Hall of Fame baseball writer Rick ‘The Commish’ Hummel dies at 77

Beloved baseball writer Rick Hummel, who captured timeless highlights and countless historic feats with precise, vivid words that will echo alongside those moments forever, died in his sleep early Saturday morning after a short, aggressive illness. He was 77.

Known as “The Commish” at ballparks throughout the country, Hummel covered baseball at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for five decades. In his Hall of Fame career, he dined with Bob Gibson, talked hitting with Stan Musial and helped Muhammad Ali workshop a commencement speech in a Las Vegas hotel room. Hummel was so well-sourced and well-respected that two actual commissioners of Major League Baseball called him by his nickname.

Who Are the Best Sibling Relievers in Baseball History?

The first family on the list is one most of you probably guessed. Todd Worrell was a three-time All-Star and Rookie of the Year. Younger brother Tim pitched 14 seasons in the majors himself, including a 38-save campaign with the Giants in 2003.

Alexis Díaz, with fewer than 80 major league innings to his name, is already one of the most valuable second reliever brothers ever. If he has any kind of longevity, he and Edwin should eventually challenge the Worrells for the top spot on the list. Unless they’re caught by the Rogers twins, both of whom are entrenched in the Giants bullpen and will also move up the list by the end of this season at the latest. (I keep having to remind myself that Marlins lefty Trevor Rogers is not a lost third ...

The Astros have begun their initial descent from baseball’s top echelon

Houston also seems to have made a philosophical shift by hiring Dana Brown as GM after choosing not to re-sign James Click. Brown comes from a more scouting-oriented background compared to the quantitative-centric hires who turned the so-called “Diasastros” into a dynamic organization.

The Astros of the last few seasons rarely missed when making player-acquisition decisions. But the new regime appears to have missed badly with free agent Jose Abreu, the major middle-of-the-order addition who hasn’t yet homered this season.

His power outage shouldn’t be completely shocking given his age, 36, and the park fit. Of the 228 hitters with at least 175 batted balls in play last year, Abreu ranked 203rd in elevating batted balls to his pull side ...

Trevor Bauer immediately gave up a home run after he was sent down to the Japan minor leagues

Former National League Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer was eligible to return to Major League Baseball after serving the longest domestic violence suspension in the league’s history. But a complete lack of interest among big-league clubs had Bauer looking elsewhere and eventually signing with the Yokohama BayStars in Japan’s NPB.

That stint in Japan has been rough for Bauer, and it managed to get even worse this week.

After posting an 8.40 ERA in three games, the BayStars sent Bauer down to its minor-league farm team in hopes of giving Bauer an “adjustment start.” Well, it didn’t get off to the start he wanted at all.

Rays have potential buyers, both local and for relocation, interested in franchise: Sources

At least one local businessman is trying to buy the franchise, according to sources briefed on the discussions who were granted anonymity so they could speak candidly. The team also is drawing interest from groups that would relocate the club to one of the cities that is a candidate for major-league expansion.

Building a $1.2 billion ballpark in St. Petersburg or Tampa remains the Rays’ primary focus, however. Owner Stuart Sternberg is in talks with potential investors and other sources of capital that would help fund the project, the sources said.

The potential local buyer is Dan Doyle Jr., chief executive officer of DEX Imaging, a Tampa-based company that professes to be “the nation’s largest independent provider of office ...

Blue Jays’ Alek Manoah forced to exit after manager makes mound visit blunder in Toronto’s third straight loss

On Saturday, Alek Manoah got into it with Baltimore Orioles infielder Adam Frazier, yelling at him and using some choice words to tell him to go back to the dugout following a sixth inning strikeout. Blue Jays manager John Schneider came out to speak to Manoah after the exchange with Frazier, presumably to help him get his focus back on the game.

There was one small problem though: Schneider did not realize it was the second mound visit of the inning. Pitching coach Pete Walker visited Manoah earlier in the frame. By rule, you must change pitchers following the second mound visit in an inning, so Manoah had to come out of the game. He’d thrown 85 pitches in 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball.

“I f——d up.” Schneider told MLB.com about the ...

The staggering numbers behind Acuña’s push for baseball history

Leading in steals and OPS

Rickey. Willie. They are two of the iconic names in baseball history. Perhaps Ronald could one day join them.

Here are the only two players to lead their league (AL or NL) in both stolen bases and OPS in the same season, since integration (1947), per the Elias Sports Bureau:

Rickey Henderson (A’s): Led 1990 AL with 65 SB, 1.016 OPS
Willie Mays (Giants): Led 1958 NL with 31 SB, 1.002 OPS
Willie Mays (Giants): Led 1957 NL with 38 SB, 1.034 OPS^
^Note: Some sources, such as Baseball Reference, show Mays losing the 1957 NL OPS title to the Cardinals’ Stan Musial, 1.034 to 1.033, due to an issue with Mays’ walk total. Elias, which is MLB’s official statistician, has Mays at 1.034 as well.

