Sun Sep 27 2020 | 10:05 | This Date in Baseball | Homer Bailey | SP | Reds | Free Agent |
| | | John Jaso | C | Mariners | Free Agent |
| | | James Loney | 1B | Red Sox | Free Agent |
| | | Alex Rodriguez | 3B | Yankees | Free Agent |
| | | Giancarlo Stanton | RF | Marlins | Free Agent |
Sept. 28 1919 — In the shortest nine-inning game in major league history, 51 minutes, the New York Giants beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-1. 1920 — A grand jury indicted eight members of the Chicago White Sox on charges of fixing the 1919 World Series in the “Black Sox Scandal.” 1938 — Gabby Hartnett hit his famous “Homer in the Gloamin’” in the ninth inning against Mace Brown to give the Chicago Cubs a 6-5 victory, their ninth straight, at Wrigley Field. It was a key triumph en route to the Cubs’ NL pennant. 1941 — Ted Williams went 6-for-8 in a doubleheader against the Philadelphia A’s to finish the season with a .406 average. No player has batted .400 since. 1951 — Allie Reynolds pitched his second no-hitter of the season as the New York Yankees defeated the Boston Red Sox, 8-0, in the opener of a doubleheader. The Yankees clinched the AL pennant with an 11-3 victory in the nightcap. 1960 — Ted Williams homered in his final major league plate appearance, against Baltimore’s Jack Fisher.... [ More] |
Sat Sep 26 2020 | 21:56 | Too little, too late: Angels, Trout miss playoffs again | Clayton Kershaw | SP | Dodgers | Free Agent |
| | | Anthony Rendon | 3B | Nationals | Free Agent |
| | | Mike Trout | CF/LF | Angels | Free Agent |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mike Trout is out again. Out of the postseason, that is. For the ninth time in 10 years, the Los Angeles Angels superstar will spend October on the couch. “I don’t like losing,” he said Saturday. “It’s frustrating and it sucks.” The Angels were rolling in the final weeks of the pandemic-shortened, 60-game season, winning 14 of 20 to revive their slim playoff hopes. Trout hit his first career home run off Clayton Kershaw and the Angels led the Dodgers 5-3 Friday night. They ended up blowing three leads altogether and lost 9-5 to be eliminated, even with the playoffs expanded to 16 teams. Trout is considered to be the best player of his generation. But at 29 he has just one playoff appearance to his credit, and that was way back in 2014 when the Angels got swept in the AL Division Series. “I really want to challenge our guys that this is the last time that this occurs for many years to come," manager Joe Maddon said. Expectations were high when spring training began, with... [ More] |
Sat Sep 26 2020 | 17:35 | Outfielder Hunter Pence announces retirement after 14 years | Hunter Pence | RF | Giants | Free Agent |
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Four-time All-Star outfielder Hunter Pence announced his retirement Saturday following 14 major league seasons. The 37-year-old Pence wrote on his Twitter page: “Nothing can really prepare you for this part of your career when you have to say: I am retiring from baseball. Forever thankful and Gr8ful.” Most recently he was a fan favorite for the San Francisco Giants, helping the club to a pair of World Series championships after being acquired from the Phillies at the 2012 trade deadline. A career .279 hitter, Pence had 244 home runs and 942 RBIs playing for Houston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Texas. The Giants released him last month from a second stint with the club after Pence batted just .096 with two homers and six RBIs in 17 games. He always believed he would be back with the Giants — it just took a season-long detour with the Rangers last year for his reunion to come together. Pence reinvented his swing during 2018 with San Francisco, played winter ball in... [ More] |
Sat Sep 26 2020 | 15:25 | Giants release veteran right-hander Jeff Samardzija | Jeff Samardzija | SP | Cubs | Free Agent |
