Tag Archives: Justin Verlander

Houston Astros’ Framber Valdez Sets MLB Single-Season Record with 25th Straight Quality Start

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Framber Valdez has earned his place in Major League Baseball history…

The 28-year-old Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Houston Astros set a major league single-season record with his 25th straight quality start in the Astros’ 11-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday.

Framber Valdez Valdez’s streak is tied for the third-longest all time across multiple seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

Valdez (16-5) allowed two runs and four hits in six innings to pass Jacob deGrom (24 in 2018) for the most consecutive quality starts in a single season in MLB history. Valdez, who threw his first career shutout in his last start, is 15-4 during his streak, which began April 25.

“It’s one of those things that just goes down on your resume, and to be able to have a record like that does mean a lot for me,” he said through a translator.

Valdez’s career-high 16 wins rank second in the American League behind teammate Justin Verlander (17) and his 2.57 ERA is sixth.

Manager Dusty Baker raved about the consistency Valdez has brought to the team this season.

“That’s a remarkable streak,” Baker said. “There have been some great pitchers that he surpassed by breaking this record and I’m just glad that he accomplished it and we won the ballgame.”

Anthony Rendon Among This Year’s MLB National League MVP Finalists

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Anthony Rendonhas made the final cut…

The 29-year-old Mexican American Major League Baseball star has been named a finalist for the National League MVP award.

Anthony Rendon

Rendon, who hit key home runs in Games 6 and 7 of the World Series to help lead his Washington Nationals team to their first championship, will face off against Los Angeles Dodgersoutfielder Cody Bellingerand Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelichfor the MLB honor. Yelich won last year’s NL MVPaward with 29 of 30 first-place votes.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout, Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregmanand Oakland Athleticsshortstop Marcus Semienare finalists for the American League MVPaward. Trout is seeking his third MVP award after winning in 2014 and ’16. He finished second in 2012, ’13, ’15 and ’18.

Houston’s Gerrit Cole and Justin Verlander are finalists for the AL Cy Young Award along with Tampa Bay Rays’ Charlie Morton, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America said. Verlander won the 2011 Cy Young with the Detroit Tigers, when he also was voted MVP.

New York Metsace Jacob deGromis a finalist for the NL Cy Young Award after getting 29 of 30 first-place votes last year. He is competing with Washington’s Max Scherzerand the Dodgers’ Hyun-Jin Ryu. Scherzer is a three-time Cy Young winner.

New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, Atlanta Braves right-hander Mike Soroka and San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr.are finalists for the NL Rookie of the Year. Houston designated hitter Yordan Alvarez, Tampa Bay second baseman Brandon Lowe and Baltimore Orioles‘ left-hander John Means are the top candidates in the AL.

The New York Yankees‘ Aaron Boone, Minnesota Twins‘ Rocco Baldelliand Tampa Bay’s Kevin Cash are finalists for AL Manager of the Year. Atlanta’s Brian Snitker is a finalist to win the NL award for the second straight season, joined by the Milwaukee Brewers‘ Craig Counsell and St. Louis Cardinals‘ Mike Shildt.

Rookies of the Year will be announced on November 11, followed by Managers of the Year on November 12. Cy Young winners will be announced on November 13, and MVPs on November 14.

Anthony Rendon Helps Lead Washington Nationals to World Series Game 6 Victory

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Anthony Rendon is celebrating his high-octane performance in the World Series…

The 29-year-old Latino Washington Nationals third baseman came up big for the team with a huge two-run home run shot to put Washington up 5-2 against the Houston Astros in World Series Game 6, helping cement the team’s victory to set up a decisive Game 7.

Anthony Rendon

In the end, the Nationals defeated the Astros 7-2 in a game that made up for the lack of drama throughout most of the first five games in the series.

The Nationals have now won their fourth straight elimination game this postseason to force the 40th Game 7 in World Series history.

