Baseball Connection

The Cleveland Guardians have the best record in baseball. They've done it with a hot offense that just keeps mashing. Steven Kwan almost has enough plate appearances to qualify for a league-leading batting average. The NL MVP race has two frontrunners at the moment: Shohei Ohtani and Bryce Harper. Ohtani isn't even pitching this year but remains an MVP frontrunner. Paul Skenes has met every expectation so far in his young career. Could we see him at the All-Start Game? Mets top prospect 3B Mark Vientos already had his second multi-HR game. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The top half of the Yankees lineup is on fire and Aaron Judge is in the midst of it. After a blistering month of May, Judge finds himself atop the MLB home run leaderboard and firmly in contention for AL MVP. The Phillies have baseball's best record. They've had had an easy schedule so far, but Philadelphia continues to capitalize. Ranger Suarez exited his start after taking a line drive to his pitching hand, but the Phillies believe he avoided the worst. Bryce Harper stays mashing. All this (and more) on today's episode.

Some hitters get hot along with the weather. The season is in full stride and 10 hitters who got off to cold starts are putting up big numbers. Aaron Judge looks like his MVP self, and Bryson Stott has quietly been one of the best hitters in baseball this month. The Yankees trio of Soto/Judge/Stanton has become their modern day Murderer's Row. All this (and more) on today's episode.

Top pitching prospect Paul Skenes made his highly anticipated MLB debut on Saturday for the Pirates. Pitching in front of the home crowd, Skenes showed his high-octane fastball right away. This was billed as the most anticipated pitching debut since Stephen Strasburg in 2010. The circumstances were similar, but Skenes isn't bringing a unique repertoire like Strasburg did back then. Jordan Westburg has quietly had an elite season for the Orioles. Westburg's walk-off single capped a 4-5 day at the plate. The Braves were one out away from completed a combined no-hitter. All this (and more) on today's episode

There's almost nothing on the baseball field Shohei Ohtani can't do. Ohtani is strictly a DH this year. He leads the league in several offensive categories, and he's stealing bases too. Walker Buehler returned to MLB action for the first time since Tommy John Surgery in 2022 (for the second time in his career). Colton Cowser & Mason Miller lead the Rookie of the Year race in the American League, while Shoto Imanaga leads it in the National League. All this (and more) on today's episode.

As the season's first full month nears completion, we take a peek at the standings for the first time. The Houston Astros find themselves at the bottom of the AL West. It's not time to panic yet. Tarik Skubal has been baseball's best pitcher since last September. The Tigers lefty tossed another gem and has fully earned "ace" status. The Guardians and Braves met over the weekend in a battle of baseball's top two teams. The Twins have won seven straight. All this (and more) on today's episode.

Elly De La Cruz has an elite blend of power and speed. Things get exciting when he puts them all together like he did on Monday night. De La Cruz hit a 450-foot blast off the batter's eye in center field, then followed it up with an inside-the-park home run. The Padres were down 0-8 until they charged back in the late innings. Fernando Tatis Jr's 2-run homer was the decisive blow. Shohei Ohtani has been on a tear in the last 5 games and Mike Trout's power stroke is locked in. Trout is tied for the MLB lead with 5 HRs. All this (and more) on today's episode.

Eury Perez & Shane Bieber are slated to undergo Tommy John Surgery. Both pitchers were facing a year full of promise, which all goes out the window. Spencer Strider exited his Friday start after showing decreased velocity and mentioning elbow pain. Are pitcher injuries up this year? Does the pitch clock have anything to do with it? Giants starter Jordan Hicks has made a smooth transition from the bullpen this year. Ryan McMahon blasted a walk-off grand slam. All this (and more) on today's episode.

