Tag: MLB

ESPN unveiled its exciting MLB opening day 2025 doubleheader schedule

It’s not too early to start thinking about MLB 2025 opening day games on ESPN!

While the 2024 MLB season literally just ended a couple of weeks ago, 2025’s opening day will be here before you know it.

ESPN announced on Wednesday night its opening-day doubleheader to kick off the 2025 MLB season. Both games are slated for March 27.

First, the Milwaukee Brewers will take on the New York Yankees at Yankees Stadium. Then, the Los Angeles Dodgers will begin their World Series defense by hosting the Detroit Tigers.

That’s a pretty exciting opening-day lineup for ESPN, as seeing the two World Series teams make their 2025 debuts against two feisty 2024 playoff squads should make for some grand entertainment to start the year.

Pitchers and catchers won’t report until this February, but maybe this news will hold your 2025 baseball excitement over until then.

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Paul Skenes announced as finalist for NL Cy Young and Rookie of the Year

Former LSU star Paul Skenes is a finalist for some major awards

Recognition is rolling in for [autotag]Paul Skenes[/autotag] after his stellar rookie campaign. The former LSU star flew through the Pirates minor league system to make his debut in May, less than a year after being drafted.

On Wednesday, the MLB announced Skenes as a finalist for the 2024 National League Cy Young Award and the National League Rookie of the Year award.

Skenes racked up 170 strikeouts and posted a 1.96 ERA in 2024. Those numbers were among the best in the NL.

Expectations were sky-high. Skenes’ arrival was the most anticipated starting pitcher debut since Stephen Strasburg over a decade ago. Skenes didn’t just meet expectations — he blew by them.

Skenes spent just a year at LSU, but led the Tigers to a College World Series championship in 2023.

With only 133 innings, Skenes isn’t considered the favorite for the Cy Young but is nearly a lock for Rookie of the Year.

WHERE SKENES FINISHED AMONG NL PITCHERS

Statistic Ranking Among NL Pitchers (130+ innings)
ERA 1st 1st
FIP 2nd 2nd
K/BB% 1st 1st
Opponent AVG 5th 5th
Ground Ball Rate 5th 5th
Soft Contact Rate 8th 8th

Gerrit Cole opted out of his mega Yankees contract (but here’s why he’s likely staying put)

The Yankees have a $36 million decision to make with their ace

Gerrit Cole may be a Yankee fan today, tomorrow, forever, but that didn’t stop him throwing New York’s front office a curveball on Saturday by opting out of his contract.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel, the Yankees’ ace informed the team of his decision to forgo the remaining four years and $144 million on his contract to become a free agent.

However the Yankees don’t have to let him walk away. The team can nullify Cole’s opt out clause by adding an additional one year and $36 million to his contract and lock up the pitcher through 2029 (bringing his remaining term to five years, $180 million).

New York has until Sunday night to invalidate the opt out and, according to Passan, the belief is that he’ll stay put:

The expectation is that the Yankees will add the $36 million to keep Cole at the top of their rotation and ensure that they don’t potentially lose multiple integral players, with star outfielder Juan Soto hitting free agency.

It’s certainly a bit of awkward timing for the 34-year-old righty who signed a Yankees’ franchise record nine-year, $324 million contract in 2019.

While Cole won the American League Cy Young Award in 2023, he only pitched the second half of the season in 2024 while dealing with an elbow injury. In Game 5 of the World Series against the Dodgers on Wednesday, Cole contributed to five unearned runs scored by L.A. after not covering first base during New York’s meltdown in the fifth inning.

If the Yankees decline to meet Cole’s demands, the pitcher will be among the most sought-after players on the open market.

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The Dodgers were late for their own parade because their buses are hilariously stuck in LA traffic

LA traffic doesn’t move for anybody. Not even champions.

They say the traffic in Los Angeles is some of the worst in the world. It can take you hours just to move a few miles.

The Los Angeles Dodgers can officially attest to that.

LA Traffic doesn’t move for anything — not even championship parades. The Dodgers championship parade is supposed to be underway in Los Angeles, but the team’s busses for the festivities are literally stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

If we didn’t have visual evidence of this, it’d be hard to believe. But it’s really happening. The team is about to be late for its own championship parade because LA is always gonna LA.

