Latest news with #AmericanLeagueRookieoftheYear
Montreal Gazette
7 days ago
- Sport
- Montreal Gazette
Montreal infielder Otto Lopez shows he belongs in Major League Baseball
Two Quebecers started the season in Major League Baseball. Otto Lopez is still there, but Édouard Julien has been sent down to Triple-A, while Abraham Toro has made a remarkable comeback. Where do Quebecers stand in high-level professional baseball? Here's a brief all-star break overview (all stats compiled from and through July 14) before the dog days of summer begin: Otto Lopez, Miami Marlins Lopez remains the top Quebecer in MLB. Despite a 10-day stint on the injured list, the Miami Marlins infielder has played in 80 (77 starts) of the team's 95 games. While his batting average is slightly lower than last year (.250 vs. .270), his on-base and slugging percentages are both higher at .320 and .392, respectively. Lopez, who was born in the Dominican Republic before moving to Montreal at age 12, has played more often at shortstop than at second base this season (47 times vs. 32). He is providing offence, with 11 home runs, 48 RBIs — already personal bests — and 41 runs scored, and is on pace to set career highs in hits and runs this season. He is also very reliable defensively, as evidenced by his .988 fielding percentage at shortstop and .986 at second base, both above the MLB average at those positions (.978 and .985, respectively). Abraham Toro, Boston Red Sox Toro had an excellent spring training camp with the Boston Red Sox. It didn't go unnoticed. His excellent start to the season in Triple-A Worcester forced the Red Sox to call him up in early May, when first-baseman Tristan Casas went down for the season with a torn knee ligament. The switch-hitting infielder and hitter has given the Red Sox no choice but to keep him with the big club since then. The Longueuil native is on track for his best season statistically and boasts a .271/.321/.418 slash line. In 52 games, including 44 as a starter at first and third base, he has racked up 48 hits, including 11 doubles and five home runs. He has driven in 20 runs and has 25 runs scored. With Alex Bregman at third base and Casas returning next year, Toro's future in Boston is uncertain. However, he is proving that he can help a team. Édouard Julien, Minnesota Twins Injuries to infield regulars gave Julien the opportunity to start the 2025 season in the majors. Unfortunately, the Quebec City native was unable to seize the opportunity. His stint with the Minnesota Twins lasted only 29 games this season, during which he failed to prove that he belonged among the 26 best players on his team. His .198/.288/.319 slash line was clearly insufficient. In 91 at-bats, he struck out as many times (29) as he reached base, with 18 hits and 11 walks. Julien, who finished seventh in the American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2023, regained some confidence at the Triple-A level after a very difficult start. While his average had dropped below .200 on June 3, he just had a good six-week stretch at the plate, posting averages of .266/.410/.447. Julien also has nine home runs, 28 RBIs and 28 runs scored. While these numbers may not be enough to bring him back to Minneapolis, they could offer him a new opportunity elsewhere in MLB. Miguel Cienfuegos, San Diego Padres The Laval native started the season in the San Diego Padres' farm system at the Double-A level, where he won both of his decisions and posted an excellent 1.13 ERA in six games. He was promoted to Triple-A in May. Used primarily as a reliever, the left-hander has had some difficult moments and is 0-2 with a 5.47 ERA. A closer look at his statistics reveals that four bad outings among his 13 appearances inflated his statistics. In particular, he gave up eight runs, including six earned, to the Albuquerque Isotopes in three innings of work in his second start on July 2. Cienfuegos, who played in independent baseball — notably with the Capitales de Québec in the Frontier League — before returning to affiliated baseball, is considered an old prospect at age 28. It remains to be seen if he can turn things around and earn a spot in San Diego. Charles Leblanc, free agent After playing in only 11 games with the Los Angeles Angels in 2024, Leblanc signed a minor-league contract with the Atlanta Braves. The Laval native had a good training camp, but was assigned to Triple-A, where he hit .291 with an on-base percentage of .394 in 22 games. But he only had two extra-base hits and his slugging percentage was just .316. Add to that only eight RBIs, and the Braves released him in early June. This story was originally published July 15, 2025 at 2:43 PM.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Yankees' Aaron Boone provides pivotal Luis Gil injury update
