ReportWire

Tag: MLB baseball

  • Tim Wakefield, who revived his career and Red Sox trophy case with knuckleball, has died at 57

    Tim Wakefield, who revived his career and Red Sox trophy case with knuckleball, has died at 57

    BOSTON — Tim Wakefield, the knuckleballing workhorse of the Red Sox pitching staff who bounced back after giving up a season-ending home run to the Yankees in the 2003 playoffs to help Boston win its curse-busting World Series title the following year, has died. He was 57.

    The Red Sox announced his death in a statement Sunday. Wakefield had brain cancer, according to ex-teammate Curt Schilling, who outed the illness on a podcast last week — drawing an outpouring of support for Wakefield. The Red Sox confirmed an illness at the time but did not elaborate, saying Wakefield had requested privacy.

    Drafted by the Pirates as a first baseman who set home run records in college, Wakefield converted to a pitcher after mastering the knuckleball in the minor leagues. Relying on the old-timey pitch that had largely fallen into disuse, he went on to win 200 major league games, including 186 with the Red Sox — behind only Cy Young and Roger Clemens in franchise history.

    But it was his role in the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry of the early 2000s that turned Wakefield into a fan favorite whose impact went far beyond his numbers.

    After New York rallied to tie Game 7 of the ’03 AL Championship Series, Wakefield came on in relief in the 11th inning and Aaron Boone hit his first pitch for a walkoff home run to end Boston’s season and extend a World Series drought that stretched back to 1918.

    The following October, with the Red Sox season again at risk against the Yankees in the ALCS, Wakefield got nine outs in extra innings of Game 5, setting up David Ortiz to win it in the 14th. The Red Sox went on to complete their comeback from a three-games-to-none deficit and then sweep St. Louis in the World Series to claim their first championship in 86 years.

    “He was a great competitor when he took that mound,” former teammate Kevin Youkilis said on the broadcast of Sunday’s Red Sox game. “He was just a great teammate and just a great friend. Had the luxury of playing with him on the field, in the booth, and just glad that I had the opportunity over the years to be alongside of him.”

    The Red Sox, and Wakefield, won it all again in 2007.

    “There were some years there where I didn’t know if I was going to come back or not,” Wakefield said at his 2012 retirement news conference. “But I’m very grateful that I’ve been able to put this uniform on for such a long time, and win two World Series for this great city.”

    Wakefield was 11-3 when he made his only All-Star Game in 2009, becoming the second-oldest player — to Satchel Paige — ever selected to his first All-Star Game. Wakefield was the oldest player in baseball at 45 when he earned his 200th win in September, 2011, retiring his final six batters.

    He announced his retirement the following spring training, seven wins short of breaking the franchise record for wins held by Clemens and Young.

    “I’m still a competitor, but ultimately I think this is what’s best for the Red Sox,” he said at the time. “I think this is what’s best for my family. And to be honest with you, seven wins isn’t going to make me a different person or a better man. So, my family really needs me at home.”

    An eighth-round Pittsburgh draft pick in 1988, Wakefield converted to a pitcher two years later in an effort to revive his chances of making the majors. He got his callup midway through the 1992 season and went 8-1, finishing third in the NL rookie of the year voting.

    He added two complete games in the NL playoffs — one in Game 6 to keep Pittsburgh alive. (He was voted the MVP of the Series late in Game 7, before the Atlanta Braves rallied to win on Francisco Cabrera’s single with two out in the bottom of the ninth.)

    But Wakefield was unable to recapture his success in his second year in Pittsburgh, going 6-11 with a 5.61 ERA. He was released by the Pirates after another trip through the minors, and signed six days later by the Red Sox.

    Wakefield again strung together a dominant run, starting 14-1 in 1995 before finishing the year at 16-8 with a 2.95 ERA. After 17 seasons with Boston, he retired as the franchise leader with 3,006 innings and 430 starts, and second in games and strikeouts.

    In all, he was 200-180 with a 4.41 ERA.

    Wakefield was also an eight-time nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award that goes to a ballplayer for exemplary sportsmanship and community involvement, winning it in 2010.

    “Tim was more than just a versatile and reliable All-Star pitcher, a highly respected teammate, and a two-time World Series champion,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement, citing “the dedicated work he and his family did serving the communities of New England.”

    After retiring, Wakefield became an analyst for Red Sox broadcasts and remained active in the team’s charities.

    “Tim’s kindness and indomitable spirit were as legendary as his knuckleball,” Red Sox owner John Henry said. “He not only captivated us on the field but was the rare athlete whose legacy extended beyond the record books to the countless lives he touched with his warmth and genuine spirit. He had a remarkable ability to uplift, inspire, and connect with others in a way that showed us the true definition of greatness. He embodied the very best of what it means to be a member of the Boston Red Sox and his loss is felt deeply by all of us.”

    ___

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

    Source link

  • The Boston Red Sox say retired pitcher Tim Wakefield has died at age 57

    The Boston Red Sox say retired pitcher Tim Wakefield has died at age 57

    The Boston Red Sox say retired pitcher Tim Wakefield has died at age 57

    Source link

  • Cubs’ playoff hopes vanish before they complete 10-6 victory over Brewers

    Cubs’ playoff hopes vanish before they complete 10-6 victory over Brewers

    MILWAUKEE — The Chicago Cubs seemed to be on their way to a playoff spot after a summertime surge moved them into contention.

    In a matter of a few weeks, it all fell apart.

    Yan Gomes hit a grand slam, but the Cubs were knocked out of the playoff picture during a 10-6 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday night.

    “We just got cold,” Gomes said. “One of the biggest things I’d keep mentioning is it wasn’t because of a lack of effort. We went out there, we gave it our best. It just didn’t work out. We’re going to take a big learning experience from this. Whatever the future holds, I know we’re going to learn from it.”

    Chicago’s game was going into the eighth inning when Miami finished its 7-3 victory at Pittsburgh, securing an NL wild card and eliminating the Cubs.

    “It stinks,” said Jameson Taillon, who pitched four innings for his first career save. “I was just thinking this would be a really fun team to compete with in the playoffs and pop champagne with. This is a great group.”

    The Cubs were 10 games below .500 in early June, but they rebounded in a big way. They were in prime playoff position after improving to 78-67 with a 5-4 victory at Colorado on Sept. 11.

    “We all wanted and expected to be in the postseason,” Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger said. “That’s what we strive for in spring training. We thought we had the group. We had a great team. We were playing unbelievable baseball in July to even put us in this situation.”

    Then came a September swoon.

    Before Saturday’s victory at Milwaukee, the Cubs had lost four in a row by a total of five runs. They also had dropped nine straight road games.

    “I think that sometimes the ball just doesn’t roll how you want it to roll,” Bellinger said. “It was a tough ending. We all expected to come out on top. Overall we expected more. But we still fought till the very end and gave it our best shot.”

    Chicago (83-78) spent the top of the first inning taking out its frustration on Eric Lauer (4-6), who was making his first major league appearance since May 20 with the NL Central champion Brewers (91-70) resting their top starting pitchers.

    On Lauer’s third pitch, Christopher Morel hit a 431-foot drive over the wall in left. Lauer walked three of his next four batters before Gomes connected for his 10th homer. Two batters later, Patrick Wisdom homered to right-center.

    But the Cubs blew a 6-0 lead for the second time in five nights. This one vanished in just two innings.

    Milwaukee’s Willy Adames hit a two-run double to highlight a three-run rally against Jordan Wicks in the bottom of the first. Blake Perkins delivered a two-run homer and Carlos Santana added a tying solo shot in the second before the Cubs removed Wicks, who had allowed no more than three runs in any of his previous six starts.

    The Cubs regained the lead by scoring twice in the fourth, despite having two runners thrown out at the plate. Ian Happ hit a tiebreaking RBI single and Bellinger added a run-scoring double.

