Tag: Irish in MLB

Trey Mancini plays first in Houston Astros’ World Series clincher

A great night for the former Irish slugger.

With Yuli Gurriel off the Houston Astros’ World Series roster because of an injury, Notre Dame alumnus [autotag]Trey Mancini[/autotag] was the next man up. He was the Astros’ starting first baseman in Game 6, and he played the whole game. That means he was on the field during the final out of the Astros’ 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, giving them their second championship in six years.

As a bonus for Mancini, he singled to lead off the third inning, giving him his only hit in 21 at-bats this postseason. He didn’t stay on the bases for long as he promptly was thrown out at second base on a fielder’s choice. Still, it’s unlikely he cares about that as much as the partying he’ll be doing for the next few days.

[autotag]Matt Vierling[/autotag] started for the Phillies in center field and recorded one walk in two plate appearances before being pulled for a pinch-hitter in the eighth. He finished the post season hitting 2 for 13.

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Trey Mancini is late substitute for Astros in Game 5 World Series win

Mancini shows more value with his glove than his bat.

Once again, Notre Dame alumni were absent from both starting lineups of a World Series contest. That changed in the eighth inning en route to a 3-2 Houston Astros win, giving them a 3-2 series lead over the Philadelphia Phillies. With two outs, [autotag]Trey Mancini[/autotag] was called on to pinch-hit for Yuli Gurriel, but he struck out to end the inning, bringing him to 0 for 18 in the postseason. However, he stayed in the game to take over at first base.

Mancini was much more productive with his glove. He fielded Kyle Schwarber’s ground ball and recorded the unassisted third out in the bottom of the eighth, snuffing out a Phillies rally that had produced one run. Then, he got the final putout of the ninth and the game when Nick Castellanos grounded out to shortstop Jeremy Pena.

[autotag]Matt Vierling[/autotag] did not appear for the Phillies at all. He has not played since he appeared as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning of Game 3, when Mancini flied out to him.

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Trey Mancini flies out to Matt Vierling in ninth inning of Game 3

If you blinked, you missed it.

For eight innings of the Philadelphia Phillies’ 7-0 Game 3 win over the Houston Astros, Notre Dame alumni were nowhere to be seen. Neither the Astros’ [autotag]Trey Mancini[/autotag], nor the Phillies’ [autotag]Matt Vierling[/autotag] were in their respective teams’ starting lineup. The idea that the two would intersect at all during this year’s World Series seemed to be fading. Then, it all changed.

With the game pretty much decided, Vierling entered right field as a defensive substitute in the ninth inning. Then, with one out, Mancini was called upon as a pinch hitter. That’s when the moment Irish fans were waiting for happened. On a 3-1 count, Mancini hit a fly ball to right, and Vierling was there to catch it.

No, it wasn’t a very exciting play, and it’s unlikely anyone will remember it. What people care about more is that Vierling is two wins away from a World Series title, and Mancini is 0 for 17 so far in his first postseason. Still, for one brief moment on baseball’s biggest stage, the Irish alumni came together.

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Notre Dame representation silent again in Game 2 of World Series

Still nothing to see here.

Game 2 of the World Series featured a slightly different script from Game 1. The Houston Astros scored three runs in the first inning, and this time, that was all the runs they needed to beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 5-2. The series now is tied at a victory apiece as it heads to the City of Brotherly Love for the next three games.

One thing that didn’t change from Game 1? No impact from the two former Notre Dame players. One night after being lifted for a pinch hitter, [autotag]Trey Mancini[/autotag] did not appear for the Astros. [autotag]Chris Vierling[/autotag] started in center field for the Phillies but went 0 for 2 and left two men on base before being pinch-hit for in the seventh inning.

Irish fans should be lucky at least one more game will be played as it provides more potential opportunities for Mancini and Vierling to contribute. Whether they actually will contribute remains to be seen and also depends on their respective managers’ faith in them.

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Notre Dame alumni don’t factor into Game 1 of World Series

Nothing to see if you’re a Notre Dame fan.

The 2022 World Series got off to a thrilling start Friday. The Philadelphia Phillies overcame a five-run deficit to steal Game 1 from the host Houston Astros, 6-5, after J.T. Realmuto led off the 10th inning with the game-winning home run. Suddenly, a team that everyone wrote off at the start of the postseason is looking very formidable.

As exciting as the game was, Notre Dame’s two alumni didn’t have any impact on it. [autotag]Matt Vierling[/autotag] was not in the Phillies’ lineup. [autotag]Trey Mancini[/autotag] started as the designated hitter, which has been his usual spot in these playoffs, but he went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts and left a team-high three men on base. When the Astros had two runners on with two outs in the bottom of the 10th of a one-run game, Dusty Baker pinch-hit Aledmys Diaz for Mancini, only for Diaz to ground out to third to end the game.

Here’s hoping the former Irish hitters are able to do more going forward in the series.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

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Listen to Geoffrey’s World Series history podcast: “Then There Were Two: A History of the World Series”.

