Category: mlb

Aaron Boone reveals worst case scenario amid Yankees’ decision on Anthony Rizzo vs Mariners

June 1, 2023

Wrist and neck issues sidelined New York Yankees infielder Anthony Rizzo in the recently concluded three-game series on the road against the Seattle Mariners. Rizzo was available Wednesday night in the series finale, and could have been given a chance by manager Aaron Boone to hit due to the offensive struggles of his team, but opted to hold the first baseman back.

After the game, Boone implied that the Yankees would have only sent Anthony Rizzo to the field in an emergency situation.

Via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com:

Anthony Rizzo was available only in an “emergency” situation tonight. Boone was going to stay away from him unless everyone else got hurt.

The Yankees ultimately lost to the Mariners, 1-0, in the 10th inning, with Aaron Judge and company unable to solve Seattle’s pitching, particularly George Kirby, who tossed eight scoreless innings and allowed just three hits while striking out seven New York batters. The Yankees also pitched well but gave up the game-winning RBI single to Cal Raleigh.

Rizzo last saw action on May 28 against the San Diego Padres which he was not able to finish after a collision with Fernando Tatis Jr. in the sixth inning.

Considering how close Anthony Rizzo is to playing, it’s fair to expect him to finally get back on the field on Friday in a series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.

On the season, Rizzo is batting .304/.376/.505 with 11 home runs to go with 32 RBI across 204 at-bats for the Yankees, who own a 34-24 record.

The post Aaron Boone reveals worst case scenario amid Yankees’ decision on Anthony Rizzo vs Mariners appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Mets news: Phillies broadcast team gets destroyed on Twitter over Francisco Lindor criticism

June 1, 2023

In the fifth inning of Wednesday night’s matchup between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets, Francisco Lindor caught a ball off a line drive by Phillies third baseman Edmundo Sosa before tossing the ball to first base for a double play. It should have been the end of the story right there because regardless of how soft Lindor’s toss was, he still got the job done, which was to get two outs.

However, the Phillies broadcast team did not seem to be all too happy about the perceived effort Francisco Lindor put behind that pass, with Ben Davis even saying that he’s “not a big fan,” and that the Mets star shortstop should have been “a little bit more professional about it.”

Well, Twitter is not really feeling the sentiment of Davis, with baseball fans on social media voicing out their disbelief over such nitpicking.

“No way the Phillies broadcasters were crying about how Lindor threw the ball to 1st base when the batter didn’t even leave the box 😂,” tweeted Marc Luino.

“Asking the Francisco Lindor to be ‘more professional’ about doubling you up on your bad hit-and-run choice is hilarious btw,” said Twitter user @Jolly_Olive.

@TwoCynicsPod did not hold back: “NBC Sports Philadelphia crew with a boomer cynical take ready to go whenever you need it.”

Francisco Lindor and the Mets still got the last laugh, as they defeated the Phillies, 4-1 to move just a win away this Thursday from sweeping their National League East division rivals.

The post Mets news: Phillies broadcast team gets destroyed on Twitter over Francisco Lindor criticism appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Mike Pence’s brutally honest request after Dodgers’ Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence decision

June 1, 2023

The Los Angeles Dodgers are hosting their LGBTQ+ Pride Night on June 16th. Front and center in the controversy, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were invited, uninvited, and re-invited again. Religious and conservative groups have been the most vocal in dishing out backlash. They even got a new figurehead to back them in Former US Vice President Mike Pence.

Pence is a devout catholic and his reaction to the Dodgers’ invitation is nothing less than expected. Furthermore, he adds to the ongoing list of conservative icons in responding to the incident along with Trevor Williams of the Washington Nationals.

“Having been raised in a Catholic family, the Dodgers’ decision to invite the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a hateful group that blatantly mocks Catholicism, to their event next month is deeply offensive,” said the Republican with much disgust on the matter in a tweet he published.

The former vice president even went back as far as last season to expose his issues with the MLB. Pointing out how the Dodgers should be apologizing to the catholic community over the LGBTQ+ group.

“Last summer the MLB moved their All-Star Game out of Georgia over a lie about voter ID and now they are apologizing and welcoming anti-Catholic bigots back to Dodger Stadium with open arms,” Pence declared in pure revulsion to the league’s recent actions.

