Latest news with #GoldGlove
CBS News
14 hours ago
- Business
- CBS News
Baltimore Orioles hope for a spark after reinstating Colton Cowser from the injured list
The Baltimore Orioles reinstated Colton Cowser from the 60-day injured list Monday, bringing back the outfielder before a six-game road trip out West. Baltimore was off Monday before facing the Mariners and Athletics on this trip. The last-place Orioles are coming off a three-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox. Cowser has been out with a broken left thumb. He hasn't played since March 30. In four games, he has gone 2-for-16 with one home run. Baltimore designated utilityman Cooper Hummel for assignment. Cowser hit 24 home runs last season, finishing second in the American League rookie of the year vote. Return of a Gold Glove finalist Without Cowser in the field, the Baltimore Orioles' defense was 22nd with 33 errors. The outfielders alone -- between Ramon Laureano, Cedric Mullins, Tyler O'Neill, and Heston Kjerstad have combined for five errors. Cowser can play each position in the outfield. He was a Gold Glove finalist last season. In 2024, he ranked second among left fielders with Outs Above Average (OAA), according to MLB statistics. Orioles look for an offensive spark Baltimore fans hope Cowser will bring a spark to the offense, which has struggled at times this season, especially with runners in scoring position. The Orioles are 23rd with a .237 team batting average, 25th with 222 runs scored, eighth with 513 strikeouts, and 25th with a .302 on-base percentage. The Orioles (22-36) are in last place in the American League East, 14 games behind the leading New York Yankees. They are also nine back of a wild card spot. However, they have won 6 of their last 10 games.
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Grab a coffee, meet Sal Frelick and support a cause close to the red-hot Brewers outfielder's heart
PHILADELPHIA – Sal Frelick's game hasn't changed all that much since he starred at Lexington High School in suburban Boston: Scrappy at-bats, hustle on the bases and crashing into walls playing defense. Sal Frelick poses with his friend Malachi, who he met through the Best Buddies program in high school, during a series at Fenway Park in 2024. His passions off the field haven't, either. Advertisement Beginning early in his high-school years when he was a standout three-sport athlete who held Division-I baseball offers as a freshman and started at quarterback on varsity as a sophomore, Frelick befriended a group of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, from eating lunch with them in the cafeteria to stopping to give them high fives in the hallways. It didn't take long before he learned about Best Buddies, a nonprofit group that operates frequently in schools that connects individuals with disabilities to other students. 'I had just been friends with these kids in the hallways, so I was like, 'Sounds fun,'' the Milwaukee Brewers right fielder said. 'So me and my buddies decided to join the club. It was awesome.' Involvement with Best Buddies carries over As Frelick rose athletically, eventually committing to Boston College for baseball and becoming the Massachusetts Gatorade player of the year in football, he always had his supporters from Best Buddies in the crowd to watch. Advertisement 'I just think I found a connection with them,' he said. 'They would come cheer me on at baseball, football, hockey games, then you'd see them in the hallway and they'd be so excited to see you. I became close friends with some of them. It was awesome.' Frelick met one of his best friends to this day, Malachi, through Best Buddies. The two go out to dinner – the tab's on the Gold Glove winner – each off-season in the Boston area, where Frelick still resides. Frelick's passion for supporting individuals with disabilities hasn't gone anywhere, either. His hometown partakes in Unified Basketball, a league where individuals both with and without intellectual disabilities play basketball together on the same team. Frelick has friends on the team and they face off against other towns from the area. At the league's big jamboree event, Frelick not only attends but, in conjunction with New Balance, comes armed with shoes and sweatshirts to give to all the athletes. Advertisement "It's a pretty cool event," Frelick said. Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick poses for a picture with friends from the Best Buddies program at the Unified Basketball jamboree. An opportunity to support a good cause Frelick's aim entering this season was to get involved with the cause of supporting intellectual disabled individuals in his second home, Milwaukee. So when there was a Best Buddies tailgate at a Brewers game in April, he wandered out to the parking lots in full uniform before the game and stopped by. A couple weeks later, Frelick attended the Best Buddies friendship walk in Oconomowoc for conversation, autographs and pictures. 'I hadn't done anything here but I knew Wisconsin had a big chapter (of Best Buddies), so I wanted to see if I could get involved in some way,' Frelick said. Advertisement There, Frelick met Mackenzie Edinger, owner of Inclusion Coffee Company. The Hartland coffee shop, opened in 2022, which was founded with the mission of giving individuals with disabilities the opportunity to work. 'My idea was to give our friends with disabilities a place to work after high school and at a job they wanted,' Edinger said. 'Not just at a place that hires you.' Edinger heard that Frelick was coming to the walk but figured it would be for a brief speech or a few photos. Instead, he stuck around the whole time, including for a brief chat with Edinger in which she informed him of Inclusion and its mission. Frelick offered to stop by and meet the staff, which is largely made up of those with disabilities. 