Padres 'Optimistic' Fernando Tatis Jr. Will Return from Shoulder Injury Friday
Apr 15, 2021
San Diego Padres manger Jayce Tingler, right, and a trainer, center, help Fernando Tatis Jr., left, off the field after Tatis hurt his shoulder while swinging at a pitch in the third inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Monday, April 5, 2021, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)
San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. could return Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, manager Jayce Tingler told reporters Thursday.
Tatis can be activated off of the injured list Friday, ending a designation he received after he suffered a left shoulder subluxation—meaning the shoulder slipped from its position in the socket—on April 5.
Fernando Tatis Jr. went back to the clubhouse after hurting himself on this swing pic.twitter.com/iQh81fkwjU
"We're optimistic that he has a good chance to be ready to play tomorrow," Tingler said.
General manager A.J. Preller said an MRI showed a "slight labral tear" that was expected due to the subluxation injury, and Tatis had full range of motion.
The issue from April 5 was Tatis' third shoulder issue within 23 days, according to Alden Gonzalez of ESPN. The 22-year-old took live batting practice Thursday and had his "best day" at the plate since the injury, Tingler said.
He hit .301/.374/.582 with 39 home runs and 98 RBI through 143 games over his first two seasons in the league, and the Padres were convinced of his talents enough to sign him to a massive 14-year, $340 million extension this offseason.
Through five games this year, his numbers have dipped. Tatis is hitting .167/.286/.333 and has struck out seven times, hitting one home run so far.
The Padres have gone 6-3 in his absence.
Bettor Wins $208K After Placing $100K Wager on Dodgers Betting Line vs. Rockies
Apr 15, 2021
Los Angeles Dodgers' Zach McKinstry gestures towards his dugout as the rounds second after hitting a solo home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies Wednesday, April 14, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Zach McKinstry may not be a household name yet, but he's a hero to one high-rolling gambler.
A bettor placed a $100,000 bet on the Dodgers -1.5 live line against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday, nailing a payout of $208,000 when McKinstry hit an eighth-inning home run to give Los Angeles a 4-2 victory.
One customer just placed a $100K wager on the Dodgers -1.5 run line.
McKinstry wasn't just a hero for one bettor, either. Another at BetMGM placed a $127,500 wager on the -1.5 line before the game and took home a massive payout.
Someone bet $127.5k on Dodgers -1.5 tonight vs the Rockies 👀
For those unfamiliar, MLB is typically a moneyline sport. Favorites are given -1.5-run lines that offer a potentially higher payout but are losers if a team wins by one run.
The Dodgers held a 3-2 lead after the Rockies scored two runs in the fifth and carried that advantage to their last at-bats before McKinstry came through.
Giants' Johnny Cueto Exits vs. Reds After Suffering Lat Injury
Apr 14, 2021
San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Johnny Cueto, middle, walks toward the dugout next to manager Gabe Kapler, left, as he leaves the game during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in San Francisco, Wednesday, April 14, 2021. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
San Francisco Giants pitcher Johnny Cueto exited Wednesday's game against the Cincinnati Reds early with a tight lat, the team announced.
Johnny Cueto was taken out of the game after appearing to hurt himself on this pitch pic.twitter.com/tdtcqyLUss
Cueto gave up three hits, striking out four through 5.2 innings of scoreless ball for the Giants, who led 2-0 at the time of his injury.
The veteran has made two other appearances for the Giants this season, amassing a 2.51 ERA through 14.1 innings entering Wednesday.
Cueto ended his outing Wednesday on a high note, striking out Nick Castellanos on a 93 mph fastball, but he ran a finger across his throat to signal to his catcher, Curt Casali, and the dugout that he was finished.
The 35-year-old, who is in his sixth season with the Giants after eight years in Cincinnati and a brief stint with the Kansas City Royals, has been troubled by similar injuries in the past.
In 2013, the Reds placed him on the injured list on three separate occasions because of lat injuries, and he also had issues in 2011.
He had Tommy John surgery in 2018, an unceremonious ending to a season that saw him post a 0.35 ERA through his first four starts. He made four starts toward the end of 2019 but fully returned last season, with a 5.40 ERA through 12 starts.
This season, he has started to show signs of returning to his old form.
