Johnson saved a total of 101 games in 2012 and 2013, leading the American League both seasons. But he also led the league in blown saves in 2013, and the Orioles are "trying hard to trade" him, Rosenthal reports. He is arbitration eligible and is likely to make more than $10 million in 2014 given his high save totals of the last two years. Kenley Jansen is the Dodgers' closer, so L....
The 31-year-old starter “is on the Yankees’ list of potential acquisitions,” but “the chances of his heading to New York do not appear especially good,” according to a report from The Athletic. The report adds: The Rangers are “increasingly likely” to move Minor before the July 31 trade deadline, according to an earlier report from MLB Network. “I feel like ever since I signed it’s been a topic,” Minor said last week about the rumors, via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram....
Guccione will host Cordova, his parents and siblings Sunday at Coors Field, where the Rockies will play the Dodgers. Cordova is the 13-year-old umpire who was at the center of a brawl involving adults at a game between 7-year-olds in Lakewood, Colo., on June 15. “This is my state, this is where my heart is,” Guccione, a Colorado native, told The Denver Post on Thursday. “So when I saw the incident that happened, I was concerned....
The Rays sit in the second spot, with a one-game lead over the Indians, after a 5-4 win over the Red Sox in 11 innings. Cleveland, meanwhile, fell to the Phillies, 9-4. Tampa Bay’s victory Saturday came from a Nate Lowe walk-off home run in the final frame. The two-run homer was his seventh of the season. The Rays took an early 2-1 lead but the Red Sox used a two-run home run in the eighth inning to send the game into extras....
Colorado won its eighth consecutive game when it completed a sweep of Toronto on Sunday. The Rockies topped the Blue Jays, 5-1, with the help of David Dahl and Nolan Arenado, who both finished 2 for 4 at the plate. “This is what I thought we could do, absolutely,” Arenado said, via the Denver Post. “The way [Antonio Senzatela] pitched today, and with [German] Marquez and [Jon] Gray pitching [well], we thought they would keep us in ballgames....
The top two squads from each group have been seeded into the upper bracket of the World Championship’s Knockout phase, while the bottom two sides have been placed in the lower bracket. The upper-bracket teams will have an advantage. Even if they lose a match, they will get to fight in the lower bracket. Unfortunately, the remaining squads will be eliminated from the tournament if they lose a single game....
Then again, Real didn’t want to leave the United States with a fourth consecutive defeat on its exhibition tour, particularly not to a pickup team of Major League Soccer All-Stars. So when the two sides in the MLS All-Star Game were tied 1-1 after 90 minutes and a penalty shootout became necessary to declare a winner, Real rolled out an almost unfair quartet of superheroes to take its kicks: Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale, Mateo Kovacic and, to clinch, Marcelo....
Under the amended rules, a baserunner’s slide will be considered legal if: He slides before reaching the base; he is able to and attempts to reach or touch the base; he is able to and attempts to stay on the base; and he does not change his pathway to the base. MORE: Nine players poised to break out | MLB’s most controversial players Runners who follow those four guidelines are allowed to take out the fielder legally in an effort to break up a double play, according to the rule....
Baseball action gets going early Thursday morning with the Seattle Mariners and Baltimore Orioles’ first pitch set for 12:35 p.m. ET. The Orioles are a slight favorite on the money line, at about -110, with the total set at 9. There’s not a whole lot of value on the money line or spread when comparing AccuScore simulations to Vegas odds. We’re only interested when Vegas odds and AccuScore sims differ considerably, indicating hidden value....
Vince Velasquez is giving Philadelphia fans some thrills despite a lineup that scores an MLB-low 2.6 runs per game. The Phillies (6-8) acquired Velasquez from Houston in the offseason and his first two starts have been sensational, including his season debut at Citi Field against the Mets where he won 1-0. He struck out nine in six innings and allowed only three hits. MORE: MLB live odds page In Velasquez’s Citizens Park debut Thursday he threw a 3-0 shutout, allowing only three hits, striking out 16 without a walk....
