AL East

Lauded for his charitable efforts in the Dominican Republic, Tampa Bay Rays star Nelson Cruz has won the 2021 Roberto Clemente Award. 

Major League Baseball bestowed the honor on Cruz on Wednesday:

Nelson Cruz is the 2021 Roberto Clemente Award winner!

Thanks to his charitable work in his native Dominican Republic, Cruz is the 50th winner of the prestigious honor. pic.twitter.com/8yRsLW9Ehr

— MLB (@MLB) October 27, 2021

"I never was doing what I was doing to be recognized or win awards, but it's always nice when people recognize the work that you put on to help others," Cruz said, via MLB.com's Do-Hyoung Park. "I know all 29 other players that were nominated really deserved to win it. I just thank God that I was the one."

MLB established the Roberto Clemente Award in 1971 to honor the player "who best represents the game of Baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field."

It was named after the Pittsburgh Pirates icon, who died in 1972 in a plane crash en route to Managua, Nicaragua. He was on that trip to deliver supplies after a massive earthquake caused extensive damage, killing at least 18,000 people and leaving 200,000 people homeless.

Cruz, who started the season with the Minnesota Twins before being traded to the Rays in July, also received the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award at the 2020 ESPYs.

The seven-time All-Star launched the Boomstick23 Foundation in 2016. The organization was established in the Dominican Republic's Las Matas de Santa Cruz municipality. Its mission is to support youth in the Dominican Republic and the United States with education and athletic resources.

Impending free-agent first baseman Anthony Rizzo is sure to have his fair share of suitors on the open market this offseason, but the three-time All-Star reportedly doesn't plan on going anywhere.

Newark Star-Ledger baseball columnist Bob Klapisch reported Monday that Rizzo is "quite eager" to sign a new contract to remain with the New York Yankees for the 2022 season.

The Yankees acquired Rizzo from the Chicago Cubs at this year's trade deadline. His lefty bat helped provide balance to the Yankees lineup, which is largely composed of right-handed batters.

In 49 regular-season games with New York, Rizzo had a .249 batting average and a .768 OPS. He hit eight home runs in pinstripes, bringing his 2021 total to 22. He blasted a solo homer in the Yankees' loss to the Boston Red Sox in the American League Wild Card Game.

Despite a fifth consecutive postseason appearance this year, the Yankees' 2021 season was largely a disappointment. New York was one of the streakiest teams in MLB, with winning streaks of 13, seven, six and five (two times), but also losing skids of seven, five and four (four times).

After being bounced in the AL Wild Card Game, the Yankees signed manager Aaron Boone to a new three-year contract. Since they didn't make a change at manager, they'll likely undergo a bit of an overhaul to improve on the field.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman already called the shortstop position an "area of need" this offseason, so New York figures to spend big to land a premier free agent. But the team has other holes to fill and would be wise to retain Rizzo, who was well-liked both by New York fans and the organization.

Klapisch said it's safe to assume the Yankees have a mutual interest in Rizzo returning to New York. A full season with the Yankees could lead to Rizzo returning to his All-Star level.     

New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole reportedly got into a heated confrontation with teammate Brett Gardner after the longtime Yankees outfielder attempted to make light of MLB's sticky substance ban for pitchers.

Bob Klapisch of NJ Advance Media reported Gardner attempted to make light of MLB's midseason ban by walking around the clubhouse with a heavily pine-tarred bat. Cole, who was suspected to be among several pitchers who relied on Spider Tack and other foreign aids, became incensed and confronted Gardner.

The situation eventually resulted in Cole apologizing to Gardner, who is seen as a clubhouse leader and is by far the senior-most member of the Yankees clubhouse.

The ban appeared to have an impact on Cole, who looked like a different pitcher after the ban. Cole posted an 8-3 record with a 2.31 ERA and .198 batting average against over his first 14 starts before going 8-5 with a 4.12 ERA and .246 batting average against across his final 16 appearances, which came after the ban.

While Cole was still an effective pitcher in the second half of the season, he was not the same player. Several pitchers criticized MLB for making an in-season change—especially since it was an open secret across the sport that pitchers were using foreign substances.