Per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Giants recently slotted Logan Webb—their top spring training starter—into the bullpen, but he may be able to take over as a starter if Cueto is out for a significant amount of time.
Padres' Joe Musgrove Throws 1st No-Hitter in Franchise History vs. Rangers
Apr 10, 2021
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - APRIL 09: Joe Musgrove #44 of the San Diego Padres throws against the Texas Rangers in the second inning at Globe Life Field on April 09, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Joe Musgrove authored the first no-hitter in the San Diego Padres' 53-season history on Friday after blanking the Texas Rangers 3-0 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Joe Musgrove does it! The kid from San Diego has thrown the first no-hitter in @Padres history!
Musgrove struck out 10 batters over his nine shutout frames. He threw 112 pitches and allowed just one base-runner after hitting outfielder Joey Gallo with a pitch in the bottom of the fourth inning.
As Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune noted, the Padres had no-hit their opponents through eight innings a total of 23 times before.
The 24th time was the charm in Arlington, and Musgrove finished the night by getting Isiah Kiner-Falefa to ground out to short.
Musgrove has now thrown 31 shutout innings dating back to last year, when he pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He's held opponents scoreless over his last four starts, including six shutout frames against the Arizona Diamondbacks last Saturday.
Musgrove's no-hitter was MLB's first since Chicago Cubs left-hander Alec Mills twirled one on Sept. 13 against the Milwaukee Brewers.
The catcher that day was Victor Caratini, and he was behind the plate for Musgrove's performance as well.
The fact that Musgrove broke the Padres' streak of 8,205 straight regular-season games without a no-no is special enough, but doing so for his hometown team makes it even better.
Danny Vietti of CBS Sports tweeted about Musgrove's San Diego County roots.
Joe Musgrove was born and raised in San Diego County (El Cajon). Grew up a Padres fan. Committed to SDSU before being drafted.
10 years later, he gets a chance to pitch for his hometown team.
And in just his 2nd start, he throws the first no-hitter in franchise history. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/A0GruxG20F
"It's awesome to have it be in a Padres uniform,'' Musgrove said afterward. "To have it be the first in the history of the franchise, that's incredible.''
Musgrove, who made those remarks to Padres field reporter Bob Scanlan postgame, also said he didn't feel good in warmups and slept poorly the night before.
— Local Sports San Diego (@BallySportsSD) April 10, 2021
That apparently didn't matter much, as Musgrove made history regardless.
His accomplishment is all the more impressive considering some of the Padres' great starters from past years:
Pitchers who pitched for the #Padres but never did what Joe Musgrove did:
Jake Peavy Gaylord Perry Greg Maddux David Wells Kevin Brown Randy Jones Eric Show Andy Benes James (Big Game) Shields Chris Young Juan Tyrone Eichelberger
Musgrove will now look to continue his torrid pace against his old team in the Pirates, who dealt the right-hander to his hometown as part of a three-team, seven-player trade with the New York Mets in January.
The six-year MLB veteran, who is currently scheduled to start Wednesday at Pittsburgh, has struck out 18 batters over 15 shutout innings over two appearances this year.
Dodgers Unveil 2020 World Series Rings Featuring 232 Diamonds, 53 Sapphires
Apr 9, 2021
Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 to win the baseball World Series in Game 6 Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Ahead of their home opener Friday, the Los Angeles Dodgers finally got a chance to celebrate their 2020 World Series title with a ring ceremony.
Pitcher Clayton Kershaw didn't hide his excitement when he got his ring:
It was a joyous celebration for the Dodgers, which won its first title since 1988 last season. The squad had come close several times in recent years losing in the World Series in both 2017 and 2018 with much of the same core.
Friday's ceremony is even more meaningful considering most of the 2020 season was played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the World Series played at a neutral Globe Life Field in Texas.
"[The ceremony] has been marked on the calendar for a while now," Kershaw told reporters Wednesday. "I'm excited for fans to be there...it's going to be very special for me."
About 11,000 fans were allowed in Dodgers Stadium for the ceremony and game against the Washington Nationals.