Well, no. MORE: Every MLB team’s five worst draft misses “It will be beneficial to look at that,” MLBPA executive director Tony Clark said in an interview with the Associated Press last week. “And not look at it in a vacuum but appreciate whatever it is that we attempt to negotiate there or propose there, that it ties into the other moving pieces and doesn’t create an imbalance.” Here are the top players from the first round of each draft since the turn of the century, by wins above replacement, according to baseball-reference....
According to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, the Diamondbacks are pursuing Greinke. The extent of their interest isn’t known, but it would be shocking if the reigning NL Cy Young runner-up chose Arizona over either California team. MORE: Highest-paid players in MLB | Dodgers reportedly willing to pay Greinke $210M over six years The Diamondbacks have looked into several free-agent pitchers already as they look to bolster their lackluster rotation. After missing out on Jordan Zimmermann, John Lackey and David Price, Arizona might be growing desperate....
Max Scherzer proved deadly against the San Francisco Giants, where one-half of the best starting pitcher duo in baseball pitched a no-hitter through six innings, en route to a New York Mets victory. Gerrit Cole struggled against the Detroit Tigers, lasting only 1.2 innings before being pulled, but thankfully Clarke Schmidt performed very well in relief, and the New York Yankees managed to win 4-2. MLB News Roundup: April 20 Atlanta Braves upset the LA Dodgers Behind excellent pitching from Max Fried, the home team managed to pull off the upset victory over the best team in the MLB, beating them 3-1....
Rangers first baseman Prince Fielder joined the 300 home run club Friday, smacking a solo shot in the first inning against the Blue Jays. However, Fielder’s homer wasn’t enough. The Jays dominated the rest of the game, propelled by Edwin Encarnación’s grand slam at the bottom of the first, the second of his career. On top of the grand slam, Encarnación finished the night with a solo home run in the seventh....
For a team that has been playing meaningful baseball games the past five Septembers, including two World Series appearances, the Rangers’ 2014 plight has to be a major culture shock for the entire organization. However, after going through a stretch of losing 11 of 12, the Rangers have won three straight as they swept the Braves over the weekend. Next up for Texas is the Oakland A’s, who are shooting for their first three-game win streak since Aug....
MLB odds: Current baseball lines from Las Vegas Despite New York and Boston being two of the highest-scoring teams in baseball, the first two games of the series stayed well UNDER the total. We think that’ll change tonight thanks to Kelly and Yankees starter Adam Warren (1-1, 4.35). Kelly’s only win on the season came at Yankee Stadium on April 11, when he gave up one run in seven innings as the Yankees prevailed 8-4....
Check The Linemakers on Sporting News’ odds page for current baseball lines from Las Vegas. Texas Rangers +104 (@ Minnesota Twins)Mike Pelfrey vs Nick Martinez The Twins, a great home team, host the Rangers, a good road team. The visitors have struggled lately in their road endeavors, though, dropping four out of five, including a hard-fought battle last night in Minnesota, which the Rangers lost 3-2. The Twins have a tendency to flip an on/off switch from one game to another, and it’s hard to predict which team will show up....
In three playoff appearances over the past five seasons, the Nats have faltered and disappointed, and come out on the losing end each time. To change that trend and make the NLCS for the first time since 1981, when the franchise was in Montreal, Washington must defeat the red-hot defending champion Chicago Cubs in the NLDS, starting Friday. It’s not the easiest task, but Nationals players believe the team is well-equipped to finally make a deep postseason run, starting with their chemistry and clubhouse camaraderie....
In the American League, the New York Yankees stayed alive against the Tampa Bay Rays and forced the series to a decider, while the Houston Astros continued their unlikely quest for redemption after defeating the Oakland Athletics in four games. In the National League, meanwhile, the top two seeds will meet in the Championship Series after the Los Angeles Dodgers swept the San Diego Padres and the Atlanta Braves dispatched the Miami Marlins in three games....
