The World of Sports

New on Sports Illustrated: Trade-heavy Padres close series vs. Rockies

<a href="https://www.si.com/mlb/game/2246129">
After not being a postseason participant since 2006, the San Diego Padres have it coming together in 2020.
Not only are they currently in line to be the No. 4 seed in the National League playoffs, they are reaping the benefits of having baseball's top-ranked minor league system in both 2018 and 2019 -- by trading prospects for veteran additions who could provide an edge down the stretch and in the playoffs.
And the trading deadline won't come until an hour before the Padres start the finale of their four-game series against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Monday.
The Padres have already made four trades in the past two days while giving up just one top-10 prospect.
They acquired right-handed reliever Trevor Rosenthal on Saturday from the Kansas City Royals for outfielder Edward Olivares and a player to be named.
On Sunday, the Padres made three trades:
--They acquired designated hitter/first baseman Mitch Moreland from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for two prospects -- third baseman Hudson Potts and outfielder Jeisson Rosario.
--They land catcher Jason Castro from the Los Angeles Angels for right-hander Gerardo Reyes.
--They also added another catcher in Austin Nola as well as right-handed relievers Dan Altavilla and Austin Adams from the Seattle Mariners while parting ways with infielder Ty France, highly regarded outfield prospect Taylor Trammell, right-hander Andres Munoz and catcher Luis Torrens. Trammell was ranked as the Padres' fifth-ranked prospect by MLB.com.
So is general manager A.J. Preller done?
"He doesn't sleep," offered Padres manager Jayce Tingler.
But the Padres still have one need -- pitching.
On Monday night, struggling right-hander Garrett Richards (1-2, 5.17 ERA) will start for the Padres against Rockies right-hander German Marquez (2-4, 4.50).
Richards is likely the set-up man for a "bullpen" outing. In his seventh and most recent start, Richards gave up six runs on four hits and two walks in just two-thirds of an inning against Seattle. That was on Thursday. In his start before that, Richards lasted two innings.
Richards made an earlier start at Coors Field this season, allowing four runs on eight hits and a walk with six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
The Rockies' starter is no stranger to the Padres, although he didn't face San Diego during the Padres' first visit to Denver.
Marquez has a 5-2 career record against the Padres in 11 appearances (nine starts). He has a 4.88 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP against San Diego, while compiling 69 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings.
Despite losing two of the first three to the Padres while giving up 26 runs on 47 hits in 27 innings, the Rockies are still very much in the playoff hunt and a win Monday could be a big boost with the San Francisco Giants following the Padres into Coors Field. The Giants and Rockies could be battling for the possible third playoff berth from the National League West.
"We've got to get on a bit of a run here," said Rockies manager Bud Black.
The Rockies on Sunday made the type of move contenders make -- sending infield prospects Tyler Nevin and Terrin Vavra plus a player to be named to the Baltimore Orioles for much-needed bullpen help in right-hander Mychal Givens, who had a 1.38 ERA in 12 appearances for the Orioles. Givens had allowed two runs on seven hits and six walks with 19 strikeouts in 13 innings.
The first order of business, however, is Monday's series finale with the Padres. A win gives the Rockies a split -- and a fifth win in their last seven games.
But Black has a lot of respect for the team he once managed.
"They're having a good offensive year," Black said of the Padres. "They've made some great adjustments statistically in some of the things they've done from the previous couple of years. They're not chasing and getting deeper in counts. Their strikeouts are down and their walks are up."
--Field Level Media
</a>

New on Sports Illustrated: Trade-heavy Padres close series vs. Rockies

After not being a postseason participant since 2006, the San Diego Padres have it coming together in 2020. Not only are they currently in ...

