GMs talk the art of contract extensions

The long-shot that was Shohei Ohtani becoming a Red Sox has seemingly gotten significantly longer.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Friday morning that the Sox were one of three teams – joining the Rangers and Mets – who have started to turn their attention away from Ohtani after initially expressing interest in signing this offseason’s prize free agent.

While Ohtani’s way of thinking has been tough to decipher throughout the offseason, there is a belief throughout MLB that the Dodgers are considered the favorite for his services. Passan notes that the Cubs, Blue Jays and Angels are seemingly still involved in the bidding, with San Francisco another possibility.

Of note is that of the teams still in the mix, only the Dodgers, Angels and Cubs had previously made the cut when it came to talking to Ohtani during his first go-round in free agency. Texas also was afforded a meeting six years ago, while the Red Sox were not.

The ESPN.com report states that the bidding for Ohtani could reach $600 million, blowing away the previous largest contract in North America sports, which currently belongs to Mike Trout ($426.5 million).

While Red Sox fans dreamed of the idea Ohtani might land in Boston, it was widely thought to be an unlikely outcome. Free agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, however, might be a different story.

According to Passan, the Red Sox remain very much in the mix for the 25-year-old pitcher, who is expected to garner more than $200 million. The issue for Craig Breslow and Co. is that the number of teams also prioritizing Yamamoto far outweighs that of virtually any other high-end free agent.

The Yankees have seemingly made Yamamoto their top target, with the Mets, Cubs, Dodgers, Giants, Blue Jays and Phillies also joining the fray.

Featured Image Photo Credit: USA Today Sports

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ANAHEIM, Calif. — Shohei Ohtani’s major league-leading 33rd homer keyed the Angels’ tying rally in the ninth inning, and rookie Trey Cabbage scored on Grae Kessinger’s throwing error in the 10th to end Los Angeles’ wild 13-12 victory over the Houston Astros on Saturday night.

Kessinger threw wide of first base while attempting to turn an easy inning-ending double play on Taylor Ward’s grounder. Cabbage scored from third in only his second major league game to set off a wild celebration for the Angels, who rallied from a six-run deficit in the seventh and a three-run deficit in the ninth before snapping their six-game losing streak.

The AL West rivals combined for 18 runs in the final four innings of a much-needed victory for the Angels, who had lost 10 of 11.

Ohtani hit a 404-foot shot to center off closer Ryan Pressly leading off the ninth for the Angels, who already had tied it 9-9 in the seventh on Mike Moustakas’ dramatic three-run homer. Chas McCormick put Houston back ahead with a two-run homer in the eighth.

Hunter Renfroe’s RBI single tied it in the ninth, but Pressly stranded two Angels in scoring position. All-Star closer Carlos Estevez (3-1) pitched a scoreless 10th inning for Los Angeles, and Phil Maton (2-3) lost without allowing a hit.

CUBS 10, RED SOX 4

CHICAGO (AP) — Cody Bellinger hit his eighth career grand slam in a six-run third inning, a day after homering twice, and Chicago beat Boston.

Bellinger connected off James Paxton (5-2) for his 12th homer and Patrick Wisdom added his 15th an inning later, a two-run drive off Tayler Scott.

Marcus Stroman (10-6) allowed one run and three hits in six innings. He had been 0-2 in his previous three starts.

YANKEES 6, ROCKIES 3

DENVER (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton homered for the fourth time in four games and reached 1,000 career RBIs by driving in four runs to power New York.

Stanton’s three-run homer in the second capped a five-run inning off Connor Seabold (1-7) that built a 6-1 lead. Stanton, who has 12 homers at Coors Field, drove in the first run with a groundout in the first. He has 16 RBIs in his last 14 games.

Clarke Schmidt (5-6) gave up two runs and three hits in six innings while tying a career high with eight strikeouts. Clay Holmes pitched a one-hit ninth for his 11th save in 13 chances.

DJ LeMahieu had three hits, including two doubles back at Coors Field.

ORIOLES 6, MARLINS 5

BALTIMORE (AP) — Gunnar Henderson homered to start a two-run seventh-inning as Baltimore rallied to win its seventh straight.

Anthony Santander put Baltimore ahead with an RBI single later in the seventh, and the Orioles still dropped to two games behind first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East after the Rays swept a doubleheader at Kansas City.

The Marlins led 5-4 in the seventh when Henderson sent the first pitch from reliever Huascar Brazoban (3-2) to deep right field for his 14th homer. 0Brazoban allowed hits to four of his five hitters.

Mike Baumann (6-0) won in relief.

Miami’s Luis Arraez had four hits to raise his average to .386, and Marlins outfielders Dane Myers and Jesús Sánchez were able to stay in the game after a scary outfield collision in the first.

WHITE SOX 6, BRAVES 5

ATLANTA (AP) — Jake Burger’s sixth-inning homer off Spencer Strider gave Chicago the lead, Andrew Benintendi drove in three runs with three hits and the White Sox held on in the ninth inning.

Strider (11-3) struck out 10 to reach double digits for the seventh time this season but allowed five runs and eight hits in six innings. Strider had won his previous five starts.

Ronald Acuña Jr. had three hits, including two home runs, and drove in three runs for Atlanta.

Lance Lynn (6-8) allowed four runs in 5 1/3 innings as Chicago earned its first win in eight games in Atlanta. Kendall Graveman finished for his eighth save in 11 chances, getting Sean Murphy’s game-ending double-play grounder.

PHILLIES 6, PADRES 4, 1st game; PHILLIES 9, PADRES 4, 2nd game

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bryce Harper ended the longest homerless streak of his major league career in the second game, and Philadelphia completed a doubleheader sweep.

Harper connected on a curveball from left-hander Ryan Weathers (1-6), tying the score 1-1 in the fourth inning. It was the fourth homer of the season for Harper, who made his season debut May 2 after recovering from Tommy John surgery. The home run was Harper’s first since May 25 at Atlanta. He had gone 166 plate appearances without going deep.

Kyle Schwarber put Philadelphia in front for good with a three-run homer in the bottom half of the fifth.

Johan Rojas had three hits and two RBIs in the second game after making a spectacular catch in the first inning of the opener in his major league debut.

Taijuan Walker (11-3) allowed two runs and four hits in five innings to win the second game.

Schwarber hit a tying home run in the seventh inning of the opener, a 440-foot drive, and drove in the go-ahead run with a single in the eighth off Tim Hill (1-3).

Manny Machado’s 300th homer had given San Diego a 4-3 lead in the eighth against Matt Strahm (6-3). Craig Kimbrel retired Machado with two on for his 15th save.

RAYS 6, ROYALS 1, 1st game; RAYS 4, ROYALS 2, 2nd game

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Luke Raley had a go-ahead single in the eighth inning, and Tampa Bay completed a doubleheader sweep.

Jose Siri hit a pair of solo homers as the Rays won the first game to open the second half. AL East-leading Tampa Bay has won three in a row after a season-high, seven-game losing streak and at 60-35 became the first AL team to 60 wins.

Kansas City has lost eight of nine, dropping to 26-67 and falling 41 games under .500. The Royals were swept in a doubleheader for the first time since May 25, 2019, against the New York Yankees.

Dairon Blanco’s RBI grounder in the fifth put the Royals ahead 2-1 in the nightcap. Josh Lowe tied the score with a run-scoring triple in the seventh and Raley singled in the eighth against Carlos Hernández (0-5). Harold Ramírez added a sacrifice fly in the ninth against Dylan Coleman.

Colin Poche (7-2) threw a 1-2-3 seventh. Pete Fairbanks worked around Salvador Perez’s leadoff single in the ninth for his 10th save in 11 chances.

Tyler Glasnow (3-3) gave up six hits and struck out six in the first game.

GIANTS 3, PIRATES 1

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Michael Conforto hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the eighth inning and San Francisco won its fourth straight.

After LaMonte Wade Jr. walked and Joc Pederson singled with one out against rookie Carmen Mlodzinski (1-2), All-Star closer David Bednar entered and struck out J.D. Davis. Conforto then hit a line drive into right field. Wade scored on a play at the plate, beating right fielder Henry Davis’ throw. Pederson also scored when Pirates catcher Jason Delay threw wildly to second in an unsuccessful bid to get Conforto.

San Francisco’s Mike Yastrzemski and Pittsburgh’s Henry Davis hit solo homers in the second inning.

Taylor Rogers (5-3) worked a scoreless seventh, and Camilo Doval worked around a leadoff single in the ninth for his major-league leading 28th save.

BLUE JAYS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 2

TORONTO (AP) — Chris Bassitt (9-5) allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings after Kevin Gausman was scratched early because of discomfort in his left side.

Whit Merrifield homered off All-Star starter Zac Gallen and Bo Bichette against Scott McGough, both solo drives. George Springer drove in two runs.

Yimi García got his second save as Toronto moved a season-best 11 games above .500 at 52-41.

Arizona has lost nine of 13.

NATIONALS 7, CARDINALS 5, 10 INNINGS, comp. of susp. game; CARDINALS 9, NATIONALS 6

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Nolan Gorman hit a two-run double to break a fifth-inning tie, Alec Burleson homered and robbed Joey Meneses of a three-run drive as St. Louis earned a split of two games.

In a game that started after a 65-minute rain delay, St. Louis had a season-high 17 hits in the night game, opening a 4-0 lead in the second before Washington tied the score. Gorman doubled off Amos Willingham (0-1) and scored on Paul DeJong’s single for a 7-4 lead.

Dakota Hudson (1-0) allowed four hits in 3 1/3 scoreless innings. Nolan Arenado homered in the eighth.