    Lauer allowed eight runs, nine hits and four walks in four innings.

    “Just the first inning, he kind of struggled with throwing the ball where he wanted to,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “That got him into trouble. I think he settled in a bit actually and was able to get through the second, third and fourth. But the first inning — maybe the first 20 or so pitches — he was really struggling kind of with knowing where the ball was going.”

    Hayden Wesneski (3-5), Javier Assad and Taillon combined for 7 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of Wicks.

    TRAINER’S ROOM

    Cubs 2B Nico Hoerner rested after fouling a ball off his left knee Friday night. The Cubs say he has a bruised knee.

    UP NEXT

    LHP Justin Steele (16-5, 3.08 ERA) pitches for the Cubs and RHP Adrian Houser (7-5, 4.32 ERA) starts for the Brewers on Sunday afternoon.

    ___

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

    Source link

  • Toronto Blue Jays remain on the brink of a playoff spot after 7-5 loss to Tampa Bay Rays

    Toronto Blue Jays remain on the brink of a playoff spot after 7-5 loss to Tampa Bay Rays

    TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays remained on the brink of a playoff spot after they lost 7-5 to Taylor Walls and the Tampa Bay Rays in 10 innings.

    Toronto (89-72) still had a couple more ways to get into the playoffs on Saturday. A loss for Seattle against Texas would secure a wild card for the Blue Jays. Losses for the Mariners and Astros, who were set to play at Arizona, would guarantee Toronto the second of three AL wild cards and set up a best-of-three postseason series at Tampa Bay.

    Walls lifted the Rays to a 6-4 lead with a two-run single off Jordan Hicks (3-9) with two out in the 10th. Junior Caminero then drove in Raimel Tapia with an infield single.

    Rays right-hander Chris Devenski (6-4) pitched two innings for the win, working around Bo Bichette’s RBI double in the 10th.

    Harold Ramírez had three hits for the Rays, including a tying two-run homer off Trevor Richards in the fifth.

    George Springer hit a two-out double off Devenski in the bottom of the ninth, but Cavan Biggio flied out to send it to extra innings.

    Daulton Varsho homered and drove in three runs, but it wasn’t enough for the Blue Jays.

    Tampa Bay’s Yandy Díaz entered as a pinch hitter in the 10th inning and struck out on three pitches. Díaz (.330) trails Texas shortstop Corey Seager (.331 entering play Saturday) in a tight race for the AL batting title.

    Isaac Paredes hit an RBI single off Blue Jays left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu in the first inning, and Josh Lowe’s double made it 2-0 in the third.

    Varsho homered off Cooper Criswell to begin the Toronto third, his 20th. He put the Blue Jays in front with a two-run single in the fourth.

    Springer added an RBI single, but Toronto stranded runners on first and second when Biggio and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. struck out.

    Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena walked to begin the fifth and Ramírez followed with his 12th homer.

    Ryu allowed two runs and seven hits in three innings.

    Shawn Armstrong opened for the Rays, pitching around a pair of walks in his lone inning. Recalled from Triple-A Durham before the game, Criswell followed and allowed four runs, three earned, and four hits in three innings.

    ROSTER MOVES

    To make room for Criswell, the Rays designated pitcher Erasmo Ramírez for assignment.

    UP NEXT

    Neither team had named a starter for Sunday’s season finale.

    ___

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

    Source link

  • J.P. Crawford’s grand slam leads Mariners to 8-0 win over Rangers

    J.P. Crawford’s grand slam leads Mariners to 8-0 win over Rangers

    SEATTLE — J.P. Crawford grabbed the celebratory trident and raised it toward the sky eliciting even more cheers from the fans in his home ballpark.

    Rarely has a home run — a grand slam in the midst of a playoff chase — felt as fulfilling as this one did for the Seattle Mariners shortstop.

    “I feel pretty good right now,” Crawford said. “Anytime there’s bases loaded I just want to get a run in and help the team as much as I can.”

    Crawford hit his third career grand slam, Ty France and Josh Rojas had solo homers and the Mariners stayed in the thick of the American League playoff race with an 8-0 win over the Texas Rangers on Friday night.

    A night after possibly saving Seattle’s playoff hopes with a two-out, two-run double in the ninth inning to pull out a 3-2 victory against the Rangers, Crawford again came through with a big swing to keep Seattle right on the heels of Houston in the chase for the final wild card spot in the American League.

    Seattle (87-73) remained one game behind Houston (88-72) the wild-card standings with two games left, while Texas (89-71) still needs a victory or an Astros loss to wrap up a playoff berth. There also remains the possibility of a three-way tie for the division title.

    “Big win. We still need a little help, but we have the opportunity to take care of it ourselves here,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said.

    Crawford’s slam – his 19th homer of the season — was off reliever Brock Burke who came in specifically to face Crawford after Nathan Eovaldi faltered. Burke fell behind 3-1 in the count and missed with a fastball in the middle of the plate. Crawford didn’t miss, lining the pitch into the right-field seats for an 8-0 lead.

    Crawford is 11 for 16 with 26 RBIs this season with the bases loaded.

    “It’s just not giving an at-bat away. Anytime there is a chance to do damage or kill that pulse a little bit for the other team you got to take advantage of that,” Crawford said.

    Crawford’s slam was the blow that broke open the game. But it was the conclusion to a two-inning stretch of big at-bats by the Mariners that knocked out Eovaldi (12-5) and provided Seattle’s pitching staff some stress-free innings.

    France’s homer leading off the third inning was the first hit off Eovaldi. Two batters later, Rojas hit his fourth homer since being acquired from Arizona at the trade deadline. With two outs in the inning, Eugenio Suárez hit a liner to center field that Leody Tavares overran and fell for a double that scored Crawford from first.

    An inning later, Eovaldi allowed a single to Teoscar Hernández, walked Mike Ford and hit France with a 3-2 pitch before Rojas’ RBI single ended his night. Burke took over and Crawford went deep.

    “It’s right there in front of us. All we have to do is go out there and win one game,” Eovaldi said. “With last night’s loss and then this one today, it’s tough to just turn the page from those two. But we’ve got to be able to do that, because that’s what it comes down to in the final games of the season.”

    Seattle starter Bryan Woo labored into the fourth inning but pitched out of trouble and kept the Rangers scoreless less than a week after giving up six runs to Texas. Woo needed 82 pitches to record 11 outs, but struck out five and worked around three walks nibbling around the plate facing the Rangers’ top hitters.

    Texas had runners at the corners with one out in the third but Woo struck out Adolis García and after hitting Nathaniel Lowe on the foot to load the bases got a fly out from Josh Jung to end the threat.

    Woo said pitching coach Pete Woodworth said before the game it didn’t matter if 100 pitches were needed to get the necessary outs.

    “Probably didn’t need to take that literally, but zeros are zeros especially at this time of year,” Woo said.

    From there is was an assembly line of relievers that closed out Seattle’s big league-high 17th shutout. Taylor Saucedo, Trent Thornton (1-2), Isaiah Campbell, Eduard Bazardo and Dominic Leone combined for 5 1/3 innings.

    GRAY DAY

    Texas right-hander Jon Gray was placed on the 15-day injured list with a forearm strain, a blow to the staff heading into the playoffs. The Rangers were planning to start Gray on Saturday. Gray is 9-8 with a 4.12 ERA in 29 starts this season.

    UP NEXT

    Rangers: Texas announced postgame that LHP Andrew Heaney (10-6, 4.28) will start. Heaney has pitched in relief in his last six appearances. His last start came on Sept. 4.

    Mariners: RHP Luis Castillo (14-8, 3.20) will make his final start of the regular season, looking to rebound after giving up five runs in six innings to Houston in his last start. Castillo is winless in two starts against Texas this season but the last came in early June when he allowed one run in seven innings.

