Yankees ride Cole's arm, quick start to 3-2 win over Orioles May 18 sharefacebooktwitterredditlink BALTIMORE (AP) Gerrit Cole outpitched Jordan Lyles in a duel of veteran right-handers, and the New York Yankees squeezed past the skidding Baltimore Orioles 3-2 Wednesday night to clinch their ninth straight series win.Gleyber Torres hit an RBI double and scored in a three-run first inning that propelled the Yankees to their 21st win in 24 games, including nine of their last 10. New York's 28-9 start is tied for second-best in the majors since 1948, trailing only the 1984 Detroit Tigers at 32 Utah Jazz T-Shirts -5.The Yankees will attempt to complete a four-game sweep of last-place Baltimore on Thursday afternoon. The Orioles, who have lost six straight, are the only team to take a series from the Yankees this season, winning two of three games in mid-April.Cole (4-0) went seven innings, allowing two runs and six hits with five strikeouts. The 31-year-old is 4-0 with a 1.04 ERA in his last four starts against Baltimore.Clay Holmes worked the final two innings for the third save of his career, all this season and all against the Orioles.Making his 190th career start and 297th appearance, Lyles (2-4) gave up three runs two earned and five hits over seven innings. He struck out eight, Tony Bradley Jersey including Joey Gallo three times Gallo's eighth game this year with three or four strikeouts.New York broke on top in the first when Torres followed two-out singles by Anthony Rizzo and Josh Donaldson with a run-scoring double. Then, on a wild pitch by Lyles, Donaldson scored and Torres came home on catcher Anthony Bemboom's errant throw to the plate.Baltimore closed to 3-2 sixth when Austin Hays hit an RBI double and scored on an infield grounder.New York manager Aaron Boone filled out a starting lineup without stars Giancarlo Stanton and DJ LeMahieu, who were healthy but rested for a team in the midst of playing 23 games in 22 days. TRAINER'S ROOMOrioles: LHP John Means spoke to the media for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery late last month. Wearing a large brace on his left arm, the 2019 AL All-Star said, "Honestly, it's going better than it's supposed to be and my (arm) range is way ahead of schedule. Means, who threw a no-hitter in Seattle last year, hopes to pitch again in 2023. ... SS Jorge Andrei Kirilenko Jersey Mateo was back in the lineup for the first time since Sunday, when he bruised his shoulder and chest in a collision with Detroit's Spencer Torkelson. GREAT WALLAnnoyed that he lost a potential home run because the left-field wall at Camden Yards was moved back 26 1/2 feet since last year, New York's Aaron Judge called the new dimensions a travesty. But Orioles manager Brandon Hyde, noting that routine fly balls used to be homers, countered Wednesday by saying, It's more fair than before. TRADE WINDSBaltimore acquired RHP Luis Osorio from the Arizona Diamondbacks for LHP Paul Fry, who was designated for a signment on Saturday.UP NEXTYankees: LHP Jordan Montgomery (0-1, 3.06 ERA) will start the series finale. He's allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last six starts.Orioles: LHP Bruce Zimmermann (2-2, 2.72) makes his eighth start of the season and second against the Yankees. In two career starts against New York, he's got a 2.89 ERA over 9 1/3 innings.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports in this topic American League New York Yankees Gerrit Cole Major League Baseball Baltimore Orioles Anthony Bemboom Giancarlo Stanton Austin Hays Gerrit Cole Anthony Rizzo Paul Fry Jordan Montgomery Joey Gallo Aaron Judge Jorge Mateo Jordan Lyles Gleyber Torres Clay Holmes DJ LeMahieu John Means Detroit Tigers Ed Davis Jersey New York Yankees Baltimore Orioles share World Cup fans find booze at hotels, Qatar's 1 liquor store Qatar's strict rules regarding alcohol have drawn attention as it hosts the World Cup 1 HOUR AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Sterling leaves England World Cup camp after home break-in England forward Raheem Sterling has left his teams World Cup camp in Qatar and returned to the U.K. after a break-in at his home 1 HOUR AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Ronaldo looks to shine like Mbapp and Me si at World Cup Cristiano Ronaldo has been overshadowed Joe Ingles Jersey by the brilliance of Lionel Me si and Kylian Mbapp so far at the World Cup 2 HOURS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Ottawa hosts Los Angeles after Giroux's 2-goal game The Ottawa Senators host the Los Angeles Kings after Claude Giroux's two-goal game against the San Jose Sharks in the Senators' 5-2 win 2 HOURS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Penguins host the Blue Jackets following Kapanen's hat trick The Pittsburgh Penguins host the Columbus Blue Jackets after Kasperi Kapanen's hat trick against the St. Louis Blues in the Penguins' 6-2 win 2 HOURS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS

The MLB season is in full swing after full slates of games Saturday and Sunday. The lockout e sentially gave fans two Opening Days with games Thursday and Friday.The first weekend of the season confirmed things we already knew (the Blue Nate Archibald Jersey Jays can hit) and gave us new things to monitor.While it's too early to gather real information about trends, some things are readily apparent, and other things will evolve over the 162-game season.FAGAN:The Sporting News has some incredibly early takeaways from MLB's opening weekend: This is more a general observation. Umpire announcements are a simple addition to the fan experience, but they're already a rousing succe s for MLB. Allowing everyone in the stadium to know what a call is at the same time leads to moments we need at the ballpark. What's more perfect than hearing an out changed to a walk-off hit on Opening Day?That moment occurred at Detroit's Comerica Park on Friday after Javier Bez's drive to deep right field appeared to be caught by the White Sox's A.J. Pollock. The game seemed to be heading to extra innings until further review determined that the ball hit the wall prior to Pollock juggling, and then catching, it. Home plate umpire and crew chief Marvin Hudson made the call live, which produced a thunderous reaction rather than the slow uproar that would have occurred in the past with just a simple signal.After further review ... a Javy winner!Powered by MLB (@MLB) Toronto shook off ace Jos Berrios getting shelled on opening night, coming back from a 7-0 deficit to beat the Rangers. The rally started fittingly: with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singling home George Springer for the first run. The Jays went on to score seven more times before the Rangers tied the game 8-8.In the bottom of the seventh, there was another umpire announcement of a reversal after Teoscar Hernndez slid under a tag at home, giving the Blue Jays a 9-8 lead. They added an insurance run and ended up winning 10-8. Rogers Centre Us: chanting Safe, Safe-Other fans: Safe, SAFEDUGOUT: pounding bench SAFE, SAFE, SAFE! Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) The Blue Jays won the series 2-1, but the bullpen a pre sure point for Toronto heading into the season had to be busy on Harrison Barnes Jersey opening night after Berrios recorded just one out. Every game at Rogers Centre during the weekend was fun. The Blue Jays will be good, and they'll be great to watch.As for the Mets, they finished the weekend 3-1 against the Nationals. Offseason pickup Mark Canha had seven hits. Another newcomer, Starling Marte, drove in four runs. Their main mound additions, Max Scherzer and Chris Ba sitt, notched quality starts, making New York one of just two teams to have two starters log quality starts in the opening weekend (the Padres had three against the Diamondbacks).The Mets' three wins were by a combined 13 runs as the length of their batting order stood out. The universal DH greatly benefits a team with New York's depth. For example, it allows Pete Alonso to stay off the field on occasion, as he did Saturday when he hit a grand slam.Pete Alonso, grand slam. That thing hung up there forever, almost seven full seconds in the air.Mets 4, Nationals 0, top five. Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) The AL East and NL East races should be thrilling this year with these retooled teams poised to break out. The Mets-Nationals and Brewers-Cubs series had tension, with the benches clearing in both. On Friday, the Mets' Corey Brewer Jersey Francisco Lindor was hit in the face while squaring to bunt, making four New York hit batsmen in two games. That got the Mets out of their dugout. On Saturday, the Brewers' Andrew McCutchen was hit in response to the Cubs' Ian Happ getting drilled. That led to the jostling at Wrigley Field.Andrew McCutchen gets plunked and benches clear at Wrigley Field Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) Tensions flare and the benches clear in Washington as Francisco Lindor takes a pitch to the head Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) MORE:Whatever you think of the incidents, they aren't going anywhere. These mound meetups in the first weekend were partly a product of division rivals being familiar with each other, but they're also part of baseball's DNA, for better or worse. he was bothered because he felt the Cubs made it appear as though they were going to pitch to him before they hit him, which wasn't fair play. Don't be fooled by the Diamondbacks stealing an Opening Day win from the Padres: Arizona's lineup is horrendous. It was no-hit for the first six innings of Game 1 and the first seven innings of Game 2. On the other coast, the Orioles were swept by the Rays and scored four runs total in the three games. It's going to be a long season for both teams, with the NL West and AL East being Kyle Guy Jersey two of baseball's top three divisions along with the NL East. Don't expect many miracle wins like Arizona's on Thursday. For the most part, the top prospects who made their MLB debuts had a good weekend. You can lump in Seiya Suzuki with this group even though he's 27. Spencer Torkelson failed to get a hit for the Tigers, but the Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. had a go-ahead RBI with his first career MLB hit before coming back the next day and making one of the best defensive plays you'll ever see.Welcome to the show Bobby Witt Jr!(via ) FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) Bobby Witt Jr. MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) Twins right-hander Joe Ryan looked strong in his first Opening Day start, with two hits allowed over four innings against the Mariners, although he also had control i sues with four walks. Jhoan Duran came on for Ryan and dazzled in his MLB debut, with four strikeouts over two innings.Hunter Greene won his MLB debut Sunday, allowing three runs over five innings in the Reds' 6-3 victory over the Braves. Greene struck out seven and walked two. Another rookie, Nick Lodolo, is up next for Cincinnati.Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez, like Torkelson, struggled early, but he did manage to notch his first MLB hit, a standup leadoff double that sparked a ninth-inning rally in Seattle's 4-3 victory Saturday. Being able to hit in high-leverage situations is a good sign for the 21-year-old Rodriguez.SAVE THAT BALL.First major league hit for Julio Rodriguez!(via ) FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) Finally, there's Suzuki, who scored a run in his debut Thursday and homered Sunday. Suzuki showed great plate discipline as he drove in six runs in his first three games as a Cub. He's making the transition to MLB look easy.Seiya Suzuki has landed.His first home run has not. Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) There's a reason there aren't many trades of major leaguers for major leaguers: They're rarely mutually beneficial. This swap, however, was recognized almost immediately as a good deal for both sides, and both players paidimmediate dividends for their new Nemanja Bjelica Jersey teams.Pollock went 4 for 7 in the first two games while filling in for the suspended Tim Anderson as the White Sox's leadoff hitter

Long-time first baseman and 2020 NL MVP is playing Jonathan Isaac Jersey in the last year of his current deal. It sounds like Freeman's contract situation will not change in the coming days, weeks and po sibly months ahead.Prior to Tuesday's game in the Bronx against the , Freeman spoke with reporters via Zoom and mentioned that there haven't been negotiations on a po sible contract extension and that he doesn't expect any to happen "any time soon." He also indicated he doesn't want any po sible negotiations to be a "distraction." ( ).Though it certainly isn't a hard-and-fast rule, this seems to be the line most players want to walk. Those who like their situation and want to stay put seemingly love to talk in spring training about it, but once Opening Day happens, they'd rather just focus on playing the game instead of NBA Orlando Magic Jeresy trying to go through the grind of a full season while also trying to weigh such a big life decision. Just in looking at big-name, veteran first basemen, we've already seen the same thing with and the .Of course, Freeman has proven a much better player at this point and it's po sible the Cubs are forced into a rebuild while the Braves should be contending for the next several years. Freeman is their veteran centerpiece that bridged the gap from contender to contender Terrence Ross Jersey with the rebuild in between. He came up on a playoff team and saw the postseason three of his first four years before a disappointing season and then a teardown. Now the Tracy McGrady Jersey Braves have won the NL East three straight years and made the NLCS for the first time since 1999 last season. In the proce s, .Freeman hit .341/.462/.640 (182 OPS+) while leading the majors in hits and doubles last season, winning his first MVP. He's finished in the top eight of MVP voting five times. At 31, he's still in his prime and should be for another few years. Orlando Magic Hoodie It would seem a big mistake for the Braves to let Freeman walk at the end of the year. There's plenty of time to prevent that from happening, but it seems like they already let one window here close with Freeman not wanting to discu s a new deal during the season.