Cole's sensitivity likely stemmed from the fact he had to alter his game while playing under the pressure of a massive contract. 

Boston Red Sox slugger Kyle Schwarber is headed for free agency, but it seems that he doesn't plan on going anywhere.

After being acquired from the Washington Nationals at this year's trade deadline, Schwarber said he's content in Boston and wouldn't mind staying put this offseason.

"It'd be pretty stupid not to think about [returning]," Schwarber told Alex Speier of The Boston Globe. "My team here has been unbelievable. … If they feel like they would like to talk about [a new deal], I'd be all ears. I just think it would be stupid to 'X' someone off for no reason. Especially for a place like this, I'd be all ears."

Between Washington and Boston, Schwarber slashed .266/.374/.554 for the best numbers of his career. The seven-year veteran first baseman totaled 32 home runs this season.

Schwarber started out hot during the Red Sox's postseason run, hitting .281 with three home runs in the first eight games. But he went cold with an 0-for-12 stretch over Boston's final three losses to the Houston Astros in the American League Championship Series.

In his short time in Boston, Schwarber already became a fan favorite. He had a signature moment at Fenway with a solo home run early in the Red Sox's AL Wild Card win over their rival New York Yankees. Schwarber said he enjoyed playing in the atmosphere in Boston.

"It's been a great time. You can't ask for anything better," Schwarber said. "I just want to be myself. I like to have fun. I like to be loose and then obviously when it's time to cross lines, it's business time, but I still have fun doing it. I don't ever want to try to be something I'm not. I feel like maybe that's why people relate to me."

Schwarber played the 2021 season on a one-year, $10 million deal he signed with the Nationals. He's likely to decline an $11.5-million mutual option for 2022 to test the open market, but Schwarber made it clear that he wouldn't mind sticking around in Boston for the next few years.

"This is definitely a clubhouse that I could see myself wanting to stay in. These guys are amazing," he said. "This is a World Series clubhouse, and I would love to hopefully see if that opportunity comes back."     

Chris Sale certainly had one way to put it following his performance in Wednesday's Game 5 of the American League Championship Series.

"I was good for five and I sucked for one," the Boston Red Sox pitcher told reporters after the 9-1 loss to the Houston Astros. "I left my nuts out there, that's for sure."

It wasn't long ago that Sale was one of the best pitchers in the league and a surefire ace his team could rely on in the postseason.

He is a seven-time All-Star and finished in the top six of the American League Cy Young voting seven years in a row from 2012 through 2018. However, that is no longer the case after he missed the entire 2020 season and made just nine starts this year.

The southpaw allowed five earned runs in one inning in his first appearance of this postseason against the Tampa Bay Rays and was better while allowing one earned run in 2.2 innings in his first showing against the Astros.

He made it much deeper in Wednesday's game and allowed four runs and three hits while striking out seven in 5.1 innings. Still, just two of the runs were of the earned variety, as Kyle Schwarber's error in the sixth inning proved costly.

Michael Brantley reached base on the error, and Yordan Alvarez's two-run double just two batters later pushed Houston's lead from 1-0 to 3-0.

Things unraveled from there for the Red Sox after they turned to their bullpen, but they can at least take solace knowing that Sale was much better than he has been throughout the postseason.

He might not be able to pitch again unless they make the World Series, which will require two straight wins after falling behind 3-2 in the series.                       

The Boston Red Sox offense went silent in Wednesday's 9-1 loss to the Astros in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series.

After Houston starting pitcher Framber Valdez dominated through eight innings of work, Boston manager Alex Cora had nothing but respect for his performance.

"You tip your cap to him," Cora told reporters after the game, calling Valdez's sinker "unreal."

Valdez was perfect through four innings and carried a two-hit shutout into the seventh before allowing his lone earned run, a solo home run to Rafael Devers. He finished with five strikeouts in the victory.

Wednesday's game was the first time all series that an Astros starter lasted longer than three innings. Through the first four games, Houston's starting rotation had a collective 18.90 ERA, allowing 10 home runs and three grand slams.

