NFL free agency has been the only sporting event that carried on as normal despite the COVID-19 outbreak, but even that’s running out of steam now that all the major chips have fallen. While NBA and NHL fans have had to deal with their sports being abruptly taken off air, MLB fans did not even have the luxury of witnessing the season get underway, as Opening Day was scheduled for Thursday....
ALCS Game 6 final: Astros 7, Yankees 1 (Series tied 3-3) Here comes Game 7. The Astros’ offense finally got off the deck Friday after a long absence and rode a strong outing from Justin Verlander to tie the ALCS at three games apiece and force a winner-take-all Game 7 on Saturday night. The Astros ended a long scoring drought with a three-run fifth, highlighted by a two-run single from Jose Altuve, who had been mostly a non-factor in the series since Game 2....
The division rivals came into the game having never faced each other in the postseason, and the Cardinals ultimately proved experience matters against a young Cubs lineup. MORE: Ten greatest Cardinals players of all time | MLB postseason schedule John Lackey stole the show in a tight pitching duel with former teammate Jon Lester. Lackey tossed 7 1/3 innings of shutout baseball after carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning....
They’d lost four of their previous five games — they scored a total of 10 runs in those four losses — and they were just barely holding onto the second AL Wild Card spot. The Tigers were a half-game back and the Mariners were a full game back. They woke up on Monday morning one step from the World Series. It’s a big step, sure, but the 2016 Blue Jays, who barely snuck into the playoffs via the wild card, are better prepared, better equipped and more capable of getting to the World Series than the 2015 Blue Jays, a team that won the AL East by six full games and had the second-best record in the AL....
The move would be another attempt to speed up the pace of play, following the elimination of the four-pitch intentional walk that goes into effect this season. Commissioner Rob Manfred and others see the pace issue as key to helping the sport attract new fans and keeping existing fans entertained. The change to replay review would reportedly give managers 30 seconds to decide whether to challenge a call on the field, the USA Today report says, citing unnamed sources....
Those in weekly leagues should note how many games each team plays, as well as which players will gain/lose at-bats because of interleague play; those in daily leagues should note first-pitch times and Monday/Thursday off-days. MORE SEASON-LONG HELP: SN Fantasy | Fantasy Alarm’s Assistant GM Tool SCHEDULE INFO FOR 6/8-6/14 Teams with seven games (6): Braves, Brewers, Marlins, Padres, Reds, Rockies Teams with five games (2): Tigers, Yankees Every other team has six games...
Oakland will receive cash considerations in return. MORE: Watch ‘ChangeUp,’ a new MLB live whiparound show on DAZN The deal is a bit reactionary for Toronto as it lost Clay Buchholz to the injured list this week, but it’s also one which carries historic significance. Jackson tied the MLB record last year by pitching for his 13th MLB team in the Athletics. He and former reliever Octavio Dotel are now the only two players in history to pitch for that many teams....
Grade the trade: Prince Fielder for Ian Kinsler | Robinson Cano market Here are some of the latest bits of chatter around the majors, with thoughts on how much sense they make … New York Mets With Chris Young on board, Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports that the Mets might not be done overhauling their outfield, with Nelson Cruz a possibility. With Young and Juan Lagares, the Mets have two true center fielders, which would help mitigate Cruz's defensive limitations — an important consideration given Citi Field's rather spacious dimensions....
THE RUMOR: Looking to rebuild their bullpen after a dismal 2014, the Nationals are looking to trade relievers Jonathan Papelbon and Drew Storen. MORE: The worst baseball decisions of 2015 REPORTED BY: ESPN’s Jayson Stark THE DETAILS: It was reported in October that the Nats wanted to trade Storen and he still remains the likely candidate to get shipped, but the team wants to add Reds closer Aroldis Chapman and/or free agent reliever Darren O’Day, among others....
