Miguel Cairo & Carlos Mendoza Make MLB History as First Venezuelans to Manage Against Each Other

Posted on August 19, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Miguel Cairo and Carlos Mendoza have made Major League Baseball history.

The 51-year-old Venezuelan former professional baseball infielder and current interim manager for the Washington Nationals and the 45-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball manager for the New York Mets became the first Venezuelans in MLB history to manage against each other.

“It’s two countrymen, friends, and now to be exchanging the lineup at home plate, we’re excited about it. We’re proud to represent the Latinos in the United States, represent our country in the United States, and of course represent our organizations,” Cairo said before his club’s 8-1 loss. “To me, it’s a dream come true.”

Mendoza was hired by the Mets after the 2023 season, becoming the third Venezuelan manager in major league history. Cairo became the fourth when Washington promoted him to interim manager in July after firing Dave Martinez.

“It’s just an honor for both of us,” Mendoza said. “I’m humbled by it. You know, this is a big deal back home. I didn’t recognize that until it was brought up to me.

Before the game, Cairo and Mendoza posed for photos behind the plate with their arms around each other’s shoulders, then embraced before returning to their respective dugouts. After the first pitch, the game ball was taken out of play, bound for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Cairo and Mendoza both have ties to the New York Yankees organization. The Yankees were one of nine teams Cairo played for during a 17-year career, and Mendoza was a longtime coach with the organization before the Mets hired him. The two overlapped when Cairo worked as a Yankees minor league infield coordinator.

Ozzie Guillén was the first Venezuelan to manage in the majors. He led the Chicago White Sox from 2004-11 and won a World Series title in 2005, then managed the Miami Marlins in 2012. Al Pedrique was Arizona’s manager for half of the 2024 season, but the Diamondbacks and White Sox did not play each other that year.

Asked if he was surprised the milestone had not come sooner, Cairo said the path to becoming a big league manager was difficult for everyone.

“You have to through the minor leagues, you have work your way up. You have to really work,” he said. “Nothing is easy and you’ve got to earn it. And, you know, he earned it. I think I earned it.”

Pete Alonso Breaks Darryl Strawberry’s New York Mets Franchise Record for Most Career Home Runs with Team

Posted on August 12, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Pete Alonso is officially the New York Mets No. 1 career home run hitter…

The 30-year-old half-Spanish American professional baseball player, nicknamed “Polar Bear,” hit his 253rd career homer on Tuesday night, breaking the New York Mets franchise record held by Darryl Strawberry for 37 years.

Alonso drove a 95.1 mph fastball from Atlanta Braves right-hander Spencer Strider just over the wall in right-center for a two-run shot in the third inning.

Alonso’s 27th homer of the season lifted the Mets to a 5-1 lead.

And he wasn’t done there, either.

In the sixth inning, Alonso connected for a solo home run to give New York an 11-5 lead.

After the third-inning shot, the Mets celebrated the accomplishment with a scoreboard graphic with the number 253 alongside pictures of Alonso and polar bears in honor of the slugger’s nickname.

Alonso embraced Brandon Nimmo, who scored ahead of him, and another longtime teammate, on-deck hitter Jeff McNeil, before doffing his cap and blowing kisses to a near-sellout crowd that included New York owner Steve Cohen.

Led by manager Carlos Mendoza, the Mets poured out of the dugout to exchange embraces with Alonso as the crowd chanted his name. Alonso emerged for another curtain call during McNeil’s at-bat.

Following the inning, the Mets played the theme from The Natural and Alonso again doffed his cap as the camera lingered on Strawberry’s No. 18 hanging above foul territory in left field at Citi Field.

The Mets also released a video on social media featuring a message from Strawberry.

“I just want to say congratulations on breaking the home run record,” Strawberry said. “You have worked hard, you have stood up in the pressure of New York City, and you have played well. It is well deserved. You are a homegrown player. Again, congratulations and continue to have great success.”

The Mets hammered the Braves for six home runs in a 13-5 victory Tuesday night. The power display was so great that the team had to post on the Citi Field jumbotron that it ran out of fireworks.

Alonso had tied Strawberry’s record by going deep against the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.

