logo
Last Night in Baseball: Meet MLB's surprising home run leader

Last Night in Baseball: Meet MLB's surprising home run leader

Fox Sports18-04-2025

There is always baseball happening — almost too much baseball for one person to handle themselves.
That's why we're here to help, though, by sifting through the previous days' games, and figuring out what you missed, but shouldn't have. Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball: MLB's HR leader … the Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom?
It's not like the Athletics have never had big bats in the history of their franchise. The Bash Brothers helped bring the A's their most recent World Series title in 1989. (That was an entire Taylor Swift's lifetime ago!) Even more recently, Brent Rooker just put together back-to-back 30-home run seasons.
Still, the A's are not the first (or second, or even 27th) team you probably think of if you're talking about sluggers. And yet, it's their first baseman who is currently leading the majors in dingers.
On Thursday, Soderstrom blasted his ninth homer of the season to lead the A's to an 8-0 win and a series sweep over the hapless White Sox.
Though he's in the midst of a breakout year, it's understandable if you aren't all that familiar with the 23-year-old. Here are a few facts to get to know him a little more: He was the 26th-overall selection of the 2020 MLB Draft.
His nine homers rank as the second-most in franchise history through 19 games. He's tied with Reggie Jackson (1974) and Mark McGwire (1992), and trails Bob Cerv (1958) and Khris Davis (2019) by one.
He was raised on an almond farm in Turlock, California, where he grew up playing on a small "Field of Dreams"-type baseball field.
His dad, Steve, was also a first-round draft pick who pitched three games for the San Francisco Giants in 1996. Patrick Corbin's mysterious bug bite
Corbin made his first home start with the Texas Rangers on Wednesday. But as he revealed on Thursday, he almost didn't pitch due to a mysterious bug bite that left him with a swollen ankle.
"It was really bad in the morning," Corbin said. "I wasn't sure if I was going to throw."
"He had a bite. He could hardly walk when he came into the clubhouse," Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. "Some kind of venom got in there. Not sure if it was a spider or what. He was 50-50 on whether he would make the start or not."
The venom didn't hurt Corbin — or maybe it helped him in a Peter Parker kind of way. The 35-year-old earned his first win of the season after allowing just one run against the Los Angeles Angels.
Corbin, who is staying at Max Scherzer's home, just signed with the Rangers last month after spending the previous six seasons with the Nationals. They say everything is bigger in Texas. Apparently, that includes the bugs. Nolan Jones takes a baseball to the beans
Listen, if Nolan Jones can laugh about it, then so can we.
"He might have got him somewhere in the groin area." We can feel pretty confident in that assertion, yes. Justin Martinez brings the heat
Part of what makes baseball so gripping are the moment-to-moment decisions and plays. Here, you see Diamonbacks' reliever Justin Martinez with the bases loaded, in a 1-2 count just nine pitches into his outing, trying to clean up a mess and hold Arizona's slim 6-4 lead over the Marlins.
This is a situation where a pitcher has what basically boil down to two options. Throw something a hitter is going to chase or not go after at all, giving them the opportunity to mess up while you leverage the remaining balls the plate appearance has left before a walk. Or! You could throw the hitter off guard by going maximum velocity down the pipe, instead, in the hope they either won't be able to catch up to it enough to cause damage with it, or will simply blink, ending the at-bat.
Martinez got Connor Norby to blink on a 102-mph heater that, ever so briefly, looked like it might tail away from Norby and the strike zone. It did not do that. Threat and inning over, and the Diamondbacks would go on to complete the sweep. Reds fall apart late, courtesy Mariners' power
The Reds and Mariners played a wild one, with the Mariners extending their lead to 5-3 in the top of the eighth, only for the Reds to go ahead, 7-5, on a grand slam by Jake Fraley in the bottom of the inning.
Seattle would respond with a Cal Raleigh blast followed by another by Randy Arozarena, which tied it up and sent the game to extras. The Mariners would pile on in the 10th, with Arozarena's two-run double the dagger, and the Reds had no answers for that in the bottom of the frame. Seattle took the game 11-7, and the series as well.
Baseball can be a cruel roller coaster of a game, but that's so much of the appeal, isn't it?
Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience Major League Baseball
recommended
Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

New York Rangers' Chris Kreider traded to Anaheim Ducks for prospect
New York Rangers' Chris Kreider traded to Anaheim Ducks for prospect