Thomas hit a tiebreaking single in the 10th off Jordan Hicks (1-6) in the first game.

Kyle Finnegan (4-3) pitched two innings for the win and Hunter Harvey got his ninth save.

RANGERS 2, GUARDIANS 0

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Andrew Heaney rebounded from his worst start of the season and slumping Marcus Semien had his first multihit game in two weeks as Texas got its seventh shutout of the season.

Heaney (6-6) allowed six hits and one walk in 5 1/3 innings, striking out four. Aroldis Chapman struck out two in a one-hit ninth in his first save situation since he was acquired from Kansas City on June 30.

Semien, who entered in a 3-for-36 slide, had two singles, scored a run and added a sacrifice fly.

Cleveland’s Gavin Williams (1-2) allowed both runs, four hits and four walks over five innings. The Guardians were blanked for the ninth time.

TIGERS 6, MARINERS 0

SEATTLE (AP) — Kerry Carpenter homered twice, Michael Lorenzen allowed two hits in 6 2/3 innings and Detroit beat Seattle.

Carpenter hit a solo homer in the second inning and a three-run shot in the fifth, giving him three homers in the past two games.

That was more than enough support for Lorenzen (4-6), who took a no-hitter into the fifth inning. The 31-year-old righty struck out seven and worked around five walks in a 97-pitch performance. Beau Brieske and Brendan White pitched 2 1/3 innings of relief to finish a combined three-hitter.

Detroit tagged Seattle starter George Kirby (8-8) for six runs and eight hits in five innings.

TWINS 10, ATHLETICS 7

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Kyle Farmer had three hits including a go-ahead home run in the seventh inning, and Minnesota won its second straight.

Michael A. Taylor hit his 11th home run for the Twins and made a catch at the wall in center field to rob pinch-hitter Brent Rooker of extra bases in the sixth.

Ryan Jeffers walked twice, scored three runs and drove in one for Minnesota, which leads the AL Central at 47-46. Farmer homered off Freddy Tarnok (0-1).

Ryan Noda and Seth Brown homered for Oakland, which has lost six straight and is last in the AL West.

Jovani Moran (2-2) retired two batters to win. Jhoan Duran struck out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth for his 14th save.

DODGERS 5, METS 1

NEW YORK (AP) — Mookie Betts went 4 for 4 with a home run and Los Angeles won its sixth straight.

Max Muncy scored the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning on David Peralta’s RBI grounder. Mets first baseman Pete Alonso had a chance to start an inning-ending double play, but his throw to second base forced shortstop Francisco Lindor to make a leaping grab and then find the bag, giving Peralta enough time to beat the relay at first.

Los Angeles added three insurance runs in the ninth, helped by a fielding error by rookie third baseman Brett Baty. J.D. Martinez and Peralta followed with RBI singles off Grant Hartwig.

Brandon Nimmo homered for the Mets, held to three hits one night after mustering just one, en route to their fourth straight loss.

Brusdar Graterol (3-2) worked a hitless seventh for the NL West leaders, who have won 14 of 19. Adam Ottavino (0-4) took the loss.

BREWERS 3, REDS 0

CINCINNATI (AP) — Freddy Peralta combined with three relievers on a one-hitter, Christian Yelich homered on the game’s first pitch and Milwaukee shut out Cincinnati for the third straight game.

Playing six straight games against the Reds, Milwaukee has won four of the first five. The Brewers tied the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto for the major league shutouts lead with 10.

Jake Fraley had the Reds’ only hit, a broken-bat infield single with one out in the fourth. Cincinnati (50-43) has managed just seven hits in its last three games, none for extra bases.

Peralta (6-7) won for the first time since May 21. He struck out six and walked two in six innings. Evan Peguero, Joel Payamps and Devin Williams followed with an inning each, with Williams getting his 22nd save in 24 chances.

William Contreras homered in the fourth and Owen Miller in the seventh. Andrew Abbott (4-2) allowed two runs and three hits in six innings, and Miller homered off Buck Farmer.

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ESPNJul 19, 2023, 07:00 AM ET11 Minute Read

Two weeks before the Aug. 1 MLB trade deadline, the Los Angeles Angels are hovering around the .500 mark, which leaves one question hanging over the entire sport: Will the Halos trade free-agent-to-be Shohei Ohtani?

Though we don’t yet know what the Angels’ decision will be, we aren’t about to let that stop us from trying to find the best trade partner for a potential Ohtani blockbuster.

We asked our MLB experts to play GM for nine teams that could potentially pull off a deal for Ohtani, making their best possible offers to land the two-way superstar, and we enlisted Jeff Passan to decide which proposals are worth the Angels’ time.

Sorry, you must have the wrong number

Proposed deal: RHP Shane Baz, 2B/3B Curtis Mead, 1B Xavier Isaac, RHP Marcus Johnson

An Ohtani trade wouldn’t constitute a rebuild for the Angels; they’d want to try to win again next season, and they’d be looking to add players who are (1) controllable for several years and (2) ready to contribute in 2024. That’s why this is the perfect package.

Baz has the ability to become one of the most dominant pitchers on the planet, and he should be fully recovered from Tommy John surgery for the start of 2024. Mead, No. 34 on Kiley McDaniel’s latest prospect rankings, boasts a nice combination of contact ability and power and can be the everyday second baseman next season, plus he provides insurance for an injury-prone Anthony Rendon at third base.

This is an aggressive package, especially when you consider the lower-level, higher-ceiling guys tacked on. But the Rays are a championship-caliber team that could use a boost and would never have a chance at a superstar player like this if not for the trade market. Who knows — maybe Ohtani, who has taken to analytics since working out at Driveline three winters ago, falls in love with the infrastructure in Tampa, and the Rays, trying to finalize a new stadium in the area, do the impossible and sign him long term. Wilder things have happened. For now, though, Ohtani for the rest of this season alone would place them head and shoulders above everybody else. — Alden Gonzalez

GM Jeff says … If Junior Caminero isn’t in this deal, I’m hanging up. As good as Baz could be, as well as Mead has hit, as much as Isaac’s numbers show he wasn’t an overdraft, as gaudy as Johnson’s strikeout to walk ratio may be (74-to-6), I need a no-doubt carrying piece. Caminero’s rocketing stock — .330/.386/.588 between High-A and Double-A as a just-turned-20-year-old — and his ability to play both positions on the left side of the infield make him a must in any trade. If not him, at least give me Carson Williams, also a shortstop and also mighty dynamic. The Rays have a robust enough farm system to get Ohtani, no doubt, but for an organization that knows it has no chance of re-signing him, the offer will only go so high, even if he is the sort of player who can get them to the World Series.

Proposed deal: CF Everson Pereira, SS Trey Sweeney, RHP Chase Hampton, RHP Drew Thorpe, 2B Jared Serna

I prioritized including multiple prospects who could be on a top 100 list this winter or next rather than just one top player and skewing most of the value toward (1) position players and (2) being in Double-A now or soon. Pereira (power-over-hit outfield tweener) and Sweeney (hit-over-power lefty-hitting shortstop) are probably both in the back half of the top 100 right now. Hampton and Thorpe are arrow-up starters with above-average stuff and enough feel to start, while Serna is a nice late-blooming power/speed performer. — Kiley McDaniel

GM Jeff says … This feels a lot like the Joey Gallo deal, which, in hindsight, turned out pretty well for the Rangers. But this is Shohei Ohtani, man. I want Spencer Jones, the leviathan outfielder. I want Jasson Dominguez, The Martian. The Yankees certainly can deal in bulk, and they’re the team that might benefit most from Ohtani’s presence. And because — unlike the Rays — they’re plenty capable of signing him as a free agent, this would be as much a showcase to him as it is a rental to the club. So, sorry, Fake Cashman. Get back to the drawing board and bring me something better.

Proposed deal: SS Ronny Mauricio, 3B Mark Vientos, C Kevin Parada, RHP Mike Vasil

You think owner Steve Cohen believes his team is too far out of contention? C’mon. DH Daniel Vogelbach and rotation filler David Peterson aren’t exactly All-Stars, and half of this team is over 34 years old. The Mets have no interest in melding these top prospects to the big club, and each is blocked. Ohtani can join former teammate Kodai Senga and see what it’s like in the top media market. Oh, and which team can spend the most money this winter? Yep. — Eric Karabell

GM Jeff says … I get it. There are a lot of names in this deal. But Mauricio and Vientos, for all their power, have troubling plate-discipline numbers, Parada is redundant with Logan O’Hoppe — a catcher in the midst of a breakout before a brutal left shoulder injury — and Vasil is more a back end of the rotation type than a top dude. This feels like a missed opportunity, frankly. If the Angels really were to move Ohtani, they could use him as the carrot to wheedle a team into taking on the rest of Rendon’s deal, which will cost about $127 million. Yes, Rendon has a no-trade clause, but he also could be in search of a change of scenery after 3½ middling years in Anaheim. Considering owner Arte Moreno operates on a finite budget, financial flexibility really would be meaningful as I try to rebuild this team post-Ohtani.