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The San Francisco Giants released veteran right-hander Jeff Samardzija on Saturday, a day after he returned from a lengthy shoulder injury and rehab. Samardzija, an 11-game winner in 2019, was designated for assignment and placed on unconditional release waivers days before his contract was to expire. The 35-year-old pitcher signed a $90 million, five-year contract with San Francisco in December 2015, but spent much of his Giants tenure sidelined by injuries. “I usually sit on the bench for a few minutes before I get ready to go. Sitting there was definitely a little emotional. You take for granted all those times before you’ve done it,” Samardzija said of reflecting Friday. “You’re just always going to be there and you’re always going to have that opportunity. I think we all know time goes by real fast. Sitting there looking at the stadium, it’s tough. I’ve had a lot of fun here, very much enjoyed my time. It’s been a first-class organization. I was just taking it... [ More] |
Sat Sep 26 2020 | 10:05 | Nationals, manager Martinez agree to multiyear extension | Starlin Castro | SS | Cubs | Free Agent |
| | | Sean Doolittle | RP | Athletics | Free Agent |
| | | Adam Eaton | CF | Diamondbacks | Free Agent |
| | | Carter Kieboom | | | Free Agent |
| | | Tanner Rainey | | | Free Agent |
| | | Stephen Strasburg | SP | Nationals | Free Agent |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Manager Dave Martinez and the Washington Nationals agreed to a multiyear contract extension that the team announced Saturday. Martinez led the Nationals to the franchise’s first World Series championship in 2019, his second season as the team’s skipper. When he initially was hired, Martinez signed a three-year deal with a club option for 2021 that had not yet been picked up by the Nationals. “I can’t say enough about Davey’s leadership qualities and the poise he shows under pressure,” said Nationals president and general manager Mike Rizzo, who recently was given a three-year extension by the club. “The players, coaches and staff have the utmost respect for him as a manager and a person. There is no one else our team would rather have at the helm.” After a title defense slowed by injuries and inconsistency during a 60-game season delayed and shortened by the coronavirus pandemic, Washington entered Saturday — Martinez’s 56th birthday — with a 23-34 record and in last place... [ More] |
Sat Sep 26 2020 | 10:05 | This Date in Baseball | R.A. Dickey | SP | Mets | Free Agent |
| | | J.D. Martinez | LF | Astros | Free Agent |
Sept. 27 1914 — Nap Lajoie of the Cleveland Naps collected his 3,000th hit in the opening game of a doubleheader, a 5-3 win over the New York Yankees at League Park II. Lajoie doubled off of Marty McHale for the milestone hit. 1923 — Lou Gehrig hit his first homer in the majors off Bill Piercy of the Boston Red Sox. On the same date 15 years later, he hit his 493rd and last off Dutch Leonard of the Senators. 1930 — Hack Wilson hit two home runs for the Chicago Cubs, giving him an NL-record 56 for the season. 1935 — The Chicago Cubs clinched the NL pennant and won their 21st consecutive game with a doubleheader sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cubs won the pennant with the opening-game victory. 1936 — Hall of Fame manager Walter Alston played in his only major league game as a late-inning substitute at first base for Johnny Mize of the St. Louis Cardinals. He made one error in two chances and struck out in his only at-bat. 1940 — Rookie Floyd Giebell pitched the Detroit Tigers to a... [ More] |
Fri Sep 25 2020 | 16:35 | Column: No asterisk needed for most unusual baseball season | Freddie Freeman | 1B | Braves | Free Agent |
| | | Marcell Ozuna | OF | Marlins | Free Agent |
