Robbie Ray seen pitching against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field for the San Francisco Giants back on Thu Jul 3, 2025 will not pitch in the 2025 All Star in Atlanta but will be there to represent the Giants (AP file photo)
San Francisco Giants podcast Augie Mesenburg:
#1 San Francisco Giants starter Robbie Ray along with pitchers Logan Webb and Randy Rodriguez will represent the Giants at the All Star Game in Atlanta. We’ll start with Ray he’s in the top ten of the best ERA in the National League at 2.63.
#2 Ray made a start Sunday and will not pitch in the All Star game. Ray wanted to pitch in this one against the Los Angeles Dodgers and try and pick up his tenth win.
#3 Ray is the first pitcher since 2021 to have double digit wins in the first half of a season since former Giant Anthony DeSlafani did it with ten wins.
#4 Logan Webb has had a numerous amount of success this season he nearly finished the first half with ten wins he’s at 9-6 and an ERA at 2.94 and won his most recent game against the Dodgers 8-7 on Friday night here at Oracle Park.
#5 Reliever Randy Rodriguez is having himself a first half he’s allowed only one run at Oracle Park and has a 0.42 ERA in the 20 games pitched at home. Rodriguez’s 0.89 is the lowest amongst relievers in MLB.
Sacramento A’s owner John Fisher (gold tie) spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony at the former Tropicana Hotel for the A’s future Las Vegas ballpark Mon Jun 23, 2025. A’s president Mark Badain is leaning forward to the far left, Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred is seated to Fisher’s right and to Fisher’s left is Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO Steven Hill. Reports say Fisher is still trying to raise the money to cover the construction costs for the Vegas ballpark. (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s Relocation podcast Daniel Dullum:
#1 According to reports Sacramento A’s owner John Fisher still hasn’t spent the money for the Las Vegas ballpark at the old Tropicana so he could get the $380 million in Nevada State public funds. SB1 was approved to pay for part of the A’s Vegas park going on two years now.
#2 Fisher said after the A’s ground breaking at the Tropicana that the cost of construction for the new park will now run up to $2 billion and according to reports Fisher doesn’t financially have anything near $1 billion despite being worth $3 billion.
#3 John Fisher and his family are not going to spend their own money namely the $1.75 billion out of pocket for the ballpark project but are trying to confirm loans from US Bank, Goldman Sachs, investments from K Pop star Suga, former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Chan Ho Park and sale of his MLS team the San Jose Earthquakes.
#4 It was also reported at the ground break this month in Vegas that the two cranes that were pictured behind Fisher while he was speaking to the media there were rented cranes as props and they were never going to be in use that outside of moving dirt around there is nothing really seriously happening at the old Tropicana property in terms of getting a foundation started.
#5 Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred who was at the groundbreaking holding a shovel and putting it in the dirt held in a baseball diamond tray said he was confident that the project would go through but critics after the ground breaking said that Manfred should have made sure everything was covered before committing the A’s to Las Vegas but that didn’t happen and the ground breaking looks like a farce.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Sacramento A’s Brent Rooker (25) is congratulated by teammates Nick Kurtz (16) and Tyler Soderstrom (21) after Rooker’s two run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Sat July 12, 2025 (AP News photo)
Rooker Delivers a Firecracker as the Green and Gold Clutch One Before the Break; Rooker’s 20th delivers 4-3 win over Blue Jays
By Mauricio Segura
Sacramento fans got a late-inning show Saturday night as the Athletics rallied past the Blue Jays, 4-3, in a tightrope thriller. It was a win defined by grit, timely slugging, and the kind of bullpen poise the A’s have been yearning for all season. Brent Rooker’s 20th homer of the year, an absolute missile to left-center, turned a tense fifth inning into a party, and the bullpen slammed the door behind him.
This was more than just a win. It was a momentum-builder heading into the All-Star break, and it came with a dash of redemption, especially against a Blue Jays team that had beaten the A’s in all five prior matchups this season. Sacramento fans, soaking up their team’s debut summer in the capital, had reason to cheer beyond just the home run blasts.
Rooker’s blast came just after rookie first baseman Nick Kurtz singled, giving the A’s their first lead of the night at 4-2 With that shot, Rooker became the first Athletic since Khris Davis and Matt Olson to hit 20 home runs in three consecutive seasons. His power, already enough to earn him a spot in next week’s Home Run Derby, was once again the difference-maker. But this game had more heroes than just the slugging designated hitter.
