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Tag: Professional baseball

  • Rays plan return to Tropicana Field after hurricane repairs

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays are heading home.

    The team announced Wednesday it will return to an updated Tropicana Field for the 2026 season after playing its entire 2025 home schedule at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa while damage to the Trop caused by Hurricane Milton in October 2024 was repaired.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Rays announced Wednesday it will return to an updated Tropicana Field for the 2026 season

    • Repairs to the stadium’s roof and other internal areas are ongoing

    • Rays are planning to play their home opener against the Chicago Cubs on April 6 after starting the season on the road 
    • 2026 Single-game tickets go on sale Thursday

    “We are excited to return home to Tropicana Field in April and to once again join our fans and neighboring businesses in downtown St. Petersburg in celebrating the return of Rays baseball,” team CEO Ken Babby said in a statement.

    Repairs to the stadium’s roof and other internal areas are ongoing, and the Rays are planning to play their home opener against the Chicago Cubs on April 6 after starting the season on the road.

    The team announced several new ticket options that go on sale Thursday, as well as ballpark upgrades including an expanded main videoboard, new video displays behind home plate and along both foul poles, a new sound system and updated suite interiors.

    The club is planning events to celebrate former Rays third baseman Evan Longoria to commemorate his time with the franchise, including induction into the team hall of fame.

    The Rays finished with a 41-40 record at Steinbrenner Field, the spring training home of the New York Yankees, and sold out 61 of 81 games while drawing 786,750 fans. Playing home games in an open-air ballpark for the first time, the Rays experienced 17 rains delays over 16 games for a total of 17 hours, 47 minutes.

    Tropicana Field’s roof was torn to shreds by Hurricane Milton. The stadium that opened in 1990 featured what the team called the world’s largest cable-supported domed roof, with the panels made of “translucent, Teflon-coated fiberglass” supported by 180 miles of cables connected by struts.

    The team has new owners, who are starting a search for a new ballpark that could open in 2029.

    The Rays have struggled with poor attendance at the Trop, although they have at times been successful on the field with World Series appearances in 2008 and 2020.

    Tampa Bay went 77-85 this year and missed the playoffs.

    The team also announced infielder Bob Seymour has been released to pursue a playing opportunity in Asia, and left-hander Nate Lavender was returned to the New York Mets after clearing outright waivers.

    Associated Press

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  • Dodgers beat Blue Jays, 5-4, in Game 7 of World Series

    TORONTO — Will Smith homered in the 11th inning after Miguel Rojas connected for a tying drive in the ninth, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in Game 7 Saturday night to become the first team in a quarter century to win consecutive World Series titles..

    What You Need To Know

    • Los Angeles overcame 3-0 and 4-2 deficits and escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth to become the first repeat champion since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees, and the first from the National League since the 1975 and ’76 Cincinnati Reds

    • Smith hit a 2-0 slider off Shane Bieber into the Blue Jays’ bullpen in left, giving the Dodgers their first lead of the night

    • Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who threw 96 pitches in the Dodgers’ win on Friday, escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth and threw 43 pitches over 2 2/3 innings for his third win of the Series.

    • Visiting teams had won four straight Game 7s dating to 2014 after home teams won nine in a row from 1982 to 2011



    Los Angeles overcame 3-0 and 4-2 deficits and escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth to become the first repeat champion since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees, and the first from the National League since the 1975 and ’76 Cincinnati Reds.

    Smith hit a 2-0 slider off Shane Bieber into the Blue Jays’ bullpen in left, giving the Dodgers their first lead of the night.

    “You dream of those moments, you know, extra innings, put your team ahead — I’ll remember that forever,” Smith said.

    Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who threw 96 pitches in the Dodgers’ win on Friday, escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth and threw 43 pitches over 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 hit a broken-bat grounder to shortstop Mookie Betts, who started a title-winning 6-4-3 double play that ended baseball’s 150th major league season, the first that began and ended outside the United States.

    Los Angeles used all four of its postseason starting pitchers, with Yamamoto joined by Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell.

    “We’ve got a special group of guys, man,” Smith said. “We just never gave up. … Oh man, that was a fight, for seven games.”

    With their ninth championship 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.

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

    Los Angeles 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 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 slumping Dodgers’ 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 Snell, and Los Angeles turned to Yamamoto.

    He hit 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 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. Guerrero fielded a grounder to the right side and 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 memorable matchup included the World Series’ first pinch-hit grand slam, the first complete game in a decade, an 18-inning Game 3 featuring Ohtani reaching base nine times, six outs on the bases and Freddie Freeman becoming the first to hit two walk-off homers, the first back-to-back homers opening a game, a 22-year-old striking out a rookie record with 12 just six weeks after his debut and the first game-ending double play in which an outfielder had a putout or assist.

    Visiting teams had won four straight Game 7s dating to 2014 after home teams won nine in a row from 1982 to 2011.

    Emotions were high, with benches and bullpens clearing when Giménez was hit on the right hand by a 96.4 mph fastball from Dodgers reliever Justin Wrobleski in the fourth. No punches were thrown.

    Ohtani was given extended time after ending the top of the first on base and making the final out of the third, causing the between-innings break to reach 4 1/2 minutes.

    Associated Press

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  • Ramírez passes Thome on Cleveland RBIs list as Guardians beat Rays 2-1

    By  KRISTIE ACKERT

    TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — José Ramírez passed Jim Thome to move into sole possession of second place on the Cleveland’s career RBIs list, helping the Guardians to a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 Sunday in a game with wild-card race implications.

    Ramírez hit a tying triple in the two-run sixth off Garrett Cleavinger (1-5) for his 938th RBI and trails only Earl Averill’s 1,084.

    Gabriel Arias had an RBI single later in the inning against Kevin Kelly that scored David Fry, who slid home headfirst just ahead of right fielder Josh Lowe’s throw.

    Cleavinger entered to start the sixth with a 20-inning scoreless streak, the active major league high. The run was the first he allowed since July 5.

    Cleveland (72-70) won the last three games of the four-game series and moved ahead of the Rays (71-72). Seattle (75-68) leads for the third and final wild card.

    The game drew 8,155, the 16th time in 74 home games the Rays did not sell out 10,046-capacity Steinbrenner Field.

    Left-hander Parker Messick (2-0), a 24-year-old left-hander making his fourth major league start, allowed one run and eight hits in six innings with four strikeouts and no walks. Messick is from Plant City, less than 30 miles away, and was pitching before family and friends .

    Rays rookie Carson Williams homered in the fifth on a fastball, ending an 0-for-12 slide.

    Cade Smith struck out the side in the ninth for his 11th save in 16 chances.

    Key Moment

    Brandon Lowe’s first-inning, two-out fly ball landed on the right-field warning track behind George Valera and Junior Caminero, who started on first, failed to run hard and only reached first. Caminero was stranded when Christopher Morel flied out.

    Key Stat

    Rays starter Drew Rasmussen was removed after 82 pitches over five scoreless innings.

    Up Next

    Guardians: RHP Slade Cecconi (5-6, 4.78) starts a homestand opener against Kansas City and RHP Ryan Bergert (2-1, 2.61).

    Rays: Have not said who will start Tuesday’s series opener at the Chicago White Sox.

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

    Associated Press

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  • Davey Johnson, who managed Mets to title, dies at 82

    Davey Johnson, an All-Star second baseman who won the World Series twice with the Baltimore Orioles as a player and managed the New York Mets to the title in 1986 has died. He was 82.

    Longtime Mets public relations representative Jay Horwitz said Johnson’s wife informed him of his death after a long illness. Johnson was at a hospital in Sarasota, Florida, when he died.

    Johnson played 13 major league seasons with Baltimore, Atlanta, Philadelphia and the Chicago Chicago Cubs from 1965-78 and won the Gold Glove three times. He managed the Mets, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers and the Washington Nationals during a span from 1984-2013.

    Associated Press

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  • Dodgers beat Yankees, win 2024 World Series

    Dodgers beat Yankees, win 2024 World Series

    NEW YORK — The Los Angeles Dodgers won their second World Series championship in five seasons, overcoming a five-run deficit with the help of three Yankees defensive miscues and rallying on sacrifice flies from Gavin Lux and Mookie Betts in the eighth inning to beat New York 7-6 in Game 5 on Wednesday night.