Call back when you’re ready to get serious

Proposed deal: OF/1B Heston Kjerstad, 3B Coby Mayo, LHP Cade Povich, LHP DL Hall

With the Rays faltering and the Rangers and Astros having some of the same pitching concerns as Baltimore, now is absolutely the time for the Orioles to make the biggest trade in franchise history since they acquired Frank Robinson. If they acquire Ohtani, they would be the best team in the American League — and no team is better equipped to make a deal than the Orioles, who have the best farm system in the majors. Heck, it’s so deep they won’t be able to play all these guys anyway. It’s more loaded in position players and the Angels probably want some pitching, so we’re including two hitting stars and two potential lefty starters. And, no, don’t even ask about Jackson Holliday. — David Schoenfield

GM Jeff says … So, how about Jackson Holliday? OK. Fine. But what you’ve got here isn’t enough for the Angels … and probably is too much for the Orioles. They have built their stout major league roster with patience, a plan and the understanding that as great as 2023 has been, their future competitiveness rests on a player-development run that’s almost too good to be true. Keeping their young core together is imperative. That said: I love Kjerstad’s left-handed swing, Mayo’s production is elite and in Povich and Hall you get two lefties with premium stuff. Perhaps plumbing the big league roster is in order. Colton Cowser is the sort of headliner who would make this more attractive.

Proposed deal: LHP Kyle Harrison, SS Marco Luciano, LHP/DH Reggie Crawford, OF Mike Yastrzemski

It’s painful to give up two top-20 prospects in Harrison and Luciano, but a San Francisco trade for Ohtani isn’t just about 2023. This gives the Giants a leg up on signing him long-term. We already know they have money to spend — see their pursuits of Carlos Correa and Aaron Judge for evidence. The Angels get back a few home runs in Yastrzemski while the Giants open up a spot for Joc Pederson to play the outfield when Ohtani is the designated hitter. Putting Crawford in the deal just seems right considering he’s doing an Ohtani in High-A. Yes, I’m proposing a two-way player gets traded for another two-way player. Fun. — Jesse Rogers

GM Jeff says … Not bad, but I want left-hander Carson Whisenhunt, too. And I suppose that’s my problem here. Trading for pitching prospects is scary, and this deal revolves around them. Yes, the Dodgers’ deal below does, too, but the volume — and Rushing being better than Luciano — exceeds the Giants’ offer, even if they were to include Whisenhunt. Remember, too, the Giants’ big league roster is extremely deep, and while I wouldn’t expect them to offer Patrick Bailey for a rental — even Ohtani — grabbing Luis Matos, Casey Schmitt or maybe Blake Sabol would turn this deal from an afterthought into a competitor.

Proposed deal: SS Cole Young, CF Jonatan Clase, RHP Emerson Hancock, RHP Darren Bowen

I focused on trying to offer the single best prospect, because the quality depth that I’m dealing with here isn’t enough to just pick a couple players from the options at each prospect tier. It’s up for debate whether Young (or Harry Ford if you prefer) would be the best single prospect on the table, but that would at least be a discussion, with all of the players in that discussion ranking in the 26-50 tier of a top 100 list. Clase is an 80-grade runner with big tools and a big arrow up this season (now at Double-A), while Hancock is a former top-10 overall pick who is turning the corner (in Double-A) to becoming a rotation player as soon as 2024.

You get two obvious big leaguers and one intriguing lottery ticket, and none are more than two years away. Other than the already-good-in-the-big-leagues Bryan Woo, these are the best prospects I can offer who are close to the majors. Oh, and I’ll throw in the biggest arrow-up pitcher in the system this year in Bowen, who has two plus pitches and starter traits, but he’s a late-bloomer with limited pro innings. — McDaniel

GM Jeff says … This is a good offer, but if I’m the Angels — er, I am the Angels — I want a sure-thing leading man, and that doesn’t exist here. Seriously, you have a big league rotation full of productive starters, and you’re not going to even offer me one? Start with Logan Gilbert or George Kirby and you leap to the top of the list. Woo is plenty intriguing, too.

As for the names included: Young can really, really hit, Clase’s power-speed combo belies his short stature and Hancock and Bowen are both tooled-up arms. The problem with any Mariners offer, of course, is that they’re just not good enough this season to warrant selling the farm. So this trade would essentially be: a bunch of very promising players for the right to put the hard sell on Ohtani over a two-month period. And as ridiculous as this sounds, it’s the sort of gamble the Mariners might consider worth taking — and they wouldn’t be wrong. The “Come to Seattle” chants at the All-Star Game said everything the Mariners need to know. If there is anybody in baseball worth getting stupid over, it’s Shohei Ohtani.

Now we’re talking

Proposed deal: SS Jordan Lawlar, OF Alek Thomas, RHP Slade Cecconi, LHP Yu-Min Lin

The Diamondbacks are building something really nice here, so they’ll be reluctant to deal away future talent, but given Ohtani is favored to land with the Dodgers or Giants as a free agent, 2023 might actually be their best opportunity to win a division title over the next five years. Added bonus: They might be the only National League team with both the resources and motive to make a deal — the Braves and Phillies don’t have the prospects, for example, and the Dodgers could prefer to just sign Ohtani. The D-backs have two premium prospects in Lawlar and outfielder Druw Jones, and Geraldo Perdomo’s breakout could allow them to include Lawlar in a deal. Thomas gives the Angels a Gold Glove-caliber center fielder who could be the next Kevin Kiermaier — great D, good enough at the plate. That’s a strong package right there, and we’ve included two solid pitching prospects as well. — Schoenfield

GM Jeff says … This is a strong offer — and I’m still inclined to say no. While Lawlar is a top-25 prospect, some scouts have doubts that he’s the sort of player around whom a deal of this magnitude could be built. Lin is a favorite, already up to Double-A having just turned 20 years old, but Thomas simply hasn’t hit in 600 big league plate appearances and Cecconi is faltering in Triple-A. If you want to consider shortstops Blaze Alexander and Jansel Luis in the deal, I’d be a lot more willing to listen.

Proposed deal: RHP Brock Porter, RHP Jack Leiter, UT Ezequiel Duran, 2B Justin Foscue, OF Yeison Morrobel

It’ll take a lot for any team to pry Ohtani away from the Angels, especially within the division. It’ll almost assuredly require at least three of this deep farm system’s top six prospects, a budding big league star and a promising younger pitching prospect. Might it take six players? Perhaps, but Texas has more of an in-season rental feel among prospective Ohtani destinations, which is why OF Evan Carter and SP Owen White are off-limits. Or, at least, that’s the part that’s for Jeff’s ears. The part that’s not: If it needs to be White in place of Porter or Leiter, or SS Luisangel Acuna in place of Foscue, so be it (though probably not both). When you’ve got a chance to win, you take it, and Ohtani would fill the injured Jacob deGrom’s shoes as staff ace nicely. Ideally, we keep Jeff on the line and haggle on those final pieces. — Tristan Cockcroft

GM Jeff says … Now we’re starting to talk. Perhaps some don’t know much about Duran — who, incidentally, came over in the Gallo deal — but he’s quite a good big leaguer already. He just turned 24, isn’t a free agent until after the 2028 season, is hitting .300/.336/.514 and is capable of playing every infield position and both corner-outfield spots. He’s the best current player offered so far, and Alden’s point about the Angels wanting close-to-the-big-leagues contributors makes this deal very attractive. Foscue could be a productive major leaguer right now. Porter is the best pitching prospect in Texas’ system. Leiter has the pedigree. Want a definitive yes? Flip Morrobel for Sebastian Walcott, the 17-year-old Bahamian shortstop who is wowing scouts as he destroys the Arizona Complex League.

You had me at hello

Proposed deal: OF Josue De Paula, RHP Nick Nastrini, RHP Ryan Pepiot, C Dalton Rushing, RHP Emmet Sheehan, RHP Gavin Stone

I’m not listening to suggestions that we can just wait until the winter to blow the Ohtani market out of the water. I want him in Chavez Ravine and I want him now. There is a title out there to be won — this season — and Ohtani could well be the player who gets us over the top.

But make no mistake: This is not a mere short-term splash. We have been angling for this player since last season ended. Getting him now only enhances our ability to keep him for the rest of his Hall of Fame career. How is he going to resist a market-value offer from the Dodgers after a deep postseason run that unfolds in a setting that doesn’t require him to move house, with a club that has more than a decade of proof that every single season we are in it to win it? I don’t want him to experience the playoffs with another team. And I don’t worry about our system — it’s deep. Our scouting and development operations are fecund. We are the Dodgers. Resistance is futile. — Bradford Doolittle

GM Jeff says … Um. Yes. I almost feel bad about this, because the Dodgers would not do this in real life, but you know what? That’s cool, because it serves as a wonderful illustration of how good their farm system actually is. Rushing might be the best player offered in any deal, and while the O’Hoppe factor exists, you don’t say no to a player with his talent. Even if only two of the pitchers pan out, the upside is so high — from Sheehan’s fastball to Stone’s and Pepiot’s changeups to Nastrini’s slider — that you absolutely bet on any of them. And to get De Paula, the 18-year-old who is more than holding his own in full-season ball, as an add-on?

Perhaps this offer is a function of the reality, which is that there’s almost no chance Moreno ever would move Ohtani to the Dodgers. Then again, however rough those optics would be — especially if Ohtani fell in love with the team and signed there this winter because he so enjoyed his post-deadline time — taking six elite players, all with six years of major league control, is a far better consolation prize than not dealing him and losing him in free agency for a middling draft pick after the second round.

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It’s hard to imagine a team and market more perfectly fit to embrace Shohei Ohtani than the San Francisco Giants, and as of Monday, the oddsmakers in Las Vegas agree.

While the odds of the Los Angeles Angels trading their two-way superstar ahead of the Aug. 1 MLB trade deadline are shrinking — the Angels are just four games out of wild card position — the Giants have surpassed the other 29 teams as the club most likely to acquire him.

According to DraftKings’ sportsbook, the Angels (-300) are expected to roster Ohtani on Aug. 2, but the Giants are next in line (+1,000, meaning a $100 bet would generate $1,000 in return).