Two other players ...

Aaron Hicks designated for assignment to end disappointing Yankees tenure

The Yankees have finally decided to eat the money and cut Aaron Hicks.

The veteran outfielder was designated for assignment Saturday, he told The Post, as the Yankees opened a roster spot for Greg Allen.

Hicks still had three years and nearly $30 million left on his contract.

In 28 games this season, Hicks hit .188 with a .524 OPS.

Eric Hosmer DFA: Cubs designate veteran first baseman for assignment after offensive struggles all season

Hosmer is owed the balance of his $13 million salary this season plus another $26 million from 2024-25. The San Diego Padres are paying just about all of that, however. The Boston Red Sox, who acquired Hosmer at last summer’s trade deadline and released him over the winter, owe him the league minimum from 2023-25. The Cubs only owe Hosmer the league minimum in 2023.

Once Hosmer clears waivers and is released, any team could sign him for the prorated league minimum. He does offer leadership skills and championship pedigree (including a World Series ring with the Royals, a Silver Slugger and four Gold Gloves), though Hosmer has been an average at best hitter for five years now. He may not draw much interest until another team suffers an ...

Freeman joins 300-HR/1,000-RBI club, calls Dad

Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman had a special phone call to make after hitting his 300th career home run on Thursday night against the Cardinals.

“Call my dad tonight and we’ll talk about it, just enjoy it for the night,” Freeman said. “Tomorrow, worry about tomorrow’s game. But tonight was kind of cool.”...

With this milestone in tow, Freeman became the 144th player in NL/AL history with at least 300 home runs and 1,000 RBIs. He is one of just seven active players with that distinction, joining Miguel Cabrera, Nelson Cruz, Joey Votto, Evan Longoria, Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado (who achieved the feat on Wednesday with his 1,000th RBI).

MLB memo warns hitters not to circumvent pitch timer rules

Major league hitters are being reminded that any attempted circumvention of pitch timer rules to gain an advantage will result in a violation, according to a memo sent to MLB teams and obtained by ESPN on Wednesday.

The clarification comes in light of Boston Red Sox pitcher Kenley Jansen being assessed two violations in the span of four pitches Saturday after St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Willson Contreras got into a hitting position with one foot in and one foot out of the batter’s box.

Contreras raised his bat and engaged with Jansen with more than the required eight seconds remaining on the clock to be in the box. In seeing this, Jansen came to a set position, which led to the quick pitch violations.

From now on, when a ...

Rangers prospect Kumar Rocker to have Tommy John surgery

Texas Rangers pitching prospect Kumar Rocker, a top-10 pick in each of the past two MLB drafts, has a torn ligament in his right elbow and will need Tommy John surgery.

Rangers general manager Chris Young said Tuesday that Rocker had an MRI after his start last week at Single-A Hickory. The surgery probably will be later this week

Rocker was the third overall pick by the Rangers last summer, when the right-hander was drafted again a year after concerns over a physical led to the former Vanderbilt standout going unsigned by the New York Mets as the 10th overall pick.

“This was an acute injury; it was completely different than what we saw in our post-draft exams and MRI,” Young said. “This was an injury sustained pitching for us in his ...

Yankees starter Domingo Germán ejected over sticky stuff one night after Aaron Judge cheating accusations

New York Yankees right-hander Domingo Germán was ejected from Tuesday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays (NYY 6, TOR 3) after being checked for foreign substances, but denied that he had run afoul of MLB’s sticky stuff rules. Germán retired the first nine batters he faced, then was stopped when he came out to start the fourth inning. All four umpires were part of the inspection.

Crew chief James Hoye told reporters, including MLB.com, Germán’s hand was the “stickiest I’ve ever felt,” and added it was “definitely not rosin.”  Here is the inspection and the ejection:

Yankees pitcher Domingo German has been thrown out of the game after a substance check

(via @Sportsnet)pic.twitter.com/5B2mMZydg2

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 17, ...

A’s reach agreement to develop Las Vegas site for stadium

The Oakland Athletics have reached an agreement with Bally’s and Gaming & Leisure Properties to build a potential stadium on the Tropicana hotel site along the Las Vegas Strip.

Bally’s Corp. made the announcement Monday for a 30,000-seat stadium on the 35-acre site. The project is expected to cost about $1.5 billion, and the A’s are asking for nearly $400 million in public support from the Nevada Legislature, which could vote on a proposal this week.

The A’s previously previously signed an agreement to build a stadium also on Tropicana Avenue but on the other side of Interstate 15 that runs alongside the Strip. They were expected to ask the Legislature for $500 million in public funds for the 49-acre site that would have included much ...

