Latest news with #GlobeLifeField
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jackson Chourio's three-run home run (13)
Elvis Andrus will be inducted into the Rangers Hall of Fame on Saturday Elvis Andrus, former Texas Rangers shortstop and two-time All-Star, will be inducted into the Rangers Hall of Fame this Saturday at Globe Life Field, becoming the club's 27th member. A luncheon was held in his honor Friday, where he expressed heartfelt gratitude to the organization, the city, and fans.
New York Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Times
MLB notes: Globe Life Field has turned into a hitter's nightmare and the Rangers don't know why
One of baseball's more baffling trends is set to resume Friday night when the Texas Rangers host the Seattle Mariners. Texas' Globe Life Field has turned into a pitcher's paradise – and hitter's nightmare. 'Our people are perplexed,' Rangers general manager Chris Young said. 'We're looking at everything from the humidor to which doors and windows are open at what points of time during the game for entrance and egress. We don't have answers right now.' Advertisement Globe Life this season is the most difficult run-scoring environment in the majors, according to Statcast's Park Factor metric. It was the third most difficult last season. But in 2023, the year the Rangers won the World Series, it was the third easiest. The odd transformation of Globe Life is not the reason the Rangers are one of the game's most disappointing teams – they're 23-16 at home, 17-25 on the road. But their record at Globe Life is largely attributable to their pitching staff's major-league best 2.68 home ERA. Texas is scoring 3.44 runs per game at home, second lowest in the majors. Consider the team's performance on barrels – hard-hit batted balls that, in terms of exit velocity and launch angle, have led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage since the introduction of Statcast in 2015. The Rangers are batting just .458 on barrels at home. On the road, they're at .722. Their opponents' splits on barrels are less severe – .564 at Globe Life, .678 on the road. The league average, in all parks, is .676. The flip side for the Rangers is that their pitchers are benefiting from the same trends, ranking second in the majors with a 3.25 ERA. But the team's offense this season has been its downfall. Virtually ever Texas hitter is underperforming. And Globe Life might be part of the problem. 'It's a really hard thing for me to reconcile,' Young said. 'Yes, the park is playing bigger. We've also found ways to win at home. Is that impacting us on the road? I can't say.' Based on the Miami Marlins' track record, it's reasonable to assume they will trade both of their top right-handers, Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera. But Alcantara, if he continues his recent resurgence, is perhaps the more likely to go. Alcantara, 29, is older than Cabrera, more expensive and under club control for one fewer season. He is owed the balance of his $17 million salary this season and $17 million next season with a $21 million club option for 2027. Cabrera, 27, is earning $1.95 million this season, with three years of arbitration left after that. The Marlins plan to contend before he becomes a free agent. But they do not figure to be in that position next season, Alcantara's final guaranteed year. Alcantara, coming off Tommy John surgery, had an 8.47 ERA in his first 11 starts, a 2.74 in his last four. He is a favorite of owner Bruce Sherman and really, the entire organization. The Marlins could wait until the offseason to trade him. But at that point, he would be available for two pennant races instead of three, and teams would not necessarily consider his $21 million option to be automatic. Advertisement Going forward with Cabrera would be a different kind of risk. The Marlins are tantalized by his talent. His stuff and command are improving, as is his mental approach. But Cabrera has been on the injured list seven times since 2021, including three times for a shoulder impingement in 2023 and '24. He has never made more than 20 starts in a season. With both pitchers, much depends upon what happens in the next five weeks. The better Alcantara and Cabrera perform, the better the offers teams will make for them. And the greater temptation for the Marlins to move them will be. Ten days ago, the Milwaukee Brewers were in the middle of a 6-7 stretch, 6 1/2 games back in the NL Central and a half game back in the wild-card race. At that moment, a trade of right-hander Freddy Peralta seemed well within the range of possibility. And now? A 6-1 run has elevated the Brewers to within three games of the Chicago Cubs and past the San Diego Padres for the third wild-card spot. Sitting on a potential surplus of starting pitching, even after trading righty Aaron Civale, the Brewers still might consider moving Peralta or lefty José Quintana. But after the blowback the team experienced from the Josh Hader trade in 2022, owner Mark Attanasio almost certainly will be reluctant to authorize a similar move. The Hader deal worked out well long-term, yielding outfielder Esteury Ruiz, whom the Brewers later flipped to the Athletics for catcher William Contreras and reliever Joel Payamps, as well as top pitching prospect Robert Gasser, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery. But