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USA Today
11 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Two teams, one day: Seranthony Dominguez's 'crazy' trade that sends him from Orioles to Blue Jays
BALTIMORE — It was late in the evening and Seranthony Dominguez was standing in the same dank hallway he'd strolled down hours before, when the rarest of baseball oddities — a trade consummated by two teams between games of their doubleheader — transformed him from a last-place Baltimore Oriole to a frontrunning Toronto Blue Jay. As Dominguez made that long walk in the Camden Yards catacombs earlier, the Orioles dealing him for a decently regarded Class AA pitching prospect, the usual doubts entered his mind. How many guys did he know in that Blue Jays clubhouse? How will they utilize the set-up reliever with the 98 mph fastball and a splitter that's made him dominant this season? Hours later, though, that stroll through the hall was far more pleasant. Dominguez already had his first scoreless inning as a Blue Jay under his belt — and his two young sons, Saimon and Sander, sprinted toward him and leaped into his arms. Yep, getting traded but not having to pack your bags has its fringe benefits. Dominguez endured one of the longest and strangest days a ballplayer can have, but when it comes to the trading deadline, there are far worse fates than leaping four spots in the standings and sleeping in your own bed the night you're dealt. Hey, he can worry about apartments in Toronto another day. For now, he has one more night to sleep in his bed, one game left in this Blue Jays-Orioles four-game set — the latter two coming as Toronto's badly needed and much-coveted set-up man. 'It's been kind of crazy,' says Dominguez after pitching a scoreless seventh inning in his Toronto debut, a 3-2 loss to his old Baltimore teammates. 'I wake up today and come to play for the Orioles and after the first game, I'm sitting there and hanging out with the guys and they call me and tell me, 'Hey, we got you traded. Go to the next dugout.' 'But I am happy for the opportunity to be here. And I'm so happy because the Orioles gave me the opportunity. So grateful to the Orioles — they gave me the opportunity to get to do what I love to do.' It was a quick turnaround and a long, hot strange day for all involved. The clubs played a day-night doubleheader that offered little relief from the elements — game time temperatures, 97 and 93 degrees — nor from the unyielding fact both clubs were going to be significant players in big deals before the July 31 trade deadline. And in exactly one hour, the clubs managed to swap Dominguez for Class AA right-hander Juaron Watts-Brown, Blue Jays manager John Schneider learning from GM Ross Atkins that he'd have a new reliever about 90 minutes before first pitch of the second game. The flip side: The Blue Jays designated right-hander Chad Green for assignment, his three years as a Blue Jay ending with a one-inning, four-run outing in the opener that left him with a 5.56 ERA. But the Blue Jays are leading the American League East by four games over the New York Yankees. And purely in next-man-up mode. 'That's a crazy day for him. That's a whirlwind day,' Schneider said of Dominguez, who struck out 54 batters in 41 2/3 innings this season for Baltimore. 'He probably got in a little more than an hour before the game. He said 'hi' real quick. And he was ready to go. 'First domino fell. Had to have a tough conversation with Chad Green. He's the definition of a professional. He's tight with a lot of guys in the clubhouse. On the flip side, everyone understands the business part of the game.' While it's not hard to sell a veteran clubhouse on upgrades at the deadline, Schneider nonetheless made sure to touch base with many of them, with Green, 34, moving on. 'It's just an awkward situation between two games of a doubleheader, right? You want to make sure it lands well with the room,' says Schneider. 'We pride ourselves on having a tight-knit group. You want to make sure the temperature in the room was in the right spot, and it was. 'They all get it. and Chad was about as professional as you could be in that conversation.' And Dominguez hardly had time to drop his bags and move his personal coffee roaster from one clubhouse to another before he was in the ballgame. But not without a little hazing. With the visitor's bullpen at Camden Yards perched just above the home 'pen, Dominguez had to jog by his old relief pals to get to his new perch. And Andrew Kittredge did not let him slip by unnoticed. 'He was yelling at me a little bit — 'What are you doing? Where are you going?'' Dominguez said of Kittredge. 'It made me laugh but made me sad at the same time, too, because you have relationships with the people you're around and they're really good people and I wish them the best.' That ribbing aside, Dominguez grazed Dylan Carlson with a pitch but then picked him off of second, completing a scoreless inning that included a strikeout of Colton Cowser. Later, he expressed the disappointment felt by numerous Orioles about their collective failings this season. Their 50-58 record — even after three wins over the 63-46 Blue Jays — stamped all their tickets out of town. At least Dominguez will get a moment to rest, to collect both his thoughts and his belongings, a strange upside to a most unusual day. 'I knew I was probably going to be traded. I don't know where,' he says. 'But I just try to come to the park and do my best to help the Orioles win. 'Now, I'm going to do the same with the Blue Jays.'
