena starting the second inning on June 15 and bouncing a first-pitch 86.7 mph (139.5 kph) slider to St. Louis’ Pedro Pagés that went to the backstop opening the third inning on June 27.

    Dozens of pro athletes have been charged in gambling sweeps

    The charges are the latest bombshell developments in a federal crackdown on betting in professional sports.

    Last month, more than 30 people, including prominent basketball figures such as Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, were arrested in a gambling sweep that rocked the NBA.

    Sports betting scandals have long been a concern, but a May 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling led to a wave of gambling incidents involving athletes and officials. The ruling struck down a federal ban on sports betting in most states and opened the doors for online sportsbooks to take a prominent space in the sports ecosystem.

    Major League Baseball suspended five players in June 2024, including a lifetime ban for San Diego infielder Tucupita Marcano for allegedly placing 387 baseball bets with a legal sportsbook totaling more than $150,000.

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    This story was first published on Nov. 9. It was updated on Nov. 11 to correct that, according to an indictment, a bettor sent Clase an image of a man hanging himself with toilet paper. Clase didn’t send that image to the bettor.

    ___

    Associated Press reporters Eric Tucker in Washington and Ron Blum in New York contributed to this report.

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  • Los Angeles Dodgers win World Series, defeat Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7 classic

    In a winner-take-all Game 7 for the ages, the Los Angeles Dodgers bested the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in an 11-inning classic in the early morning hours Sunday to become back-to-back World Series champions.

    Down 4-3 with one out at the top of the ninth inning, Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas hit a solo home run to tie it up at four runs apiece and send the game into extra innings.

    The Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in Game 7 of the World Series at Rogers Center on Nov. 2, 2025, in Toronto, Canada.

    Mark Blinch / Getty Images


    Then, at the top of the 11th inning, Dodgers catcher Will Smith hit a solo home run to seal the extraordinary comeback victory. 

    The Dodgers became the first repeat champion since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees, and in the process denied the Blue Jays their first title since 1993.

    The Dodgers were down 3-2 in the series, rallying back and winning the final two games in Toronto to quiet a stunned home crowd.  

    L.A. overcame 3-0 and 4-2 deficits and escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth.

    Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who threw 96 pitches in the Dodgers’ win on Friday, escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth and pitched 2 2/3 innings for his third win of the Series.

    He gave up a leadoff double in the 11th to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who was sacrificed to third. Addison Barger walked and Alejandro Kirk grounded to shortstop Mookie Betts, who started a title-winning 6-4-3 double play.

    With their ninth title and third in six years, the Dodgers made an argument for their 2020s teams to be considered a dynasty. Dave Roberts, their manager since 2016, boosted the probability he will gain induction to the Hall of Fame.

    Dodgers vs Bllue Jays in Toronto, Canada

    Los Angeles Dodgers hitter Miguel Rojas reacts after his solo home run in the ninth inning during Game 7 of the World Series against Toronto Blue Jays at Roger Centre on Nov. 1, 2025, in Toronto, Canada. 

    Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images


    Bo Bichette put Toronto ahead in the third with a three-run homer off two-way star Shohei Ohtani, who was pitching on three days’ rest after taking the loss in Game 3.

    L.A. closed to 3-2 on sacrifice flies from Teoscar Hernández in the fourth off Max Scherzer and Tommy Edman in the sixth against Chris Bassitt.

    Andrés Giménez restored Toronto’s two-run lead with an RBI double in the sixth off Tyler Glasnow, who relieved after getting the final three outs on three pitches to save Game 6 on Friday.

    Max Muncy’s eighth-inning homer off star rookie Trey Yesavage cut the Dodgers’ deficit to one run, and Rojas, inserted into the lineup in Game 6 to provide some energy, homered on a full-count slider from Jeff Hoffman.

    Toronto put two on with one out in the bottom half against Blake Snell, and Los Angeles turned to Yamamoto.

    He hit Alejandro Kirk on a hand with a pitch, loading the bases and prompting the Dodgers to play the infield in and the outfield shallow. Daulton Varsho grounded to second, where Rojas stumbled but managed to throw home for a forceout as catcher Smith kept his foot on the plate.

    Ernie Clement then flied out to Andy Pages, who made a jumping, backhand catch on the center-field warning track as he crashed into left fielder Kiké Hernández.

    Seranthony Domínguez walked Mookie Betts with one out in the 10th and Muncy singled for his third hit. Hernández walked, loading the bases. Pages grounded to shortstop, where Giménez threw home for a forceout. First baseman Guerrero then threw to pitcher Seranthony Domínguez covering first, just beating Hernández in a call upheld in a video review.

    The epic night matched the Marlins’ 3-2 win over Cleveland in 1997 as the second-longest Series Game 7, behind only the Washington Senators’ 4-3 victory against the New York Giants in 1924.

    The game was expectantly tense, with both benches and bullpens clearing after Dodgers left-hander Justin Wrobleski hit Blue Jays shortstop Andrés Giménez on the right hand with a pitch in the fourth inning.

    After the players returned to their benches and bullpens, the umpires huddled briefly before crew chief Mark Wegner issued a warning to both dugouts.

    Ohtani started the game, but was pulled off the mound after allowing Bo Bichette’s three-run homer in the third inning. Pitching on three days of rest, Ohtani was up to 100.9 mph with his fastball but appeared to run out of steam in the third.

    Ohtani allowed three runs and five hits in 2 1/3 innings before he was replaced by left-hander Justin Wrobleski. Ohtani walked two and struck out three.

    Earlier, Ohtani became the first pitcher to get a hit in a World Series Game 7 since Jesse Orosco of the New York Mets in 1986.

    He singled to center off Toronto’s Max Scherzer to begin the game, moved to second on a ground ball and advanced to third on a fly ball but was left stranded when Mookie Betts grounded out.

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  • Vetting the Free Agent Market – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Phillies

    With the off-season almost in full effect, the Phillies will look to bolster their roster during the winter meetings. The free agent class isn’t anything special, but there are a few big names available. 

    It will be interesting to see what the Phillies do since most of their roster is under contract. Rightfully so, Alec Bohm and Nick Castellanos are the two names constantly out in trade talks. Whether they trade them for a direct replacement or overall roster improvement is set to be seen. I don’t see them being able to move, say, Castellanos for a quality starting right fielder. It is more likely they would be able to move him for a bench guy or low-level reliever.

    After looking through each position there aren’t a ton of free agents options that stick out to me. Nevertheless, let’s take a look at the potential free agents the Phillies could benefit from. 

    CATCHER

    The obvious re-sign here is JT Realmuto. Not only is he the best catcher on the market, he is still a top player at his position in baseball. I mean just look at some of the other names out there Salvador Perez, Victor Caratini, Danny Janson, James McCann, Austin Barnes, Gary Sanches, shall I go on? There really isn’t a question on what to do here.