    What You Need To Know

    • Dave Roberts won his second championship in nine seasons as manager as the Dodgers, matching Lasorda and trailing the four of Walter Alston

    • The Dodgers won for the fourth time in 12 Series meetings with the Yankees

    • New York remained without a title since winning its record 27th in 2009

    • The Dodgers earned their eighth championship and seventh since leaving Brooklyn for Los Angeles — their first in a non-shortened season since 1988

    Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning, Alex Verdugo’s RBI single chased Jack Flaherty in the second and Giancarlo Stanton’s third-inning homer against Ryan Brasier built a 5-0 Yankees lead.

    But errors by Judge in center and Anthony Volpe at shortstop, combined with pitcher Gerrit Cole failing to cover first on Betts’ grounder, helped Los Angeles score five unearned runs in the fifth.

    After Stanton’s sixth-inning sacrifice fly put the Yankees back ahead 6-5, the Dodgers loaded the bases against loser Tommy Kahnle in the eighth before the sacrifice flies off Luke Weaver.

    Winner Blake Treinen escaped a two-on, one-out jam in the bottom half by retiring Stanton on a flyout and striking out Anthony Rizzo.

    Walker Buehler, making his first relief appearance since his rookie season in 2018, pitched a perfect ninth for his first major league save.

    “We’re obviously resilient, but there’s so much love in the clubhouse that won this game today,” Betts said. “That’s what it was. It was love, it was grit. I mean, it was just a beautiful thing. I’m just proud of us and I’m happy for us.”

    When Buehler struck out Verdugo to end the game, the Dodgers poured onto the field to celebrate between the mound and first base, capping a season in which they won 98 games and finished with the best regular-season record.

    “There’s just a lot of ways we can win baseball games,” Buehler said. “Obviously the superstars we have on our team and the discipline, it just kind of all adds up.”

    Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers’ record-setting $700 million signing and baseball’s first 50-homer, 50-steal player, went 2 for 19 with no RBIs and had one single after separating his shoulder during a stolen base attempt in Game 2.

    Freddie Freeman hit a two-run single to tie the Series record of 12 RBIs, set by Bobby Richardson over seven games in 1960. With the Dodgers one out from losing Friday’s opener, Freeman hit a game-ending grand slam reminiscent of Kirk Gibson’s homer off Oakland’s Dennis Eckersley in 1988’s Game 1 that sparked Los Angeles to the title.

    The Dodgers earned their eighth championship and seventh since leaving Brooklyn for Los Angeles — their first in a non-shortened season since 1988. They won a neutral-site World Series against Tampa Bay in 2020 after a 60-game regular season and couldn’t have a parade because of the coronavirus pandemic.

    These Dodgers of Ohtani, Freeman & Betts joined the 1955 Duke Snider and Roy Campanella Boys of Summer, the Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale era that spanned the three titles from 1959-65, the Tommy Lasorda-led groups 1981 and ’88 and the Betts and Clayton Kershaw champions of 2020.

    Dave Roberts won his second championship in nine seasons as manager as the Dodgers, matching Lasorda and trailing the four of Walter Alston. The Dodgers won for the fourth time in 12 Series meetings with the Yankees.

    New York remained without a title since winning its record 27th in 2009. The Yankees acquired Juan Soto from San Diego in December knowing he would be eligible for free agency after the 2024 Series. The 26-year-old star went 5 for 16 one RBI in the Series heading into intensely followed bidding on the open market.

    Judge finished 4 for 18 with three RBIs.

    Cole didn’t allow a hit until Kiké Hernández singled leading off the fifth. Judge, who an inning earlier made a leaping catch at the wall to deny Freeman an extra-base hit, dropped Tommy Edman’s fly to center. Shortstop Anthony Volpe then bounced a throw to third on Will Smith’s grounder, allowing the Dodgers to load the bases with no outs.

    Cole struck out Lux and Ohtani, and Betts hit a grounder to Rizzo. Cole didn’t cover first, pointing at Rizzo to run to the bag as Betts outraced the first baseman.

    Freeman followed with a two-run single and Teoscar Hernández hit a tying two-run double. Max Muncy walked before Kiké Hernández grounded into a forceout on Cole’s 48th pitch of the inning.

    “We just take advantage of every mistake they made in that inning,” Teoscar Hernández said. “We put some good at-bats together. We put the ball in play.”

    Stanton’s sixth-inning sacrifice fly off Brusdar Graterol put the Yankees ahead 6-5, but the Dodgers rallied one last time in the eighth.

    Kiké Hernández singled off Tommy Kahnle leading off. Edman followed with an infield hit and Smith walked on four pitches. Lux’s sacrifice fly off Luke Weaver tied the score. Ohtani reached on catcher’s interference and Betts followed with another sacrifice fly to give the Dodgers their first lead.

    Purchased by Guggenheim Baseball Management in 2012, the Dodgers hired Andrew Friedman from Tampa Bay to head their baseball operations two years later. He boosted the front office with a multitude of analytics and performance science staff, and ownership supplied the cash.

    Los Angeles went on an unprecedented $1.25 billion spending spree last offseason on deals with Ohtani, pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and James Paxton, and outfielder Teoscar Hernández. Much of the money was future obligations that raised the Dodgers’ deferred compensation to $915.5 million owed from 2028-44.

    Faced with injuries, the Dodgers acquired Flaherty, Edman and reliever Michael Kopech ahead of the trade deadline, and all became important cogs in the title run. The additions boosted payroll to $266 million, third behind the Mets and the Yankees, plus a projected $43 million luxury tax.

    Up next

    Los Angeles opens its spring schedule on Feb. 20 against the Chicago Cubs at Camelback Ranch, and the Yankees start the next day against Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida.

    Associated Press

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  • Dodgers beat Yankees, win 2024 World Series

    Dodgers beat Yankees, win 2024 World Series

    NEW YORK — The Los Angeles Dodgers won their second World Series championship in five seasons, overcoming a five-run deficit with the help of three Yankees defensive miscues and rallying on sacrifice flies from Gavin Lux and Mookie Betts in the eighth inning to beat New York 7-6 in Game 5 on Wednesday night.

    What You Need To Know

    • Dave Roberts won his second championship in nine seasons as manager as the Dodgers, matching Lasorda and trailing the four of Walter Alston

    • The Dodgers won for the fourth time in 12 Series meetings with the Yankees

    • New York remained without a title since winning its record 27th in 2009

    • The Dodgers earned their eighth championship and seventh since leaving Brooklyn for Los Angeles — their first in a non-shortened season since 1988

    Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning, Alex Verdugo’s RBI single chased Jack Flaherty in the second and Giancarlo Stanton’s third-inning homer against Ryan Brasier built a 5-0 Yankees lead.

    But errors by Judge in center and Anthony Volpe at shortstop, combined with pitcher Gerrit Cole failing to cover first on Betts’ grounder, helped Los Angeles score five unearned runs in the fifth.

    After Stanton’s sixth-inning sacrifice fly put the Yankees back ahead 6-5, the Dodgers loaded the bases against loser Tommy Kahnle in the eighth before the sacrifice flies off Luke Weaver.

    Winner Blake Treinen escaped a two-on, one-out jam in the bottom half by retiring Stanton on a flyout and striking out Anthony Rizzo.

    Walker Buehler, making his first relief appearance since his rookie season in 2018, pitched a perfect ninth for his first major league save.

    “We’re obviously resilient, but there’s so much love in the clubhouse that won this game today,” Betts said. “That’s what it was. It was love, it was grit. I mean, it was just a beautiful thing. I’m just proud of us and I’m happy for us.”

    When Buehler struck out Verdugo to end the game, the Dodgers poured onto the field to celebrate between the mound and first base, capping a season in which they won 98 games and finished with the best regular-season record.

    “There’s just a lot of ways we can win baseball games,” Buehler said. “Obviously the superstars we have on our team and the discipline, it just kind of all adds up.”

    Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers’ record-setting $700 million signing and baseball’s first 50-homer, 50-steal player, went 2 for 19 with no RBIs and had one single after separating his shoulder during a stolen base attempt in Game 2.

    Freddie Freeman hit a two-run single to tie the Series record of 12 RBIs, set by Bobby Richardson over seven games in 1960. With the Dodgers one out from losing Friday’s opener, Freeman hit a game-ending grand slam reminiscent of Kirk Gibson’s homer off Oakland’s Dennis Eckersley in 1988’s Game 1 that sparked Los Angeles to the title.