Center fielder Denzel Clarke quietly put together one of his more mature outings. His third-inning single may have traveled only a few feet off the bat, but it set off a chain reaction. He then capitalized on a wild throw to take second, and Lawrence Butler cashed him in with a single to cut Toronto’s early lead in half. Clarke also made a crucial play on defense in the sixth, snagging a liner off the bat of Bo Bichette that had rally written all over it.
That sixth inning was the beginning of a five-arm relay by the A’s bullpen that held a dangerous Blue Jays lineup to just one run over four innings. After Jacob Lopez grinded through five frames, allowing two runs and scattering five hits, the bullpen stepped in.
Elvis Alvarado, Michael Kelly, Sean Newcomb and Mason Miller combined for four innings of one-run ball. Miller, as he’s done time and again this season, closed it out in the ninth with his signature upper-90s heat and a pair of strikeouts, earning his 18th save and preserving the win.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing. The A’s were outhit 7-6 and missed a couple of early scoring chances. Kevin Gausman had Sacramento’s young lineup looking overmatched through four innings. But the Green and Gold hung tough, aided by a pair of costly catcher interference calls, both against Toronto’s Tyler Heineman, that gave the Athletics extra outs and kept innings alive. Those moments don’t show up in the highlight reels, but they mattered.
And then there was the quiet steadiness of Miguel Andujar. Coming off the injured list earlier in the week, Andujar broke out of an 0-for-14 slump with two hits and a stolen base, injecting life into the middle of the order. Pinch-runner Max Schuemann came in for him in the eighth and swiped second with ease, setting the table for an insurance run that never came but wasn’t needed.
Toronto made things interesting in the eighth when Alejandro Kirk hit a sacrifice fly to bring the Jays within one, but Newcomb’s strikeout of Addison Barger ended the threat. The Blue Jays got the tying run aboard in the ninth, but Mason Miller made sure it didn’t matter, striking out Ernie Clement and George Springer in succession to send the crowd home buzzing.
With the win, the Athletics improve to 40 and 57, snapping a two-game skid and avoiding a season sweep at the hands of the Jays. They’re still anchored to the bottom of the AL West, but this is not the same team that lost 20 of 21 earlier in the year. There’s energy now. Swagger. And a rookie class that looks like it belongs.
Kurtz continues to pace MLB rookies in home runs, Butler is heating up again after a midweek lull, and Clarke, despite his strikeouts, is showing flashes of becoming a dynamic two-way threat. The young core is working together, and if Rooker keeps swinging like this, it’s only going to get more fun in Sacramento.
Starting pitchers for Sunday for the Blue Jays RHP Jose Berrios (5-3 ERA 3.53) for the A’s LHP Jeffrey Springs (7-6 ERA 3.92) a 1:05pm PDT.
Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Los Angeles Dodgers DH/Pitcher Shohei Ohtani walks back to the dugout after striking out against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the seventh inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sat Jul 12, 2025 (AP News photo)
By Michael Roberson
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — The San Francisco Giants (56-40) were unable to grasp the win from the negative streaking Los Angeles Dodgers (53-43) 2-1, in front of another sellout Oracle Park crowd, on a beautiful Saturday Afternoon.
All eyes were on two huge figures on the mound. Legendary Giant Barry Bonds tossed the ceremonial First Pitch, as he was being honored for his greatness in the previous iteration of the ballpark on 3rd and King. Shohei Ohtani was the other star on the bump, as he was displaying his historic diversity as a multi-talented player
After the Dodgers offense did not produce any runs in the top of the first inning, including Ohtani grounding out to first base, he struck out the sides in the bottom of the frame. Within his limited time on the mound, his offense did give him some run support.
In the top of the second inning, third baseman Tommy Edman ushered in teammate Michael Conforto home plate, on a groundout to second base. Dodgers were up 1-0, as Ohtani was dealing a no-hitter in the early innings
His time pitching lasted only three innings, and after 2 2/3 no-hit innings pitched, Michael Yastrzemski performed the only knock off of the emerging legend. He also had four strikeouts during his pitching tenure. However, his appearances at the plate were not as productive.