Cardinals reverse Willson Contreras’ demotion from catcher after … 6 days

Willson Contreras must be the world’s fastest learner. Either that or the St. Louis Cardinals have lost the plot.

Per MLB.com, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol told reporters that the team has decided Contreras is ready to resume his normal catching duties, six days after demoting the prized free-agent acquisition due to the team’s struggles on the mound.

Contreras will get his next start behind the plate Monday against the Milwaukee Brewers, when he will catch starting pitcher Jack Flaherty. Marmol reportedly said Contreras has spent much of the past week working to get more in sync with the Cardinals’ game plan for attacking hitters and that Flaherty pushed for Contreras to be restored as catcher.

From MLB.com:

“We felt really good ...

How this one-time MVP found new life in Chicago

Six weeks into the season, the deal has paid off and then some. Bellinger is hitting .288/.360/.530, good for an OPS+ of 141 that makes him 41% above league average as a hitter. His April was so good that it was his best month in four years. Throw in the defense that’s been as advertised, and he rates as one of baseball’s dozen most valuable position players, at least so far as FanGraphs is concerned.

So he’s “back,” right? Well, no—not in the way you think. This version of Bellinger is a quality player, but one that in many ways hardly resembles the ascendant superstar who won the NL Rookie of the Year Award in 2017 and the NL MVP Award in 2019. As he nears his 28th birthday this summer, we’re seeing yet another of the ...

Zack Greinke Becomes Fifth MLB Pitcher to Strike Out 1,000 Different Players

Zack Greinke is competing in his 20th Major League Baseball season, which means he has the opportunity to reach some rare career milestones. On Saturday, the Royals right-hander became part of an exclusive club that even some of the best pitchers ever couldn’t join.

By striking out Brewers rookie outfielder Joey Weimer, Greinke became the fifth pitcher ever to strikeout 1,000 different players, joining Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux and Roger Clemens. After his most recent start, Greinke now has 2,914 total strikeouts, which ranks No. 20 in baseball history.

Aaron Judge: Was looking at ‘chirping’ Yankees, not for signal

Aaron Judge said he was trying to identify which of his teammates was yelling at plate umpire Clint Vondrak when he peered at his own dugout before hitting a 462-foot home run in the New York Yankees’ 7-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night.

The Yankees slugger looked sideways for a moment before driving a 114.9 mph scorcher off right-hander Jay Jackson.

“There was kind of a lot of chirping from our dugout, which I really didn’t like in the situation,” Judge said.

New York led 6-0 at the time, and three pitches earlier, Vondrak had ejected Yankees manager Aaron Boone for arguing a low strike call to Judge. Boone came out of the dugout to vent at Vondrak and crew chief James Hoye.

Toronto’s broadcasters noticed Judge peering ...

Angels place surging Anthony Rendon on IL with groin strain

The Los Angeles Angels placed third baseman Anthony Rendon on the injured list with a left groin strain and recalled infielder Livan Soto from Double-A Rocket City on Monday.
...
Rendon, 32, first felt discomfort after fielding a ground ball during Saturday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians and did not play Sunday. He had been much improved after a slow start, batting .368 since April 24 to improve his overall batting average to .301 with 20 RBIs, but he still has just one home run.

Twins’ Tyler Mahle to undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Twins pitcher Tyler Mahle will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery after an MRI showed issues with the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow.

He said the elbow reconstruction surgery will be done in the next two weeks. He plans to do rehab back home in Orange, California.

The 28-year-old Mahle, was pulled from his start on April 27 after showing diminished velocity. He expressed optimism after the game and said he didn’t expect to miss time, but he was later diagnosed with a posterior impingement and flexor pronator strain before more testing.

Rays’ Drew Rasmussen placed on injured list with flexor strain in elbow

Having already had two Tommy John elbow surgeries, Rasmussen, 27, knew enough to be concerned — “anything dealing with the forearm/elbow is is terrifying for me” — and had a Friday morning MRI.

The result was another staggering blow to the Rays’ pitching staff: a strain of the flexor muscles near the elbow that will sideline Rasmussen at least into August. He could be out for the full season-plus if surgery is needed, which he and the team are hopeful it isn’t.

Kenley Jansen becomes 7th pitcher in MLB history to record 400 saves

Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Kenley Jansen briefly raised his arms while walking off the mound Wednesday, just after striking out Atlanta Braves catcher Travis d’Arnaud to end the game. It didn’t look like much of a celebration, but Jansen had just done something only six other pitchers in MLB history did before him: record his 400th career save.

Jansen, 35 and on his third team in three years, was overjoyed by his accomplishment, calling it “a moment I won’t ever forget.” Following the game, he was gifted a bass guitar, and the team played him a celebratory video featuring many of his previous teammates from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Longtime AL ump Denkinger passes away at 86

Longtime American League umpire Don Denkinger, whose MLB career spanned 30 seasons from 1969-98, has passed away. He was 86.

