Carlos Rodón to Start for New York Yankees in Game 1 of American League Championship Series

Posted on October 13, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

It’s game on for Carlos Rodón.

The 31-year-old Cuban left-handed pitcher will start the American League Championship Series (ALCS) opener for the New York Yankees against the Cleveland Guardians on Monday night.

Rodón rebounded to a 16-9 record with a 3.96 ERA over 175 innings in 32 starts in his second season with the Yankees after signing a six-year, $162 million contract.

He went 3-8 with a career-worst 6.85 ERA over 14 outings in a 2023 season that didn’t start for him until July 7 because of a strained left forearm and back stiffness.

Rodón took the loss in Game 2 of the AL Division Series against the Kansas City Royals on Monday.

He pitched shutout ball until giving up a leadoff homer to Salvador Perez that sparked a four-run fourth inning. Tommy Pham, Garrett Hampson and Maikel Garcia added RBI singles in a 4-2 win that evened the best-of-five series.

Rodón’s wife, Ashley, said she received online harassment following his defeat.

“It’s not the first time nor will it be the last time,” the pitcher said. “I think Ashley and I spoke about it that night, and she said, and I quote, she said, ‘I have thick skin, so I’m going to be OK.’ And she does. She’s a tough lady, my wife, very tough, probably tougher than I am. For me, on my phone, I have accounts, but I do not have social media on my phone.”

Ace Gerrit Cole starts Game 2 on Tuesday, followed by Clarke Schmidt in Game 3 at Cleveland on Thursday and rookie Luis Gil the following day in Game 4.

“It was really kind of choosing between Clarke and Carlos,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Sunday about his Game 1 decision. “It just felt like it was close, and I feel like this kind of keeps them on rhythm as much as possible without giving one guy a huge, long layoff.”

Boone said it was possible that first baseman Anthony Rizzo could be added to the roster but no decision had been made. Rizzo has been sidelined since fracturing a pair of fingers when hit by a pitch September 28.

“He did a lot more yesterday and did pretty well, but I want to see more today,” Boone said before the workout. “There’s a chance.”

Elly De La Cruz Becomes Youngest MLB Player to Post 25 HR, 60 SB Season

Posted on September 21, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Elly De La Cruz has etched his name in the annals of Major League Baseball history.

The 22-year-old Dominican professional baseball infielder, who plays for the Cincinnati Reds, became the youngest player in MLB history to hit 25 home runs and steal 60 bases in a season during his team’s 7-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.

But that’s not all… He’s also the first shortstop with 25 homers and 65 steals in a season.

De La Cruz hit the benchmark when he blasted his 25th home run of the season in the fourth inning, a three-run shot that struck the railing just below the upper-level bar in right field, to make the score 6-0. He finished the game with three hits, including a double, and four RBIs.

De La Cruz joined Eric Davis and Barry Larkin as the only Reds players with 25 homers and 65 stolen bases in a season.

“It means a lot to me, those are great players,” De La Cruz said. “I feel great. I wanted to finish strong.”

De La Cruz stole his 65th base of the season on Friday night. It was his 100th career stolen base in his 251st career game.

Also on Saturday, De La Cruz became the third player in major league history with 35 doubles, 25 homers and 60 stolen bases in a season, joining the Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acuna Jr. in 2023 and Cincinnati’s Joe Morgan in 1973, according to ESPN Research.

New York Yankees Call Up Jasson Domínguez Ahead of Series Opener Against Kansas City Royals

Posted on September 9, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Jasson Domínguez has received his call up…

The New York Yankees called up the 21-year-old Dominican professional baseball outfielder, nicknamed El Marciano, ahead of Monday’s series opener against the Kansas City Royals, abruptly answering the question hovering over the club since rosters were expanded at the beginning of the month.

Domínguez was in the Yankees’ starting lineup Monday, playing center field and batting sixth. Manager Aaron Boone said he’ll play “a lot” as the Yankees continue battling the Baltimore Orioles for the AL East title.

“This is a dream,” Domínguez said. “Since I started playing, I wanted to play in the big leagues and now I’m here again and it’s exciting and I’m happy [about] it.”

The Yankees’ decision to not promote the switch-hitter on September 1, when teams were first allowed to field 28-man rosters, was surprising to outsiders.

A significant swath of the fan base reacted with furor.

Domínguez was producing at the Triple-A level while Alex Verdugo, the Yankees’ everyday left fielder, was one of the worst everyday players in the majors since June. Why wait?

Boone gave two primary reasons: First, injuries — a late start to the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last September and an oblique strain in June — disjointed Domínguez’s season and limited his game action.

Secondly, Domínguez would only get called up to play every day, and Yankees decision-makers decided they wanted to give Verdugo, a 28-year-old veteran with postseason experience, more time to rebound.