    The Dodgers earned their eighth championship and seventh since leaving Brooklyn for Los Angeles — their first in a non-shortened season since 1988. They won a neutral-site World Series against Tampa Bay in 2020 after a 60-game regular season and couldn’t have a parade because of the coronavirus pandemic.

    These Dodgers of Ohtani, Freeman & Betts joined the 1955 Duke Snider and Roy Campanella Boys of Summer, the Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale era that spanned the three titles from 1959-65, the Tommy Lasorda-led groups 1981 and ’88 and the Betts and Clayton Kershaw champions of 2020.

    Dave Roberts won his second championship in nine seasons as manager as the Dodgers, matching Lasorda and trailing the four of Walter Alston. The Dodgers won for the fourth time in 12 Series meetings with the Yankees.

    New York remained without a title since winning its record 27th in 2009. The Yankees acquired Juan Soto from San Diego in December knowing he would be eligible for free agency after the 2024 Series. The 26-year-old star went 5 for 16 one RBI in the Series heading into intensely followed bidding on the open market.

    Judge finished 4 for 18 with three RBIs.

    Cole didn’t allow a hit until Kiké Hernández singled leading off the fifth. Judge, who an inning earlier made a leaping catch at the wall to deny Freeman an extra-base hit, dropped Tommy Edman’s fly to center. Shortstop Anthony Volpe then bounced a throw to third on Will Smith’s grounder, allowing the Dodgers to load the bases with no outs.

    Cole struck out Lux and Ohtani, and Betts hit a grounder to Rizzo. Cole didn’t cover first, pointing at Rizzo to run to the bag as Betts outraced the first baseman.

    Freeman followed with a two-run single and Teoscar Hernández hit a tying two-run double. Max Muncy walked before Kiké Hernández grounded into a forceout on Cole’s 48th pitch of the inning.

    “We just take advantage of every mistake they made in that inning,” Teoscar Hernández said. “We put some good at-bats together. We put the ball in play.”

    Stanton’s sixth-inning sacrifice fly off Brusdar Graterol put the Yankees ahead 6-5, but the Dodgers rallied one last time in the eighth.

    Kiké Hernández singled off Tommy Kahnle leading off. Edman followed with an infield hit and Smith walked on four pitches. Lux’s sacrifice fly off Luke Weaver tied the score. Ohtani reached on catcher’s interference and Betts followed with another sacrifice fly to give the Dodgers their first lead.

    Purchased by Guggenheim Baseball Management in 2012, the Dodgers hired Andrew Friedman from Tampa Bay to head their baseball operations two years later. He boosted the front office with a multitude of analytics and performance science staff, and ownership supplied the cash.

    Los Angeles went on an unprecedented $1.25 billion spending spree last offseason on deals with Ohtani, pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and James Paxton, and outfielder Teoscar Hernández. Much of the money was future obligations that raised the Dodgers’ deferred compensation to $915.5 million owed from 2028-44.

    Faced with injuries, the Dodgers acquired Flaherty, Edman and reliever Michael Kopech ahead of the trade deadline, and all became important cogs in the title run. The additions boosted payroll to $266 million, third behind the Mets and the Yankees, plus a projected $43 million luxury tax.

    Up next

    Los Angeles opens its spring schedule on Feb. 20 against the Chicago Cubs at Camelback Ranch, and the Yankees start the next day against Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida.

    Associated Press

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  • Dodgers beat Yankees, win 2024 World Series

    Dodgers beat Yankees, win 2024 World Series

    NEW YORK — The Los Angeles Dodgers won their second World Series championship in five seasons, overcoming a five-run deficit with the help of three Yankees defensive miscues and rallying on sacrifice flies from Gavin Lux and Mookie Betts in the eighth inning to beat New York 7-6 in Game 5 on Wednesday night.

    What You Need To Know

    • Dave Roberts won his second championship in nine seasons as manager as the Dodgers, matching Lasorda and trailing the four of Walter Alston

    • The Dodgers won for the fourth time in 12 Series meetings with the Yankees

    • New York remained without a title since winning its record 27th in 2009

    • The Dodgers earned their eighth championship and seventh since leaving Brooklyn for Los Angeles — their first in a non-shortened season since 1988

    Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning, Alex Verdugo’s RBI single chased Jack Flaherty in the second and Giancarlo Stanton’s third-inning homer against Ryan Brasier built a 5-0 Yankees lead.

    But errors by Judge in center and Anthony Volpe at shortstop, combined with pitcher Gerrit Cole failing to cover first on Betts’ grounder, helped Los Angeles score five unearned runs in the fifth.

    After Stanton’s sixth-inning sacrifice fly put the Yankees back ahead 6-5, the Dodgers loaded the bases against loser Tommy Kahnle in the eighth before the sacrifice flies off Luke Weaver.

    Winner Blake Treinen escaped a two-on, one-out jam in the bottom half by retiring Stanton on a flyout and striking out Anthony Rizzo.

    Walker Buehler, making his first relief appearance since his rookie season in 2018, pitched a perfect ninth for his first major league save.

    “We’re obviously resilient, but there’s so much love in the clubhouse that won this game today,” Betts said. “That’s what it was. It was love, it was grit. I mean, it was just a beautiful thing. I’m just proud of us and I’m happy for us.”

    When Buehler struck out Verdugo to end the game, the Dodgers poured onto the field to celebrate between the mound and first base, capping a season in which they won 98 games and finished with the best regular-season record.

    “There’s just a lot of ways we can win baseball games,” Buehler said. “Obviously the superstars we have on our team and the discipline, it just kind of all adds up.”

    Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers’ record-setting $700 million signing and baseball’s first 50-homer, 50-steal player, went 2 for 19 with no RBIs and had one single after separating his shoulder during a stolen base attempt in Game 2.

    Freddie Freeman hit a two-run single to tie the Series record of 12 RBIs, set by Bobby Richardson over seven games in 1960. With the Dodgers one out from losing Friday’s opener, Freeman hit a game-ending grand slam reminiscent of Kirk Gibson’s homer off Oakland’s Dennis Eckersley in 1988’s Game 1 that sparked Los Angeles to the title.

    The Dodgers earned their eighth championship and seventh since leaving Brooklyn for Los Angeles — their first in a non-shortened season since 1988. They won a neutral-site World Series against Tampa Bay in 2020 after a 60-game regular season and couldn’t have a parade because of the coronavirus pandemic.

    These Dodgers of Ohtani, Freeman & Betts joined the 1955 Duke Snider and Roy Campanella Boys of Summer, the Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale era that spanned the three titles from 1959-65, the Tommy Lasorda-led groups 1981 and ’88 and the Betts and Clayton Kershaw champions of 2020.

    Dave Roberts won his second championship in nine seasons as manager as the Dodgers, matching Lasorda and trailing the four of Walter Alston. The Dodgers won for the fourth time in 12 Series meetings with the Yankees.

    New York remained without a title since winning its record 27th in 2009. The Yankees acquired Juan Soto from San Diego in December knowing he would be eligible for free agency after the 2024 Series. The 26-year-old star went 5 for 16 one RBI in the Series heading into intensely followed bidding on the open market.

    Judge finished 4 for 18 with three RBIs.

    Cole didn’t allow a hit until Kiké Hernández singled leading off the fifth. Judge, who an inning earlier made a leaping catch at the wall to deny Freeman an extra-base hit, dropped Tommy Edman’s fly to center. Shortstop Anthony Volpe then bounced a throw to third on Will Smith’s grounder, allowing the Dodgers to load the bases with no outs.

    Cole struck out Lux and Ohtani, and Betts hit a grounder to Rizzo. Cole didn’t cover first, pointing at Rizzo to run to the bag as Betts outraced the first baseman.

    Freeman followed with a two-run single and Teoscar Hernández hit a tying two-run double. Max Muncy walked before Kiké Hernández grounded into a forceout on Cole’s 48th pitch of the inning.

    “We just take advantage of every mistake they made in that inning,” Teoscar Hernández said. “We put some good at-bats together. We put the ball in play.”

    Stanton’s sixth-inning sacrifice fly off Brusdar Graterol put the Yankees ahead 6-5, but the Dodgers rallied one last time in the eighth.