    ___

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

    Source link

  • Royals rock Rodón, Witt homers to join 30-30 club as KC rolls to 12-5 win over Yankees

    Royals rock Rodón, Witt homers to join 30-30 club as KC rolls to 12-5 win over Yankees

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Bobby Witt Jr. admitted the pressure was beginning to mount, and time running out, to hit the 30th homer that would make the budding superstar the first Kansas City player to join the 30-30 club.

    The Royals did everything they could to take the pressure off him Friday night.

    Every batter they sent up against Yankees starter Carlos Rodón scored, resulting in a nine-run first inning that put the game solidly in control. So by the time Witt stepped to the plate in the seventh, with a hit and RBI already behind him, the 23-year-old could swing freely against New York reliever Keynan Middleton for a chance to make history.

    By the time the ball landed in the left-field stands, punctuating the Royals’ 12-5 rout, the celebration was underway.

    “I feel like there were times I was trying and it got a little selfish,” said Witt, who had gone 11 games without a home run. “I was just trying to keep it simple. That was my approach. And just go out there and compete.”

    Witt could join a much more exclusive group in the next two days. Along with 30 homers he has 49 stolen bases, and needs one more to join Eric Davis, Barry Bonds and Ronald Acuña Jr. as the only players in major league history in the 30-50 club.

    “It’s really nice that he did it here,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Everybody really appreciates the significance of that, and you know, it’s inevitable you’re going to press when you get near those round numbers. I think he was to a certain extent. But that was a great swing, and I feel really good for him.”

    Nobody felt worse Friday night than Rodón (3-8), who faced eight batters and all of them scored, tying the most for any start without recording an out since at least 1901. Rodón allowed six hits and two walks before Yankees manager Aaron Boone pulled him from the game, and Kansas City went on to put its first 10 aboard to set a franchise record.

    Rodón’s fastball averaged 93.6 mph, down from his 95.3 mph season average.

    “Rough. A tick down in stuff. Just didn’t have the life on his fastball,” Boone said, “and then location, just in the heart of the plate a lot, even with the secondary stuff. Obviously, a tough way for him to end.”

    Jordan Lyles (6-17) took advantage of the Royals’ immense run support to earn his second straight win. The right-hander got through six shaky innings, allowing five runs on four hits and a walk while striking out four.

    Austin Wells hit a three-run homer and finished with four RBIs for New York.

    The Royals (55-105) need to sweep the three-game series to avoid equaling the 2005 team that lost 106 times for the most in franchise history. The Yankees (81-79) need to win one of the last two to ensure their 31st consecutive winning season.

    The miserable first year of Rodón’s six-year, $162 million contract came to a fitting conclusion. In 35 pitches without recording an out, Rodón allowed four singles, two walks, a double and Edward Oliveras’ no-doubt homer into the Yankees bullpen.

    Not even a visit from New York pitching coach Matt Blake could slow down the damage. Rodón turned his back on Blake, something Rodón and Boone both said afterward was wrong to do.

    It was the most batters faced without recording an out by a starter since Steven Matz faced eight for the Mets in 2019, and the 10 consecutive hitters that reached base were the most to start a game against the Yankees since the Cleveland Indians had that many reach against Catfish Hunter and Bob Kammeyer on July 27, 1978.

    “Just throwing balls down the middle,” Rodón said. “Just didn’t find my lane and they hit the ball.”

    Rodón began the year on the injured list with a strained forearm and then dealt with a back injury that slowed his return. He didn’t make his Yankees debut until July 7, then lost four of his first five starts. Not even a respectable last month for the two-time All-Star could salvage his ERA, which plummeted to 6.85 on Friday night.

    “It’s not all about the numbers. It’s about the profile, where he’s getting it to,” said Boone, whose club went 3-11 in Rodón’s starts this season. “Today was just a day where he didn’t have too much.”

    The Royals kept rolling against reliever Matt Bowman, too. Their first out scored another run on Witt’s sacrifice fly, and their second was a productive fielder’s choice by Oliveras that moved up runners. Maikel Garcia and Salvador Perez, who had three RBIs, each had two hits in the first inning, which ended on a questionable called third strike against Nelson Velázquez.

    The Yankees trimmed their 10-run deficit in half by the sixth, but Witt’s homer in the seventh put the game away.

    “Everybody,” Perez said, “was waiting for that moment.”

    ROSTER MOVES

    Yankees: Middleton (shoulder inflammation) was activated from the injured list and RHP Yoendrys Gómez was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

    WAIT AND SEE

    Yankees RHP Frankie Montas (shoulder inflammation) arrived in Kansas City and could pitch before the end of the weekend. He had surgery on his labrum Feb. 21 in Los Angeles, an injury that had limited him after last season’s trade from Oakland to the Yankees. He began a Triple-A rehab assignment on Sept. 17 and pitched two scoreless innings last Saturday.

    “He didn’t have to fight his way to get back for the finish,” Boone said. “He’s put himself in a position to be healthy and ready. He is continuing to get after it, right? To be in a position that he is. So we certainly respect that.”

    UP NEXT

    Yankees RHP Clarke Schmidt (9-9, 4.65 ERA) will start Saturday night. The Royals had not yet decided on their starter.

    ___

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

    Source link

  • Giants fire manager Gabe Kapler with 3 games left in his 4th season

    Giants fire manager Gabe Kapler with 3 games left in his 4th season

    The San Francisco Giants have fired manager Gabe Kapler

    ByJANIE MCCAULEY AP baseball writer

    September 29, 2023, 5:37 PM

    San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler, left, watches from the dugout during the ninth inning of the team’s baseball game against the San Diego Padres in San Francisco, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

    The Associated Press

    SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Giants fired manager Gabe Kapler on Friday with three days left in the season and the club eliminated from the playoffs. It was the first managerial change of 2023.

    San Francisco is 78-81 going into a season-ending series against the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The 48-year-old Kapler had a 295-248 record over four seasons guiding the Giants, but his only year with a winning record was 2021, when San Francisco won a franchise-record 107 games and the NL West title.

    The Giants lost in the NL Division series that year to the Dodgers, then regressed to 81-81 last year.

    “After making this recommendation to ownership and receiving their approval, I met with Gabe today to inform him of our decision,” Giants President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi said in a statement. “He has been dedicated and passionate in his efforts to improve the on-field performance of the San Francisco Giants and I have tremendous respect for him as a colleague and friend.”

    Kapler’s first season with San Francisco was the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. He managed the Philadelphia Phillies for two years before that, going 161-163.

    ___

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

    Source link

  • Angels star Shohei Ohtani finishes with the best-selling jersey in MLB this season

    Angels star Shohei Ohtani finishes with the best-selling jersey in MLB this season

    Shohei Ohtani’s soaring popularity was even more evident when it came to jersey sales

    ByThe Associated Press

    September 29, 2023, 12:05 PM

    Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani sits in the dugout during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

    The Associated Press

    NEW YORK — Shohei Ohtani’s soaring popularity was even more evident when it came to jersey sales.

    Ohtani had the best-selling jersey in Major League Baseball this season, the first time a Japanese player finished in the top spot. The league and the Players Association released its top-20 list Friday, with rankings based on sales of Nike jerseys since Opening Day on MLBShop.com.

    The Los Angeles Angels’ two-way star beat out Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr., Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees, San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr. and Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

    Houston’s Jose Altuve, Seattle’s Julio Rodríguez, Atlanta’s Matt Olson, Houston’s Alex Bregman and Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels rounded out the top 10. Trout has finished in the top 10 every year since his rookie season in 2012.

    Ohtani finished in the top 10 twice before (2018, 2021), but hadn’t come close to being No. 1.

    He’s the favorite to earn American League MVP honors after hitting .304, with 44 homers, 95 RBIs, eight triples and 20 steals. The right-hander also went 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA in 23 starts on the mound.

    A pending free agent, Ohtani had elbow surgery last week and was shut down for much of the season’s final month because of an oblique injury.