No need for an asterisk. Defying all skepticism that this was nothing more than a watered-down money grab with little chance of reaching the finish line (yep, I’m raising my hand), Major League Baseball has pulled off its two-month sprint of a regular season amid the coronavirus pandemic. With the playoffs set to begin next week, the 60-game campaign of 2020 certainly deserves a place right alongside those 162-game, six-month-long marathons of past years. “They're probably feeling like they would if they had played 162 games, really, with the mental drain and everything else that was on 'em," said Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker, who guided his team to a third straight NL East title. In many ways, this season was even more demanding than the usual grind. With the most extensive travel of any major sport that’s being played during the pandemic, the odds were stacked against baseball from that very first pitch back in late July. “Oh man, it was a challenge every day — for everybody,... [ More] |
Thu Sep 24 2020 | 12:24 | Champs done: Time to look toward 2021 for eliminated Nats | Starlin Castro | SS | Cubs | Free Agent |
| | | Sean Doolittle | RP | Athletics | Free Agent |
| | | Yan Gomes | C | Blue Jays | Free Agent |
| | | Bryce Harper | CF/RF | Nationals | Free Agent |
| | | Tanner Rainey | | | Free Agent |
| | | Anthony Rendon | 3B | Nationals | Free Agent |
| | | Joe Ross | | | Free Agent |
| | | Juan Soto | | | Free Agent |
| | | Stephen Strasburg | SP | Nationals | Free Agent |
| | | Trea Turner | | | Free Agent |
| | | Ryan Zimmerman | 3B | Nationals | Free Agent |
WASHINGTON (AP) — When Yan Gomes was asked about the 2019 World Series champion Washington Nationals essentially playing out the string over the last four games of this season, the catcher was put off by the premise. “I don’t think we’re technically out of it yet,” Gomes said. Technically, at that moment, he was right. About four hours later, once Wednesday had turned into Thursday and a game involving other teams ended the wrong way for Washington’s tiny remaining hopes, the Nationals were officially done. For the second straight season, manager Dave Martinez’s club got off to a 19-31 start. This time, there were not enough games to dig out of that hole. A year after winning the franchise’s first championship thanks to a historic turnaround, the Nationals woke up Thursday in last place in the NL East with a 23-33 record and no mathematical chance of returning to the playoffs in a pandemic-shortened 2020. That extends a trend: No team has won the World Series in consecutive years since... [ More] |
Wed Sep 23 2020 | 21:44 | LEADING OFF: Padres check Clevinger, Burnes' ERA title bid | Trevor Bauer | SP | Diamondbacks | Free Agent |
| | | Shane Bieber | | | Free Agent |
| | | Corbin Burnes | | | Free Agent |
| | | Mike Clevinger | | | Free Agent |
| | | Dallas Keuchel | SP | Astros | Free Agent |
| | | Dinelson Lamet | | | Free Agent |
| | | Zach Plesac | | | Free Agent |
A look at what's happening around the majors on Thursday: PADRES PREDICAMENT Fresh off clinching their first playoff berth in 14 seasons, San Diego is hoping for good news concerning Mike Clevinger. Clevinger was suddenly pulled after only one inning of his start Wednesday and sent for an MRI on his right biceps. The Padres got him a big trade with Cleveland on Aug. 31 and he had been the presumed Game 1 starter in the wild-card round next Wednesday. If Clevinger can’t go, that role could go to Dinelson Lamet. Clevinger’s start had been pushed back from Saturday night because of tightness in his right biceps. He had thrown a bullpen session this week and seemed fine to go, but his biceps tightened up after he threw a curveball to the second batter of the game against the Angels. “We’re comfortable with our options, yeah, but like I said, we’re not going to flip out and freak out,” manager Jayce Tingler said. A NEW ERA No Brewers pitcher has won an ERA title -- Corbin Burnes could become... [ More] |
Wed Sep 23 2020 | 10:04 | This Date in Baseball | Pedro Alvarez | 3B | Pirates | Free Agent |
| | | Starling Marte | LF | Pirates | Free Agent |