On Friday, general manager Brian Cashman told reporters in Chicago that Verdugo gave the team “the best chance to win.”

Three days later, after taking two of three games from the Cubs but scoring just six runs, the Yankees were back home, Domínguez had a locker in their clubhouse and Verdugo, an impending free agent, was effectively demoted to the bench. What changed?

“I don’t know about change other than, look, the roster is a living, breathing organism every day that’s always kind of evolving and you’re always paying attention,” Boone said. “And like I said on Sept. 1, when we didn’t initially recall Jasson, he’s in the conversation every single day. I think as much as anything, it’s just continuing to build the momentum he’s built here over the last few weeks.”

Domínguez’s return to the Bronx comes a year after he provided a dose of electricity as a September call-up for a club en route to a disappointing 82-win season without a playoff appearance. Domínguez homered in his debut and hit three more home runs over the next seven games. But his season was cut short after he was diagnosed with a torn UCL in his right elbow. He underwent Tommy John surgery soon thereafter, which pushed his 2024 debut back to mid-May.

Domínguez reached Triple-A Wilkes/Barre in June, appearing in nine games before suffering an oblique strain that sidelined him for over a month. His only major league action this season before Monday was as the Yankees’ 27th man in the Little League Classic against the Detroit Tigers last month. He batted fifth and played left field, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts before he was sent back to the minors, where he pummeled pitching.

Domínguez batted .347 with four home runs and a .958 OPS in 18 games after the cameo. Overall, he slashed .314./376/.504 with 11 home runs in 58 games across three minor league levels this season, solidifying his place as a consensus top-10 prospect in baseball and a key part of the Yankees’ future. That future started Monday.

“I’ve been a huge fan ever since I met him,” Boone said. “Just love his makeup, his talent. And he’s earned this opportunity.”

The Yankees also activated infielder Jon Berti from the injured list, placed infielder DJ LeMahieu on the injured list with a right hip impingement, and designated left-handed reliever Anthony Misiewicz for assignment.

Berti, a 34-year-old speedster acquired the day before Opening Day, had been out since May with a left calf strain he reaggravated in July. Boone said LeMahieu has been dealing with hip discomfort for “a few weeks.” He added he isn’t sure if LeMahieu, a two-time batting champion having the worst season of his career, will play again in 2024.

Oneil Cruz Switching Positions with Pittsburgh Pirates

Posted on August 26, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Oneil Cruz is switching positions…

The 25-year-old Dominican professional baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates is switching positions, moving from shortstop to center field.

Cruz is likely to be the designated hitter for the three-game series against the Chicago Cubs that starts on Monday night.

He’ll go through pregame workouts during the early part of the week before likely making his center-field debut sometime during a three-game weekend series at Cleveland.

The 6-foot-7 Cruz has made only one appearance in the outfield since breaking into the major leagues late in the 2021 season.

He played one inning in left field in 2022.

Cruz became the tallest shortstop in Major League Baseball history when he made his debut on Oct. 2, 2021.

“It’s something that we’ve been talking about,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said of the position change before Monday night’s game. “It’s not something we took lightly. He’s an unbelievable athlete. We feel that [center field] is probably the best position for him and for the Pirates.”

Cruz has been charged with 24 errors this season in 112 games, including 12 in his past 28 games. He is hitting .265 with 18 home runs and 17 stolen bases.

In last place in the National League Central, the Pirates are trying to get a jump on 2025.

“We wanted to make sure that we had a runway of games going into next year, for that to be important,” Shelton said. “Excited to see him out there. This kid is a dynamic athlete. With the way that we’re set up now, I feel that’s the best thing for us.”

Veteran infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa is expected to get the bulk of starts at shortstop for the remainder of the season. The Pirates acquired him from Toronto in a July 30 trade and he is signed through 2025 as part of a two-year, $15 million contract with the Blue Jays.

The Pirates also made four roster moves on Monday — second baseman Nick Gonzales (left groin strain) was activated from the 10-day injured list, catcher Joey Bart (strained left hamstring) was placed on the 10-day IL, catcher Henry Davis was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis and right-hander Jake Woodford was designated for assignment.

Rookie right-hander Jared Jones is expected to be activated from the 15-day IL to start Tuesday night against the Cubs. He has been out since July 4 with a strained right lat.

Bryan de la Cruz Acquired by Pittsburgh Pirates

Posted on July 31, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

It’s all hands on deck for Bryan de la Cruz.

With an eye on a playoff push, the Pittsburgh Pirates acquired two new bats ahead of Tuesday’s MLB trade deadline, including the 27-year-old Dominican professional baseball outfielder.

de la Cruz was acquired alongside utility player Isiah Kiner-Falefa from the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday.

de la Cruz led the Miami Marlins with 18 home runs and 51 RBIs while batting .245 in 105 games this season. He is one homer away from tying his career high set last year.