    Ohtani and nine others in the top 20 were born outside of the United States. They represent Canada, Curaçao, the Dominican Republic, Japan, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

    ___

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

    Source link

  • Angels star Shohei Ohtani finishes with the best-selling jersey in MLB this season

    Angels star Shohei Ohtani finishes with the best-selling jersey in MLB this season

    Shohei Ohtani’s soaring popularity was even more evident when it came to jersey sales

    ByThe Associated Press

    September 29, 2023, 12:05 PM

    Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani sits in the dugout during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

    The Associated Press

    NEW YORK — Shohei Ohtani’s soaring popularity was even more evident when it came to jersey sales.

    Ohtani had the best-selling jersey in Major League Baseball this season, the first time a Japanese player finished in the top spot. The league and the Players Association released its top-20 list Friday, with rankings based on sales of Nike jerseys since Opening Day on MLBShop.com.

    The Los Angeles Angels’ two-way star beat out Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr., Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees, San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr. and Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

    Houston’s Jose Altuve, Seattle’s Julio Rodríguez, Atlanta’s Matt Olson, Houston’s Alex Bregman and Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels rounded out the top 10. Trout has finished in the top 10 every year since his rookie season in 2012.

    Ohtani finished in the top 10 twice before (2018, 2021), but hadn’t come close to being No. 1.

    He’s the favorite to earn American League MVP honors after hitting .304, with 44 homers, 95 RBIs, eight triples and 20 steals. The right-hander also went 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA in 23 starts on the mound.

    A pending free agent, Ohtani had elbow surgery last week and was shut down for much of the season’s final month because of an oblique injury.

    Ohtani and nine others in the top 20 were born outside of the United States. They represent Canada, Curaçao, the Dominican Republic, Japan, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

    ___

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

    Source link

  • Red Sox say Tim Wakefield is in treatment, asks for privacy after illness outed by Schilling

    Red Sox say Tim Wakefield is in treatment, asks for privacy after illness outed by Schilling

    The Boston Red Sox say announcer and former knuckleballer Tim Wakefield is undergoing treatment for a disease they did not specify and asked for fans to respect his privacy after his illness was outed without his consent by ex-teammate Curt Schilling

    ByThe Associated Press

    September 28, 2023, 2:18 PM

    FILE – Former Boston Red Sox player Tim Wakefield looks on before the start of a baseball game between the Red Sox and Oakland Athletics at Fenway Park, Wednesday, June 15, 2022, in Boston. The Boston Red Sox say announcer and former knuckleballer Tim Wakefield is undergoing treatment for a disease they did not specify and asked for fans to respect his privacy after his illness was outed without his consent by ex-teammate Curt Schilling. The team issued a statement on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, after Schilling said on a podcast that Wakefield had brain cancer. The news led to an outpouring of support for Wakefield – and criticism of Schilling. Wakefield is 57. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm, File)

    The Associated Press

    BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox say announcer and former knuckleballer Tim Wakefield is undergoing treatment for a disease they did not specify and asked for fans to respect his privacy after his illness was outed without his consent by ex-teammate Curt Schilling.

    The team issued a statement on Thursday after Schilling said on a podcast that Wakefield had brain cancer, leading to an outpouring of support for Wakefield — and criticism of Schilling. The Red Sox noted that they were releasing the statement with the permission of Wakefield and his wife, Stacy.

    “Unfortunately, this information has been shared publicly without their permission,” the team said. “Their health is a deeply personal matter they intended to keep private as they navigate treatment and work to tackle this disease. Tim and Stacy are appreciative of the support and love that has always been extended to them and respectfully ask for privacy at this time.”

    Wakefield, 57, retired in 2012 with a 200-192 record and 4.41 ERA in more than 3,000 major league innings. He was a part of Boston’s 2004 and ’07 World Series championships and was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame in 2016.

    He has worked for NESN, the Red Sox broadcast network, since 2012 and remained active in Boston charities, including the Red Sox Foundation.

    Schilling, who was Wakefield’s teammate from 2004-07, retired in 2009. He worked as an ESPN analyst before he was fired in 2016 for anti-transgender social media posts. Other posts have expressed support for lynching journalists and the Jan. 6 insurrection. His video game company, 38 Studios, went bankrupt and defaulted on a $75 million loan from the state of Rhode Island.

    Schilling was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 and later said it was in remission. He was enshrined in the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2012, but he fell short of induction in the national baseball hall in 2022, his final year of eligibility, garnering 58.6% of the vote — far short of the 75% needed.

    ___

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

    Source link

  • Marlins rally in 9th inning to take 2-1 lead over Mets before rain causes suspension

    Marlins rally in 9th inning to take 2-1 lead over Mets before rain causes suspension

    NEW YORK — Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Yuri Gurriel had consecutive run-scoring hits in the ninth inning as Miami rallied to take a 2-1 lead over the New York Mets, but the game was suspended by rain at 12:58 a.m. after a 3-hour, 17-minute delay Thursday night.

    Miami moved into the third and final NL wild card spot when the Chicago Cubs lost at Atlanta.

    Miami (82-76) is a half-game ahead of the Cubs (82-77), who finish with three games at NL Central champion Milwaukee. The Marlins close with three games at Pittsburgh and would have to return to New York on Monday to complete the game against the Mets if it’s needed to determine a postseason spot.

    Miami holds the tiebreaker against the Cubs after winning the season series 4-2.

    The game would be resumed at the point of suspension if needed to determine a playoff berth. If the game isn’t needed to decide a postseason spot, the score would revert to a 1-0 Mets victory under 7.02 (b) (4) (A).

    San Diego (79-80) avoided elimination for another night because Miami couldn’t finalize a win.

    Rafael Ortega’s one-out RBI single in the eighth off Andrew Nardi put the Mets ahead.

    Bryan De La Cruz singled leading off the ninth against Grant Hartwig and Garrett Hampson struck out. Chisholm Jr. greeted Anthony Kay with a double and scored on Gurriel’s pinch-hit single. The game went into a rain delay with runners on first and second, and two outs in the top of the ninth.

    The Marlins ran themselves out of potential go-ahead rallies in the third, when Jon Berti was picked off in a 1-3-4-2-6 rundown, and the fifth, when a lengthy video review determined De La Cruz did not cross home plate before Xavier Edwards was tagged out after over-sliding second base on a potential inning-ending forceout.

    Marlins starter Jesús Luzardo allowed four hits, struck out 10 and walked one in 7 1/3 innings. His 208 strikeouts are the most for a Miami left-hander.

    David Peterson struck out eight in seven innings for the Mets, lowering his ERA to 5.03. He was demoted to Triple-A on May 16 with an 8.08 ERA but recorded a 3.38 ERA in his final 19 appearances following his recall June 26.

    THEY WEAR IT WELL

    Mets announcers Gary Cohen, Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez wore suits honoring the trio of Ralph Kiner, Bob Murphy and Lindsey Nelson, who were the team’s radio and TV broadcasters for the franchise’s first 17 seasons. Cohen, Darling and Hernandez are concluding their 18th season in the SNY booth.

    Cohen wore a checkerboard suit similar that evoked memories of the striped suit worn by Murphy. Hernandez wore a plaid suit, a la Nelson, while Darling sported a beige suit similar to the single-colored jacket worn by Kiner.

    TRAINER’S ROOM

    Marlins: RHP Tanner Scott returned from paternity leave, one day after his wife gave birth to a son. RHP Emmanuel De Jesus was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans. … INF Luis Arraez (left ankle), who leads the NL with a .353 average, took batting practice but didn’t play. … OF/DH Jorge Soler returned to the lineup as the DH after sitting out Wednesday’s second game with a sore side.

