Latest news with #ALWildCard
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
MLB Power Rankings: Yankees Fall, Mets and Dodgers Rise
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The final days of May and first week of June brought with it some heavy weight matchups. More news: Former All-Star Utility Man Announces Sudden Retirement From MLB The Los Angeles Dodgers took two of three from the New York Yankees and split a series with the New York Mets. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 05: Pete Alonso #20 celebrates a home run with Jeff McNeil #1 of the New York Mets against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second inning at Dodger Stadium on... LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 05: Pete Alonso #20 celebrates a home run with Jeff McNeil #1 of the New York Mets against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second inning at Dodger Stadium on June 05, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. MoreThe San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants split a four-game series, while the Milwaukee Brewers swept the Philadelphia Phillies. More news: Phillies' Bryce Harper Breaks Silence on Kyle Schwarber's Upcoming Free Agency The Detroit Tigers remain atop the rankings this week, but plenty of teams are right on their tail. Here's the 10th edition of Newsweek Sports' MLB Power Rankings. 1. Detroit Tigers (41-23) 2. Chicago Cubs (39-23) 3. New York Yankees (38-23) 4. New York Mets (39-24) 5. Los Angeles Dodgers (38-25) 6. Philadelphia Phillies (37-25) 7. San Diego Padres (35-26) 8. San Francisco Giants (35-28) 9. St. Louis Cardinals (34-28) 10. Minnesota Twins (34-28) 11. Houston Astros (34-28) 12. Milwaukee Brewers (34-29) 13. Seattle Mariners (32-29) 14. Cleveland Guardians (33-28) 15. Tampa Bay Rays (33-29) 16. Toronto Blue Jays (33-29) 17. Kansas City Royals (33-30) 18. Arizona Diamondbacks (31-31) 19. Cincinnati Reds (30-33) 20. Boston Red Sox (30-34) 21. Atlanta Braves (27-34) 22. Texas Rangers (29-34) 23. Washington Nationals (29-33) 24. Los Angles Angels (28-33) 25. Baltimore Orioles (25-36) 26. Miami Marlins (23-37) 27. Pittsburgh Pirates (23-40) 28. Chicago White Sox (20-43) 29. Athletics (24-40) 30. Colorado Rockies (12-50) Biggest Risers Milwaukee Brewers (+5) The Brewers went on an eight-game winning streak and have won nine of their last 10 games. They swept the Red Sox and Phillies before taking two of three from the Reds. They're one of baseball's hottest teams heading into the second week of June. Toronto Blue Jays (+3) The Blue Jays just aren't going away, having won eight of their last 10 games. They're suddenly tied with the Rays for the final AL Wild Card spot after sitting at or under .500 for most of May. Baltimore Orioles (+3) The AL East division is starting to look formidable again as the Orioles have now won six in a row with sweeps over the White Sox and Mariners. If the Orioles stay hot, their trade deadline plans could dramatically change. Biggest Fallers Seattle Mariners (-4) The Mariners have lost three of their last four series and are now 1.5 games back of the Astros in the AL West. On the bright side, Cal Raleigh is playing like an MVP, leading the entire league in home runs with 24 from the catcher spot. His OPS is an incredible 1.015; however, no one else on the team has an OPS above .800. Athletics (-4) The Athletics have been worse than the Rockies over the last month of play. They've won just two of their last 22 games — yes, it's been that bad.