Corbin ends Nats' starting pitcher wins drought, beats Reds August 28 sharefacebooktwitterredditlink WASHINGTON (AP) Major league lo ses leader Patrick Corbin ended Washingtons record 43-game drought without a starting pitcher earning a victory as the Nationals beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 Sunday.Corbin (5-17) allowed one earned run and four hits in six innings while striking out five. A Washington starting pitcher had not earned a victory since Josiah Gray won at Philadelphia on July 6, shattering the previous big league record of 35 games set by the 1949 Washington Senators.Everyone knows that record here that was broken today, but its not something that Im proud of, Corbin said. Weve been pitching good as a staff and a lot of guys have been going out there and giving us a chance to win games.Stuart Jason Kidd Jersey Fairchild homered for Cincinnati, which has dropped 13 of its last 17 but was trying for a weekend sweep.Corbin has lowered his ERA from 7.02 to 6.56 in three starts since the Nationals skipped his turn in the rotation earlier this month. The left-hander had dropped seven consecutive decisions since defeating Pittsburgh on June 28.Since we gave him a little breather, hes come back and pitched well, Washington manager Dave Martinez said.Corbin began the day with four more lo ses than any other pitcher.Hunter Harvey worked around a leadoff single in the Reds seventh, Carl Edwards Jr. induced three consecutive flyouts in the eighth and Kyle Finnegan handled the ninth for his eighth save in 12 opportunities.To get Pat that win today and put an end to that (streak) was kind of awesome, Finnegan said. He pitched a heck of a game and he Dorian Finney-Smith Jersey handed it off to the bullpen and we were able to do our job.Ildemaro Vargas led off the fifth with a liner against Nick Lodolo (3-5) to left for his third homer in nine games, breaking a 2-all tie. Lodolo yielded three runs and struck out five over seven innings, which tied the longest outing of the rookies career.Lodolo is 2-3 with a 3.96 ERA in 10 starts since returning from the injured list July 5.He continues to pitch to really well, Cincinnati manager David Bell said. He really couldnt be doing much better than he is right now.The Reds took an early lead on Kyle Farmers RBI grounder in the Tim Hardaway Jr. Jersey first and Fairchilds solo homer in the second. Washington tied it in the fourth with Nelson Cruzs bases-loaded walk and Riley Adams RBI single.Cincinnati second baseman Jonathan India had two singles to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 11 games.MENESES KEEPS HITTINGOF Joey Meneses singled in the fifth and has 28 hits in 22 games since debuting after Washington traded Josh Bell and Juan Soto earlier this month. The 30-year-old has the most hits for a Nationals rookie through 22 games, besting the 27 that Anthony Rendon had in 2013.TRAINERS ROOMReds: OF Nick Senzel (left hamstring tightne s) was out of the lineup for the third consecutive day. Bell said the team would likely have to make a decision about placing Senzel on the injured list by Monday. RHP Hunter Greene (shoulder) will begin a rehabilitation a signment Thursday. Bell said the team hopes Greene can return to the rotation Sept. 11 or 12.Nationals: Gray is scheduled to return to the rotation during Washingtons series at the New York Mets next weekend. Gray has not pitched since Aug. 20 and has worked 123 1/3 innings this season and has never thrown more than 130 innings in a year since turning pro. I think he understands where hes at, Martinez said. For the most part, were trying to keep these guys healthy for the future and build them up.UP NEXTReds: RHP Chase Anderson makes Tyler Bey Jersey his Cincinnati debut Monday at home in the opener of a three-game series against St. Louis. Anderson hasnt pitched in the majors since Aug. 4, 2021, when he was with Philadelphia.Nationals: Washington is off Monday before continuing its homestand Tuesday against Oakland. RHP Erick Fedde (5-8, 4.88 ERA) will face the Athletics for the first time in his career.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports in this topic National League Major League Baseball Washington Nationals Cincinnati Reds Jonathan India Nelson Cruz Carl Edwards Jr. Erick Fedde share World Cup fans find booze at hotels, Qatar's 1 liquor store Qatar's strict rules regarding alcohol have drawn attention as it hosts the World Cup 13 MINS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Sterling leaves England World Cup camp after home break-in England forward Raheem Sterling has left his teams World Cup camp in Qatar and returned to the U.K. after a break- Dallas Mavericks Hoodie in at his home 17 MINS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Ronaldo looks to shine like Mbapp and Me si at World Cup Cristiano Ronaldo has been overshadowed by the brilliance of Lionel Me si and Kylian Mbapp so far at the World Cup 41 MINS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Ottawa hosts Los Angeles after Giroux's 2-goal game The Ottawa Senators host the Los Angeles Kings after Claude Giroux's two-goal game against the San Jose Sharks in the Senators' 5-2 win 1 HOUR AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Penguins host the Blue Jackets following Kapanen's hat trick The Pittsburgh Penguins host the Columbus Blue Jackets after Kasperi Kapanen's hat trick against the St. Louis Blues in the Penguins' 6-2 win 1 HOUR AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS

Murphy's 3-run homer helps A's split DH with Tigers July 21 sharefacebooktwitterredditlink OAKLAND, Calif. (AP Marcus Camby Jersey ) Sean Murphy hit a three-run homer to highlight Oakland's five-run sixth inning that broke up a scorele s game, and the Athletics beat the Detroit Tigers 5-0 on Thursday to split a doubleheader. In the first game, Jeimer Candelario homered and Robbie Gro sman doubled twice and drove in three runs against his former team as Detroit won 7-2.Murphy connected for his 10th homer his second straight season in double digits off Garrett Hill (1-2), a rookie making his third major league start.Stephen Vogt added a sacrifice fly and Tony Kemp an RBI single in the fifth for the A's, who started an eight-game homestand Thursday to begin the second half.Frankie Montas started the second game, returning from mi sing two turns with inflammation in his pitching shoulder. He went three innings before Domingo Acevedo (2-2) worked the sixth for the win. He was the third of six Oakland pitchers in a four-hit gem that took 2 hours, 45 minutes.It was the sixth shutout of the season for the A's.Montas had been forced out of his last outing July 3 at Seattle and wasnt expected to work deep into the game.In the opener, Candelario connected leading off the seventh to help back Tarik Skubal (7-8), who struck out nine and didn't allow an earned run over six impre sive innings while pitching back home in the East Bay.He is back on track after losing five straight starts from June 12 to July 3, utilizing his steady slider.My sliders my best pitch and I kind of just