Ronel Blanco is the author of this season's first no-hitter. The Astros' fifth starter looked like an ace on Monday night against the Blue Jays. Blanco has been a reliever for most of his career, but he's certainly earned his keep in the starting rotation for now. Mike Trout is hitting moonshots in Miami. Shota Imanaga was sharp in his MLB debut, carrying a no-hit bid into the sixth inning. The Pirates have won 5 straight games. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The season's first weekend is in the books. Juan Soto is still a menace at the plate. Soto's go-ahead single in the ninth against Astros closer Josh Hader helped book the Yankees' 4-game sweep in Houston. Will Benson and Christian Encarnacion-Strand hit back-to-back homers to win it for Cincinnati. The Pirates are 4-0 to start the year. All this (and more) on today's episode.

Corbin Burnes showed everyone why the Orioles cashed in their chips to trade for him. Burnes retired 18 of the 19 batters he faced on Opening Day, including 11 strikeouts. Juan Soto flashed both offense and defense by reaching base 3 times and throwing out the potential game-tying run at home plate. Tyler O'Neill homered for the 5th consecutive Opening Day - a feat no known player has done before. All this (and more) on today's episode.

Opening Day has arrived. The Dodgers and Padres got things started with the Korea Series last week, but everyone else joins the action today. Aces are on the mound and everyone is even in the standings. Let the games begin!

Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani's name has been found within a gambling investigation. At least $4.5 million was transferred from Ohtani's bank account to an illegal bookmaker. Ohtani's camp initially said the transactions were made by Ohtani himself to pay off his interpreter's gambling debt. Now Ohtani's camp say he was the victim of "massive theft". The Dodgers have fired Ohtani's interpreter. What's going on here? What are the implications? All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Padres acquired Dylan Cease, bringing and end to longstanding speculation surrounding the star pitcher. Cease has always been an innings-eater, but what will his run prevention look like in 2024? The Astros are in "win now" mode but will be without several key pitchers to start the season? Houston is reportedly in serious talks with Blake Snell, who remains a free agent with the season just 11 days away. Gerrit Cole and Devin Williams will each miss about 3 months with their respective injuries. All this (and more) on today's episode.

Blake Snell still doesn't have a team yet. Will Snell take a less-than-desired deal from the Yankees or will another team meet his asking price? Cody Bellinger re-signed with the Cubs on a 3-year, $80 million deal with opt outs. Brandon Crawford is a Giant no more, but will he even start on his new team? All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Giants need help on offense. They haven't had a hitter belt 30+ home runs since Barry Bonds in 2004. This is why they've signed Jorge Soler to a 3-year, $42 million deal. No ballpark is too big to contain Soler, who is an easy threat for 30+ home runs if he stays healthy. The Padres are making a swap in their middle infield alignment. Xander Bogaerts will play 2B and Ha-Seong Kim will play SS. Spring Training is underway. Which top prospects will break camp? All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Royals and Bobby Witt Jr. have agreed to an 11-year, $288.78 million extension. Kansas City locks in their budding young star - a move which can kickstart a genuine attempt to return to relevance. It's the largest contract in team history so the Royals will likely add more pieces to build around Witt Jr. Jose Altuve will be an Astro for life. Altuve was set to be a free agent after the upcoming season but the Astros signed him to a 5-year, $125 million extension. Even at age 34, Altuve is still one of the the game's best players. Clayton Kershaw is back in LA - not that anyone expected him to go anywhere. All this (and more) on today's episode.

Corbin Burnes is on the move. Burnes is heading to Baltimore to join the American League's new juggernaut. The Orioles will surround Burnes with young talent. Baltimore has boasted baseball's best farm system for a while now and those prospects are now turning into MLB stars. The Brewers received rookie infielder Joey Ortiz and LHP D.L. Hall in return. Justin Turner signed a one-year, $13 million deal with the Blue Jays. Why are the Red Sox so afraid to spend? Carlos Santana signed with the Twins and Alex Wood signed with the A's. All this (and much more) on today's episode.

The 2024 Hall of Fame class has been announced. Adrián Beltré, Joe Mauer, and Todd Helton will be this year's inductees. Beltré and Mauer were each first-ballot inductees and Helton was on the sixth ballot. Billy Wagner was just 4 votes shy of making it. He'll be on the ballot for the final time next year. The Dodgers have done a lot to address their starting pitching concerns this offseason. LA just added James Paxton to the back of their rotation. Rhys Hoskins agreed to a 2-year, $34 million deal with the Brewers. Josh Hader signed with the Astros on a 5-year, $95 million deal. All this (and more) on today's episode.