Dodgers' Justin Turner: Not Celebrating World Series with Team Was a 'Big Void'
Apr 9, 2021
FILE - Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, left, and third baseman Justin Turner pose for a group picture after the Dodgers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 in Game 6 to win the baseball World Series in Arlington, Texas, in this Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020, file photo. Justin Turner's extended flirtation with free agency ended where it began — with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Along the way, the third baseman had doubts about whether he would return to his hometown team and wondered if his mask-less appearance on the field to celebrate its World Series championship would hurt him. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner wasn't able to celebrate the final out of the 2020 World Series with his teammates after testing positive for COVID-19, a moment he referred to Friday as a "big void."
"As happy and excited as I was when Julio [Urias] got the last out, it felt like I was sitting there watching—for the third time in my career—a team getting to celebrate a World Series," Turner said, per Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.
The Dodgers had suffered World Series losses in 2017 and 2018 before finally coming through with a title in 2020.
Turner was taken out of the lineup in the middle of the decisive Game 6 against the Tampa Bay Rays after positive results returned from a COVID-19 test. He later returned to the field after the game for the celebration and was seen without a mask.
Turner said he watched the final two innings of the game from the doctor's office in the clubhouse alongside his wife, Kourtney, who was also removed from the family section of the stadium.
The 36-year-old re-signed with the team this offseason on a two-year, $34 million deal. On Friday, he and the rest of the Dodgers will receive their championship rings.
While Turner is looking forward to the upcoming ceremony, it won't make up for what was lost.
"This will be very special, something I enjoy, but I don’t think it will take the place of that moment of the last out and getting to celebrate on the field with my teammates," he said.
Dodgers' David Price Auctioning Off World Series Ring to Benefit Players Alliance
Apr 9, 2021
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 05: David Price #33 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the Oakland Athletics at RingCentral Coliseum on April 05, 2021 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher David Price will auction off his 2020 World Series ring.
Prior to Los Angeles' first home game of the 2021 season, it was announced at Dodger Stadium that Price will sell his ring from last year's championship to benefit The Players Alliance.
The Players Alliance launched in June 2020 and features more than 150 current and former Black professional baseball players. The organization's mission statement is, in part, "to create an inclusive culture within baseball and the community ... to elevate racial equality and provide greater opportunities for the Black community."
The group has donated more than $41 million to Black communities throughout the United States.
Price, who is a member of The Players Alliance, joined the Dodgers in February 2020 when the Boston Red Sox traded him to L.A. as part of the Mookie Betts deal. The five-time All-Star didn't play last season, opting out because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Dodgers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series last season to win their first championship since 1988.
Dodgers' Dave Roberts Hopes MLB Isn't Singling Trevor Bauer out over Baseballs
Apr 9, 2021
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 22: Trevor Bauer #27 hands the game ball over to to manager Dave Roberts #30 of the Los Angeles Dodgers after giving up five runs in the fifth inning against the Seattle Mariners during the MLB spring training game at Peoria Sports Complex on March 22, 2021 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave
Roberts said Friday umpires have been collecting baseballs from all
pitchers early in the 2021 season, so he's curious why Dodgers
starter Trevor Bauer is the only one who's been mentioned publicly.
"I hope that our player has not
been singled out," Roberts told reporters. "... That's the only
name I've heard floated."
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported
Thursday multiple baseballs from Bauer's most recent start, a 4-3
loss to the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday, were collected and MLB sources said they
had "visible markings and were sticky." They were sent to the league
office for further inspection.
Roberts said he didn't expect Bauer to
face any discipline stemming from the situation, and an MLB general
manager told Rosenthal it would be difficult to punish a player
without direct evidence.
"I don't believe unless you can catch
somebody in the act, doing it in the moment, and you get something on
their hand or on their person, that you can truly prove 100 percent
that they are doing it," the GM said. "We all know. But to
suspend somebody for 10 games, you've got to have real evidence."
Bauer responded to Thursday's report on
Twitter:
balls from every other pitcher being taken out of play in literally every other game this season are? Also lol to @MLB who already has “sources” talking to gossip bloggers about a supposedly confidential process a week into the season 😂😂😂 thumbs up y’all keep killin it! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
— Trevor Bauer (トレバー・バウアー) (@BauerOutage) April 9, 2021
In March, ESPN's Jesse Rogers reported
MLB sent a memo to all 30 clubs saying it was going to crack down on
the use of foreign substances on the baseball through a review of
balls taken out of play, an analysis of spin-rate data and increase
clubhouse surveillance.