In the top of the sixth the Dodgers added to their slim total. Second baseman Hyeseong Kim slapped a single to left field, scoring Conforto again, but he was gunned out at second base, trying to stretch the single into a double, ending a possible big inning. Los Angeles was up 2-0 at that point of the game.
The Giants were finally in a position to get off the goose egg in the bottom of the eighth. With a bases loaded scenario in play, the home team was only able to earn a single run, instead of blowing the contest open. Highly praised acquisition Rafael Devers hit a deep sacrifice fly ball to right field, resulting in the Giants lone run, scored by Mike Yastrzemski. The game was still in balance, with the ninth left to play.
Unfortunately for the home team, they ended the game with a foul out and two strikeouts. The Dodgers finally ended their long seven losing streak, and defeated their arch rival on both coasts.
The Giants loss evened the series at 1-1, with the “Rubber Game” being Sunday, July 13 at 1:05 PM PT. The expected pitching matchup is LAD RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (8-7, 2.77) versus SFG LHP Robbie Ray (9-3, 2.63).
Los Angeles Dodgers Michael Conforto scores (center) one of his two runs in the top of the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sat Jul 12, 2025 (AP News photo)
San Francisco Giants podcast Michael Roberson:
#1 The Los Angeles Dodgers came into Oracle Park and snapped their seven game skid against the San Francisco Giants in game two of this three game series 2-1.
#2 For the most part of the game it was a pitcher’s duel with the Dodgers Shohei Ohtani starting going three innings, allowing one hit, one walk, and four strikeouts. As usual as a precaution Ohtani made an early exit.
#3 For San Francisco Giant starter Landen Roupp pitched six innings allowing seven hits, two runs, one earned run, a walk and eight strike outs. Roupp was key with his eight strikeouts but still took the loss dropping his record to 6-6.
#4 Big day for ex Giant Michael Conforto with three hits and scoring two runs. Conforto turned out to be the key figure in this game as the Dodgers just got by the Giants 2-1 and Conforto supplying all the run production for LA.
#5 Game 3 the rubber game match up Sunday at Oracle Park for the Dodgers RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (8-7 ERA 2.77) will be opposed by the Giants LHP Robbie Ray (9-3 ERA 2.63) first pitch at 1:05pm PT.
Barry Bonds addresses the media during a 2003 press conference at the height of the BALCO controversy. Bonds is being honored by the San Francisco Giants with the video called “The house that Barry Bonds built” (SF Gate file photo)
MLB The Show podcast Bruce Macgowan:
#1 The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants have some long and rich history that goes back to the late 1940s and through the 1950s and through today.
#2 Talking about some of those historic days of the Dodgers and Giants rivalries you were at the game in 1965 when former Giant Juan Marichal hit former Dodger John Roseboro with a bat on the head and causing a bench clearing melee. Years later Marichal made up with Roseboro. The baseball writers at the time didn’t vote to put Marichal in the Hall of Fame because of the incident but Roseboro went to the writers and said to give Marichal another chance and it was something that Marichal was forever grateful for.
#3 Former Dodger managers Walter Alston and Tommy LaSorda were legendary managers and took the Dodgers to the World Series. With current manager Dave Roberts he’s taken the Dodgers to the World Series numerous times under his tutelage do you consider Roberts in that same circle as Alston and LaSorda?
#4 The Giants are paying tribute to Barry Bonds with a video called “The House that Barry Built” some reporters and talk show hosts point out why are the Giants paying tribute to Bonds, that there is a reason why Bonds has not been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. They say he was a huge part of the BALCO controversy, he had alleged connections to steroids through his former trainer Greg Anderson and that he’s guilty in the court of public opinion as far as the BBWAA is concerned regarding the Federal Grand Jury investigation where he said he unknowingly took steroids and was found guilty of obstruction of justice. Does that all go away now that the Giants want to pay tribute to him?
#5 One of the biggest fears that fans have is what took place at Dodger Stadium when ICE agents showed up at their front gates trying to gain access to get at fans, employees, and anyone that moved. The Dodgers wound denying ICE access to the park. Is this still something that fans, employees and maybe even the players have to worry about at ball games?
San Francisco Giant Dominic Smith gives praise to the almighty after hitting a bottom of the fifth inning home run off the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Fri July 11, 2025 (AP News photo)
By Michael Roberson
SAN FRANCISCO. Calif. — The San Francisco Giants (52-43) handed the slumping defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers (56-39) their seventh straight loss 8-7, in front of a raucous sellout (40,785) crowd at Oracle Park on Friday night.
