Pete Alonso Makes MLB History with Third Career 40-Homer Season

Posted on September 4, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Pete Alonso has entered the Major League Baseball history books…

The 28-year-old half-Spanish American professional baseball player, nicknamed “Polar Bear,” homered twice and drove in four runs, reaching 40 homers and 100 RBIs for the second consecutive season as the New York Mets beat the first-place Seattle Mariners 6-3.

Alonso, a three-time MLB All-Star, hit an RBI single in the first inning before his two-run shot in the third made him the fifth player in major league history with at least three 40-homer seasons in his first five campaigns, joining MLB Hall of Famers Ralph Kiner (four times), Eddie Mathews, Ryan Howard and Albert Pujols.

“Kind of mind-baffling,” Alonso said. “Impressive names. I had no idea.”

Jeff McNeil also went deep — after finishing a homer shy of the cycle Saturday night — and New York took two of three games from the Mariners to hand them their first series loss since Aug. 11-13 against the Baltimore Orioles.

“It’s been a while,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said.

Seattle, which won a franchise-record 21 games in August, began the day leading the American League West by one game over the Houston Astros.

“We just had a historic month for the organization, and we had maybe a little setback here,” said M’s first baseman Mike Ford, who hit the second of back-to-back homers in the fourth. “But we can get right back on it.”

Alonso’s solo homer in the seventh made him the fourth player in Mets history with at least three 100-RBI seasons. David Wright reached the 100-RBI milestone five times, and Carlos Beltrán and Darryl Strawberry each did it three times.

“Through thick and thin, we know one thing: Pete’s going to walk through that door the same guy every day,” Mets manager Buck Showalter said. “Pleasure to be around. He never has a bad day. He cares about his teammates, cares about the Mets. And to see guys like him have success, it makes it even more enjoyable.”

Alonso’s 41 home runs are tied for the second most in a season in franchise history with Beltrán and Todd Hundley. Alonso holds the team record with 53 as a rookie in 2019.

“It seems like yesterday I was in my rookie season,” Alonso said. “This is my fifth year, and time flies. It means a lot. This place has been extremely special to me. New York’s treated me so incredibly well.”

Alonso can become a free agent following the 2024 season, and speculation has been heating up about whether the retooling Mets will trade him this winter after dealing away veteran aces Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander over the summer to restock the farm system.

“Everybody knows that’s part of the game until the contract is done,” New York shortstop Francisco Lindor said.

Jasson Domínguez Becomes Youngest New York Yankees Player to Homer in MLB Debut

Posted on September 2, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Jasson Domínguez is celebrating a smashing Major League Baseball debut…

The 20-year-old Dominican baseball player and New York Yankees player wowed everyone on Friday night, hitting a two-run homer off Houston Astros ace Justin Verlander in his first major league at-bat.

At just 20 years, 206 days old, Domínguez became the youngest Yankees player to homer in his first game. He was the first Yankees player to go deep in his initial big league at-bat since Aaron Judge on Aug. 13, 2016.

Additionally, it was just the second time a player homered off a reigning Cy Young Award winner in his first at-bat, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The other was Marcus Thames — also for the Yankees — on June 10, 2002, off Randy Johnson.

After Domínguez swatted his opposite-field home run to the short porch in left off a three-time Cy Young Award winner twice his age, TV cameras panned to his family, who screamed and jumped around after watching the ball leave the yard for a 3-0 lead in the first inning.

Four years after Yankees manager Aaron Boone saw him taking batting practice as a teenager, the highly touted prospect was a huge hit in his big league debut.

The switch-hitting outfielder and another promising youngster, catcher Austin Wells, were called up from the minors by the last-place Yankees when rosters expanded Friday.

“Everyone’s excited for them and excited to see them,” Boone said before the game. “Both [are] talented guys who earned this opportunity, and looking forward to watching them go spread their wings and continue to develop and hopefully see some good things.”

Domínguez is expected to be the team’s everyday center fielder after Harrison Bader was claimed off waivers by the Cincinnati Reds, and Boone said Wells will also play a lot over the last month of the season. They were both in the starting lineup Friday night, with Domínguez batting fifth and Wells seventh.