A homegrown star, Alonso broke into the big leagues with a bang in 2019, hitting 53 home runs to set a major league rookie record and establish a franchise high for a single season.

The five-time MLB All-Star has reached 40 two other times and been one of the most consistent sluggers in baseball since his arrival. After a protracted negotiation, he returned to the Mets as a free agent in February on a $54 million, two-year contract that includes a $24 million player option for 2026 that he likely will decline.

The only other active players who lead their current franchise in home runs are Manny Machado (Padres) and Mike Trout (Angels).

Giancarlo Stanton, now with the New York Yankees, holds the Miami mark with 267 for the Marlins.

Strawberry broke the previous Mets record with his 155th home run on May 3, 1988, passing Dave Kingman. The sweet-swinging outfielder hit 252 in 1,109 games for New York during his first eight major league seasons from 1983 to 1990. He later played for the Dodgers, Giants and Yankees, finishing his 17-year career with 335 homers.

Alonso played his 965th regular-season game Tuesday. The durable first baseman has played in 372 straight, a team record.

Tony Romo Partners with Skechers for Eighth Consecutive Year

Posted on August 4, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Tony Romo is still on tennis show duty…

The 45-year-old Mexican American former professional football quarterback, who played for 13 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys before becoming a National Football League television analyst, has extended his partnership with Skechers, the athletic footwear brand that he’s endorsed since 2017.

Romo, a four-time NFL Pro-Bowler, appears in a series of ads for Skechers’ Hands Free Slip-ins Collection, which features shoes designed with flexible materials, tie-free laces and an exclusive “Heel Pillow,” that allow you to step in without bending over.

Romo is seen in a commercial promoting the shoes, which features the trendy open sole design seen on other popular sneaker brands.

The Skechers version features a flexible and breathable jacquard knit upper with an “air-cooled memory foam” insole and a geometric cushioned midsole. The shoes are springy and supportive, offering sneakers that perform whether you’re hitting the football field, the gym or the links.

The new shoes also include the Skechers “Cozy Fit” sneaker above, which the brand says is as soft and comfortable as a “well-worn sweatshirt.” As the name implies, the shoes offer plush cushioning that cradles your feet, with a memory foam insole for additional comfort. A foam midsole and flexible upper allow your feet to move and flex freely, rather than being “locked” in like some sneakers that use more rigid construction.

The “Slip-Ins” technology can also be seen on the “3D Energy” series of sneakers, which feature the same “heel pillow,” mesh upper, adjustable laces and a 3D-printed lattice midsole. Skechers says the shoes are made from “plush, unstructured materials designed to eliminate stiffness and pinching.”

All of the shoes in the collection are machine washable, making them even more practical for everyday wear. The shoes are also all made from vegan materials.

This is Romo’s eighth year in a row of working with Skechers, who have previously tapped athletes and sports icons like MLB pitcher Clayton Kershaw and boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, over the years. Skechers’ celebrity roster, meantime, includes ongoing collaborations with Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart. The footwear brand also teamed up with “Emily in Paris” star Ashley Park for a capsule collection in 2023.

Romo retired from the NFL following the 2016 season and made a successful transition to the broadcast booth, as one of the lead color analysts for CBS Sports. He’ll be

back for another season behind the booth for CBS Sports, as part of the network’s “NFL on CBS” announcer lineup. Romo will be paired alongside veteran broadcaster Jim Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson for the 2025 season.

Seattle Mariners Slugger Julio Rodriguez Makes MLB History

Posted on August 3, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Julio Rodriguez has earned his place in Major League Baseball history…

The 24-year-old Dominican professional baseball center fielder for the Seattle Mariners homered to become the first player in MLB history with 20 or more home runs and 20 or more stolen bases in each of his first four seasons, as the Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 5-4 on Sunday.

Rodriguez hit a two-run shot in the third inning — his 100th career homer — and the slugging and speedy center fielder also added his 21st stolen base of the season after singling in the fifth inning.

Jorge Polanco added a solo shot in the second, and shortstop J.P. Crawford smacked a two-run blast in the fourth against Rangers starter Jacob deGrom (10-4), who became the fastest pitcher in major league history to reach 1,800 career strikeouts by games and innings Sunday.