These odds have changed dramatically since last Monday, when the Giants were considered the fifth-most likely team to land Ohtani, behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners.

Why the change? The Angels have won six of their last eight games and are about to start a three-game series with the lowly Detroit Tigers, while the Yankees and Mets have seen their playoff odds plummet in recent weeks, and the Angels are not keen on sending Ohtani across town to the Dodgers.

Meanwhile, the Giants are in wild card position despite being swept by the Washington Nationals on the way to a six-game losing streak, are in desperate need for some offensive help and have the prospects to make a megadeal happen, if the Angels want to play ball.

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported Monday that he expects Ohtani to stay with the Angels, though MLB.com’s Jon Morosi wrote, “the possibility of an Ohtani trade remains.”

Ohtani told the Los Angeles Times last week that he’s hoping to stay in Los Angeles, where Mike Trout is expected to return from the injured list in late August as the Angels look to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2014.

“I think we’re in a position where we can still make it,” Ohtani said. “Last year and the year before, by this time, we were totally sellers. Honestly, we were on the side of watching key players getting traded. The team’s morale is completely different, of course.”

What makes the Giants a great fit for Ohtani? There’s certainly a need.

They rank dead last in offensive production in the month of July, scoring just 3.2 runs per game while their best hitter, Thairo Estrada, is on the injured list recovering from a broken hand.

Ohtani leads the majors with 36 home runs and a 1.072 OPS to go along with ridiculous batted ball stats that prove he hits the ball harder, more consistently, than any hitter in the sport.

On the pitching side, the Giants could use another force in the rotation behind Logan Webb and Alex Cobb. They rank 23rd with 5.0 fWAR from their starting rotation this year.

And while Ohtani’s contract will expire at the end of the season, the Giants have a ton of payroll flexibility with just $110 million on the books for 2024. Whether or not Ohtani decides he’s willing to negotiate a contract extension in the middle of the season, the Giants would have an exclusive negotiating window of five days between the end of the World Series and the beginning of free agency.

The trade-and-sign technique has worked well for some teams, including the Dodgers, who acquired Mookie Betts in the final year of his contract with the Boston Red Sox before the 2020 season. Betts was vocal about wanting to test free agency until he landed with the Dodgers, who almost immediately extended him with a record-setting 12-year contract.

The Giants have already shown their love for two-way players in the draft, where they’ve selected a two-way guy with their first-round pick in each of the last two seasons.

While Ohtani is chasing Aaron Judge’s American League home run record of 63, his power numbers would surely decline in San Francisco.

According to Baseball Savant, only 26 of Ohtani’s 36 home runs would have left the yard at Oracle Park. No other ballpark would have as much of an effect.

And while any team could find a way for Ohtani to get into their lineup regularly, it would require some maneuvering with the Giants, who rank fourth in MLB in production from the DH spot with 22 home runs and an .844 OPS.    

Joc Pederson and Wilmer Flores have handled the responsibilities well. Flores could just as easily play first base, where he’s an above-average defender, and send LaMonte Wade Jr. to the bench against lefties. But Pederson hasn’t been great in the outfield and moving him there would force Blake Sabol to the bench.

The Giants would surely have to give up a haul to lure the Angels into a trade, and that could require them to part ways with pitching prospect Kyle Harrison (92 strikeouts in 56 1/3 innings in Triple-A Sacramento) and/or shortstop prospect Marco Luciano (.234 average, .800 OPS in 61 games between Double-A and Triple-A this year).

Is it worth it for a half-season of Ohtani?

Consider this: Ohtani has been worth a total of 6.6 fWAR this year. If the Giants had six additional wins, they’d be in first place in the National League West and in position to get a first-round bye in the playoffs.

©2023 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at mercurynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

FOR TOMORROW (check monday for photo) 

7 renovations that can impact your home insurance

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Homeowners might choose to renovate to create more living space, update their home’s design or even put in a pool. Whatever the reason, homeowners may want to consider if their renovations could impact their home insurance policy. Some renovations may prompt you to adjust your coverage types or limits, while others may actually save you money on your insurance premium. Bankrate’s insurance editorial team explores how seven popular home renovations may impact your home insurance rates.

Renovations that increase home insurance rates

A home renovation may increase the value of your home, but it can also drive up the cost of your home insurance. In addition to the expense of the renovation, you may see higher premiums if your renovation pushes you to increase your coverage limits or exposes you to greater liability.

1. Building a swimming pool

In certain locations, adding a pool to your home can increase its value and offer an incentive to would-be buyers. However, a swimming pool is considered an “attractive nuisance” and significantly increases your liability risk, which will likely increase your homeowners insurance premium.

A standard homeowners insurance policy usually includes liability coverage, which is designed to help cover medical costs for a person injured on your property and legal expenses if you are sued. However, an insurance agent may recommend that a pool owner opts for higher liability coverage than what is standard. Homeowners might also consider purchasing an umbrella insurance policy, which provides additional liability coverage for greater financial protection if a covered claim exceeds the homeowners liability coverage amount.

Your insurance carrier may also require a locking fence around the pool and/or a locking safety cover to go over the water when the pool is not in use, which can drive up the cost of installing a swimming pool. If the pool has a diving board or slide, it will likely be considered a greater potential hazard by your insurer, and it may decide to not provide coverage or charge a much higher premium to offset the higher liability risk.

2. Adding an office for a home business

Working remotely has become more common, so adding an office could increase your home’s value if you are a remote worker or home-based business owner. However, it could also increase your homeowners insurance rates or require you to purchase an endorsement to increase coverage for business-related assets and equipment, or a separate home business policy that provides protection against crime and worker injuries.

Most homeowners policies protect equipment for home-based businesses up to about $2,500, though you may be able to increase this amount, depending on the company. That might not be enough for a business owner who uses specialized machinery or stores large amounts of supplies or inventory at their home.

Some carriers may include a home insurance exclusion for business use of personal property in your home, so be sure to talk to your agent if you have work-use items in your home and make sure you have the right level of coverage. Additionally, homeowners insurance companies might not cover liability related to the business.

You may need to bolster your existing policy or purchase an additional business policy. This is particularly true if your business is the type that creates heavier foot traffic in your home, such as piano lessons or private yoga sessions.

If you do need to increase your business coverage, you may have a few options, depending on your insurance provider:

•Endorsement to your existing homeowners policy: This option would increase the existing limit on business property included in your homeowners policy.

•Businessowners policy: This is a separate policy designed specifically for insuring a business, and it includes an array of coverages.

•In-home business insurance: This type of insurance features the same protection you would get if you were a larger company with smaller policy limits and premiums.

Regardless of the scope of your business, you should let your agent know if you have any business risk in your home, to make sure that you are covered properly.

3. Building on an extension

Sometimes a home needs to be changed to accommodate an expanding family. That can mean modifying a floor plan and adding more livable square footage, like finishing a basement or attic. In other instances, a new addition may be in order. Expanding your space with new square footage will most likely increase your home insurance premium as you will need a higher level of dwelling coverage.

You might need more post-renovation insurance even if the added space is not inside your house. Adding a large finished deck could increase the value of your home, for example, and consequently, require an insurance reassessment. You may also need to consider other types of coverage for the newly built areas of your home. For example, a finished basement with new carpet, drywall and insulation may need sewer backup coverage.

Ultimately, if you expand your usable square footage indoors or outside, your insurance coverage will probably need to be altered to account for the value of the new space. With floor plan renovations, it’s best to talk to your insurance agent or insurance company to discuss if you need to alter your policy before renovations begin.

4. Upgrading your kitchen or bath

According to the 2022 Cost vs. Value Report by Remodeling Magazine, a kitchen or bathroom remodel can provide more than 50 percent in recouped value. If you make quality upgrades, like changing out laminate for granite countertops or having custom cabinets built, you may need to increase the dwelling coverage on your home insurance, which usually comes at an additional premium cost. If your home coverage is not enough to rebuild your new kitchen or bath with the same newly upgraded materials, consider increasing the dwelling coverage to align with your upgrades.

If your existing coverage is not sufficient, you might find yourself having to pay out of pocket for some of the damages to your kitchen or bath after a covered loss. Your insurance agent can use your property insurance company’s home valuation tool to determine if coverage changes are needed to ensure you have the right level of property replacement value.

Renovations that lower home insurance rates

If you are making changes that make your home safer, like updated electrical or plumbing systems, you might see lower rates after you and your insurance provider evaluate your home renovation insurance needs.

1. Renovating or replacing your roof

Installing a new roof may not be the most exciting home improvement, but it may save you money on your homeowners insurance. Replacing your roof with newer or stronger material usually means a reduction in premium because your home may be able to better withstand potential covered perils.

Some homeowners may earn even bigger discounts if they live in hurricane-, wind- or hail-prone states and their new roof employs special loss-mitigation measures, such as hurricane straps, waterproofing or impact-resistant shingles.

While most home policies cover roof replacements for the perils defined in your policy, some insurers use depreciation schedules based on the age of the roof to determine how much coverage you get. The newer the roof, the more coverage you are likely to have from your home insurance policy.

2. Upgrading your wiring or plumbing

If you upgrade your wiring or plumbing systems, especially if they are older or no longer up to current building codes, you may qualify for an insurance discount. While rewiring a house can be expensive, it could also lower the risk of fires and electrical damage, which means insurance companies could charge you less for coverage because of reduced risk. If you have knob and tube wiring (used in most homes built before 1950), for example, you could see a drastic reduction in your premium, and you might even find that more insurance carriers are willing to insure your house, which means this could be a great time to shop your coverage and compare home insurance quotes.