didnt have Dewan Hernandez Jersey a great feel for it. It kind of wasnt doing what I want it to do," Skubal said. "I was able to get it back to the movement I like, and I think thats why my results have been a little bit different than prior."Gro sman's two-run double in the third put Detroit ahead, then he doubled again two innings later as the Tigers added an unearned run after second baseman Sheldon Neuse's fielding error. Jonathan Schoop provided insurance runs with an eighth-inning double and a sacrifice fly in the ninth. Riley Greene added an RBI single in the ninth.Tigers reliever Alex Lange gave up a home run to Seth Brown in the seventh. Stephen Piscotty had a sacrifice fly for Oakland.A's lefty Zach Logue (3-5) allowed three runs on five hits over six innings, struck out four and walked one. He's yet to win back-to-back starts or decisions in 2022. He was called up before the game from Triple-A Las Vegas for his fifth stint of the season with Oakland and will return to the minors.I'm just trying to be where my feet are, he said.Detroit played its seventh doubleheader this season second most in the majors behind Cleveland's eight and still has two more scheduled. This one was nece sitated by the lockout-delayed Aron Baynes Jersey start to the season.The A's went 5-2 against the Tigers to take the season series for a fifth straight year. This matchup came after a previous doubleheader between the clubs on May 10 in Detroit during which the A's were the home game for opener. This marked another quick trip West for the Tigers after playing in the Bay Area with a two-game series at San Francisco from June 28-29. Ive had a makeup series before, but never usually three time zones in (one day) and then immediately return back home," manager A.J. Hinch said.TRAINERS ROOMTigers: RHP Beau Brieske went on the 15-day injured list with sorene s in his right forearm that Hinch called a muscle strain. Brieske tried playing catch after the All-Star break and experienced discomfort. Fred VanVleet Jersey ... RHP Jos Cisnero returned from the bereavement list.Athletics: RHP Dany Jimnez, who went on the 15-day injured list June 21 with a strained pitching shoulder, threw a 30-pitch bullpen Tuesday. He could face hitters as soon as Tuesday. ... Rookie INF Jonah Bride (shoulder) will continue his rehab a signment Friday with Cla s A Stockton at Fresno. Jonah's doing great, manager Mark Kotsay said.ROSTER MOVESThe Tigers recalled INF Zack Short and INF/OF Kody Clemens from Triple-A Toledo and placed RHP Will Vest on the paternity list after he welcomed a baby boy. Vest is expected back Saturday.UP NEXTFollowing Friday's off day, RHP Michael Pineda (2-5, 5.22 ERA) will pitch Saturday for the Tigers back home against the Twins.LHP Cole Irvin (4-7, 3.21) will take the mound Friday night for the A's in the opener of a weekend series at home with the Rangers.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports in this topic American League Major League Baseball Detroit Tigers Sean Murphy Oakland Athletics Will Vest Domingo Acevedo Tony Kemp Alex Lange Frankie Montas Michael Pineda Stephen Piscotty Cole Irvin Robbie Gro sman Sheldon Neuse Seth Brown Sean Murphy Jonathan Schoop Tarik Skubal Detroit Tigers Oakland Athletics share World Cup fans find booze at hotels, Qatar's 1 liquor store Qatar's strict rules regarding alcohol have drawn attention as it hosts the World Cup 47 MINS Malachi Flynn Jersey AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Sterling leaves England World Cup camp after home break-in England forward Raheem Sterling has left his teams World Cup camp in Qatar and returned to the U.K. after a break-in at his home 51 MINS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Ronaldo looks to shine like Mbapp and Me si at World Cup Cristiano Ronaldo has been overshadowed by the brilliance of Lionel Me si and Kylian Mbapp so far at the World Cup 1 HOUR AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Ottawa hosts Los Angeles after Giroux's 2-goal game The Ottawa Senators host the Los Angeles Kings after Claude Giroux's two-goal game against the San Jose Sharks in the Senators' 5-2 win 1 HOUR AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Penguins host the Blue Jackets following Kapanen's hat trick The Pittsburgh Penguins host the Columbus Blue Jackets after Kasperi Kapanen's hat trick against the St. Louis Blues in the Penguins' 6-2 win 1 HOUR AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS

The 2020 Major League Baseball season is on indefinite hiatus because of the threat that is the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Spring training was shut down last month and Opening Day has been pushed back to at least mid-May, and it could be pushed back even further as the situation develops. When will baseball return? No one knows.Between now and Opening Day, my fellow Derrick Favors Jersey CBS Sports scribes and I will bring you a weekly roundtable breaking down, well, pretty much anything. The latest news, a historical question, thoughts about the future of baseball, all sorts of stuff. . Now let's get to this week's discu sion.What was the best team of the 2010s to not win the World Series? Katherine Acquavella: I'll say the 2013 . But, I could easily write the same blurb for really any Detroit Tigers team from 2012-2014. The 2013 team had MVP-level leading the lineup to go along with an impre sive rotation, with and atop. Detroit fell in the ALCS, at the hands of the eventual champion . The shaky bullpen and a late-season injury to Cabrera certainly didn't help their chances at a title, but it is still crazy to look back and be reminded that the group never won a single title together. The crazier part of this might be that Sindarius Thornwell Jersey once the roster got broken up, a majority of the 2013 Tigers rotation finally won a title: Verlander with the in 2017, and and Scherzer for the last year. R.J. Anderson: I'm going with the 2019 . Did you know that they had the second-best run differential of the decade? What about that they had the best Base Runs winning percentage? If you just look at that roster, it's a sight to behold. Yet the Dodgers didn't win the World Series, or so much as a playoff series, even. It's hard to call a 106-win season a disappointment, but this is about as close as it can get, right? Mike Axisa: I'm comfortable dinging the 2018-19 Astros for the sign-stealing scandal, and Rawle Alkins Jersey as good as the Dodgers were from 2017-19, they were always a bullpen arm(s) short come postseason time. It was an obvious weakne s. I'm going with the 2017 . They won eight more games than the 2016 team that went to the World Series and had a substantially better run differential (plus-254 to plus-101). The 2017 Indians had peak and in the rotation, plus in the middle of the best stretch of his career (2.42 ERA the final two months). and had MVP-caliber seasons and was still a middle-of-the-lineup masher. Also, the three-headed bullpen monster (Cody Allen, , ) was as good as ever. That team went 42-8 (!) in its final 50 regular season games -- that includes their record 22-game winning streak -- yet was unable to close out the ALDS after taking a 2-0 series lead.Dayn Perry: Laying aside the po sibility that their sign-stealing carried over into 2019, the 2019 Astros get my nod. They won 107 games, and according to their quality of contact and quality of contact allowed they played like a 109-win Zion Williamson Jersey team. To be sure, the great teams of 2019 benefited from playing soft schedules thanks to widespread tanking, but the Astros still played like a 90-win team in their games against other above-.500 squads. In related matters, the Astros in 2019 slashed a ridiculous .274/.352/.495 as a team. Bonus points for coming within a handful of outs of winning the World Series. Matt Snyder: Let's give a quick nod to the 2011 . Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and pitched like aces and that should've been enough for a deep playoff run. Alas, the were that year's postseason buzz saw. I'm going with the 2017 Dodgers. and were still at their peaks -- which wasn't the case last year -- and I can't shake how good the team was at its overall peak. They started 10-12 and then flipped a switch to get to 91-36. At that point, they were on pace to tie the ' regular season record of 116 wins. They then lost 16 of 17, which I'll write off to lack of motivation since they were always Stanley Johnson Jersey going to have the best record in the NL. They still won 104 games and steamrolled the D-Backs and defending champion before losing out to the 2017 Astros in a series that really could've gone either way.

Major League Baseball is set to play a 60-game regular season in 2020. It is something we've never seen before and may never see again. Sixty baseball games (37 percent of a normal MLB season) an incredibly small sample and the likely result is madne s.Knowing this, we can deduce some po sibilities.In a shortened season, the chance of "fluky" playoff teams is much higher than it is in a full marathon of a season.With so many fewer games, managers will work games with much greater urgency.You can see where this is headed, right? There is a good chance that baseball purists everywhere will be up in arms about how the 2020 champion wasn't a "legitimate" champion. Please.We always knew the 2020 season would be different. We can't escape that.Fluky stuff happens anyway, though. What's the first thing that comes to mind when I say "1987 Minnesota Twins." I'm betting the overwhelming majority of people would say "World Series champions" instead of "85-win team that had a negative run differential who somehow beat a 98-win team Garrett Temple Jersey in five games in the ALCS."How about the 1981 World Series? "Dodgers over Yankees," right? Not "strike-shortened season that determined the playoffs in such a way the team with the actual best record in baseball ( ) mi sed the playoffs." The won three titles in a five-year span in the 2010s and they were never the best team in the regular season. We don't remember them as anything other than the Even Year Dynasty.Hell, the 2017 and 2018 champions are stained with the sign-stealing scandal. We all witne sed them win the World Series.Flags fly forever. The fan bases mentioned above got to experience those titles with just as much fun and joy as, say, Yankees fans Andre Roberson Jersey in 1998. We know the 2020 season is going to be the weirdest we've ever seen, so let's just look at it with a gla s-half-full approach and enjoy the madne s. That's what I'm planning on doing.Some of it will be fun, too. Here are six things to look forward to:1. Managers valuing each game moreWith fewer games to play with, managers are le s likely to take an approach of "sacrifice the rest of today in order to set up tomorrow" with pitching. They'll be more aggre sive in using their best relievers and probably won't have to worry a ton about workload. In September we might even see a bunch of starters used in relief like they are in playoff games. Among position players, regulars will get fewer days off and the notorious "getaway day lineups" will rarely be seen.2 DeAndre Jordan Jersey . No pitching workload limitsSome inning limitations are more high-profile than others, but just to throw out some endpoints for the purposes of illustration: Starting pitchers who haven't pitched more than 125 innings in a regular season are generally held to around 150 innings. If they are only going to get around 12 starts this season, however, we likely won't see any workload limits outside of injury. A good example here is ' 22-year-old lefty . Due to a spring training injury last season, he only worked 55 innings between the minors and majors. The A's would then be likely to want to limit him to something like 100-110 innings this season. If he gets 12 starts, he'd need to average 8 1/3 innings per start to get to 100. 3. A big wave of prospects?Due to such a short season, the likelihood that there won't be any minor-league action and the po sibility that service-time manipulation will be a huge CBA topic after the 2021 season, I believe it's po sible some top prospects get Brooklyn Nets T-Shirts called up who never would've been considered for an debut in normal circumstances. is the ' top pitching prospect. He dominated High-A last season before getting five starts in Double-A. Perhaps they decide to see how he'll fare in the big-league rotation at age 21? hit .308/.390/.553 in Double-A and saw action in Triple-A. He'd look nice next to in the ' outfield. The No. 1 overall pick in 2018 was to the . He made 15 starts in Double-A last year. Oh, and they also had the No. 1 pick this year and took college slugger Spencer Torkelson. Would they dare? Hey, TV ratings are going to matter more than ever with no fans in attendance and the Tigers have been unwatchable the last few years.We could do this with lots of teams (the and ? with the ? Would the give it a go with wunderkind ?).4. The po sibility of ridiculous rate statsCan someone hit .400 in 60 games? You bet. A .500-plus on-base percentage or .750-plus slugging? Sure! Could someone like post a 1.35 ERA? He had a 1.42 ERA in his last 13 starts last season. 5. The heightened chances of fluky upsetsHow many teams are definitely contending types under the 162-game format? I picked 14 with several question marks. In a sprint like we're about to see, though? Very few teams stick out as non-contenders because there simply won't be enough time to fall completely out of the Brooklyn Nets Hats race before September. We're liable to see 25 teams in the playoff hunt with just a few weeks left to play. Then there's the wild-card game, which can be all kinds of fluky before a five-game series.6. The bickering among fans afterwardHere's a preview of twenty-nine fan bases on social media after a champion is crowned: "FLUKE! DOESN'T COUNT! FAKE SEASON!"The fan base of the champion: I'll certainly be entertained.I'm ready. I'm ready for all of it. The madne s, the flukes, the ridiculous upsets we don't see in other seasons, some outlandish rate stats, the new blood, the works. I'm so ready. Are you?