“When I heard the news, it was a special moment,” Domínguez said in Spanish through a translator. “Just to be here, very excited. Happy to be right here today, and it’s a special day.”

Wells is regarded more for his bat than his defense, but he’s hoping to show he can be a valuable contributor in both areas in the majors.

“I’m here to do that as well and play and help the team win,” he said. “So, that’s my goal and if I can do it in any way, I’ll do it any way.”

Expectations have been high for Domínguez since he received a $5.1 million bonus when he signed with the Yankees. His unique combination of strength and speed at such a young age earned him a catchy nickname: The Martian.

But he said he doesn’t feel any added pressure because of that.

“I haven’t really been paying too much attention to all that, all the comments and all the information about me,” he said. “I’m not much on social media. I’m not reading a lot of the different articles that are written. I just try to focus on what I can do and try to play my game and better myself so that I can fulfill whatever expectation there is being the best I can be.”

Domínguez was set to become the youngest player to appear in a game for the Yankees since 19-year-old pitcher José Rijo in July 1984 — and the youngest position player since 20-year-old outfielder Stan Javier in April 1984.

Boone is certainly aware of the expectations people have for Domínguez and believes he’ll live up to them.

“I think he’s going to be a really good player,” Boone said. “I really do. [He’s] not a finished product. And we’ll see how his journey goes. He’s obviously a very young man, super talented. I think when we look up in several years, we’re going to see a really good player in front of us and he gets to start to write that script, in the big leagues anyway, starting today.”

Domínguez joins the team after playing just nine games at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season. He hit .419 with two doubles and 10 RBIs there after batting .254 with 15 homers and 66 RBIs in 109 games for Double-A Somerset.

New York Yankees Preparing to Activate Top Prospect Jasson Dominguez

Posted on August 30, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Jasson Dominguez is thisclose to his big league closeup…

The New York Yankees have informed the 20-year-old Dominican professional baseball outfielder, nicknamed El Marciano, that he’ll be activated on Friday, sources confirmed, in time for the team’s series against the Houston Astros.

That would include an appearance on Sunday Night Baseball this weekend.

Dominguez, a top prospect, will be joined on the big league roster by 24-year-old catching prospect Austin Wells, ESPN sources have confirmed.

Dominguez is a switch-hitting centerfielder, someone the Yankees pursued as an amateur because of his unusual combination of power and speed.

The Yankees signed Dominguez for a $5.1 million bonus in 2019, and he has steadily moved through the organization’s farm system, generating mostly middling results against older competition.

But after a late-season promotion to Triple-A this summer, he thrived in an eight-game sample, hitting .444 with five walks and two strikeouts, clinching his ascent to the majors.

Overall, Dominguez has an .801 OPS in 117 games in Double-A and Triple-A combined, including 15 homers and 39 stolen bases (in 47 attempts).

The Yankees are in the midst of what could become their first losing season in more than 30 years, and in recent days, they have summoned some of their best prospects to the majors to play in the final weeks of the regular season.

Dominguez figures to get time in centerfield, following the Yankees’ decision to place veteran outfielder Harrison Bader on waivers; it’s expected that Bader will be claimed by a contending team on Thursday.

Wells was a first-round draft pick in 2020.

The two prospects will join a big league roster that already includes shortstop Anthony Volpe (22), infielder Oswald Peraza (23) and outfielder Everson Pereira (22).

Julio Rodríguez Breaks MLB Record with 17th Hit in Four Games

Posted on August 21, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Julio Rodríguez is rewriting Major League Baseball history…

The 22-year-old Dominican professional baseball centerfielder set a MLB record with his 17th hit in four games, helping to lead the Seattle Mariners past the Houston Astros 10-3 for their fifth straight win on Saturday night.

Rodriguez, with a single to left field in the seventh inning, broke a major league record set in 1925 by Milt Stock of the Brooklyn Robins. He finished 4-for-6, giving him his fourth consecutive four-plus-hit game.