    Kiké Hernández singled off Tommy Kahnle leading off. Edman followed with an infield hit and Smith walked on four pitches. Lux’s sacrifice fly off Luke Weaver tied the score. Ohtani reached on catcher’s interference and Betts followed with another sacrifice fly to give the Dodgers their first lead.

    Purchased by Guggenheim Baseball Management in 2012, the Dodgers hired Andrew Friedman from Tampa Bay to head their baseball operations two years later. He boosted the front office with a multitude of analytics and performance science staff, and ownership supplied the cash.

    Los Angeles went on an unprecedented $1.25 billion spending spree last offseason on deals with Ohtani, pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and James Paxton, and outfielder Teoscar Hernández. Much of the money was future obligations that raised the Dodgers’ deferred compensation to $915.5 million owed from 2028-44.

    Faced with injuries, the Dodgers acquired Flaherty, Edman and reliever Michael Kopech ahead of the trade deadline, and all became important cogs in the title run. The additions boosted payroll to $266 million, third behind the Mets and the Yankees, plus a projected $43 million luxury tax.

    Up next

    Los Angeles opens its spring schedule on Feb. 20 against the Chicago Cubs at Camelback Ranch, and the Yankees start the next day against Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida.

    Associated Press

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  • Dodgers beat Yankees 6-3 in thrilling World Series opener

    Dodgers beat Yankees 6-3 in thrilling World Series opener

    LOS ANGELES — A nail-biter all night with a Hollywood ending. Game 1 of Yankees-Dodgers certainly delivered.

    Freddie Freeman hit the first game-ending grand slam in World Series history with two outs in the 10th inning to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 6-3 victory over the New York Yankees in a drama-filled opener Friday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Hobbled by a badly sprained ankle, Freeman homered on the first pitch he saw — an inside fastball from Nestor Cortes — and raised his bat high before beginning his trot as the sellout crowd of 52,394 roared

    • It was reminiscent of Kirk Gibson’s stunning homer that lifted Los Angeles over the Oakland Athletics in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series at Dodger Stadium — one of the most famous swings in baseball lore

    • “Might be the greatest baseball moment I’ve ever witnessed, and I’ve witnessed some great ones,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts marveled
    • Freeman, an eight-time All-Star who missed three games during the National League playoffs because of his bum ankle, didn’t have an extra-base hit this postseason until legging out a triple in the first inning Friday

    “Might be the greatest baseball moment I’ve ever witnessed, and I’ve witnessed some great ones,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts marveled.

    Hobbled by a badly sprained right ankle, Freeman homered on the first pitch he saw — a 92 mph inside fastball from Nestor Cortes — and raised his bat high before beginning his trot as the sellout crowd of 52,394 roared.

    “I cannot believe what just happened,” Roberts said. “That’s what makes the Fall Classic a classic, right, because the stars come out and superstars make big plays, get big hits, in the biggest of moments. … I’m speechless right now.”

    It was reminiscent of Kirk Gibson’s stunning homer that lifted Los Angeles over the Oakland Athletics in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series at Dodger Stadium — one of the most famous swings in baseball lore.

    Gibson, sidelined by leg injuries, came off the bench and connected against Hall of Fame closer Dennis Eckersley.

    “I played the whole game, though,” Freeman said with a smile.

    Freeman, an eight-time All-Star who missed three games during the National League playoffs because of his bum ankle, didn’t have an extra-base hit this postseason until legging out a triple in the first inning Friday.

    “Actually felt pretty good,” said Freeman, who will donate his game spikes to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. “The last six days we treated it really well. I’ve been feeling pretty good. Right when I ran out to give high-fives to my teammates, I felt pretty good, because that was the first time I ran all week. So, ankle’s good.”

    After the home run, Freeman ran over to his father.

    “I was just screaming in his face. I’m sorry, dad,” Freeman said, laughing. “He’s been there since I was a little boy, throwing batting practice to me every day. So this is a moment, it’s my dad’s moment.”

    Giancarlo Stanton launched a two-run homer for New York in this much-hyped, star-studded matchup between two of baseball’s most storied and successful franchises — the third straight World Series opener to go extra innings.

    “You can’t sit here and mope. You can’t sit here and complain. You can’t shoulda, coulda, woulda,” Yankees slugger Aaron Judge said. “It’s time to go to work. We lost this game. Learn from it. See where we can improve and go out there and win the next one.”

    In the top of the 10th, Anthony Volpe grounded into a fielder’s choice to shortstop, scoring Jazz Chisholm Jr. from third after he stole two bases, to give New York a 3-2 lead.

    The speedy Chisholm singled off winning pitcher Blake Treinen and then stole second. Following an intentional walk to Anthony Rizzo, Chisholm swiped third base uncontested as Treinen was slow to the plate with Max Muncy playing deep at third.

    Tommy Edman made a diving stop to his left on Volpe’s grounder, but couldn’t get it out of his glove initially. He tossed to second to get Rizzo out as Chisholm came flying home with the go-ahead run.

    But the Dodgers weren’t done.

    Gavin Lux walked against losing pitcher Jake Cousins with one out in the bottom of the 10th and went to second on Edman’s infield single to second. Defensive replacement Oswaldo Cabrera knocked down the ball with his glove but it leaked into the outfield.

    That brought up star slugger Shohei Ohtani, a left-handed hitter. Yankees manager Aaron Boone went to his bullpen again for Cortes, a lefty starter who hadn’t pitched since Sept. 18 because of an elbow injury.

    After missing the AL playoffs, Cortes was added to the World Series roster Friday.

    “I ran into the (batting) cage and I told the guys in the cage, this game should have been the first baseball game ever on pay-per view,” Dodgers center fielder Kiké Hernández said.

    Left fielder Alex Verdugo made a running catch in foul territory to retire Ohtani on Cortes’ first pitch. Verdugo’s momentum sent him tumbling over the low retaining wall, advancing both runners one base because by rule it became a dead ball when Verdugo wound up in the stands.

    With first base open, New York intentionally walked Mookie Betts to load the bases and set up a lefty-on-lefty matchup of Cortes against Freeman.

    “I was on time for the heater,” Freeman said.

    His drive into the right-field pavilion sent Dodgers fans into a frenzy. It was the third walk-off homer in World Series history for a team that was trailing, following Gibson’s shot and Joe Carter’s drive for the Toronto Blue Jays that won the 1993 World Series against Philadelphia.

    Nelson Cruz hit the only other game-ending grand slam in postseason history, for Texas in the 2011 American League Championship Series against Detroit.

    “That’s stuff, you’re 5 years old in the backyard right there,” Freeman said. “That’s a dream come true, but it’s only one. We’ve got three more.”

    This is the 12th time the Yankees and Dodgers are meeting in the World Series, the most frequent matchup in major league annals, but their previous October clash was 43 years ago.

    While the Dodgers are seeking their eighth title and second in five years, the Yankees are in the Fall Classic for the first time since winning No. 27 in 2009.

    The first Series with a pair of 50-home run hitters in Judge (58) and Ohtani (54) opened quietly as Gerrit Cole, the 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner, and Jack Flaherty dueled through four scoreless innings. Judge struck out swinging in his first three at-bats before hitting a single off Brusdar Graterol with two outs in the seventh.

    Ohtani was 0 for 3 before ripping a double off the right-field wall in the eighth. He raced to third on the play when second baseman Gleyber Torres mishandled Juan Soto’s throw, which became costly when Ohtani scored on a sacrifice fly by Betts that tied it 2-all.

    With two outs in the ninth, Torres sent a long drive to left-center. A fan wearing a Dodgers jersey reached over the wall and caught the ball. Umpires ruled fan interference and gave Torres a double, a call confirmed on video replay. The fan immediately left the area.

    Soto was intentionally walked before Judge popped out against Treinen to end the inning.

    The Dodgers broke through for a 1-0 lead in the fifth when Hernández tripled past Soto in right field and scored on Will Smith’s sacrifice fly.

    The Yankees answered right back in the sixth. Soto singled leading off before Judge struck out swinging for the third time. Stanton followed with a 412-foot shot to left off Flaherty for his 17th career postseason homer. Stanton grew up in the nearby San Fernando Valley, not far from Flaherty’s hometown of Burbank.

