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.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Homers in First At-Bat Following Home Run Derby Win

Posted on July 15, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is still swinging them out of the park…

The 24-year-old Canadian-Dominican professional baseball first baseman and Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter’s Home Run Derby continued on Friday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Guerrero became the first Derby champion to go deep in his first plate appearance after the MLB All-Star break as Toronto opened the second half of the season with its sixth win in seven games.

Brandon Belt drove in the tiebreaking run in the seventh inning, Matt Chapman had three hits and an RBI and Whit Merrifield drove in two runs as the Blue Jays won 7-2 to move to 17-7 against National League opponents.

Guerrero won the MLB All-Star Home Run Derby in Seattle on Monday night, matching his father Vladimir Guerrero Sr.‘s 2007 title to become the first father-son duo to accomplish the feat. The younger Guerrero is also the first Blue Jays player to win a Home Run Derby crown.

On Friday night, Guerrero led off the second inning with a 426-foot drive off Arizona starter Ryne Nelson for his 14th home run.

He is the fifth Derby winner to homer in his first game back, joining Prince Fielder (2009), Ryan Howard (2006), Ken Griffey Jr. (1998) and Tino Martinez (1997).

Guerrero connected on a 2-2 slider from Nelson.

“It just kind of slipped out of my hand, popped a little bit, right where he wants it,” Nelson said. “Right there, that’s a pitch I have to execute and not leave it over the plate.”

Toronto is 51-41, a season-best 10 games above .500.

“I liked the way we played,” Guerrero said through an interpreter. “We’re going to continue to play with the same intensity. It’s excellent right now.”

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Wins First Home Run Derby Title

Posted on July 11, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is officially a home run king…

After a four-year absence, the 24-year-old Dominican professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter for the Toronto Blue Jays has claimed his first MLB All-Star Home Run Derby title.

Guerrero defeated Randy Arozarena in the final to claim.

Guerrero and his MLB Hall of Fame father Vladimir Guerrero Sr., who won it 16 years ago, are the first father-son duo to be Home Run Derby champions.

In the process, a prospective three-time winner was eliminated, with Pete Alonso booted in the first round after Julio Rodriguez hit a whopping 41 home runs, the most ever in a single Home Run Derby round. J-Rod, however, was unable to secure the hometown coronation in the Emerald City, losing to Guerrero in the second round.

In all, Guerrero hit 72 homeruns across the three rounds.

Here’s a look at the round performance:

Round 1
No. 5 Randy Arozarena (24 home runs) defeated No. 4 Adolis Garcia (17 home runs)
No. 1 Luis Robert Jr. (28 home runs) defeated No. 8 Adley Rutschman (27 home runs)
No. 3 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (26 home runs) defeated No. 6 Mookie Betts (11 home runs)
No. 2 Julio Rodriguez (41 home runs) defeated No. 7 Pete Alonso (21 home runs)

Round 2
Arozarena (35 home runs) defeated Robert (22 home runs)
Guerrero (21 home runs) defeated Rodriguez (20 home runs)

Final
Guerrero (25 home runs) defeated Arozarena (23 home runs)

Pete Alonso to Vie for Third Title at This Year’s MLB All-Star Home Run Derby

Posted on July 3, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Pete Alonso is gunnin’ for a triple crown…

The 28-year-old part-Spanish American professional baseball player and New York Mets first baseman will participate in the MLB All-Star Home Run Derby on July 10 in Seattle, as he looks to win the title for the third time.

“I’m stoked,” Alonso said after hitting his 25th homer Sunday night in New York’s 8-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants. “It’s a really fun event. The field is extremely talented and I think this is going to be a derby that a lot of people are going to remember for a long time.”

Alonso was selected to his third MLB All-Star team earlier in the day, and New York’s lone representative on the National League squad will take part in the derby for the fourth time.

He joins a field so far that also includes Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena, Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts, Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodríguez.

Alonso won the competition in 2019 and 2021. Ken Griffey Jr. (1998-99) and Yoenis Céspedes (2013-14) are the only other back-to-back champions in the history of the event, which began in 1985.

The 2020 edition was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his rookie season, Alonso edged Guerrero 23-22 in the final round with just seconds to spare to claim a $1 million prize.

Two years later, Alonso hit 74 homers at Coors Field in Colorado and won the derby by edging Trey Mancini in the finals.