    FIRST BASE

    First base is a little more interesting because of Pete Alonso. The Mets first baseman may be the best player available on the market. Alonso has a player option with the Mets but can elect to become a free agent like he did after last season. Alonso, who hit .272 with 38 homeruns and 126 RBIS last season would provide a huge boost to the lineup. He could split time at first base with Bryce, allowing Harper to get the rest he needs at this point in his career. The die hard in me says no thank you to Alonso. He may be a productive addition, but I would struggle seeing that man in a Phillies uniform. 

    Ryan O’Hearn and Josh Naylor were the two other names that stuck out to me, but I don’t see the Phillies having interest in those guys, unless O’Hearn was brought on as a bench bat.

    SHORTSTOP

    The Phillies do not need a shortstop; however, we do need a third baseman. Bo Bichette would be an unreal replacement for Bohm. He will probably receive a massive contract, so I doubt the Phillies can make the money work, but adding Bichette to this lineup would be a difference maker.

    Trevor Story was the other option at shortstop, but I see him returning to Boston. He has a club option (that the Red Sox can reject), however Story was a productive player for the Red Sox this season and he will stay put in Boston.

    Third Base

    The hot corner is up for grabs this year in Philadelphia. Free agent wise Alex Bregman is the most obvious move the Phillies make. He is an experienced player who is an above average fielder and hitter. His offense will provide more consistency than Bohm, and he is more mature which should help the Phillies in the playoffs. Maybe the Bregman move is too obvious and Dombrowski goes another route, but this move makes sense for the Phillies. 

    Eugenio Suarez is another intriguing third baseman, however his age (34) may be an issue for Philadelphia. The Phillies did express interest at the deadline, so he may be on their radar but I don’t see Suarez as a great FA signing for the club. 

    Max Muncy does have a club option, which I expect to be picked up. Muncy would be awesome to have on this roster even at 35. He can play all over the infield and is a proven bat. Unlikely he isn’t a Dodger, but an interesting name that may be available to the Phillies. 

    CENTER FIELDER

    Outfield is another spot the ballclub will look to upgrade this off season. The outfield in Philadelphia is wide open. The two best options for center are Cody Bellinger and Harrison Bader. Bellinger will cost a pretty penny and seems like a guy who would stay in NY, but he would be an ideal fit for the Phillies. He can play all 3 outfield positions and first base. With our current lineup, I wish he batted right-handed, but Bellinger would be a difference maker for this team offensively and defensively. Bader would also be a great signing. He does have a player option, which most likely gets declined making Bader a FA. He provided outstanding defense and vibes to the Phillies last season. Bader would be welcomed back to Philadelphia.

    RIGHT FIELDER

    There is only one right fielder I would be interested in and he would be my ideal FA signing – Kyle Tucker. Still only 29 years old, Tucker will thrive in this Phillies lineup. He can fill in at the four spot behind Bryce, giving him the protection he needs. Although his defense has declined the last few seasons Tucker is still a capable defender and an upgrade over Castellanos. This signing would make the Phillies off-season and only add to their World Series potential. 

    DESIGNATED HITTER

    Easy one here. Sign Schwarber, unless you want Joc Pederson (lol) or Marcell Ozuna (LOL). Pay him what he wants.

    STARTING PITCHERS

    One thing the Phillies are flush in is starting pitching. The Phillies own Ranger Suarez is a free agent, but even if they don’t re-sign him the starting pitching still looks good. There are some big names on this list, but if the Phillies were to add a starter in FA (outside of bringing back Ranger) I could see a name like Zac Gallen or Shane Bieber being connected to the Phillies. With Painter still a little bit of an unknown and the injury to Wheeler, either would be a potential sneaky add to the Phillies, that gives them the pitching depth needed for the playoffs.

    RELIEF PITCHERS

    The bullpen could also use some work. Alvarado has a club option so it is yet to be seen if he will be back. With the need for a left-handed arm, it is likely Alvarado stays with the club. Regardless they need to fill the spots of Romano, Ross, and Robertson. There are a few relievers on the market that should interest Dombrowski. First, Devin Williams. He had a somewhat of a down year with the Yankees but still has electric stuff. Adding him to the bullpen with Duran (and Caleb Cotham) could be deadly. Tyler Rodgers is another name that interests me. Although a little older the submarine pitcher is still highly effective. He could be a useful player but may add too many right-handed arms. The last name that stood out was all-star closer Robert Suarez. Coming off a monster season with the Padres, Suarez can opt out of his contract. Maybe he decides to chase a payday. Unlikely but his arm would be a welcomed addition to the bullpen.

    Photo Credit: Scott Taetsch

    Tags: Dave Dombrowski Kyle Tucker Major League Baseball Philadelphia Phillies Ranger Suarez

    Categorized: Phillies

    Liam Mahoney

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  • Minnesota Twins set to hire Derek Shelton as new manager, MLB reports


    The Minnesota Twins are expected to announce former Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton as their choice to lead the team, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman.

    Shelton was fired by the Pirates in May after starting his sixth season as manager with a 12-26 record, CBS Sports reports.

    “[Shelton is] an incredibly smart, curious, and driven baseball leader,” said Pirates general manager Ben Cherington in May. “I believe he was the right person for the job when he was hired. I also believe that a change is now necessary. I wish Derek and his family all the best in their next chapter.”

    The announcement of Shelton’s hiring comes just weeks after the beleaguered Twins announced the end of its run with manager Rocco Baldelli after seven seasons, and a fire sale that saw the team lose almost 40% of its players.

    “[Baldelli] led with professionalism and care for both his players and our organization, and we are grateful for the way Rocco represented the Twins,” said Joe Pohlad, the team’s executive chair, in late September. 

    Baldelli led the Twins to its third-most wins in team history, as well as three American League Central Divisions titles. He was also named American League Manager of the Year in 2019.

    Shelton had a 306-440 record with the Pirates, the first major league team he had ever led. 

    This isn’t Shelton’s first rodeo with the Twins. He previously served as the team’s bench coach in the 2018 season.

    Stephen Swanson

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  • Sports Daily: A Different Kind of World Series History

    Editor’s note: This is a preview of Sports Daily, Newsweek’s newsletter where sports lead Joe Kozlowski highlights what you might have missed from the wide world of sports.

    The thing about history is that every team has it. And when you think you might be channeling something from the past, the parallels might actually be unfolding in the opposite dugout. 

    Take Game 2 of the 2025 World Series as an example of that. 

    Ahead of the context, Joe Carter, the hero of the Toronto Blue Jays’ last Fall Classic appearance, met with the media before he threw out the ceremonial first pitch. He drew plenty of parallels between the 2025 team and the squads that captured back-to-back titles in the early 1990s. 

    “Very much. A lot of similarities,” he explained when asked to about the current Blue Jays and those of his era. “One thing that we had in ’92 and ’93 it was the cohesiveness of the team playing together. And even though we had great players, everybody pulled for one another. So we had the great chemistry in the clubhouse, on the field, and every day it was somebody different. It wasn’t just one guy you could focus on.” 