Hamilton Spectator
6 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Throwback Thursday: The Blue Jays and Tigers open a series with first place in the American League on the line
Turn the clock back almost 40 years: The Blue Jays are heading to Detroit with the best record in the American League on the line. The Jays and Tigers were fierce rivals in the 1980s and early 90s before Detroit moved to the AL Central in 1994 and, though they now play in different divisions, both teams are among the league's elite again. The Jays' 8-4 win over the New York Yankees at Rogers Centre Wednesday night moved them to 60-42, tied with the Houston Astros for the best record in the American League, half a game ahead of Detroit. The schedule-makers may have been kind to the Jays, with the Tigers in their biggest tailspin of the season right now. Former Blue Jay Spencer Horwitz belted a grand slam to help Pittsburgh to a 6-1 home win over Detroit on Wednesday, securing a series sweep for the last-place Pirates and handing the Tigers their ninth loss in 10 games. 'That's a real thing,' Jays manager John Schneider said of the Tigers' slump before Wednesday's series finale with the Yankees. 'But it can change in a day. I know that they have been what they have been, but it could change when they get home. You never really know.' PITTSBURGH (AP) — Spencer Horwitz hit his first career grand slam and Bailey Falter matched a The first four games of this Detroit slide came at home, then they hit the road after the all-star break for what wound up being a 1-5 trip through Texas and Pittsburgh, getting beat by two teams that had losing records when the Tigers arrived. But before the last fortnight, they were something else, which is one of the reasons they still have a nine-game lead in the American League Central. The other reason, of course, is the Central has only one other team that's over .500 - the 51-50 Cleveland Guardians. But you can't build a 59-34 record on smoke and mirrors. The Tigers did it by being strong pretty much everywhere. Before their slide began, Detroit's pitching staff was third in the major leagues with a 3.46 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, led by left-hander Tarik Skubal, who is currently on paternity leave but likely to pitch Saturday night against the Jays' Kevin Gausman. Skubal, who started last week's all-star game , won the Cy Young Award last year and has picked up right where he left off . The 28-year-old is 10-3 on the season and currently leads the majors with a 0.82 WHIP and the AL with a 2.19 ERA. The hitters, entering Wednesday, ranked sixth in the majors in OPS, home runs and runs scored, with 24-year-old outfielder Riley Greene leading the way. The left-handed swinger tops the team with 25 homers, 79 RBIs and an .855 OPS. He also leads the majors with 135 strikeouts. Greene was one of a half-dozen Tigers selected to the AL all-star team. The record was broken on a Loonie Dog night, where attendees can buy a hot dog for a dollar 'I think you've got to look at them as one of the better teams in baseball,' Gausman said in a conversation that can be heard on the July 24 episode of 'Deep Left Field,' the Star's baseball podcast. ' I don't think you pay too much attention to how they're playing lately because they've been so good all season.' The Jays lost two of three games when the Tigers came to Toronto in mid-May, outscored 9-8. Each game was decided by one run, with the Jays' win coming on a walk-off single by Ernie Clement in the bottom of the ninth inning of the middle game. With one-game tiebreakers no longer in use, the Jays need to win three of four in Detroit in order to clinch the season series with the Tigers — as they did with the Yankees on Wednesday — which could very well factor into home-field advantage in the playoffs, if not a first-round bye. The Tigers finished second to the division-winning Jays in 1991 and third in both 1985 and 1992, while the Jays finished second to Detroit in 1984 and the heartbreaking 1987. Finally, these 401 rivals are back at it again.