The same holds true for plumbing. Some types of plumbing, like lead and polybutylene, can make it difficult and expensive to find home insurance coverage. Upgrading to more modern plumbing hardware may reduce the risk for water damage and reduce your home insurance premium.

3. Adding security systems and sprinklers

Home security discounts are relatively common in the insurance industry, and there’s usually some variance in the savings levels. For example, if you install a local alarm system that rings at your home in the event of an intruder, you may earn a small discount. An alarm system that automatically alerts police or a central dispatch team for multiple incidents like burglary and fire would likely earn a higher discount. Interior sprinkler systems may also lower your premiums, as they reduce the risk of extensive fire damage. Installing smart home devices and systems might also earn you a discount on your homeowners insurance.

Do I need to increase my homeowners insurance after renovating?

Whether you need to increase your homeowners insurance coverage for renovations before or after embarking on a project depends on the coverage you already have in place and the value and type of renovation. When you choose an insurance company, part of your insurance rate is established by your home’s square footage and the cost required to fix or rebuild your home based on its age — including the age of appliances, like plumbing and HVAC systems — and characteristics, such as its building materials.

Insurance companies use valuation tools to determine how much home insurance coverage you need for the structure of your house. If the renovations increase that valuation, you may want to consider increasing your coverage, too. Without increased coverage, should a disastrous event occur, any improvements you have made may not be covered.

Another thing to consider is when significant improvements are made outside of your home, like adding a high-end shed or pool. They may not be covered unless your other structures coverage in your homeowner policy is sufficient. Be sure to let your insurance company know when you have done any type of work to your home so that it can perform a post-renovation valuation to accurately determine your new coverage needs.

Additional home renovation insurance options

When completing a home renovation, you may want to check to see if adding additional coverage is needed during the renovation process itself. While your current home insurance policy may have sufficient coverage already, you may need to make some changes while under construction:

•Builders risk insurance: This coverage financially protects materials you have purchased to be installed, whether they are on your property or en route to your property. If the materials are damaged or stolen, builders risk insurance should cover the costs of replacement.

•Vacant home insurance: Most standard home insurance policies do not cover uninhabited homes. If you need to live outside of your home while renovations are being done, you may want to consider vacant home insurance. This often overlooked home improvement insurance financially protects your home should any damage occur while you are not actively living in it. You may want to speak with your insurance agent about how to modify your coverage while the renovations are being completed.

•Contractors insurance: This may be an important coverage if you are hiring a third party to do a renovation. Contractors insurance provides coverage for property damage, injury or damage caused by the contractors working on your home. Triple-I recommends asking your contractor if they are insured and obtaining a copy of their certificate of liability insurance before signing a contract to ensure they have an adequate level of commercial general liability (GCL) coverage. A typical GCL policy includes $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate limit.

Frequently Asked Questions

•Do I need to tell my insurance company about renovations?Yes, it’s generally best to notify your insurance company about renovations you are planning. Depending on the size and nature of the renovations, your insurance policy may need to be updated to add new or different types of coverage to your policy. In some cases, the insurer may even want to add a supplemental policy that’s designed to financially protect your home during the renovation process, should an accident or damage occur while work is being done.Can I get insurance for home renovations?Depending on your insurer, you may be able to add a builder’s risk policy to your home insurance, which may provide financial protection while work is being undertaken on your home. Builder’s risk coverage may be especially important if you’re embarking on major renovations that involve expanding the square footage of your home or moving walls. This type of insurance may provide coverage should anyone be injured on the job site, if materials are stolen or damaged or if a covered peril impacts the construction process.

©2023 Bankrate online. Visit Bankrate online at bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The post Shohei Ohtani commerce market: SF Giants thought of favorites if Angels transfer two-way star | Sports activities appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Shohei Ohtani erzielte den längsten Homerun seiner Major-League-Karriere und war der neunte Spieler, der bis zum 1. Juli 30 Homeruns in einer Saison erreichte. Dennoch reichte es nicht aus, den Grand Slam von Lourdes Gurriel Jr. im zweiten Inning zu überwinden Die Arizona Diamondbacks besiegten die Los Angeles Angels am Freitagabend mit 6:2.

Der Two-Way-Superstar aus Japan trieb im sechsten Inning einen Slider des Linkshänders Tommy Henry 493 Fuß weit ins rechte Feld und brachte die Angels auf 5:1 heran. Es war der längste Homerun bei den Majors in diesem Jahr.

Ohtani war der erste Spieler seit Baltimores Chris Davis im Jahr 2013, der bis Ende Juni 30 Homeruns erzielte. Davis hatte 31.

Babe Ruth, Ken Griffey Jr. und Sammy Sosa haben es jeweils zweimal geschafft. Die anderen sind Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Luis Gonzalez und Albert Pujols. Am 1. Juli 2001 waren es bei Bonds 39 und auf dem Weg, mit 73 den Rekord für eine Saison aufzustellen.

Ohtani erzielte im Juni 15 Homeruns. Er stellte nicht nur einen Angels-Rekord für die meisten Spieler in einem Monat auf, sondern erreichte im Juni mit Babe Ruth (1930 Yankees), Bob Johnson (1934 A’s) und Roger Maris (1961 Yankees) die AL-Marke.

Gurriel erzielte seinen sechsten Karriere-Slam, als er einen Full-Count-Slider von Griffin Canning (6-3) in den Bullpen der Angels im linken Feld trieb.

Der einzige große Fehler von Henry (5:1) war letztlich Ohtanis Homerun. Der Linkshänder erlaubte einen Run bei vier Hits in 5 2/3 Innings und schlug acht aus.

Canning absolvierte sechs Innings und gab fünf Runs bei drei Hits auf. Er schlug neun Treffer, doch die vier Treffer erwiesen sich als kostspielig.

BRAVES 16, MARLINS 4

ATLANTA (AP) – Michael Soroka gewann seinen ersten Heimstart seit fast drei Jahren, Matt Olson erzielte zwei Homeruns und fuhr in fünf Runs und der in der National League führende Atlanta gewann sein sechstes Spiel in Folge.

Ronald Acuña Jr., Eddie Rosario, Austin Riley und Sean Murphy gingen ebenfalls in die Tiefe und bescherten den Braves 153 Homeruns, bei weitem die meisten in den Majors. Im Juni erreichten sie 61 und stellten damit einen Franchise-Rekord für einen einzigen Monat auf und übertrafen damit die Marke von 56 aus dem Juni 2019.

Soroka (1:1) eroberte zum ersten Mal seit dem 3. August 2020, als er sich zum ersten von zwei Malen die Achillessehne riss, den Hügel in einem Heimspiel. Er erlaubte fünf Hits und drei Runs ohne Walks und sieben Strikeouts in sechs Innings.

Luis Arraez aus Miami, der führende Schlagmann der Majors, schlug 1 zu 4 und sein Schlagdurchschnitt sank auf 0,390. Jesús Sánchez schlug einen Two-Run-Homerun und Jorge Soler fügte seinen 22. Longball für die Marlins hinzu.

Bryan Hoeing (1-2) hatte zwei aufeinanderfolgende torlose Starts hingelegt, wurde aber durcheinander gebracht und erlaubte sechs Hits und sieben Runs in 3 2/3 Innings.

Rochen 15, Marinesoldaten 4

SEATTLE (AP) – Luke Raley verdoppelte und punktete später beim Infield-Grounder von Isaac Parades zu Beginn eines achten Innings mit acht Runs, und Tampa Bay erholte sich nach vier Runs und schlug Seattle.

Tampa Bay schickte im achten Durchgang 13 Batter auf die Platte. Randy Arozarena und Josh Lowe erzielten zu Beginn des Spiels einen Homerun für Tampa Bay, und Jose Siri erzielte im neunten Inning einen Homerun mit Infielder Mike Ford auf dem Hügel.

Raley punktete von der dritten Base aus mit einem Chopper von Parades nach einem 100 Meilen pro Stunde schnellen Ball von Muñoz (0:1) gegen den dritten Baseman Eugenio Suárez, der keinen sauberen Transfer und Wurf hinlegen konnte, als er versuchte, Raley an die Platte zu bringen. Das öffnete die Schleusentore. Lowe folgte mit einem RBI-Double, das Muñoz aus dem Spiel warf, und Taylor Walls (Single), Christian Bethancourt (Double), Yandy Díaz (Single), Wander Franco (Double) und Arozarena (Feldspielerwahl) fuhren alle in Runs.

Rays-Star Shane McClanahan hielt in seinem kürzesten Saisonstart nur drei Innings durch und gab dabei vier verdiente Runs, fünf Hits und drei Walks auf. Die Tampa Bay-Reliefspieler hielten Seattle jedoch in den letzten sechs Innings auf nur einen Treffer. Kevin Kelly (4:1) sicherte sich mit 1 1/3 Innings den Sieg.

RED SOX 5, BLUE JAYS 0

TORONTO (AP) – Jarren Duran schlug einen Two-Run-Homerun, James Paxton und zwei Reliever erzielten zusammen einen Three-Hitter und Boston verzeichnete die schlechteste Niederlagenserie von fünf Spielen in dieser Saison.

Justin Turner und Masataka Yoshida erzielten jeweils einen Solo-Homerun und Turner fügte einen Opferflug für Boston hinzu, was in den letzten vier Spielen insgesamt vier Runs erzielte.

Paxton (4:1) warf eine Saisonbestleistung von 7 2/3 Innings und sicherte sich damit seinen dritten Sieg in Folge, während sich die Red Sox gegen die Blue Jays auf 5:0 verbesserten. Er ging zwei und schlug sieben aus.

