Showing posts with label ⚾️. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ⚾️. Show all posts
Saturday, 24 October 2026
Wednesday, 21 October 2026
3 WORLD SERIES LESSONS FROM BREWERS' REFULAR SEASON MATCHUP WITH RAYS
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| Mar 30, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras (24) watches his two-run home run off of Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Nick Martinez (28) during the sixth inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark Hoffman/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect |
For a decent projection of the 2026 World Series matchup, the natural first place to look is at how the Brewers and Rays matched up in the regular season. And thankfully for Milwaukee, the results point in their favor. The Brew Crew won two of their three regular-season games against the Rays, all in America's Dairyland, by a nine-run margin — Milwaukee scored 16 runs to Tampa Bay's seven.
Granted, this was so long ago that both teams look completely different by now. They haven't faced each other since early April, and the Rays have undergone a major transformation since that fateful World Series preview. Their bullpen has pulled itself together, and offensively, this team has found a rhythm that will be hard to stymie.
Nonetheless, there are still details to pull from that series that'll surely reflect on this year's World Series matchup and hopefully give us a sign of what's to come.
1. Brewers need to ride the hot hands of William Contreras and Jake Bauers to beat the Rays.
The NLCS MVP, Jake Bauers, began his emergence as Milwaukee's breakout offensive hero with an electric series against the Rays, hitting three balls and scoring three runs, including a home run, in 10 at-bats versus Tampa Bay. The same could be said for star catcher William Contreras, who rocked four hits, including a home run for two RBIs in 12 chances in that series.
It's only right for Bauers and Contreras to finish their season the same way they started it — cooking at the plate against the Rays, with all the confidence in the world and the support of Milwaukee behind them. It's almost certainly a recipe for offensive success.
2. Brice Turang can change the narrative of his playoffs facing Tampa Bay in the World Series.
It hasn't been an easy postseason run for one of the best second basemen in baseball, despite showing his chops defensively as an elite fielder in a vital position. But offensively, Turang has struggled in the postseason, batting just .222 for six hits in 27 plate appearances. But if he can channel some of what worked for him in the regular season against Tampa Bay, when he hit three balls in eight at-bats for four RBIs and three walks, he can wipe the slate clean and start anew.
3. If history repeats itself, Milwaukee's pitchers don't need to be perfect to win against the Rays.
These weren't the best games for the Brewers' bullpen, allowing multiple runs in every game and seven in the series. But Milwaukee's steadfast defense and consistent strikeout potential kept them in every game, every inning, limiting Tampa Bay's explosive innings that helped them get to this point in the postseason.
Starters Jacob Misiorowski and Logan Henderson allowed a combined eight hits in 11 innings, but only three earned runs in total. And frankly, they should both be far more confident and prepared for this outing than they were in their first go-around against the Rays. So if they can channel some of that same energy, the Brewers have a serious shot at winning their first World Series in franchise history.
- Dylan Carter
Tuesday, 20 October 2026
Tuesday, 13 October 2026
Sunday, 11 October 2026
Thursday, 1 October 2026
Wednesday, 30 September 2026
Wednesday, 26 August 2026
Thursday, 23 July 2026
RED SOX WINNING STREAK AFFECTS MULTIPLE TEAMS TRADE DEADLINES
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| Jul 7, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran (16) hits a single RBI against the Chicago White Sox during the ninth inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images |
The Red Sox’s winning streak is over. Its effect on the MLB trade deadline is not. Boston won 15 straight games, tied the franchise record and transformed itself from a potential seller into a team that now has to strengthen its roster. One loss to Baltimore does not undo that. The Red Sox have already changed the market.
Jarren Duran and Aroldis Chapman should now be off the table
A month ago, both made sense as trade candidates. Boston had a crowded outfield, Duran carried two additional years of club control, and Chapman looked like the most attractive rental reliever available. Moving either player could have brought back meaningful talent for 2027.
That argument disappeared when Boston started winning. Duran is helping a playoff push, while Chapman gives the Red Sox exactly what contenders spend July trying to acquire – a proven late-inning arm with the ability to close games and shorten postseason series. Trading either now would contradict everything the last three weeks revealed about this team.