It was an electric atmosphere on the corners of 3rd and King. Mostly for the Japanese Sensation and 2024 MVP Shohei Othtani. Although his team took another L, the fans did get their money’s worth with his moderate performance.
The Dodgers did get on base right away, as Ohtani walked as the initial batter of the game. However, he nor the rest of the Dodgers did not cross the plate in the top of the first.
The Giants, on the other hand, did change the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning when shortstop Willy Adames belted a solo home run. The home team was on top 1-0 after two frames.
However, immediately in the top of the third inning, the aforementioned Ohtani blasted a two run homer into the vaunted McCovey Cove amidst the gasping crowd. Los Angeles moved in front, 2-1. Infielder Hyeseong Kim also scored on the dinger. There was definitely a Buzz all throughout the ballpark.
The Giants responded in their half of the fourth inning, when center fielder Jung Hoo Lee hit a two run triple. That feat scored Rafael Devers and Matt Chapman. The Giants retook the lead 3-2 at that point, but unfortunately Lee was tagged out at the plate on a bang-bang play by left fielder Michael Conforto. That momentarily stopped the bleeding.
The bottom of the fifth inning was a pinnacle moment in the contest. The Giants scored five runs in that inning, and seemingly put the game out of reach for the struggling ball team from Southern California. The Giants used a multitude of ways to cross home plate in the fifth.
First baseman Dominic Smith hit a deep homer to left-center, putting his team up by two, 4-2. Next, Chapman got a fielder;s choice RBI, plating catcher Patrick Bailey. Then Adames slapped a two-run triple to center field, allowing Chapman and Mike Yastrzemski to score. Finally, Lee’s single knocked in Adames, culminating the five run fifth inning explosion. San Francisco led 8-2 after the midpoint No Cal/So Cal Battle.
Never underestimate the heart of a champion, despite them limping into the Bay Area. LA managed to cut the six run deficit to two, after a four-run sixth. Teoscar Hernandez hit a two-run double, pushing in Lee and Mookie Betts. Michael Conforto blasted a two run homer, bringing in Hernandez, along with himself.
There was worry in Downtown San Francisco, and that was even more exacerbated in the top of the seventh block, Will Smith cracked a single, scoring Betts, and placing the Dodgers one run behind the recently scoreless Giants.
In the top of the ninth inning, the guests from the South had two men on base and the opportunity to tie or take the lead, Oracle was a very intense environment for the competitive moment in time for the California rivals of today, and NYC rivals nearly 70 years ago.
The moment of truth was when reliever Camiio Doval forced the Dodgers to hit into a game-saving 5-4-3 double-play, extending the Dodgers losing streak to seven. Doval notched his 15th save of the season, while Logan Webb got the win (9-6). The Giants prevailed by one, 8-7.
The two teams will be right back at it Saturday Afternoon, July 12 at 1:05 PM PT, with the multifaceted RHP Shohei Ohtani (0-0, ERA 1.50) on the mound for the Dodgers, and RHP Landon Roupp (6-5,ERA 3.39) on the bump for the Giants.
Sacramento A’s starter Luis Severino pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays in the top of the second inning at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Fri Jul 11, 2025 (AP News photo)
Fireworks After the Firestorm as Athletics Nearly Burn the Jays; Sacramento loses in nailbiter 7-6
By Mauricio Segura
There was no shortage of heat at Sutter Health Park on Friday night, and we’re not just talking about the triple-digit temperature that greeted the first pitch. Under a fiery Sacramento sky, the Athletics fell just short of a miracle comeback, dropping a 7-6 heartbreaker to the Toronto Blue Jays in front of 7950 fans at Sutter Health Park. While the box score won’t show a win, this one will stick in the memory bank, if only for the sheer chaos and late-game fireworks.
Luis Severino, who’s been carrying the weight of the season’s struggles, started for the Green and Gold and immediately found himself navigating minefields. The right-hander entered the game with a league-worst home ERA, and his woes continued. Though he managed to escape the early innings without damage, Toronto’s bats came alive in the fifth inning and didn’t show mercy.