Spring training has arrived. , Wayne Ellington Jersey and, late next week, Cactus League and Grapefruit League play will begin. I can't wait. I am so ready for the offseason to be over.Spring training games are fun in their own way, mostly because they allow us to see players we usually don't get to see during the regular season. Top prospects, reclamation project veterans, and many other minor leaguers will rub elbows with the big league team during exhibition games before returning to the minors in April.Over the last few weeks all 30 clubs have announced their non-roster invitees (NRIs) to spring training. Those are players who will be in big league camp despite not being on the 40-man roster. Some NRIs are top prospects, some are journeymen veterans, and most are somewhere in between. The big league coaching staff will get a look at all of them.As always, some NRIs are more interesting than others. and both went from NRI to Rookie of the Year last season. went from NRI hanger-on to All-Star. Inevitably, a few NRIs will make an impact during the regular season. And, inevitably, some will have a big spring and show it was all a fluke in April. That's baseball. With spring training arriving and exhibition games coming next week, this is as good a time as any to examine each team's most interesting NRI. As a reminder, all players on the 40-man roster will be in big league camp automatically, a list that includes top prospects like and . Now here is each team's most interesting NRI. C . For one reason or another, the always seem to cobble together an interesting collection of NRIs. This year's group includes former first-rounder , trade pickups and J Bob Lanier Jersey .B. Bukauskas, and Varsho, . The catcher-slash-outfielder(-slash-sometimes-infielder) hit .301/.378/.520 in Double-A last year and could force his way to the big leagues this summer. ( ) RHP . With all due respect to the top prospects the will have in camp as NRIs ( , , , , etc.), the King reigns supreme. Felix turns 34 shortly after Opening Day and he will try to revive his career with a new organization this spring. The Braves have had succe s with seemingly washed-up pitchers in recent years. Last year they got strong work from , and two years ago was a low-level ace for Atlanta. In 2020, Hernandez will look to do what Anibal did in 2018. ( ) C . Easy call here. The selected Rutschman with the No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft and he was arguably the best draft prospect since in 2010. At the very least, Rutschman was the best catching prospect in the draft since in 2008. There's little chance Rutschman will make the Opening Day roster and he may not make his MLB debut this summer, so make sure you get a good look at him in Spring Training, O's fans. You might not see him again until next spring. ( ) IF . I was planning to go with right-hander prior to the trade, but plans changed. Downs is the headliner in the package that went to the and the club gave him a spring training locker between J.D. Martinez and , . That's an unusual spot. NRIs, especially minor leaguers with no big league time, are usually tucked in the corner somewhere. The Red Sox have Downs front and center because they believe in him that much. Through no fault of his own -- Downs didn't ask to be traded for Mookie -- all eyes will be on the kid this spring. ( ) RHP . I was hoping to see hard-throwing lefty ( ) this spring, but he did not receive an NRI. He has barely pitched above Low Cla s-A and big league camp is not an appropriate place for him at this point in his career. Instead, I'll go with Morrow, who did not pitch last year and is looking to prove himself on a minor league deal this season. When healthy, he's been excellent, and a healthy Morrow can be a game-changer for the in 2020. ( ) 2B . Madrigal or , Andrew Vaughn or Andre Drummond Jersey Madrigal? I'm going with Madrigal because, frankly, you can tune into any spring game and see a great hitting first baseman like Vaughn. How many 5-foot-7 infielders who struck out 16 times in 120 minor league games last year are there? Just one. Madrigal is a unicorn and a fascinating prospect. The are loaded with young talent and figure to be one of baseball's most watchable teams in 2020. ( ) LHP . Tough call here. The will have both Lodolo, the No. 7 pick in 2019, and infielder , the No. 5 pick in 2018, in camp as NRIs this year and . Lodolo gets the nod here because he struck out 30 and walked zero -- zero! -- in 18 1/3 innings as a pro last summer. It's unlikely he will reach the big leagues in 2020, but I don't think it's impo sible either. Lodolo has all the ingredients nece sary to sail through the minors. ( ) LHP Anthony Gose. Not the most exciting NRI list for the this year. Gose, the former MLB outfielder, transitioned to pitching in 2017 and abandoned his attempt to become a two-way player last year. He's focusing solely on pitching now. Gose had 2.48 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 29 minor league innings last season (he also walked 29) and reports indicate he throws very hard. I'm curious to see him on the mound this spring. Few teams are better at fostering pitching talent than Cleveland. ( ) RHP . Is it weird I am more excited to watch Ubaldo's comeback attempt than this spring? It is, isn't it? Well, Saben Lee Jersey I don't care. Jimenez did not pitch in 2018 or 2019, but he reportedly looked great in winter ball in the Dominican Republic these last few weeks, so the Rockies gave him a camp invite. I'm a sucker for nostalgia. Jimenez is arguably the best pitcher in Rockies history and I think it would be pretty cool to see him get a few outs in 2020. ( ) RHP . It's going to be a fun spring, fans. The team is bringing to big league camp as NRIs. That includes , , and . Ultimately, Mize gets the nod here because he was the No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft and he is arguably the best right-handed pitching prospect in the game. Manning is very good in his own right and Skubal is awfully fun. Tune in to watch all of them. ( ) RHP . Last year at this time we all figured Whitley would soon reach the big leagues and give the a nice rotation boost at midseason. It didn't happen. He came down with shoulder fatigue and had a 7.99 ERA in 59 2/3 minor league innings. The good news: Whitley looked very good in the Arizona Fall League and is over the shoulder i sue. After a quick Triple-A tune-up stint, we should see him in Houston this year. Also keep an eye on righty this spring. He's a personal favorite. ( ) LHP . Jr., the No. 2 pick in the 2019 draft, is a 19-year-old kid and will not be in big league camp this year. He's Detroit Pistons T-Shirts not ready for it. The will have their top three pitching prospects in camp as NRIs though: Lynch, , and . Singer is the most famous of the bunch but I think Lynch has the highest upside. Left