the Brewers invited scrutiny for trading an elite closer in the middle of the season, and missed the playoffs in '22. Attanasio is sensitive to perception. Peralta, on track for potentially his best season, is signed for a below-market $8 million salary both this season and next. Trading him at the deadline – after an offseason in which the Brewers parted with Hader's successor, Devin Williams, and lost shortstop Willy Adames to free agency – likely would not be received well, both inside and outside the clubhouse. Advertisement A postseason rotation headed by Peralta, Quintana and rookie phenom Jacob Misiorowski, on the other hand, would appear formidable. The Brewers' current starting group also includes Quinn Priester and Chad Patrick, who has a 7.80 ERA in his last three starts. Logan Henderson and Tobias Myers are at Triple A. And Brandon Woodruff and Nestor Cortes Jr. are working their way back from injuries. Anything is possible if the Brewers stumble before the deadline, and maybe even if they don't. The team could use a boost at both shortstop (28th in OPS entering Thursday's play) and third base (27th), though Joey Ortiz and Chad Durbin are hitting well in June. Peralta is not quite an ace – his 3.74 expected ERA is above his actual 2.90. But at his salary, he's also not the kind of pitcher a small-market contender should trade at the deadline. Not unless the return significantly upgrades another part of the major-league roster. Only 18 months ago the Pittsburgh Pirates signed right-hander Mitch Keller to a five-year, $77 million extension. The team is in a different place now than it was then, making a trade of Keller possible, if not likely. In both the majors and minors, the Pirates are deep in young starting pitching. Yet, any payroll increase they anticipated isn't happening, in part because their attendance is down as they keep losing. Their offense, meanwhile, remains a major problem, as evidenced by Keller's 1-10 record despite an ERA+ that is four percent above league average. Under Derek Shelton, the Pirates were 12-26 and averaged 3.11 runs per game, last in the majors. Their 20-24 record under Don Kelly is an improvement, but their average of 3.39 runs per game during that time is . . . next to last. Ace right-hander Paul Skenes and franchise icon Andrew McCutchen are the Pirates' only untouchables, according to officials briefed on the team's plans. As free-agent prices for starting pitchers soar, Keller's contract looks increasingly reasonable. But his $15 million salary this season occupied nearly 20 percent of the Pirates' Opening Day payroll, and his guarantees will rise to $16.5 million, $18 million and $20 million over the next three years. Advertisement If Pirates owner Bob Nutting refuses to increase payroll, that money would be better spent on offense. And with the team's home attendance more than 3,000 per game lower than it was last season, expecting Nutting to shift course is sheer folly. Keller lacks a no-trade clause. At 29, he still has upside. And he is available for four pennant races. The Pirates' asking price likely will be high for a pitcher who was a 2023 All-Star. Keller's history of inconsistency might temper the offers. But in a market thin on quality starting pitchers, the Pirates should be motivated to take advantage. Everyone can relax about Juan Soto, no? His 19 homers through 81 team games matched his total from last season with the New York Yankees, the club he supposedly didn't want to leave. And according to Sarah Langs, he entered Thursday night with an expected slugging percentage of .879 in June. The player who ranked second on that list, the Los Angeles Angels' Jo Adell, was nearly 200 points below that at .694. On top of all that, Soto is devoting more attention to a less notable part of his offense — stolen bases. Soto's sprint speed is in the bottom 17 percent of the league, but this season he has stolen nine bases in 10 attempts. His career-high in steals is 12, a total he reached in his second season with the Washington Nationals in 2019 and with the San Diego Padres in 2023. Before a recent game in Philadelphia, Soto could be seen in the Mets clubhouse with first base coach Antoan Richardson, working on his secondary leads and first steps. Soto said Richardson makes base stealing fun, picking up opponents' tendencies 'no one else in the league sees.' 'What we've done is come up with creative ways to game plan for that pitcher,' Richardson said. 'The part where he said we're making it fun is not putting him in a box. It's not, 'Hey, this is how we've always done it, so you have to do it this way.' No, I want you to feel confident that what you see is real and trust that information and be an athlete out there. Advertisement 'He's just taking that and running with it. His baseball IQ is really, really high. In the past, he hasn't gotten credit all the time for having a high IQ as a baserunner. But when we talk the game and I see him execute the information that's given to him, it's as good as anybody else I've been around.' The most pressing question catcher J.T. Realmuto will face at the end of the season is whether he will re-sign with the Philadelphia Phillies as a free agent. Beyond that, Realmuto must consider something else: How long does he want to continue playing? Realmuto, 34, isn't putting a number on it. 