“Honestly, I knew when they put it on the scoreboard that I had set a record for a four-game span,” Rodriguez said. “Before that, I didn’t know.”

The four straight four-hit games tied Rodriguez with Stock for the longest such streak, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. He is 17-for-21 (.810) during the four-game stretch, improving his season batting average from .256 to .278.

“Julio is just smoking hot right now and it is fun to watch,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “Every time up there he expects to get a hit, we expect to watch him get a hit. … Tonight obviously our offense was on it. We’ve seen Framber Valdez a lot, had really good at-bats tonight early on putting pressure on him.”

Dylan Moore homered twice for the Mariners, and Logan Gilbert (11-5) surrendered just two runs on eight hits, struck out three and walked one in six innings for his 14th quality start of the season.

The Mariners, who are 13-3 in their past 16 games, pulled to 1½ games behind the Astros for the second AL wild-card spot and maintained a half-game lead over the Toronto Blue Jays for the third and final AL wild-card spot.

Houston Astros Star Jose Altuve Notches 2,000 Career Hits

Posted on August 20, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Jose Altuve has 2,000 reasons to smile…

The 33-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball player and Houston Astros star has notched 2,000 career hits, becoming the third player in franchise history to reach the milestone.

Altuve hit a leadoff single in the fifth inning against the Seattle Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert on Saturday night.

He was thrown out trying to stretch the play into a double, but the Minute Maid Park crowd was ready to celebrate.

As Altuve trotted toward the dugout, a 2,000-hit graphic was displayed on the jumbotron and the eight-time MLB All-Star tipped his helmet to the roaring crowd. With the fans still cheering, Altuve stepped up out of the dugout for a curtain call, once again tipping his helmet.

“We did a little champagne toast and they said some things about me and then I had to say some things about me, too,” Altuve said about the postgame clubhouse celebration. “It was good.”

Hall of Famers Craig Biggio (3,060) and Jeff Bagwell (2,314) also reached 2,000 hits with the Astros. They were both in attendance on Saturday night.

Altuve also singled on Gilbert’s first pitch of the game and singled in the seventh, ending the day with 2,001 career hits. He finished 3-for-5 in a 10-3 loss to Seattle.

“That’s quite an accomplishment,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “A couple other Hall of Famers here got 2,000 hits. … Hopefully he can stay healthy and be around for the next 1,000.”

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen and Chicago White Sox infielder Elvis Andrus also reached 2,000 career hits this season. Andrus got his milestone hit on April 5. Freeman accomplished the feat on June 25, and McCutchen reached the milestone on June 11.

There are seven active MLB players with at least 2,000 hits: Miguel Cabrera, Joey Votto, Nelson Cruz, Andrus, McCutchen and Freeman.

Los Angeles Dodgers Retire Fernando Valenzuela’s No. 34 Jersey

Posted on August 12, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Fernando Valenzuela has received a special honor for the Los Angeles Dodgers…

The team retired the 62-year-old Mexican former professional baseball pitcher’s No. 34 jersey on Friday night before hosting the Colorado Rockies. His number was cut into the center-field grass and stenciled in white on the back of the mound.

“It’s very emotional,” Valenzuela told a crowded room of English and Spanish-language media before the ceremony. “I never expected it.”

Retired pitcher and current broadcaster Orel Hershiser and retired Dodger Manny Mota lifted off a blue cloth to reveal Valenzuela’s number high above the field.

Fans, some wearing sombreros, were on their feet cheering, along with Valenzuela’s children and grandchildren. He held hands with wife Linda as they walked down the left-field line to watch the unveiling.

Earlier, a mariachi band broke out in music and song as Valenzuela was introduced and walked from the dugout to the stage set up in front of the mound.

Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax, Valenzuela’s catcher Mike Scioscia, Hall of Fame broadcaster Jaime Jarrín and Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías were among those on hand.

Valenzuela and Scioscia appeared on a Topps baseball card in which they were labeled future stars. After his playing career, Scioscia managed the Los Angeles Angels.