    And what this 2025 Blue Jays team has — I mean, you got from 1 through 9 everybody coming through. When you have nine guys — and not just nine guys, but you got the bench players too, for them it’s a lot of fun to come to the ballpark, it’s a lot of fun for them to cheer for one another, and those are things that’s going to propel you to a championship.” 

    Those good vibes didn’t last for very long, though. Toronto didn’t play poorly, but they did run into a buzz saw in the form of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who threw a dominant complete game capped off by retiring the final 20 batters he faced. 

    “He was that good. It kind of started that way. Got his 23, 24 pitches in the first, I think. That was probably our best chance. First and third and nobody out. After that, it was kind of few and far between,” Toronto manager John Schneider explained. 

    “Second complete game in a row in the postseason, that’s pretty impressive, with a layoff in between. I think he made it hard for us to make him work. He was in the zone, split was in and out of the zone. It was a really good performance by him.” 

    Dodgers manager Dave Roberts kept things even simpler. “Outstanding, uber competitive, special,” he said. “He was just locked in tonight.” 

    And in a parallel to Carter’s historic comparisons, Yamamoto’s second-straight postseason complete game raised comparisons to legendary LA pitchers like Sandy Kofax and Orel Herschiser. 

    “I think that you look at Yamamoto, it’s kind of the throw back in the sense of, when he starts a game, he expects to finish it. And he’ll go as long as I let him. But that’s his intent,” Roberts said. 

    The pitcher, however, had a slightly different view. 

    “To be honest, I’m not sure about the history, but I’m very happy about what I did today,” he admitted. 

    So, where does that leave us? 

    The dueling histories and differing vibes are a good reminder that, at this point of the season, both teams are stacked with talent. Both teams have players with interesting stories and unique journeys to the Fall Classic. There are emotional and narrative reasons to support any possible outcome; historical trends and footnotes everwhere you look. Everyone is worth paying attention to in their own way. 

    But, at the same time, sports are based on winning. And those stories get pushed into the background when you lose. After Game 2, for example, no one cares about Addison Barger sleeping on a pullout couch or how the Blue Jays trust each other to come through in the big moments. And we can’t put too much stock in those good vibes carrying one team to victory over the other. 

    Is that exactly fair? Probably not, since every team bar one is going to end the season by coming up short of the ultimate prize. (And I do think we can have a bit more nuance about judging those non-championship seasons. An ALCS-winning team, for example, can still be successful, if you ask me.) 

    Right now, though, we’re in the thick of a World Series. And it will be decided by the incredible talent on the field, not based on vibes, historical parallels, or anything else. 

    Ultimately, that’s how it should be. 

    Click here to get Sports Daily sent straight to your inbox every morning.

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  • Why a 13-year-old baseball fan cheers for more than one team

    With the World series under way, we share thoughts from the son of our Faith Salie, who’s covering all the bases: 

    I’m Augustus Salie-Semel. I’m a 13-year-old boy, and most importantly, an avid baseball fan. I have been playing baseball for over six years now, and I have fond memories of watching games with my family.

    A month ago, before the playoffs, I went to a New York Mets vs. Washington Nationals game with my dad. I wore a Mets jersey and a Nationals hat, even though they are rivals. I chanted and cheered for both teams!

    But even crazier, I’m a Yankee fan … AND a Red Sox fan! Nobody can believe that I am on both sides of arguably the most famous sports rivalry of all time!

    Get this: I also root for the Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, Atlanta Braves, and Tampa Bay Rays!

    Augustus Salie-Semel spreads the team loyalty around.

    Augustus Salie-Semel


    People are incredulous, bordering on doubtful, that I can share my fandom with more than one franchise.

    But here’s my secret to my fanship of many teams: tolerance. I believe that there is a way to appreciate one side (or in this case, team) and not hate the other.

    While the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry is “just” a relationship between two sports teams, this beef reminds me of a problem we seem to have in our country today. Instead of being open-minded and embracing, we close our hearts and minds to people with different beliefs, making our population very polarized.

    What if we learned to increase our curiosity — and maybe even kindness — towards folks we disagree with? What if we didn’t jeer at them?

    I believe that if Americans learned not to hate the opposition, we could create a better and less extreme nation.

    If you love baseball, you can embrace more than one team. And if you really love America, you don’t have to boo the other side.

          
    Story produced by Young Kim. Editor: Lauren Barnello. 

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  • Stay or Go – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Phillies

    Phillies President of Baseball Operations David Dombrowski on his phone during batting practice before the Phillies play the San Diego Padres in game two of the National League Championship Series at Petco Park in San Diego on Wednesday, October 19, 2022.

    With the 2025 Phillies season over we look toward next year. The World Series was played in the NLDS and the Phillies are still on the cusp of a World Series after a few years of playoff disappointment. Let’s take a look at who should stay or go for the Phillies next season.

    Stay

    JT Realmuto  

    He is the best catcher on the market. He is vital to our pitching staff. Look at the growth of Wheeler, Suarez, and Sanchez. Caleb Cotham is phenomenal but JT deserves a lot of credit too.

    For as much as people complained about his regular season hitting, JT actually showed up in the playoffs, hitting .353 with 6 hits including a home run. So spare me age or whatever reason you come up with to not re-sign him. The guy is still a really good ball player. The bigger issue is how much we rely on JT to knock in runs. If the offense can add more production you don’t have to rely on JT to carry the load.

    Kyle Schwarber

    He has got to stay. The lineup would be worse off without him. You can say what you want about his performance in the playoffs, but game 3 shows how important he is to the team. The second he homered everything got going. I am not sure fans realize how much this team would have struggled without his 56 home runs and 132 rbis. You cannot replace that. Pay him whatever he would like.

    Ranger Suarez

    The loss of Ranger Suarez feels inevitable. Andrew Painter should be added to the rotation, but there is still a spot for Ranger. Wheeler is not going to be healthy to start the season and who knows how his recovery will go. A rotation of Sanchez, Luzardo, Suarez, Nola, and Painter is still nasty. Ranger will come at a high cost, but with no salary cap I don’t see any reason for him to leave other than Middleton avoiding a tax. 

    Let’s not forget Ranger has been deadly in the playoffs and Toppers failure to use him in game 1 is a huge reason they lost the series. Ranger needs to be a Phillie next season, even though the feeling is he won’t be.

    Justin Crawford

    Crawford should be on this roster. He will add youth and speed to this team. I think he should have been called up in the second half of last season, but the Phillies decided against it. Since he didn’t get an opportunity last season, it will be interesting to see how productive Crawford will be for the Phillies. The teams biggest mix up this offseason will likely be in the outfield. I would love to see Crawford start in left or center for the Phillies.