    Stanton, the ALCS MVP, connected on a knuckle-curve that hung slightly at the bottom of the strike zone. His sixth homer in 11 games this postseason came off his bat at 116.6 mph.

    After last weekend’s pennant-clinching win at Cleveland, Stanton said, “This ain’t the trophy I want. I want the next one.”

    The Yankees then loaded the bases. Chisholm singled off Anthony Banda and stole second. After Rizzo struck out, Volpe was intentionally walked. Austin Wells reached on an infield single that Edman smothered with a dive to save a run before Verdugo struck out swinging against his former team.

    Fernando Valenzuela, the 1981 NL Cy Young Award winner and Rookie of the Year who died earlier this week at age 63, was honored with a moment of silence before the game.

    Up next

    Game 2 is Saturday evening at Dodger Stadium, with Yankees LHP Carlos Rodón pitching against $325 million rookie Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

    Rodón is 1-1 with a 4.40 ERA in three starts this postseason, with 22 strikeouts over 14 1/3 innings. Yamamoto is 1-0 in three postseason starts with a 5.11 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings.

    Associated Press

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  • Dodgers beat Yankees 6-3 in thrilling World Series opener

    Dodgers beat Yankees 6-3 in thrilling World Series opener

    LOS ANGELES — A nail-biter all night with a Hollywood ending. Game 1 of Yankees-Dodgers certainly delivered.

    Freddie Freeman hit the first game-ending grand slam in World Series history with two outs in the 10th inning to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 6-3 victory over the New York Yankees in a drama-filled opener Friday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Hobbled by a badly sprained ankle, Freeman homered on the first pitch he saw — an inside fastball from Nestor Cortes — and raised his bat high before beginning his trot as the sellout crowd of 52,394 roared

    • It was reminiscent of Kirk Gibson’s stunning homer that lifted Los Angeles over the Oakland Athletics in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series at Dodger Stadium — one of the most famous swings in baseball lore

    • “Might be the greatest baseball moment I’ve ever witnessed, and I’ve witnessed some great ones,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts marveled
    • Freeman, an eight-time All-Star who missed three games during the National League playoffs because of his bum ankle, didn’t have an extra-base hit this postseason until legging out a triple in the first inning Friday

    “Might be the greatest baseball moment I’ve ever witnessed, and I’ve witnessed some great ones,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts marveled.

    Hobbled by a badly sprained right ankle, Freeman homered on the first pitch he saw — a 92 mph inside fastball from Nestor Cortes — and raised his bat high before beginning his trot as the sellout crowd of 52,394 roared.

    “I cannot believe what just happened,” Roberts said. “That’s what makes the Fall Classic a classic, right, because the stars come out and superstars make big plays, get big hits, in the biggest of moments. … I’m speechless right now.”

    It was reminiscent of Kirk Gibson’s stunning homer that lifted Los Angeles over the Oakland Athletics in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series at Dodger Stadium — one of the most famous swings in baseball lore.

    Gibson, sidelined by leg injuries, came off the bench and connected against Hall of Fame closer Dennis Eckersley.

    “I played the whole game, though,” Freeman said with a smile.

    Freeman, an eight-time All-Star who missed three games during the National League playoffs because of his bum ankle, didn’t have an extra-base hit this postseason until legging out a triple in the first inning Friday.

    “Actually felt pretty good,” said Freeman, who will donate his game spikes to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. “The last six days we treated it really well. I’ve been feeling pretty good. Right when I ran out to give high-fives to my teammates, I felt pretty good, because that was the first time I ran all week. So, ankle’s good.”

    After the home run, Freeman ran over to his father.

    “I was just screaming in his face. I’m sorry, dad,” Freeman said, laughing. “He’s been there since I was a little boy, throwing batting practice to me every day. So this is a moment, it’s my dad’s moment.”

    Giancarlo Stanton launched a two-run homer for New York in this much-hyped, star-studded matchup between two of baseball’s most storied and successful franchises — the third straight World Series opener to go extra innings.

    “You can’t sit here and mope. You can’t sit here and complain. You can’t shoulda, coulda, woulda,” Yankees slugger Aaron Judge said. “It’s time to go to work. We lost this game. Learn from it. See where we can improve and go out there and win the next one.”

    In the top of the 10th, Anthony Volpe grounded into a fielder’s choice to shortstop, scoring Jazz Chisholm Jr. from third after he stole two bases, to give New York a 3-2 lead.

    The speedy Chisholm singled off winning pitcher Blake Treinen and then stole second. Following an intentional walk to Anthony Rizzo, Chisholm swiped third base uncontested as Treinen was slow to the plate with Max Muncy playing deep at third.

    Tommy Edman made a diving stop to his left on Volpe’s grounder, but couldn’t get it out of his glove initially. He tossed to second to get Rizzo out as Chisholm came flying home with the go-ahead run.

    But the Dodgers weren’t done.

    Gavin Lux walked against losing pitcher Jake Cousins with one out in the bottom of the 10th and went to second on Edman’s infield single to second. Defensive replacement Oswaldo Cabrera knocked down the ball with his glove but it leaked into the outfield.

    That brought up star slugger Shohei Ohtani, a left-handed hitter. Yankees manager Aaron Boone went to his bullpen again for Cortes, a lefty starter who hadn’t pitched since Sept. 18 because of an elbow injury.

    After missing the AL playoffs, Cortes was added to the World Series roster Friday.

    “I ran into the (batting) cage and I told the guys in the cage, this game should have been the first baseball game ever on pay-per view,” Dodgers center fielder Kiké Hernández said.

    Left fielder Alex Verdugo made a running catch in foul territory to retire Ohtani on Cortes’ first pitch. Verdugo’s momentum sent him tumbling over the low retaining wall, advancing both runners one base because by rule it became a dead ball when Verdugo wound up in the stands.

    With first base open, New York intentionally walked Mookie Betts to load the bases and set up a lefty-on-lefty matchup of Cortes against Freeman.

    “I was on time for the heater,” Freeman said.

    His drive into the right-field pavilion sent Dodgers fans into a frenzy. It was the third walk-off homer in World Series history for a team that was trailing, following Gibson’s shot and Joe Carter’s drive for the Toronto Blue Jays that won the 1993 World Series against Philadelphia.

    Nelson Cruz hit the only other game-ending grand slam in postseason history, for Texas in the 2011 American League Championship Series against Detroit.

    “That’s stuff, you’re 5 years old in the backyard right there,” Freeman said. “That’s a dream come true, but it’s only one. We’ve got three more.”

    This is the 12th time the Yankees and Dodgers are meeting in the World Series, the most frequent matchup in major league annals, but their previous October clash was 43 years ago.

    While the Dodgers are seeking their eighth title and second in five years, the Yankees are in the Fall Classic for the first time since winning No. 27 in 2009.

    The first Series with a pair of 50-home run hitters in Judge (58) and Ohtani (54) opened quietly as Gerrit Cole, the 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner, and Jack Flaherty dueled through four scoreless innings. Judge struck out swinging in his first three at-bats before hitting a single off Brusdar Graterol with two outs in the seventh.

    Ohtani was 0 for 3 before ripping a double off the right-field wall in the eighth. He raced to third on the play when second baseman Gleyber Torres mishandled Juan Soto’s throw, which became costly when Ohtani scored on a sacrifice fly by Betts that tied it 2-all.

    With two outs in the ninth, Torres sent a long drive to left-center. A fan wearing a Dodgers jersey reached over the wall and caught the ball. Umpires ruled fan interference and gave Torres a double, a call confirmed on video replay. The fan immediately left the area.

    Soto was intentionally walked before Judge popped out against Treinen to end the inning.

    The Dodgers broke through for a 1-0 lead in the fifth when Hernández tripled past Soto in right field and scored on Will Smith’s sacrifice fly.

    The Yankees answered right back in the sixth. Soto singled leading off before Judge struck out swinging for the third time. Stanton followed with a 412-foot shot to left off Flaherty for his 17th career postseason homer. Stanton grew up in the nearby San Fernando Valley, not far from Flaherty’s hometown of Burbank.

    Stanton, the ALCS MVP, connected on a knuckle-curve that hung slightly at the bottom of the strike zone. His sixth homer in 11 games this postseason came off his bat at 116.6 mph.

    After last weekend’s pennant-clinching win at Cleveland, Stanton said, “This ain’t the trophy I want. I want the next one.”