Last year at Dodger Stadium, Alonso topped Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. in the first round before losing 31-23 to Rodríguez in the semifinals.

Alonso is hitting .221 with 25 homers and 58 RBIs in 76 games this season. He missed 10 games with a bruised left wrist but made a speedy return from the injury.

“I thought that the derby wasn’t necessarily the biggest priority when I was coming back from the wrist,” Alonso said. “It was trying to come back and be as productive as I can for my team. If I’m able to play a game, I’m definitely going to be able to take batting practice. So for me the biggest concern was getting back to the team. The derby for me is a happy bonus.”

Tampa Bay Rays Star Randy Arozarena to Compete in His First Home Run Derby

Posted on July 1, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Randy Arozarena is preparing to take a swing at a first home run title…

The 28-year-old Cuban-Mexican professional baseball outfielder for the Tampa Bay Rays, an MLB All-Star, will take part in the 2023 Home Run Derby, Arozarena announced via social media.

This will be Arozarena’s first time in the Home Run Derby, and makes him the third Rays player to participate in one, after Evan Longoria and Carlos Pena.

“He’s excited about it,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “I can feel very confident in saying he will be very entertaining. I know the fans enjoy watching Randy, I enjoy watching Randy. He’s got that “It” factor, and this is just another level to it.”

Arozarena is the fourth announced participant in the eight-man July 10 contest at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park, joining Seattle Mariners‘ centerfielder Julio Rodríguez, Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts.

“I feel very happy for the opportunity to participate in the Home Run Derby,” Arozarena said. “It’s always been a goal of mine, and also to be in the All-Star game itself. Everyone knows I like to hit home runs, so that is another reason why I wanted to be able to participate.”

Arozarena has 15 home runs so far this season, second on the Rays behind Jose Siri, who has 16. With Arozarena’s bubbly personality and penchant for dramatic on-field moments, Cash sees him as a perfect fit for the Derby’s big stage.

“There are some people that just have it,” Cash said. “I don’t know what it is, like you can’t pin it down. You watch him, I think every time there is a picture taken of him or he’s on TV, he’s smiling, and most of the time fans can really relate to that. I appreciate that, and then you add the component that he’s a really special talent, with speed, with power. He’s fun to watch.”

Atlanta‘s Ronald Acuña Jr., who topped all players in votes, said he will not participate for a third time.

Juan Soto won last year’s derby at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, edging Rodríguez 19-18 in the final round.

Pablo Guerrero Signs International Deal with Texas Rangers

Posted on January 16, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Pablo Guerrero has a Lone Star future…

The Texas Rangers have signed the Dominican baseball outfielder, the son of MLB Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr. and younger brother of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays, to an international deal.

The Guerrero family posted a photo of the signing ceremony in the Dominican Republic on social media.

The Rangers later announced all of their agreements through their Player Development Twitter account.

Guerrero’s father, Vlad Sr., played 16 years in Major League Baseball, including a one-year stint with the Texas Rangers in 2010 when the club made its first World Series appearance. Guerrero hit .300 with 29 home runs and 115 RBI.

Guerrero’s Hall-of-Fame career included nine All-Star Game appearances, eight Silver Slugger awards and the 2004 American League MVP award.

Guerrero Jr. plays for Toronto and is entering his fifth season as a first and third baseman. He is already a two-time All-Star and finished second in AL MVP voting in 2021.

Baseball America also reported several other Rangers international agreements, including Cuban outfielder Geisel Cepeda, Venezuelan catcher Juan Sulbaran, along with outfielder Brailyn More, shortstop Lisandro Mejia, and pitchers Snarlyn Encarnacion, Walkin Ortiz, Yormi Nivar, Felix Martinez and Frank Martinez, all from the Dominican Republic.

Pitchers and catchers report to the team’s facility in Surprise, Arizona, on February 15, with position players to follow on February 20.

The Spring Training game schedule starts on February 24 with a game against Kansas City at the Surprise complex shared with the Royals.

The Rangers will wrap up their exhibition season with a pair of games at Globe Life Field against the Royals on March 27 and 28. The Rangers open up the regular season at home against Philadelphia on March 30.

