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.”

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.

Minnesota Twins’ José Miranda Ties MLB Record for Consecutive At-Bats

Posted on July 6, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

José Miranda has swung into the MLB history books…

The 26-year-old Minnesota Twins infielder tied Major League Baseball history on Saturday, running his streak of consecutive at-bats with a hit to a record-tying 12 after a fourth-inning single against the Houston Astros.

Miranda subsequently made his first out in days in the sixth inning, hitting a fly out to left fielder Chas McCormick that ended his bid at sole ownership of the record.

While Miranda’s attempt to become the first Major League Baseball player since at least 1961 to record a hit 11 plate appearances in a row was snapped earlier on Saturday, when he was hit by a pitch from Hunter Brown in the first inning, he did single in his first and second official at-bats.

Miranda set the Twins’ record for most consecutive hits with his 10th in a row on Friday night.

Miranda’s streak will live on in a three-way tie for the MLB record for most consecutive at-bats with a hit, alongside Walt Dropo (1952), Pinky Higgins (1938) and Johnny Kling (1902).

Additionally, Miranda is the only player in the Expansion Era to extend his consecutive hits streak to 12 at-bats in a row. Dustin Pedroia (2016) and Bernie Williams (2002) both ran streaks to 11.

Miranda, who served as DH on Friday, went 4-for-4 with a double and a home run.

He had previously recorded a 5-for-5 showing on Thursday, and had notched a hit in his final at-bat on Wednesday. In the process of linking together 10 straight hits, Miranda eclipsed the Twins’ all-time record for consecutive hits, previously established by three players since the team relocated to Minnesota: Tony Oliva in 1967, Mickey Hatcher in 1985, and Todd Walker in 1998.

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli pinch-hit for Miranda with Austin Martin later in the game. The Twins were trailing by eight at the time. They would later cut that to one run, with Miranda’s spot due up next when the final out was recorded.

“Those guys, they play virtually every day and they’re doing a good job,” Baldelli explained afterward. “In an eight-run game, they’ve been on their feet for a while. No reason not to get them off.”

Miranda has been one of the most pleasant individual surprises of the season. In 71 games, he’s batted .324/.364/.529 (150 OPS+) with nine home runs and 21 additional extra-base hits. For those wondering, he’s seen his seasonal OPS improve from .822 to .901 over the last three games alone.

Jose Miranda Sets Minnesota Twins Team Record for Consecutive Hits

Posted on July 5, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Jose Miranda has broken a long-standing Twins record…

The 26-year-old Puerto Rican professional baseball infielder and designated hitter for the Minnesota Twins set a team record on Friday night with hits in 10 consecutive plate appearances.

Miranda eclipsed the mark of nine hits in a row set by Tony Oliva in 1967 and matched by Mickey Hatcher in 1985 and Todd Walker in 1998. Oliva still spends time with Twins players throughout the season, lending extra meaning to the accomplishment, according to Miranda.

“I talk to him a lot. It means a lot,” Miranda said. “You know, he’s a Hall of Famer, so you break a Hall of Famer’s record, it’s something pretty cool, I think.”

The major league record for consecutive hits is 12, by Detroit Tigers‘ Walt Dropo (1952), Boston Red Sox‘s Pinky Higgins (1938) and the Chicago Cubs‘ Johnny Kling (1902).

Miranda entered the game against the Houston Astros — a 13-12 loss — with hits in six straight trips to the plate and had hits in each of his four times up before he was lifted for a pinch hitter in the ninth inning.

“I’ll come to the field tomorrow, do my stuff in the cage, get ready for the game, get ready for the pitcher I’m facing tomorrow,” Miranda said. “Then … you take it pitch by pitch and try to have a good at-bat.”

Miranda finished 4-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. He was batting .296 entering Wednesday night’s game when the streak began and has raised his average to .324.

He singled in the second inning and hit a 414-foot homer to left field in the third. Miranda tied the Twins’ record of nine straight hits with a two-run double in the fifth. He had his 10th straight hit — a single to right field — in the seventh.

With the Twins trailing 13-5 in the ninth, Austin Martin hit for Miranda and singled.

Marcello Hernández to Compete in 2024 MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game

Posted on July 1, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Marcello Hernández is ready to play ball…

Major League Baseball (MLB) officials have revealed the names of some of the celebrities who’ll be taking part in the 2024 MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game, including the 26-year-old Cuban American stand-up comedian, actor and Saturday Night Live cast member.

The game, which is set to take place on July 13th, is part of the All-Star Saturday festivities taking place at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

Hernández will be joined by 30-year-old Puerto Rican rapper and singer Myke Towers. Both recently celebrated Latino culture in baseball in a campaign with Remezcla Creative Agency titled “El Béisbol es Otra Cosa.” The campain highlighted the great Latino starss in themajor leagues, as well as the many ways Latino communities relate to them.

Other celebrities who are set to participate in the game include actress Gina Rodriguez, singers Eladio Carrion, Payo Solis & Julian Peña, Jr of Grupo Frontera, TV & radio personality Bobby Bones, reality TV personalities West Wilson and Matt James, country music star Kane Brown and influences Dani Austin and Nicky Cass.