Toronto steht 7-18 gegen AL East-Gegner. Die Blue Jays wurden zum dritten Mal in dieser Saison und zum zweiten Mal in vier Spielen ausgeblendet.

José Berríos (8-6) ließ alle drei Homeruns der Red Sox zu. Er erlaubte vier Runs und fünf Hits in sechs Innings und schlug acht aus.

GIANTS 5, METS 4

NEW YORK (AP) – Patrick Bailey erzielte im achten Inning einen Drei-Run-Homerun und half San Francisco, das schwankende New York zu schlagen.

Die Mets eröffneten den Juni mit einem Drei-Spiele-Sieg gegen Philadelphia, setzten sich dann mit 6:19 durch, verloren 15 Spiele in der NL-Ost-Wertung gegen den Erstplatzierten Atlanta und fielen im Rennen um den Titel neun Spiele hinter den Giants zurück letzte Wildcard.

Die Mets gingen im achten Durchgang mit 4:2 in Führung, aber Pete Alonso spielte Joc Pedersons einmaligen Grounder falsch und David Robertson (2:2) ging zu JD Davis, bevor Bailey direkt in die Mitte traf.

Sean Manaea (3-3) war der Sieger, nachdem er einen torlosen siebten Wurf geworfen hatte. Camilo Doval erzielte seinen 24. Save.

Wilmer Flores erzielte einen Homerun und Brandon Crawford erzielte einen RBI-Single für die Giants. Tommy Pham erzielte einen Homerun für die Mets.

PIRATEN 8, BRAUER 7

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Carlos Santana erzielte seinen achten Walk-Off-Homerun in seiner Karriere, einen Zwei-Run-Wurf zum krönenden Abschluss eines neunten Innings mit drei Läufen, das Pittsburgh zum vierten Sieg in Folge bescherte.

Während sein Team mit 7:5 zurücklag, zog Andrew McCutchen die Pirates auf einen Punkt heran, als er einen einmaligen RBI-Double erzielte. Henry Davis landete am Boden und Santana, ein 14-jähriger Veteran, trieb einen Pitch von Matt Bush (0:2) tief ins rechte Feld. Santana verdoppelte auch zweimal, und McCutchen erzielte unter seinen drei Treffern einen Homerun und drei RBIs.

Rookie Carmen Mlodzinski (1:1) warf zwei torlose Innings für seinen ersten Major-League-Sieg.

Owen Miller von den Brewers erzielte drei Treffer und Rookie Brice Turang erzielte einen Two-Run-Double.

Brewers-Starter Freddy Peralta (6-7) erlaubte drei Runs in 5 1/3 Innings und hat seit seinem letzten Sieg am 21. Mai nun sieben Starts hinter sich.

DODGERS 9, ROYALS 3

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (AP) – Mookie Betts schoss zwei Homeruns gegen den Big-League-Debütanten Alec Marsh und beendete 4 zu 4 mit zwei Walks und vier RBIs, als Los Angeles Kansas City besiegte.

Jason Heyward fügte drei Hits und zwei RBIs für die Dodgers hinzu, die bei neun Walks elf Hits vor Schluss hatten, und sieben Spieler überquerten die Platte, was Bobby Miller (4:1) mehr als genug Unterstützung verschaffte. Der Rechtshänder warf einen Pitch ins sechste Inning und erlaubte drei Runs bei fünf Hits und einem Walk.

Bobby Witt Jr., Nick Pratto und Freddy Fermin fuhren für Kansas City, das acht seiner letzten neun Spiele gegen die Dodgers verloren hat.

Marsh (0:1), der vierte Royals-Spieler, der in dieser Saison sein Debüt in der Major League gab, warf 95 Würfe, bevor er mit zwei Bällen an Bord und niemandem im fünften Wurf hochgehoben wurde. Er erlaubte fünf Runs bei vier Walks und sechs Hits bei fünf Strikeouts.

ZWILLINGE 8, ORIOLEN 1

BALTIMORE (AP) – Joey Gallo, Max Kepler und Byron Buxton erzielten einen Homerun, um Minnesota dabei zu helfen, aus seiner Offensivkrise auszubrechen, und Pablo López erlaubte drei Treffer in sechs Innings für einen Sieg über Baltimore in einem Spiel, das zu Beginn wegen Regen um 90 Minuten verzögert wurde .

López (4-5) erlaubte Adley Rutschman im sechsten Inning einen Homerun für Baltimores einzigen Lauf. Er schlug sechs aus und ging drei. Minnesota ist immer noch ein Spiel unter .500, aber die Twins liegen ein Spiel vor Cleveland an der Spitze der AL Central.

Dean Kremer (8-4) hielt mehr als drei Innings durch und erlaubte sieben Runs und sieben Hits. Nach Gallos Homerun im zweiten Inning sorgte Alex Kirilloff mit einem RBI-Single im dritten Inning für das 3:0. Dann ging Kepler in die Tiefe.

LEICHTATHLETIK 7, WHITE SOX 4

OAKLAND, Kalifornien (AP) – Luis Medina warf fünf größtenteils starke Innings, um seinen ersten Sieg als Starter in dieser Saison zu erringen, Carlos Pérez erzielte seinen sechsten Homerun, während sein Bruder auf der gegenüberliegenden Trainerbank saß, und Oakland besiegte Chicago.

Medina (2-7) hatte zum zweiten Mal in Folge Probleme mit seinem Kommando. Er lief fünf – drei im ersten Inning – und ließ in fünf Innings vier Hits und einen Run zu. Er hat vier durchgestrichen.

Die A’s gewannen zum dritten Mal in 15 Spielen nach ihrer Saisonbestleistung von sieben Siegen.

Luis Robert Jr. traf für Chicago, das vier von sechs Spielen gewonnen hatte. Andrew Benitendi fügte im achten Durchgang ein Two-Run-Double hinzu.

Tanner Banks (0-3) musste die Niederlage hinnehmen. Er erlaubte fünf Hits und vier Runs in fünf Innings. Er schlug drei aus und ging einen.

ASTROS 5, RANGERS 3

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – Mauricio Dubón erzielte im sechsten Inning den Startschuss mit einem Two-Run-Double, und Houston eröffnete seine Serie gegen AL West, den Tabellenführer Texas.

Jose Altuve zerschmetterte den ersten Pitch von Jon Gray für einen spieleröffnenden Homerun, aber der amtierende World Series-Champion Astros fiel mit 1:3 in Rückstand, nachdem zwei der vier All-Star-Starter von Texas, Josh Jung, zwei Solo-Homeruns hintereinander absolviert hatten und Jona Heim.

Houston hatte den Rückstand auf eins reduziert, als Dubón einen Liner am dritten Base an Rookie Jung vorbei schickte, nachdem José Abreu und Yainer Diaz das sechste mit aufeinanderfolgenden Singles eröffnet hatten.

Houstons Ronel Blanco (2:0) erlaubte in fünf Innings drei Runs mit vier Hits, vier Walks und zwei Homeruns. Ryan Pressly schaffte seinen 16. Save.

Gray (6-4) hatte seinen zweiten schweren Auftritt in vier Auftritten, seit er fünf Starts in Folge gewonnen hatte und sieben Hits und fünf Runs in sechs Innings ermöglichte.

REDS 7, PADRES 5, 11 INNINGS

CINCINNATI (AP) – Spencer Steer erzielte im 11. Inning einen spielentscheidenden Two-Run-Homerun und Cincinnati überwand Alexis Díaz‘ erste verpatzte Parade der Saison.

Elly De La Cruz verdoppelte sich, um Jonathan India mit dem entscheidenden Run zu befördern, und De La Cruz versuchte, vom dritten Platz mit Nick Senzels Grounder auf den dritten Platz vor Drew Carlton zu punkten, wurde aber rausgeworfen, weil er den linken Fuß von Fänger Gary Sánchez berührte. Steer folgte mit seinem Homerun gegen Drew Carlton (2:1).

Sánchez fuhr Xander Bogaerts von der zweiten Base zu Beginn des 11. Innings ein und brachte die Padres mit 5:4 in Führung, aber sie konnten ihre sechste Niederlage in Folge nicht verhindern.

David Duarte schaffte es als Elfter ins Finale und feierte damit seinen ersten Sieg in seiner Karriere.

San Diego bekam RBI-Treffer von Fernando Tatis Jr. und Juan Soto und ging in der Spitze des 10. Spielfelds mit 4:2 in Führung, doch Matt McLain glich mit einem Two-Out, Two-Run-Homerun den Ausgleich gegen Ray Kerr aus Ende des Innings.

NATIONALS 2, PHILLIES 1

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Stone Garrett schlug einen Two-Run-Homerun und Josiah Gray erzwang zwei Pop-Ups und schlug einen Batter aus, wodurch der potenzielle Startschuss im entscheidenden sechsten Inning gescheitert war, als Washington Philadelphias Siegesserie von drei Spielen beendete.

Gray (6-6) erzielte in sechs Innings acht Strikeouts und einen einzigen Run, um seinen zweiten Start in Folge zu gewinnen. Hunter Harvey erzielte bei seiner siebten Parade einen torlosen neunten Treffer.

Alec Bohm hatte im zweiten Durchgang einen RBI-Single, der Philadelphias Lauf begründete. Starter Cristopher Sánchez (0:2) musste die Niederlage hinnehmen, indem er in sechs Innings sechs Strikeouts erzielte, einen Walk machte und einen verdienten Run zuließ.

CUBS 10, WÄCHTER 1

CHICAGO (AP) – Justin Steele warf einen Drei-Hit-Shutout ins siebte Inning und gewann seinen dritten Start in Folge, als Chicago vier Spiele lang ausschied und die Rückkehr von Cleveland-Manager Terry Francona vereitelte.