With the win, the Astros took a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. Yordan Alvarez led the offense by going 3-for-5 with a solo home run, three RBI and two runs. Yuli Gurriel also went 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI.

Valdez had been engaged in a pitching duel with Red Sox starter Chris Sale until the Astros blew the game open with five runs in the sixth inning. It was the second straight game that Houston plated nine runs.

Cora praised Sale's performance after the game and said he wasn't to blame for the loss.

"We didn't get enough outs as a group," Cora said.

The loss marks the first time Boston has lost consecutive postseason games with Cora as its manager.

The Red Sox will hope to stave off elimination in Houston on Friday for Game 6 of the ALCS.     

Who says the only people who make spectacular plays during the American League Championship Series are the players?

One fan in particular at Fenway Park might have played the role of hero when a piece of Rafael Devers' shattered bat flew into the crowd near the first-base dugout. While a piece of bat with plenty of sharp edges flying through the air into the crowd can be a dangerous situation, the fan snagged it with one hand.

A piece of a shattered bat flew into the crowd at Fenway and a fan made an incredible catch. pic.twitter.com/dKPFqhdhZv

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 20, 2021

He also held it up in the air to receive a well-deserved round of applause.

The play happened when Devers was leading off the bottom of the second inning of Wednesday's Game 5 in the series between the Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros.

The series is tied at two games apiece and shifts back to Houston for Friday's Game 6.           

Boston Red Sox pitcher Nathan Eovaldi said he thought his 1-2 pitch to Houston Astros catcher Jason Castro should have been called a strike, which would have ended the top of the ninth inning with the score tied at two.

Instead, it was called a ball by home plate plate umpire Laz Diaz, and Castro went on to deliver an RBI single that sparked the Astros' seven-run ninth as part of a 9-2 win in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series on Tuesday night.

"I thought it was a strike, but again, I'm in the moment. I'm trying to make my pitches," Eovaldi said, per ESPN's Joon Lee. "I'm attacking the zone."

Before the go-ahead base hit, this was the 1-2 pitch to Castro. pic.twitter.com/3PVLW8FFnt

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 20, 2021

While Boston fans flocked to social media with pitch-tracking data that showed the pitch was a strike and the overhead replay confirmed the ball caught the plate, a curveball in that spot is notoriously difficult to call for an umpire.

Lee noted data from ESPN Stats & Information estimated the chance that curveball is called a strike, despite being one by the textbook definition, is just 23 percent.

The missed call capped a lackluster night behind the plate for Diaz, who erred on 23 ball-strike calls, a new single-game high for any umpire in the 2021 MLB playoffs, per Lee. The errors were evenly spread out, with 12 coming while the Red Sox were pitching and 11 with the Astros manning the mound, but none were more important than the one that kept Castro's at-bat alive.

Houston, which tied the game with a Jose Altuve home run in the eighth, had seven straight runners reach base starting with the Castro single in the ninth to pull away late in Game 4. The ALCS is now tied 2-2.

"Where that pitch started, I didn't think it was one I could pull the trigger on," Castro said. "It was a ball, then I was able to move on to the next pitch."

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said he didn't want to get thrown out of the game for arguing the call, but noted "we thought that pitch was a strike."

Alex Cora on Eovaldi's 1-2 pitch to Castro in the 9th: "A lot of people thought that was a strike."

Goes on to say: "If it's a strike, it changes the whole thing. But I think we had chances early on...we didn't do enough offensively." @ABC6 #RedSox #DirtyWater #Postseason pic.twitter.com/VIDMR6C7kX

— Nick Coit (@NCoitABC6) October 20, 2021

The ALCS resumes Wednesday with Game 5 at Fenway Park as the Red Sox send Chris Sale to the mound to face off with the Astros' Framber Valdez. It's a pitching rematch from Game 1, which saw Houston score a 5-4 win after both starters lasted just 2.2 innings.

First pitch is scheduled for 5:08 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1.

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora called on Game 2 starter Nathan Eovaldi to pitch the top of the ninth inning in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series on Tuesday night, with the score knotted at 2-2.