    Jose Alvarado

    Alvarado is a really interesting case for the Phillies. He has been one of our better relievers the past couple seasons, but a PED suspension kept him out for most of the season and the playoffs. Alvarado has a $9 million dollar player option, which makes sense for the Phillies to pick up. It is not anything too expensive and they need a left handed arm. I think he stays but feel indifferent on his status.

    Go

    Alec Bohm

    The team needs to move on from Bohm. He just isn’t it. Doesn’t hit for average, doesn’t hit for power, isn’t a great fielder but also isn’t a bad one, and offers nothing on the basepaths. 

    For being 6’5” he severely lacks in power which hurts the lineup (and top 3 hitters) as a whole. You expect your 3rd baseman to have some power, but the Phillies have not gotten that. They do not have a true 4 hole hitter and I would like to see them fill that role at 3rd base or right field. Regardless, it is time to move on from Bohm. 

    Nick Castellanos

    Castellanos has been one of the more interesting players for the Phillies the last few seasons. He is one of the most frustrating players on the team to watch. Free swinger, who gets fooled by the same sequence over and over. But at the same time, he has had many big moments at the plate and even on defense during the playoffs. Overall his hitting has been fine, but his defense is not nearly good enough. In fact, it is awful. His first step is the slowest I have seen, he leaves so many outs on the field that look like he made the correct play but in reality, he physically can’t reach the ball. A new RF is needed. Just move him, I do not care about the return. 

    Maybe Stay Maybe Go

    Bryson Stott

    Stott is an interesting case. He could fit in the same category as Bohm. A player from the “Day Care” not developing as much as we hoped. However, I feel this team has bigger holes to fill than Stott. His fielding is second to none and he makes them an infinitely better defensive team. His at bats leave a lot to be desired but having Sott hit 8th or 9th with his defense helps this team a lot. There is not a logical reason to move on from him. He should stay. 

    Harrison Bader

    Most of the fans would like to see Bader back in CF. The fit is there, but the contract will be the question. He added “something” to this team that was previously missing. Bader was a mold of hitter that fit what the team needed and played great defense; he was missed during the NLDS. Bader coming back depends on his cost, which may end up being too high for Middletown and Dombrowski, but he would make an ideal starting CF.

    Brandon Marsh and Max Kepler

    I decided to pair Kepler and Marsh together. I do not see both of these players coming back together. Throughout the season I assumed Kepler would be one and done, but he came on strong at the end of the year and had a good playoffs. Depending on the outfield options I could see them bringing back Kepler on a cheap deal. 

    I also believe the will hold onto Brandon Marsh. There seems to be a belief in the lockeroom that he can get his hitting figured out. The issue is he cannot hit lefties. So, if Marsh is on the roster next season, he may need to be paired with a right-handed bat. Marsh is an interesting piece because he is still young and has shown potential, but I feel we have seen the player that he is. The Phillies shouldn’t look to move him but if a trade package makes sense, we could see Brandon Marsh on the move.

    Photo Credit: Yong Kim/Philadelphia Inquirer

    Tags: Alec Bohm Brandon Marsh Bryson Stott Dave Dombrowski Harrison Bader John Middleton Jose Alvarado JT Realmuto Justin Crawford Kyle Schwarber Major League Baseball Max Kepler Nick Castellanos Philadelphia Phillies Ranger Suarez

    Categorized: Phillies

    Liam Mahoney

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  • San Francisco Giants hiring University of Tennessee coach Tony Vitello as next manager

    University of Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello has been named the next manager of the San Francisco Giants, making history as the first college coach to jump directly to manager at the Major League level.

    “Tony is one of the brightest, most innovative, and most respected coaches in college baseball today. Throughout our search, Tony’s leadership, competitiveness, and commitment to developing players stood out,” said Buster Posey, the team’s president of baseball operations. “His ability to build strong, cohesive teams and his passion for the game align perfectly with the values of our organization. We look forward to the energy and direction he will bring, along with the memories to be made, as we focus on the future of Giants baseball.”  

    Head Coach Tony Vitello of the Tennessee Volunteers during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Baum-Walker Stadium at George Cole Field during the NCAA Baseball Super Regional – Fayetteville on June 08, 2025 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Volunteers 11-4.

    Wesley Hitt/Getty Images


    Vitello has coached the Volunteers since 2017 and has no previous coaching experience in professional baseball. The skipper has previous ties to baseball in the region, being an assistant coach to the Salinas Packers of the California Collegiate League in 2002.

    “I’m incredibly honored and grateful for this opportunity,” Vitello said in a statement from the club. “I’m excited to lead this group of players and represent the San Francisco Giants. I can’t wait to get started and work to establish a culture that makes Giants faithful proud.”

    “Congratulations to Tony on this incredible opportunity to lead the San Francisco Giants,” athletic director Danny White said in a statement. “We wish him the best as he embarks on this new chapter in his career and thank him for everything he has done to transform Tennessee baseball into a championship program.”

    Over eight seasons, Vitello turned the program into a college baseball powerhouse, going 341-131 over that span. The Volunteers reached the College World Series three times and won the National Championship in 2024.

    “It was one heck of a ride, Coach,” the Volunteers baseball program posted on social media.  

    Vitello is replacing Bob Melvin, who was ousted last month after managing the Giants for two seasons, finishing with a 161-163 record. After winning the 2010, 2012 and 2014 World Series, the Giants have made the postseason only twice (2016 and 2021) and have missed the playoffs for four straight seasons.

    The decision is the latest unconventional move by Posey, one of the pivotal players in the Giants’ three World Series titles and who was hired as president of baseball operations last year. Early in the season, Posey orchestrated a blockbuster trade with the Boston Red Sox that sent slugger Rafael Devers to San Francisco.

    The Giants said Vitello will be introduced at a news conference at Oracle Park on Oct. 30.

    Tim Fang

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  • Angels’ Mike Trout testifies he never saw signs of drug use from late teammate Tyler Skaggs

    Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout testified Tuesday that he loved his teammate Tyler Skaggs like a brother and never saw signs of drug use before he died of an overdose on a team trip to Texas in 2019.

    Trout, a three-time American League Most Valuable Player who hit his 400th career home run this year, took the stand in a civil trial in Southern California over whether the Angels should be held responsible for its former communication director, Eric Kay, giving Skaggs a fentanyl-laced pill that led to his death.

    Trout, who acknowledged he didn’t like speaking in public, told the courtroom about his friendship with Skaggs from the time they roomed together as rookies in Iowa and through playing for the Angels. Both were drafted out of high school as teens in 2009 — Trout from New Jersey, and Skaggs from California.

    Skaggs was “very funny, outgoing, fun to be around” and toted around a boom box as the team’s deejay, Trout said.

    Trout also said the two spent time together off the field, including going to Los Angeles Lakers games together, as Skaggs “loved the Lakers.” The two would also play basketball together and Trout admitted, “He had a better jump shot than me.”