    Mets: CF Brandon Nimmo exited in the fifth inning, shortly after he dove while trying to catch Soler’s sinking liner. … IF/OF Jeff McNeil (left elbow) was placed on the injured list after an MRI revealed a slightly torn UCL. New York recalled IF Danny Mendick from Triple-A Syracuse. … RHP Denys Reyes was recalled from Syracuse and LHP Joey Lucchesi was optioned to the same affiliate.

    UP NEXT

    Marlins: Have yet to announce their pitching plans.

    Mets: With rain forecast, New York RHP Tylor Megill (8-8, 4.92 ERA) is slated to start Friday against a former teammate, Philadelphia RHP Taijuan Walker (15-5, 4.35 ERA).

    ___

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

    Source link

  • Analysis: It looks like it’ll take all 162 games to decide MLB’s postseason races

    Analysis: It looks like it’ll take all 162 games to decide MLB’s postseason races

    PHOENIX — It might take all 162 games to decide the playoff races in both the National League and American League.

    The epicenter of the wild-card chase this weekend is in Arizona at Chase Field. Thanks to some fortuitous interleague scheduling, the AL’s Houston Astros face the NL’s Arizona Diamondbacks in a three-game set crucial to races in both leagues.

    Defending champion Houston is fighting for a berth after a September swoon. The Diamondbacks — who have played better lately after their own second-half slide — are trying to make the postseason for the first time since 2017.

    “We know it’s right in front of us,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said after his team beat the White Sox on Wednesday. “We control our own destiny in this particular situation.”

    Here’s a look at some of the other series this weekend that will decide the postseason field:

    Rangers at Mariners: This is a big four-game set that actually began Thursday night, with both teams fighting for position in the AL West and the AL wild card race. The Rangers have played well over the past 1 1/2 weeks, opening a 2 1/2-game division lead. Texas probably is fine with a win or two in the series while Seattle might need to sweep.

    Rays at Blue Jays: The Rays have already secured their berth, though they could still catch the Orioles for the AL East title. The Blue Jays are fighting for an AL wild card spot and winning at least two of three against Tampa Bay would go a long way toward securing that goal.

    Cubs at Brewers: The Cubs just finished a tough series against Atlanta and have lost nine times in September in games in which they led. The NL Central-leading Brewers are locked into their playoff spot.

    Marlins at Pirates: The Marlins have been playing roughly .500 ball for the better part of a month. They’ll need a big weekend against the Pirates — possibly a sweep — to have a chance at making the postseason.

    Reds at Cardinals: The surprising Reds have been sliding some in recent weeks. They’ll likely need a sweep over the Cardinals to have much of a shot at sneaking into the postseason.

    The most intrigue still surrounds the NL Cy Young Award race, which has a handful of solid candidates in San Diego’s Blake Snell, Chicago’s Justin Steele, Arizona’s Zac Gallen and Atlanta’s Spencer Strider.

    Strider’s got a shot in his final start to become the majors only 20-game winner. Steele and Gallen will have one more chance to impress in the middle of the NL wild card race.

    Ronald Acuña Jr. recently created the 40-homer, 70-stolen base club after the Braves star became the first player to reach both those marks in the same season. With apologies to teammate Matt Olson and Dodgers standouts Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, he’s still the favorite for the National League MVP.

    Yankees star Gerrit Cole pitched a two-hit shutout against Toronto, clinching the AL ERA title and strengthening his Cy Young case.

    Miguel Cabrera hit his 511th homer on Wednesday.

    The 40-year-old is putting the finishing touches on a stellar career that includes two MVP awards, A Triple Crown, four batting titles, 12 All-Star appearances and a 2003 World Series title. There was a 13-year stretch from 2004-6 when he was one of the most feared hitters in baseball.

    All signs point to this being Cleveland manager Terry Francona’s final season in the dugout.

    The 64-year-old has been slowed by major health issues in recent years, but if this is it, there’s little doubt the personable, popular Francona has left a lasting imprint as a manager and one of the game’s most beloved figures.

    He won World Series titles with the Boston in 2004 and 2007 before guiding the Guardians over the past 11 years, which have included nine winning seasons.

    MLB has enjoyed a big boost in attendance this season, averaging roughly 29,000 fans per game going into the final weekend.

    That’s much better than 26,843 fans per game from 2022 and 18,901 in 2021 — which were both affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. No fans were allowed in parks during the 2020 regular season.

    But that doesn’t explain all of this year’s jump. The sport is poised to draw its most fans since 2017, when the average was just shy of 30,000. One popular hypothesis: The newly-introduced pitch clock has made the sport much more watchable, shaving more than 20 minutes off of games.

    ___

    AP Sports Writer Tom Withers in Cleveland contributed to this report.

    ___

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

    Source link

  • The Orioles have reached a deal with the state of Maryland keeping the team at Camden Yards for at least 30 years

    The Orioles have reached a deal with the state of Maryland keeping the team at Camden Yards for at least 30 years

    The Orioles have reached a deal with the state of Maryland keeping the team at Camden Yards for at least 30 years

    ByThe Associated Press

    September 28, 2023, 7:35 PM

    BALTIMORE — The Orioles have reached a deal with the state of Maryland keeping the team at Camden Yards for at least 30 years.

    Source link

  • The Phillies are again embracing ‘Dancing On My Own’ as their postseason party anthem

    The Phillies are again embracing ‘Dancing On My Own’ as their postseason party anthem

    PHILADELPHIA — Bryce Harper rushed to the field with his Phillies teammates Tuesday night, ready to kickstart another postseason clinching bash.

    But Harper — and all the Phillies — needed to hear the song to believe the playoff berth was real. Philadelphia had to play the anthem that shot to No. 1 on their 2022 postseason party playlist, only to get forced into a brief retirement.

    When the opening chords of the piano-led lyrics were heard over the sound system moments after the team clinched a wild-card spot, Phillies fans erupted in joy. Quickly, the melody transitioned into the powerful chorus, and the sing-along began in unison, from the 30,000 fans at Citizens Bank Park, down to the Phillies in their postseason sweatshirts jumping along on the infield.

    “I’m in the corner, watching you kiss her (Philly roars into the, ‘oh oh ohs’) I’m right over here, why can’t you see me? (raise a drink, repeat the ‘ohs’). And I’m giving it my all, I’m not the guy you’re taking home (‘ooh ooh ooh’). I keep dancing on my own.”

    Yes, “ Dancing on My Own,” a 2016 dance remix performed by a British reality show contestant improbably became the catchiest song of last season’s run to the World Series. And who doesn’t love a tune that is played on repeat? With the Phillies back in the playoffs, the song was dusted off and will get a second act in the 2023 postseason.

    “You have to,” Harper said Tuesday night inside a booze-soaked clubhouse. “You play for the Phillies, that song is going to be here.”

    How it got to Philly is a matter of some debate.

    Garrett Stubbs — the backup catcher-slash-team DJ-slash- overalls fashionista — simply said the Calum Scott song was a “banger” that needed to be added to the postgame playlist. Yes, while the Phillies keep their feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars, they celebrate victories with Stubbs’ songs that are found under his name and “ Phils Win ” on Spotify.

    (Current popular clubhouse faves curated by Stubbs include remixes of “Believe” and “Cold Heart” and “Love Tonight” by Shouse).

    Former Red Sox catcher Kevin Plawecki said on a podcast last winter that “Dancing” was a staple in Boston’s clubhouse, and slugger Kyle Schwarber took the song with him when he signed with the Phillies.

    No matter how the cover of a song originally performed by Swedish singer-songwriter Robyn landed in Philly, the song was an instant hit.

    That was, until it slid down the clubhouse charts.

    “Dancing” was last year’s rallying cry and — as some Phillies noted in spring training — a runner-up song after the Phillies fell to the Houston Astros in six games in the World Series.

    It was time for a new jam.

    “We’re done dancing on our own,” Stubbs declared on a spring training hype video, “cause we’re looking to dance on Broad Street.”