| | | David Ortiz | DH | Red Sox | Free Agent |
| | | Francisco Rodríguez | RP | Brewers | Free Agent |
| | | Trevor Rosenthal | RP | Cardinals | Free Agent |
| | | Michael Wacha | | | Free Agent |
| | | Jayson Werth | RF | Nationals | Free Agent |
| | | Ryan Zimmerman | 3B | Nationals | Free Agent |
Sept. 24 1940 — Jimmie Foxx of the Red Sox hit his 500th career home run off Philadelphia’s George Caster in the first game of a doubleheader at Shibe Park. Foxx’s homer came in the sixth inning after Ted Williams homered. Joe Cronin followed with a homer and, later in the inning, Jim Tabor also homered. The four homers in the inning were a first in the AL. 1969 — The New York Mets clinched the NL East Division title, with Gary Gentry pitching a four-hitter in a 6-0 victory over St. Louis. 1974 — Detroit’s Al Kaline doubled down the right-field line off Dave McNally of Baltimore for his 3,000th career hit. The Orioles beat the Tigers 5-4 at Memorial Stadium. 1984 — Rick Sutcliffe threw a two-hitter and led the Chicago Cubs to their first league title since 1945 with a 4-1 victory over Pittsburgh. 1988 — Dave Stieb of the Toronto Blue Jays, one strike away from a no-hitter, gave up a bad-hop single to Julio Franco. Stieb settled for a 1-0 one-hit victory over Cleveland. 1992 — Dave Winfield... [ More] |
Tue Sep 22 2020 | 23:34 | LEADING OFF: Glasnow, Rays try to win AL East, Bieber ready | Trevor Bauer | SP | Diamondbacks | Free Agent |
| | | Shane Bieber | | | Free Agent |
| | | Corbin Burnes | | | Free Agent |
| | | Erick Fedde | | | Free Agent |
| | | Lucas Giolito | | | Free Agent |
| | | Tyler Glasnow | | | Free Agent |
| | | Charlie Morton | SP | Pirates | Free Agent |
| | | J.T. Realmuto | C | Marlins | Free Agent |
| | | David Ross | C | Braves | Free Agent |
A look at what's happening around the majors on Wednesday: RAYS THE BANNER Rays right-hander Tyler Glasnow (4-1, 4.21 ERA) gets his final tuneup for the postseason when he faces Robinson Canó and the New York Mets at Citi Field. Glasnow and the playoff-bound Rays hope to make it a special night -- they can clinch their first AL East title with a win, or a loss by the Yankees to Toronto. “I go into it with maybe a little bit more confidence than I did last year,” Glasnow said. “Just an exciting time.” Glasnow is pegged to start the second game of Tampa Bay’s best-of-three, first-round playoff series next week, manager Kevin Cash said. Blake Snell is lined up for the opener, and Charlie Morton would pitch a potential Game 3. All three would have two extra days of rest. “I feel good,” Glasnow said. “It definitely is starting to feel more like, in a rhythm.” Glasnow is 4-0 in his last five starts. TUNEUP TIME Cleveland ace Shane Bieber (8-1, 1.74 ERA) had his start pushed back a day, lining... [ More] |
Tue Sep 22 2020 | 00:03 | Athletics clinch first AL West title since 2013 | Mike Fiers | SP | Brewers | Free Agent |
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics clinched their first AL West title since 2013 on Monday night with an assist from the rival Houston Astros. Houston lost 6-1 to the Seattle Mariners, ending its three-year reign as division champion. The A's were off Monday before opening an interleague series at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday. Since last season ended, the slugging A's have emphasized the need to win the division given they won 97 games each of the last two years and lost the AL Wild Card game. Oakland is in the playoffs for a third straight year and the sixth time in nine seasons. A's right-hander Mike Fiers was the whistleblower in the Astros' offseason sign-stealing scandal when he publicly called out his former club for cheating in an article published by The Athletic in November. Houston won a majors-best 107 games last season and brought in veteran manager Dusty Baker to lead the way in 2020. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports |
Mon Sep 21 2020 | 19:33 | Cubs plan to activate P Quintana for start against Pirates | David Ross | C | Braves | Free Agent |
PITTSBURGH (AP) — José Quintana is back in time to help the Chicago Cubs' playoff push. The NL Central-leading Cubs plan to activate the left-hander on Tuesday and start him against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Injuries have dogged Quintana for much of the season. He's appeared in just two games, both out of the bullpen, thanks to issues with his left thumb and a lat problem. Quintana recently completed a 35-pitch session off the mound and Cubs manager David Ross said he plans to give Quintana “a little bit of a leash” in his first start since last Sept. 26. There's a chance Quintana could get another opportunity to pitch when the Cubs wrap up the regular season with a three-game series at the rival Chicago White Sox this weekend. The 31-year-old Quintana is 83-77 with a 3.73 ERA, including a 33-23 record with a 4.26 ERA since being traded from the White Sox to the Cubs in July 2017. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports |
Mon Sep 21 2020 | 15:43 | Harper back in lineup as Phillies DH after back stiffness | Bryce Harper | CF/RF | Nationals | Free Agent |
| | | J.T. Realmuto | C | Marlins | Free Agent |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper was the designated hitter for Monday's game against Washington, a day after leaving a game with lower back stiffness. Harper exited Sunday's 6-3 loss to the Toronto Blue after he struck out with the bases loaded in the seventh inning. The Phillies right fielder took a slow walk in the dugout toward the clubhouse and signaled to manager Joe Girardi he was done for the day. Harper was hitting second in the lineup Monday for the start of a four-game series with the Nationals, his former team. Girardi said he could also use Harper as the DH in one of the two games of Tuesday's doubleheader. “Hopefully this will kind of refresh him,” Girardi said before Monday's game. “We’re just in a brutal part of the schedule and he just had some back tightness.” The Phillies are currently the seventh seed in the NL playoff race. Harper, in the second year of a $330 million, 13-year deal, has 11 home runs and 28 RBIs and is batting .260 in 51 games this season. He leads the league with 41 walks. Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto was out of the lineup again with a strained left hip flexor. Realmuto missed the last 10 games but could be available to pinch hit Monday night. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports |
Mon Sep 21 2020 | 10:03 | This Date in Baseball | José Reyes | SS | Marlins | Free Agent |
Sept. 22 1911 — Cy Young, 44, beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 1-0 for his 511th and final major league victory. 1936 — The Detroit Tigers swept the St. Louis Browns 12-0 and 14-0 to record the biggest double shutout in major league history. 1954 — Karl Spooner of Brooklyn became the first pitcher in the majors to strike out 15 in his first game as the Dodgers beat the New York Giants 3-0. 1966 — The Baltimore Orioles clinched their first AL pennant in 22 years with a 6-1 victory over the Kansas City A’s. Their last pennant came in 1944 when they were the St. Louis Browns. 1968 — Cesar Tovar played one inning at each position for the Minnesota Twins, becoming the second major leaguer in history to do it. Bert Campaneris of the Oakland A’s was the other. 1977 — Bert Blyleven tossed a 6-0 no-hitter for Texas against the Angels at Anaheim Stadium. 1986 — Fernando Valenzuela of Los Angeles became the first Mexican to win 20 games, beating the Houston Astros 9-2 while allowing two hits. 1987 — Wade... [ More] |
Mon Sep 21 2020 | 02:13 | Reds, Brewers and Cardinals charging hard in NL Central | Trevor Bauer | SP | Diamondbacks | Free Agent |
| | | Shane Bieber | | | Free Agent |
| | | Nick Castellanos | 3B | Tigers | Free Agent |
| | | Mitch Keller | | | Free Agent |
| | | Zach Plesac | | | Free Agent |