This past weekend, I returned to football tailgating for the first time since that damned virus altered our lives forever. Man, was it nice, though that's not our topic for this space. During the course of said tailgate, I got into a fun conversation with someone who called himself a causal baseball fan. He doesn't have a favorite team and doesn't follow the sport on a daily basis, but he likes it.The Zach Hyman Women Jersey biggest takeaway from the conversation was that -- as much as many old-school, purist baseball fans might hate it -- the wild card is very good for busine s.This guy was telling me how much he loves checking the standings now each day to see the race for the wild card and he loves how after a 162-game marathon, two non-division winners are forced into a do-or-die situation. I wouldn't be discu sing this if I thought he was alone. I believe there are a large number of sports fans out there who don't watch regular-season baseball on a regular basis but will be enchanted by the Wild Card Games this season.Look, we all know the die-hard fan perspective. It's true that a one-and-done game after 162 flies in the face of everything baseball has always been. I'd also say to those worried about a team "unfairly" being bounced from the Wild Card Game that there's a very simple remedy: Win the division. For those teams in contention who aren't taking that advice this season, they are providing loads of entertainment and will continue to do so through the two win-or-go-home contests in early October.In the National League, forget about the top spot. That's the in a romp. The and are currently tied for the second spot with the only one game back. How great is that? Three teams Mike Palmateer Men Jersey within one game of one playoff spot. The are only 2 1/2 games back, too, and the are also within striking range.The American League is even tastier, though. The and are currently in a virtual tie for both spots with the only one game back and the A's and both three games out. Five teams within three games for two spots with just three weeks to go! Beautiful. Both of these races are going to be amazing down the stretch before we even get to the big-time drama of the wild card games themselves. Biggest Movers 3 Blue Jays 3 Mariners RkTeams ChgRcrd 1 At 93, the Giants now have more regular-season wins in 2021 than they had in 2010, 2012 or 2014. -- 81-81 2 They have now won all eight games Max Scherzer has started. -- 111-51 3 Since Cy Young in 1905, only one pitcher in history has ever struck out at least 210 hitters while walking fewer than 30. Corbin Burnes right now has 210 strikeouts and 29 walks. 1 86-76 4 The magic number for their first-ever back-to-back division titles is down to 10. 1 86-76 5 Sunday was Yuli Gurriel's third four-hit game of the season. He only had four total coming into this year. -- 106-56 6 The Jays have now won 14 of their last 16. This is one scary offense that no contender wants to deal with in the playoffs. 3 92- Tyson Barrie Women Jersey 70 7 Craig Kimbrel has now allowed at least one run in seven of his 18 appearances since the White Sox acquired him. 1 81-81 8 If they had their choice of who starts the Wild Card Game (meaning both would be fully rested), would they go with Chris Sale or Nathan Eovaldi? 1 78-84 9 Gue s who leads the NL in RBI? Adam Duvall! 3 101-61 10 There was a stretch in April and May where the Yankees won 22 of 30. They recently won 13 games in a row. It's a lot more complicated than this, obviously, but they've been pretty damn bad aside from those two stretches. 2 99-63 11 Since Aug. 10, the Padres have gone 8-19. Only the Orioles and Nationals have been worse. -- 89-73 12 Matt Olson now has 34 homers and 98 RBI. Other than Khris Davis, no A's player has had 40 homers and 100 RBI in a season since Jason Giambi. 1 60-102 13 They got within a game of the second AL wild card and then lost two to the Diamondbacks. That ain't gonna do it. 3 90-72 14 Since Aug. 15, the Cardinals have gone 12-13 and yet they've quietly moved nearly into playoff position. -- 93-69 15 It's right there for the taking, Reds. You have nine games left with the Pirates and four against the Nationals. A worthy playoff team would quit me sing around and take care of busine s. -- 62-100 Ron Hainsey Kids Jersey 16 Huge week coming for the Mets, as they host both the Cardinals and Phillies for three-game series. -- 101-61 17 Look, I've done all I can to try and push the Phillies as a threat in the NL East, but when they lose three of four to the Road Rockies, it's time to wash my hands of this team. -- 87-75 18 Jo Adell has a modest eight-game hitting streak, during which he's hit .367 with a triple, three homers and eight RBI. Remember, he's still only 22 years old. 1 73-89 19 It's pretty impre sive, really, that this team is even close to .500 with this brutal offense. 1 92-70 20 The Rockies lost four in a row at home and then went on the road and won three of four. What is this madne s? I've lost all faith in humanity. -- 68-94 21 Jeimer Candelario has three doubles, a triple, four homers and 13 RBI in 10 games this month. -- 66-96 22 Has a team ever been last in its league in home runs while also having the individual league leader? I need to find that out soon. I mention it because the Royals are last in the AL in homers but Salvador Perez (42) is close to the AL lead. -- 65-97 23 Ian Happ's power surge continues. He now has Felix Potvin Men Jersey eight homers in his last 16 games. -- 74-88 24 Andrelton Simmons is still an exceptional defensive shortstop, but his one-year "bet on himself" deal this year has produced a pitiful triple slash line of .225/.288/.277. 1 78-84 25 Jess Luzardo has a 2.60 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings in his last three starts. Perhaps the corner is being turned? 1 69-93 26 In an otherwise terrible year, Patrick Corbin has now completed seven innings in consecutive outings. Maybe he can build some momentum toward a bounce-back season in 2022. He's signed through 2024. -- 55-107 27 The Rangers have now won six of their last seven. -- 68-94 28 The Pirates are going to impact the wild card race. They have nine games left against the Reds and four with the Phillies. -- 62-100 29 The worst record in franchise history (51-111 in 2004) is likely out of reach, but this team will end up second worst. -- 74-88 30 Prior to 2018, the Baltimore Orioles had only recorded two 100-lo s seasons in history. After three more lo ses, that will be three consecutive full seasons with at least 100 lo ses. -- 83-79