The fifth began with a throwing error from second baseman Zack Gelof and quickly spiraled into disaster. A rare double steal saw Vladimir Guerrero Jr. swipe second and George Springer sprint home, putting the Jays up 2-0. That was just the spark.
After a pair of RBI singles and a bases-loaded single from Myles Straw, the floodgates burst open. When Nathan Lukes laced a two-run double, his seventh of the season, the scoreboard screamed 7-0 in favor of the visitors. Severino was done for the night, his ERA inflating to 5.30 as the Sacramento crowd sighed and sweat in unison.
To Severino’s credit, the struggles aren’t new. He’s been a tale of two pitchers in 2025, solid on the road but cursed at home. With this loss, he now owns an 0-8 record at home with a sky-high 7.04 ERA. The veteran just hasn’t been able to find rhythm in Sacramento, and Friday was no exception.
But if there’s one thing this team doesn’t lack, it’s grit.
Down 7-0, the Athletics found their swing in the sixth inning, sparked by rookie sensation Nick Kurtz. The 22-year-old, already leading MLB rookies with 15 home runs, added to his resume with a two-run bomb to center, his 16th on the season. Just three batters later, Tyler Soderstrom sent another shot to dead center, cutting the deficit to 7-3 and electrifying the home crowd.
Despite that jolt, the momentum hit a wall until the ninth. Down to their final three outs and trailing by four, the A’s dug deep again. Max Muncy, who’d been mired in a mini-slump, jolted one over the center field fence for his ninth home run, trimming the lead to three.
Zack Gelof worked a walk and Denzel Clarke slapped a single to left, putting runners at the corners with one out. A wild pitch from Toronto’s Jeff Hoffman brought home Gelof. Two pitches later, Brent Rooker laced an RBI single to left, scoring Clarke and making it a one-run game. The stadium, now fully alive, was bouncing.
Then came the turning point.
With the tying run at first and two outs, Kurtz, the hero of the sixth, stepped up. But Hoffman, digging deep, got the strikeout he needed. The Sacramento rally ended at the edge of glory.
Still, what had looked like a sleepwalk to the All-Star Break turned into a legitimate thriller. And even in a loss, there were bright spots.
Kurtz continues to play like a future star. His home run was his 11th at Sutter Health Park, and he now leads all rookies not just in homers but also in clutch moments, with seven of his long balls coming in the eighth inning or later.
Soderstrom, too, is heating up. His 17th home run was his fourth in the last eight games, and his improved approach at the plate shows.
The bullpen, a sore spot for much of the year, held its own after Severino’s early exit. Osvaldo Bido, just recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas, threw two solid innings, and the back-end arms kept the game close enough for the offense to make noise.
Defensively, it wasn’t the A’s sharpest outing, with an error contributing to the fifth-inning meltdown. But there were flashes. Denzel Clarke’s work in center was once again stellar, and he continues to justify his spot in the lineup with both glove and bat.
Despite the loss, the Athletics are showing something that’s easy to overlook in a sub-.500 season: resilience. Even after being outscored 7-0 midway through the fifth, they battled back with heart and hustle. And while the comeback fell just short, the buzz around the club, especially its young core, is very real.
As they head into the weekend with two more games against Toronto before the All-Star Break, one thing is clear. The Sacramento A’s aren’t mailing it in. They’re taking their swings, throwing punches, and making every inning count. The standings may not show it, but this team is building something.
Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Ever since Sacramento A’s pitcher Luis Severino said that Major League Baseball shouldn’t be playing in a minor league stadium the A’s have exploring ways of unloading Severino. So far no one seems interested in picking up his $67 million contract. (AP News photo)
A’s Luis Severino could be traded
That’s Amaury News and Commentary
By Amaury Pi-González
As Luis Severino was signed to a three year deal worth $67 million, the largest in A’s history. Severino is the most outspoken player on the A’s roster this season, primarily complaining about pitching in a minor league park, among other things.
And that shows. His ERA at home is 7.04, while outside of Sacramento, it’s a much more acceptable 3.04. Severino’s contract indicates that it pays him $25 million in 2026 and $22 million in 2027, unless he opts out on that final 2027 season.
If he does, he could be Adiós. Pitching is always tricky to predict, but it is conceivable that Severno could be traded to a team that needs pitching. Since it seems he is not happy in Sacramento, a place like Dodger Stadium could be suitable for him, since Dodgers pitchers have resembled nothing short of a hospital ward.