    Then the Phillies got off to a sluggish start. They were only 26-32 on June 3, and it was around that time the Phillies realized they needed a key addition to the lineup. Another bat? Nah. A late-inning reliever? Nope.

    The Phillies needed “Dancing.”

    So they unretired the song in June, playing it first around the batting cages, and the clubhouse as the good vibes returned, and now, at Citizens Bank Park as the soundtrack of postseason victories.

    Scott is thrilled to see his song back atop Philly’s ballpark charts.

    “I NEED TO SING FOR THE BOYS!!,” he posted Wednesday on X, formerly known as Twitter.

    Stubbs extended an invite to Scott after he homered in a 7-6 win over the Pirates on Wednesday night.

    “Tell him if we win the championship, he can come play for us,” Stubbs said.

    Of course, the charming part is this — no one actually dances alone in the clubhouse. The Phillies usually stomp around and spray beer and belt out off-key lyrics in a clubhouse that more resembles a late-night dance club.

    As they say after the final out, play the song!

    “I think the memories created with the song on the run we had was real,” outfielder Nick Castellanos said after the clincher. “I also think the city being able to be in on the song was also real. To be able to clinch and put it back on and have the city get just as excited as us means it’s real. And real is beautiful.”

    ___

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

    Source link

  • Cabrera hits 511th homer as Tigers lead Royals 4-0 in a game suspended until Thursday by rain

    Cabrera hits 511th homer as Tigers lead Royals 4-0 in a game suspended until Thursday by rain

    Miguel Cabrera hit his 511th home run to help the Detroit Tigers take a 4-0 lead in a game that was suspended by rain after four innings

    ByDAVE HOGG Associated Press

    September 27, 2023, 9:18 PM

    Kansas City Royals first baseman Salvador Perez, right, talks with Detroit Tigers designated hitter Miguel Cabrera, who had hit a single during the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

    The Associated Press

    DETROIT — Miguel Cabrera hit his 511th home run to help the Detroit Tigers take a 4-0 lead in a game that was suspended by rain after four innings on Wednesday night.

    Cabrera, who is retiring after the season ends this week, tied Mel Ott for 25th place all-time. It was Cabrera’s 378th homer for Detroit, tying Norm Cash for second place in franchise history behind Al Kaline’s 399.

    The game, which was delayed for 80 minutes, will be resumed Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m. before the scheduled series finale.

    Edward Olivares doubled to start the second, but Skubal struck out the next two batters and escaped the inning. The offense quickly rewarded him, as Cabrera led off the bottom of the inning with a line drive that would have hit the out-of-town scoreboard before this season’s renovations lowered the fence in right-centerfield.

    Cabrera singled in the fourth – his 3,170th hit – took second on Andy Ibanez’s double, and scored on Tyler Nevin’s pinch-hit three-run homer.

    Most of the game was played in light rain showers, but it grew heavier during the fourth inning. Crew chief Marvin Hudson called for the tarp after a lengthy attempt to get the field playable to start the fifth.

    UP NEXT

    RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long (1-0, 2.40) will start Thursday’s scheduled game against LHP Cole Ragans (7-4, 3.11).

    Source link

  • Brooks Robinson Appreciation: In Maryland in the 1960s, nobody was like No. 5

    Brooks Robinson Appreciation: In Maryland in the 1960s, nobody was like No. 5

    ROCKVILLE, Md. — Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson died Tuesday at the age of 86. Among his many fans in Maryland during his playing days was Ben Walker, a young left-hander who would go on to cover baseball for The Associated Press for more than 40 years. Walker retired in March, but he wrote this appreciation of Robinson for the AP from his childhood home after hearing the news.

    ___

    We still have a charmed patch of grass in our backyard, plucked from the very spot where Brooks made that play.

    Growing up in Maryland in the 1960s, Brooks Robinson was a god. Every kid wanted to wear his No. 5. Even us lefties tried to play third base like him.

    We imitated his aw-shucks Arkansas twang. We copied his relaxed, shoulders-bouncing jog off the field. If we could’ve worn a short-brimmed batting helmet like he did, we would’ve.

    I was in fourth grade in 1966 when Mrs. Rogers gave our class a project to teach us how the post office worked. We were supposed to write a letter to someone and have them write back. Most students wrote to their grandparents or a classmate.

    But I wrote to my beloved Baltimore Orioles, asking for Brooks Robinson’s autograph.

    Understandably, I didn’t get anything back. So a few weeks later, my mom wrote to the team president, explaining that her son was in danger of getting a failing grade. She also added that I was a promising, 8-year-old pitcher and would never play for the Orioles if they didn’t at least write back saying they got my letter.

    Within days, a large envelope came to our mailbox in Rockville. Inside, a beautiful glossy picture of Brooksie with this signature: To Benjy. Good Luck. Brooks Robinson.

    I have it in a frame now, a cherished part of my childhood.

    That 1966 season was magical. We’d go hours early to Memorial Stadium to watch infield practice, mesmerized as Brooks made perfect throw after perfect throw to big Boog Powell at first base.

    Boosted by the great Frank Robinson, the elegant Paul Blair and the smooth Jim Palmer, the Orioles won their first World Series championship. The famed picture of Brooks leaping across the diamond toward Dave McNally after the final out of sweeping the Dodgers, Brooks’ sheer exhilaration, we all wanted to be him that October afternoon.

    Five decades after I moved away from Maryland, my mom has preserved the door to my boyhood bedroom. It is covered with sports decals from back then and features a “Year of the Bird” sticker from that year. My friend KG, she calls it “the shrine” — I kind of feel that way now, with Brooks gone.

    In the 1970 World Series, the whole baseball world got to see what we’d been watching for years in Baltimore.

    My dad took me out of school to go to the clinching Game 5 against Cincinnati. We moved down from the upper deck in the late innings with the Orioles way ahead. We were sitting behind Baltimore’s third base dugout when Brooks cemented his MVP performance by making a diving, backhanded catch on a liner by Johnny Bench.

    Moments later, it was over and fans rushed onto the field to celebrate. My dad gave me an approving nod. Go ahead.

    So I ran out there, too. And I had my spot picked out — I went to the edge of the grass near where Brooks landed in foul territory after thwarting Bench, and pulled up a small plot of sod.

    That night, we planted it in the backyard, near an oak tree. I wish I could say it was the shiniest, frothiest, greenest piece of grass of all time. It wasn’t. That didn’t matter, it was where Brooks had been.

    I’m sure the remnants of the original sprouts are long gone. But we still point toward the spot, knowing the legacy of Brooks and certain our appreciation for what he meant will grow there forever.

    Parents in the neighborhood often praised Brooks as much for his humility as his home runs. I saw that first-hand in 1983 when I was preparing to cover his first-ballot induction into the Hall of Fame.

    I called him to arrange a phone interview and naturally told him I’d grown up cheering for him. Brooks said if it was easier, we could talk in person. He’d be at a Crown gas station in suburban Baltimore that weekend — he did promotional work for the company — and invited me down from New York to join him.

    For an hour that Saturday, he sat under the blazing sun in a beach chair between the gas pumps, no handlers around him. Signing autographs, shaking hands and telling stories, he didn’t give off a single sign of being such a huge, revered star.

    The only hint came in the way people approached him, as if they were greeting the Pope. It took all of about 3 seconds for Brooks to even the playing field, making them feel as if they were chatting with their next-door neighbor.

    Without a doubt, he was the nicest, kindest ballplayer I ever met.

    A few days ago, I was playing pickup softball in Central Park. Standing at third base during batting practice, a guy hit a hot shot at me and I dodged out of the way, not wanting to get zinged.

    “You’re no Brooks Robinson!” an old-timer playfully shouted.

    That’s for sure. On and off the field, there was only one Brooks Robinson.