'He said, 'Absolutely, get in touch with me and I'll stop at the shop if you want me to,' Edinger said. 'Whatever's gonna help you the most.' Advertisement What ended up being best for the shop has become a meet-and-greet, open to the public, at Inclusion on Saturday, June 7, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Located at 3152 Village Square Drive in Hartland, it's a chance to grab a coffee, get a photo with Frelick and see the mission of the shop up close. Edinger says pictures will be allowed but is asking fans to not seek autographs at the event, meant to support Best Buddies and Inclusion employees. 'We obviously both are very passionate about the same cause, so it will be a fun morning,' Edinger said. 'And he'll have time after to go to his game.' This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Sal Frelick to appear at Milwaukee coffee shop to support Best Buddies
Hamilton Spectator
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Flying High: Toronto Blue Jays on upswing entering home series against Phillies
TORONTO - A visit by the woeful Athletics came at an ideal time for the Toronto Blue Jays. Canada's lone big-league team was in a tailspin before finding its form last week. Toronto has won five in a row and sat a half-game out of an American League wild-card spot entering Monday's games. The Blue Jays, who were idle Monday, will continue their homestand Tuesday night against the 36-23 Philadelphia Phillies, a team they will play six times over the next fortnight. OFFENCE CLICKING After managing just six runs over a six-game road trip, the Blue Jays kicked off their current homestand by scoring a whopping 39 runs over a four-game sweep of the A's. Addison Barger homered in three straight games over the weekend as Toronto went deep 11 times over the series. The Blue Jays have been getting contributions up and down the lineup of late. Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer and Alejandro Kirk have anchored the top half of the batting order. Barger, Ernie Clement, Nathan Lukes, Myles Straw and Jonatan Clase — all hitting at least .267 — have helped turn the lineup over with timely hitting. However, two of Toronto's big-ticket acquisitions have struggled this season. Andres Gimenez and Anthony Santander, both on the injured list, have sub-.200 averages with OPS marks under .600. BULLISH BULLPEN One of Toronto's most-improved areas is the bullpen, which is ranked ninth in the major leagues with a 3.47 earned-run average. That's down significantly from the bullpen's 4.82 ERA in 2024, the second-worst mark among the 30 teams. With setup man Yimi Garcia on the injured list, Brendon Little (3-0, 1.37), Mason Fluharty (3-1, 3.33), Chad Green (1-1, 3.91) and Yariel Rodriguez (0-0, 2.73) have stepped up in his absence. Closer Jeff Hoffman has earned 13 saves in 16 opportunities. His three blown saves have boosted his ERA to a rather bloated 5.81. SO-SO STARTERS Injuries and middling performances have led to a starting rotation that has been serviceable but capable of much more. Veterans Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt have been steady with the three right-handers posting remarkably similar numbers (all between 3.80-3.90 ERA, 66-70 IP and 65-70 strikeouts). Bowden Francis (2-6, 5.04) has been unable to duplicate his strong second half from 2024, and Max Scherzer has pitched only three innings due to a thumb issue. Scherzer's absence has forced manager John Schneider to turn to spot starters and openers, often for so-called bullpen games. The good news for the Blue Jays is Scherzer is throwing live bullpen sessions now, and Alek Manoah (elbow surgery) could make his season debut this summer. INJURED VARSHO After missing the first few weeks of the season as he built up after shoulder surgery, Daulton Varsho delivered an immediate spark to the lineup when he returned. The Gold Glove centre-fielder provided stellar defence and hit eight homers with 20 RBIs over 24 games before landing back on the injured list. Varsho strained his left hamstring over the weekend while trying to stretch a double into a triple. He's out on a week-to-week basis. Utilityman Davis Schneider was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo to fill in. NUMBERS GAME It's early days with almost two-thirds of the season still to go, but the 31-28 Blue Jays appear to be a coin flip to make the post-season. Baseball Prospectus' PECOTA standings peg Toronto's playoff chances at 48.6 per cent, slightly ahead of FanGraphs' projections at 43.1 per cent. Cleveland started the day in the American League's first wild-card spot at 32-26. Toronto was one of five teams within 2 1/2 games of the Guardians. The Blue Jays made the playoffs in three of four years before finishing last in the East Division standings in 2024. Toronto hasn't won a playoff game since 2016. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Flying High: Toronto Blue Jays on upswing entering home series against Phillies
