The Cubs made news by calling up top prospect Kris Bryant. He is expected to be at Wrigley Field on Friday for a game against the Padres. Why now? Opening-day third baseman Mike Olt has a hairline fracture in his wrist, and Bryant has passed the seven-year free-agency threshold in the minors. And what did Bryant do in his final game for the Iowa Cubs? He hit a home run:
So he appears to be... ready.
Today I got to tell my family that my dream is coming true. Can't really put into words what that feels like. So excited for this journey!
— Kris Bryant (@KrisBryant_23) April 17, 2015Finals
Diamondbacks 7, Giants 5 in 12 innings (Box score): Giants rallied from 4-1 down, tying the score in the ninth and 10th, but three home runs by the D-backs were key, and a two-run double by Aaron Hill in the 12th was the difference. San Francisco has lost seven straight. In all, a ragged effort on both sides that lasted 4 hours, 20 minutes — on Bruce Bochy's 60th birthday. Rookie Archie Bradley did not get a decision, but he pitched well again, allowing two runs and four hits over 6 2/3 innings — better than the line for Madison Bumgarner of the Giants. His first start came against Clayton Kershaw. Speaking of which:
Archie Bradley joined Randy Flores (2002) as the only pitchers to face a Cy Young winner and World Series MVP in their 1st 2 starts.
— Bill Arnold (@sfgwire) April 17, 2015Twins 8, Royals 5 (Box Score): Eight runs for the Twins! That might not sound like much, but this team scored 19 runs total in their first eight games of 2015. Minnesota hammered Jason Vargas for five runs on 10 hits in only three innings with Kennys Vargas and Kurt Suzuki both hitting two-run home runs. Lorenzo Cain continued his amazing start to the season by going 3-for-4 with a single, a double, a homer, a walk and another diving catch in center. He's been remarkable. Kansas City has dropped two straight after winning their first seven games of the year.
Cardinals 4, Brewers 0 (Box Score): This was a pitchers' duel (Mike Fiers vs. John Lackey) until the sixth inning, when the Cardinals had the most Cardinals rally ever. Matt Carpenter doubled off the wall, Matt Holliday drove him in with the single, the Mark Reynolds drove him in with a double. Carpenter and Yadier Molina drove in insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively. Lackey (7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K) out-pitched Fiers (5 2/3 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K). Milwaukee didn't have a single runner reach third base. They dropped to 2-7 on the season.
Nationals 5, Phillies 2 (box score): Yunel Escobar hit a leadoff homer against Cole Hamels, and Michael Taylor added another deep for the Nats, who got an effective 6 2/3 innings by Doug Fister. Hamels has been known to be vulnerable to the home run in the early part of the season. Phillies drop to 3-7 and Hamels's ERA is 5.00 through three starts. They've also scored five runs in his starts. Two hits for Ryan Zimmerman, two runs scored for Bryce Harper.
Mets 7, Marlins 5 (box score): That's five straight wins for the Mets, who got three hits from Lucas Duda, including two doubles and a go-ahead single against a left-handed pitcher in the seventh inning. Wilmer Flores hit a three-run homer to erase an early deficit. The Fish got a big home run from Giancarlo Stanton, who moved into first place all-time on the club dinger list. Ichiro also made a great slide (two slides, actually) to score and get out of a run-down situation.
Rays 4, Jays 2 (box score): Chris Archer struck out 11, allowing two hits and two walks over seven innings and Tim Beckham hit his second home run.
Daily Awards
Ichiro slide(s) of the day:
It took 5 minutes, 44 seconds for the replay gods to work it out.
Giancarlo Stanton home run of the day:
Stanton becomes the Marlins all-time home run leader, surpassing Dan Uggla. Check out the the list. Big names:
Non-Stanton home run of the day: Yeah, it's only the first game of the day, but I've seen enough to consider this the dinger of the day. Kennys Vargas ripped a Sheffield-ian line drive to left that clanked off the facing of the second deck at Target Field. Check it out:
That was a bullet. And based on the new exit velocity and exit angle data MLBAM has made available this year, Vargas' homer was the third hardest hit home run of the 2015 season.:
Lorenzo Cain's diving catch of the day: Here is Lorenzo Cain's diving catch of the day:
Check back tomorrow for the next installment of Lorenzo Cain's diving catch of the day.