    The Yankees then loaded the bases. Chisholm singled off Anthony Banda and stole second. After Rizzo struck out, Volpe was intentionally walked. Austin Wells reached on an infield single that Edman smothered with a dive to save a run before Verdugo struck out swinging against his former team.

    Fernando Valenzuela, the 1981 NL Cy Young Award winner and Rookie of the Year who died earlier this week at age 63, was honored with a moment of silence before the game.

    Up next

    Game 2 is Saturday evening at Dodger Stadium, with Yankees LHP Carlos Rodón pitching against $325 million rookie Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

    Rodón is 1-1 with a 4.40 ERA in three starts this postseason, with 22 strikeouts over 14 1/3 innings. Yamamoto is 1-0 in three postseason starts with a 5.11 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings.

    Associated Press

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  • Rays outlast Diamondbacks 8-7 in 12 innings

    Rays outlast Diamondbacks 8-7 in 12 innings

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Dylan Carlson hit an RBI single in the 12th inning and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-7 to complete a three-game sweep Sunday after blowing a six-run lead.

    Jonny DeLuca led off with a sacrifice bunt against Justin Martinez (5-4) that moved automatic runner Alex Jackson from second to third. Taylor Walls walked before Carlson won it with his base hit to left field.

    Martinez worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the 11th.

    Arizona was without a hit for six innings before staging its late comeback.

    “It was an exciting game, you could say,” Carlson said. “There were a lot of good things done in the game. A lot of contributions from a lot of guys.”

    Edwin Uceta (1-0) struck out two in a scoreless inning to get his first major league win.

    Walls and Arizona’s Joc Pederson each had a run-scoring single in the 10th.

    Tampa Bay’s Drew Rasmussen and Tyler Alexander lost a combined no-hit bid in the seventh when Corbin Carroll flared a single off Alexander to shallow left that Walls, the shortstop, nearly caught barehanded.

    Rasmussen tossed two perfect innings as the opener before Alexander allowed three runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings.

    Carroll cut Arizona’s deficit to 6-3 on a two-run homer against Alexander in the eighth. Adrian Del Castillo tied it with a three-run homer off closer Pete Fairbanks in the ninth.

    “There’s some really good moments, and some really identifiable moments where we’ve got to improve,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “We really fought hard. There’s no quit in this team. They’re hungry, and that’s what I’m going to focus on.”

    Fairbanks, who also blew a save on Friday, left with a lat strain with two outs in the ninth. He will be going on the injured list.

    Arizona star Ketel Marte aggravated his injured left ankle on a check-swing as a pinch hitter in the ninth and needed assistance to walk off the field. He was the designated hitter Saturday following a three-game absence because of a sprained left ankle.

    Lovullo had no update on Marte other than he was being examined.

    “It didn’t look great,” Lovullo said. “We need to probably re-evaulate and find out how quickly we can get him back.”

    Two other Arizona mainstays, first baseman Christian Walker (strained left oblique) and catcher Gabriel Moreno (strained left adductor), are on the injured list.

    The Diamondbacks have lost three in a row for the first time since June 26-28. They are still 30-13 since then and hold an NL wild-card spot.

    Brandon Lowe put the Rays up 2-0 in the third with a two-run homer off Merrill Kelly. José Caballero drove in two with a double during a three-run fifth that made it 5-0.

    “A lot of ups and downs,” Lowe said. “A lot of backs and forth just when you thought the game was done.”

    Kelly gave up six runs and eight hits over five-plus innings in his second start since returning from a strained right shoulder.

    Rays first baseman Yandy Díaz exited with a bruised left forearm after being hit by a pitch from Kelly leading off the first.

    Díaz, through a translator, said he is sore and considers himself day-to-day. X-rays were negative.

    Tampa Bay center fielder Jose Siri didn’t start for the third straight game after not running hard on a grounder Wednesday, but entered as a pinch hitter in the ninth. Rays manager Kevin Cash said before the game that Siri will start Monday night at Oakland.

    Siri declined to speak with reporters before Sunday’s game.

    UP NEXT

    Diamondbacks: The starters for Monday night’s game at Miami had not been announced.

    Rays: RHP Taj Bradley (6-7, 3.49 ERA) starts Monday night against Oakland RHP Joe Boyle (2-5, 7.39).

    Associated Press

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  • Rays call up top prospect Junior Caminero

    Rays call up top prospect Junior Caminero

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Rays are calling up their top prospect from the minor leagues ahead of Tuesday night’s game.

    Junior Caminero, 21, is expected to be at Tropicana Field for tonight’s game against the Houston Astros.

    Caminero, who likely will play third base, is hitting .276 at Triple-A Durham with 13 homers and 34 RBIs.

    He played seven games at the major league level at the end of last season for the Rays, hitting .235 in seven games with a home run and seven RBIs.

    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Rays’ Paredes named to AL reserves for All-Star Game

    Rays’ Paredes named to AL reserves for All-Star Game

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Third baseman Isaac Paredes has been named to represent the Tampa Bay Rays in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game on July 16.

    What You Need To Know

    • Tampa Bay third baseman Isaac Paredes has been named to the AL reserves for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game

    • He is the only Rays player headed to the game 

    • The selection is Paredes’ first to baseball’s summer classic

    • Paredes leads the Rays in homers and runs batted in so far this season

    Paredes, 25, was one of four picks by the Commissioner’s Office of players whose teams were not already represented among the starters, pitchers or other reserves. The others are pitchers Tyler Anderson of the Los Angeles Angels and Logan Gilbert of the Seattle Mariners and shortstop Carlos Correa of the Minnesota Twins.

    Paredes is leading Tampa Bay in home runs with 14 and in runs batted in with 47 so far this season. He has a .358 on-base percentage and a .266 batting average, with 83 hits and 34 runs scored in 85 games.

    He and first baseman Yandy Diaz are tied for the team lead in doubles with 17, and Paredes ranks second in walks with 38. 

    This is Paredes’ first time on an All-Star roster. He is in his third season with the Rays since being acquired from the Detroit Tigers before the start of the 2022 season.

    Associated Press

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  • Rays’ Franco still faces legal repercussions from Dominican prosecutors

    Rays’ Franco still faces legal repercussions from Dominican prosecutors

    SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco still faces legal repercussions from prosecutors in the Dominican Republic for allegations that he had a relationship with a 14-year-old girl.

    What You Need To Know

    • The deadline for Dominican prosecutors to press charges against the Rays Wander Franco passed July 5 

    • However, Dominican law allows a judge to grant an extra 10 days for conclusions in the case to be presented

    • The shortstop is under investigation on allegations he had a relationship with a 14-year-old girl

    • Franco is under administrative leave by Major League Baseball and the player’s association through July 14

    The deadline for the prosecutors to press charges against the shortstop for the Tampa Bay Rays was July 5, six months after a judge ordered Franco to be investigated after allegations that he committed sexual and psychological abuse of the minor.

    Franco was released from prison on parole.

    The law in the Dominican Republic allows a judge the power to grant an extra 10-days for the prosecutors and victims to present their conclusions.

    In those 10 days, the prosecutors will be able to formulate their accusation, request that the case be closed or withdraw the charges, and the victims can dismiss their accusation or continue with it.

    “The deadline literally expires after six months, but there is a requirement that must prevail for that, and that is that the judge notify the prosecutor and notify the victim,” said Dinora Diloné, the father of the minor’s lawyer.

    Since January, Franco has been required to make monthly control visits to the judge.

    In April, Franco requested the visits to be suspended, but that was denied by the judge.

    According to prosecutors, Franco paid the girl’s mother thousands of dollars to consent to the relationship, which lasted four months. The girl’s mother is also charged in the case and remains under house arrest. The AP is not releasing the woman’s name to preserve her daughter’s privacy.

    Franco is under administrative leave by Major League Baseball and the player’s association through July 14. He was removed from the Rays’ 40-man roster before the start of Opening Day.

    Tampa Bay’s All-Star shortstop has not played since Aug. 12 while MLB continues its investigation into an alleged relationship with a minor.

    Administrative leave is not disciplinary under the sport’s joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy, and a player continues to be paid. Franco, who has a $2 million salary this year, has remained in his native Dominican Republic while authorities there investigate.

