Carlos Estévez Reportedly Agrees to Two-Year, $22.2 Million Contract with Kansas City Royals

Posted on January 29, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Estévez has reportedly agreed to a royal(s) deal…

The 32-year-old Dominican professional baseball pitcher and the Kansas City Royals have agreed to a two-year, $22.2 million contract with a club option, per ESPN sources.

Estevez’s potential hiring adds a veteran reliever to a Royals team hoping to continue its run of success after a surprise postseason appearance last year.

The deal will pay Estévez $10.1 million in each of the first two years, with the club option worth $13 million and a $2 million buyout.

Estévez has spent the past two seasons as a closer — first for the Los Angeles Angels and then, following a July trade, the Philadelphia Phillies — with a high-octane fastball and a swing-and-miss slider and changeup.

While his strikeout rate dipped last year, his walks came down significantly as well and unleashed the best version of him.

With a weak bullpen in the first half of last season, Kansas City upgraded at the trade deadline by acquiring right-hander Lucas Erceg — who became a dominant closer down the stretch — and right-hander Hunter Harvey, who missed the postseason with injuries. Estévez’s presence alongside Erceg gives Kansas City a potent one-two punch in the late innings to complement one of the American League’s best rotations.

Coming off a 106-loss season, the Royals improved by 30 games and beat the Baltimore Orioles in the wild-card round before losing to the eventual American League champion New York Yankees.

Kansas City re-signed starter Michael Wacha and traded for second baseman Jonathan India early in the winter, then re-signed right-hander Michael Lorenzen.

Estévez enriches a bullpen that includes right-handers Erceg, Harvey and John Schreiber and a panoply of left-handers: Angel Zerpa, Sam Long, Daniel Lynch and potentially Kris Bubic, who is expected to compete with Lorenzen and right-hander Kyle Wright for Kansas City’s fifth starter job.

After spending six seasons in Colorado, Estévez signed a two-year, $13.5 million deal with the Angels and ascended into the closer role. Since signing with Los Angeles, he has saved 57 games and struck out 128 while walking 43 in 117⅓ innings with a 3.22 ERA.

Elly De La Cruz Among Young MLB Talent Gracing Cover of “MLB The Show 25” Video Game

Posted on January 28, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Elly De La Cruz is getting in the (video) game…

The 23-year-old Dominican professional baseball shortstop for Major League Baseball’s Cincinnati Reds is among three athletes being featured for the first time on MLB The Show 25.

De La Cruz, Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson and Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes grace the cover as the video game embraces a “dynamic era” of young MLB talent.

The decision to go with younger stars coincides with the video game franchise celebrating its 20th anniversary with its release on March 18.

“Historically, we’ve chosen a single cover athlete for MLB The Show, someone who is at the pinnacle of the sport,” Todd Liss, group manager of MLB The Show’s global marketing team, told ESPN. “However, with the unprecedented young talent coming into the league, we wanted to represent the changing current climate of baseball and showcase it on our cover. These three players are changing what’s possible in baseball, and we’re changing how many players can be on the cover of The Show.”

De La Cruz debuted in the majors in June 2023, appearing in 98 games. Last season, he became the youngest player in MLB history to hit 25 home runs and steal 60 bases.

In his first full season in 2023, Henderson hit 28 home runs with 82 RBIs, aiding in Baltimore’s first playoff berth since 2016. Last season, Henderson earned All-Star honors for the first time with 37 home runs and 92 RBIs.

Skenes, the National League Rookie of the Year, is the first full-time pitcher on the global cover of the game.

Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way star, appeared on the cover of MLB The Show 22, and others to get the honor include Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (2024), Fernando Tatis Jr. (2021), Bryce Harper (2019) and Aaron Judge (2018).

The Pirates brought Skenes up to the majors last May, and the 22-year-old phenom posted an 11-3 record with a 1.96 ERA. In July, he became the fifth rookie pitcher to start an MLB All-Star Game.

“Testament to the guys that have been drafted and gone through the minor leagues to get to this point,” Henderson told ESPN about the up-and-coming group. “They don’t brag about it, and they just go out there and continue to work hard and try to be the best player that they can [be]. I feel like that’s what you want as a fan and that’s what we try to go do each night out.”

Skenes referred to his fellow cover stars as “so dynamic.” He jokingly said Henderson seems like “just a good old country boy from Alabama,” and he highlighted De La Cruz’s work ethic and ability to make “unbelievable plays all the time.”

“Just a guy that you don’t really want on the basepaths because he’s just gonna wreak a lot of havoc,” Skenes said.

All three players agree on the impact that placement on the video game’s cover can potentially have on baseball’s youth.