    Trout also said Kay was good at his job, getting players to give interviews and guiding them on which questions they might be asked. At one point, however, Trout said a clubhouse attendant suggested the players should stop paying Kay for stunts he was pulling, like taking a fastball to the leg, shaving off his eyebrows and eating a pimple off Trout’s back — “not proud of that one,” Trout said — due to concerns the money might be used for a “bad purpose.”

    Trout said he had seen Kay acting “wired” and sweating and “the first thing that came to mind was drugs.”

    He said it was clear he was “using something.”

    “I just didn’t know what it was,” Trout told the court, adding he approached Kay and told him if he needed anything to let him know.

    Trout said when Skaggs died, he didn’t know he had been on drugs and that drugs being the cause of his teammate’s death “didn’t enter my mind.” He said he was unaware other players had also been using drugs, other than marijuana, and that he did not realize Kay was allegedly supplying his teammates with opioids.

    The testimony came at the trial for a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Skaggs’ wife, Carli, and his parents, who contend the Angels made a series of reckless decisions that gave Kay access to MLB players when he was addicted to drugs and dealing them. The team has countered that Skaggs was also drinking heavily and his actions occurred on his own time and in the privacy of his hotel room when he died.

    The trial comes more than six years after 27-year-old Skaggs was found dead in the suburban Dallas hotel room where he was staying as the Angels were supposed to open a four-game series against the Texas Rangers. A coroner’s report says Skaggs choked to death on his vomit and that a toxic mix of alcohol, fentanyl and oxycodone was found in his system.

    Kay was convicted in 2022 of providing Skaggs with a counterfeit oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl and sentenced to 22 years in federal prison. His federal criminal trial in Texas included testimony from five MLB players who said they received oxycodone from Kay at various times from 2017 to 2019, the years he was accused of obtaining pills and giving them to Angels players.

    The family is seeking $118 million for Skaggs’ lost earnings, compensation for pain and suffering and punitive damages against the team.

    Skaggs had been a regular in the Angels’ starting rotation since late 2016 and struggled with injuries repeatedly during that time. He previously played for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

    During Kay’s criminal trial, Carli Skaggs testified that she was unaware of the extent of her husband’s drug use and that she would have tried to do more to stop it had she known. She also testified that her husband felt pressure to stay healthy so he could continue his professional career.

    Former pitcher Matt Harvey, one of the players who testified during the trial, said in court, “In baseball, you do everything you can to stay on the field. At the time, I felt as a teammate I was just helping him get through whatever he needed to get through.”

    After Skaggs’ death, MLB reached a deal with the MLB Players Association to start testing for opioids and to refer those who test positive to the treatment board.

    “A death of a major league player, it is a devastating event,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said when announcing the policy, adding that “it was a motivating factor in the commissioner’s office and the MLBPA and addressing in the context of our industry what really is a societal problem.”

    In addition to Trout, other players, including former Angels pitcher Wade Miley, who currently plays for the Cincinnati Reds, could also testify in what is expected to be a weekslong trial in Santa Ana, California.

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  • Blue Jays beat Mariners in Game 7 of ALCS, now face Dodgers in World Series

    The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Seattle Mariners 4-3 in Game 7 of ALCS to secure their first World Series appearance since 1993. They now face the Los Angeles Dodgers for a shot at the Commissioner’s Trophy.

    Seattle was up 3-1 in the 7th inning of the winner-take-all game, but a 3-run home run off the bat of George Springer catapulted the Blue Jays into the lead. The Mariners never even had a baserunner over the final two innings.

    Springer’s was the first go-ahead homer in Game 7 history when a team trailed by multiple runs in the seventh inning or later.

    The Blue Jays now look to win their third title in franchise history. The Dodgers, who swept the Milwaukee Brewers to secure the National League pennant, are looking to repeat as World Series champions and take home a ninth title.

    Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Jeff Hoffman celebrates after the final out of the ninth inning in Game 7 of baseball’s American League Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners, Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, in Toronto.

    David J. Phillip / AP


    The Blue Jays will host Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers in Friday night’s opener as Los Angeles tries to become the first repeat winner in a quarter century.

    Toronto hosts the opener because it finished the regular season with 94 wins, one more than the Dodgers. 

    The Blue Jays were playing in a Game 7 for the first time since losing at home to Kansas City in the 1985 ALCS. 

    Toronto slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. arrived at the stadium wearing a Maple Leafs hockey jersey with Auston Matthews’ name and number. Fortunately for Guerrero, his team did not follow in Matthews’ footsteps, as the star forward is 0-6 in Game 7s with Toronto during his 10 seasons in the NHL. 

    Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez each hit a solo home run for the Mariners in the team’s first Game 7 but Seattle failed to reach its first World Series, leaving the heartbroken Mariners as the only major league team without a pennant.

    Addison Barger walked to begin the seventh and Isiah Kiner-Falefa followed with a single. Seattle right-hander Bryan Woo was removed after Andrés Giménez advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt, and Springer greeted Eduard Bazardo with his fourth homer of this postseason, a 381-foot drive to left field that got the sellout crowd of 44,770 roaring.

    The Dodgers, meanwhile, have overrun opponents during the postseason. Ohtani is starring at the plate and on the mound, a performance that would be deemed CGI if not witnessed by thousands in person.

    “Sometimes you’ve got to check yourself and touch him to make sure he’s not just made of steel,” teammate Freddie Freeman said.

    But before his three-homer at the plate and 10-strikeouts, six-scoreless innings mound show Friday night, Ohtani’s bat had been slumping.

    He’s hitting .220 with five homers and nine RBIs in the postseason and is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in a pair of pitching starts, striking out 19 and walking four in 12 innings.

    Los Angeles is the first defending champion to reach the World Series since the 2009 Philadelphia Phillies, who lost to the New York Yankees in six games. No team has won consecutive titles since the Yankees took three in a row from 1998-2000. The gap is the longest in baseball history, topping the previous high between the 1977-78 Yankees and the 1992-93 Blue Jays.

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  • Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani’s show for the ages

    Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani had the single greatest game of baseball ever on Friday night with 10 strikeouts, three homers and a place in the World Series. Jericka Duncan has the story.

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  • Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani headed back to World Series

    Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers punched their ticket to a second consecutive World Series last night, in historic fashion. In 2017, Jon Wertheim met Ohtani in Sapporo, and got to know Japan’s most fearsome pitcher and most prolific hitter.

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  • Who to Root for in the Baseball Playoffs (Other Than the Mariners)

    Photo: Cole Burston/Getty Images

    The baseball world is littered with mourning fan bases right now. Yankees fans are wondering if they’re ever going to get Aaron Judge his chance at a title he so richly deserves. Phillies fans know their team is running out of time. Mets fans are pretending that baseball is no longer a sport that’s played in public and would appreciate it if you’d stop acting as if it is. There are 26 fan bases who know, for certain, that this isn’t the year.