    Associated Press

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  • Rays’ 9th-inning rally comes up short as Mariners avoid sweep 5-2

    Rays’ 9th-inning rally comes up short as Mariners avoid sweep 5-2

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.  — George Kirby allowed one run in six innings, Cal Raleigh hit a three-run homer, and the American League West-leading Seattle Mariners avoided a three-game sweep by defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 5-2 on Wednesday.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Rays tried to stage a rally in the ninth inning but lost to the Mariners 5-2

    • Seattle avoided a three-game sweep with its victory

    • Tampa Bay reached the midway point at 40-41. They were 54-27 at the same point last season

    • Rays starter Ryan Pepiot gave up one run and one hit over 5-1/3 innings

    Seattle went 3-6 on a trip to Cleveland, Miami and Tampa Bay and at 19-25 is the only division leader with a losing road record.

    “It’s just good to end the road trip on a good note.” Kirby said. “Happy flight.”

    Seattle closer Andrés Muñoz, who blew his second save in 15 chances on Monday, loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth on two walks and a hit by pitch with the Mariners ahead 5-1. Richie Palacios hit into a run-scoring forceout off Trent Thornton, who got his first big-league save when Amed Rosario grounded into a game-ending double play.

    “Muny didn’t feel good today,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “Just the whole body stuff, and that happens once in a while. You could tell right away he wasn’t on top of his game. A ton of credit to Thorny.”

    Kirby (7-5) scattered four hits and struck out seven, his sixth consecutive start giving up two runs or fewer.

    Raleigh put Seattle up 3-1 with his 14th homer, a sixth-inning drive off Shawn Armstrong (2-2). The reliever walked the struggling Julio Rodríguez, who had three hits in his previous 32 at-bats, before Raleigh connected on a 422-foot drive to right field.

    J.P. Crawford made it 5-1 on a two-run single in the seventh.

    “We had a bad trip,” Servais said. “It happens to the best teams in the league, and I do think we’re one of the best teams in the league.”

    Yandy Díaz extended his career-best hitting streak to 19 games with a first-inning single, tying the Rays’ record set by Jason Bartlett in 2009.

    Tampa Bay reached the midway point at 40-41 after losing for just the third time in 10 games. The Rays were 54-27 at the same point last season en route to an AL wild-card berth.

    “We got work to do,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “I think that’s the easiest way to put it.”

    Díaz also had a third-inning RBI infield single.

    Kirby fielded Díaz’s chopper between the mound and the first-base line but was unsuccessful in beating him to the bag with first baseman Ty France moving toward second on the play. José Caballero, who had doubled, scored from second base.

    Rays starter Ryan Pepiot gave up one run and one hit over 5-1/3 innings, with eight strikeouts and two walks.

    Trainer’s room

    Mariners: Outfielder Luke Raley was a late scratch.

    Rays: Rosario (facial lacerations) played for the first time since getting hit by a pitch on Saturday and went 0 for 4. … Second baseman Brandon Lowe (broken right pinky toe) was out of the lineup for the fourth game in a row.

    Up next

    Mariners: Right-handed pitcher Logan Gilbert (5-4, 2.71 ERA) will start Friday night against the Minnesota Twins.

    Rays: Right-handed pitcher Zach Eflin (3-5, 2.40 ERA) out of Hagerty High School in Oviedo will face Washington on Friday night.

    Associated Press

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  • Trop and Gas Plant redevelopment plan takes next step forward

    Trop and Gas Plant redevelopment plan takes next step forward

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It’s a step forward for the redevelopment of Tropicana Field and the Historic Gas Plant District. Thursday night, St. Petersburg City Council members voted 5-3 to schedule the second reading of an ordinance that would approve a development agreement for the site. They also gave the OK for a second reading of an ordinance on rezoning and a public hearing on increasing the Intown Redevelopment Plan’s redevelopment program budget. All are scheduled to take place on July 11.

    What You Need To Know

    • St. Petersburg City Council approved a number of measures Thursday that move the Rays/Hines deal for the Trop and Gas Plant District redevelopment forward

    • Members could take a final vote on July 11

    • Dozens of residents spoke both for and against the plan at Thursday’s meeting

    • Read previous coverage here

    Before the meeting began, groups including Sierra Club Florida and Faith in Florida held a rally outside city hall, asking the council to “pump the brakes” on making a decision on the plan.

    “It’s ignoring the will of the people,” said Bishop Manuel Sykes, one of those who spoke at the rally.

    Speakers said they weren’t asking council to scrap the Rays/Hines deal, but they do want to see changes made to the plan. Among their concerns were environmental impacts and the project timeline when it comes to features meant for the community, like affordable housing.

    “We’re talking about getting a stadium done in a matter of three years, and everybody else’s concerns may be addressed over the next 27 years,” Sykes said.

    Inside, dozens addressed council during public comment.

    “Fundamentally, this is rotten,” said William Kilgore, an organizer with the St. Petersburg Tenants Union. “This is our money. This is public wealth, and we’re giving it to a private corporation.”

    The $1.3 billion project would see St. Petersburg contribute $287 million, while Pinellas County and the Rays would put in $312 million and $770 million, respectively.

    Supporters told the council the project is the chance to bring new opportunity to the area with mixed use development.

    “That million-and-a-half square feet of office space — if we don’t do this deal, that office space will not come,” said one speaker.

    Others said the deal is the best chance to fulfill past promises made to Gas Plant residents, which was razed to make way for the Trop.

    “If Rays/Hines is not approved, who is going to ensure that the efforts to fulfill those promises are going to be made?” one speaker asked members.

    A sticking point for some council members was that they haven’t received finalized documents on the plan and have been working with drafts.

    “It is our duty to do our due diligence, and we can only do that appropriately with final documents and not being rushed through this process,” said council member Lisset Hanewicz. 

    Council Chair Deborah Figgs-Sanders noted members had previously decided they needed to have final documents two weeks before making a final decision.

    “I’m going to vote for the motion as is, but if we don’t have those documents, we cannot really discuss them on July 11. It’s a given. We voted on that,” said Figgs-Sanders.

    Officials said if members didn’t have final documents two weeks before the July 11 meeting, they could push the items back to July 18.

    Sarah Blazonis

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  • Brandon Lowe hits game-ending homer as Rays rally past Cubs 5-2

    Brandon Lowe hits game-ending homer as Rays rally past Cubs 5-2

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Brandon Lowe capped Tampa Bay’s four-run ninth inning with a three-run homer, lifting the Rays to a 5-2 victory over the struggling Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night.

    Richie Palacios started the rally with a leadoff double against Héctor Neris (6-1). Ben Rortvedt reached on a one-out walk before José Caballero’s RBI single tied it at 2.

    Yandy Díaz then struck out swinging before Lowe drove a full-count pitch deep to right-center for his third homer of the season.

    Chris Devenski (2-1) worked a scoreless ninth for the win.

    Chicago wasted a sharp performance by Jameson Taillon, who pitched six scoreless innings of four-hit ball. The Cubs have dropped 13 of their last 18 games.

    Christopher Morel put Chicago in front 1-0 with his 13th homer in the fourth off Zach Eflin.

    Garrett Cleavinger replaced Eflin with two on and two outs in the sixth and gave up a first-pitch RBI single to pinch-hitter David Bote.

    Tampa Bay got on the board in the seventh when Palacios scored on Hayden Wesneski’s wild pitch.

    Elfin surrendered seven hits in his second start after missing 2 1/2 weeks with lower-back inflammation.

    This is just the third series the Cubs have played at Tampa Bay. The others were in 2008 and 2017.

    TRAINER’S ROOM

    Cubs: RHP Ben Brown (neck strain) was placed on the 15-day injured list. He returned to Chicago for tests.

    Rays: LF Randy Arozarena was scratched with right hamstring tightness, but he grounded out as a pinch hitter in the seventh. He did not stay in the game after his at-bat. The 2023 AL All-Star is hitting just .175 with eight homers and 20 RBIs this season.

    UP NEXT

    Cubs RHP Javier Assad (4-2, 2.74 ERA) and Rays RHP Aaron Civale (2-5, 5.51 ERA) are Wednesday night’s starters.