| | | Eugenio Suárez | SS | Tigers | Free Agent |
| | | Daniel Vogelbach | | | Free Agent |
| | | Joey Votto | 1B | Reds | Free Agent |
| | | Chien-Ming Wang | SP/RP | Nationals | Free Agent |
| | | Jesse Winker | | | Free Agent |
All the Cincinnati Reds needed was one extended winning streak to turn a disappointing season into a possible playoff berth. Cincinnati had high hopes after spending big in the offseason, but the Reds showed little sign of improvement until they ran off six straight victories recently. Now they're at .500 and in a three-way tie with Milwaukee and San Francisco for the final postseason spot in the National League. Cincinnati hosts a three-game series with the Brewers starting Monday night. It's the pitching staff that has led this resurgence for the Reds. They held Pittsburgh to six runs in a four-game sweep, and then they took two of three from the powerful Chicago White Sox. Trevor Bauer (4-4, 1.80 ERA) and Luis Castillo (3-5, 3.03) give Cincinnati a formidable starting pitching tandem, and Nick Castellanos, Eugenio Suarez, Jesse Winker and Joey Votto all have reached double-digit home runs. Elsewhere in the NL Central, Milwaukee and St. Louis are closing strong as well. Those two teams... [ More] |
Sun Sep 20 2020 | 10:03 | This Date in Baseball | Matt Carpenter | 3B | Cardinals | Free Agent |
| | | Alex Cobb | SP | Rays | Free Agent |
| | | Justin Marks | | | Free Agent |
| | | David Ortiz | DH | Red Sox | Free Agent |
| | | Gary Sánchez | P | Yankees | Free Agent |
Sept. 21 1934 — Daffy Dean of the St. Louis Cardinals pitched a no-hitter against the Brooklyn Dodgers for 3-0 victory in the second game of an Ebbets Field doubleheader. Daffy’s brother Dizzy, held Brooklyn hitless until the eighth inning in the opener and won 13-0. 1947 — Boston’s Johnny Pesky had two hits in each game of a doubleheader and finished the day with 202 hits. Pesky surpassed the 200-hit mark for the third time in as many major league seasons. He is the only player to lead a league in hits in his first three seasons in the game. 1964 — Manager Gene Mauch’s first-place Phillies lost 1-0 to the Cincinnati Reds on Chico Ruiz’s steal of home in the sixth inning. It was Philadelphia’s first of 10 straight losses, a streak that cost them the NL pennant. 1970 — Oakland’s Vida Blue pitched a no-hitter in his eighth major league start, beating Minnesota 6-0. 1995 — Colorado’s John Vander Wal set a major league record with his 26th pinch-hit of the season with a home run in the seventh... [ More] |
Sun Sep 20 2020 | 02:03 | LEADING OFF: Yanks on a roll, Verlander set for TJ | Trevor Bauer | SP | Diamondbacks | Free Agent |
| | | José Berríos | | | Free Agent |
| | | Madison Bumgarner | SP | Giants | Free Agent |
| | | Yu Darvish | SP | Rangers | Free Agent |
| | | Justin Verlander | SP | Tigers | Free Agent |
| | | Jacob deGrom | | | Free Agent |
A look at what's happening around the majors today: ___ GONE STREAKING The Yankees can clinch their fourth consecutive postseason berth and set a new mark for supremacy in their rivalry with Boston in the finale of a series at Fenway Park. New York has won 10 straight games since ending a 5-15 slump, improving to 31-21 and ensuring their 28th consecutive winning season, second in big league history behind their 39 in a row from 1926-64. They'll lock up a playoff spot if they beat the Red Sox or if Seattle loses to San Diego. The Bronx Bombers have also beaten Boston in 12 straight meetings, matching their best run ever in the rivalry. The Yankees also won 12 straight spanning the 1952-32 seasons while Red Sox star Ted Williams was off fighting in the Korean War. SHUT DOWN Justin Verlander’s bid to rejoin the Astros for a playoff push is over. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner says he needs Tommy John surgery, likely putting him out of action through all of next year. The 37-year-old... [ More] |
