New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, June 22, 2024, in New York. Judge who has 32 home runs is on a pace to hit 50 this season. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O:
#1 Charlie, who would expect the New York Yankees who had a season best 49-21 through June 12 now at a MLB worst at 6-15. The Yankees blew a three lead when the Boston Red Sox Masataka Yoshida hit a two run homer and Ceddanne Rafaela homered in the 10th inning to give the Sox a 5-3 win on Friday night.
#2 Charlie, you might recall when former Negro Leagues star Buck O’Neil said there were three times he heard that certain thwack off the bat and you knew from that sound that hitter was something special. The list Babe Ruth, Josh Gibson, and Bo Jackson. He might have added the Yankees Aaron Judge to list if he was here today.
#3 The New York Mets activated closer Edwin Diaz. Diaz was suspended after serving a ten day suspension for foreign substance abuse on his hands. Diaz at the time said it was sweat and rosin the umpires ruled it was a foreign substance and he thrown out of the game and later suspended.
#4 The Pittsburgh Pirates tied a franchise record hitting seven home runs defeating the New York Mets 14-2 on Friday night. The Pirates Bryan Reynolds and Rowdy Tellez became the first teammates to hit multiple home runs including a grand slam,. All of the Bucs runs came from the home run.
#5 Last week Nevada District Court Judge Kristin Luis ruled that the Oakland A’s are a private business and cannot get involved any lawsuit to stop Schools over Stadiums from their petition drive to stop Nevada State public money to pay for the Tropicana Park on the Las Vegas Strip. This would give Schools over Stadiums the green light to pursue getting the needed signatures from four districts in Nevada including Las Vegas for a ballot initiative to stop the use of public funds for the ballpark.
Chicago Cubs manager David Ross, right, argues with umpire Chris Guccione after Cubs’ Cody Bellinger was ruled out and not hit by a pitch during the 10th inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Fri Sep 22, 2023 (AP News photo)
On MLB The Show podcast with Charlie O:
#1 Chicago Cubs manager David Ross apologized in a text message to Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton for saying the Pirates are not a very good team after the Pirates took two out three games from the Cubs this week. Ross said after apologizing and addressing the press that after games sometimes you can say the wrong things that don’t come out the right way.
#2 The Milwaukee Brewers Rowdy Tellez didn’t get an at bat on Friday night against the Miami Marlins but ended up putting them away in oder when he was called to pitch against them in the ninth. Tellez the Brewers first baseman came into pitch with the Brewers ahead 16-1.
#3 The Los Angeles Angels reported that third baseman Anthony Rendon will not play again for the rest of the season. Rendon had been out of action since July 4th. Rendon who has a leg injury fouled a pitch off his leg against the San Diego Padres, it was reported as a bruise but later confirmed as a fractured tibia.
#4 The Minnesota Twins picked up their third AL Central title in the last five seasons. The other two title wins were in 2019 and 2020. The Twins have won nine central titles and 13 division titles.
#5 Charlie, the New York Yankees Aaron Judge continues to amaze Judge hit three home runs and becomes the first Yankee to hit three home runs in a game twice in a season. The Yankees may not be going anywhere but Judge has been a silver lining.
#1 It was Oakland A’s Matt Chapman bobblehead day alright, and the A’s did just that on Saturday, bobbled the game away to the Toronto Blue Jays 10-1 in a no mercy rule game.
#2 The Jays’ first baseman Rowdy Tellez hit for his fourth homer and got a double as part of the Jays offense was hitting .191.
#3 The Jays’ Brandon Drury hitting .147 went 3-4 and hit for two RBIs and two runs scored.
#4 The A’s rough day continued after using six relievers they called on their first baseman Kendrys Morales as a closer in the ninth inning.
#5 The A’s and Jays conclude the series today at the Coliseum with the Jays Aaron Sanchez (2-1, 2.86 ERA) and the A’s Brett Anderson (3-0, 2.63 ERA).