“The MLB should not be apologizing to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, they should be apologizing to Catholics across America. America’s pastime should respect the faith of every American no matter what,” he added to demand the MLB.

While Commissioner Rob Manfred has not responded, the tension between the conservative groups and the LGBTQ+ grows.

The post Mike Pence’s brutally honest request after Dodgers’ Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence decision appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Giancarlo Stanton’s big move ahead of Yankees-Dodgers series bodes well for injury return

June 1, 2023

New York Yankees star Giancarlo Stanton has been recovering from a hamstring injury for over a month now, but his latest move might just indicate that he’s close to returning.

Stanton last played for the Yankees last April 16 before the team placed him on the 10-day injured list because of his hamstring issue. He has been recovering since then, with New York expressing hope that he would be able to rejoin the team in six weeks.

By the looks of it, Stanton is well on his timeline for his return. The latest sign that he’s progressing nicely and could feature for the team sooner rather than later is the fact that he’s set to join the team in LA ahead of their showdown with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.

“Giancarlo Stanton is flying to Los Angeles with Josh Donaldson and Tommy Kahnle,” team insider Bryan Hoch reported on Wednesday.

Does this mean Giancarlo Stanton could play in the Dodgers series? Possibly. After all, Stanton himself did say recently that he’s “ready to go,” noting that he needs to play some games in order to get back to his old form.

“I just need to get some games under my belt or some at-bats at least,” the 33-year-old outfielder and designated hitter shared.

It remains to be seen what the Yankees plan to do with Stanton, but it will definitely help them if he gets back to full strength as soon as possible. Before his injury, Stanton was hitting .269/.296/.558 and had already recorded four home runs. Clearly, they are just a way better team with the veteran slugger on the lineup.

The post Giancarlo Stanton’s big move ahead of Yankees-Dodgers series bodes well for injury return appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Noah Syndergaard’s heartbreaking admission amid continued 2023 frustrations

June 1, 2023

Noah Syndergaard used to be among the elite pitchers in baseball, but that is certainly not the case anymore, as further evidenced by his ghastly performance on the mound Wednesday night against the Washington Nationals at home. Syndergaard was so frustrated at how his stint with the Dodgers is going for him so far in the 2023 MLB regular season that he is willing to trade anything just to be in his top form again.

“I would give my hypothetical first-born to be the old me again. I’ll do anything possible to get back to that,” Noah Syndergaard said following the Dodgers’ 10-6 loss to the Nats (h/t Juan Toribio of MLB.com).

In the loss to the Nationals, Noah Syndergaard gave up five earned runs on seven hits. He issued two free passes and fanned just two Washington hitters in only five innings of work. The Dodgers blew two leads while Syndergaard was on the mound, leaving many LA fans calling for the team to remove the pitcher from the rotation.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, however, tried to be optimistic about Syndergaard’s chances to remain a starter, per Toribio.

Asked #Dodgers manager Dave Roberts if Noah Syndergaard is going to make his next start in Cincinnati: “Um, I don’t know. The hope is that he does. Right now I just don’t want to answer that question.”

Through 11 starts in the 2023 MLB regular season, Syndergaard has accumulated just a 1-4 record to go along with an ugly 6.54 ERA and 1.39 WHIP. He has allowed 12 earned runs on 15 hits in his last two starts.

The post Noah Syndergaard’s heartbreaking admission amid continued 2023 frustrations appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Fans call for Dodgers to ditch Noah Syndergaard after rough start vs. Nationals

June 1, 2023

The struggle continues for Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Noah Syndergaard and it seems as though LA fans have already quit on him. Syndergaard was a mess on the mound during Wednesday night’s 10-6 loss in a series finale at home versus the Washington Nationals, triggering a barrage of reactions from Dodgers fans on Twitter.

“There is zero reason for Noah Syndergaard to be on the roster once Julio Urías returns from the IL,” said Twitter user @BlakeHHarris.

“This just has to be Noah Syndergaard’s last start for the Dodgers,” posted @noahcamras.