Sat Sep 19 2020 | 22:43 | White Sox beat Reds 5-0, close in on AL Central title | Jose Altuve | 2B | Astros | Free Agent |
| | | Tim Anderson | | | Free Agent |
| | | Orlando Arcia | SS | Brewers | Free Agent |
| | | Scott Barlow | | | Free Agent |
| | | Trevor Bauer | SP | Diamondbacks | Free Agent |
| | | Corbin Burnes | | | Free Agent |
| | | Kole Calhoun | RF | Angels | Free Agent |
| | | Daz Cameron | | | Free Agent |
| | | Garrett Cooper | | | Free Agent |
| | | Bryan Garcia | | | Free Agent |
| | | Kevin Gausman | | | Free Agent |
| | | Eric Haase | | | Free Agent |
| | | Geoff Hartlieb | | | Free Agent |
| | | Adam Haseley | | | Free Agent |
| | | Sam Howard | | | Free Agent |
| | | Josh James | | | Free Agent |
| | | Mitch Keller | | | Free Agent |
| | | Dallas Keuchel | SP | Astros | Free Agent |
| | | Andrew Knapp | | | Free Agent |
| | | Jake Lamb | | | Free Agent |
| | | Pablo López | | | Free Agent |
| | | Starling Marte | LF | Pirates | Free Agent |
| | | Phil Maton | | | Free Agent |
| | | Nomar Mazara | | | Free Agent |
| | | Andrew McCutchen | CF | Pirates | Free Agent |
| | | Jacob Nottingham | | | Free Agent |
| | | José Osuna | | | Free Agent |
| | | Enoli Paredes | | | Free Agent |
| | | Ryan Pressly | | | Free Agent |
| | | Drew Rasmussen | | | Free Agent |
| | | Josh Rojas | | | Free Agent |
| | | Miguel Rojas | SS | Reds | Free Agent |
| | | Travis Shaw | | | Free Agent |
| | | Robert Stephenson | | | Free Agent |
| | | Vince Velasquez | | | Free Agent |
| | | Chad Wallach | | | Free Agent |
| | | Luke Weaver | | | Free Agent |
| | | Devin Williams | | | Free Agent |
CINCINNATI (AP) — Tim Anderson hit two of Chicago’s five solo homers, and the White Sox — already guaranteed a playoff spot — took another step toward the AL Central title by overpowering the Cincinnati Reds 5-0 on Saturday night. Chicago has won eight of its last 10 games, securing at least a wild card and its first postseason appearance since 2008. José Abreu hit his fifth homer in eight games as the White Sox piled them up, including three in a row in the eighth off Robert Stephenson. Abreu has 18 homers overall. The Reds managed six hits as they had their season-high winning streak snapped at six games. Cincinnati (26-27) wasted a chance to move above .500 for the first time since its season-opening win over the Tigers. Nomar Mazara was in a 3-for-25 slump with 11 strikeouts when he connected off Trevor Bauer (4-4) in the fifth inning for his first homer. One out later, Anderson’s ninth homer made it 2-0. Bauer went seven innings and gave up five hits while throwing 107 pitches. Matt... [ More] |
Sat Sep 19 2020 | 19:32 | LEADING OFF: Verlander set for TJ, Bumgarner seeks 1st win | Trevor Bauer | SP | Diamondbacks | Free Agent |
| | | José Berríos | | | Free Agent |
| | | Madison Bumgarner | SP | Giants | Free Agent |
| | | Yu Darvish | SP | Rangers | Free Agent |
| | | Justin Verlander | SP | Tigers | Free Agent |
| | | Jacob deGrom | | | Free Agent |
A look at what's happening around the majors Sunday: ___ SHUT DOWN Justin Verlander’s bid to rejoin the Astros for a playoff push is over. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner says he needs Tommy John surgery, likely putting him out of action through all of next year. The 37-year-old right-hander threw to hitters on the side Wednesday for the first time since he was injured in the team’s opener on July 24. “I tried as hard as I could to come back and play this season,” Verlander said. “Unfortunately, my body just didn’t cooperate.” The Astros hold the eighth and final spot in the AL playoff race. Verlander went 21-6 with a 2.58 ERA last year, striking out a career-high 300 and throwing his third no-hitter. He pitched 223 innings, most in the majors, and then made six more starts in the postseason as the Astros reached the World Series. TRY AGAIN Madison Bumgarner makes another attempt at his first win since signing an $85 million, five-year contract in the offseason as a free agent with... [ More] |