This is unreal.

The Dodgers World Series parade is on the late Fernando Valenzuela’s birthday

Expect a lot of tributes to El Toro.

The Dodgers are officially MLB World Series champions and will host a parade for the first time in franchise history since 1988.

Even though Los Angeles also won the World Series during the shortened 2020 season, the organization was not able to celebrate with its fans due to COVID-19 restrictions. This year, however, everyone who wants to join the festivities will have a chance to do so in sunny Southern California.

There is a lot to look forward to about the festivities surrounding World Series MVP Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and a very strong supporting cast.

WHEN IS THE WORLD SERIES PARADE? All the info you need to know.

The parade could have an extra special feel this year, however, due to a very sad reason.

This year, Los Angeles will host its parade for the Dodgers on Friday, November 1.

That is also the birthday of the late Fernando Valenzuela, who died earlier this year. The former Dodgers star pitcher, who won NL Rookie of the Year and NL Cy Young while also making six All-Star appearances and winning two World Series titles of his own, was 63.

DODGERS WORLD SERIES COMMEMORTIVE BOOK: Order it here!

Los Angeles also wore his number, No. 34, as a patch on their jersey during the World Series as well.

Expect to see a lot of love and deserved tributes to Valenzuela, nicknamed El Toro, while you are watching the parade this year.

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Why Yankees Stadium playing New York, New York after World Series defeat wasn’t a big deal

This wasn’t anything to get upset about.

The New York Yankees lost Game 5 of the 2024 World Series on Wednesday night as they dropped their series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-1.

However, some controversy bubbled up as Jomboy shared Yankees Stadium still played Frank Sinatra’s classic song “New York, New York” after the Dodgers’ win.

That got baseball fans in a frenzy, but it’s the song that Yankees Stadium plays after every game whether New York wins or loses.

It might sting a good bit after the team lost a championship to hear Sinatra’s legendary song, but it’s just business as usual at Yankees Stadium to play the song.

Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez ripped the Yankees for their Game 5 meltdown

When The Captain calls out the Yankees, you know it’s bad.

It takes quite a bit for Derek Jeter to speak ill of the New York Yankees. He is The Captain, after all. Yet not even two of the most famous ballplayers to don the pinstripes could spin what happened in the Bronx on Wednesday night.

After the Yankees completely melted down in the fifth inning of Game 5 — blowing a 5-0 lead by giving up five unearned runs to the Dodgers — Jeter and former teammate Alex Rodriguez struggled to comprehend how the Yankees could make such mistakes on the Fox postgame show.

Dodgers World Series Photo Gallery: 12 photos of Los Angeles’ World Series celebration at Yankee Stadium

“I don’t know if I’ve ever quite seen an inning like this,” Jeter said. “Especially in a World Series or postseason game.”

Rodriguez struck an even harsher tone.

“This is one of the greatest meltdowns that I’ve ever seen in 40 years,” A-Rod said.

If you’re going to be on a national baseball show, you’ve got to speak the truth about what you saw, but you know that had to feel super uncomfortable for the former New York legends.

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12 photos of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ World Series celebration at Yankee Stadium

The party is on in Los Angeles!

For the eighth time in franchise history, the Los Angeles Dodgers are World Series champions, defeating the New York Yankees 4-1 in 5 games — including an absolutely bonkers Game 5 in the Bronx on Wednesday night.

After the Yankees took a 5-0 lead, the Dodgers miraculously scored five unearned runs in the top of the fifth inning, only for the two teams to trade leads over the second half of the game before Mookie Betts’ sacrifice fly in the eighth inning gave Los Angeles the lead for good.

Freddie Freeman’s streak of six consecutive World Series games came to an end in the final game of the Fall Classic as he locked up MVP with ease.

As Will Smith caught the final out at Yankee Stadium, the Dodgers poured out onto the field and kicked off what’s bound to be a months-long party in Los Angeles.