The Rangers kept things close by pushing across three runs against Mariners starter Logan Evans (5-4), but tallied only one run against the Mariners bullpen before closer Andrés Muñoz locked down his 25th save of the season.

Carlos Correa Returning to Houston Astros

Posted on July 31, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Correa is preparing for an astronomical return…

The Houston Astros have reacquired the 30-year-old Puerto Rican professional baseball in a shocking blockbuster deal with the Minnesota Twins just before the MLB trade deadline Thursday.

Correa, a Rookie of the Year and a two-time MLB All-Star in his prior stint with the Astros, waived his no-trade clause in order to make the deal happen.

He has also agreed to play third base, sharing the left side of the infield with Jeremy Pena.

“I had some conversations with the front office in Minnesota, and we were not moving [the direction] I thought we were after making the playoffs [in 2023],” Correa told MLB.com on Thursday, “and they agreed with me that it was time to move me.

“I let them know there was only one team I would allow that to happen.”

The Astros went into the trade deadline prioritizing a left-handed hitter and a starter, but third baseman Isaac Paredes could miss the rest of the season with a serious hamstring injury, prompting them to get aggressive in a trade for Correa.

Moments later, their need for a left-handed hitter was also filled — in a deal to acquire outfielder Jesus Sanchez from the Miami Marlins.

The trade amounted to a salary dump, with the Twins, up for sale since last October, clearly motivated to shed financial obligations during the trade deadline. The Twins agreed to take on only $33 million of the remaining $104 million owed to Correa through 2028 and thus did not get much prospect capital in return for one of the sport’s most recognizable players. Matt Mikulski, a 26-year-old lefty who is still in A ball, went from the Astros’ system to the Twins’.

The Marlins received shortstop Chase Jaworsky, a top-10 prospect in the Astros’ system, as well as minor league outfielder Esmil Valencia and major league right-hander Ryan Guston in exchange for Sanchez.

A former No. 1 pick out of high school in Puerto Rico in 2012, Correa was one of the faces of an Astros team that won the World Series in 2017 and became the most successful American League franchise in recent years.

This year, though, Correa’s numbers are down. He is slashing .267/.319/.386 with seven home runs in 93 games.

“This is a big move for the team, for the city, for where we’re going in the future,” Houston general manager Dana Brown said. “We feel like … he’s just going to bring a lot, not only as a player but as a human being — his leadership skills and the energy that he’s going to bring to this club. So I’m fired up.”

This will be Correa’s first time playing third base in the majors, but he told MLB.com it’s something he had been looking forward to.

“I’ve been wanting to play third base for the past couple of years, but it wasn’t happening in Minnesota,” Correa said. “We were waiting for a shortstop to come in, and now that I get to play third base it would be great for me at this stage of my career.”

Sanchez, 27, has slashed .246/.312/.432 with 69 homers and 29 steals in 522 games with the Marlins from 2021 to 2025, during which he played mostly right field. He is controllable through 2027.

Philadelphia Phillies Acquire Jhoan Duran from Minnesota Twins

Posted on July 30, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Jhoan Duran is preparing to close things out in Philadelphia…

The Philadelphia Phillies have acquired the 27-year-old Dominican professional baseball pitcher, one of baseball’s best relievers, and they paid a high price to the Minnesota Twins to get it done.

Minnesota received catcher Eduardo Tait, regarded as a top 100 prospect, and pitcher Mick Abel, a rookie with six years of team control.

They’re ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, among the Phillies’ minor league prospects, per ESPN.

Duran is known for two wipeout pitches — a fastball with an average velocity of 100.2 mph and a curveball he throws in the mid-80s — and he’s among the most dominant closers.

David Dombrowski, the Phillies’ head of baseball operations, again aggressively worked to plug a major hole in his bullpen.

The Phillies have a deep and powerful rotation and a lineup comprised of sluggers like Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, but their bullpen has been a problem area, again.

Jordan Romano, who was signed in the offseason, has struggled, and Jose Alvarado was suspended for 80 games under baseball’s performance-enhancing drug policy. Alvarado will be back to pitch in August, but because of his suspension, he is ineligible to pitch in the playoffs and World Series, if the Phillies get that far.