In 431 career games for Miami since debuting in 2021, De La Cruz has batted .258 with 55 homers and 191 RBIs.

Luis Garcia Traded to Boston Red Sox

Posted on July 30, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Luis Garcia is seeing Red (Sox)…

The 27-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball right-handed pitcher has been traded to the Boston Red Sox from the Los Angeles Angels at the trade deadline on Tuesday.

Garcia’s trade came immediately after the team acquired right-hander Lucas Sims from the Cincinnati Reds.

The Red Sox sent minor league right-hander Ovis Portes to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Sims and sent four minor league players to the Angels in exchange for Garcia: infielder/outfielder Matthew Lugo, first baseman Niko Kavadas and right-handed pitchers Ryan Zeferjahn and Yeferson Vargas.

Garcia was 5-1 with a 3.71 ERA in 45 relief appearances in his first season with the Angels after signing a one-year, $4.25 million deal in December.

He is 26-28 with a 4.02 ERA in 530 career appearances (four starts) in 12 seasons for five teams.

Lugo, 23, was Boston’s No. 17 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, drafted in the second round in 2019. The nephew of nine-time MLB All-Star Carlos Beltran, Lugo was batting .285 with 16 home runs and 54 RBIs in 78 games in Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester this season.

Kavadas, 25, hit .281 with 17 home runs and 63 RBIs in 83 games this season at Worcester.

Zeferjahn, 26, was 1-3 with a 3.52 ERA in 25 games (one start) with Portland and Worcester this year.

Vargas, a 19-year-old from the Dominican Republic, was 4-2 with a 3.03 ERA in 11 games (4 starts) with the Red Sox farm teams in the Florida Complex League and Single-A Salem.

Sims, 30, went 1-4 with a 3.57 ERA and one save in 43 appearances out of the Cincinnati bullpen this season. The right-hander struck out 40 batters and walked 20 in 35⅓ innings.

Sims owns a career record of 22-17 with a 4.41 ERA and 12 saves in 230 games (14 starts) with the Atlanta Braves (2017-18) and Reds.

Portes, 19, was in his second season with the Boston organization. He went 2-1 with a 2.12 ERA and two saves in 11 games (five starts) between Class-A Salem and the Florida Complex League.

The Red Sox designated left-hander Brandon Walter, 27, for assignment to make room for Sims on the 40-man roster.

Tampa Bay Rays Trade Isaac Paredes to Chicago Cubs

Posted on July 29, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Isaac Paredes is headed to The Windy City.

The 25-year-old Mexican professional baseball third baseman and MLB All-Star is being traded by the Tampa Bay Rays to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Christopher Morel, a 25-year-old Dominican fellow third baseman, per ESPN.

The Cubs are also sending two prospects — pitchers Ty Johnson and Hunter Bigge — to the Rays in the deal, sources told ESPN.

Paredes immediately will step in as the Cubs’ starting third baseman, as the team has been searching for an answer at that position since moving on from Kris Bryant in 2021.

Morel has played there this season with varying degrees of improvement on defense, but his offensive output stalled somewhat after a promising first two years of his career.

After hitting .247 with 26 homers last season, Morel is hitting .199 with a team leading 18 home runs this season.

Paredes, who is hitting .247 with 16 home runs and 19 doubles this season, was originally signed by the Cubs but never played for them as he was traded to the Detroit Tigers in a 2017 deadline deal.

Both players are under team control for several more seasons before reaching free agency.

Bigge just made his MLB debut this month after being drafted in the 12th round in 2019. Johnson was taken in the 15th round of the 2023 draft and has been pitching at the Class-A level this season.

Both teams are in transition mode. The Rays have made several deals ahead of the trade deadline, shipping out reliever Jason Adam on Sunday as well as Randy Arozarena and Zach Eflin earlier in the week.

The Cubs, who began Sunday in last place in the NL Central, acquired reliever Nate Pearson on Saturday, vowing to rework their roster with future years in mind.

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.”

Philadelphia Phillies Acquire Carlos Estevez from Los Angeles Angels

Posted on July 27, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Estevez is headed to The City of Brotherly Love.

The Philadelphia Phillies acquired the 31-year-old Dominican professional baseball pitcher from the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday, paying a hefty price in two top pitching prospects but adding a dynamic arm to an already strong bullpen.

The deal for Estevez, who is a free agent this winter, will send right-hander George Klassen and left-hander Samuel Aldegheri to the Angels.

“I’m glad if I’m going to another place, it’s a place I can get a shot to win a ring,” Estevez said. “It feels amazing. I’m excited.”

In Estevez, the Phillies add an established late-inning reliever to a bullpen rich with pedigree.