“There are a lot of other guys who weren’t finalists for Rookie of the Year or MVP or anything like that who are very, very good young players that aren’t as well-known as guys like me or Elly or Gunnar,” Skenes told ESPN. “But it’s just the talent pool is so deep from young guys, and it’s cool to kind of see.”

De La Cruz said it sends a message to other young talent in the minors to keep working hard to achieve their dreams.

Skenes, who grew up a fan of the Los Angeles Angels, said current young stars are benefiting “a little bit” from past athletes, using Mike Trout as an example of a player that has helped pave the way for younger stars.

“Those guys making a difference in the big leagues and growing the game from a very early point in their career, I think that’s kind of [what] put us in this position,” Skenes said. “So, I think it’s kind of our job to continue that so that the next generation can reap the benefits as well.”

Henderson and De La Cruz said they played the video game growing up, and Henderson said he frequently took in the “Diamond Dynasty” mode, where users can collect cards to build their team. De La Cruz said MLB The Show 15, which featured Cuban-born outfielder Yasiel Puig on the cover, and MLB The Show 17, which had Ken Griffey Jr., are his favorites.

Skenes, on the other hand, admitted he didn’t play the game consistently.

“I’m not very good at it, to be honest,” he quipped.

Anthony Santander Agrees to Five-Year, $92.5 Million Contract with Toronto Blue Jays

Posted on January 20, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Anthony Santander has nearly 100 million reasons to grin from ear to ear…

The 30-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball right fielder and the Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to a five-year contract worth $92.5 million, giving the team one of the best hitters available this offseason after failed attempts to land a marquee free agent in recent years.

The deal, announced by his agents at the Beverly Hills Sports Council and pending a physical, includes an opt-out clause and an escalated team option provision for 2030 that can make the deal worth $110 million over six years.

The Blue Jays, who also announced they had landed Santander, designated left-hander Brandon Eisert for assignment in order to add the outfielder to the 40-man roster.

A Rule 5 selection after the 2016 season, Santander ascended to a starting role during the Baltimore Orioles‘ lean, rebuilding years before becoming a key component for the franchise’s playoff teams the past two seasons.

Santander recorded a career year at the right time in 2024, making his first American League MLB All-Star team and posting a .506 slugging percentage with 44 home runs, 102 RBIs and 25 doubles in 155 games before reaching free agency this winter.

The home runs ranked third in the majors last season behind only Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani.

They were also the fifth most for a switch-hitter in a single season and the most for a switch-hitter since Lance Berkman hit 45 in 2006.

Santander’s shortcomings — he has a .307 career on-base percentage and isn’t a strong defender — did not prevent him from landing a multiyear contract with an organization that has been thirsting to add impact players.

The Blue Jays had been considered finalists to sign Ohtani, Juan Soto, Corbin Burnes and Roki Sasaki over the past two off-seasons, only to fall short each time. In Santander, Toronto adds a star a tier below those four players, but one who will bolster a lineup centered on Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who is slated for free agency next winter.

Santander’s offense also better supplements one of the best starting rotations in baseball, as the organization looks to reverse its last-place finish in a loaded American League East.

Because Santander received and rejected a qualifying offer from the Orioles, the Blue Jays will lose their second-highest draft pick in 2025 and $500,000 in international bonus pool room for signing him.

Luis Gil Named American League Rookie of the Year

Posted on November 18, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Luis Gil is celebrating a special honor…

The 26-year-old Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees has been named the MLB’s American League Rookie of the Year

Gil, a revelation two-plus years removed from Tommy John surgery, edged out teammate and catcher Austin Wells and Baltimore Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser to win the award in the AL in a tight race.

Gil tallied 15 of the 30 first-place votes, narrowly topping Cowser, who finished with 13 first-place votes and five points behind Gil. Oakland A‘s closer Mason Miller and Cleveland Guardians reliever Cade Smith each earned one first-place vote.

The five-point differential marks the second-closest election in an AL Rookie of the Year race since the three-player ballot was introduced in 2003.

“I was focused on having a good year, on helping the team win as much as I could and being focused on my career,” Gil said.

Gil entered spring training an afterthought in the Yankees’ plan, slated to start the season in the minors after being sent to minor league camp in early March.

The Yankees had their starting rotation set. Gil had electric stuff but command was a concern and he logged only four innings in A-ball in 2023 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2022. Then Gerrit Cole, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, was shut down because of an elbow injury shortly thereafter, opening a spot for Gil. He did not relinquish it.