New on Sports Illustrated: Giolito chasing more zeros as White Sox face Twins

<a href="https://www.si.com/mlb/game/2246418">
After ending a nine-game road trip with a five-game losing streak, the Minnesota Twins are looking forward to beginning an eight-game stretch at Target Field in Minneapolis against the Chicago White Sox on Monday night where they've compiled a 12-3 record.
Except ...
First up is a matchup with red-hot White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito who will be attempting to join Johnny Vander Meer as the only pitcher in Major League history to toss consecutive no-hitters.
Vander Meer accomplished that feat 82 years ago in 1938. Now Giolito (3-2, 3.09 ERA) will make his first start since no-hitting Pittsburgh in a 4-0 win on Tuesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field, the 19th no-hitter in franchise history.
The White Sox, meanwhile, are also trying for another kind of history, having bounced back from a 10-11 record on Aug. 16 to move into a first-place tie with the Cleveland Indians in the American League Central Division, while the slumping Twins have slid into third place.
"We got lost in history with a no-hitter," James McCann, who caught Giolito's masterpiece, told reporters. "But if you look at what our team is doing as a whole, we're on pace to have a pretty darn good 60-game season.
"And as much fun as (Tuesday) was, as much as I'm going to relive (Tuesday) for, really, the rest of my life, we have to get back to work and continue to grow and continue to mature as a team to get to the ultimate goal. And that's the playoffs and then the World Series."
To that end, Chicago took another step forward with a 5-2 victory in 10 innings on Sunday over visiting Kansas City behind Luis Robert's three-run walk-off homer.
Giolito threw seven shutout innings in a 9-0 win over Detroit in his previous start before the no-hitter. In his last two starts, he has allowed three hits and two walks and no runs in 16 innings while striking out 26.
But Giolito is just 4-6 with a 5.34 ERA in 11 career starts against Minnesota, including a 10-5 loss in the season-opener on July 24 when he allowed seven runs on six hits, including a pair of home runs by Max Kepler, in just 3 2/3 innings.
However, Giolito pitched arguably the best game of the 2019 season against the 101-win Twins at Target Field, blanking them on just three hits while striking out 12 on Aug. 21 of last year. Overall, he's 3-2 with a 4.71 ERA in five career starts at Target Field.
Left-hander Rich Hill (1-1, 3.55) is scheduled to start for Minnesota. Hill is 0-2 with a 6.41 ERA in 17 career appearances and three starts against the White Sox but hasn't pitched against them since Opening Day in 2016 as a member of the Oakland A's. On that day, he took the loss in a 4-3 setback, allowing four runs (two earned) on three hits and a walk in 2 2/3 innings.
The Twins managed just six runs on 13 hits while getting swept in a three-game series by the Tigers for the first time since 2016 to end the trip.
"The road trip was a rough one," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said after Sunday's 3-2 loss at Detroit. "Every time we felt like maybe we were getting something going or on a little roll, maybe we wouldn't execute, something wouldn't go our way. It wasn't pretty baseball from the beginning."
The five-game losing streak is the longest in Baldelli's two seasons as manager of the Twins.
--Field Level Media
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New on Sports Illustrated: Giolito chasing more zeros as White Sox face Twins

After ending a nine-game road trip with a five-game losing streak, the Minnesota Twins are looking forward to beginning an eight-game stret...

New on Sports Illustrated: Pirates looking for series split with Brewers

<a href="https://www.si.com/mlb/game/2246465">
The Pittsburgh Pirates will be going for a split of their four-game series in Milwaukee when the teams meet Monday at Miller Park.
The Brewers, meanwhile, will be going for a series win and a season split. They are 4-5 against the Pirates going into the teams' final meeting of this shortened season.
Milwaukee won games Friday and Saturday before the Pirates won Sunday.
The combined home run count through the first three games of the series is up to 11. Pittsburgh got long balls from Josh Bell and Gregory Polanco in a 5-1 win Sunday.
It gave Bell two homers in as many days, one right-handed and one left-handed. That doubled his total to four. He's batting .218 after hitting .277 with 37 homers last year.
"I think the timing's better," Pirates manager Derek Shelton said of Bell. "I think he's being more consistent in his movement. As (people) saw last year, this guy can hit. He got off to a slow start, but I think we're starting to see signs of him coming around."
The Pirates will be without left fielder Bryan Reynolds (paternity list) for a second straight day.
There's no telling what other, if any changes, might happen for either team before the series finale. Monday is the trade deadline.
Pittsburgh right-hander Trevor Williams (1-5, 5.34 ERA) is scheduled to start Monday.
Milwaukee has not named a starter.
"We're going to have a conversation and figure it out," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "We'll have to make some moves."
Speculation is that it could be left-hander Eric Lauer, who would need to be recalled. Lauer (0-2, 12.54 ERA) as of Sunday was scheduled to pitch four innings Monday at the team's alternate training sight.
He was optioned there Aug. 13 after struggling for two straight starts.
"We need him to pitch better," Counsell said when Lauer was sent down. "That's No. 1. I think he's capable of pitching better -- and look, we want him to be here pitching for us in our rotation. That's what we would like to have happen."
Williams' name has made the rounds at times as a potential player to be traded, although his performance might have blunted any talks.
Williams insists he is purposely remaining oblivious to trade talk.
"I think we don't see it as much," he said. "Guys are doing a good job of staying off their phones as much as they can. We're not going to be in the dark. If someone gets traded, they'll let us know. It's one of those (situations) where we can't be worried about something that is out of our control."
Williams is coming off a loss Tuesday against the White Sox in which he gave up eight runs and nine hits in six innings.
He is 3-3 with a 2.74 ERA in eight games, seven of them starts, against Milwaukee. That includes going 1-1 with a 2.75 ERA in four career games, three of them starts, at Miller Park.
--Field Level Media
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New on Sports Illustrated: Pirates looking for series split with Brewers