Teoscar Hernandez, Marcus Stroman, Shoto Imanaga, and Jordan Hicks all agreed to notable free agent deals within the past week. Hernandez brings a solid bat to LA while the remaining three are key starting pitchers. And yes, that includes Jordan Hicks. The Giants gave Hicks a 4-year, $44 million deal with the plan of converting him to a starter this year. Juan Soto agreed to the largest-ever arbitration deal. Soto can lock in big money with another strong season this year. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Mariners and Giants pulled off a big trade where Seattle sent Robbie Ray to San Francisco in exchange for Mitch Haniger and Anthony DeSclafani. Michael Brantley has called it a career. The Cleveland legend won a World Series with the Astros and was one of the best pure hitters of the past generation. The Cardinals and Rays pulled off an interesting trade. Sean Manaea signed with the Mets. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Red Sox signed Lucas Giolito to a two-year deal. They also traded Chris Sale to the Braves in exchange for infielder Vaughn Grissom. Boston will eat the bulk of Sale's 2024 salary. Grissom will step in right away as the Red Sox starting 2B after being buried in the depth chart in Atlanta. Does Chris Sale have anything left in the tank? Frankie Montas signed with the Reds and Zach Plesac signed with the Angels. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Blue Jays brought back Kevin Kiermaier on a 1-year deal and brought in Isiah Kiner-Falefa on a 2-year deal. Toronto is shoring up their defense and still have plenty of wiggle room this offseason. The reigning NL Cy Young winner is still on the market and the Angels and Giants are interested. News is coming out from the Dominican Republic surrounding an investigation into Rays SS Wander Franco. All this (and more) on today's episode.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto is off the market. The top Japanese RHP has agreed to a 12 year, $325 million offer from the Dodgers. Yamamoto declined other strong offers including a 10-year $300 deal from the Yankees. In just a few weeks, the Dodgers have assembled a superteam. Their rotation now includes Buehler, Glasnow, and Yamamoto. Their already-loaded lineup now features Ohtani. There is another top Japanese free agent arm remaining on the market. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The details of Shohei Ohtani's contract have been reported. Ohtani essentially agreed to a 10-year, $460 million deal after accounting for deferrals. The Royals must be tired of losing - they made several signings this week. Korean star outfielder Jung Hoo Lee signed with the Giants on a 6-year, $113 million contract. Who is he and what can we expect? All this (and much more) on today's episode.

Shohei Ohtani has agreed to join the Dodgers on a 10-year, $700 million deal. It's the largest guarantee in sports history. Many rumors flew speculating that Ohtani might join the Blue Jays but it was Dodgers that won his services at the end of the day. Ohtani will be a DH in 2024, so the Dodgers are still in dire need of pitching. The next big domino on the market is Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The Red Sox acquired 2x Gold Glove winner Tyler O'Neill from the Cardinals. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Yankees outfield overhaul is complete. The Yankees and Padres completed a blockbuster trade which is sending Juan Soto to New York. We discuss the full seven-player swap. Eduardo Rodriguez agreed to a 4-year, $80 million deal with the Diamondbacks. Jeimer Candelario agreed to a 3-year $45 million deal with the Reds. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Red Sox and Yankees don't trade often but they just swung a deal. Alex Verdugo is headed to the Yankees in exchange for 3 minor league pitchers. The Yankees have been clear about their intention to add left-handed hitting outfielders this offseason. Will a Juan Soto trade of Cody Bellinger signing be next for New York? The Braves acquired Jarred Kelenic in a trade with the Mariners. Kelenic is still very young and hasn't reached his potential yet. The Brewers signed top prospect Jackson Chourio to an 8-year, $82 million deal. All this (and more) on today's episode.

