FILE – Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, right, collides with San Diego Padres catcher Kyle Higashioka as he scores on a single by Teoscar Hernández during the fourth inning in Game 1 of baseball’s NL Division Series, on Oct. 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. Higashioka Mark J. Terrill – staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS
On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:
#1 Amaury how big is it that the Texas Rangers signed catcher Kyle Higashioka for two years at $13.5 million with a mutual option for the 2027 season. Higashioka played for the San Diego Padres in 2024 hit .220, with 54 hits, 17 home runs and 45 RBIs.
#2 The Chicago Cubs signed pitcher Matthew Boyd. Boyd will join the Cubs starting rotation. This was the Cubs first big deal in the off season. Boyd who came back from Tommy John surgery was 2-2 with a 2.72 ERA last season. Boyd signs with the Cubs for two years at $29 million. Boyd 33, could earn up to $1 million in performance bonuses.
#3 In a letter to the Tampa Bay Rays from Pinellas County (Fla.) the cost to build a new ballpark would run $1.3 billion in a letter from the county. The Rays presidents Brian Auld and Matt Silverman said in a letter to the county that they would not agree to a deal for the new stadium. The Rays said they have spent more than $50 million on the new stadium but the county had suspended work on the entire project. The park was scheduled to be completed by 2028. The Rays are without a ballpark after Hurricane Milton destroyed the roof of the Tropicana and will play their regular season games at George Steinbrenner Field in Tampa Bay.
#4 Should the Tampa Bay Rays move out of Tampa Bay since the county and the owners can’t come to an agreement and where could they move to Nashville, Montreal, Charlotte, San Antonio, Vancouver or Mexico City?
#5 This coming Thu Dec 5th is the big Las Vegas Stadium Authority meeting regarding the financing for the A’s share of the construction costs for the ballpark at the Tropicana. The A’s said they would present four documents that would outline how the financing would proceed. Dec 5th is the drop dead date to come up with the financing for the Vegas A’s park as the A’s took one year to try and get their financing together. A’s owner John Fisher was reportedly getting financing together from his family to pay the $1.5 billion joined with the State of Nevada’s in put from SB1 at $380 million. Can the A’s make it happen on Thursday?
Amaury Pi Gonzalez does That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
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