Also participating will be former pitcher Pedro Martínez, and former NFL wider receiver Terrell Owens, as well as former NBA point guard Tyrese Maxey and softball legends Jennie Finch, Natasha Watley, and Lauren Gipson (Chamberlain).

Tickets for the All-Star Saturday festivities are now available at allstargame.com, starting from $35 and include all three events on Saturday, including the 2024 All-Star Futures Game, featuring the top Minor League prospects and the MLB Futures Skills Showcase as well as the 2024 All-Star Celebrity Softball Game.

Nestor Ceja to Serve as Right Field Umpire for 2024 MLB All-Star Game

Posted on June 25, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Nestor Ceja is bracing for an all-star appearance…

The Latino major league umpire will be among the umpires for Major League Baseball’s 2024 MLB All-Star Game on July 16 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

Ceja will be right field umpire for the game, per the MLB.

James Hoye will be the plate umpire and crew chief. He was the left field umpire for the 2015 MLB All-Star Game in Cincinnati. The 53-year-old made his major league debut in 2003 and worked the World Series in 2019 and 2022.

In addition to Ceja, Hoye’s crew will include Bruce Dreckman at first, John Tumpane at second, Nic Lentz at third and Ben May in left.

Dreckman will be working his second All-Star Game and the rest of the crew their first.

Rob Drake will be the replay umpire at MLB’s office in New York.

Oakland manager Mark Kotsay will be part of Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy‘s American League staff and Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell will be part of Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo‘s National League staff.

Ceja worked his first game on August 14, 2020 as one of 19 umpires to make their debut that season, a result of a number of veteran umpires deciding to sit out the year because of the Coronavirus pandemic. All of his games were in the two Western divisions. On August 22nd, he was responsible for his first ejection, tossing Martin Maldonado of the Houston Astros for riding him from the bench. He became a permanent member of the major league umpiring crew in 2023.

He was one of the members of the original class of the MLB Umpire Training Academy when it opened in 2012 and later became an instructor there.

Astros’ Ronel Blanco Throws First No-Hitter in Major League Baseball This Season

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Ronel Blanco has secured a special first…

The 30-year-old Dominican professional baseball pitcher, who made his first Opening Day roster, has thrown the first no-hitter in Major League Baseball this season.

Blanco struck out seven and walked two in the Houston Astros‘ 10-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night. Blanco, who didn’t play in the MLB until he was 28, was making just his eighth career start. He wouldn’t even be in Houston’s rotation if not for injuries to Justin Verlander and Jose Urquidy.

“It’s been a very long road traveled for me,” he said in Spanish through an interpreter. “A lot of ups, a lot of downs, a lot of falls, a lot of me getting back up. But I think all of that has been worth it for me to be able to get to this moment.”

He walked George Springer to start the game and again with two outs in the ninth.

When Vladimir Guerrero Jr. grounded out to end it, Blanco smiled broadly before raising his arms above his head just before being mobbed by teammates.

“I see it as a great blessing, a great blessing for me and my family,” he said. “With the arrival of my daughter I see it as a life-changing experience, and I dedicate this to my family and my daughter.”

It was the 17th no-hitter in Astros history and the first in the majors since Philadelphia’s Michael Lorenzen threw one against the Washington Nationals on Aug. 9 of last year.

Houston’s previous no-hitter came about a week before that one when Framber Valdez did it in a 2-0 win over Cleveland on August 1.

Kyle Tucker and Yainer Diaz each homered twice as the Astros won their first game of the season after losing four to the Yankees. Houston’s Joe Espada became the first manager in major league history to get his first win in a no-hitter.

“I couldn’t be any happier for the way today turned out,” Espada said.

The Astros are the fourth team in MLB history to get their first win of the season in a no-hitter, and the first since Boston’s Hideo Nomo pitched one against the Orioles in 2001. Nomo’s no-hitter that year came on April 4. That was the record for the earliest no-hitter by calendar date, according to Sportradar, but Blanco’s gem broke the mark by three days.

Blanco threw 105 pitches, averaging 93.6 mph with 31 fastballs and also throwing 36 changeups, 34 sliders and four curveballs.

Espada said the changeup was the key to Blanco’s success Monday.

“It makes the fastball and the slider that much better,” he said. “The way it comes out of the hand, it looks just like his fastball and hitters are committed to potentially swinging at a fastball and the ball just kind of falls in the zone. It’s a pitch that he’s worked really hard on and it paid big dividends tonight.”

Toronto manager John Schneider agreed.

“Really good changeup, it was almost like a split, slider combo,” he said. “Give him credit — that’s really hard to do. I know he hasn’t been starting much, but he was really good and his changeup was outstanding.”

Chicago White Sox Trade Gregory Santos to Seattle Mariners

Posted on February 3, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Gregory Santos is headed to the Seattle Mariners.

The Chicago White Sox traded the 24-year-old Dominican professional baseball pitcher, a right-handed reliever, to the American League West division team.

