
MLB should ban early-game intentional walks
On the May 29th, 2025 edition of the Morning Take, Brandon London reacts to Angels skipper Ron Washington's decision to intentionally walk Aaron Judge in each of the first two innings of Los Angeles' series finale against the Yankees on Wednesday night.

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Aaron Judge praised by Hall of Famer as model for future hitters
Aaron Judge praised by Hall of Famer as model for future hitters originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Aaron Judge just snagged his second American League Player of the Month award this season, and Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez says it's no surprise. Judge, he noted, stands alone among hitters in how seamlessly he's blended old-school hitting instincts with the new wave of analytics-driven baseball. Advertisement 'Judge is the only guy who's been able to make the transition between pitching and analytics,' Martinez said on 'He's evolving with the way baseball is going, and he'll have a feast with a lot of immature pitchers making mistakes around the strike zone.' New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge stands in the Edmondson-Imagn Images The Yankees slugger has been a force this year, combining raw power with an uncanny ability to adapt. His latest Player of the Month honor, earned after a torrid stretch at the plate, underscores how he's refined his approach in an era where pitchers throw harder, spin rates climb, and defensive shifts adjust by the millimeter. Judge's evolution isn't just about brute strength. He's dominating the chess match between the hitter and the pitcher. Advertisement He reads pitchers' tendencies, capitalizes on mistakes, and leverages data to find the most hittable pitches. This savvy is critical when facing younger, less experienced pitchers who struggle with command and leave balls over the plate. Martinez's praise highlights a key aspect of Judge's game that is underappreciated. He has the rare combination of physical talent and mental agility. While many hitters struggle to keep up with the sport's technological changes, Judge thrives in that environment. If Martinez's prediction holds true, Judge is set to feast on mistakes and maintain his dominance as pitchers try—and most often fail—to find the strike zone against him. And Judge will most likely join Martinez in Cooperstown when he's down dominating the game. Advertisement Related: What Aaron Judge's Personal Story Reveals About His Focus and Fame Related: Yankees Fans Brace for 'Nightmare Fuel' After Latest Injury News This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tempers flare between Red Sox, Angels before Wednesday's game
Tempers flare between Red Sox, Angels before Wednesday's game originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston There were fireworks before Wednesday's Boston Red Sox-Los Angeles Angels matchup at Fenway Park, with multiple coaches and players on both sides involved in a heated exchange. Advertisement The dust-up started with Angels pitcher Tyler Anderson and Red Sox first base coach Jose Flores jawing at one another. As Anderson walked away, Angels pitching coach Barry Enright approached Flores to continue the altercation. You can watch the video of the exchange here. Another angle of the incident captured multiple Red Sox and Angels players stepping into the fray. According to multiple reports, Anderson took issue with Flores stealing signals during the left-hander's start against Boston on Monday. Anderson allowed five runs on seven hits and two walks, but the Angels still pulled off a 7-6 win in the series opener. Advertisement Perhaps the pregame fracas will give the Red Sox the emotional spark they desperately need. They entered Wednesday's game with a 29-34 record — 10 games back in the American League East — after dropping Tuesday's matchup 4-3 in extra innings. They've posted a 12-19 record since May 1. Boston will look to avoid getting swept on Wednesday. From there, it will hit the road for a tough three-game series against the first-place New York Yankees.


USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Benches cleared before Angels-Red Sox after heated argument during batting practice
Benches cleared before Angels-Red Sox after heated argument during batting practice Over the course of an MLB season, it's not uncommon to see several bench-clearing incidents. Those just almost always take place during the games. On Wednesday, we got to find out what a pregame bench-clearing incident looked like. And fittingly, it featured an iced matcha latte. As the Angels and Red Sox were warming up during batting practice at Fenway Park, NESN cameras caught a heated argument between Angels pitcher Tyler Anderson and Red Sox first base coach Jose Flores. The two exchanged words for a few seconds and tossed some F-bombs back and forth. When the altercation seemed to be winding down, Angels pitching coach Barry Enright joined in to stand up for his guy and got back into Flores' face. Players from both teams convened to separate the two. It didn't come anywhere close to a brawl as players really just joined in out of curiosity. Like, what possibly could have happened before a game to set Anderson off like that? One reporter speculated that it had to do with possible sign stealing from Monday night, but Anderson does typically use PitchCom. The best part, though, was when Red Sox manager Alex Cora talked through the situation with Anderson while sipping on a matcha. Absolute scenes.