The shortened MLB free agency was a busy affair that saw a lot of familiar faces end up in new places. The Rangers landed a new middle infield in Marcus Semien and Corey Seager, the reigning AL Cy Young winner Robbie Ray ended up in Seattle, and the Blue Jays filled his spot in the rotation with Kevin Gausman.A quarter of the way through the season, we're starting to see the fruits of these signings. While some players -- such as Trevor Story on the Red Sox -- are just heating up, others have made an immediate impact.While we can't yet discern winners and losers from the 2021-22 free agency mad scramble, there's enough to build a progre s report from some of the notable signings last offseason.MORE: Kevin Gausman, P, Toronto Blue JaysKevin Gausman and his Sam Gagner Kids Jersey devastating splitter have been a boon for the Toronto pitching staff. His FIP is a league-best 1.30, he has an ERA of 2.25, and he is third in the American League with 65 strikeouts with a league-best 13 strikeouts per walk.The righty is in MLB's 100th percentile for chase rate, 87th percentile for expected ERA, and 74th percentile for barrel percentage. Which is to say, even when players make contact they aren't hitting the ball hard.Gausman's splitter is one of the most difficult pitches in baseball to hit, and his stuff has only gotten better in Toronto. He was able to pick up the slack of a slow start from Yusei Kikuchi, and although the Jays have underperformed to a degree this year -- they're third in the AL East and just three games above .500 -- Gausman is yet to give up more than three earned runs in a start. He's had quality starts in six of his last seven outings, made all the more impre sive in today's MLB climate.Freddie Freeman, 1B, Los Angeles DodgersOne of the most sought-after free agents this offseason, Freddie Freeman returned to Southern California, where he was born, to play with the Dodgers. The first baseman hit his first home run against his former team, the Braves, and while the power isn't all there, he's hitting .297 this year with an OPS of .849.As Dodgers broadcaster Dontrelle Willis put it:Hes obnoxiously good."Freeman is among baseball's best in expected on-base percentage, expected slugging percentage, and strikeout percentage. His ceiling is even higher than he's displayed so far, and that's a scary thought when he's playing for a team that's already 29-13 on the year.Freeman also doesn't have the profile of a dead-pull hitter you often get with lefties. His pull percentage is just 29 percent this year Cole Cassels Kids Jersey , and his wOBA is slightly over 20 points higher when teams shift against him than when they don't. In short, he's extremely difficult to gameplan against when he's at the plate.Carlos Rodon, P, San Francisco GiantsAfter Gausman signed with the Blue Jays in December, the Giants knew they had a hole in their rotation to fill. They responded by signing Carlos Rodon, who has been excellent despite cooling off slightly from a scorching hot start.The former White Sox southpaw has nearly matched his ridiculous strikeout rate from last season, and he has a FIP of 2.14 this year.Rodon will be looking to return to his March form as the season goes on, but he's clearly the ace of the staff. His batting average against of .216 is 18th in MLB. Trevor Story, 2B, Boston Red SoxIt's entirely too early to say Trevor Story has truly figured things out, but he's coming off by far his best week as a member of the Red Sox. From May 18 to May 25, Story hit .286 and hit six of the eight home runs he has this season. It's an impre sive turnaround for the former Rockies infielder, and now he has to ride that momentum.It's been a disappointing season overall for the Red Sox, who find themselves three games under .500 toward the end of May. Story Markus Naslund Men Jersey , to his credit, has been hitting the ball hard this year. It just hasn't translated to results. The second baseman, who generally sees fastballs well, is hitting .176 against them this year. If that number evens out, he should be able to keep riding this wave.Carlos Correa, SS, Minnesota TwinsOne of the later signings this offseason, Carlos Correa joined the Twins on a "show-me" three-year deal with two player options in 2023 and 2024. He has uncharacteristically struggled in the field with a negative outs above average for the first time since 2017, but Tyler Graovac Jersey on the offensive side he's been making terrific contact with the ball.Correa has hit .326 in the month of May, but his slugging percentage this year is down nearly 100 points from last season. While the numbers say he's been a net positive at shortstop -- Correa's 0.8 WAR this year is already equal to Andrelton Simmons' last season -- it stands to realize his ceiling is higher than what he's shown. Kyle Schwarber, OF, Philadelphia PhilliesKyle Schwarber only knows how to hit balls hard. Despite batting just .197 so far this year, he's given the Phillies more or le s what they expected: an abysmally high strikeout percentage and double-digit home runs before June. Schwarber is one of 12 MLB players with 10 or more home runs on the year, his barrel percentage is in the 97th percentile, and his hard-hit percentile is 85th percent.Despite being a liability defensively and striking out in nearly third of his at-bats, Schwarber is the same guy he's always been. The Phillies clearly knew who they were signing, and they seem content to let him continue to be that player.Kenley Jansen, P, Atlanta BravesThe only reason Kenley Jansen, who has been outstanding for Atlanta this year, gets this spot is because he's been exactly what the Braves wanted Will Smith to be. The Braves were 15th in baseball last year with 26 blown saves, and Jansen already has 10 saves on the year. He has blown two save opportunities, but the Braves rallied and won one of those games.As impre sive as Jansen has been, the Braves have struggled this year. For his part, however, Jansen has been exactly what a closer should be. Marcus Semien, 2B, Texas RangersThe second part of the two Vancouver Canucks Men Jersey -pronged signing the Rangers made in the middle infield alongside Corey Seager, Marcus Semien has been nothing short of horrendous this year. He's batting .185 on the year and simply can't seem to find any rhythm at the plate.Semien did string together a five-game hitting streak that was snapped Tuesday, but there's no question he has to be better so the Rangers don't regret their seven-year, $175 million investment.Kris Bryant, OF, Colorado RockiesKris Bryant is struggling in the most unconventional way of any of these free agents. He isn't making good contact, to be sure, but more importantly he can't stay healthy. At 30 years old, Bryant was placed on the injured list Wednesday after just two games back as he battles ongoing back sorene s.Bryant has played in just 17 games so far in the first season of a seven-year, $182 million that raised eyebrows when the Rockies signed the outfielder. Bryant should easily have that longevity in him, but with just