Hockey Hall of Famer of the day: Some members of the Rays bumped into Wayne Gretzky while in Toronto to play the Blue Jays:
I feel like Gretzky is underrated in the pantheon of all-time greats in each sport. The gap between him and the second greatest player ever is by far the largest among the four major sports. Anyway, back to baseball.
Injuries, News & Rumors
Cubs: After much ballyhoo, they're calling up Kris Bryant on Friday. Mike Olt has a hairline fracture in his wrist, and Bryant has passed the seven-year free-agency threshold. (Jesse Rogers of ESPN)
Also: RHP Neil Ramirez will go for tests on his shoulder after feeling discomfort warming up Wednesday. (ESPN Chicago)
Blue Jays: Jose Reyes, who sustained an injury to his ribs on a check-swing this past week, left in the second inning against the Rays because of sore ribs. (CBC)
Also: Toronto designated RHP Todd Redmond for assignment, the team announced. IF Ryan Goins was called up from Triple-A in a corresponding move.
Brewers: OF Carlos Gomez, who has a small tear in his right hamstring, is headed back to Milwaukee for tests. (Journal Sentinel)
Indians: RHP Danny Salazar will make the spot start Saturday in place of RHP Carlos Carrasco, who took a line drive to the jaw earlier this week and will have his next start pushed back. (MLB.com)
Nationals: RHP Craig Stammen has a torn flexor, an MRI showed. He needs surgery and might miss the rest of the season, the club announced.
More Nats:
Denard Span played seven innings in center at Hagerstown today. He went 3 for 4 with a homer and two RBI.
— James Wagner (@JamesWagnerWP) April 17, 2015Orioles: SS J.J. Hardy will work out with the club's Double-A affiliate on Friday but has not yet been cleared to play in games. (MASN Sports)
Phillies: Top prospect SS J.P. Crawford (oblique) is expected to return to minor league games in early May. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Pirates: RHP Charlie Morton (hip) will pitch in a minor league game Saturday. (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)
Mariners: Manager Lloyd McClendon says he is committed to the struggling RHP Fernando Rodney at closer. (Tacoma News Tribune)
Rays: LHP Jake McGee (elbow) and RHP Alex Colome (pneumonia) are scheduled to pitch a minor league game Thursday ... 1B James Loney (oblique) could be ready to return when eligible to be activated off the DL on April 22 ... IF Nick Franklin (oblique) won't be ready to play in minor league games this week (Tampa Bay Times) ... Signed C J.P. Arencibia to a minor league contract and assigned him to their Triple-A affiliate. (Tampa Tribune)
Twins: RHP Ricky Nolasco (elbow) will throw off a mound Sunday for the first time hitting the DL. (MLB.com)
Yankees: Have been scouting Braves minor league IF Jose Peraza ... OF Brett Gardner (wrist) has a bone bruise after being hit by a pitch and is day-to-day, the team announced.
Despite his struggles, Fernando Rodney will remain Seattle's closer. (USATSI)
Looking Ahead to Friday (all times ET)
A full slate of games returns Friday as teams kick off their weekend series. Several aces will be on the mound as well, including six former Cy Young award winners.
1:08pm: White Sox (Jeff Samardzija) at Tigers (David Price)
2:20pm: Padres (James Shields) at Cubs (Jason Hammel)
7:05pm: Brewers (Jimmy Nelson) at Pirates (Jeff Locke)
7:05pm: Phillies (Sean O'Sullivan) at Nationals (Max Scherzer)
7:07pm: Braves (Julio Teheran) at Blue Jays (Drew Hutchison)
7:10pm: Orioles (Ubaldo Jimenez) at Red Sox (Joe Kelly)
7:10pm: Marlins (David Phelps) at Mets (Bartolo Colon)
7:10pm: Yankees (Adam Warren) at Rays (Nathan Karns)
8:10pm: Indians (Corey Kluber) at Twins (Mike Pelfrey)
8:10pm: Angels (Jered Weaver) at Astros (Roberto Hernandez)
8:10pm: Athletics (Sonny Gray) at Royals (Jeremy Guthrie)
8:15pm: Reds (Johnny Cueto) at Cardinals (Michael Wacha)
10:10pm: Rockies (Kyle Kendrick) at Dodgers (Clayton Kershaw)
10:10pm: Rangers (Yovani Gallardo) at Mariners (J.A. Happ)
10:15pm: Diamondbacks (Josh Collmenter) at Giants (Jake Peavy)
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