The consequences extend beyond Boston
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| Jun 18, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman (44) pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays during the ninth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images |
Teams that viewed Duran as an attainable outfield upgrade must look elsewhere. Clubs searching for a closer can no longer assume Chapman will enter the market. That reduces supply, increases prices and strengthens the leverage of every remaining seller.
It also changes Craig Breslow’s job. He is no longer deciding how much of the roster to dismantle. He has to determine how aggressively to add without sacrificing the future that made Boston’s turnaround possible.
The Red Sox do not need a reckless blockbuster. They need another starter, bullpen depth and perhaps a right-handed bat capable of balancing the lineup.
Boston’s 15-game streak ended Wednesday night. Its deadline impact will last through August 3. The Red Sox are no longer one of the teams supplying contenders. They have become one of them – and every front office that expected to shop from Boston must adjust.
- Derek Antoine
Saturday, 4 July 2026
DODGERS' SHOHEI OHTANI WON'T PITCH IN ALL-STAR GAME
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts says he is not ready to make it official, but moving Ohtani’s pitching start this week means he would have to pitch on short rest in the All-Star Game and the Dodgers are not likely to ask him to do that
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| After a recent change to his pitching schedule, Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani will likely just be a hitter in the All-Star Game later this month in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) |
LOS ANGELES — It’s not official. But it’s obvious.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged Friday that the decision to move back Shohei Ohtani’s start this week will make him unavailable to pitch in the All-Star Game later this month.
“I think so,” said Roberts, who is the National League manager for this year’s game. “I haven’t formally said it. But if you just kind of do the math, it would be hard to imagine. But I don’t have to make that decision quite yet.”
The full rosters for the All-Star Game will be announced on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. on FOX (Ch. 11). Ohtani has already earned the starting spot as the NL DH by leading all players in voting during the first phase.
Ohtani started Friday night against the San Diego Padres and is lined up to start again next Friday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. That would put him on just three days of rest before the All-Star Game in Philadelphia. The Dodgers have asked him to pitch on as little as five days of rest just once this season.
Ohtani has only pitched in the All-Star Game once. He started for the American League in 2021 at Coors Field in Denver.
Roberts will have two strong options when choosing his starting pitcher even with Ohtani out of the mix – Milwaukee Brewers flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski or hometown 1Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sánchez.
Ohtani had an 0.74 ERA through his first 10 pitching starts this season but has slipped since then. Over three starts before Friday, Ohtani allowed 11 runs (nine earned) in 18⅔ innings.
Dalton Rushing has been behind the plate for each of those starts, and the two were visibly at odds during Ohtani’s start in Minnesota last week.
“Some of it is Shohei hasn’t had his best stuff recently and that’s the truth,” Roberts said before Friday’s game. “The fastball command hasn’t been what it was earlier in the season. The sweeper hasn’t been the same. He’s started using the split a little bit more recently, which he was using a lot more earlier in the season. So there’s a lot of variables outside of just saying it’s the catcher.”
RUSH POWER
Rushing has been surging at the plate, going 8 for 18 (.444) with a double and two home runs in five games through Thursday. He hit just .179 (15 for 84) in 29 games before that.
Roberts gets some credit for the turnaround. Before last Saturday’s game in San Diego, he went to Rushing with some hitting advice, backed up by video.
“He’s taken it and run with it,” Roberts said. “It was just more of a cue on who he is as a hitter, getting back to finding his particular strike zone versus trying to chase the pitcher all around the hitting zone.
“I pulled some video to show when he is good and what he’s been doing the last couple months. … It kind of landed with him. I ran it by the hitting coaches, so I didn’t go rogue. I got their blessing.”
MAKING PROGRESS
After ruling both catcher Will Smith and utility man Kiké Hernandez out for a return before the All-Star break, both have made progress in their recoveries during the homestand.
Roberts said Smith has been throwing and even hit in the batting cage on Thursday. Smith has been out since June 5 with an inflamed disc in his neck.
Hernandez took batting practice on the field with the team Friday. He has been out since May 26 with an oblique strain suffered in his second game back after recovering from elbow surgery.
UP NEXT
Padres (RHP Griffin Canning, 1-5, 7.09 ERA) at Dodgers (RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 8-5, 2.67 ERA), Saturday, 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM
- BILL PLUNKETT
Sunday, 24 May 2026
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