The Pittsburgh Pirates will be going for a split of their four-game series in Milwaukee when the teams meet Monday at Miller Park. The Bre...

New on Sports Illustrated: McBroom looming when Royals face Indians

<a href="https://www.si.com/mlb/game/2246536">
The anomaly that is the 2020 baseball season has delivered many casualties, not the least of which is benchmark statistics.
Players who have reached "at least" numbers in consecutive seasons likely will see those streaks end.
That makes the record-setting season of Kansas City's Ryan McBroom even more remarkable. The first baseman, who made his major league debut last September after being acquired from the New York Yankees farm system, came with the reputation of being a power hitter. But he had to wait until this season to hit his first career home run after 75 at-bats without one in 2019.
So far in 2020, McBroom has five home runs, including three as a pinch-hitter. Three pinch-hit home runs are a Royals record for a season -- and a career. He did it in a span of 18 days.
"It's hard not to smile through this," McBroom said about his home-run streak. "It's been incredible. There are really no answers. There's no secret formula. I'm just having fun."
Royals manager Mike Matheny has been impressed.
"The ability to jump into that role is very rare," Matheny said. "To see what he's done so far is really very unique. The thing it comes down to is this guy can hit. The issue is how do we get him more consistent at-bats?"
McBroom is in a platoon at first base with Ryan O'Hearn, although Matheny has started him in the outfield on occasion to get his right-handed bat in the lineup. With the Cleveland Indians arriving for a three-game series beginning Monday, he probably won't be in the starting lineup with RHP Shane Bieber on the mound for the Indians.
Bieber is having an outstanding season for the Indians. His six wins (against no defeats), 1.35 ERA and 75 strikeouts all lead Major League Baseball. He was Cleveland's Opening Day starter against the Royals, going six scoreless innings July 24 when he allowed only four hits and one walk while striking out 14.
Bieber has struck out at least eight in all seven starts, including double-digits in five starts.
Maybe he's gotten to the point where he expects perfection every time out.
"I didn't feel right; I was fighting myself the whole way through," Bieber said after allowing two runs on four hits in six innings, with only 10 strikeouts Tuesday against the Minnesota Twins. "You can notice all those things, but at the end of the day you've got to compete. It took a little bit longer to figure it out than I would have liked. But eventually I got it down."
Bieber is 4-0 with a 4.33 ERA in his career against the Royals.
The Royals will counter with RHP Brad Keller (3-1, 2.08 ERA), who was dealt his first loss, and gave up his first earned runs, of the season in his last outing in St. Louis.
Keller was charged with five earned runs, including three after he exited, on six hits and three walks. He allowed 10 base runners in four innings pitched plus four batters, snapping a career high 17 2/3-inning scoreless streak.
He will be facing a division opponent for the first time this season after four straight interleague games. He's 2-1 with a 1.38 ERA in six appearances (four starts) against the Indians. He has 26 strikeouts in 26 career innings against Cleveland.
--Field Level Media
</a>

New on Sports Illustrated: McBroom looming when Royals face Indians

The anomaly that is the 2020 baseball season has delivered many casualties, not the least of which is benchmark statistics. Players who ha...