The result was not pretty. Eovaldi took the loss after giving up two hits, two walks and four runs, part of a seven-run outburst by the Houston Astros that resulted in a 9-2 victory. The series is now tied at two games apiece.

.@J_Castro15 gets the big hit! pic.twitter.com/4LuUqJaroB

— MLB (@MLB) October 20, 2021

Brantley breaks it open! pic.twitter.com/EMCJ890q3X

— MLB (@MLB) October 20, 2021

After the game, Cora explained his mindset in turning to the starting pitcher for the crucial inning.

"He was going to give us one inning and we felt that pocket was good for him," he told reporters.

While there will undoubtedly be questions about Cora's decision to turn to Eovaldi three days after he started and pitched 5.1 innings in Game 2, the bigger point of controversy following the game—especially in Boston—was home-plate umpire Laz Diaz appearing to miss a strike-three call in Jason Castro's at-bat that would have ended the inning, with the game still tied. 

That's game. This "ball" led to Nate Eovaldi being charged four runs and the #RedSox dropping Game 4. Should've been tied, going to the bottom of the ninth. pic.twitter.com/zjOIOX7oHd

— Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) October 20, 2021

Home-plate umpire Laz Diaz has missed 21 ball-strike calls tonight, according to @ESPNStatsInfo. That is the most of any umpire this postseason. The green dot in the upper RH corner is the Eovaldi curveball that would've ended top of the ninth with the score 2-2.

It is now 9-2. pic.twitter.com/VzdyL4lth3

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 20, 2021

Laz Diaz has had a wide zone all game, but somehow this was a ball. pic.twitter.com/5agFBDGe2f

— Zachary D. Rymer (@zachrymer) October 20, 2021

"I've got to take a look," Cora told reporters after the game about the controversial call. "... A lot of people thought it was a strike."

"I thought it was a strike," Eovaldi added.

Nathan Eovaldi on missed strike three call: "I thought it was a strike... felt like I made a good pitch on the outside corner" pic.twitter.com/dSg2U4eUS9

— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) October 20, 2021

Granted, it was Eovaldi who gave up a double to Carlos Correa to open the inning, and after intentionally walking Yuli Gurriel, it was Eovaldi who gave up the game-winning single to Castro and then walked Jose Altuve.

No, he didn't give up the three-run double to Michael Brantley. That distinction belonged to Martin Perez. But Eovaldi was responsible for all three runs. Bad call or not, he still struggled Tuesday night.

Cora and the Red Sox won't have much time to lick their wounds, with Game 5 at Fenway Park at 5:08 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

Aaron Boone heard the rumors all season. He knew fans were calling for his job and media members were questioning his decisions.

A 13-game winning streak and a trip to the AL Wild Card Game quieted the detractors for a little while, but when the New York Yankees were unceremoniously eliminated by the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, the volume was turned up on those rumors. 

The one thing that wasn't turned up was the heat on Boone's seat. Tuesday morning, the club announced a new three-year contract for Boone with a club option for a fourth season. 

"The reality is, I know the rumors and everything that were out there but they were only that," Boone said in a Zoom press conference. "I've never stopped being under contract with the Yankees. Myself, my agent and my family have treated it as such. It was about walking through the process and the negotiations of getting me back to extend this."

It was an unpopular decision for the fans, who wanted him gone months ago and expected him to be gone as soon as the final was recorded in Boston. The Yankees parted ways with key members of Boone's staff last week, declining to renew the contracts of hitting coach Marcus Thames, assistant hitting coach P.J. Pilittere and third base coach Phil Nevin, a close friend of Boone's. 

"That was a couple of tough days for me," Boone acknowledged. "I even talked to Phil about coming back. Those are tough conversations you have. But that is the difficulty of this business."

If that's the case, why would Boone want to work for a team that doesn't let him make his own staffing decisions? It's clear he wants to finish what he started in New York. He did not give the team an ultimatum with Nevin. 

"I did not have a this or that, Phil stays or I go," he said. "Or I wouldn't be here right now."