These are just some of the unforgettable images captured as the the Dodgers celebrate their second title in five years.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 30: Walker Buehler #21 and Will Smith #16 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate as the the Dodgers defeat the New York Yankees 7-6 in game 5 to win the 2024 World Series at Yankee Stadium on October 30, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 30: The Los Angeles Dodgers react as they defeat the New York Yankees 7-6 to win game 5 and the 2024 World Series against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on October 30, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 30: Walker Buehler #21 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates after Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees 7-6 in game 5 to win the 2024 World Series at Yankee Stadium on October 30, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 30: The Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate as the they defeat the New York Yankees 7-6 in game 5 to win the 2024 World Series at Yankee Stadium on October 30, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 30: Walker Buehler #21, Will Smith #16, Max Muncy #13 and Teoscar Hernández #37 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate as the Dodgers defeat the New York Yankees 7-6 in game 5 to win the 2024 World Series at Yankee Stadium on October 30, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 30: Walker Buehler #21 and Will Smith #16 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate as the Dodgers defeat the New York Yankees 7-6 in game 5 to win the 2024 World Series at Yankee Stadium on October 30, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 30: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates as the the Dodgers defeat the New York Yankees 7-6 in game 5 to win the 2024 World Series at Yankee Stadium on October 30, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 30: Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates after the Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees 7-6 in game 5 to win the 2024 World Series at Yankee Stadium on October 30, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 30: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates with Will Smith #16 as the Dodgers defeat the New York Yankees 7-6 in game 5 to win the 2024 World Series at Yankee Stadium on October 30, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 30: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates with the MVP trophy after the Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees 7-6 in game 5 to win the 2024 World Series at Yankee Stadium on October 30, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 30: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates with the trophy after the Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees 7-6 in game 5 to win the 2024 World Series at Yankee Stadium on October 30, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 30: Magic Johnson celebrates with Mookie Betts #50 and the Los Angeles Dodgers after the Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees 7-6 in game 5 to win the 2024 World Series at Yankee Stadium on October 30, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

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The World Series featured a Will Smith on the winning team for a fifth straight year

The World Series has been good to people named Will Smith lately.

The World Series has been good to MLB players named Will Smith over the last five years.

After the Los Angeles Dodgers won the 2024 World Series on Wednesday night in Game 5 over the New York Yankees, catcher Will Smith once again became a champion.

L.A.’s Smith won the World Series in 2020 with the Dodgers, and the other MLB’s Will Smith, a pitcher, won the World Series in 2021 (Atlanta Braves), 2022 (Houston Astros) and 2023 (Texas Rangers), as MLB’s Sarah Langs observed on Twitter (X).

Like, c’mon, that’s wild. If you want your favorite MLB team to win a World Series next year, get one of the two MLB Will Smiths.

This seems to be a good plan!

Member of worst baseball team of all time wins 2024 World Series

Starting the season on the worst team in baseball, ending it on the best.

Congratulations to Michael Kopech.

The Los Angeles Dodgers reliever just won his first World Series title over the New York Yankees in five games in a postseason performance that’s best classified as solid for the 28-year-old.

He wasn’t the Dodgers’ best arm (because Walker Buehler exists, among other things), but he was solid enough to earn manager Dave Roberts’ trust in October with 10 strikeouts over nine innings with a 3.00 ERA and 1.33 WHIP.

DODGERS WORLD SERIES COMMEMORTIVE BOOK: Order it here!

Kopech, however, accomplished something much more astounding. Something he can hold over every one of his Dodgers teammates. He will now be credited with being a member of the worst MLB team of all time the same year he won the World Series.

Up until late July, Kopech was a part of the 121-loss Chicago White Sox. He was ultimately dealt to Los Angeles at the trade deadline as part of a three-team swap that sent  Kopech, Tommy Edman and Oliver Gonzalez to the Dodgers while the St. Louis Cardinals received Erick Fedde and Tommy Pham. Chicago received Miguel Vargas, Alexander Albertus and Jeral Pérez.

That trade proved crucial for Los Angeles as Edman earned National League Championship Series MVP against the New York Mets.

Vargas, the centerpiece of the return from the Dodgers, slashed .104/.217/.170 for the White Sox over 42 games after the trade.

Congrats, once again, to Michael Kopech for escaping baseball hell and reaching immortality only a few months later. Anything is truly possible.

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