New York Times

time33 minutes ago

  • New York Times

New York Rangers' Chris Kreider traded to Anaheim Ducks for prospect

The New York Rangers agreed to trade Chris Kreider to the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday for center prospect Carey Terrance after Kreider, who has a 15-team no-trade list, signed off on the deal, according to league sources. The deal, which is pending a trade call with the league, also includes a draft pick swap, with the Rangers getting a third-round pick and the Ducks getting a fourth-round pick. Kreider, New York's first-round pick from 2009, was the club's longest-tenured player. New York is not retaining any of Kreider's $6.5 million average annual value cap hit. Advertisement The Rangers and Ducks had the framework for the deal completed on Tuesday night, but Kreider's no-trade list included Anaheim, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun reported. Kreider agreed to the trade on Thursday. Kreider, 34, has two years left on his contract. With his contract off the books, the Rangers now have just under $15 million in cap space, according to PuckPedia. Rangers' president Chris Drury still has to sign or explore his options with multiple restricted free agents, including Will Cuylle, K'Andre Miller, Matt Rempe and Adam Edström. Miller's name came up as a potential trade candidate at the NHL Scouting Combine this month. Kreider debuted in the 2012 playoffs, then played 883 regular-season games with the Rangers over the next 13 seasons. He's coming off the most disappointing season of his career. In 68 games, he had only 22 goals — his lowest total since the shortened 2020-21 season — and eight assists. He dealt with back spasms, a midseason illness that resulted in vertigo and a hand injury that he said after the season might require surgery. Before 2024-25, he had at least 36 goals in each of the previous three seasons, including a 52-goal campaign in 2021-22. He also had a memorable hat trick in Game 6 of the 2024 second round against Carolina, lifting the Rangers to their second conference final in three years. Fans littered his lawn with hats after the game, which took place in Raleigh. The Kreider deal is the second major trade Drury has made with the Ducks in the past year involving a core player. He sent captain Jacob Trouba to Anaheim in December. Drury mentioned both Trouba and Kreider in a November memo to league general managers that indicated he was open to trades. Kreider finished his Rangers career in third place on the all-time goal list (326) and tied for first in power-play goals (116). He also played in 123 playoff games with the club and reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2014. He is the franchise leader in playoff goals. Advertisement At his best, Kreider is one of the best net-front presences in the league and a speedy skater who can play on both special teams. By acquiring him, the Ducks are making a bet that he can get back to his 2023-24 level after a difficult season both on and off the ice, after Drury's trade memo. He was an alternate captain, and younger Rangers players, including Matt Rempe, credited him with being a mentor. 'This is home for me,' Kreider said during an interview after the season. 'This is the organization that gave me an opportunity to live out my dream. I have so many incredible relationships, spent so much time in this area. Obviously, this is where I want to be.' The Ducks drafted Terrance, who was born in Akwesasne, N.Y., with the No. 59 pick in 2023. In January, The Athletic's Scott Wheeler ranked him 10th in the Ducks' prospect pool. He played for Erie in the OHL this season with 39 points in 45 games, and brings center depth to a Rangers prospect pool that needs it. The Ducks signed him to an entry-level deal in April. 'While I've seen signs of creativity and vision, the development of his playmaking into a more consistent element could be the difference between an AHL future and any chance of becoming a call-up option/fourth-liner who adds the desired speed to a line,' Wheeler wrote in January. The Ducks entered this offseason with bountiful cap space and a determination to end a seven-year postseason drought. PuckPedia had them with more than $38 million to spend, so the full freight of Kreider's contract puts a dent in that, but it won't impede their ability to go after this year's prize free agent, Mitch Marner, if the Toronto Maple Leafs star goes to market, as is widely expected. Anaheim has two premier restricted free agents to sign, in center Mason McTavish and goaltender Lukas Dostal, while Trevor Zegras, Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Jackson LaCombe, Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger are coming up as potential RFAs in 2027. Ducks GM Pat Verbeek could be faced with some decisions as to who he'll prioritize — and who he may consider parting with — as he shapes his core while shifting from rebuild to win-now mode. Advertisement With the hiring of Joel Quenneville as coach and owner Henry Samueli openly expressing that he's prepared to open the purse strings, Verbeek is looking to be aggressive. Commitments to McTavish and Dostal will eat away at that cap space, but securing them helps set the table for Quenneville. Kreider, who joins former Rangers teammates Trouba, Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano in Anaheim, gives the Ducks a dedicated and proven net-front performer, something they've long lacked. Kreider's 22 goals were his lowest total since the 56-game 2020-21 season, but that number would have tied McTavish for Anaheim's team lead last season. The Ducks' 217 goals ranked 30th in the NHL, ahead of only the Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks. (Photo of Chris Kreider: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)