The Phillies have 16 blown saves this season, tied for fourth-most in the NL. And they’ve struggled to find a permanent closer, as five different players have multiple blown saves, tied for third-most in the majors, only trailing the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels, who both have six.

Dombrowski has a long track record of being willing to trade high prices in midseason deals. Last year, he aggressively moved for Carlos Estevez.

The Phillies have an older roster. Schwarber and catcher J.T. Realmuto are eligible for free agency at season’s end, and the general perception within the industry is that the team is in a window to win right now.

Tait, 18, is hitting .251 with 11 homers for Class-A Clearwater. Abel was the Phillies’ first-round pick in 2020 and progressed to the big leagues for the first time this season.

New York Mets Acquire Gregory Soto from Baltimore Orioles

Posted on July 25, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Gregory Soto is headed to New York.

The New York Mets have acquired 30-year-old Dominican professional baseball pitcher, a left-handed reliever, from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for two minor leaguers in what could be the first of multiple moves by New York to bolster its bullpen before the trade deadline Thursday.

The trade, which sent Class A right-hander Wellington Aracena and Double-A right-hander Cameron Foster to Baltimore, gives the Mets a hard-throwing left-hander to complement the club’s only lefty on the roster, Brooks Raley, who returned from Tommy John surgery last week.

Soto, who is 30 and was an MLB All-Star with the Detroit Tigers in 2021 and 2022, has posted a 3.96 ERA with a 27.5% strikeout rate in 45 appearances this season.

The Mets will be his fourth team since the 2022 season.

On Monday, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns plainly signaled that upgrading the bullpen for the stretch run is his top priority.

The need is clear. Injuries and overuse have depleted a relief corps that led the majors in bullpen ERA through May 31. Since June 1, the group has posted 4.52 ERA, good for 23rd in the majors.

Aracena, 20, is 1-1 with a 2.38 ERA in 17 games for St. Lucie. The Orioles said he is one of two pitchers in the minors this season to have thrown at least 60 innings without surrendering a home run.

Foster, 26, is 5-2 with two saves and a 2.97 ERA while pitching at the Double-A and Triple-A levels.

New York Mets Recalling Francisco Alvarez From Triple-A

Posted on July 20, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Francisco Alvarez is se to return to major league play…

The 23-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball catcher, a former top prospect, is set to return to the New York Mets a month after being optioned to Triple-A Syracuse, according to a report in The Athletic.

The Mets reportedly intend to recall Alvarez ahead of their matchup against the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Monday.

New York optioned Alvarez after the team’s game on June 21. At the time of his demotion, he was batting .236 with 3 home runs and 11 RBIs in 35 games.

As a rookie in 2023, Alvarez belted 25 homers and hit .209 across 123 games.

Over the past month, however, Alvarez has shown notable improvements. Since joining Syracuse, he batted .299 with 11 home runs, including a long ball Sunday that was his third homer in three days and seventh in 19 at-bats.

According to the report, Alvarez’s defense and framing — which ranked in MLB‘s bottom 9 percent, according to Baseball Savant — earned rave reviews from coaches and pitchers in Syracuse.

Alvarez was considered the No. 1 prospect in 2022, but wrist and hand injuries hampered him after his rookie season. Since debuting with the Mets in 2022, Alvarez has batted .223 with 40 home runs and 122 RBIs in 263 games.

The Mets stumbled out of the MLB All-Star break, posting back-to-back home losses to the Cincinnati Reds over the weekend.

New York avoided the series sweep Sunday, escaping with a 3-2 victory.

Rowdy Tellez Works Out with Texas Rangers in Anticipation of Joining Their Roster

Posted on July 17, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Rowdy Tellez could be heading back into the game soon…

The 30-year-old Mexican American professional baseball first baseman took part in a workout with the Texas Rangers on Thursday, with the anticipation that he’ll be added to their roster before the first game after the MLB All-Star break.

Tellez signed a minor league deal with the Rangers on July 5, a week after being released by the Seattle Mariners.

He had been designated for assignment after he hit .208 with 11 home runs and 27 RBIs in 62 games with the Mariners.