Syndergaard lasted just five innings in the Nationals game in which he allowed five earned runs on seven hits. He also walked two hitters and struck out just a pair of Washington batters. This atrocious showing came just after another poor performance in last Friday’s 9-3 road loss to the Tampa Bay Rays where he surrendered six earned runs on eight hits across just six innings.

So far in the 2023 MLB regular season, Noah Syndergaard has just a 1-4 record to go with a 6.54 ERA and 1.39 WHIP. Opponents are hitting .302 against him. Further underscoring his struggles on the mound is the fact that he has given up multiple earned runs in nine of his last 10 starts, which includes a one-inning appearance because of an injury.

Noah Syndergaard could soon lose his spot in the Dodgers rotation if he can’t still turn things around. Los Angeles can still be patient with him, considering their banged-up rotation.

Here are some more reactions to Noah Syndergaard’s forgettable performance against the Nats:

The post Fans call for Dodgers to ditch Noah Syndergaard after rough start vs. Nationals appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Yankees’ Aaron Judge on the verge of obliterating Babe Ruth’s 98-year-old MLB record

May 31, 2023

With only a game left to be played this month of May for the New York Yankees, Aaron Judge virtually has a new record in the bag and it comes at the expense of another Bronx Bombers legend in Babe Ruth. Judge and the Yankees are set to play the Seattle Mariners in a series finale on the road Tuesday night, and once that game is over, the reigning American League Most Valuable Player is very likely to finish May with a higher OPS on the road in a single month than anyone in the majors in nearly a century.

Via OptaSTATS:

The @Yankees Aaron Judge has a 2.089 OPS on the road this month, which would be the highest such mark in the modern era (minimum 30 PA). Currently, the best road OPS for a single month in the modern era is 1.838 by Babe Ruth in August 1924.

With the way Aaron Judge is muscling his way through against Mariners pitching in the series thus far, it’s not all that hard to imagine that he could even raise further his road OPS in May. Through two games against the Mariners in the series, Judge has gone 5-for-7 with three home runs and four RBI. He has also collected three walks and struck out just twice over that same span. Judge enters the finale versus Seattle with an overall May OPS of 1.402 with a .356 batting average, 12 home runs and 25 RBI across 73 at-bats.

As a team, the Yankees will look to extend their win streak to five games.

The post Yankees’ Aaron Judge on the verge of obliterating Babe Ruth’s 98-year-old MLB record appeared first on ClutchPoints.

MLB Odds: Yankees vs. Mariners prediction, odds, pick, how to watch – 5/31/2023

May 31, 2023

The New York Yankees take on the Seattle Mariners. Our MLB odds series has our Yankees Mariners prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Yankees Mariners.

The tide is no longer flowing against the New York Yankees. The Yankees were in last place in April, even though they did not have a terrible record. The reality for the Yankees and the rest of the American League East is that it’s a battle for survival in what is clearly the toughest division in this 2023 Major League Baseball campaign. Teams in the East are going to get knocked around by competitors because the division is so deep and tough. The Yankees took their punches early, but they knew they still had five full months of baseball left at the end of April. At the end of May, things look a whole lot better. The Yankees are solidly in third place in the East, which might not seem like a big deal, but it certainly is. Finishing third in the East, if achieved, will almost certainly put the Yankees in the playoffs. New York is getting MVP-level play from Aaron Judge once again. This week in Seattle, he has homered in each game against the Mariners. Monday night, he robbed the M’s of a home run with his big frame in right field, leaping up to make a catch a smaller outfield would not havew been able to pull off. The Yankees have to feel good where they are after winning the first two games of this series. They have been beating up on teams from the West Coast, having won a series against the San Diego Padres over the weekend before flying to Seattle and mopping up the Mariners.