Seattle Mariners Acquire Teoscar Hernandez from Toronto Blue Jays

Posted on November 16, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Teoscar Hernandez is headed to the Emerald City…

The Seattle Mariners have acquired the 30-year-old Dominican professional baseball outfielder and slugger in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays, fortifying a lineup in need of another big bat as they try to catch the Houston Astros, their division rival and the World Series champions.

Right-handed reliever Erik Swanson and left-handed pitching prospect Adam Macko went to the Blue Jays, whose bullpen issues last season were most apparent in a 10-9 wild-card series loss to the Mariners that ended their season.

Hernandez hit a pair of home runs in that game and is a two-time Silver Slugger winner whose power in right field is unimpeachable. He hit .267/.316/.491 last season with 25 home runs and 77 RBIs in 131 games and should man right field alongside the American League Rookie of the Year, center fielder Julio Rodriguez.

“We began our offseason with the intent to add impact and length to our lineup,” said Jerry Dipoto, the Mariners’ president of baseball operations. “In adding Teoscar to an already solid foundation, we feel we’ve become a far more dangerous offensive club.”

Toronto’s willingness to deal Hernandez has more to do with his contract status than the quality of his play. He is due to hit free agency after the 2023 season and is expected to make around $14 million in arbitration. The Blue Jays, sources said, plan to acquire another outfielder this offseason.

In Swanson and Macko, they added one arm expected to help their bullpen this year and another with high-end-starter potential.

Swanson had a breakout 2022 season, putting up a 1.68 ERA with 70 strikeouts in 53⅔ innings. With a four-seam fastball that has near-perfect backspin and a split-fingered fastball that developed into a strikeout weapon this year, Swanson was a vital part of the Mariners’ bullpen — and will join closer Jordan Romano, Anthony Bass, Adam Cimber, Yimi Garcia, Zach Pop and Tim Mayza in a bullpen that could be a strength for Toronto.

“We got to the point where we felt like the acquisitions on the run-prevention side would help us,” Toronto general manager Ross Atkins said. “It does create some flexibility for us as well, in terms of resources.”

Atkins said the groundwork for the trade started during the general manager meetings last week in Las Vegas and there were “three or four teams” with a significant interest in Hernandez.

“This market for right-handed bats like Teo, he was one of the better hitters in it. We are fortunate to have some depth in that area,” Atkins said.

Macko, who turns 22 in December, struck out 60 over 38⅓ innings in High-A this year and features a mid-90s fastball and a pair of breaking balls that give him significant upside. Born in Slovakia, he graduated from high school in Vauxhall, a small town in the Canadian province of Alberta, in 2019. The Mariners selected him in the seventh round of the 2019 draft.

“If we can put him into a position where he can sustain and haul a full season of innings, he could become, easily, one of the better prospects in baseball. He’s got the arsenal to do that,” Atkins said.

The Mariners could reap an additional benefit provided Hernandez has a typical season: If they tender him a qualifying offer after 2023 and he signs elsewhere, Seattle would receive a draft choice around the 75th pick, with a slot value of around $850,000.

Pedro Grifol Lands First MLB Manager Job with Chicago White Sox

Posted on November 3, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Pedro Grifol is headed to The Windy City for his first Major League Baseball manager job…

The 52-year-old Cuban American former-professional-baseball-player-turned-coach has been named the new manager of the Chicago White Sox.

Grifol has been brought in to help restore the swagger that disappeared during a disappointing season this year.

“It’s essential,” general manager Rick Hahn said.

The White Sox made it official on Thursday, announcing Grifol is taking over for Hall of Famer Tony La Russa. Grifol had agreed to take the job earlier in the week.

Hahn also said pitching coach Ethan Katz and bullpen coach Curt Hasler are being retained. The White Sox hired former Toronto Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo as bench coach.

Grifol brings experience in a variety of coaching and scouting roles at the major and minor league levels. He spent the past three seasons as the Kansas City Royals‘ bench coach. And now, he has his first managing job in the majors.

“This is an extremely talented ballclub,” Grifol said. “And it was a really difficult club to prepare for because if the energy was high, they can beat anybody in the game. And if the energy wasn’t, we were able to have some success against them. My job — and my staff’s job — is gonna be to make sure that that energy is high every night and we’re prepared to win a ballgame.”

The White Sox came into the season with soaring expectations coming off back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time in franchise history. Instead, they were one of baseball’s biggest disappointments.