    ___

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

    Source link

  • George Kirby twirls 6 shutout innings, Mariners snap 4-game losing streak beating Houston 6-2

    George Kirby twirls 6 shutout innings, Mariners snap 4-game losing streak beating Houston 6-2

    SEATTLE — George Kirby embraced the situation facing the Seattle Mariners. It wasn’t a must-win for their playoff hopes. But it was close.

    “I love it. Big games, I always want the ball. I love pitching against the Astros and it fires you up a little more,” Kirby said.

    Kirby escaped an early bases loaded jam to throw six shutout innings, Seattle took advantage of three Houston errors, and the Mariners snapped a four-game losing streak with a 6-2 win over the Astros on Tuesday night.

    Seattle pulled within a half-game of Houston for the final wild card spot in the American League and trails Toronto by two games after the Blue Jays lost at home to the Yankees. The Mariners also gained a game on Texas in the AL West after the Rangers lost to the Angels.

    “It really makes it interesting tomorrow night and that’s the way it’s going to be down the stretch here,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “We’ve got to come out tomorrow with the same kind of fire in our belly, because it was there today.”

    Houston didn’t help its cause matching a season-high with the three errors, two of which directly led to runs. Jose Altuve’s errant relay throw in the third inning allowed Mike Ford to score. In the fifth, Kyle Tucker’s throw from right field skipped away from third baseman Alex Bregman and into the Houston dugout allowing Julio Rodríguez to score.

    “We didn’t play real well tonight. Kind of threw the ball around and then we didn’t back up the bases a couple times, so we didn’t play well tonight,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said.

    Seattle also got a sacrifice fly from Rodríguez, and RBI singles from Cal Raleigh and Teoscar Hernández as the Mariners played with a lead for the first time in nearly a week. During its four-game losing streak, Seattle held the lead for only one half-inning.

    Ty France homered for the first time since Aug. 15 with a solo shot in the eighth.

    But Kirby (12-10) was the story for Seattle on a night the Mariners needed their young righty at his best.

    “When you have the lead and you have George on the mound you feel really comfortable,” Hernández said.

    Kirby allowed five hits and struck out four, but it was his escape act in the first inning that set the tone. Houston loaded the bases with one out, but Altuve was thrown out at home on José Abreu’s grounder and Yainer Diaz grounded out to shortstop J.P. Crawford to end the threat.

    From there, Kirby cruised. He retired 13 straight before Jeremy Peña’s one-out single in the fifth. Peña was quickly retired after Raleigh threw out his 12th steal attempt in the month of September. Raleigh has caught 24 runners trying to steal this season, most in the majors.

    Kirby has won his last two starts after a rough start to September.

    “You just got to keep trusting your stuff and I’m not going to stray away from keep attacking the zone,” Kirby said. “I did a really good job of that tonight and sometimes you get rewarded for it.”

    Houston starter Cristian Javier (9-5) didn’t make it through the fifth inning. Javier had to throw 34 pitches to get through the third inning and was lifted in the fifth after a single by Josh Rojas and a walk to Rodríguez.

    Reliever Rafael Montero didn’t fare better, allowing all four batters he faced to reach. Raleigh’s single scored Rojas and Tucker’s throwing error let Rodríguez jog home. Raleigh scored on Hernández’s single.

    Houston threatened in the seventh inning and Jon Singleton’s sacrifice fly with the bases loaded scored one run. But Matt Brash struck out Altuve and got a ground ball from Bregman to end the inning.

    SCARY MOMENT

    There was an unexpected moment of anxiousness for Kirby in the sixth inning after a foul ball hit into the stands behind the third base dugout was thrown back by a fan and grazed the pitcher. Kirby was looking toward home plate and asking for a new ball from the umpire.

    The ball rolled over to first baseman Ty France, who threw it out of play.

    “It was an impressive throw. I’ll give him that,” Kirby said. “But, you know, what the heck?”

    The fan was quickly identified by stadium officials and escorted from their seat.

    UP NEXT

    Astros: LH Framber Valdez (12-11, 3.39) has struck out 10 batters in two of his past three starts but lost both of those outings. Valdez gave up six earned runs in 5 1/3 innings in his last start against Kansas City.

    Mariners: RHP Bryce Miller (8-6, 4.17) makes what could be his final start of the regular season. Miller has lost his last two decisions and Seattle has lost the last four games Miller has started. Miller was tagged for six runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings in his last start against Texas.

    ___

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

    Source link

  • Matt Wallner hits grand slam to help Twins beat A’s 11-3

    Matt Wallner hits grand slam to help Twins beat A’s 11-3

    MINNEAPOLIS — Matt Wallner hit a grand slam in a five-run first inning, Alex Kirilloff added a two-run homer and the Minnesota Twins beat the Oakland Athletics 11-3 on a cold and drizzly night Tuesday night.

    Wallner’s second career grand slam went an estimated 463 feet high into the right-field seats, the 13th homer of his rookie season, off Oakland starter Paul Blackburn.

    Christian Vázquez added a three-run double for Minnesota, the AL Central champion that started its final home series of the regular season against the lowly Athletics.

    Bailey Ober (8-6) pitched the first five innings to earn the win for the Twins, who are using the final week of the season to set up their pitching for the playoffs. Chris Paddack pitched behind Ober, making his first major league appearance since May 8, 2022, after undergoing a second Tommy John surgery.

    Brock Stewart also made his return to the mound for Minnesota after missing 77 games with right elbow soreness.

    Ober allowed two hits and faced just one over the minimum in his five innings. Paddack allowed a single to his first batter before striking out three in a row. But the right-hander gave up three runs, including a two-run homer to Seth Brown in his second inning of work.

    Stewart, who became an important piece of the bullpen in the middle of the summer, allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth. He said he dealt with a pronator strain and some nerve issues but is better and is hopeful to be back in the bullpen for the postseason.

    Blackburn (4-7) gave up five earned runs in three innings for Oakland. He allowed a single to Donovan Solano with two outs in the first before walking three straight batters.

    Blackburn had thrown eight straight pitches out of the strike zone at one point. Wallner followed by sending a 3-1 pitch for the Twins’ seventh grand slam of the season.

    Jordan Diaz added an RBI double in the seventh for the Athletics, who have lost 10 of their past 12.

    TRAINER’S ROOM

    Athletics: OF JJ Bleday was reinstated from the injured list after recovering from a sprained left knee. INF Kevin Smith was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas.

    Twins: Stewart was activated from the injured list and the team designated RHP Dylan Floro for assignment. … Manager Rocco Baldelli said SS Carlos Correa (plantar fasciitis) could potentially be activated from the injured list and play in the final series of the regular season at Colorado.

    UP NEXT

    RHP Pablo López (11-8, 3.61 ERA) will make his final start of the regular season before he starts the first game of the playoffs for Minnesota. Oakland will have RHP Joey Estes (0-1. 9.64) make his second career start. He gave up five earned runs in 4 2/3 innings in his debut last week against Seattle. López started the day second in the AL in strikeouts with 228, four behind Toronto’s Kevin Gausman.

    ___

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

    Source link

  • Shohei Ohtani headlines majors’ soon-to-be free agents, and there’s a sizable gap to the next name

    Shohei Ohtani headlines majors’ soon-to-be free agents, and there’s a sizable gap to the next name

    CHICAGO — There is Shohei Ohtani, and then there is the rest of baseball’s soon-to-be free agents.

    With the season winding down and the playoffs coming up, it’s almost time for major league teams to go shopping once again. And there is one player that is sure to dominate the conversation until he makes a decision.

    It looks as if Ohtani is going to the open market after another stellar season with the Los Angeles Angels. The Japanese slugger is the favorite for the AL MVP award after batting .304 with 44 homers, 95 RBIs, eight triples and 20 steals. The right-hander also went 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA in 23 starts on the mound.

    The questions surrounding Ohtani’s free agency once centered on the money and length of a contract that could set multiple financial records for the sport, and exactly which teams might be willing to go into that territory to secure his services.