“It seems like yesterday when this little pudgy kid who was 20 years old started Opening Day for us and lights the whole world on fire,” Scioscia told the crowd. “What you couldn’t see was the ice water in his veins. He proved how spectacular and magical everything was.”

After the ceremony, Valenzuela tossed a first pitch to Scioscia, who bobbled the catch and buried his face in his glove.

The Rockies watched from the railing in the visitor’s dugout, while some of the Dodgers were on the field warming up and a few looked on from the dugout.

Earlier in the day, Valenzuela was in downtown Los Angeles, where the city council declared it “Fernando Valenzuela Day.”

The activities were part of a weekend celebration of one of the most enduring and popular players in Dodgers history. Valenzuela was the theme of the postgame drone show.

On Saturday, the team is giving away his bobblehead and on Sunday, the giveaway is a replica of Valenzuela’s 1981 World Series ring.

Valenzuela became a sensation that year. Besides winning the World Series, he won Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award, the first player to do so in the same year.

He was named the Opening Day starter that year by manager Tommy Lasorda after Jerry Reuss got hurt a day earlier. He responded with a 2-0 victory over Houston, beginning the season with an 8-0 record, including five shutouts, and an 0.50 ERA.

“Tommy Lasorda came up to me and said, ‘Are you ready to pitch tomorrow?’ I said, ‘I’m ready,'” Valenzuela recalled. “That’s what I was looking for, the opportunity to show what I can do.”

Valenzuela’s pitching motion — glancing skyward at the apex of each windup — was a hit, too. His signature pitch was the screwball, taught to him by teammate Bobby Castillo in 1979.

During his warmups, ABBA‘s hit “Fernando” blared from the speakers.

The native of Mexico was credited for drawing large numbers of Latino fans to Dodger Stadium and they nicknamed him “El Toro” — the Bull. He proved a huge draw on the road as well.

His number joins previous honorees Pee Wee Reese, Lasorda, Duke Snider, Gil Hodges, Jim Gilliam, Don Sutton, Walter Alston, Koufax, Roy Campanella, Jackie Robinson, Don Drysdale and Hall of Fame broadcasters Vin Scully and Jarrín.

Jarrín “helped me a lot early in my career talking to you guys,” Valenzuela said, referring to the translation the broadcaster did for English-speaking media.

Besides Lasorda and Jarrín, Valenzuela also credited Mike Brito, the scout who in Mexico found the left-handed pitcher, for boosting his career. Brito died last year at age 87.

Valenzuela also won the 1988 World Series with the Dodgers, as well as Silver Slugger awards in 1981 and 1983. He pitched for the team from 1980 to 1990, including a no-hitter on June 29, 1990. He retired in 1997.

Valenzuela has stayed close to the franchise. He is the color commentator on the Spanish-language broadcasts for its SportsNet LA cable channel.

He remains among the franchise leaders in wins (141), strikeouts (1,759), innings pitched (2,348⅔), starts (320), complete games (107) and shutouts (29).

Valenzuela became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2015.

Nestor Cortes Returning to New York Yankees Rotation in Weekend’s Series vs. Houston Astros

Posted on August 2, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Nestor Cortes is getting back in the game!

The 28-year-old Cuban-American professional baseball pitcher will return to the New York Yankees‘ rotation this weekend in a four-game series against the Houston Astros after missing more than two months with a left rotator cuff strain.

Cortes was scheduled to make a third minor league rehab start on Wednesday.

When he arrived to get his things and travel to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the left-hander was told he would start either Saturday or Sunday.

“I was made aware of it today before I got in. I was supposed to come and pick up my stuff before I got to Scranton,” Cortes said. “That’s kind of what I know.”

Cortes will throw one more bullpen session Thursday and likely be limited to around 60 pitches in his first outing since May 30, when his shoulder started bothering him.

Cortes was initially placed on the 15-day injured list June 8 and hoped to only miss two or three starts. The Yankees moved him to the 60-day injured list July 7.