Steele (9-2) erzielte in 6 1/3 Innings sechs Strikeouts und einen Walk. Christoper Morel erzielte einen Two-Run-Homerun und beendete das Spiel mit drei RBIs, und Nick Madrigal fügte einen Solo-Homerun bei Chicagos 13-Hit-Angriff hinzu. Nico Hoerner hatte drei Hits und zwei RBIs.

Francona leitete die Guardians wieder, nachdem er aufgrund einer Gesundheitskrise in Kansas City ins Krankenhaus eingeliefert wurde und drei Spiele verpasste.

Will Brennan erzielte im neunten Inning einen Solo-Homerun für Cleveland. Cal Quantrill (2-5) hielt nur 3 1/3 Innings durch und erlaubte sechs Runs bei acht Hits. Der Rechtshänder hat seit dem 7. Mai nicht mehr gewonnen.

ROCKIES 8, TIGER 5

DENVER (AP) – Ezequiel Tovar erzielte beim Sieg Colorados über Detroit einen Homerun in drei Läufen und verlängerte seine Hitting Streak auf die beste Karriere von 13 Spielen.

Tovars achter Homerun brachte die Rockies im sechsten Inning mit 8:3 in Führung, und der Shortstop erzielte auch einen Single in einem Fünf-Run-Sekunden für eine 5:0-Führung.

Der Linkshänder Austin Gomber (6-7) gab drei Runs (zwei davon verdient) und sechs Singles in sieben Innings auf, mit einem Saisonhoch von sieben Strikeouts und einem Walk. Pierce Johnson warf den neunten Pitch für seine 13. Parade.

Miguel Cabrera hatte seinen 3.123. Hit, einen Runscoring-Single in einem vierten Inning mit zwei Runs, der die Führung von Colorado auf 5:3 verkürzte, und Andy Ibanez schlug einen Homerun in zwei Runs gegen Reliever Jake Bird, der den Vorsprung auf 8:5 verkürzte im achten.

Detroits Michael Lorenzen (2-6) hat seine letzten vier Entscheidungen verloren.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb und https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Whenever Shohei Ohtani is on the mound, the Los Angeles Angels feel confident they can pull off a win.

Ohtani hit nine in six innings and Mickey Moniak hit his second big hit of the series with a two-run double in the seventh as the Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2 on Sunday.

Alex Kirilloff hit a home run and Carlos Correa hit an RBI double for the Twins, who lost four balls out of six on their road trip through Southern California.

Ohtani didn’t come to a decision despite conceding just one run and two hits. It was the fourth time in ten starts this season that the two-way superstar had nine or more strikeouts.

“It was really good today,” said Angels manager Phil Nevin. “He’s had five wins and held us in every game. He gave up some runs when we took the lead but he seems to have gotten us to the finish line with that lead. He knows exactly when to call back.”

The Angels improved to 8-2 when Ohtani started and scored a three-game streak for the first time since early May. Ohtani leads the majors with a .142 opponent batting average and is third in strikeouts with 80.

Ohtani threw 99 shots against the Twins. Of his 62 hits, 22 were weak hits, which made up his best of the season.

“Getting the swings and misses is tremendous and better than getting fouled. So I’m doing my pitches and that’s a good sign,” Ohtani said through an interpreter.

Moniak, who netted a triple on Friday night, delivered a two-run double in the seventh to give the Angels a 3-1 lead. Pinch-hitter Matt Thaiss hit a leadoff walk to chase starter Pablo López (2-3) and Zach Neto followed with a double to Jorge López’s right to set up Moniak.

Moniak almost stole a home run from Kirilloff in the eighth round. He attempted to make a jump catch into the left stand after Kirilloff’s solo shot across the line, but the ball bounced out of his glove.

“I’ll take the game-winning goal all day,” said Moniak. “It’s good to get a series win in a day game.”

Chris Devenski (2-0) took the win and Carlos Estévez saved for the 12th time.

Correa scored the Twins’ first hit in the third inning. His right center double came from Joey Gallo, who came on board with a two-out walk.

The Angels equalized in the fourth game. Hunter Renfroe and Jared Walsh opened the inning with base hits before Gio Urshela’s sacrifice flight put Renfroe home.

AL Central leaders Minnesota was competitive in every game on the trip against the Dodgers and Angels but lost all in the late innings.

“When you lose a handful of tight ball games where you were either in the lead or you had clear chances – several clear chances – and you don’t capitalize on it, that’s hard to stomach,” said Twins manager Rocco Baldelli. “We’re close to playing full baseball games, but we’re not there yet.”

BACK TO FORM?

Sunday’s performance was more in line with what Ohtani showed earlier in the season when he conceded just two earned runs and eight hits in his first five starts.

The right-hander was 2-1 in his last four appearances but had given up 17 runs and 18 hits, including eight home runs.

“I was trying to control the home runs and not make them feel good on the plate. I was trying to make sure they weren’t making good swings,” Ohtani said of Sunday’s outing.

The only thing Ohtani wasn’t happy about was his three walks and also a hit batter.

TRAINING ROOM

Twins: DH Byron Buxton was given the day off after retiring from Saturday’s game with a strain in his right leg.

Angels: LHP Aaron Loup has been ruled out of injury list after missing 15 games with a left hamstring strain.

NEXT

Gemini: RHP Bailey Ober (3-0, 1.78 ERA) makes his third straight start against an interleague opponent in the opener of a three-game streak at home against San Francisco.

Angels: RHP Jaime Barria (1-1, 1.96 ERA) got his first start of the season in the opener of a three-game set against the Boston Red Sox. Barria has made 10 appearances outside of the bullpen.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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The Texas Rangers waste no time seeing what they have in Jacob deGrom.

The ace right-hander, who signed a five-year, $185 million deal with Rangers during the offseason, faces Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola when the 2023 Major League Baseball season begins next Thursday.

All 30 clubs will be back in action that day for the first time since 1968.

This is deGrom’s fourth career start on Opening Day. The two-time Cy Young winner received the nod while fielding for the New York Mets in 2019-21. Texas was wary of deGrom during spring training after the 34-year-old reported a strain in his left side right before team training began in February.

So solid was his work over the past month that Rangers didn’t hesitate to make deGrom the seventh other pitcher to get the ball on the team’s opening day in the past seven years.

“We had to hold him back a bit in the beginning, but we think he’s ready,” said new Texas coach Bruce Bochy. “We have the day off after opening day so we can cover him. We’re not looking for him to really get deeply involved in the game or anything. So it all just makes sense in the world to us.”

Nola, on the other hand, is a staple of the Phillies. The 29-year-old will start for Philadelphia on the first day of the game for the sixth time. Only Hall of Famers Robin Roberts (12) and Steve Carlton (10) have started more season openers in Phillies history.

A total of eight Cy Young winners will take the mound on March 30, including Corey Kluber, who will make his first start for Boston when the Red Sox take on Baltimore. Kluber is the first newcomer to start Boston’s first game since David Price in 2016.

Miami’s Sandy Alcantara will become the first Marlins pitcher to start four straight openers when he takes on three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer and the New York Mets. Alcantara, a unanimous pick for the NL Cy Young in 2022, will break with Josh Beckett (2003-05) and Josh Johnson (2010-12) for the most opening-day starts in club history. Scherzer is one of five pitchers since 1900 to have had 10 or more opening-day strikeouts at least three times in their career.

This is the second time in as many years that Cy Young winners will compete on Opening Day. Shane Bieber from Cleveland and Zack Greinke from Kansas City met last spring.

Angels star Shohei Ohtani, who just guided Japan to the World Baseball Classic title, will start for Los Angeles on his second straight opening day. Ohtani set career bests in wins (15), ERA (2.33), strikeouts (216), and innings (166) last year. Ohtani and the Angels begin the season against Oakland left-hander Kyle Muller, who will make his first start on Opening Day.

New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole will join CC Sabathia, Jack Chesbro and Mel Stottlemyre as the only pitcher in team history to attend four straight opening days when the Yankees host the San Francisco Giants.

Framber Valdez will start for World Series Champion Houston when the Astros host the Chicago White Sox.

The youngest starter on Opening Day will be Hunter Greene from Cincinnati. The strong 23-year-old will take on Mitch Keller and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Greene hit 164 hitters in 125 2/3 innings last season as a rookie. Greene also played 7 1/3 no-hit innings against the Pirates this past April, only to accept the loss.

Washington’s Patrick Corbin is hoping the opening-day start will result in a better season than what he experienced in 2021 and 2022. Corbin led the majors the past two seasons 9-16 with a 5.82 ERA in 2021, then 6-19 with a 6.31 ERA last year. But with Stephen Strasburg still out through injury and top contender Cade Cavalli out for the year following Tommy John’s surgery, the Nationals are turning to one of the few remaining portions of the 2019 World Series-winning team.

HOSKINS TO GET SECOND OPINIONS

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins will seek a second opinion on his injured left knee, but the team believes Hoskins will miss the entire 2023 season.

General manager Dave Dombrowski said while Hoskins is being reevaluated he would be “shocked” if the 30-year-old Hoskins didn’t need surgery to repair a torn cruciate ligament.

Hoskins injured his knee Thursday while setting up a grounder. The Phillies will turn to Darick Hall to replace Hoskins. Hall, 27, hit .250 in 2022 with nine home runs and 16 RBIs in 41 games as a rookie.

“I feel comfortable saying that we like Darick Hall a lot,” Dombrowski said. “We think he’s ready to step up and become a big league player.”