TORONTO – A visit by the woeful Athletics came at an ideal time for the Toronto Blue Jays. Canada's lone big-league team was in a tailspin before finding its form last week. Toronto has won five in a row and sat a half-game out of an American League wild-card spot entering Monday's games. The Blue Jays, who were idle Monday, will continue their homestand Tuesday night against the 36-23 Philadelphia Phillies, a team they will play six times over the next fortnight. OFFENCE CLICKING After managing just six runs over a six-game road trip, the Blue Jays kicked off their current homestand by scoring a whopping 39 runs over a four-game sweep of the A's. Addison Barger homered in three straight games over the weekend as Toronto went deep 11 times over the series. The Blue Jays have been getting contributions up and down the lineup of late. Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer and Alejandro Kirk have anchored the top half of the batting order. Barger, Ernie Clement, Nathan Lukes, Myles Straw and Jonatan Clase — all hitting at least .267 — have helped turn the lineup over with timely hitting. However, two of Toronto's big-ticket acquisitions have struggled this season. Andres Gimenez and Anthony Santander, both on the injured list, have sub-.200 averages with OPS marks under .600. BULLISH BULLPEN One of Toronto's most-improved areas is the bullpen, which is ranked ninth in the major leagues with a 3.47 earned-run average. That's down significantly from the bullpen's 4.82 ERA in 2024, the second-worst mark among the 30 teams. With setup man Yimi Garcia on the injured list, Brendon Little (3-0, 1.37), Mason Fluharty (3-1, 3.33), Chad Green (1-1, 3.91) and Yariel Rodriguez (0-0, 2.73) have stepped up in his absence. Closer Jeff Hoffman has earned 13 saves in 16 opportunities. His three blown saves have boosted his ERA to a rather bloated 5.81. SO-SO STARTERS Injuries and middling performances have led to a starting rotation that has been serviceable but capable of much more. Veterans Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt have been steady with the three right-handers posting remarkably similar numbers (all between 3.80-3.90 ERA, 66-70 IP and 65-70 strikeouts). Bowden Francis (2-6, 5.04) has been unable to duplicate his strong second half from 2024, and Max Scherzer has pitched only three innings due to a thumb issue. Scherzer's absence has forced manager John Schneider to turn to spot starters and openers, often for so-called bullpen games. The good news for the Blue Jays is Scherzer is throwing live bullpen sessions now, and Alek Manoah (elbow surgery) could make his season debut this summer. INJURED VARSHO After missing the first few weeks of the season as he built up after shoulder surgery, Daulton Varsho delivered an immediate spark to the lineup when he returned. The Gold Glove centre-fielder provided stellar defence and hit eight homers with 20 RBIs over 24 games before landing back on the injured list. Varsho strained his left hamstring over the weekend while trying to stretch a double into a triple. He's out on a week-to-week basis. Utilityman Davis Schneider was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo to fill in. NUMBERS GAME Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. It's early days with almost two-thirds of the season still to go, but the 31-28 Blue Jays appear to be a coin flip to make the post-season. Baseball Prospectus' PECOTA standings peg Toronto's playoff chances at 48.6 per cent, slightly ahead of FanGraphs' projections at 43.1 per cent. Cleveland started the day in the American League's first wild-card spot at 32-26. Toronto was one of five teams within 2 1/2 games of the Guardians. The Blue Jays made the playoffs in three of four years before finishing last in the East Division standings in 2024. Toronto hasn't won a playoff game since 2016. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2025.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Blue Jays' John Schneider Sends Clear Message Before Phillies Game
Blue Jays' John Schneider Sends Clear Message Before Phillies Game originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Toronto Blue Jays clinched their fifth straight win on Sunday, defeating the Athletics 8-4 at Rogers Centre. After Addison Barger hit a two-run homer in the first inning on Saturday, he came through with another big swing on Sunday. With two on in the eighth and Toronto trailing 4-2, Barger deposited a three-run shot to right-field to give the Blue Jays a lead they never gave back. Advertisement While the vibes are high in Toronto, the team is navigating an injury to outfielder Daulton Varsho, who exited the game on Saturday after experiencing discomfort in his left hamstring while attempting to stretch a double into a triple. Varsho was tagged out at third base and left the field with assistance from trainers. Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Daulton Varsho (5)© Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images Following the game, manager John Schneider provided an update, stating that Varsho underwent an MRI and was diagnosed with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain. The team later placed him on the 10-day injured list. While the Blue Jays will now head into a series with the 36-23 Philadelphia Phillies without their Gold Glove center fielder, manager John Schneider is confident in his team's ability. Advertisement "I think we've played good teams really well all year," he said (via Sportsnet). "It'll be fun. I think we've always kind of played them tough." In response to Varsho's injury, the Blue Jays made several roster moves on Sunday. Utility player Davis Schneider was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo to fill Varsho's spot. Additionally, right-handed reliever Erik Swanson was activated from the 60-day injured list, bolstering the bullpen. To accommodate Swanson's return, left-handed pitcher Easton Lucas was optioned back to Triple-A Buffalo. These reinforcements will be put to the test against a good Phillies team. Advertisement Related: Blue Jays Announce Move After Max Scherzer News Related: Blue Jays Announce Bad News After Historic Win Over Athletics This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