They went from running away with the division to finishing second in the AL Central at 81-81 and missing the postseason. La Russa missed the final 34 games because of health problems and announced he would not return, ending a disappointing two-year run with the franchise that gave him his first job as a big league skipper.

It’s now up to Grifol to help restore the vibe the White Sox had following the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. That team led by AL MVP José Abreu and young stars like Tim Anderson gave Chicago its first playoff appearance since 2008.

The White Sox then fired manager Rick Renteria and made a surprising choice to replace him. Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf lured his longtime friend La Russa out of retirement even though he hadn’t filled out a lineup card since leading the St. Louis Cardinals to the 2011 World Series championship.

“We were extremely proud of what we were able to accomplish in the early parts of this rebuild and the position that we were in a few years back,” Hahn said. “Even though we decided that we had to make a change after 2020, I think it was pretty clear that the arrow was pointing up for us. And thus far, what we’ve been able to show for that is one division title and a first-round exit. That’s not who we envisioned ourselves being, and part of that disappointment I think permeated the way the clubhouse was viewed — and viewed itself.”

The White Sox were hit hard by injuries, with Anderson and sluggers Eloy Jiménez and Luis Robert missing significant time because of injuries.

Catcher Yasmani Grandal and third baseman Yoán Moncada also had health issues, and they underperformed when they were on the field.

There were embarrassing breakdowns on the bases. The defense was a problem, and an unbalanced lineup that was heavy with right-handed hitters had issues. Even so, the White Sox believe they have the core to compete, that their window isn’t shut.

Hahn said an initial list of candidates for the managing job swelled from about 22 or 24 to 30. Grifol was the second of eight to get first-round interviews before the list was whittled down.

The finalists met in Arizona with Hahn, Reinsdorf and executive vice president Ken Williams.

Grifol, a former minor league catcher, spent the past 10 seasons in a variety of coaching roles with Kansas City under former managers Ned Yost and Mike Matheny. He was part of teams that captured back-to-back pennants and won the World Series in 2015. He also worked for the Seattle Mariners for 13 years as a coach, scout and manager.

Grifol said getting the call from the White Sox that the job was his was “extremely emotional.”

“I’ve been in this game for a long time,” he said. “All I’ve ever wanted to do was manage a baseball team. It didn’t matter if it was the minor leagues or the big leagues, I wanted to manage. This game has a tendency to kind of grab you and take you other places, and if you don’t check yourself, you’re gonna end up somewhere where your passion doesn’t sit. That’s where I was.”

St. Louis Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado Earns 10th Consecutive Gold Glove Award

Posted on November 1, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Make that a perfect 10 for Nolan Arenado…

The 31-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American baseball player, a third baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, has become the fourth infielder to win 10 consecutive Rawlings Gold Gloves, when baseball’s winners for the sport’s most prestigious fielding awards were announced on ESPN2 before Game 3 of the World Series.

Arenado has won the National League‘s Gold Glove at third base in each of his 10 seasons in the major leagues. That streak ties former Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki for the longest by a player at any position to start a career.

The only infielders who put together longer streaks were Hall of Famers Brooks Robinson (third base, 16 straight Gold Gloves) and Ozzie Smith (shortstop, 13 straight) and former Cardinals and New York Mets first baseman Keith Hernandez (11 straight).

The Gold Gloves once tended to favor repeat winners, but this year’s list of honorees marked a season of unprecedented change. A record 14 players won their first Gold Gloves, including all but one of the winners in the American League.

The AL‘s first timers were Cleveland Guardians pitcher Shane Bieber, New York Yankees catcher Jose Trevino, Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez, Baltimore Orioles third baseman Ramon Urias, Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena, Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan, Guardians center fielder Myles Straw and Astros right fielder Kyle Tucker.

The AL’s only repeat winner was the Yankees’ DJ LeMahieu, who was recognized as a utility player.

There was a little more familiarity among those who joined Arenado as Gold Glovers on the National League side. The first-time winners included Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker, Colorado Rockies second baseman Brendan Rodgers, Atlanta Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson, Chicago Cubs left fielder Ian Happ and Cardinals utility player Brendan Donovan.

Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto won his second Glove Glove, joining Houston’s Pena and Tucker in learning of their honor during the lead-up to their World Series contest.