    But there are four remaining, the four teams left in the League Championship Series: You can tell who their fans are by the bleary-eyed humans who keep walking into the door to the boiler room in your office because they’ve been tearing their hair out every night, deep into the morning. If you’re a fan of the 26, these four could use your support. Thus, our annual guide for the unaffiliated: If you’re looking for a bandwagon worth jumping on, I hope this year’s League Championship Series Rootability Ranking will help.

    As far as defending World Series champions go, the Dodgers are among the more likable ones. Sure, the team is loaded with expensive superstars, but A-Rod and Roger Clemens these guys ain’t. Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Shohei Ohtani are all former MVPs, but it’s difficult to find a person who will say a bad word about any of them. Ohtani, in particular, has elevated himself to Folk Hero of Earth status to the point that when some Brewers fans booed him during Game One of their NLCS with the Dodgers, it felt oddly unwholesome, like pelting Dolly Parton with snowballs. (It’s clear that Ohtani has fully recovered from his pseudo-gambling scandal from 18 months ago — it’s amazing what getting a dog will do.) You can take issue with retiring Dodger hero Clayton Kershaw’s views on LGBTQ+ issues, and the team’s relative quiet regarding the ICE presence in Los Angeles and at Dodger Stadium, but if you will cheer only for sports teams who are standing up against totalitarianism, I’m sad to say that I think you’re going to have a difficult time watching sports.

    The best reason to cheer against the Dodgers is the obvious one: They just won one of these last year. They have the second-highest payroll in baseball (behind only the Mets); it seems like they get every free agent; and while I’m skeptical of ESPN’s Jeff Passan’s theory that their success or lack thereof could have a concrete effect on whether we have a 2027 season, if they lose it would at least be an argument for the little guy (or at least against the big guy). Bill Simmons once wrote that cheering for the Yankees is like rooting for the house in blackjack. The Dodgers are the house now.

    If I’m being honest, part of the reason the Blue Jays are No. 3 on this list is that they’re already down 2-0 in their series with the Mariners with both losses coming at home. No team has lost their first two games of a seven-game series at home and come back to win the series since the 1996 Yankees in the World Series against the Braves. The Blue Jays have a steep climb to say the least: I might be putting them lower simply out of pragmatism.

    Yankees fans can quibble with this, but the Jays have undeniable appeal. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the sort of name-brand superstar that teams like the Blue Jays can rarely hang on to and not just that, he’s the son of a Canadian baseball icon already; he essentially grew up as a Jay before he ever played for the team. The Toronto fan base has been rowdy and raucous all season, essentially since a series sweep over the Yankees after Memorial Day gave the Jays a division lead they’d never relinquish. Also, don’t overlook what it would mean for a Canadian team to be the champions of America’s pastime at this specific moment in history. Although Jays fans are not booing the national anthem anymore, “O Canada” has never been belted out louder. At the very least, we’d get a cranky Truth Social post about it.

    Only baseball could create a creature like Bob Uecker, a famously terrible ballplayer who once said, “I had a great shoe contract and glove contract with a company who paid me a lot of money never to be seen using their stuff.” Another time he shagged fly balls during batting practice with a tuba. Once he retired, Uecker became a classic guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, the broadcaster in the Major League movies, a Miller Lite pitchman, and, of course, the dad on Mr. Belvedere. (He also was a Norm MacDonald obsession.) But more than he was anything else, Uecker was a Milwaukeean: He grew up in Wisconsin, played for the old Braves, and was a broadcaster for the Brewers for a stunning 54 seasons. When he died in January, it assured that it would be a year of mourning for the Brewers organization, which loved him so much they all wore jerseys with the name “Ueck” on the back for a game this year.

    It also turned out to be the best year in Brewers history. The Brewers are a classic “more than the sum of its parts” team, a collection of mostly unknown players who do all the little things right and seem to deeply enjoy playing together. And Uecker is so tied into their mystique that, when they clinched their division last month, manager Pat Murphy actually read a letter from Uecker to the team in the clubhouse, one that seemed to be AI-written, a strange but unquestionably heartfelt gesture. (It was weird, though, it should be said.) Uecker actually did win a World Series in his career, with the 1964 St. Louis Cardinals, but the Brewers finally winning one, which they’ve never done, the year of his death would feel like some sort of cosmic justice.

    The Brewers have never won a World Series, but the Mariners have never even reached one — the only team in all of baseball never to do so. That’s enough right there to cheer for them, but then you’ve also got to look at the crowds in Seattle this entire postseason. There are just different beautiful weirdos out there every night. There’s the guy who burst into tears when the Mariners took a lead in Game Two of the ALDS, was comforted by his fiancée, and became a local hero. There’s the guy who wore a shirt saying he wanted to snag catcher Cal Raleigh’s 61st homer, somehow did, and then took his shirt off to reveal another shirt that said he wanted to catch No. 62. Oh, and Cal Raleigh’s nickname is “Big Dumper,” and everyone seems to be totally cool about it.

    The Mariners are two wins away from making their first World Series. How do you not cheer for that? And if you’re still on the fence: Here is Ben Gibbard, insanely dedicated Mariners fan, singing “Centerfield” to open the Mariners’ 2020 COVID season.

    I think that might be the most Mariners fan thing imaginable. Go M’s.

    Will Leitch

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  • Don’t check in late for Cubs-Brewers NLDS decider. This series is all about the first inning

    Working as a starting pitcher in the NL Division Series between the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers has been one tough job.

    Twenty-one of the 35 runs in the series have been scored in the first inning. The series concludes on Saturday night with a winner-take-all Game 5 to determine which of these NL Central rivals will face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series.

    “I think it’s way more common than you think, for pitchers to be vulnerable in the first inning,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Friday. “Everybody’s geeked up. The atmosphere is way different. And I think that’s something that is noted.”

    So perhaps it’s no surprise that neither Murphy nor Cubs manager Craig Counsell announced their Game 5 starting pitchers a day in advance.

    The Cubs have the option of turning to Game 2 loser Shota Imanaga on four days’ rest, but he posted a 6.51 ERA in September and has allowed six runs over 6 2/3 innings in two appearances this postseason.

    “With the exception of (Game 4 starter) Matt Boyd, everyone’s going to be available,” Counsell said. “And so it’s a cliché here, but we have 11 pitchers to figure out how to get 27 outs. That’s how we’re treating it.”

    Milwaukee could use a similar approach to its Game 2 strategy, when seven different pitchers contributed to a 7-3 victory. Murphy noted that Aaron Ashby would be available after throwing 32 pitches in the Brewers’ Game 4 loss on Thursday.

    Murphy listed Ashby, Abner Uribe, Jared Koenig, Trevor Megill, Chad Patrick and Jacob Misiorowski as guys who are “going to probably pitch.”

    “A lot of those guys are rookies, a lot of those guys are not very experienced, but that’s how we’ve won all these games and come together,” Murphy said. “Now we’re playing in a way bigger environment, and it’s a bigger task. But I’m confident that we’ll have enough pitching.”