Rendon got the scoring started with a single through Houston’s shifted infield. That was just the beginning of a massive game for Washington’s All-Star third baseman. The Astros immediately countered with two runs against Stephen Strasburg in the bottom half following a George Springer double, a Jose Altuve sacrifice fly and an Alex Bregmanhome run thatraised the ire of baseball purists because he decided to carry his bat all the way with him to first base.

That moment prompted a response from Washington’s Juan Soto, who four innings later carried his own bat all the way to first base following a go-ahead home run. Soto’s blast followed Adam Eaton’s game-tying home run off Justin Verlander.

The game’s two biggest hits were both delivered by Rendon. In the seventh inning, he smashed a two-run home run to extend the Nationals lead and lessen the impact of the earlier interference call. Then in the ninth, he put the game away with a two-run double.

Strasburg made the support stand up, pitching 8 1/3 innings of two-run ball before turning it over to closer Sean Doolittle.

Sánchez Reaches $80 Million, Five-Year Deal with the Detroit Tigers

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Aníbal Sánchez is the Motor City’s $80 million dollar man…

The 28-year-old Venezuelan free-agent right-hander has reached an agreement with the Detroit Tigers on a five-year, $80 million deal, agent Gene Mato confirmed to ESPN.com Friday.

Anibal Sanchez

Sánchez is 48-51 with a 3.75 career ERA for the Tigers and Miami Marlins. He has been regarded by many observers as the second-most attractive starting pitcher on this winter’s free-agent market, behind Zack Greinke.

Sánchez reportedly had reached agreement on a five-year, $75 million contract Thursday with the Chicago Cubs, but the deal apparently went south and he elected to return to Detroit.

Sánchez impressed the Tigers with his performance after coming to Detroit with second baseman Omar Infante in a July deadline trade with the Marlins. He went 4-6 with a 3.74 ERA in 12 regular-season starts for manager Jim Leyland, and recorded a 1.77 ERA while going 1-2 in three postseason outings.

He will join Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Doug Fister at the top of Detroit’s 2013 rotation.

Sandoval Makes History with Three Homers in World Series Game 1

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Pablo Sandoval is the Kung (Fu Panda) of the diamond at the World Series…

The 26-year-old baseball star hit three home runs in his first three at-bats to lead the San Francisco Giants to an 8-3 victory on Wednesday night over the Detroit Tigers in Game 1 of the World Series.

Pablo Sandoval

Sandoval is only the fourth player in Major League Baseball history to hit three home runs in a World Series game, after Albert Pujols last year, Reggie Jackson in 1977 and Babe Ruth, who did it in 1926 and 1928.

Of the players, Sandoval is the only one to homer in his first three at-bats of the game.

In addition, Sandoval added a single in the seventh inning to improve to 4-for-4 on the night.

Sandoval homered off Justin Verlander in the first and third innings, then got to reliever Al Alburquerque in the fifth.

In the first inning, Sandoval connected on a high 95 mph pitch with an 0-2 count and sent the ball just over the wall in right-center. Then, on the next pitch after a mound visit by Tigers pitching coach Jeff Jones in the third, Sandoval hit a two-run, opposite-field drive into the seats in left for a 4-0 lead. Verlander simply said, “Wow!”

In July, Sandoval hit the first bases-loaded triple in All-Star Game history off Verlander, the reigning American League MVP and Cy Young Award winner.

Sandoval’s third homer was a solo shot to center field with one out and nobody on in the fifth.

Sandoval is the 10th player in major league history to hit two or more home runs in the first game of the World Series. He has an RBI in six straight postseason games, breaking the team record for longest streak that he previously shared with Barry Bonds.

Winning by home run is unusual for the Giants, whose 103 home runs were last in the major leagues. The only other three-homer game at the ballpark was by the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ Kevin Elster in the very first opener, in 2001. The last three-homer game by a Giant was Aubrey Huff at St. Louis in June 2011.