    Those questions remain, but the situation has grown more complicated than it was as late as the All-Star break.

    Ohtani tore a ligament in his elbow on Aug. 23 at Cincinnati, ending his pitching season. He remained in the Angels’ lineup as the designated hitter until he was shut down because of an oblique injury in early September.

    Ohtani, who doesn’t turn 30 until July, had elbow surgery last week and will not pitch next season. The elbow injury, especially considering Ohtani had Tommy John surgery in 2018, raises questions about just how effective he might be as a pitcher moving forward.

    That will all figure into the calculus for Ohtani’s potential suitors, along with the other possibilities. Here’s a closer look at a couple more of baseball’s best potential free agents:

    Bellinger also was a free agent in 2022. This time figures to be a little different.

    After battling injuries during his final years with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Bellinger returned to form with the Chicago Cubs. The 2019 NL MVP was batting .305 with 26 homers, 95 RBIs and 20 steals heading into Tuesday night’s game at Atlanta.

    Belllinger just turned 28 in July, and he figures to do quite well for himself after playing this season on a $17.5 million, one-year contract. He likes Wrigley Field and the Cubs have the money and desire to bring him back, but he likely will have several enticing options.

    Snell has been a bright spot in a disappointing season for San Diego. The lefty, who turns 31 in December, is 14-9 with a major league-low 2.25 ERA in 32 starts. He also has 234 strikeouts in 180 innings.

    He won the 2018 AL Cy Young Award with Tampa Bay, and he is the front-runner for the NL honor this year. Snell has a 1.20 ERA over his last 23 starts, joining Bob Gibson (0.85 ERA) in 1968 as the only players with an ERA of 1.20 or lower over a 23-start stretch in a single season since 1920, according to STATS.

    Snell is finishing a $50 million, five-year contract from March 2019, and he almost assuredly will do better than that deal on the open market.

    With Philadelphia on its way to an NL wild card, the 30-year-old Nola could strengthen his case for a big-money deal with a strong performance in the playoffs. He has a 4.57 ERA going into Tuesday night’s start against Pittsburgh; he had a 4.63 ERA in 2021 and a 4.78 ERA in 2016 in his only other years in that vicinity.

    Nola’s best attribute is his durability. He has totaled at least 30 starts and 180 innings in five different seasons, including each of the last three years. That type of track record will be appealing for any contender looking to reinforce a developing rotation.

    Craig Kimbrel and Aroldis Chapman are on their way to free agency as well, but the best closer on the market is Hader, who turns 30 in April.

    Hader has a 1.19 ERA and 31 saves in 36 opportunities for San Diego this season. The five-time All-Star also has 81 strikeouts in 53 innings. He could command a record-breaking contract for a reliever.

    There are several contract options and opt-out clauses that could change the market, but it’s looking pretty light when it comes to free agent infielders.

    Chapman might be the best possibility when it comes to infield help. The three-time Gold Glove winner is batting .241 with 15 homers and 52 RBIs in 135 games for Toronto this season. He is a .240 career hitter with 153 homers and 424 RBIs in seven years in the majors.

    Rangers lefty Jordan Montgomery has been excellent since a midseason trade from St. Louis. He’s 10-11 with a 3.25 ERA over 182 2/3 innings this season overall and will turn 31 during the offseason. … Sonny Gray turns 34 in November but has had one of the best seasons of his career with Minnesota, going 8-8 with a 2.80 ERA. … Jeimer Candelario will be a free agent for the second straight offseason, but this time, the 29-year-old infielder could get a multiyear deal after hitting .253 with 21 homers while playing above-average defense at third base.

    ___

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

    Source link

  • Braves reach 100 wins again, beat Nationals 8-5 behind Strider to secure doubleheader split

    Braves reach 100 wins again, beat Nationals 8-5 behind Strider to secure doubleheader split

    WASHINGTON — Spencer Strider earned his major league-leading 19th win and the Atlanta Braves got their 100th victory of the season Sunday night by defeating the Washington Nationals 8-5 for a doubleheader split.

    Kevin Pillar and Forrest Wall homered, and Orlando Arcia drove in three runs for Atlanta (100-56), which has won 100 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2002-03.

    “It’s unbelievable,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “It’s hard to do. I think it’s quite an accomplishment anytime you can win 100 games. A lot of things we’re doing are really hard. It’s taken the whole room in there, that’s for sure, to make something like that happen.”

    Luis García and Lane Thomas homered for last-place Washington, which dropped three of four in the series and has lost nine of 13 overall.

    In the opener, rookie Jackson Rutledge earned his first major league victory as the Nationals won 3-2.

    Strider (19-5) pitched 5 2/3 innings and yielded four runs on seven hits, including García’s solo shot in the sixth. The right-hander struck out four to give him 274 for the year, two shy of John Smoltz’s 1996 single-season modern franchise record.

    “We executed some pitches and they hit them, and we didn’t execute some pitches and they hit them,” Strider said. “I wasn’t very good. I need to be better, and I have one more start to tune it up.”

    Washington scored three runs in the third inning off Strider when Keibert Ruiz hit a two-run double and scored on García’s single two batters later.

    Atlanta quickly erased the deficit. Matt Olson and Arcia hit RBI doubles in the fourth against Nationals starter Joan Adon (2-4), with Arcia coming around on Pillar’s drive to left.

    Adon gave up four runs and struck out five in 4 2/3 innings.

    Wall’s two-run shot to right off Jose A. Ferrer in the sixth made it 6-3. It was his first big league home run. Arcia added a two-run single in the seventh.

    Thomas lifted his 27th home run of the season to left off Raisel Iglesias in the ninth.

    In the first game, Rutledge (1-1) allowed a run over five innings in his third career start while combining with three relievers on a six-hitter.

    “It just tells me that I belong here, that I can do it against one of the best records in baseball, one of the best lineups in baseball,” Rutledge said. “That I’m able to have success, it gives me confidence going forward.”

    Jacob Young had two RBIs for Washington.

    Sean Murphy hit a broken-bat home run in the ninth off Kyle Finnegan, who then retired Eddie Rosario for his 27th save.

    Allan Winans (1-2), recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett, allowed two runs and seven hits in five innings. He struck out six in his fifth start for the Braves.

    Kyle Wright, who led the majors with 21 wins last season but has been limited to seven starts this year because of shoulder issues, allowed a run over three innings in his first relief appearance since 2019.

    “I still believe in myself,” Wright said. “I know the results have been a little tough, but I was really happy with the way I threw the ball today. I thought the command was pretty good and I executed in general, for the most part.”

    The second game was a makeup of Saturday’s rainout.

    TRAINER’S ROOM

    Braves: Placed RHP Charlie Morton on the 15-day injured list. Morton left his start Friday after one inning with right index finger inflammation. “It’s just going to be one of those things where he’s going to miss the Division Series and hopefully we can advance and have him ready for the LCS,” Snitker said.

    THOMAS JOINS 20-20 CLUB

    Thomas stole his 20th base in the third inning of the second game, becoming the fourth Nationals player to hit 20 homers and steal 20 bases in a season since the club moved to Washington in 2005 — and the first since Bryce Harper in 2016. Ian Desmond (three times) and Alfonso Soriano also did it.

    TAKING ATTENDANCE

    Washington’s attendance for the season was 1,865,832, down 7.9% from last year’s total of 2,026,401. It is the lowest season attendance for the Nationals in a year without pandemic restrictions since the club drew 1,828,066 in 2010.

    UP NEXT

    Braves: After Monday’s off day, RHP Bryce Elder (12-4, 3.63 ERA) starts Tuesday as Atlanta returns home to start a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs.

    Nationals: Washington is also off Monday. The Nationals had not announced pitching plans for Tuesday’s opener of a two-game series at Baltimore.

    ___

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

    Source link