The post Yankees' Aaron Boone provides pivotal Luis Gil injury update appeared first on ClutchPoints. The New York Yankees finally received some good news amidst a stretch that has been anything but kind to their pitching staff. Advertisement Yankees manager Aaron Boone told Talkin' Yanks that starting pitcher Luis Gil is expected to begin a rehab assignment on Sunday. The skipper also confirmed he'll be built up as a starter. The news comes at an opportune time. Over the weekend, it was announced that New York starter Clarke Schmidt would have to undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery. The 29-year-old had been pitching well up until the injury. Through 14 starts he had earned a 3.32 ERA while holding opponents to a career-best .199 batting average. 'He's become a really good starting pitcher in this league,' Boone told 'It's a tough blow, but … again, every team has their share of these things that happen. Hopefully we get some guys back in the mix soon. It will create another opportunity for somebody else to step in and pick up the slack.' Gil will look to build on a fruitful 2024 that saw him become the American League Rookie of the Year. Across 29 starts, the Azua native went 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA. Advertisement He has not pitched since suffering a lat strain in February, but could provide instant relief to the pitching staff. The Yankees have been without ace Gerrit Cole for the entire season, but injuries to Gil and now Schmidt have complicated the back end of the rotation. Max Fried and Carlos Rodon have been a solid combination at the front end. But, Will Warren, Marcus Stroman, and others have seen mixed results. Gil's return could add needed stability to the rotation, and potentially grant the Yankees' bullpen more comfort. At his best, the 27-year-old can pitch into the sixth or seventh inning without losing much velocity. This may allow parts of the bullpen to receive more rest on days where one of the Yankees' top three starters goes to work. Advertisement It is not known how Gil will perform once he fully returns from injury, but his presence alone could shift certain dynamics in the Bronx. Related: Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. set for big 2nd base move Related: 2 Yankees' prospects who must be untouchable in trade talks
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mariners' Julio Rodriguez Breaks Silence After Unexpected Decision
Mariners' Julio Rodriguez Breaks Silence After Unexpected Decision originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Center fielder Julio Rodriguez is in his fourth major-league season after making his Seattle Mariners debut in 2022. Advertisement Rodriguez had an electric rookie season, taking home the American League Rookie of the Year award, finishing seventh in AL MVP voting, making his first All-Star Game and winning his first Silver Slugger. He played a massive role in ending the Mariners' 21-year playoff drought when they clinched a wild-card spot in late September 2022. Rodriguez followed that up with another excellent season in 2024, solidifying his status as one of the game's best outfielders by earning another Silver Slugger, his second All-Star appearance and finishing fourth in AL MVP voting. Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44)Steven Bisig-Imagn Images In 2025, Rodriguez earned his third All-Star selection—but on Friday, MLB announced that the 24-year-old would not participate in the event. Advertisement On a recent post on X, Rodriguez wrote, 'As much as I'd love to be out there, I want to take this time to take care of my body and fully prepare for the second half of the season. It's definitely tough to miss out on the All-Star experience, but I'll be cheering on all the guys and wishing them and their families an amazing week.' Through 92 games this year, Rodriguez has been productive but sits at the lowest offensive marks of his career with a .244 batting average and a .687 OPS. He's totaled 11 home runs, 15 stolen bases and 44 RBIs. The Mariners are currently one game back of the third wild-card spot in the American League, so Rodriguez getting extra time to work on being fully healthy and returning to peak form could be a wise decision. Advertisement This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
NBC Sports
09-07-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
MLB AL Rookie of the Year Prediction: Odds, expert picks, including Cam Smith, Jacob Wilson, Roman Anthony
The American League Rookie of the Year race looked all but locked up by the A's Jacob Wilson entering June, but after a monster month, Cam Smith of the Astros has entered the chat. Wilson is a -110 favorite at BetMGM whereas Smith is +105. Wilson's teammate, Nick Kurtz hangs around at +550 and the No. 1 prospect in the MLB right behind him. I have a 0.5 unit bet on Boston's Roman Anthony (No. 1 prospect) at +1200 odds and he still roams around that number, but his production doesn't rival Smith's. While a case could be made for Wilson as he ranks second in the MLB with a .335 batting average, or Anthony because he is raking .345 to start July after hitting .210 in June, or maybe even Kurtz who has 14 homers, including nine over the last month! However, this is becoming Smith's award to lose and he's setting himself apart from the field in more ways than just his hitting. American League Rookie of the Year: Cam Smith (+150) Cam Smith is a former No. 14 overall pick of the Cubs last year, but he was a part of the trade that sent Kyle Tucker from Houston to Chicago — so Smith is living up to his expectations as a part of that deal — as much as he can anyway. No player among the top eight in the AL