'The body feels as good as it's ever felt,' he said. 'It actually feels better now than it did in the second half of last year. After the (right knee) surgery (on June 12), I was still trying to get some inflammation out. But this year, the knee has felt great. Everything has felt really good. 'I do want to play as long as I can. I want to keep my body in the best shape I can. I want to continue to have fun. I'll know when it's time to hang 'em up. If I'm not productive, if I'm not helping the team, I'm not going to try to get to the number 40.' Family also will be a consideration. Realmuto and his wife, Alexis, have four children, ages 2 to 6. 'If my kids get to an age where they want daddy home . . . they already want daddy home, obviously,' Realmuto said. 'But if they're not enjoying it, not enjoying the big-league life anymore, that will probably be a day I hang it up as well. Either my performance or body will tell me first, or my family will.' Perhaps it's a good thing no catcher is projected to be a top-five pick in the draft. Joe Mauer, the No. 1 pick in 2001, made it to the Hall of Fame. But the last three catchers to go either first or second — collegians Joey Bart in 2018, Adley Rutschman in 2019 and Henry Davis in 2021 — have yet to fulfill their promise. Advertisement Rutschman, drafted by the Baltimore Orioles one place ahead of Bobby Witt Jr., currently is on the injured list for the first time with a strained left oblique, and has a .628 OPS since June 21, 2024. Bart hit 13 home runs for the Pirates last season after the San Francisco Giants designated him for assignment, but has only one homer in 166 at-bats this season. Davis went No. 1, in part, because he was willing to sign below slot, enabling the Pirates to go above slot with two pitchers who became top prospects, Anthony Solometo and Bubba Chandler. But with a career .584 OPS, he still qualifies as a disappointment. Which is not to say teams should avoid drafting catchers in the first round. The Cincinnati Reds' Tyler Stephenson, Los Angeles Dodgers' Will Smith, Cleveland Guardians' Bo Naylor, Athletics' Shea Langeliers, Giants' Patrick Bailey and New York Yankees' Austin Wells all were first rounders, though none went higher than ninth overall. And while a number of other first-round catchers were busts, so were a number of first rounders at other positions. Fun fact: Realmuto, the Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh and Atlanta Braves' Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin were all third rounders. Some of the coolest All-Star stories are ones in which players overcome injuries to reach their previous level of performance or attain an even higher one. Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton certainly fits into that category. So do three pitchers who entered Thursday ranked among the top three in the majors in ERA – Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom (4th), Tampa Bay Rays righty Drew Rasmussen (8th) and Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd (13th). The last time deGrom made an All-Star team was 2021. The last time he pitched in the game was 2019. The All-Stars that year included David Dahl, Joey Gallo and Tommy La Stella, Austin Meadows, Hunter Pence and Masahiro Tanaka. Advertisement Rasmussen, who underwent three major elbow surgeries, has never been an All-Star. Neither has Boyd, who underwent flexor-tendon surgery in Sept. 2021 and Tommy John surgery in 2023. Don't look now, but the symbol of the Orioles' early collapse, right-hander Charlie Morton, is emerging as a legitimate trade candidate. Morton, 41, lost his spot in the rotation after posting a 10.89 ERA in his first five starts. But since returning to the rotation for good on May 26, his ERA in six starts is 2.90. He also has struck out 37 in 31 innings. The biggest concern for a team interested in acquiring Morton might be paying the balance of his $15 million salary. At the deadline, he still would be owed nearly $5 million. (Top photo of Josh Jung at Globe Life Field in April:)
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jac Caglianone Belts First Home Run of MLB Career Against Rangers
Jac Caglianone Belts First Home Run of MLB Career Against Rangers originally appeared on Athlon Sports. In a thrilling moment at Globe Life Field, Kansas City Royals rookie Jac Caglianone made his mark in Major League Baseball by hitting his first career home run against the Texas Rangers. Advertisement The 22-year-old first baseman, who started the 2025 season in Double-A Northwest Arkansas, showcased his power with a solo shot that traveled 411 feet to deep right center. This milestone, shared by the official MLB account on X, came in the second inning off relief pitcher Jacob Latz, shifting the score to 3-0 in favor of the Royals, a team who's bats have been cold as of late. Caglianone's home run, his first of the season, was a testament to his potential as a rising star after excelling as both a pitcher and a hitter during his collegiate career with the Florida Gators. The young slugger, who had been impressing in spring training, is continuing to build on his reputation with this impressive display of hitting prowess. Kansas City Royals first round draft pick Jac Caglianone poses with his mother JohanneDenny Medley-Imagn Images The Royals' dugout celebrated enthusiastically, reflecting the team's