Hamilton Spectator
7 days ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. just got a custom bat from an Ontario company. Here's the story behind it
The winning Toronto Blue Jays have been the talk of town as of late, and the same could be said about Ontario-based bat company Backyard Bats, which has created a buzz in the baseball world. A custom-made bat from Backyard Bats, a Windsor-based company, is Blue Jays' superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s newest toy at the ballpark. A post shared by Backyard (@backyardbatco) In 2004, in a backyard shed in Windsor, Ont., Paul LaMantia was hand-spinning bats out of a passion for baseball. His best friend and college baseball teammate, Ryan LaPensee, a former Major League Baseball player for the Arizona Diamondbacks, reached out to LaMantia last spring, with a vision of taking the handspun wood bats to the next level. Their mission was 'to provide players with the highest grade luxury equipment available in the baseball industry today on both sides of the border,' said the company website . By December 2024, that dream became a reality. The brand was approved by the big leagues, becoming MLB-certified, and the bats were ready to get into the hands of professional players. A post shared by Backyard (@backyardbatco) During this year's spring training, LaPensee met Guerrero Jr. and gave him a sample bat to test. 'My jaw was on the floor with how far he could hit the baseball with the bat,' LaPensee said after Guerrero Jr.'s test run. Blue Jays manager John Schneider, whose brother is the COO of the company, wanted to get the bat into his star batter's hands, said LaPensee. So on Friday, July 18, LaPensee was at the Rogers Centre in Toronto to hand-deliver four custom bats ahead of the Blue Jays' game against the San Francisco Giants. Guerrero Jr. used it during batting practice, while teammates George Springer and Alejandro Kirk watched. 'He had a big smile on his face,' LaPensee said after viewing batting practice along with his family. 'To hear that loud bang off the bat was cool,' he added. The custom-made 'VGJ27' bat would later be used in a live game that evening, where the Blue Jays shut out the Giants 4-0. A post shared by VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR (@vladdyjr27) Backyard Bats has also found its way into the hands of big league stars like Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos, and Blue Jay Davis Schneider, among others. When asked how many other stars in the league are using the bats, LaPensee admitted he's already 'lost count.' The bats range from range from $99 for youth bats, to $209 for custom pro batch bats. Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays, who currently hold first place in the AL East division, take on the New York Yankees tonight (July 23) in Toronto, before heading to Detroit to play the Tigers in a four-game series that starts on Thursday, July 24 at Comerica Park. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Global News
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Global News
Blue Jays sweep Giants with 8-6 victory
TORONTO – Bo Bichette had two doubles and two RBIs, George Springer, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Addison Barger each homered and the Toronto Blue Jays swept the San Francisco Giants with an 8-6 victory on Sunday afternoon. Guerrero and Alejandro Kirk added RBI singles. Starter Jose Berrios pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up four runs on 89 pitches. Berrios allowed eight hits and walked one batter while striking out five. Yariel Rodriguez pitched a scoreless ninth in relief to earn the save. Robbie Ray made his 21st start of the season for the Giants. The left-hander went 4 2/3 innings and allowed five runs and five hits. Ray also walked five batters and struck out three. Story continues below advertisement Former Blue Jay Matt Chapman hit a two-run home run, his 13th of the season. Heliot Ramos, Andrew Knizer, Brett Wisely and Jung-Hoo Lee hit RBI singles. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Attendance was announced as a sellout at 41,693, and the game lasted three hours two minutes. BICHETTE DOUBLING UP Bichette took sole possession of second in the American League with 27 doubles on the season. As of Sunday afternoon, Bichette is six doubles behind fellow shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals. MANOAH START Alek Manoah made his second rehab start on Sunday for the Dunedin Blue Jays in High-A as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. The 27-year-old threw 28 pitches (16 strikes) in two innings of work, allowing three hits and one run. Manoah notably did not walk a batter, an improvement from his first start in which he walked two and hit a batter, and also struck out two. Manoah last appeared for the Blue Jays on May 29, 2024. He made five starts for the club in the 2024 season, posting a 1-2 record with a 3.70 ERA in 24.1 innings of work. COMING UP The Blue Jays will host the New York Yankees on Monday for the start of a crucial three-game series. Story continues below advertisement Kevin Gausman (6-7) is expected to get the start for Toronto, while Carlos Rodon (10-6) is expected to start for New York. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Blue Jays sweep three-game series against Giants with 8-6 victory
TORONTO – Bo Bichette had two doubles and two RBIs, George Springer, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Addison Barger each homered and the Toronto Blue Jays swept the San Francisco Giants with an 8-6 victory on Sunday afternoon. Guerrero and Alejandro Kirk added RBI singles. Starter Jose Berrios pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up four runs on 89 pitches. Berrios allowed eight hits and walked one batter while striking out five. Yariel Rodriguez pitched a scoreless ninth in relief to earn the save. Robbie Ray made his 21st start of the season for the Giants. The left-hander went 4 2/3 innings and allowed five runs and five hits. Ray also walked five batters and struck out three. Former Blue Jay Matt Chapman hit a two-run home run, his 13th of the season. Heliot Ramos, Andrew Knizer, Brett Wisely and Jung-Hoo Lee hit RBI singles. Attendance was announced as a sellout at 41,693, and the game lasted three hours two minutes. BICHETTE DOUBLING UP Bichette took sole possession of second in the American League with 27 doubles on the season. As of Sunday afternoon, Bichette is six doubles behind fellow shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals. MANOAH START Alek Manoah made his second rehab start on Sunday for the Dunedin Blue Jays in High-A as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. The 27-year-old threw 28 pitches (16 strikes) in two innings of work, allowing three hits and one run. Manoah notably did not walk a batter, an improvement from his first start in which he walked two and hit a batter, and also struck out two. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Manoah last appeared for the Blue Jays on May 29, 2024. He made five starts for the club in the 2024 season, posting a 1-2 record with a 3.70 ERA in 24.1 innings of work. COMING UP The Blue Jays will host the New York Yankees on Monday for the start of a crucial three-game series. Kevin Gausman (6-7) is expected to get the start for Toronto, while Carlos Rodon (10-6) is expected to start for New York. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2025.