This was an unpopular decision, but it was not a bad decision by general manager Brian Cashman and managing partner Hal Steinbrenner. Boone has his flaws as a manager, but the blame for this season does not solely lie with him. 

"I thought Aaron Boone was part of the solution," Cashman said. "He wasn't a problem or the problem."

The roster was poorly constructed. You can blame the lineup construction on Boone, but he had no choice but to roll out a lineup heavy on right-handed hitters in one of the most lefty-friendly ballparks in baseball because those are the players Cashman put on the roster. 

Key young players regressed and the hitting struggles were magnified by a few particularly bad months (the Yankees finished 13th with a .729 OPS). The defense was especially bad. The Yankees were good, but not good enough. Cashman thinks improvements can be made and that they can be made quickly, but he thinks there are pieces in place that, with the right supporting cast, can contend for championships. 

Those problems are Cashman's problems. 

Cashman admitted to some of his mistakes, like playing Gleyber Torres at shortstop instead of second base, which is probably where he belongs, but he's blocked by DJ LeMahieu. And LeMahieu had an uncharacteristically bad season at the plate, but much of that can be attributed to the core injury he played through, which was recently repaired surgically.

The longtime Yankees GM also lamented the team's overall athleticism and lack of contact hitting. He said the acquisition of Anthony Rizzo at the trade deadline was an attempt to address some of these issues (defense, lack of left-handed hitting). 

A general manager has to stand behind his manager, but Cashman didn't sound defensive in his hourlong press conference. He sounded like someone who is trying to build a championship club but knows it doesn't have the right pieces to contend yet. 

This matched up with Steinbrenner's statement that was issued when the team made the announcement. 

"We have a person and manager in Aaron Boone who possesses the baseball acumen and widespread respect in our clubhouse to continue to guide us forward," Steinbrenner said. "As a team and as an organization, we must grow, evolve and improve. We need to get better. Period."

The word "grow" might not be one fans want to hear, but Cashman looked at it as a positive, especially when it comes to Boone. 

"He's growing already, already has grown and will continue to grow. That's one of the reasons we're attracted to him," Cashman said. "You don't want to be in a position of, this is what you get and that's all you're getting, the ceiling is the floor, essentially. Ultimately, he's grown into one of the better managers in the game."

Cashman also said that if Boone had become a free agent at the end of the World Series, which is when his previous contract would have expired, then he would have been the most coveted commodity on the market. He isn't wrong. The San Diego Padres likely would have been interested, and over in Queens the Mets likely would have inquired as well, which would not have been a good look for the Yankees. 

There is a major disconnect between the fans and the front office. Part of that is the perception that Boone and the front office rely too heavily on analytics and lack a feel for the game. While that might be true at times, this is a common fan complaint in just about every sport these days. Basketball players don't have a feel for shooting anymore; they shoot based on when and where the numbers tell them to shoot. Hockey players don't have enough grit and tenacity anymore.

The best teams use the numbers as a tool, which is how Cashman described Boone's approach to advanced stats, saying the analysts present "a buffet of information" for the manager to choose from. 

Fans are also upset at Hal's reluctance to spend like his dad did. The Yankees are not over the luxury tax. It's no longer expected that the best free agents on small-market teams will end up in the Bronx when they hit free agency. 

But this is a different economic climate than when George Steinbrenner was running the team with an iron fist and an open wallet. While the return of fans in the stands during the 2021 season might have provided some sort of financial windfall, it might not be enough to make up for the losses of 2020. 

The Yankees have to make some key decisions soon. It might be time to move on from Gary Sanchez. It might be time to get a shortstop in free agency, even though the club has two highly touted infielders coming up through the system (Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza). It's a loaded class, but money is, of course, the question. And it's definitely time to invest in more starting pitching. 

So this isn't all on Boone. There are areas of improvement for everyone, him included. His bullpen management was criticized late in the season and he'll need to find ways to get more out of struggling young players like Gary Sanchez, Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar. He's well-liked by his players, many of whom will still be around for the next few years.

Much of this is on Cashman and the front office to set up their manager for success. 

It doesn't have to be a popular move to be the right one.