Watch: AJ Pollock hits game-winning home run for White Sox

Maybe this an omen to an amazing rest of the season.

No matter how long you’ve been in baseball, homering against the New York Yankees in the Bronx always is a thrill. That’s especially true if the Yankees have the best record in the bigs. We find that to be the case this year, and Notre Dame alumnus [autotag]AJ Pollock[/autotag] didn’t let that intimidate him Sunday. With his Chicago White Sox and the Bombers tied at 1 in the top of the ninth inning of the first game of a doubleheader, he decided to unleash his power in a timely manner against Aroldis Chapman:

The Sox added an insurance run in the inning and won, 3-1. For Pollock, it was the perfect recap to a solid week. After a slow start that included a trip to the injured list, he has been swinging the bat well as evidenced by his slash line of .375/.407/.667 over the past seven days. Here’s hoping he continues to look good at the plate.

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Trey Mancini heading to Houston Astros in three-team trade

Think he can help the Astros win it all?

The Baltimore Orioles are the only team former Notre Dame player [autotag]Trey Mancini[/autotag] has known. An eighth-round pick in 2013 who made his major-league debut three years later, Mancini has become the face of the franchise while also surviving cancer. Now on the verge of free agency, he’ll have a shot at a World Series ring after he was traded to the Houston Astros in a three-team deal also involving the Tampa Bay Rays. Most of the rest of the trade involved a flurry of prospects.

In 92 games for the Orioles this season, Mancini has posted a slash line of .268/.347/.404 along with 10 home runs and 41 RBIs. He leaves a franchise that always finished at the bottom of the AL East in every full season he played. On the flip side, he joins an Astros team that is one of two favorites to win the AL pennant along with the New York Yankees. He likely doesn’t care that it’s the most hated franchise in baseball right now as long as it wins the last game of the season.

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Watch: AJ Pollock gets game-winning hit for Chicago White Sox

A familiar face played hero Saturday.

Notre Dame alumnus [autotag]AJ Pollock[/autotag] is in the middle of the worst season of his career. He’s frequently been cited as one reason the Chicago White Sox arguably are baseball’s most disappointing team in 2022. It’s a club that had World Series aspirations but can’t even get above .500.

For one night at least, Pollock’s struggles were forgotten when they really needed to be. The White Sox already had lost the first game of a doubleheader against the division rival Cleveland Guardians and were in danger of letting another one slip away. They trailed by a run in the bottom of the eighth inning but had the bases loaded with two outs. That’s when Pollock came up and did this:

That 5-4 score held up, giving the Sox their first win of the season’s second half. For Irish fans, it had to be a thrill to see that Pollock’s heroics came in front of a national TV audience. For Sox fans, any win is welcoming right now. They sure got one at a needed time.

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Watch: Pinch hitter AJ Pollock has go-ahead double for White Sox

A former Irish player comes through in the clutch.

I don’t care how badly Notre Dame alumnus [autotag]AJ Pollock[/autotag] has struggled so far this season. He plays for my Chicago White Sox, and I’ve decided I’m going to spread as much good news about him this season as I can, .600 OPS be damned.

Pollock wasn’t in the starting lineup Tuesday for the Sox’s series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the team that traded him shortly before the season began. Eventually, the game was in a scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth inning, and the Sox had runners at the corners with two outs. With the Dodgers opting to bring in veteran left-hander David Price in relief, the right-handed Pollock was called on to pinch hit. Pollock needed only one pitch to make Tony La Russa, his oft-criticized manager, look smart:

Pollock came around to score himself when Jake Burger hit his own double, and the Sox breezed to a 4-0 win from that point on. Pollock understandably has taken some heat for not hitting well during the first two months of the season. If he is to bounce back this year, this was a good step toward doing so.

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Former major-league pitcher takes heat after Trey Mancini misses game

Oof.

Fresh off missing a season because of colon cancer, Baltimore Orioles slugger Trey Mancini has been quite the story. Entering Tuesday, the former Notre Dame standout has 21 home runs and 66 RBIs to go with a slash line of .262/.328/.452 over 128 games. Playing nearly every game for the worst team in baseball given his recent history is nothing short of remarkable, but it also can take a toll on the body. He missed the Orioles’ 3-2 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Monday, and we found out why afterwards:

Soon after, former major-league relief pitcher Kyle Farnsworth took to Twitter to go after the idea of general soreness. Though he didn’t specifically name Mancini, it was easy to figure out which player he most likely was referring to:

Twitter immediately went after Farnsworth. The statement itself was bad, but the player he appeared to be going after made it look even worse. The backlash became so intense that Farnsworth decided to try and clarify what he meant in a follow-up tweet Tuesday. However, he didn’t issue any apologies:

It’s a shame that Mancini’s story has come back into the limelight for the wrong reasons. Everyone knew it by the time he finished as the runner-up in this year’s Home Run Derby. He shouldn’t have to be defended for playing a season like his on his own terms, especially when he’s been excelling, but here we are. Hopefully, the final month of his season can be peaceful from here on.