“I’ve been on the shelf too long,” Cortes said. “I want to come back and obviously show who I am and be back to the same form I was. So excited for this weekend.”

Cortes is 5-2 with a 5.16 ERA in 11 starts and has particularly struggled later in outings. Opponents are hitting .447 when facing him for the third time in a game.

Last year, Cortes was an MLB All-Star and went 12-4 with a 2.44 ERA in 28 starts.

New York manager Aaron Boone said he would likely know the exact date of Cortes’ return after Wednesday’s game.

Boone also said Luis Severino will make his next scheduled start Friday against Houston. Severino (2-5, 7.49 ERA) had a bullpen session with pitching adviser Andy Pettitte after allowing nine runs and 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings in a loss on Sunday.

Houston’s Yainer Díaz Records His First Two-Homer Game in Astros Win Over the Colorado Rockies

Posted on July 5, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a special first for Yainer Díaz… a two-home run game!

The 24-year-old Dominican professional baseball catcher homered in his first two at-bats and Jeremy Peña added a two-run shot in his return from injury to lead the Houston Astros past the Colorado Rockies 6-4 on Wednesday.

Díaz had a solo home run in the second inning and his two-run homer made it 3-0 in the fourth in his first career two-homer game.

“It was right on time,” manager Dusty Baker said. “He drove in all the first three runs with some booming home runs and we needed that.”

Peña’s home run came later in that inning to push the lead to 5-0. He returned after missing five games because of a stiff neck.

“I’m just glad I’m back out there with the guys,” he said. “Those five games were tough for me watching from the dugout, but the guys put together great games.”

The Rockies cut the lead to 1 on a homer by Randal Grichuk in the seventh, but Houston added an insurance run in the bottom of the inning to sweep the two-game series and secure a fourth straight victory.

It’s Houston’s seventh win in eight games.

C.J. Cron also homered for the Rockies, who dropped their 10th straight road game.

Houston starter J.P. France (4-3) allowed six hits and three runs in six innings. Ryan Pressly pitched a scoreless ninth for his 19th save.

It’s the seventh straight start of at least six innings for France, a rookie who has made 11 career starts.

“It was a grind but I ended up giving the team a chance to win again,” France said. “And I was able to just keep the streak rolling.”

Colorado’s Chase Anderson (0-4) yielded seven hits and five runs in four innings for his fourth straight loss. He has allowed 30 hits, 27 runs and eight homers in that span.

There was one out in the second when Díaz’s first homer put the Astros on top 1-0.

Kyle Tucker singled to open Houston’s fourth but was caught trying to steal second base. José Abreu singled to right field before Díaz connected again to make it 3-0.

Corey Julks singled with two outs and Peña pushed the lead to 5-0 when he sent Anderson’s next pitch into the seats in right field for his 10th homer this season.

Nolan Jones walked to start the fifth for Colorado before a one-out single by Ezequiel Tovar. A single by Harold Castro scored Jones to cut the lead to 5-1. A wild pitch by France left runners on second and third and Jurickson Profar made it 5-2 with an RBI single.

France limited the damage in the inning when Kris Bryant grounded into a double play.

Cron’s homer came with two outs in the sixth inning to get the Rockies within 5-3.

Hector Neris replaced France for the seventh and Grichuk sent his second pitch into the seats in left field to cut the lead to 1.

Julks and Peña hit consecutive singles with no outs in the seventh. Mauricio Dubón then lined a single to center field to score Julks and make it 6-4.

Arizona Diamondback Outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Becomes U.S. Citizen

Posted on May 8, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. has missed his latest game… with good reason.

The 29-year-old Cuban professional baseball left fielder for the Arizona Diamondback was not in the starting lineup against the Miami Marlins on Monday night because he was late arriving to the ballpark.

The 29-year-old had a good excuse, though. He was becoming a U.S. citizen.

“It’s a pretty amazing accomplishment for him,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. “Certainly proud of him. We excused him from all the pregame activity to take care of that today.”

Lovullo said Gurriel would be available off the bench against the Marlins.

