Tag: UCLA Bruins baseball

Former UCLA Bruin Jrue Holiday selected to the USA Men’s Basketball Team

Jrue Holiday makes Team USA cut.

USA Basketball is set to tip off in July in Paris, France. Among the members of the team are superstars Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Steph Curry. But one former UCLA Bruin made the list.

Jrue Holiday, the starting guard for the Boston Celtics, rounded out the TeamUSA roster. Holiday, a two-time All-Star and one-time NBA Champion brings a blend of scoring ability and rock-solid defense to Team USA.

The 17th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, Holiday is a seasoned veteran of the NBA who won gold with Team USA in 2020. Now, Holiday looks to bring home a second-straight gold medal for the United States.

Holiday joins former Bruin Russell Westbrook as a two-time invitee to play for the United States. Westbrook took home gold in 2012 but declined his invitation in 2016.

Before Holiday suits up for Team USA, he and the #1 seed Boston Celtics look to make a run at the Larry O’Brien trophy as the NBA playoffs begin.

Arizona sweeps UCLA baseball team in weekend series

The Bruins baseball team is not having a strong start to the year.

UCLA’s up-and-down season continues. After starting the season ranked 24th in the nation, the Bruins have fallen out of the USA TODAY Baseball Coaches Poll and dropped three straight to Arizona. 

Over the weekend, the Bruins lost all three of their games to their Pac-12 rival Wildcats, and on Sunday, by way of a walk-off. Falling to 10-15 overall on the season and 4-8 in the Pac-12, the Bruins continue to struggle to get their footing in 2024. Embarrassingly winless on the road, 0-10 thus far, the Bruins cannot win away from Westwood, especially when they need to. 

Not even at the halfway point in the season, barring an unlikely turnaround, 2024 could be a lost season for the Bruins. 

Next to last in the Pac-12 standings, the Bruins have work to do if they want to have an impact in the conference tournament and try to keep their season alive.

This weekend, the Bruins could gain much-needed momentum when they take on Oregon, who currently leads the Pac-12 standings.

Former UCLA Bruin Trevor Bauer set to face Yankees with Diablos Rojos del MĂ©xico

Trevor Bauer is facing the Yankees in an exhibition game.

A former UCLA Bruin is set to return to Major League Baseball play against the New York Yankees. 

Trevor Bauer, the former Bruin and Cy Young winner in 2020 was cut from by the Los Angeles Dodgers after an investigation amidst domestic and sexual assault allegations in 2023. On Sunday, Bauer returns to play the Yankees in an exhibition game for the Diablos Rojos del MĂ©xico.

Bauer, who sued his accuser, as reported by FOX 11, settled their dispute in court in October of 2023. Now, he faces major league players once again for the first time since 2021. 

Bauer pitched for the Bruins from 2009 to 2011 before being drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks third overall in the 2011 MLB Draft. Bauer won the National Pitcher of the Year and Golden Spikes award for the Bruins in his junior season.

The details surrounding Bauer and his situation remain grey and likely prevent the MLB team from taking a chance on the 33-year-old right-hander. Whether or not Bauer makes a return to professional ball in the United States remains to be seen.

But if Bauer is bent on returning to the MLB, a solid showing against the Yankees on Sunday could be the start of the veteran’s career revival.

UCLA baseball wins first Pac-12 series over Washington State

UCLA got the job done against Washington State on the diamond.

The UCLA Bruins got back in the win column this weekend.

Following a seven-game losing streak, the Bruins picked up their first wins in the Pac-12 Conference at home against Washington State. Winning the first and third games of their weekend series, the Bruins improved to 2-4 in the Pac-12 and 7-11 overall.

On Friday, starter Luke Jewett went six innings, allowing six hits and only one run. A four-run sixth inning for the Bruins would be enough to hold the lead and snap the losing streak.

Then, on Sunday, after falling 12-5 to the Cougars, the Bruins bats got hot. A four-run first inning set the tone for the Bruins and helped them cruise to a 9-4 win.

The Bruins’ series win over Washington was a welcome sign to UCLA fans. In desperate need of momentum and to stop the bleeding of their losing streak, UCLA picked up conference wins and regained some confidence.

That said, UCLA must maintain this momentum and keep the ball rolling. With another Pac-12 game this weekend against USC, the Bruins have a chance to not only knock off a rival but continue to stack wins.

Four former UCLA Bruins chosen for MLB’s Spring Breakout Series

Four Bruins were selected.

Despite a lackluster start to the UCLA season, Bruins fans have an opportunity to cheer on some former players.

Four former Bruins have been chosen by their ball clubs to participate in the MLB Spring Breakout series.

The Spring Breakout, an opportunity for organizations to showcase their brightest young stars, takes place during spring training. In the inaugural series, held from March 14th to 17th, all 30 major league teams field rosters exclusively of prospects to put on display their young talent and potential rising stars.

The four UCLA alum selected are catcher Noah Cardenas for the Minnesota Twins, right-hander Jared Karros for the Dodgers, infielder Kyle Karros for the Rockies, and right-hander Max Rajcic for the Cardinals.

Though, according to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, the series is meant to, in some ways, drive viewership and fanfare, it also spotlights UCLA’s ability to churn out major league-caliber players. 