The Rangers (48-49) open a three-game series at home Friday night against the Detroit Tigers (59-38), which has the best record in Major League Baseball despite a four-game losing streak.

Texas has an open spot on its 26-man active roster and an open spot on its 40-man roster.

Texas first baseman Jake Burger (left quad strain) was put on the 10-day injured list for the second time this season Wednesday. That move was retroactive to Sunday, after he had played only 10 games since missing 10 games during his previous IL stint from June 21 until July 2 because of a left oblique strain.

There was no corresponding move by the Rangers when they put Burger on the IL. They did make two moves Thursday, when infielder Justin Foscue was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock and infielder/outfielder Michael Helman was optioned to the minor league team.

Tellez has a .232 average with 116 homers and 346 RBIs with four teams since his big league debut with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2018. He played for the Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates before signing with the Mariners as a free agent in February.

Texas got Burger in a trade from Miami in December. After he hit .190 with three homers and a team-high 32 strikeouts in 100 at-bats his first 30 games, the Rangers sent him briefly to Triple-A Round Rock. In 45 games since returning to the majors, he hit .250 with eight homers and 23 RBIs. He is hitting .228 with 11 homers and 35 RBIs in 75 games.

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Top Prospect Josue De Paula Wins MVP Award at MLB Futures Game Following Three-Run Home Run

Posted on July 12, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Josue De Paula is a most valuable player…

The 20-year-old Dominican American baseball player, the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ top prospect, blasted a three-run home run in the MLB Futures Game to lead the National League to a 4-2 win over the American League at Truist Park, winning the Larry Doby Award as the exhibition’s MVP.

After flying out in his first at-bat, De Paula, the NL‘s starting left fielder, saw two sliders from 6-foot-10 left-hander Noah Schultz, the Chicago White Sox‘s top prospect.

De Paula took the first pitch for a ball and the second for a strike. Schultz tried sneaking another one by De Paula and the left-handed slugger pounced, swatting the hanging slider 416 feet over the right-field wall.

“I just wanted to go up there and see ball, hit ball,” De Paula said, “knowing that we didn’t have any information on these pitchers.”

De Paula was born and raised in New York City, but his family moved to the Dominican Republic in 2021 so he could pursue a professional baseball career after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down his high school baseball season.

He signed with the Dodgers for $397,500 in January 2022 during what would’ve been his junior year of high school.

After spending that summer in the Dominican Summer League, De Paula returned to the United States to play for Low-A Rancho Cucamonga in 2023. This season, he’s batting .265 with 10 home runs and an .835 OPS in 78 games for High-A Great Lakes.

He has spent his offseasons training in the Dominican Republic with New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto and Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz.

“It’s a lot on the mental side, not physical, because I feel like all the physical is always going to be there,” De Paula said. “The mental tips and just how to go about their work, how to go about their day, their routine, just how to handle yourself.”

LuJames Groover, a third baseman in the Arizona Diamondbacks‘ organization, delivered the only multihit outing with two infield singles. He scored the NL‘s fourth run of the fourth inning on Chicago Cubs outfield prospect Owen Caissie‘s double.

The AL scored the game’s first two runs on an infield single from White Sox prospect Braden Montgomery in the third inning and Texas Rangers top prospect Sebastian Walcott‘s sacrifice fly in the fourth.

New York Yankees top prospect George Lombard Jr. played all seven innings for the AL, starting at second base before moving to shortstop. He went 1-for-2 with a double, walk, steal and run scored.

Atlanta Braves pitching prospect JR Ritchie started for the NL in his organization’s home ballpark and tossed a scoreless inning with two strikeouts and a walk. New York Mets prospect Jonah Tong, whose 125 strikeouts led the minors entering the weekend, followed Ritchie and tossed another scoreless inning with a fastball that touched 97 mph. He struck out Seattle Mariners catching prospect Harry Ford on a curveball.

“I honestly felt more comfortable than I thought I was going to,” said Tong, who has a 1.83 ERA in 15 starts for Double-A Binghamton this season. “Just taking a really deep breath and realizing that I’ve been here. The stage was a little bit bigger, but it was a lot of fun.”

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