From Seattle, the White Sox received a package that includes a pair of players on the Mariners’ 40-man roster — hard-throwing right-hander Prelander Berroa and outfielder Zach DeLoach — as well as the 69th pick in the 2024 draft.

Santos, a well-regarded player, joins a Mariners bullpen that already boasts Andres Muñoz and Matt Brash, two of the nastiest relievers in Major League Baseball.

With a fastball that sits at 99 mph and a 92-mph slider, Santos thrived in his first full season with the White Sox, posting a 3.39 ERA and a 2.65 Fielding Independent Pitching number on account of allowing just two home runs with a nearly 4-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 66.1 innings.

With five years of team control on Santos, the Mariners were willing to give up Berroa, 23, whose stuff is similar to Santos’, with a fastball that hits triple digits and a hard-breaking slider. A starter for most of his minor league career, Berroa spent last season mainly as a reliever and debuted with Seattle toward the end of the 2023 season after posting a 2.89 ERA and striking out 101 in 65.1 innings at Triple A.

Seattle had added DeLoach, 25, to their 40-man roster this winter after a standout season at Triple A, where he hit .286/.387/.481 with 23 home runs and 88 RBIs. The left-handed-hitting DeLoach was a second-round pick. The 69th choice, with a slot value of around $1.1 million, was eligible to be traded because it is a competitive-balance pick.

Cristian Mena Traded by Chicago White Sox to Arizona Diamondbacks

Posted on February 3, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Cristian Mena is headed to The Grand Canyon State.

The Chicago White Sox have traded the 21-year-old Dominican pitcher and right-handed prospect to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

In the deal, which was announced on social media by the White Sox, outfielder Dominic Fletcher goes to Chicago from Arizona and should be in the mix for playing time this year.

Mena throws a hard curveball, a low-to-mid-90s fastball and will provide upper-level rotation depth after striking out 156 in 133.2 innings between Double A and Triple A last season.

At 5-foot-6, 185 pounds, Fletcher has nevertheless managed to cut an imposing figure at the plate since Arizona drafted him in 2019. In more than 1,600 minor league appearances, he has hit .295/.366/.474 with 42 home runs and 201 RBIs, and in 28 games with the Diamondbacks last season, Fletcher hit .301/.350/.441 with a pair of home runs and 14 RBIs. The younger brother of Atlanta utilityman David Fletcher, the left-handed hitter will compete for right-field at-bats, with MLB All-Star Luis Robert Jr. in center and Andrew Benintendi in left.

Arizona traded from a position of strength, with MLB All-Star Corbin Carroll, Yuli Gurriel, Alek Thomas, Jake McCarthy and the recently signed Joc Pederson all outfielders.

Mena throws a hard curveball, a low-to-mid-90s fastball and will provide upper-level rotation depth after striking out 156 in 133.2 innings between Double A and Triple A last season.

Under new general manager Chris Getz, the White Sox have been aggressive in turning over their roster after dealing a handful of veterans at the trade deadline last year.

José Bautista Becomes New Principal Owner of USL Championship Franchise Las Vegas Lights FC

Posted on January 16, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

José Bautista is hitting the pitch…

The 43-year-old Dominican former professional baseball right fielder and third baseman, who played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball, primarily for the Toronto Blue Jays, is the new principal owner of the USL Championship franchise Las Vegas Lights FC, the club announced on Tuesday.

“Las Vegas is the place to be and has emerged as a big professional sports town, and I will do everything I can to push this club forward,” Bautista said in a statement.

“As a soccer fan and former professional athlete, I am excited to be involved with the world’s game. Since my retirement from professional baseball, I have witnessed the incredible growth of soccer in the United States, and I look forward to sharing my love of sports with the Las Vegas soccer community.”

Bautista was a six-time MLB All-Star and with a .247 career batting average with 344 home runs, 975 RBIs and 1,022 runs. He played 15 seasons and donned the jersey of eight franchises along the way, but it was his 2015 playoff go-ahead home run — and the bat flip that followed — that cemented him in Blue Jays history.

The tie-breaking three-run home run in the seventh inning of a deciding Game 5 of the 2015 American League Division Series against the Texas Rangers was capped by a memorable flip of the bat before he started rounding the bases in front of a raucous Toronto crowd.

“I kind of blacked out after the swing, hearing the roar of the crowd and the emotion of the moment,” Bautista told ESPN in 2021. “I don’t really recall anything in particular until I was catching my breath back at the bench.”

Las Vegas Lights FC have played in USL Championship since 2018. The team plays its home games at Cashman Field and the 2024 season begins in March.

According to the club’s news release, Bautista was an early equity partner for Marucci Sports, a baseball equipment startup that was sold to Compass Diversified Holdings in 2020.

Bautista represented the Dominican Republic at the 2020 Tokyo Games. His leadership helped the D.R. team earn a bronze medal, punctuated by a walk-off hit and his signature bat flip that sealed the win over Israel to secure the team’s place in the semifinals.

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