Gurriel was born in Cuba and defected to the U.S. with his older brother Yuli in 2016. Both players have had successful MLB careers since their arrival in the states.

Yuli Gurriel happened to be in town for his brother’s special occasion because he plays for the Marlins. He had several successful seasons with the Houston Astros before going to Miami in the offseason. He was batting third for the Marlins in Monday night’s game.

Lourdes Gurriel played his first five seasons for the Toronto Blue Jays before moving to the D-backs in an offseason trade. He has fit in well with his new team, batting .310 with five homers and 19 RBIs in 30 games.

Sandy Alcantara Among Eight Former Cy Young Award Winners Set to Start on MLB Opening Day

Posted on March 25, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Sandy Alcantara is preparing for Major League Baseball’s Opening Day…

The 27-year-old Dominican professional baseball pitcher, who plays for the Miami Marlins, is among eight former Cy Young Award winners scheduled to start Opening Day next Thursday.

Alcantara, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner is pitted against three-time CYA honoree Max Scherzer, whose New York Mets travel to face the Marlins.

MLB teams announced their Opening Day starters on Friday as part of an effort by the league to gin up interest in the first game of a transformative season in which the game will include a pitch clock.

The MLB Opening Day slate features several first-class duels — and will include two-time winner Jacob deGrom, whose debut with the Texas Rangers was in doubt after tightness in his left side delayed his first spring training start. Philadelphia Phillies ace Aaron Nola, fresh off a World Series appearance, will get his sixth consecutive Opening Day start — the longest current active streak — and oppose the two-time Cy Young winner in a pairing of longtime NL East foes.

Nine teams had announced their starters before Friday. That list includes the Los Angeles Angels, with Shohei Ohtani coming off his World Baseball Classic MVP award, as well as the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants, who will pit Gerrit Cole against Logan Webb.

Some of the other best matchups include:

Houston Astros left-hander Framber Valdez spearheading the Astros’ title defense at home against Chicago White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease;

Cleveland‘s Shane Bieber, the 2020 American League Cy Young winner, traveling to Seattle to face Luis Castillo;

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Julio Urias getting his first Opening Day start against Arizona right-hander Zac Gallen in a battle of the third- and fifth-place finishers, respectively, in last year’s NL Cy Young voting.

Among the other Cy Young winners who will kick off their team’s season:

Milwaukee‘s Corbin Burnes, an MLB All-Star each of the past two seasons and the 2021 NL Cy Young winner, will go against the Chicago Cubs’ Marcus Stroman, who previously started Opening Day twice;

Blake Snell, the 2018 AL honoree, gets the start for San Diego at a packed Petco Park against Colorado’s German Marquez, who will get the ball for the third time on Opening Day;

Two-time winner Corey Kluber, whose Boston Red Sox will host Baltimore‘s Kyle Gibson;

Zack Greinke, who will make his third Opening Day start for Kansas City and fifth overall, will oppose Minnesota Twins right-hander Pablo Lopez, taking the mound for the first time to start a season.

Atlanta‘s Max Fried and Washington‘s Patrick Corbin both will start for the third time on Opening Day as the Nationals host the Braves.

The rest of the matchups feature at least one pitcher commencing the season for the first time:

Detroit‘s Eduardo Rodriguez debuting vs. the Rays’ Shane McClanahan, who got the call for the second straight season;

Toronto‘s Alek Manoah, coming off a third-place AL Cy Young finish, going against St. Louis’ Miles Mikolas, who inherited Opening Day duties for a second time after six-time Opening Day starter Adam Wainwright landed on the injured list Thursday with a groin strain;

Pittsburgh‘s Mitch Keller heading to Cincinnati to face Hunter Greene in the one of three matchups of pitchers who have not previously thrown Opening Day, with the others Urías vs. Gallen and Valdez vs. Cease;

Ohtani against Oakland’s Kyle Muller, the least-tenured of the 30 pitchers with just 11 major league starts and 49 big league innings under his belt. He will go for the Athletics after presumptive Opening Day starter Paul Blackburn suffered a torn nail on his right middle finger.

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