Dodgers Former All-Star Could Be 'Out the Door' After Shohei Ohtani Update
Dodgers Former All-Star Could Be 'Out the Door' After Shohei Ohtani Update

Newsweek

timean hour ago

  • Newsweek

Dodgers Former All-Star Could Be 'Out the Door' After Shohei Ohtani Update

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The Los Angeles Dodgers spent a lot of money to shore up their biggest weakness from last season and, so far, it hasn't really helped. The Dodgers' pitching staff limped its way to a World Series championship amid high-profile injuries to the likes of Tyler Glasnow and Clayton Kershaw and proceeded to sign Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki and several veteran relievers to ensure they would stay healthier this year. Instead, they have more than a dozen pitchers on the injured list and are as desperate as ever for two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani to make it back to the mound. Luckily for LA, Ohtani is making some strong progress toward that return. In the latest update, manager Dave Roberts indicated there's now at least some chance he could take the bump before the All-Star break. But that return might mean the team has to move on from one of their other arms. And FanSided's Zach Pressnell believes that could be 2022 All-Star Tony Gonsolin. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 15: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on in the dugout in the first inning during a game against the Athletics at Dodger Stadium on May 15,... LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 15: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on in the dugout in the first inning during a game against the Athletics at Dodger Stadium on May 15, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by) More Sloter/Getty "With Ohtani returning, Gonsolin (who's currently on the injured list) could be on the hot seat," Pressnell wrote. "The Dodgers may try to shift him to the bullpen, but there's also a chance Los Angeles could use him in a trade if its pitching rotation can get healthy. Returning Ohtani is step one to getting fully healthy. It could also be step one to sending Gonsolin out the door this season." The Dodgers placed Gonsolin on the injured list earlier this month but have indicated he shouldn't need season-ending surgery. Still, it's hard to say what kind of trade return he might bring as he's struggled on the mound even when healthy this season. Gonsolin has a 5.00 ERA in seven starts so far. That performance has made him perhaps the least effective pitcher within the Dodgers' star-studded rotation and it could mean he is the first hurler sent packing if the team needs to make room on the roster. More MLB: Red Sox Rafael Devers Breaks Silence on Top Prospect Replacement

UNC baseball star mocked a late first-round pick in 2025 MLB Draft
UNC baseball star mocked a late first-round pick in 2025 MLB Draft

USA Today

timean hour ago

  • USA Today

UNC baseball star mocked a late first-round pick in 2025 MLB Draft

UNC baseball star mocked a late first-round pick in 2025 MLB Draft Will Luke Stevenson go pro or stay in Chapel Hill for a third season? If not for several late-inning blunders in their Chapel Hill Super Regional, the North Carolina Tar Heels would be part of this year's College World Series field. UNC dominated Arizona in Game 1, 18-2, then lost 10-8 in Game 2. North Carolina's offense was virtually non-existent in Sunday's Game 3 loss, a 4-3 collapse, with the home team's only runs coming from a Jackson Van De Brake 3-run bomb. The Diamond Heels' bullpen struggled in Games 1 and 2, while Van De Brake committed a costly Game 3 error that shifted momentum. North Carolina should return most of its roster in 2025, but it'll have a much younger team. One star player UNC will miss is catcher Luke Stevenson, who – despite struggling in the Chapel Hill Super Regional – proved himself worthy of an MLB Draft selection. In USA TODAY Sports' latest 2025 MLB Mock Draft – ahead of the College World Series – which starts on Friday, June 13 at 1 p.m. with an Arizona-Coastal Carolina matchup, Stevenson is mocked 26th overall to the Philadelphia Phillies. "(He) does not possess the current offensive profile that (Auburn catcher Ike) Irish offers, but Stevenson is a pure catcher, with an athletic 6-foot-1, 210-pound frame that hit 19 homers for the Tar Heels this season," Gabe Lacques wrote. Stevenson hit for a career .267 batting average during his 2-year career as a Diamond Heel, collecting 117 hits, while mashing 33 home runs and driving in 116 runners. Though you may hear more about his offense, Stevenson is quite the defensive catcher, too, committing just four errors through 125 games. Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store