“It’s a pretty cool moment, for sure,” Pena said. “[Getting] congratulated by our teammates. We know the focus is the game, so we’re going to enjoy this for a little bit and then get ready for the game.”

Pena joined Kwan and Donovan as winners during their rookie seasons, another record. The only other time in which there has been even two rookie Gold Glovers was 2020 (Luis Robert and Evan White).

In taking the honor, Pena continued to prove a worthy successor at the position in Houston to Carlos Correa, who won the award last season. Pena became the first rookie shortstop to win a Gold Glove.

“I heard that today and I was in shock because I didn’t know that was a thing,” Pena said. “But it’s pretty cool.”

San Diego Padres center fielder Trent Grisham won for the second time, while Los Angeles Dodgers star right fielder Mookie Betts won his sixth Gold Glove. Atlanta Braves pitcher Max Fried was honored for the third time.

Here’s a look at the 2022 Gold Glove winners:

American League
P: Shane Bieber, Cleveland
C: Jose Trevino, New York
1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto
2B: Andres Gimenez, Cleveland
3B: Ramon Urias, Baltimore
SS: Jeremy Pena, Houston
LF: Steven Kwan, Cleveland
CF: Myles Straw, Cleveland
RF: Kyle Tucker, Houston

National League
P: Max Fried, Atlanta
C: J.T. Realmuto, Philadelphia
1B: Christian Walker, Arizona
2B: Brendan Rodgers, Colorado
3B: Nolan Arenado, St. Louis
SS: Dansby Swanson, Atlanta
LF: Ian Happ, Chicago
CF: Trent Grisham, San Diego
RF: Mookie Betts, Los Angeles

Houston Astros’ Yordan Alvarez Launches Go-Ahead, Two-Run Homer to Lead Team to Victory Over Seattle Mariners

Posted on October 13, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Yordan Alvarez has done it again…

The 25-year-old Cuban professional baseball designated hitter and left fielder hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth inning off Seattle Mariners ace Luis Castillo that lifted the Houston Astros over the Mariners 4-2 on Thursday for a 2-0 lead in the AL Division Series.

Alvarez was the Game 1 hero with his gut-punch, three-run shot off reigning AL Cy Young winner Robbie Ray with two outs in the ninth inning that gave the Astros an 8-7 win in a game in which they had trailed by four.

With Thursday’s home run, Alvarez became the first player in Major League Baseball (MLB) postseason history to hit multiple career go-ahead homers in the sixth inning or later when his team was trailing, and both of his came in his past two games, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

Castillo, acquired from the Cincinnati Reds near the trade deadline and coming off 7⅓ innings of shutout ball against Toronto Blue Jays in the wild-card round, gave up an early home run to Kyle Tucker but little else as he took a 2-1 lead into the sixth.

But with two outs, Jeremy Peña singled on a blooper that fell in between second baseman Adam Frazier and center fielder Julio Rodríguez. Castillo bent down and slapped his legs in disappointment as he watched the ball drop in shallow center.

That brought up Alvarez, who hit a 98 mph pitch tailing away to the opposite field, into the short porch in left to put the Astros on top 3-2.

Alvarez, who had 37 homers in the regular season, trotted around the bases as cameras panned to his Cuban parents, who are watching their first postseason series after arriving in Houston in August. The lefty pointed to them as he reached the plate before reenacting the powerful swing that has the Astros one win away from their sixth straight AL Championship Series.

There were two outs and a runner on first in the eighth when Seattle had surely seen enough of Alvarez leaving the yard. The Mariners intentionally walked him and Alex Bregman made them pay, adding some insurance when he singled to make it 4-2.

Houston starter Framber Valdez had a solid start, allowing four hits and two runs in 5⅔ innings. He had a different look than he did in his last postseason appearance after he and fellow pitcher Luis Garcia both got hair extensions this season.

Hector Neris earned the win after getting the last out of the sixth inning to escape a bases-loaded jam. Bryan Abreu got the first two outs of the seventh before Rafael Montero came in and threw 1⅓ scoreless innings.

Ryan Pressly walked the leadoff batter in the ninth before J.P. Crawford lined into a double play. Rodríguez doubled after that, but Pressly struck out Ty France for the save. The Astros won despite issuing seven walks overall.

The Mariners will head back to Seattle for Game 3 on Saturday in a huge hole in the best-of-five series as they host their first playoff game in 21 years.

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