Gil went 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA in 29 starts. He led all AL rookies in wins, innings pitched (151⅔) and strikeouts (171). His 1.82 ERA through 12 starts helped the Yankees navigate the club’s 2½ months without Cole to start the season and solidified his place in the rotation for the remainder of the season. He gave up one or fewer hits in five outings, tied for the most by a rookie since the mound was moved to 60 feet, six inches in 1893, according to ESPN Research. He didn’t giver up an earned run in six of his starts, the most by a Yankees rookie since 1913.

Gil is the 10th Yankees player to win the honor. He is the first Yankee to win it since Aaron Judge in 2017 and the first Yankees pitcher since Dave Righetti in 1981.

“He worked so hard to put himself in a strong position heading into spring training after coming back from Tommy John surgery,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said in a statement. “Without a guarantee of a major-league spot, he absolutely kicked in the door this spring and went on to have a phenomenal rookie season. Luis continued to mature and develop all year and was one of the pillars of our rotation.”

Houston Astros Star Jose Altuve Earns Silver Slugger Award for the Seventh Time

Posted on November 12, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Jose Altuve has earned another special MLB prize…

The 34-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball second baseman for the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers utilityman led the field of Silver Slugger honorees, picking up the award for the seventh time in his career.

Major League Baseball revealed the 2024 Silver Sluggers on Tuesday, as voted on by major league managers and coaches. The group features seven first-time winners and 14 different clubs with at least one honoree.

Altuve was picked as the American League second baseman winner after he batted .295 with a .789 OPS, 20 home runs, 31 doubles and 65 RBIs in 153 games in 2024. He was an MLB All-Star for the ninth time.

Other Latino players to win in the American League include Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez, Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez and outfielders Juan Soto of the New York Yankees and Anthony Santander of the Baltimore Orioles.

Latino players receiving Silver Slugger awards in the National League include Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras, Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte, San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado, New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor and outfielder Teoscar Hernandez of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The full list of winners is as follows:

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Catcher: Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals
First base: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays
Second base: Altuve, Astros
Third base: Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Guardians
Shortstop: Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
Outfield: Judge, Yankees; Juan Soto, Yankees; Anthony Santander, Baltimore Orioles
Designated hitter: Brent Rooker, Oakland Athletics
Utility: Josh Smith, Texas Rangers

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Catcher: William Contreras, Milwaukee Brewers
First base: Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies
Second base: Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks
Third base: Manny Machado, San Diego Padres
Shortstop: Francisco Lindor, New York Mets
Outfield: Jackson Merrill, Padres; Teoscar Hernandez, Dodgers; Jurickson Profar, Padres
Designated hitter: Ohtani, Dodgers
Utility: Betts, Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers to Honor Fernando Valenzuela with Special Patch During World Series

Posted on October 24, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

The Los Angeles Dodgers are set to honor franchise great Fernando Valenzuela.

The team will honor the late Mexican-American professional baseball pitcher with a jersey patch in the World Series and during the 2025 season.

The Dodgers unveiled the patch on Thursday — a circular design with a black background, his name in white and a large No. 34 in Dodger Blue.

Valenzuela, who sparked a fan phenomenon known as “Fernandomania” as a rookie and became a Dodgers legend, died Tuesday evening at age 63.

No cause of death was given.

Valenzuela pitched for the Dodgers from 1980 to 1990, then had stints with the Los Angeles Angels (1991), Baltimore Orioles (1993), Philadelphia Phillies (1994), San Diego Padres (1995-97) and St. Louis Cardinals (1997).

He finished with a 173-153 record, a 3.54 ERA and 2,074 strikeouts in 2,930 innings over 453 games (424 starts).

He riveted Southern California in 1981, when as a 20-year-old from Mexico he went 13-7 with a 2.48 ERA in 25 starts, throwing 11 complete games — eight of them shutouts — to win both Rookie of the Year and the National League Cy Young Award.

The Dodgers won the World Series against the New York Yankees that season — their opponent in this year’s World Series — and Valenzuela was 3-1 with a 2.21 ERA in five starts in that postseason.

After pitching in the majors for 17 seasons, Valenzuela served as a Spanish-language broadcaster for the Dodgers, starting in 2003. He had stepped away from his broadcasting duties before the start of these playoffs to “focus on his health,” the team said.

Baltimore Orioles Acquire Eloy Jimenez from Chicago White Sox

Posted on July 30, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Eloy Jimenez is switching teams…

The 28-year-old Dominican professional baseball designated hitter and outfielder has been acquired by the Baltimore Orioles from the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday for minor league left-hander Trey McGough.

Jimenez is hitting .240 with just five home runs and 16 RBIs this season. He’s been limited to 65 games in 2024 because of adductor and hamstring issues after reaching double figures in homers each of his first five seasons.