    The Cubs are trying to become the 11th team to win a best-of-five series after losing the first two games. The last team to do it was the New York Yankees against Cleveland in the 2017 AL Division Series.

    Saturday’s winning team would open the NLCS on Monday. The Brewers would host the Dodgers for the start of the series, while the Cubs would travel to Los Angeles.

    Chicago has reached this point by winning each of its last three elimination games, though all of them were at home. The Cubs beat the San Diego Padres 3-1 in the decisive third game of their Wild Card Series, and they brought this series back to Milwaukee by winning 4-3 in Game 3 and 6-0 in Game 4.

    “I feel like it’s an even slate,” Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner said after the Game 4 victory. “Game 5. Both teams have had great moments in this series. I love where our group’s at.”

    Milwaukee is trying to change its recent history of postseason frustration.

    The Brewers are in the playoffs for the seventh time in the last eight seasons, but their last postseason series win was in the 2018 NLDS. They lost Game 7 at home to the Dodgers in the NLCS that year and are 4-13 in their last 17 playoff games.

    Murphy remains confident in the Brewers’ chances as they look to bounce back from two straight losses in Chicago.

    “We’re five wins away from the World Series,” Murphy said. “I’ve learned a lot about this team, and one thing it is, it’s resilient, and they bounce back.”

    Milwaukee suffered one of its most heartbreaking playoff exits last year, when the Brewers led the New York Mets 2-0 heading into the ninth inning of Game 3 in the NL Wild Card Series before Pete Alonso hit a three-run homer off Devin Williams as part of a four-run rally.

    Losing this series would be just about as painful for Brewers fans because it’s against one of their biggest rivals and Counsell, the longtime Milwaukee manager who grew up in the area but left his hometown team to join the Cubs.

    Counsell has downplayed the personal aspect of this matchup throughout the series.

    “I’m just thinking about how do we advance,” Counsell said. “It’s almost like the opponent doesn’t matter right now. How do we advance? Because who you play and all those stories around that, that doesn’t matter. How do we advance? That’s really been my focus.”

    ___

    AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

    CBS Minnesota

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  • No Guts, No Glory – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Watching the Phillies in the playoffs the last three seasons has been excruciating. Anyone hoping for something different this season, think again. It ended in a complete disaster. It’s tough not to feel for Kerkering a little bit, but that is an inexcusable error. He has struggled with runners on base all season. It was unfair to bring him in there. The worst part is he ended up making the pitches and got the ground ball. But instead of a calm cool collected throw to first Kerkering panicked. One of the most gut wrenching things I have witnessed. 

    What Really Went Wrong

    We can look up all the stats, splits, and percentages we want. But the eye test tells you all you need to know. The bats failed to show up. Turner, Schwarber, and Harper showed up for one of the four games. But that’s why you lose a series right? The big players didn’t produce. So now they go home. What puzzles me about the offense is their inability to adjust. Now, four straight seasons of chasing pitches at bat after at bat. Every batter wanting to win the game in one pitch. The goal should have been to have the best at bat for the team. Instead guys are up there hacking away trying to have a moment. 

    The Phils made Glasnow throw 19 pitches in the first inning. Even though they didn’t score, that’s a successful inning and part of winning baseball games. You have to make pitchers work. Obviously, the Phillies did the opposite. Glasnow cruised through 6 innings. If the Phillies kept grinding away he should’ve been on the ropes by the 5th inning. There are many ways to blame the offense for the losses. But overall it was their inability to make anything happen. JT and Kepler were really the only two guys to hit, The stars and the bats let the fans and the pitching staff down. 

    Topper, Topper, Topper

    I have many gripes with Rob Thomson. Yes, he has done a great job at bringing this group together. He has the Phillies playing great regular season baseball. They are fun to watch again and in an Eagles city, when the Phillies are good it’s a baseball town. But then, the playoffs. Whatever happened in 2022 is not there anymore. The players have to win the game, but there have been countless decisions from the manager that have hurt the club in the postseason. 

    Game One

    With a fully rested bullpen Thomson decided to bring Robertson back out for the 7th inning. This forced Strahm to come in with multiple runners on. The decision to bring Robertson back out is what cost them. A reliever comes into a high leverage situation with their adrenaline pumping. He did his job and got out of the jam, he should have never gone back into the game. Topper overthinking the bullpen once again.

    Game Two

    The Phillies had life. With no outs Nick Castellanos doubled in Realmuto and Bohm. The offense was finally rolling. Three straight hits. Zero outs. Ninth inning. Citizens Bank Park going absolutely nuts.

    Bunt – ball one. Bunt again – Castellanos gunned down at third. 

    This was one of the worst decisions I have ever seen. The Dodgers couldn’t buy an out in that inning. Even Castellanos doubled on that outside pitch he strikes out on all the time (you know the one).

    All the momentum in the world was on the Phillies side. And then he gave them an out. Rob said here you go a free out and the Dodgers said thank you. In your last at bat in the game, the manager gave the other team an out. I was stunned. Topper has no feel for the game going on around him. He even admitted in his press conference he was playing for the tie. A shocking statement to hear. That is the complete wrong mindset coming from the manager.

    Stott has had multiple playoff moments for the Phillies. He’s come up with big hits each post season. Thomson should trust him to come through. Do you think Dave Roberts would have made Tommy Edmunds bunt in that situation? No chance. Stott wasn’t even given an opportuninty to hit. No doubt in my mind the Phillies win that game if Stott doesn’t bunt.  

    Those were the two big decisions that cost the Phillies in this series. Although, all of this is not on Rob Thomson, I believe this team has gone as far as they will with him. He doesn’t have quite the right feel of how to manage postseason games. He never seems to pull the right strings. It may be time to move on at the end of the season. 

    What’s Next

    This team is clearly in need of a shake up. I am not sure if blowing it up is the right call. Dombrowski should prioritize Realmuto, Schwarber, and Suarez. They haven’t shown up recently, but I believe the core of Turner, Schwarber, Harper, and Realmuto can get the job done. They need to step up in the playoffs, but I believe in those guys. 

    There are a couple of spots the Phillies need to address. They need to find a clean up hitter. The front office should look to upgrade in right and at third. It’s time to move on from Castellanos and Bohm. It would be nice to see Bader back in center. The ship has run its course for some of this crew and hopefully the roster looks a little different next season.

    Photo Credit: Matt Slocum/AP Photo

    Tags: Aaron Nola Alec Bohm Brandon Marsh Bryce Harper Christopher Sanchez David Robertson Jesus Luzardo JT Realmuto Kyle Schwarber Major League Baseball Matt Strahm Max Kepler Nick Castellanos Orion Kerkering Philadelphia Phillies Ranger Suarez Rob Thomson

    Categorized: Phillies

    Liam Mahoney

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  • Book Talk: My Big Red Machine, with author and journalist Terence Moore

    Moore’s “My Big Red Machine” is available in paperback and hardcover. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    Major League Baseball’s postseason has begun, and for the teams and fan bases involved, there will be a chance to win a World Series title. One of those teams involved was the Cincinnati Reds; decades ago, in the 1970s, that franchise was one of the perennial favorites to win championships. 