In spite of the Bruins’ early-season struggles, fans should be hopeful that this season, the Bruins can begin to develop their talent to not only create a solid team but also some future stars in the MLB.

Sliding Bruins swept by Cal in three games

UCLA swept by Cal in rough weekend.

The UCLA Bruins kicked off their Pac-12 Conference play in Berkley, California, over the weekend and went home empty-handed.

Swept by the Golden Bears, the Bruins went down quietly in three straight games, extending their losing streak to a whopping six games.

Losing on Friday 7-11, Saturday 1-4, and Sunday 5-6, the Bruins are now 0-7 on the road this season. Now 5-9 on the season, the Bruins sit at the bottom of the Pac-12 standings and look for any answers they can find as they flounder early in the season.

The Golden Bears walked off on the Bruins on Sunday’s matinee as the graduate transfer, right-handed reliever Rashad Ruff, allowed a three-run home run to send the Bruins back to Westwood.

The Bruins need to reset and begin to find an answer to their road woes. Though their season is long, losing momentum this early can lead to habitual losing for teams in a similar spot.

As they kick off an eight-game homestead, the Bruins can hopefully regain their footing and confidence to end their losing streak and string together some wins.

With two Pac-12 series on the horizon, facing Washington State and USC, the Bruins have a chance to do so.

UCLA left off latest USA TODAY baseball poll

The Bruins are out of the top 25 in the latest poll.

In the latest USA TODAY Sports NCAA baseball poll, the UCLA Bruins are on the outside looking in. 

After starting the season at #24 in the country, after a series of bad losses, including being swept by now #4 TCU, the Bruins have a ways to go before re-entering the top 25. 

The Bruins have not done themselves any favors, either. Dropping their last three games to Michigan, #23 UC Irvine, and Long Beach State, UCLA posts a lowly 5-6 record on the season. Though the season is long and more important games are on the horizon, the Bruins need to figure out what and where their problems exist. One key stat could reveal part of the story. 

The Bruins are near-perfect, 5-1 at home and 0-4 and 0-1 on the road and at a neutral site. For the Bruins to find success later this season, they will need to begin to become road warriors and find a rhythm away from home. 

Hopefully, as their starting pitchers shake off the rust and their batters get hot, UCLA can improve their record on the road and re-enter the top 25 soon. 

UCLA rallies, walks-off in extras with 12-11 win over Long Beach State

UCLA had some late-game heroics against Long Beach State.

A trend is beginning to set in for the UCLA Bruins. In their second straight game, the Bruins rallied to secure back-to-back victories.

Now 5-3 on the season, UCLA and Long Beach State University went back and forth to extra innings.

In the bottom of the tenth, sophomore center fielder Payton Brennan drove in the walk-off run on an RBI single, lifting the Bruins to a 12-11 win. Brennan finished the game 1-4 with an RBI, a walk, and a run.

Trailing seven runs heading into the third inning, a three-run third and four-run fourth helped the Bruins even the score and give themselves a chance.

Though the Bruins would prefer to play ahead for the entire game, Wednesday night showed that UCLA has the bats to stay in games even when they fall behind.

Perhaps the Bruins have developed a bit of luck on their side. Or, they are a team that can hang with some of the best and outlast their opponents.

The Bruins test their luck again, looking for their third straight win, Friday night as they take on the sliding Michigan Wolverines in the Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic.

Former UCLA Bruin Gerrit Cole ranks #9 in MLB Top-100

Former UCLA Bruins star Gerrit Cole is one of the top players in the MLB.

The Major League Baseball season is almost underway, with spring training starting this weekend.

In the leadup, the MLB ranked their top 100 active players, and one former Bruin cracked the top 10.

New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole came in at 9th on the list. The 2023 AL Cy Young winner and six-time All-Star played for the Bruins from 2009 to 2011. In his time as a Bruin, Cole pitched his way to second in career strikeouts (376), third in career games started (49), and 153 strikeouts in 2011, the third-most in a single season at UCLA.

One of the best pitchers to com out of the program, the honor of 9th best in 2024 is a reflection of the UCLA baseball program.

Drafted #1 overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cole has lived up to the lofty expectations. Recording the most strikeouts in a single season for two franchises, the Astros (326) and Yankees (257), Cole is one of the premier aces in all of baseball.

With the Yankees loading up for a potential World Series run, Cole can make soem more history for New York this season and make his alma mater proud.

Starters set for UCLA-TCU series

Here are the starters for UCLA baseball this weekend.

Two top-20 teams in college baseball are playing this weekend as the #20 UCLA Bruins take on the #5 TCU Horned Frogs in a three-game series. 

An early season clash between two rank opponents, the series could be an opportunity for the Bruins to rise in the standings and make potentially three statement wins. 

It seems as though the Bruins also are not messing around. Putting the top three in the rotation on the bump this weekend, UCLA wants to give TCU its best shot. 

On Saturday, RHP Finn McIlroy (1-0, 1.80 ERA), and on Sunday, RHP Michael Barnett (1-0, 0.00 ERA).

In a battle of the unbeaten on Friday night, something will have to give. But the matchup with TCU provides upside, win or lose.

 

In a loss, it can be a wake-up call for the Bruins. But in a win, it can be a validating motivator. Which one it will be will be determined on the diamond in Fort Worth.