excitement for Caglianone's achievement. Advertisement This home run not only marked a personal milestone for Caglianone but also highlighted his readiness for the big leagues, despite initial expectations of further minor league seasoning. The Royals' front office were heavily scrutinized for bringing Caglianone up to the majors too early, claiming that facing pitchers in the MLB are a whole different ball game from the minors. Caglianone's performance underscored his arrival as a formidable presence in MLB, with fans and analysts alike eager to see more from the "Lumberjack" in the seasons to come. Related: Florida Dealt Unfortunate Recruiting News on Wednesday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Royals' Jac Caglianone hits first MLB homers, 2 weeks after being called up to majors
Two weeks into his major-league career, Jac Caglianone has his first home run with the Kansas City Royals. Make that two home runs. Caglianone, the Royals' top prospect before he was called up on June 3, took Texas Rangers reliever Jacob Latz deep in the second inning to give Kansas City a 2-0 lead. He hit a 95.5 mph fastball high out of the strike zone but down the middle, launching it into the home team's bullpen in right-center field at Globe Life Field. Getting the milestone baseball back likely wasn't a problem. Advertisement The right fielder rightfully wore a big grin on his way around the bases and back to the dugout. As he got to the bench, his Royals teammates initially gave him the rookie treatment of freezing him out of a celebration. Caglianone was undeterred, giving himself a high-five line with no one nearby before Salvador Perez and Bobby Witt Jr. finally acknowledged the feat, spurring the rest of the team to join in. He added the second home run of his MLB career in the ninth inning, hitting the first pitch from Robert Garcia, an 86 mph slider low and inside, over the right-field bullpen into the seats. During his first 13 games, Caglianone started slowly with a slash average of .196/.212/.235 with two doubles and two RBI in 52 plate appearances. He got his first career MLB hit in his second game with an RBI double. With the 2-for-4 performance in a 4-1 win over the Rangers, Caglianone boosted his numbers to .218/.232/.364 for the season. Advertisement Prior to his call-up, Caglianone batted .322/.389/.593 with 15 home runs and 56 RBI between Double-A and Triple-A this season. He was the Royals' first-round pick (No. 6 overall) in the 2024 MLB Draft. Royals starter Michael Wacha took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Wyatt Langford broke it up with a one-out single. Wacha (4-6, 3.24 ERA) pitched six innings, allowing one run on two hits with five strikeouts and two walks. Three Kansas City relievers followed with three scoreless innings, giving up only one hit. Carlos Estévez (1.93 ERA) notched his 21st save of the season. The Royals came into Thursday's matchup with the Rangers at 36-38. That has them fourth in the American League Central, 11.5 games behind the Detroit Tigers. Those struggles are at least partially attributable to the team's offense, which ranked second-to-last in MLB with 52 home runs and a fourth-worst .671 OPS.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
WNBA Sends Four-Word Message to Paige Bueckers on Wednesday
WNBA Sends Four-Word Message to Paige Bueckers on Wednesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings are coming off a big win on Tuesday night. The struggling Wings secured just their second victory of the season via an 80-71 win over the Golden State Valkyries at College Park Center. Advertisement Bueckers led the charge again for Dallas, dropping a game-high 20 points on 9-of-18 from the floor. The highly touted rookie also added four rebounds, two assists, four steals and two blocks to round out her big performance. Bueckers was out and about on Wednesday. She attended the Texas Rangers' home game against the Kansas City Royals at Globe Life Field. The 6-foot guard was a guest of honor for the baseball contest, with Bueckers throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. The WNBA caught wind of Bueckers' latest public appearance, and they decided to send the 23-year-old a message. "We see you, @paigebueckers1 🤩" the league posted on X, sharing a video of Bueckers' pitch for the Rangers. The pitch wasn't exactly a strike for Bueckers, but the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft wasn't bad either. Advertisement Bueckers, though, feels much more comfortable on a basketball court than on a pitching mound. She will get to return on Friday as the Wings take on the 2-10 Connecticut Sun. Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers is seen during the first half against the Chicago Gorski-Imagn Images The Sun are far from the best team in the WNBA right now, which allows Bueckers and Co. to potentially mark their first set of back-to-back wins this season. Tip-off for that one is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. ET from the Mohegan Sun Arena. Related: Caitlin Clark's Facial Reaction to Big Game Against Paige Bueckers, Wings Says a Lot Related: WNBA Star Did Not Like What Paige Bueckers Told Her After Wings' Fourth Straight Loss Related: Paige Bueckers, Wings Get Crucial Update Amid Latest Injury Setback This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