    That team, nicknamed The Big Red Machine for its efficiency and power, had fans all over the country. One of those fans was sports writer and author Terence Moore. During Moore’s youth and later as a young reporter for the Cincinnati Enquirer, he had the unique opportunity to get close to the stars of The Big Red Machine, Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench, Ken Griffey, Sr., Tony Perez, and, of course, Pete Rose.

    Moore visited The Atlanta Voice to discuss his inspiration for his latest book, “My Big Red Machine,” walking the thin line between fandom and journalism, and his lifelong love for baseball.

    The Atlanta Voice: Good morning, Terence. Is this your first time inside The Atlanta Voice office?

    Terence Moore: Yeah, I can feel the history as we sit here right now. You can feel the history of the people that this paper represented through the years and decades. Black publications were so huge to the Civil Rights Movement in general, but particularly here in Atlanta.

    AV: How long have you been thinking about writing this book? I know you grew up in Cincinnati and had worked at one of the local daily newspapers. This book must have been special to report on.

    TM: It’s been forever. I would tell people different stories, and they would say that I needed to write about it. The Big Red Machine is the greatest team in baseball; that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. The Reds of the 1970s won more games than anybody in baseball in that decade. And in 1975 and 1976, they won back-to-back world championships. This is the 50th anniversary of the first of those back-to-back championships. I figured the timing is perfect.

    Moore said, “My Big Red Machine” is about more than baseball. “It’s sort of a memoir about me as a young person idolizing this team and having another goal in life: becoming a journalist. It’s an interesting journey,” Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    AV: But this book is about more than baseball, correct?

    TM: The thing that I am very proud of about this book is that people are shocked that it’s not just a baseball book. It’s not just about The Big Red Machine; it’s not just about sports. It’s sort of a memoir about me as a young person idolizing this team, and also having another goal in life: becoming a journalist. It’s an interesting journey.

    AV: If you had to describe this book in a sentence, what would that sentence be?

    TM: It’s a riveting tale with great storytelling. The storytelling gives the reader the journey of not only my life, but the life of anybody who was passionate about anything in his or her life. And then having it come to fruition. 

    AV: How did it feel to be telling parts of your life, family, and career in this book? You have done this in your previous books, like in The Real Hank Aaron, but this went deeper.

    TM: It was an out-of-body experience. After I wrote this book, and then I read the proof, I was like, ‘Who wrote this?’ It was the strangest thing. There were passages that I know I obviously remember writing, and then there were other passages that I was like, ‘This was unbelievable.’ 

    Moore revealed that the entire project came together -from start to publication- in 13 months. “Somehow I was able to get this done,” he said.

    AV: On page 63 in chapter 3, you vividly describe the smells inside the old Crosley Field on your first visit with your family. The recall of the many personal and professional moments was so interesting. How did you remember so much detail?

    TM: A lot of people ask me that. Even before I was a reporter, I was a reporter. I’m very much my mother’s son; she never threw away anything. I save everything. It’s just unbelievable the stuff that I’ve saved through the years.

    One of the things I teach my journalism students is the big three: reporting, interviewing, and angles. It’s a must in anything that you do.  

    AV: In the book, you describe writing the first story ever on Ken Griffey, Jr. in the Cincinnati Enquirer in July 1978. Did you see anything special about the boy that told you he would become a future Baseball Hall of Fame inductee?

    TM: I’m at Riverfront Stadium in the summer of 1978, my first year of working at the Cincinnati Enquirer. One of the groundskeepers came up to me and told me I should do a story on Ken Griffey. I told him I had written tons of stories on Ken Griffey, and he said no, not the father, the son. I said ‘How old is he?’ and he said he’s eight years old. I said, ‘Ok.’

    Moore said that when he finally decided to look into how good Ken Griffey, Jr. really was, he was astounded that the groundskeeper’s tip was spot on. “He was the greatest eight-year-old kid I ever saw,” Moore said. 

    AV: What do you want readers to come away with from reading “My Big Red Machine”?

    TM: I want them to understand that you can bring stories alive through a lot of circumstances, situations, and experiences. That’s what I try to do. I try to bring stories alive by using myself as a vehicle to show different aspects of life. Because we can all relate to journeys, we can all relate to the journey of being a young person and having a fixation and passion for something. For me, it just happened to be this baseball team, this Big Red Machine. The greatest baseball team of all time.  

    Donnell Suggs

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  • Phillies Top NLDS Moments – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Liam Mahoney   |  

    Oct 2, 2025

    Philadelphia Phillies fans wave their rally towels during Game 3 of the World Series against the Houston Astros at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022.

    Over the last two nights the Los Angeles Dodgers handled the Cincinnati Reds with ease to set up a date with the Phillies. The National League Division series starts on Saturday in South Philly. Let’s take a look at some of the top NLDS moments in Phillies history

    1981 First Ever NLDS vs Montreal Expos

    Did you know the Phillies played in the first NLDS ever? They fell to the Montreal Expos (3-2) in 1981. However, George Vukovich hit a walk-off homer run in the 10th inning of game 4 to send it to a game 5.

    Liam Mahoney

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  • Netflix’s ‘Who Killed the Montreal Expos?’ Aims to Place Blame for Baseball Team’s Demise

    A new Netflix documentary aims to get to the bottom of why the Montreal Expos struck out.

    The streamer has released the trailer for Who Killed the Montreal Expos? ahead of the film debuting on the platform Oct. 21. Who Killed the Montreal Expos? is set to premiere at the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma in Montreal on Oct. 9.

    Director Jean-François Poisson’s film centers on the lingering questions and mysteries surrounding the demise of the Expos. The team was the first in Major League Baseball to call Canada home and remains popular with many Quebecois despite playing its last game in 2004.

    Hall of Famers and former Expos players Pedro Martinez, Vladimir Guerrero Sr. and Larry Walker are interviewed for the documentary, along with former manager Felipe Alou and a number of journalists, fans and team employees.

    “As good as we are in hockey, Montreal is a baseball city,” Martinez says in the trailer.

    “The Expos’ death is kind of like a big game of Clue,” one participant explains in the footage. “Lots of motives. Lots of suspects. We have a long list.”

    The Expos debuted as a part of the National League East division in 1969. After decades of ups and downs, the MLB purchased the team, and it moved to Washington, D.C., following the 2004 season to become the Washington Nationals.

    Who Killed the Montreal Expos? is set to make its streaming release three days before the 2025 World Series begins on Oct. 24. This year’s MLB playoffs begin Tuesday.

    Ryan Gajewski

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