New on Sports Illustrated: Red Sox, Braves look to keep scoreboard busy

<a href="https://www.si.com/mlb/game/2246876">
If Sunday's offensive explosions are any indication, the Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves should be swinging for the fences on Monday night at Fenway Park.
Both teams put up crooked numbers over the weekend against the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies, respectively, gearing up for another anticipated slugfest.
The Braves used a 10-run second inning in their 12-10 win over the Phillies. Austin Riley homered and had three RBIs while Nick Markakis and Marcell Ozuna each had three hits and two RBIs.
Atlanta manager Brian Snitker breathed a sigh of relief after his team held on to the lead in Philadelphia.
"You're never safe in this ballpark," Snitker said afterward. "You don't feel comfortable ever with any lead."
Winners of six of their last 10 games, the Red Sox are fresh off a 9-5 victory over the Nationals on Sunday at Fenway Park. The Red Sox feasted off Washington pitching with 15 hits, including four home runs.
Third baseman Rafael Devers led the hit parade going 4-for-4 with two homers and three RBI. He's been on fire at Fenway as of late, going a combined 11-for-21 in his last five games, including three doubles, three homers and eight RBI.
"I'm hoping this gets him going," Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke told reporters. "(Rafael brought) an energy and was smiling. He just seemed to be really happy today, not just on those hits, but from the beginning of the game. Hopefully, we continue this, and we can get him in a stretch where he's really raking."
All-Star shortstop Xander Bogaerts fanned the flames by going 6-for-11 in the three-game series with two homers and five RBI.
Rookie first baseman Bobby Dalbec also had two hits, including a two-run home run in his major league debut.
"That's pretty fun to see," Roenicke said. "First game in the big leagues and hitting a homer, pretty cool. I thought it was a great day for him."
Boston may need the added bat, after losing J.D. Martinez late in the contest. The Red Sox slugger is listed as day-to-day for Monday, after getting hit by a pitch from Nationals reliever Daniel Hudson.
"They took X-rays on it and he's fine," Roenicke said. "It will just be day-to-day to see how much pain he has. It got him right on the bone in the back of the hand. I'm sure that spots going to be pretty sore."
Red Sox right-hander Colten Brewer will be on the mound for Boston on Monday. The 6-foot-4, 222-pound hurler is 0-2 with a 4.57 ERA, walking 12 and fanning 21 in 21 2/3 innings this season. Monday will mark his first career appearance against Atlanta.
Although the starting pitching has battled injuries and inconsistency, the Boston bullpen has held up well and hasn't allowed a run over its last 12 innings.
Atlanta will counter with National League ERA leader Max Fried.
The left-hander is 5-0 with a 1.35 ERA that is tied for the best in baseball and is holding opponents to a .190 batting average. He also has a 0.95 WHIP.
Fried has allowed just 26 hits in 40 innings over seven starts. He beat the New York Yankees in his last turn when he gave up one run and four hits over six innings on Wednesday.
The Braves have been swinging the bat well. They chased Phillies starter Jake Arrieta after 1 1/3 innings on Sunday night. Riley homered and doubled in the big 10-run inning.
Outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. was removed from Sunday's action as a precaution after experiencing some hamstring issues in the second inning.
"If you push that, something bad is going to happen," Snitker said of Acuna. "We'll just see how he is tomorrow."
Ozuna has five homers and 15 RBIs over his past 15 games. Shortstop Dansby Swanson, who homered Sunday, is 22-for-61 (.361) with three homers and 15 runs scored over his last 15 contests.
--Field Level Media
</a>

New on Sports Illustrated: Red Sox, Braves look to keep scoreboard busy

If Sunday's offensive explosions are any indication, the Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves should be swinging for the fences on Monday ...

The World of Sports

New on Sports Illustrated: Trade-heavy Padres close series vs. Rockies

New on Sports Illustrated: Giolito chasing more zeros as White Sox face Twins

New on Sports Illustrated: Pirates looking for series split with Brewers

New on Sports Illustrated: McBroom looming when Royals face Indians

New on Sports Illustrated: Red Sox, Braves look to keep scoreboard busy

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