Here are the Yankees-Mariners MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: Yankees-Mariners Odds

New York Yankees: +1.5 (-178)

Seattle Mariners: -1.5 (+146)

Over: 7.5 (-114)

Under: 7.5 (-106)

How To Watch Yankees vs. Mariners

TV: YES Network (Yankees) / Root Sports (Mariners) / MLB Extra Innings

Stream: MLB.tv

Time: 9:40 p.m. ET/6:40 p.m. PT

*Watch Yankees-Mariners LIVE on fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why The Yankees Could Cover The Spread

The Yankees are a good play here for a number of reasons. First, they’re simply a better team than the Mariners. They hit better, they have better players. They’re experienced. They know what it takes to win. Second, they’re a hotter team. They have roared through the first two games of this series and put Seattle on its heels. The Mariners swept four games from the Oakland A’s last week to move up in the standings, but they can’t play Oakland all the time.

The Yankees should cover because they can stack runs in a hurry, and also because they can get to Seattle starter George Kirby, who is generally solid but who doesn’t always have command of his fastball. New York can get to him.

Why The Mariners Could Cover The Spread

The Mariners are going to put up a fight here. They do not want to get swept on their home field. There is too much talent on this team to get swept at home. With George Kirby going against New York starter Clarke Schmidt, the Mariners have to feel they have the pitching advantage and can turn that into not just a win, but a multi-run win, over a New York team which is bound to regress to a certain extent.

Final Yankees-Mariners Prediction & Pick

The Yankees are the better team, getting a run and a half. Simple.

Final Yankees-Mariners Prediction & Pick: Yankees +1.5 

The post MLB Odds: Yankees vs. Mariners prediction, odds, pick, how to watch – 5/31/2023 appeared first on ClutchPoints.

MLB Odds: Rockies vs. Diamondbacks prediction, odds, pick, how to watch – 5/31/2023

May 31, 2023

The Colorado Rockies take on the Arizona Diamondbacks. Our MLB odds series has our Rockies Diamondbacks prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Rockies Diamondbacks.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have restored order, and they continue to show a trait every playoff-worthy baseball team must regularly display over the course of a 162-game season: resilience. This team bounces back whenever it gets knocked around. The D-Backs go through rough patches just like every other MLB team, but unlike some of the weaker teams in baseball or the more disappointing clubs in the sport, they regroup. They have an answer.

Whereas the San Diego Padres and Cleveland Guardians, just to name a few teams, are hugely disappointing through the first third of the MLB season (roughly 54 games have been played out of 162), the Diamondbacks are not several games under .500. They’re almost 10 games over .500, which puts them clearly in first place among all National League wild card teams. Why have the Diamondbacks done so much better than the Padres, and the St. Louis Cardinals, and the New York Mets, and the Philadelphia Phillies, all playoff teams from last year? They don’t go into tailspins. They minimize the damage.

The Diamondbacks lost in Philadelphia last week and then lost twice to the Boston Red Sox over the weekend, but then they beat Boston on Sunday to avoid getting swept. That’s an example of damage control right there. Then they won two straight from the Colorado Rockies in this current series. Ace Zac Gallen was typically brilliant on the mound on Tuesday in a comfortable win. That’s why Arizona has the top wild card spot in the National League.

Here are the Rockies-Diamondbacks MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: Rockies-Diamondbacks Odds

Colorado Rockies: +1.5 (-134)

Arizona Diamondbacks: -1.5 (+112)

Over: 10 (-106)

Under: 10 (-114)

How To Watch Rockies vs. Diamondbacks

TV: AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Rockies) / Bally Sports Arizona (Diamondbacks) / MLB Extra Innings

Stream: MLB.tv

Time: 9:40 p.m. ET/6:40 p.m. PT

*Watch Rockies-Diamondbacks LIVE on fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why The Rockies Could Cover The Spread

The Diamondbacks will send starter Tommy Henry to the mound. If you’re going to beat the Diamondbacks in 2023, you do not want to face Gallen or Merrill Kelly. You do want to face Tommy Henry. He’s a serviceable and competent pitcher, but he’s not elite the way Gallen is, and he doesn’t command the strike zone the way Kelly does when at his best. There is a definite gap in quality between Henry and the top Arizona starters. Colorado can strike early and often and grab a win in this series.