Jimenez went from the Chicago Cubs to the crosstown White Sox in the 2017 deal that sent Jose Quintana to the Cubs. In his debut season of 2019, Jimenez hit 31 home runs, but he’s never played more than the 122 games he did that year and hasn’t surpassed 18 homers since.

Before he’d even played a game in the majors, Chicago signed Jiménez to a $43 million, six-year deal. That contract includes a $16.5 million team option for 2025 with a $3 million buyout, and an $18.5 million team option for 2026, also with a $3 million buyout.

Baltimore received another outfielder Tuesday when Austin Slater was traded for the second time this month. Slater, who went from San Francisco to Cincinnati on July 7, was dealt to the Orioles along with minor league infielder Livan Soto and cash. The Reds receive cash or a player to be named.

In a separate deal Tuesday, Baltimore also acquired left-handed reliever Gregory Soto from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for right-handed pitching prospect Seth Johnson.

Soto, 29, has a 4.08 ERA and two saves across 35⅓ innings this season for the Phillies.

Johnson, 25, has spent the season in Double-AA and has a 2.63 ERA.

Manny Machado Reaches 1,000 RBIs Milestone with Three-Run Homer

Posted on July 27, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Manny Machado is celebrating a major milestone…

The 32-year-old Dominican American professional baseball third baseman and shortstop for the San Diego Padres hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning on Saturday to reach 1,000 RBIs.

Machado had three hits in San Diego’s 9-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles, the seventh straight victory for the Padres.

Fittingly, he reached a hitting milestoneat Camden Yards, back where his Major League Baseball (MLB) career began.

“Doing it where it all started,” Machado said. “I got my first one here and I got my thousandth here.”

Machado began his major league career in Baltimore in 2012 and played there until he was traded in 2018. He has been in the National League since, so he hasn’t been back often.

“The ballpark’s changed since Manny’s been here,” manager Mike Shildt said.

That’s true — the wall in left field as a lot taller and a lot farther back than it used to be. But Machado’s drive went 413 feet to right-center field. According to Statcast, it would have been gone from 24 of the 30 parks in the majors.

“For me, it’s always been gap to gap, so try to keep it that way,” Machado said. “There are some guys that are pull-happy and come here and that wall, you see the depth, it’s pretty far back there. You just try to stick to your approach, what your strength is.”

San Diego is 31-22 on the road and 26-28 at home. On this trip, the Padres took two of three at AL Central-leading Cleveland, then swept Washington, with Dylan Cease throwing a no-hitter during that series.

Now they’re one win from sweeping AL East-leading Baltimore.

“We’ve been playing really good baseball,” Machado said. “It has nothing to do with being on the road, being at home. That’s just the narrative that people want to go by, but we try to just play really good baseball.”

Adolis Garcia to Take Part in This Year’s Home Run Derby

Posted on July 10, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Adolis Garcia is ready to swing for the fences…

The 31-year-old Cuban professional baseball outfielder , nicknamed “El Bombi,” will represent the host Texas Rangers in Monday night’s Home Run Derby at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

García was knocked out by Tampa Bay Rays slugger Randy Arozarena last year in the first round at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez also confirmed he would participate during Wednesday night’s Phillies-Dodgers broadcast.

This will be Hernandez’s first time in the Derby.

Two Rangers have won the Derby: Ruben Sierra and Cincinnati’s Eric Davis were co-winners in 1989 at Anaheim Stadium, and Juan Gonzalez won in 1993 at Baltimore’s Camden Yards.

The New York Mets’Pete Alonso, Philadelphia‘sAlec Bohm, Baltimore‘sGunnar Henderson, Atlanta‘sMarcell Ozuna, Cleveland‘s José Ramírez and Kansas City‘s Bobby Witt Jr. previously committed to the eight-player field.

Alonso will participate in his fifth straight Home Run Derby, trying to win for the third time.

Marcell Ozuna to Compete at This Year’s Home Run Derby

Posted on July 8, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

It’s batter up for Marcell Ozuna.

The 33-year-old Dominican professional baseball player, an outfielder for the Atlanta Braves, will be competing in the Home Run Derby.

Ozuna was already heading to Arlington, Texas, as an MLB All-Star.

It’s the third time competing for Ozuna, who last made the team in 2017.

Other confirmed entries in the slugging exhibition include two-time winner Pete Alonso of the New York Mets, the Philadelphia Phillies‘ Alec Bohm, the Baltimore Orioles‘ Gunnar Henderson and Kansas City Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr.

More participants will be announced in the coming days.

Ozuna, in the midst of a resurgent season, entered Monday with 23 homers and a National League-leading 72 RBIs.

The Derby will air on July 15 at 8:00 pm ET on ESPN.

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