Tag: MLB

Cameras caught Luis Arráez processing his trade from the Marlins to the Padres in real time

This is just not something you see every day.

Professional sports can be a tough business, and new San Diego Padres second baseman Luis Arráez, who just got traded to his new team from the Miami Marlins on Friday.

The worst part was Arráez’s trade must’ve gone down during the Marlins’ Friday night game against the Oakland A’s, as the Bally Sports broadcast showed Arráez giving farewells to his Miam teammates in the dugout.

While in-game transactions happen in professional sports, you rarely see a player processing such a moment in real time like Arráez is in Oakland.

Arráez will join a much better team in San Diego, but it can’t be easy to make such a major transition in any stage of your career.

To make this all even more fascinating, Padres prospect Nathan Martorella learned he was being traded to Miami while he was on second base.

This is just such a startling series of events for the players involved, as seeing these two players contemplate that they’ll be playing for new teams in real-time is just very uncommon in the MLB, much less any sports.

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Former Rutgers baseball star Chris Brito continues his strong play in the MiLB

Since signing with Kansas City in December, former Rutgers baseball Chris Brito has performed at a high level for the Royals Single-A Team.

This past December, former Rutgers baseball player Chris Brito signed with the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has performed at a high level for the Royals Single-A Team, the Columbia Fireflies, to start the 2024 season.

In 49 plate appearances, the Fireflies’ first baseman has recorded 11 hits and six RBIs while logging a .306 batting average and a .469r on-base percentage. Brito has been outstanding while playing first baseman, recording zero errors throughout 96 innings.

Before signing with the Royals organization, Brito earned the MLB Draft League Hitter of the Month for June while playing for the Trenton Thunder. The MLB Draft League was established in 2021 for collegiate baseball players to showcase their talents leading up to the MLB Draft and Brito did just that.

Brito recorded a batting average of .367 (22-for-60) with three home runs, four doubles, and 16 RBIs in 22 games for the Thunder. He led the MLB Draft League in on-base percentage (.500) and ranked second in both slugging (.617) and OPS (1.117). His batting average, recorded hits (22), and runs scored were ranked third in the league. Also, he tied for second in total bases (37), home runs (3), and RBIs (16).

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Brito had one of the most accomplished hitters in Rutgers baseball history, wrapping up his career as the all-time leader in career home runs (46) and RBIs (200). Also, Brito set the program single-season record with 74 RBIs in 2022.

 

Jordan Beck records two hits in MLB debut with Rockies

Former Vol Jordan Beck records two hits in MLB debut with Colorado.

Former Vol Jordan Beck made his Major League Baseball debut on Tuesday with Colorado.

Beck went 2-for-4 and started in left field for the Rockies. Miami defeated Colorado, 7-6, in 10 innings. The Marlins will host Colorado on Thursday at 6:40 p.m. EDT.

Beck was selected by Colorado (No. 38 overall) in the 2022 Major League Baseball draft.

He played for the Vols from 2020-22.

Beck recorded 18 home runs, 61 RBIs, 70 runs, 75 hits, 15 doubles, three triples, 37 walks and six stolen bases in 66 games during the 2022 season at Tennessee.

Before arriving at Tennessee, Beck was selected in the 14th round of the 2019 MLB draft by Boston.

The former Vol was assigned to the Hartford Yard Goats on July 14, 2023.

The beekeeper who saved Dodgers-Diamondbacks from a colony of bees got to throw out the first pitch

Three cheers for the beekeeper!

After a colony of bees delayed the start to Tuesday night’s Arizona Diamondbacks game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, beekeeper Matt Hilton of Blue Sky Pest Control swarmed to the rescue.

Hilton safety removed the bees to relocate them to a safer destination so the game could get underway, which was a relief to both teams and all the fans at Chase Field.

The way Hilton went about removing the bees from the protective netting behind home plate was absolutely fascinating and involved spraying the bees with something before sucking them into a vacuum.

Seriously, you’ve got to watch how he did this. It’s a must-watch.

As a really cool gesture of gratitude, the Diamondbacks let Hilton throw out the first pitch for the game. As with the bee removal, he did not disappoint.

Funny enough, Hilton said he was at his son’s tee ball game when he got the call to action.

While we’re sure it was annoying for the game to be delayed by a colony of bees, Hilton proved that anybody can … bee … a hero when called upon.

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The Minnesota Twins have a celebratory home run sausage and we have so many questions

According to the Twins, nothing says home runs like celebrating with a packaged sausage.

The Minnesota Twins have a home run sausage, and we have so many questions about why this is even a thing.

Look, I get it. Baseball players are going to do or wear whatever it takes to win games. The Phillies had a very NSFW gesture after big hits during last year’s playoffs. Joc Pederson wore pearls on his way to a World Series with the Braves several years ago. If it works, it works.

But the Twins’ new home run sausage celebration doesn’t have any rhyme or reason why it’s happening, and I’m so very confused. Who decided this? Why a sausage? Are they keeping it cool between hits? Are there multiple sausages used? SOMEBODY NEEDS TO ANSWER FOR THIS.

Duke baseball alum Joey Loperfido called up by Houston Astros; set to make MLB debut

Duke baseball alum Joey Loperfido set to make MLB debut for the Houston Astros.