Why The Diamondbacks Could Cover The Spread

The Diamondbacks keep remaining in place as the top National League wild card team. We keep waiting for a week or a 10-day period in which this team unravels and exposes itself as being too young, too unsteady, too unsure of itself. That stretch hasn’t happened yet. The Diamondbacks aren’t a juggernaut, but they do score a lot of runs. They’re in the top five of the National League. Corbin Carroll looks like the favorite to be the 2023 National League Rookie of the Year. This team does a lot of things well, and when things go bad, this team recovers. Consider the Monday game in this series in Phoenix. The D-Backs quickly fell behind by four runs but then answered with five runs, including a Pavin Smith three-run homer. That response — in what eventually became a 7-5 win — typifies how the D-Backs have gone about their business this season. They’re a much better team than the Rockies, and they won’t get rattled.

Final Rockies-Diamondbacks Prediction & Pick

The Diamondbacks are a good team, but expecting them to sweep Colorado might be tricky. Lean Arizona for sure, but don’t put too much of an investment into this one.

Final Rockies-Diamondbacks Prediction & Pick: Diamondbacks -1.5 

The post MLB Odds: Rockies vs. Diamondbacks prediction, odds, pick, how to watch – 5/31/2023 appeared first on ClutchPoints.

MLB Odds: Twins vs Astros prediction, odds, pick, how to watch – 5/31/2023

May 31, 2023

The Minnesota Twins take on the Houston Astros. Our MLB odds series has our Twins Astros prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Twins Astros.

The Minnesota Twins and Houston Astros have split the first two games of this series. The Astros, after a slow start in April, have produced an excellent month of May in which they have risen to second place in the American League West and established a solid (though imperfect) position in the American League postseason picture. The Astros hovered near .500 for the first several weeks of the season. Now they’re 10 games over .500. They haven’t overtaken the first-place Texas Rangers in their division, but if they keep playing the way they did in May, they’ll be fine. They will return to their familiar perch atop the West, likely heading for home-field advantage in the American League Division Series. Jose Altuve is back in the lineup, a big reason Houston is back on track. The team has suffered some pitching injuries, however. It needs the back end of the rotation to continue to deliver solid starts. Hunter Brown gets the call in this game, as the Astros try to solidify their position even more.

Here are the Twins-Astros MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: Twins-Astros Odds

Minnesota Twins: +1.5 (-138)

Houston Astros: -1.5 (+115)

Over: 8 (-114)

Under: 8 (-106)

How To Watch Twins vs. Astros

TV: Bally Sports North (Twins) / AT&T SportsNet Houston (Astros) / MLB Extra Innings

Stream: MLB.tv

Time: 8:10 p.m. ET/5:10 p.m. PT

*Watch Twins-Astros LIVE on fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why The Twins Could Cover The Spread

Minnesota has battled Houston on even terms in the first two games of this series. Minnesota took an early lead in the first game on Monday. Houston took an early lead in the second game on Tuesday. Minnesota lost its early lead on Monday but rallied late to win. The Twins have shown some backbone, which they will need a lot more of this season. Hunter Brown is a good pitcher for Houston, but no one would put him in the same class with Cristian Javier or Framber Valdez. This is a pitcher Minnesota’s inconsistent offense can score against. It’s a real opportunity for the Twins to get a road win versus a quality opponent and fend off the second-place Detroit Tigers in the American League Central.

Why The Astros Could Cover The Spread

The Astros have been one of the best teams in baseball over the past three weeks. Houston had a very rough start to the season but has since kicked things into high gear, powered mostly by Yordan Alvarez but also fueled by the return of Altuve and a resourceful pitching staff which has adjusted well to the loss of starter Luis Garcia. When Houston did start slowly, there was no reason to panic, because this is and has been one of the most proven and reliable teams in baseball over the past six years.

Another reason to pick Houston is that the Twins are part of the American League Central, which certainly looks like the worst division in baseball. The Central has the Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox, two of the worst teams in baseball, plus the underachieving Cleveland Guardians and the anything-but-imposing Detroit Tigers. The Twins are exposed when they go outside their division. Houston can and should win this game.

Final Twins-Astros Prediction & Pick

The pitching matchup feels volatile. Stay away from this game and look for a live-betting play.

Final Twins-Astros Prediction & Pick: Astros -1.5

The post MLB Odds: Twins vs Astros prediction, odds, pick, how to watch – 5/31/2023 appeared first on ClutchPoints.