GO THE EXTRA MILE(S).

No more contract uncertainty for St. Louis Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas. The veteran right-hander signed a three-year, $55.75 million deal with the Cardinals that will run through the 2025 season.

The new deal replaces his current deal, a four-year deal signed in February 2019 that covered the 2020-23 seasons and was set to expire this fall. Mikolas receives a $5 million signing bonus, payable July 1, and earns $18.75 million in 2023 and $16 million in each of the two subsequent seasons. Several award awards are available to Mikolas, including $250,000 for winning a Cy Young.

Mikolas is scheduled to start the second opening day of his career next Thursday when the Cardinals host Toronto. Mikolas went 12-13 with a 3.29 ERA last season while helping St. Louis to the NL Central title.

“Miles is among the best pitchers in the game today and has continued to provide us with a consistent presence both in the rotation and in the clubhouse,” St. Louis general manager John Mozeliak said in a statement.

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Gerrit Cole’s head was bowed as he walked toward the New York Yankees dugout at the conclusion of his final spring practice session on Friday when something — or someone else — caught his eye: Cole’s 2-year-old son, Caden.

The younger Cole made his way to the railing next to the shelter, forcing Cole to immediately switch from his typically hyper-intense hilltop behavior to good at just being a father. He patted Caden on the head and later got on one knee to chat with Caden’s younger brother Everett – born in January – and his wife Amy nearby.

“This is honestly one of the best moments of my career,” Cole told the YES Network after conceding a run in 5 2/3 innings with no walks and three strikeouts. “That was really something special. I look forward to more of these moments.”

___

AP sports writers Dan Gelston and Stephen Hawkins and AP national writer Howard Fendrich contributed to this report.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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“He’s an animal” is how new San Francisco Giants pitcher Alex Cobb described playing against Los Angeles Angels generational talent Shohei Ohtani.

Alex Cobb is departing the LA Angels after signing a 2-year, $20 million contract with the San Francisco Giants. Cobb, who spent last season pitching for the Angels in Anaheim, knows firsthand how good his former teammate Ohtani is.

Alex Cobb said he trained with Shohei Ohtani for a few weeks over the offseason. “When he trains, he wants to beat the world record. That’s not exaggerating. He’ll ask, `What’s the world record?'”

Alex Cobb said he trained with Shohei Ohtani for a few weeks over the offseason. “When he trains, he wants to beat the world record. That’s not exaggerating. He’ll ask, `What’s the world record?'” “Alex Cobb said he trained with Shohei Ohtani for a few weeks over the offseason. “When he trains, he wants to beat the world record. That’s not exaggerating. He’ll ask, `What’s the world record?'” – @Andrew Baggarly

“Watching him hit a first-pitch curveball out the other day in a Spring Training game gets you a little rattled. He’s an animal. Another reason I went to the NL. Of course, I pulled him up first,” said Cobb when referring to his decision to sign with the Giants. The Giants and Angels will not play each other this year as the former plays in the National League, while the latter plays in the American League.

Shohei Ohtani really is an animal

Alex Cobb had an impressive season in his own right in 2021. The right-handed pitcher had an ERA of 3.76, a WHIP of just above 1.2 and went with eight wins and three losses on the season.

Ohtani, who is a decade Cobb’s junior, outdid his departing teammate. The Japanese whiz finished the season with a record of 9-2. He also bested Alex Cobb’s ERA and WHIP for a team-best 3.18 and 1.0 respectively.

What makes Ohtani so notable is that he is just as much a menace to opposing pitchers as he is to opposing batters. While simultaneously logging the aforemnioned pitching stats, Shohei Ohtani hit 46 home runs and 100 RBIs. He also had an OPS of .965, making him the stuff of pitcher nightmares.

How’s this for an introduction: Alex Cobb squares off vs. Shohei Ohtani in SF Giants debut bayareane.ws/386c4MZ “How’s this for an introduction: Alex Cobb squares off vs. Shohei Ohtani in SF Giants debut” – @ Mercury News

Cobb faced the Angels in Spring Training on Sunday. He pitched 3.1 innings and didn’t allow a run. He faced Ohtani twice, walking him intentionally in both instances. It may be a while before the two players see each other again. Like many of us, Alex Cobb will only watch and see if Shohei Ohtani reaches the potential we all know he has to become one of the best players in baseball today.

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The post Shohei Ohtani’s hitting rattles San Francisco Giants pitcher, says Ohtani is the explanation for transferring to NL, “He’s an animal”  appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

(CBS Los Angeles) – The MLB season starts in September and the various MVP and division races remain interesting. With a month of play, Shohei Ohtani looks like the American League MVP favorite save for injuries or a complete breakdown. Last weekend, he added another line to his résumé and record books. The New York Yankees eventually lost, ending their 13-game winning streak just four games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East. On the other side of town, the New York Mets are moving just as quickly in the opposite direction. Some players thought it was kind of wise to express their displeasure with the fans.

This week’s baseball report takes a look at Ohtani’s 40-20 milestone, the winning streak of the Yankees and the Mets giving their fans the thumbs-down gesture.

CONTINUE READING: Burnes Pitches Brewers Past Giants, 3-1

Ohtani’s 40-20 season

It’s not even September yet, and Shohei Ohtani has the American League MVP race under control. This is what happens when a two-way player excels on the plate and on the hill. His latest achievement also shows his ability on the Basic Paths. Ohtani is now the only player in the history of the Los Angeles Angels team to have scored 40 home runs and stolen 20 bases in a single season. He is also the third in American League history to accomplish this feat before September. Ken Griffey Jr. (1999) and Alex Rodriguez (2007) are the other two, and Rodriguez won the MVP that season.

By the time Ohtani stole his 20th base, he had already blown 41 homers, which brings him to the top of the majors. Last Saturday night against the San Diego Padres, Ohtani found himself in the middle of his second 0-4 night in a row. At the end of the fifth inning, he pulled a one-out walk from Austin Adams. He then got a good jump on a 0-1 fastball to steal second. A double two strokes later would get him home.

Its 20 stolen bases make it a top 10 in the category, which Starling Marte of Miami Marlins tops at 42. Ohtani also cuts .264 / .363 / 0.623. Of course, what sets him apart from all other quality rackets in the majors is his pitching success. Ohtani is also set up 8-1 with a 3:00 ERA and 127 strikeouts in his 105 innings.

His stolen base and the resulting run helped the Angels achieve their second win in eight games. But they are 10.5 games behind the Boston Red Sox for last wildcard place.

While the Angels have little chance in the playoff race, it seems that just an injury could hurt Ohtani’s chances in the MVP race. So there was some concern in the organization on Friday night when a fastball hit him with his throwing hand at 93 mph. An x-ray showed no damage and he played the rest of the game. Ohtani should be ready to play the New York Yankees again on Tuesday night.

The Yankees’ winning streak ends

The Yankees will look to start another winning streak when they visit the Angels this week. That was after the Oakland Athletics finished their last one of the weekend. The A’s beat the Yankees 3-2 on Saturday to end their 13-game winning streak, the team’s longest in 60 years. The double home run of Slugger Aaron Judge in the ninth inning drove Anthony Rizzo in after his bloop single. But it was all the team could handle with a lost effort.

When the Yankees recently won so many games in a row, Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle lit the pitchers. It was only the sixth longest team in its history. The Yankees won in episode 19 in 1947 and were close at 18 in 1953.

When that last streak began, the Yankees were 63-52, seven games behind the leading Tampa Bay Rays and five games behind the Red Sox. It included three-game sweeps of the Red Sox and Minnesota Twins. When the streak ended, the Yankees were 76-52, just four games behind the Rays. They have the inside bar on a wild card field, although they may end up playing the Red Sox.

Thumbs down for Mets and their fans

The Mets led the National League East for about half of the season. But they haven’t been very good lately, losing 19 of their 27 games in August as well as their four-game lead in the division. They are now 7.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves and 4.5 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies. What once promised promising playoff hopes is quickly disappearing.

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The fans at Citi Field, home of the Mets, have expressed their displeasure. That’s what fans do. They cheer when their team is okay and boo when they don’t. Mets players don’t like being booed and three of them decided to essentially boo their fans back when the team is fine.

After hitting a 444-foot homer in Sunday’s 9-4 win over Washington Nationals, the recent acquisition gave Javier Baez a “thumbs down” gesture that he later declared as a message to fans.

“It feels bad when I hit and get booed. It’s not really my business, but I want to let them know that if we succeed we will let them do the same [fans] know how it feels, ”Baez told reporters. “… you have to get better. I play for the fans and I love the fans. If they do that, they’ll put more pressure on the team. “

Kevin Pillar and Francisco Lindor also gave the thumbs-down gesture.

The Mets organization was not pleased. A statement from team president Sandy Alderson read as follows:

“In a post-game press conference today, Javy Baez stated that his thumbs-down gesture during the game was a message to fans who recently booed him and other players for poor performance. These comments and any gestures made by him or other players with similar intent are completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

Mets fans are understandably frustrated with the team’s recent performance. The players and the organization alike are frustrated, but Citi Field fans have every right to express their own disappointment. Booing is the right of every fan.

The Mets do not tolerate player gestures that are unprofessional in meaning or that relate negatively to our fans. I will meet with our players and staff to get this message across directly.

Mets fans are loyal, passionate, knowledgeable, and more than ready to express themselves. We love them for each of these qualities. “

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Mets fans were also understandably upset and turned to social media to express their feelings. It remains to be seen whether this little spit leads to a better representation on the field. The Mets have 30 games – 15 at home – to make up for lost ground.

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