In addition to MLB All-Stars Jeff Hoffman and Matt Strahm, the Phillies have 23-year-old Orion Kerkering as well as left-handers Jose Alvarado and Gregory Soto, both of whom have closing experience.

Estevez has displayed immaculate control this season, with only three unintentional walks in 34 innings. He has struck out 32 and limited hitters to a .169/.202/.288 slash line while posting a 2.38 ERA with 20 saves.

“He’s one of the best relievers in baseball this past year,” Phillies team president Dave Dombrowski said. “He’s a guy that can pitch the ninth inning. How [manager Rob Thomson] determines how he’s going to use him, we’ll see. It wouldn’t surprise me if he gets a lot of ninth innings.”

At 64-39, the Phillies have the best record in baseball and are widely regarded as the World Series favorite. Dealing prospects the quality of Klassen and Aldegheri for an impending free agent reliever is a heavy price but one that reflects the team’s urgency after back-to-back losses in the World Series and National League Championship Series.

“We are trying to win,” Dombrowski said. “We think he’s a guy that can be a real significant piece of that.”

Klassen, 22, is the prize of the deal. A sixth-round pick last year out of Minnesota, he struggled to throw strikes in college but has turned into a revelation with the Phillies. Featuring a 100 mph-plus fastball, he made nine starts in Low-A and posted a 0.71 ERA with 57 strikeouts and 12 walks in 38 innings. Since his promotion to High-A, Klassen has a 4.22 ERA but has maintained his high strikeout rate and kept walks under control.

He could move fast in a depleted Angels farm system, though Aldegheri is closer to the big leagues. The 22-year-old, born and raised in Verona, Italy, recently was promoted to Double-A after carving through High-A with 95 strikeouts, 28 walks and only three home runs allowed in 68 innings.

“We didn’t want to give them up,” Dombrowski said, “but it’s sort of the price of acquisitions at this time.”

Alex Cora Agrees to Three-Year Contract Extension with Boston Red Sox

Posted on July 24, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Alex Cora is staying the Red…

The 48-year-old Puerto Rican MLB baseball manager and former infielder has agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Boston Red Sox that’ll make him the second highest-paid manager in Major League Baseball.

The deal to end his lame-duck status will keep him in Boston for a total of $21.75 million, per ESPN.

Cora has helped shepherd the Red Sox to a surprising 54-47 record through Wednesday.

Boston trails the Kansas City Royals (56-46) by 1.5 games for the final American League wild-card spot prior to the Royals’ game Wednesday night.

“I had a tremendous amount of respect for Alex long before I took this job; that respect has only grown these last several months,” Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said in a statement. “He is an incredible people connector, something I have enjoyed watching firsthand. He has embraced Boston’s passionate fans and we share a desire to win as much as they do, both in 2024 and in the future.

“I’m happy to be able to extend our commitment to Alex, and I look forward to our partnership continuing to grow.”

Cora’s deal was set to expire after this season, his sixth as Red Sox manager.

“What this organization means to us is the world,” Cora said Wednesday. “They trusted me from day one, they doubled down on me in ’21 after everything that happened in ’17. There were a lot of conversations in the offseason, and I just want to be happy and comfortable.”

Coming off back-to-back 78-84 seasons and last-place finishes in the American League East, the Red Sox have thrived despite carrying their lowest Opening Day payroll in a decade at just over $170 million. The steady production of star third baseman Rafael Devers and emergence of center fielder Jarren Duran and starter Tanner Houck have thrust the Red Sox into the playoff picture, and with a core of young position players nearing the big leagues, Boston’s future is on the upswing.

Whether that future would include Cora was a question that has hung over the organization all season. Regarded as one of the game’s best managers, Cora has left Boston before — after he was fired prior to the 2020 season following the revelation of his prominent role in the Houston Astros‘ 2017 sign-stealing scheme.

Boston re-hired Cora in 2021, turning back to the manager who had won a World Series with the Red Sox in his first season as manager in 2018. The Red Sox made a surprising run to the American League Championship Series (ALCS ) in 2021 but the team has been turned over almost entirely since then, and their two big free agent signings — shortstop Trevor Story and outfielder Masataka Yoshida — have been injured and disappointing, respectively.

The deal keeps Cora from hitting free agency a year after Craig Counsell‘s contract with the Milwaukee Brewers expired and he joined the Chicago Cubs on a five-year, $40 million contract.

Cora said in March he didn’t expect talks on an extension to continue during the season. But he said Wednesday discussions had been ongoing recently with Breslow.

“Sometimes I put an act on for (the media),” Cora said with a chuckle. “I was actually telling the truth. We’ve been talking for a few weeks and the relationship between me and Craig has grown the last six, seventh months.”

Cora said his wife, Nilda, and their children are happy living in Boston.

“I promise you, this decision was more based on the comfort of my family than my professional career,” he said.

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