Mike Hill, the league's executive vice
president of baseball operations, wrote players would be “subject
to discipline ... regardless of whether evidence of the violation has
been discovered during or following a game.''
One MLB team executive told Rosenthal
he wants the league to send a strong message to discourage the use of
substances on the ball.
"Count it as a PED, ban someone 20
games for it, we'll see how often people want to take chances then," the executive said. "It's outrageous—there is a 20 to 30 percent
improvement on breaking balls with it. Just can't be allowed."
Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles
Times reported the Players Association would “challenge any
discipline” not covered by MLB rules.
In February 2020, Bauer estimated in a
piece for The Players' Tribune around 70 percent of MLB pitchers use
some type of "technically illegal substance on the ball," which
he later described on HBO's Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel as a "bigger advantage than steroids ever were," per Jordan Heck of Sporting News.
Analysis by Ben Lindbergh of The Ringer
found Bauer's spin rate increased dramatically late in the 2019
season
Bauer proceeded to post a career-low
1.73 ERA with 100 strikeouts in 73 innings in 11 starts for the
Cincinnati Reds during the 2020 season to win the NL Cy Young Award.
He signed a three-year, $102 million contract with the Dodgers during
the offseason.
His next start is scheduled for
Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies.
Report: Dodgers' Trevor Bauer Subject of MLB Inspection for Suspicious Baseballs
Apr 9, 2021
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 07: Trevor Bauer #27 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the Oakland Athletics in the second inning at RingCentral Coliseum on April 07, 2021 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer is under investigation by MLB as a result of suspicious substances found on baseballs from his last start, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Umpires in Bauer's last start collected multiple balls he threw during the game and sent them to the league office for further inspection. The balls reportedly had "visible markings and were sticky."
Lol always fun reading desperate and misleading clickbait headlines from national gossip bloggers. To translate fake journalist speak for y’all, “It’s unclear whether” = “I can’t be bothered to look into this cuz it doesn’t fit my narrative.” wonder where the articles about balls from every other pitcher being taken out of play in literally every other game this season are? Also lol to MLB who already has “sources” talking to gossip bloggers about a supposedly confidential process a week into the season thumbs up y’all keep killin it!
The 30-year-old struck out 10 batters against the Oakland Athletics, allowing two runs and three hits in 6.2 innings.
This action by MLB comes after the league sent a memo saying it would step up monitoring and enforcement against pitchers using foreign substances on baseballs.
The March 23 memo indicated MLB will use Statcast data to analyze change in spin rate from pitchers. Bauer criticized this approach at the time, saying pitchers won't selectively use foreign substances:
According to Rosenthal, Bauer's spin rate was not in question, but instead the balls were brought to the attention of the umpire.
Bauer signed a three-year, $102 million deal in the offseason and is set to make $38 million this season as the second-highest paid player in baseball, per Spotrac.
The former Cleveland and Cincinnati Reds pitcher won the NL Cy Young award last season when he led the league with a 1.73 ERA and a 0.795 WHIP. His 12.3 strikeouts per nine innings were a career high, while his ERA was significantly lower than his career mark of 4.04 through his first eight seasons in the majors.
Bauer could face discipline if MLB determines he used an illegal substance, but the players' association could also challenge a ruling. It could also be difficult for the league to prove Bauer was responsible for applying said substance.
Mookie Betts Out for Dodgers vs. A's with Back Injury Described as Stiffness
Apr 7, 2021
Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts runs up the first base line after popping out against Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Mychal Givens in the ninth inning of a baseball game Sunday, April 4, 2021, in Denver. The Dodgers won 4-2. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
In his eighth MLB season, Betts has gotten off to a strong start in his second campaign with the Dodgers. He's hitting .348/.464/.565 with one home run through his first five appearances. The 28-year-old has gotten a hit in every game thus far in 2021, registering three multihit performances.
Betts' strong performance early on has helped the reigning champs get off to a 5-1 start this year, which has them a game ahead of the San Diego Padres in the National League West.
It's not clear if Betts' back injury will linger, but at this point in the season, the Dodgers are taking the cautious approach with the star. With an off day on Thursday, it appears as though Betts will have at least two days off as he deals with a back issue.