Since early in the season, the defending World Champs have 14 pitchers on the injured list. Starters like Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Blake Snell, and relievers Evan Phillips and ex-A’s Blake Treinen, just to mention a few of the 14 that visited the IL still with all those injuries, the Dodgers are still in first place.
Severino was supposed to give the Oakland A’s (now playing in Sacramento) a veteran presence on the mound for a young pitching staff, but it has not worked that way. The trade deadline is scheduled for July 31 at p.m. ET.
There are a lot of veteran pitchers available who could be moved before this deadline and Luis Severino, who has won with better teams than the A’s is one of them. Record the most traded?
Jesse Chávez is a 38-year-old pitcher (reliever) who has been traded ten times in less than 15 seasons and traded more than any other player in history, including twice traded, so far, this 2025 season. Chávez pitched for the Oakland A’s 2012-2015. By the way, he is a great guy to talk baseball.
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame
While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com
A radar device is seen on the roof behind home plate at PeoplesBank Park in third inning of the Atlantic League All Star Game Wed Jul 10, 2019 as a test for robot umpires (AP News photo)
MLB Robots are here for the All-Star Game!
That’s Amaury News and Commentary
By Amaury Pi-González
This next Tuesday’s All-Star Game at Atlanta will feature, for the first time, the use of its robot technology for ball-strike challenges. This represents a significant step toward utilizing this technology for the 2026 season and will eventually replace all human umpires in the not-too-distant future.
In 2023, the overall umpire accuracy in calling balls and strikes was 92.8%, according to Statcast data. This marks a slight increase from 92.45% in 2022. In other words, Umpires on average miss a call roughly once every 3.6 plate appearances.
Robots are cheaper than humans: The average salary for a Major League Baseball (MLB) umpire today is approximately $150,000 to $450,000 per year, depending on experience and seniority. It is the most challenging job in baseball; you usually get a lot of abuse from players (but you have the power to expel a player from the field) and, of course, the public, who are usually not kind to umpires. And if a fan gets ‘real nasty in vocabulary,’ umpires have the right to ask for that fan to be removed, also when a fan interferes with the play on the field.
Although robots are knocking on the door in baseball, a famous umpiring school still operates in Florida. The Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School, located in Osmond Beach, provides training for aspiring umpires, featuring both classroom and on-field instruction.
Many of the graduates have gone on to work in Major League Baseball. They will probably go out of business when baseball implements total robotic control on the field of play. I would think humans still would be needed to supervise some of this robotic world of umpires, or perhaps not? Time will tell.
Some of us remember when each league, the American and National Leagues, had their umpires, from their founding (1901 for the AL and earlier for the NL), until 2000, when MLB merged the two leagues into a single, unified roster. During the 2024 regular season, 10.9% of called pitches in the strike zone were ruled balls, and 6.3% of called pitches outside of the strike zone were ruled strikes, according to MLB Statcast.
Major League Baseball is currently testing a challenge system with automated ball-strike calls during spring training, with the potential for regular-season implementation as early as next season (2026) if testing is successful.
This system, known as Automated Ball-Strike (ABS), enables teams to challenge balls and strikes, with the call then reviewed by the automated system. MLB has been experimenting with the automated ball-strike system in the minor leagues since 2019.
Robots are as American as Baseball: Joseph Engelberger was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1925. Joseph Engelberger is widely regarded as the “Father of Robotics.” While he didn’t invent the concept of a robot, he is credited with developing the first industrial robot in the United States, the Unimate, and co-founding Unimation, Inc., the first robotics company.
He collaborated with inventor George Devol, who held the patent for the robotic arm used in the Unimate. ‘ My Take: I am not a fan of robots in baseball, or anyplace else, for that matter, but I also do not like automobiles that drive by themselves, and all this automation we have today, were people go on vacation take two cell phones and a laptop and do not have time to smell the roses. For me, baseball was the most excellent game ever invented, but, as previously mentioned, everything changes, and time goes on. I am not against progress, but just like the famous quote, “sometimes the best trades in baseball are the ones you do not make,” I think of the past and still believe baseball was more enjoyable in the past, with less technology and more humanity. Quote; I never questioned the integrity of an umpire. Their eyesight, yes. – Leo Durocher, Manager.
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame
Sports Radio Service 