Newsweek
6 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Alex Cora Explains Scary Aroldis Chapman Moment That Struck Fear Into Red Sox Fans
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. As the Red Sox limp through what was once envisioned as a promising season, all their fans have to look forward to now is the return they could get for some of their stronger pieces at the trade deadline. So when Aroldis Chapman drew a precautionary mound visit during Sunday's victory over the Atlanta Braves, more than a few Boston fans surely held their breath. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 13: Carlos Narváez #75 of the Boston Red Sox and Aroldis Chapman #44 of the Boston Red Sox celebrate winning the game against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on... CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 13: Carlos Narváez #75 of the Boston Red Sox and Aroldis Chapman #44 of the Boston Red Sox celebrate winning the game against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on April 13, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. MoreChapman is one of the few Red Sox players to have lived up to his billing, and an injury to the 37-year-old closer would all but decimate one of the few valuable assets on the roster. Manager Alex Cora was asked about the surprising visit by reporters, even though Chapman remained in the game. "I saw him move his shoulder, kind of like stretching it out," Cora told reporters, as transcribed by Gio Rivera. "So I noticed it and we went out there. I asked him and he's like, 'I didn't warm up well,' which is ironic. He's probably the hottest arm we have, but the stuff didn't tell us much." Chapman has so far delivered on the one-year, $10.75 million contract his signed last winter. He carries a 1.88 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 222 ERA+ in 26 appearances for Boston. Meanwhile, the Red Sox continue to fade despite Sunday's win. They entered Monday 3 1/2 games out in the American League East and 3 1/2 games out in the AL Wild Card standings. Among the names that already have been floated in trade rumors are Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu and even Rafael Devers. It was also reported over the offseason that president of baseball operations Craig Breslow explored deals involving Triston Casas and Masataka Yoshida, before injuries killed whatever market either might have had. A meaningful injury to Chapman therefore would be fatal to Boston's attempt to recoup a return from its offseason acquisition, so Red Sox fans should pray he avoids anything more than minor discomfort. More MLB: What Aaron Judge Hint Means for Yankees' 'Near Impossible' Pursuit of Ex-Mets Ace
Forbes
28-03-2025
- Business
- Forbes
As The Mariners Start 2025 Season, There Are More Questions Than Answers
The Seattle Mariners failed to sellout T-Mobile Park on Opening Day, highlighting an offseason ... More without any significant free agent signings. (Photo by Rod Mar/MLB Photos via Getty Images) The cliché goes that hope springs eternal for each team in Major League Baseball on Opening Day, but as the Seattle Mariners start the 2025 season, they'll be leaning heavily on 'hope.' As the visiting A's and hometown Mariners line up on the 3rd and 1st baselines for introductions, in nearly every way, the M's look the same as they did ending 2024. Yes, they released Mitch Haniger. Yes, they re-signed Jorge Polanco to a 1-year contract and moved him to 3rd. And, just before Opening Day, inked catcher Cal Raliegh to a 6-year/$105 million contract through the 2030 season, with a vesting player option for 2031. But, the club sat on the hands to try to bring in any additional help in free agency. With his selection to the Baseball Hall of Fame, just 122 days away, maybe it's unsurprising that the Mariners (again) leaned into the past to get fans fired up. After all, since 2001 they've made the playoffs just once – sliding in as the second AL Wild Card team in 2022. From a business perspective, the club remains flat. According to the recently released Forbes franchise valuations that reflect 2024, the Mariners joined three other clubs (St. Louis Cardinals, Colorado Rockies, and Tampa Bay Rays) to see their value remain flat over the valuations prior. Seattle ranks 13th out of 30 with a value of $2.2 billion. On the 2025 revenue side, the Mariners did ink the club's first jersey patch deal with Nintendo, who the club has had a long relationship with that sees Julio Rodriguez serving as the brand ambassador. According to the Sports Business Journal, it is worth seven figures annually. Whether this affects fan attendance remains an open question. At first pitch, parts of the upper deck and centerfield were still vacant, something unheard of in past seasons. By the end of the game, paid attendance was just 42,871, far below the 47,943 capacity. Maybe sensing that fans may need coaxing to get out to the games, the Mariners announced in early March that there would be 30 Mariners Value Games with tickets as low as $10, plus an expanded value menu and an updated value beer selection for all 81 home games at T-Mobile Park. If there's a clear strategy for the season, it's leaning into the Mariners' pitching depth while working to get offense to match. The Mariners led the league with 1,625 strikeouts on the season, and ranked 22nd by OPS but improved when the club brought in Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez in August last season. Still, after having a 10-game lead in the AL West in June to falling out of the playoffs just 10 weeks later in 2024, there will need to be some serious conversation about doing more to sustain leads and hold them as the pitching staff tires throughout the long season. As I said at the outset, the Mariners will look to hope in the form of help with the rest of the AL West. You never can count them out, but there are signs that the Houston Astros may finally see their window starting to close after an incredible run. The M's will also hope that the Texas Rangers have a 2025 similar to 2024 when they went 78-84, finishing 10.5 games out of first. The team to watch this season in the AL West will certainly be the A's. With the MLBPA breathing down their neck about the possibility of filing a grievance if the club didn't spend their revenue sharing properly, the club went out and signed RHP Luis Severino to a 3-year, $67 million deal, extended Brent Rooker with a 5-year, $60 million deal, and did a 1-year, $2.15 million deal for Gio Urshela. Many see the A's improving over the 2024 season where they went 69-93, with Jeff Zimmerman at Fangraphs predicting the team will at least play .500 ball this season. It's Game 1 of 162 for Seattle. One can hope. But, all things point (again) to 'maybe next year.' The Mariners front office and a clubhouse of good talent that's a piece or two away from greatness, would like nothing but to prove me wrong.