    Associated Press

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  • Guardians to place Kwan on injured list AP source says

    Guardians to place Kwan on injured list AP source says

    CLEVELAND (AP) — Guardians leadoff hitter Steven Kwan is headed to the injured list with a hamstring strain and Cleveland will call up top prospect Kyle Manzardo, a person familiar with the move told the Associated Press on Sunday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Steven Kwan is headed to the injured list with a hamstring strain

    • Kwan, who entered the weekend leading the AL in batting, underwent an MRI after leaving Saturday’s game with tightness
    • The team has the results and intends to place Kwan on the 10-day IL, said the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity

    • Manzardo will likely be used primarily as the team’s designated hitter, but can spell Josh Naylor at first base

    Kwan, who entered the weekend leading the AL in batting, underwent an MRI after leaving Saturday’s game with tightness.

    The team has the results and intends to place Kwan on the 10-day IL, said the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the Guardians won’t make the roster moves until Monday before opening a three-game series with Detroit.

    Kwan’s injury is giving the Guardians a chance to add the hard-hitting Manzardo, who was acquired last year from Tampa Bay at the trade deadline for pitcher Aaron Civale.

    Manzardo is a middle-of-the-lineup slugger who might be able to bolster Cleveland’s light-hitting offensive attack.

    The Guardians didn’t want to rush Manzardo, so they had him open the season at Triple-A Columbus. But the 23-year-old has been on a tear with the Clippers, hitting eight homers and driving in 14 runs in the last 14 games.

    The Guardians believe he’s ready to take on major league pitchers.

    “He’s been good against left-handed pitching, his approach against lefties has improved,” president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said before the Guardians beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-1 in their series finale on Sunday.

    “He’s worked really hard at his defense, both his footwork around the bag and his throwing and he continues to put up and manage really good at-bats.”

    Manzardo will likely be used primarily as the team’s designated hitter, but can spell Josh Naylor at first base.

    Kwan’s injury is a blow to the Guardians and the two-time Gold Glove winner, who has been among baseball’s best hitters this season.

    Before getting hurt while running down a fly ball, the 26-year-old Kwan was batting .353 with a league-leading 47 hits and 28 runs. He has gone 74 straight plate appearances before his last strikeout.

    Associated Press

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  • Rays place closer Pete Fairbanks on injured list with nerve-related issues

    Rays place closer Pete Fairbanks on injured list with nerve-related issues

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.  — The Tampa Bay Rays placed struggling closer Pete Fairbanks on the 15-day injured list with nerve-related issues before Monday night’s game against the Detroit Tigers.

    What You Need To Know

    • Tampa Bay closer Pete Fairbanks has periodically been experiencing numbness in his fingers

    • The Rays have added him to their 15-day injured list

    • Fairbanks has gone 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in eight games

    • Tampa Bay recalled reliever Kevin Kelly from Class AAA Durham to fill Fairbanks’ spot

    Fairbanks has experienced numbness in his fingers at times over the past few years, and the problem flared up again on Saturday and Sunday.

    “Felt like he had a little bit of a zinger in his hand just playing catch,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “Got treatment the entire day on Saturday. We were still optimistic that he was going to be good to go on Sunday, but it repeated itself Sunday before the game.”

    Fairbanks has had tests on his shoulder and arm, with additional testing to be done.

    “We’ll continue to kind of check boxes to see if we can narrow it down,” Cash said. “Not sure where it’s going to go, but felt like it was time to rest and run some imaging from his neck to shoulder all the way down to the fingers to see if we can see anything.”

    Fairbanks has had a frustrating season, going 0-2 with a 9.00 earned run average in eight games. The right-hander has allowed eight runs — seven earned — over seven innings.

    The Rays recalled reliever Kevin Kelly from Class AAA Durham to take Fairbanks’ spot on the roster.

    Cash plans to fill the closer role by looking at matchups, with Colin Poche, Jason Adam, Shawn Armstrong and Garrett Cleavinger all expected to get chances.

    Spectrum Sports Staff

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  • Waguespack and 5 relievers combine on a 6-hitter and Rays beat Giants 2-1

    Waguespack and 5 relievers combine on a 6-hitter and Rays beat Giants 2-1

    BY MARK DIDTLER

    Updated 10:18 PM EDT, April 12, 2024

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Jacob Waguespack and five relievers combined on a six-hitter and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the San Francisco Giants 2-1 on Friday night.

    Waguespack gave up one run and four hits over four innings in his first start since Sept. 25, 2019, and fourth appearance this season. Garrett Cleavinger (2-0) followed with 1 2/3 scoreless innings.

    Phil Maton, Colon Poche, Jason Adam and Pete Fairbanks — who worked the ninth to get his third save in as many chances — closed out the Rays’ fifth win in six games. Fairbanks retired the final two batters with a runner on third.

    “Really good job from the bullpen from the start really, including Waguespack, he kind of set the tone,” Poche said.

    Tampa Bay has five starting pitchers on the injured list and the Rays’ bullpen entered with an AL-worst 6.43 ERA.

    San Francisco has three extra-base hits, including one Friday, over the last three games and gone without a homer in seven straight. The Giants went 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position against Tampa Bay.

    “Just didn’t get great at-bats in those situations,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said.

    Tampa Bay took a 2-1 lead on Amed Rosario’s RBI double. Rosario was awarded third when third baseman Matt Chapman was called for obstruction on the Rays’ second basemen’s slide.

    “That’s going to look funny all year,” Melvin said, “It’s the first time we’ve seen it called like that.”

    Harold Ramirez scored on Rosario’s hit after beating out an infield single.

    “I didn’t know he was that fast,” Rosario said through a translator.

    Melvin was ejected by plate umpire Clint Vondrak for arguing after Jorge Soler was called out on strikes on a pitch by Poche with two on to end the top of the seventh.

    “He’s been calling the top of the zone the whole game and he called that one, which has not been called and it looked like it was way below the zone in that situation,” Melvin said. “For me, it was pretty egregious.”

    San Francisco starter Keaton Winn (0-3) nearly worked out of a base-loaded, no-out jam in the second with a pair of strikeouts, but walked Yandy Díaz on a 3-2 pitch. He avoided further damage by retiring Randy Arozarena on a grounder.

    Winn allowed two runs and five hits in five innings. He struck out six.

    San Francisco tied it at 1 in the third when Jung Hoo Lee singled, stole second and went to third on catcher Ben Rortvedt’s throwing error, and scored on a wild pitch.

    TRAINER’S ROOM

    Giants: RHP Alex Cobb (left hip surgery) could throw off a bullpen mound next week. … LHP Robbie Ray (Tommy John surgery) is throwing off a mound and is expected back sometime after the All-Star break.

    Rays: 2B Brandon Lowe (right oblique strain) was placed on the 10-day IL and INF-OF Niko Goodrum was recalled from Triple-A Durham.

    UP NEXT

    Giants RHP Logan Webb (0-1) and Rays RHP Ryan Pepiot (1-1) are Saturday’s starters.

    ___

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

    Associated Press

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  • Tropicana Field sporting new striped turf for new season

    Tropicana Field sporting new striped turf for new season

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Even with plans for a new stadium in the works, fans will see some upgrades at Tropicana Field when they enter the doors on Opening Day.

    In the off season, the turf was replaced by a striped field. The stripes are meant to resemble a mowed grass field, similar to the Rays’ spring training facility and many other major league ballparks around the country.


    Instead of the traditional rubber pellets, the turf is lined with a half-inch thick pad that’s backfilled with sand and topped with ground up coconut husk. The warning track is slightly different, and topped with ground walnut shells to create a different sound and feel for the players.

    “In years past, you can only rely on your peripheral vision to see where the red is,” Director of Field Operations Dan Moeller explained. “But now they can feel the difference.”

    The Rays donated more than 75,000 square feet of the old turf to the city of St Pete and Hillsborough County to be used for soccer fields and batting cages.

    Earlier this year, the Rays discovered that the cupula structure on the top of the field’s dome had to be repaired and replaced. GMF Steel Group took on the project and decided after examining the dome that the best way to replace the cupula was using a helicopter and working from the outside.

    “You could, in theory if something went wrong, you could damage the stadium and there could be a big problem before Opening Day,” President Andy Norman explained. “We also had to make sure it wasn’t going to fall apart and then fall through the roof or near any of the workers nearby.”

    On a morning in early March, the group completed the project, and the dome is ready for Opening Day.

    Click on the video link above to watch the story.

    Angie Angers

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