Sonny Gray has agreed to a 3-year, $75 million deal with the St. Louis Cardinals. Gray finished 2nd in the AL Cy Young race in a stellar campaign for the Twins. The Cardinals did what they said they would do: Add 3 pitchers, including an ace. The White Sox seem to be in rebuild mode. Dylan Cease is the latest White Sox name on the trade block. Brewers fans should get familiar with the name Jackson Chourio. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Cardinals haven't been shy about their goal to add pitching this offseason. They just signed a pair of 36-year old RHPs in Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson, and have room for at least one more. Will they make a run at one of the bigger names? The Mariners traded Eugenio Suarez to the D-Backs in exchange for Carlos Vargas and Seby Zavala. Is this the missing piece for Arizona? Japanese star RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto has officially hit the open market, and reportedly more than half of MLB is interested. Yamamoto is only 25 years old and is in line for a large payday. All this (and more) on today's episode.

Aaron Nola's stay on the free agent market didn't last long. Nola agreed to terms with the Phillies on a 7-year, $172 million deal. Nola remains with the only MLB team he's pitched for. Who will be the next domino to fall? The Guardians traded Cal Quantrill and the Braves traded Kyle Wright. The Mariners are reportedly opted out of the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes. All this (and more) on today's episode.

All major awards have been announced for the 2023 season. Gerrit Cole and Blake Snell are the AL & NL Cy Young award winners. Cole wins his first career Cy while Snell wins his second. Shohei Ohtani and Ronald Acuna Jr. were each unanimous MVP winners in their respective leagues. Ohtani won his 2nd MVP in 3 years. Acuna turned in historic power-speed numbers. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The future is bright for the Orioles and D-Backs. Each team is led by their league's 2023 Rookie of the Year winner. Offense was the calling card for each player in 2023. Both Carroll and Henderson are sparkplug atop their respective lineups and can drive the ball out of the yard. Service time manipulation has fallen by the wayside with baseball's new rules. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Phillies announced that Bryce Harper will be their everyday first baseman moving forward. This essentially marks the end of Rhys Hoskins' tenure in Philadelphia as he'll search for a new team during free agency. Yankees GM Brian Cashman told the media the Yankees largely struggled due to injuries. Is he wrong? Could we see Juan Soto in pinstripes next year? All this (and more) on today's episode.

The 2023 Gold Glove Award winners were announced. This year's group features 13 first-timers. Anthony Volpe and Brenton Doyle were the only rookies to win it in their respective leagues. With so many new faces, we're seeing a changing of the guard in baseball. The Cubs have hired Craig Counsell to be their next manager on the largest managerial contract (5 years, $40 million) in baseball history. The Guardians believe in Steven Vogt. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Texas Rangers have won the World Series. This is their first ever championship as a franchise - 52 years in the making. Corey Seager took home World Series MVP. We saw the Rangers overcome huge injury blows to their roster this year. Are they primed to run it back? All this (and more) on today's episode.

The beat goes on for the Texas Rangers as they secured their 10th straight road win this postseason. Marcus Semien hit a HR and a 3B while Corey Seager stayed hot with his 6th HR of the postseason. Texas takes a 3-1 series lead into Game 5 where they look to clinch their first ever World Series title. All this on today's episode.

The Diamondbacks tied the World Series at one game apiece behind a masterful outing from Merrill Kelly and strong days at the plate from Tommy Pham and Gabriel Moreno. Game 3 will be in Arizona as both teams look for an edge. Will Max Scherzer have any flashes of his former self? Will young RHP Brandon Pfaadt continue his postseason brilliance? All this on today's episode.

You'll have to contain Corey Seager and Adolis Garcia to beat the Rangers these days. The Diamondbacks failed to do that in Game 1 of the World Series. Seager hit a game-tying two-run homer in the ninth inning. Two innings later, Garcia belted a walk-off homer to right field - his 3rd hit of the night. Can the D-Backs stop this duo? All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Texas Rangers are headed to the World Series. The Rangers defeated the Astros 11-4 in Game 7 of the ALCS. They were led by a series-MVP performance from Adolis Garcia, who collected 2 homers and 5 RBIs as part of a 4-hit night. The D-Backs beat the Phillies and forced a Game 7. The Rangers await the winner of that matchup. All this on today's episode. 