OAKLAND — Saturday was supposed to be all about Matt Chapman. The Gold Glove-winning third baseman was honored by having his image immortalized as a bobblehead and given away to eager fans who love to collect limited edition pieces. 33 members of Chapman’s family traveled from Southern California to attend the game. However, instead of a day of celebration, the game became just a very ugly 10-1 lost to the surging Toronto Blue Jays.
The player who really had the opportunity to celebrate on Saturday grew up about 90 miles away from the Oakland Coliseum and had a large contingent of family and friends in the stands. Rowdy Tellez plays first base for the Blue Jays. Tellez came into the game struggling with just a .191 batting average. When the game ended, the big man from Elk Grove had picked up his fourth home run of the season to go with a double, two runs scored and three RBI.
Tellez had a partner in crime that helped defeat the A’s in Brandon Drury. Drury also started the day hitting below the “Mendoza Line” at .147. Drury went 3-for-4 in the game with two RBI and two runs scored.
The A’s used six pitchers in the contest. The final player to take the mound for Oakland was first baseman Kendrys Morales. Yes, the A’s were waving the white flag at the point in the top of the ninth inning.
Oakland did manage to manufacture one run in the bottom of the ninth to prevent the game from being a shutout.
The A’s have fallen under .500 with this loss. Their record now stands at 11-12.
Oakland has lost four of their last five games. They are 1-3 on this eight-game homestand.
This will be the first home series loss for the A’s since being swept by the Astros in June of 2018.
Mike Fiers was charged with the loss and falls to 2-2 for the season. He worked just 3.1 innings allowing six runs (all earned) off nine hits (2 HR). Fiers struck out four batters and walked none.
The A;s used a total of six pitchers who gave up 10 runs (all earned) on 15 hits to the Jays. A’s pitchers struck out 12 batters and walked just three. They did allow three home runs.
The A’s scattered six hits in the contest. Matt Chapman and Steven Piscotty both collected two hits off Toronto pitching.
The only extra base hit for the A’s came in the ninth inning. Robbie Grossman hit a double and eventually came home to score the only run for the green and gold.
The A’s left six men on base and were 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
Fernando Rodney pitched a 1-2-3 top of the eighth inning for Oakland. It was his 906th career pitching appearance tying him with Cy Young for 24th on the all-time list. That is pretty “heady” company.
Fernando Rodney makes 906th appearance Photo: Charlie O. Mallonee
Blue Jays
The Blue Jays have now won five of their six games on this seven-game road trip.
They will win both series on the road.
The Jays’ record has improved to 10-12 for 2019.
Sam Gaviglio (2-0) gets credit for the win.
Matt Shoemaker made the start for Toronto and was pitching a fine game when he had to exit due to injury. The pitcher became involved in a rundown play of Matt Chapman between first and second in the bottom of the third inning. Shoemaker put the tag on Chapman and then fell to the ground. He left the field under his own power, but the club reported later that he was being evaluated for a left knee injury.
The Jays left nine men on base and went 5-for-13 with runners in scoring position.
Toronto hit three doubles and three home runs off A’s pitching.
It was a day for the Blue Jays where they could do no wrong.
There was something in the air
There were two separate incidents of fans jumping out of the stands and on to the field of play on Saturday. One occurred in the sixth inning and was ended fairly quickly.
The second incident happened in the ninth inning and the man spent a considerable amount of time running around on the infield. The trespasser thought he was about to elude security again when second base umpire and crew chief Bill Nelson grabbed him by the waist. Nelson threw the unruly fan to the ground and security took care of the rest. The big crowd of 31,140 gave Nelson a roar of approval.
The easy answer is to say it was 4/20 day, but that is too easy. The most import thing is that no player, umpire or employee was injured.
Up Next
The three-game series with Toronto wraps up on Easter Sunday. The Blue Jays will send RHP Aaron Sanchez (2-1, 2.86 ERA) to the mound while the A’s will counter with the undefeated LHP Brett Anderson (3-0, 2.63 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 1:07 PM.
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