The Houston Astros have played horrific baseball to start the 2024 season, and now, with their backs against the wall and in desperate need of a spark, the Astros are looking to a former Duke baseball alum.

Former Blue Devils Joey Loperfido got called up to make his MLB debut on Tuesday when the Astros host the AL’s best team, the Cleveland Guardians.

Loperfido leads all minor league baseball with 13 home runs, including a solo bomb he smashed during his final game with the Triple-A Sugar Land Space Cowboys on Sunday. He finished the game 2-for-3, raising his OPS to 1.106 after 101 at-bats during a remarkable April.

Loperfido may not be a seasoned first baseman, but he’s had enough reps there, playing in seven games in Triple-A. His time in Durham saw him as an outfielder, so he also offers the Astros versatility defensively.

 

Houston drafted Loperfido out of Duke in the seventh round of the 2021 draft. At Duke, Loperfido started all 170 games he appeared in during his time with the Blue Devils. In his four years at Duke, Loperfido posted a .317 career batting average, collecting 201 hits, 37 doubles, nine triples, 18 home runs, and tallying 96 RBI. He drew 85 walks and held a slugging percentage of .488, adding an on-base percentage of .419. In the field, Loperfido posted a career fielding percentage of .992

Last season, he won the Astros’ Minor League Player of the Year award after slashing .278/.370/.510 with 55 extra-base hits across three levels of affiliated ball. The Athletic’s Keith Law ranked him as Houston’s sixth-best prospect before the season started.

The Astros are still led by the same core, which has helped them win two World Series: Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, Kyle Tucker, and Alex Bregman. However, the rest of the lineup needs a spark.

Already ten games below .500 and six games back in the American League West, the Astros can’t rely on Jose Abreu much longer as he’s become one of the worst offensive players in the league to start the season.

The game starts Tuesday at 7:10 CT / 8:10 ET at Minute Maid Park and can be seen on MLB.TV.

Trey Lipscomb returns to Nationals’ lineup at first base, Nick Senzel hits home run

Trey Lipscomb returns to the Nationals’ lineup at first base and Nick Senzel hits home run against the Dodgers.

Los Angeles (15-11) defeated Washington (10-13), 11-2, on Wednesday at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

Former Vol Trey Lipscomb returned to the Nationals’ starting lineup at first base. He went 0-for-2, recording one walk and one run.

Former Vol Nick Senzel also started at third base for Washington against the Dodgers. He went 1-for-3 and hit a two-out home run in the second inning.

Washington recalled Lipscomb on Wednesday after placing outfielder Lane Thomas on the 10-day injured list due to a left knee sprain.

Washington will next play on Thursday against the Dodgers at Nationals Park. First pitch is slated for 4:05 p.m. EDT.

PHOTOS: Trey Lipscomb through the years

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Washington Nationals recall Trey Lipscomb

Washington recalls former Vol Trey Lipscomb on Wednesday.

Washington recalled former Vol Trey Lipscomb on Wednesday. The Nationals placed outfielder Lane Thomas on the 10-day injured list due to a left knee sprain.

Lipscomb made his Major League Baseball debut for Washington on March 30 after former Vol Nick Snezel was placed on the 10-day injured list ahead of opening day.

The former Vol appeared in 14 games during his first stint with the Nationals before being optioned to Triple-A Rochester Red Wings.

Lipscomb played at Tennessee from 2019-22 and appeared in 103 games, including 78 starts.

He was selected by Washington in the third-round of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft (No. 84 overall).

PHOTOS: Trey Lipscomb through the years

Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

Juan Soto struck out without seeing a single strike because of a dreadful umpire

It’s already been quite the week for MLB umpires and it’s only Wednesday.

We’ve all been watching baseball long enough, right? I think, generally speaking, we all know where the strike zone is supposed to be.

Over the plate, above the knees and below the shoulders. Give or take a few inches here and there, that’s generally where you place it. Or, at least, that’s what I thought anyway.

After watching this wild seven-pitch at-bat from Juan Soto on Tuesday night, I’m not sure where the strike zone is anymore.

Soto was called out on strikes after seemingly not getting a pitch in the strike zone. It’s so confusing. You have to see it for yourself.

Some of those pitches are close, sure. But most of them are just out of the box. And Soto isn’t even swinging. There’s just no way he should’ve been called out here.

What a disastrous week for the MLB’s umpires and the Yankees. Between this and the Aaron Boone fiasco, things aren’t looking too great.

Aaron Judge gave a brutally honest response to Yankees fans booing him after 4-strikeout afternoon

Aaron Judge understands why people were booing at him on Saturday.

New York Yankees superstar outfielder is one of the best players of his generation. However, he’s not immune to the boo birds.

After he struck out four times during his team’s 2-0 home loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday, Judge gave a brutally honest assessment of his lackluster day at-bat when talking about the boos from Yankees fans with reporters.

“I’ve heard worse, and I’d probably do the same thing in their situation,” Judge said after the loss.

Well, if that’s not as forthright an assessment from Judge about the jeers from Yankees fans, we’re not sure what is.

Judge seems very understanding of the ire from the New York crowd, as nobody expects an elite batter like him to strike out four times during a game.

However, Judge is still human, and we’re sure he’s going to find his momentum when he goes to the plate sooner than later.

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