Denkinger was selected to work four World Series in his career (1974, 1980, 1985, 1991) and notably was behind home plate for the iconic pitchers’ duel between future Hall of Famers Jack Morris and John Smoltz in Game 7 of the 1991 Fall Classic.

Denkinger was, unfortunately, most widely known for his infamous call in Game 6 of the 1985 World Series, when, in the ninth inning of a 1-0 game, with the Cardinals just three outs away from clinching what would have been their ninth championship, he incorrectly ruled the Royals’ Jorge Orta safe on a close play at first base. Kansas City would seal a comeback win on Dane ...

Orioles’ Cedric Mullins hits for the cycle against Pirates

Cedric Mullins hit for the cycle for the Baltimore Orioles against Pittsburgh on Friday night.

Mullins hit a single in the third inning, a triple in the fifth, a double in the seventh and a three-run homer in the eighth. He became the seventh Oriole to accomplish the feat since the team moved to Baltimore in 1954 and first since Austin Hays on June 22, 2022, against the Washington Nationals.

Atlantic Cape baseball coach resigns after illegal communications devices found in helmets

Atlantic Cape Community College baseball coach Rodney Velardi resigned after 13 years leading the program on May 4, almost two weeks after the Buccaneers were found to have illegal communication devices in two of their players’ batting helmets during an 11-4 loss to Rowan College Gloucester County on April 22….

That’s when Valli went to the umpire and asked him to check two Atlantic Cape helmets. There was one out in the bottom of the third inning.

“(He was) as surprised as I was,” Valli said of the umpire. “The reaction was I went out and said they have headsets in their helmets, and he seemed surprised. … He’s like how do you know? I explained our first baseman has been hearing this now and we just confirmed it the second ...

Marlins To Promote Eury Pérez

The Miami Marlins are calling up 20 year old top pitching prospect Eury Perez. This historical start will be Friday Night at loanDepot Park against the Cincinnati Reds per sources.

— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) May 10, 2023

Gary Sánchez, Mets agree to Minors deal

Catcher Gary Sánchez has agreed to a Minor League deal with the Mets, the team announced Tuesday. Sánchez will report to Triple-A Syracuse.

Terms of the agreement weren’t released, but according to a report from MLB Network insider Jon Heyman, Sánchez would earn $1.5 million if he makes the Majors and the deal includes $1.2 million in incentives.

The 30-year-old backstop opted out of his deal with the Giants last week when he was not promoted to the big league roster. In 16 games with Triple-A Sacramento, Sánchez batted .164 with no homers and eight RBIs, along with 19 strikeouts.

The long, strange history of the baseball cap

Though the New York Knickerbockers were baseball’s first “official” team, forming in 1845, it would take them four more years before the team began to wear baseball hats. Presumably, at some point the team figured out they’d catch more fly balls if they didn’t lose them in the sun. But rather than resembling what you see on the field today, the Knickerbockers wore “chip” or straw hats….

It wouldn’t take long for the teams and sporting goods companies to realize that there was probably something that fit better on a baseball field than a barbershop-quartet-ready chip straw hat. So, a few years later, the first lid that resembled today’s ballcaps was worn: Teams like the New York Mutuals and Brooklyn Excelsiors switched to a ...

Orlando Magic’s co-founder hopes to lure Tampa Bay Rays with $1.7 billion stadium

Orlando Magic co-founder Pat Williams is expected to unveil plans for a new 45,000-seat, domed baseball stadium Tuesday afternoon. It’s part of a plan, now four years in the making, to lure a Major League Baseball franchise to Central Florida.

Williams’ scouting group, the Orlando City Baseball Dreamers, shared one rendering of the proposed stadium with the Orlando Sentinel over the weekend ahead of today’s press conference.

The pitch to the Rays, or any other MLB team interested in relocating to the Sunshine State, is to build a brand-new stadium complex on a 35-acre plot in the heart of Orlando’s tourist district. The new stadium would be located on I-Drive, just across from SeaWorld. The development would also include retail ...

A’s revisit other Vegas stadium sites as legislative process lags

Three weeks after confirming they had a “binding agreement” on a 49-acre site west of the Strip for a $1.5 billion baseball stadium, the Oakland A’s have reached out to owners of Southern Nevada sites the team previously considered as a potential backup plan should the team fail to secure legislative support for a $500 million tax package, property representatives told The Nevada Independent.

Sources connected to the A’s and close to the negotiations said Monday that the A’s are still focused on acquiring the former Wild West Casino site bordered by Tropicana Avenue and Dean Martin Drive from Red Rock Resorts for an undisclosed price for the 35,000-seat retractable roof stadium and a surrounding entertainment district.

However, ...