There will be a Game 7 in the ALCS. The Rangers continued the streak of the road team winning every game in the series as Nathan Eovaldi delivered yet another strong outing. Jonah Heim, Mitch Garver, and Adolis Garcia each hit big home runs to aid the effort. The NLCS resumes in Philadelphia with the same matchup we saw in Game 3 - Aaron Nola vs. Merrill Kelly. What should we expect this time around? All this on today's episode.

We saw epic postseason baseball in each LCS game on Friday night. Jose Altuve hit a 3-run HR in the 9th inning to save the day for the Astros. The Rangers have struggled to contain Jose Altuve all year. Alek Thomas came off the bench and delivered a game-tying HR for the D-Backs in the bottom of the 8th, before Gabriel Moreno hit a go-ahead single, as the D-Backs won to tie the NLCS at 2-2. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Astros punched back in Game 3 of the ALCS. Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez led the way for Houston en-route to an 8-5 victory. Expect more offense from both sides in Game 4. For the first time since 2012, Nolan Arenado will not win the Gold Glove award for National League third basemen. What other surprises were unveiled with the list of finalists? All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Phillies routed the D-Backs 10-0 in Game 2 of the NLCS. Aaron Nola tossed 6 scoreless innings and Kyle Schwarber blasted 2 HRs to pace the home team. The Phillies will carry a 2-0 series lead to Arizona. The Rangers are turning to Max Scherzer in Game 3. Scherzer has been out with an injury for about a month. He'll face a tough task with a hungry Astros lineup. All this (and more) on today's episode.

Jordan Montgomery secured the victory for the Rangers in Game 1 of the ALCS in Houston. The Rangers had not played well at Minute Maid Park in recent years so winning the first game sets a nice tone for them. The NLCS is set to begin with what looks like a pitcher's duel... on paper. All this (and more) on today's episode.

For the second straight year, the Phillies defeated the Braves to clinch another appearance in the NLCS. Philly's bats got hot and they rode their home crowd energy, but the Braves looked flat all series long. With 3 out of 4 of this year's #1 seeds heading home early, many are wondering if MLB should change the playoff format so top seeds don't have such a long wait. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Rangers swept the Orioles to advance to the ALCS. Will they have a Lone Star Showdown with Houston, or will the Twins defy odds? The Dodgers are in an 0-2 hole that they'll have to hit their way out of. Rintaro Sasaki is holds Japan's record for most high school home runs (140 HRs). He's looking to skip the NPB Draft and attend a US University in 2025. Early reports mention Vanderbilt and California as interested programs. All this (and more) on today's episode

Mitch Garver's grand slam gave the Rangers an early 9-2 lead in Game 2 of the ALDS. The Orioles made it interesting later but ultimately fell short as the Rangers won 11-8. Pablo Lopez delivered a masterful performance on the mound against the Astros with 7 scorless innings. The Twins offense chased Astros starter Framber Valdez in the 5th inning. Minnesota tied the series and heads home for the next two games. The NLDS resumes on Monday. Are these must-wins for the Braves and Dodgers? All this on today's episode.

Clayton Kershaw just can't get it done on the big stage. The future Hall of Famer has been plagued by postseason struggles his entire career. Saturday night was his worst playoff start yet. The Phillies handed the Braves their first shutout loss at home since August 2021. Another year, another strong Astros ALDS performance. The Rangers took Game 1 of their series against the Orioles. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Division Series are here. Playoff baseball has returned to Baltimore for the first time since 2016. Can the O's fend of the Rangers? Correa & Lewis have formed a nice 1-2 punch for the Twins. They'll have their hands full in Houston against the defending champs. A Phillies-Braves rematch is here. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The 2023 regular season has come to a close. Miguel Cabrera got a nice farewell in front of the home crowd in Detroit. We take a look at all the major statistical leaders. The Astros ended up winning the AL West because that's all they know. All this (and more) on today's episode.