Boston is “monitoring” the availability of White Sox slugger Jose Abreu and evaluating a potential deal for Blue Jays reliever Daniel Hudson, according to reports from Forbes and MLB.com. Abreu, 32, has spent his entire six-year career with the White Sox. The three-time All-Star is slashing .273/.307/.491 with 21 home runs and 69 RBIs in 95 games with Chicago this season. Boston president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has “long admired” Abreu, according to Forbes’ report....
The Yankees and Rays have “at least inquired” about Giles in recent days, despite the fact he has not pitched since July 27 due to injury, according to The Athletic. He did receive a cortisone shot in his elbow Tuesday, so he could be on the mend. Giles has been fantastic this year going 2-2 with a 1.54 ERA with 14 saves in 35 games for the Blue Jays....
REPORTED BY: MLB Network THE DETAILS: Quintana is due an affordable $6 million next season and is under team control through 2020. The southpaw has hurled 200 innings or more innings in four consecutive seasons, none with an ERA over 3.55. THIS PAST SEASON: Quintana was 13-12 with a 3.20 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 181 strikeouts across 208 innings en route to his first All-Star honors. OUR TAKE: Having dealt Chris Sale and Adam Eaton, a full-scale rebuild is looming for the White Sox....
Tampa Bay was close to pitching the first combined perfect game in MLB history. The Rays used an opener against the Orioles, which was first made popular by the team. It would have been the first time multiple pitchers pulled off the feat as all 23 previous perfect games have been thrown by a single pitcher. Ryne Stanek started the game for the Rays and pitched two innings. Ryan Yarbrough took over and threw the next six innings without allowing a baserunner....
It’s a second-straight win for the NL-East leaders, and a fifth in six games, as they hold a two-and-a-half game margin on the New York Mets. Hoskins has played a huge role in the team’s success this season, having been picked up in the fifth round back in 2014, and went two for three with that home run and recorded three RBI’s. He now has 10 home runs in his first 31 games this season, becoming the fastest player to reach that mark since Chase Utley in 2009 when he did it in 30....
The expansion franchise set an MLS record by averaging 48,200 fans per game this season, with matches played at Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium before the club debuted at the newly opened Mercedes-Benz Stadium last month. United also broke the league’s attendance record for a standalone match Sunday, drawing 71,874 for a 2-2 draw with Toronto FC. MLS commissioner Don Garber made the announcement Monday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium alongside Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and United owner Arthur Blank....
The Houston Dynamo are back in action at BBVA Compass Stadium on Saturday, the first match at home since Hurricane Harvey flooded the city of Houston. Proceeds from the Dynamo’s match with the Colorado Rapids will go towards storm relief on what promises to be an emotional night, with the Dynamo trying to focus on a win they need to help their playoff position in a tightly contested Western Conference....
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, there was no All-Star Game, Home Run Derby, Celebrity Softball Game or Futures Game. But now in 2021, Coors Field in Denver, Colorado, will host all the events once again. The events will be spread out over several days, with the brackets for the Home Run Derby announced on Wednesday, the futures game set to take place on Sunday along with the start of the draft, the derby and softball game set for Monday and the All-Star Game set for Tuesday....
The lack of progress in negotiations as the two sides approach the league’s stated goal of having a deal in place by the end of February could put Opening Day in jeopardy, as Commissioner Rob Manfred said last week that the league’s goal is to hold four weeks of spring training before the regular season is set to begin March 31. “We regret that, without a collective bargaining agreement in place, we must postpone the start of Spring Training games until no earlier than Saturday, March 5,” the statement read....
Now baseball has turned its eyes to Europe. Commissioner Rob Manfred is looking into having regular-season games on the continent as soon as 2019. “It’s something we’d really like to do in 2019,” Manfred told reporters. “I can’t tell you we are going to do it. I can’t give you a percentage, but we do think it’s time, whether it’s 2019 or shortly thereafter, that we play in Europe.”...
Scouts he him as a good hitter with raw power potential. He likely won’t stay at SS. Take a look at a scouting video: Your browser does not support iframes. What they’re saying: MLB DRAFT: Live: Track the first round of the MLB Draft!