Rookie of the Year race has increased their odds more than Smith -- who was 80-to-1 entering the season at BetMGM! That's because Smith has raised his batting average almost every month as seen below. .125 in March (8 AB) .224 in April (67 AB) .307 in May (75 AB) .303 in June (89 AB) .350 in July (40 AB) Entering the July 9th games, Smith is batting .343 over the last seven days and .348 in the past 30 days, so he's stayed hot and has 21 multi-hit games on the year. The potential impact of being a star player has been shown. He has seven home runs, a .287 batting average, 2.3 WAR, 38 runs scored, 80 hits, and 39 RBIs, which the latter two rank second among all rookies. However, he's made a significant splash on defense to the point where managers and experts are claiming he will be a gold glover. There are stats to back that up to. According to the Outs Above Average metric at Baseball Savant and the Fielding Bible's Defensive Runs Saved stat, Smith ranks second out of all right fielders to in Outs Above Average with four (ranks behind Fernando Tatis Jr.) and second, again, with 9 Defensive Runs Saved (trails only Adolis Garcia). Smith is a dynamic two-way player, and once Jacob Wilson's batting average drops below .300 in the second half of the season, Smith will overthrow him as the favorite — some markets even have the two tied or a 5 to 10-cent difference per dollar, so time is running out to get involved with Smith. I played Cam Smith at +150 to win AL ROY and would go down to -110 odds for 2 units. He is +100 or better everywhere as of July 9. I still like Roman Anthony as a 0.5 unit bet at +1000 or better as well. Pick: Cam Smith to win AL Rookie of the Year (2u) Vaughn Dalzell's MLB Futures Card 2 units: Aaron Judge to lead MLB in home runs (+130) 2 units: Cam Smith to win AL Rookie of the Year (+150) 2 units: Jacob Misiorowski to win NL Rookie of the Year (-110) 1 unit: Shohei Ohtani to win NL MVP (-110) 1 unit: Bobby Witt to win AL MVP (+450) 1 unit: Elly De La Cruz to win NL MVP (+2000) 1 unit: Garrett Crochet to win AL CY Young (+450) 1 unit: Paul Skenes to win NL CY Young (+300) 1 unit: Jacob Misiorowski to win NL Rookie of the Year (+100) 1 unit: Byron Buxton to win AL Comeback Player of the Year (+430) 1 unit: New York Yankees to win AL East (+115) 0.5 unit: Dodgers to win 117-plus games (+650) 0.5 unit: Paul Skenes to lead MLB in wins (+1400) 0.5 unit: Garrett Crochet to lead MLB in wins (+2200) 0.5 unit: Juan Soto to lead the MLB in homers (+2800) 0.5 unit: Yordan Alvarez to lead the MLB in homers (+2000) 0.5 unit: Roman Anthony to win. AL Rookie of the Year (+1200) 0.5 unit: Jacob Misiorowski to win NL Rookie of the Year (+1100) 0.25 unit: Aaron Judge to bat .400 by the All-Star break (+800) 0.25 unit: Aaron Judge to bat .400 for the season (+5500) 0.25 unit: Oneil Cruz to lead MLB in stolen bases (+15000) Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC. Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff: Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) Jay Croucher (@croucherJD) Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
NBC Sports
09-07-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Despite Juan Soto's snub for NL squad, the Mets insist 'he's an All-Star for us'
Trysta Krick and Vaughn Dalzell examine the betting favorites to win the American League Rookie of the Year award, discussing why Houston Astros' Cam Smith is a "clear bet" at +150 odds. BALTIMORE — The New York Mets consider Juan Soto to be a bona fide All-Star, despite the snub he received from those who selected the National League squad for the Midsummer Classic on July 15. Soto, in his first year with the Mets, has performed well enough to earn the respect of his manager and teammates. In their opinion, he's deserving of a place in the All-Star Game next week in Atlanta. 'He's an All-Star for us,' manager Carlos Mendoza said Tuesday night after the Mets beat Baltimore 7-6. 'It's frustrating, but I'm hoping in the next couple of days we hear something and he makes it.' Soto drove in the winning run with a sharp single on the first pitch of the 10th inning. That capped a night in which he went 3 for 5 to raise his batting average to .269 with 21 homers and 52 RBIs. Soto has walked 72 times, by far the most in the majors, but he can also lash out at a pitcher when necessary. 'He's got a pretty good understanding of what the pitchers are trying to do to him,' Mendoza said. 'There is his awareness of the game, he's going to see pitchers. There are times when he's going to be aggressive. Tonight was one of those nights. First pitch in the 10th, he's attacking.' Soto made the All-Star team as a member of the Nationals, Padres and Yankees each year since 2021. The streak appears to be over. But his teammates believe he deserves to go. 'What he done all year is just incredible, and the results are good enough,' Mets starting pitcher Clay Holmes said. 'The consistency he's showed up with, at the at-bats he's taken, is more than an All-Star. He's one of the best in the game and a big part of our lineup.' Soto seems rather philosophical about the snub. 'Sometimes you're gonna make it and sometimes you don't,' he told reporters after Sunday's loss to the Yankees. 'It's just part of baseball.'
