The Rays had a tough ninth inning in tonight’s game one against the Yankees. But after Giancarlo Stanton put the game away with a grand slam, the Rays got to make a little history themselves. Shane McClanahan became the first pitcher in MLB history to make his major league debut in the postseason, writes MLB.com’s Juan Toribio (via Twitter). Hitters have accomplished the feat, including this season when Alex Kirilloff made his debut for the Twins. McClanahan was the Rays #5 ranked prospect in Baseball America’s midseason report, and he’d pitched only as high as four games in Double-A prior to his ALDS appearance on Monday night. Rays manager Kevin Cash tasked the former 31st overall pick of the 2018 draft with getting the final out of the ninth inning. The southpaw allowed a high-chop infield single, then surrendered a walk to load the bases for DJ LeMahieu. McClanahan got the AL batting champ to hit one of the end of the bat, which he fielded cleanly to retire the side. While the playoffs rumble on, the rest of the baseball world continues in the background…
- Framber Valdez will start game two of the ALDS for the Houston Astros on Tuesday with a chance to go up 2-0 in the series. But there was a version of events in which Valdez never would have been employed by the Astros at all. Valdez told reporters Monday that he was actually signed by the Brewers back in 2015, but he was released after a failed physical (Twitter link via Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle). The lefty didn’t elaborate as to what brought about the failed the physical, and given the range of possibilities, it’s not worth speculating. The Astros signed the hard-throwing southpaw on March 18, 2015 as an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic, and he made his big-league debut in 2018. This season was his real breakout, however, as he locked down a spot in the Astros’ rotation with a 3.57 ERA/2.85 FIP in 70 2/3 innings before turning in a dominant, five-inning relief showing in Game 1 of the Wild Card round.
- Pittsburgh Pirates GM Ben Cherington continues to re-make the organization that hired him as General Manager back on November 18, 2019. Lots has changed in the year plus that Cherington has been in charge, but a long rebuild still lies ahead. Given the revenue dips caused by the pandemic, it’s not particularly surprising that today’s news regards a “mix of firings and not renewing contracts,” per Jason Mackey of PG Sports Now (via Twitter). Among those not returning to Pittsburgh are strength coach Jim Malone, head athletic trainer Bryan Housand, and senior advisor Nick Leyva, among others it seems. Given the trends we’re seeing in the industry, it would not be surprising to see these positions either filled internally or not filled at all.
Cherington is a jewel. The Pirates so lucky to have this very talented GM. He did some really good work in Boston’s farm system, with bringing in tremendous talent. Hold onto him Pirates.!
With expanded playoffs probably sticking around, he can perhaps get them into the post-season sooner.
Guess we’ll see what a jewel he is with a miserly owner, eh? The product on the field this year would lead one to believe that 2025 is a reasonable target for respectability, at best
I wanted to add I’m happy Cherington found a home with the Pirates where he’ll be for many yr. He was with Boston many yrs, I think he was with Theo initially, I hope memory serves me right, lol.
Of course, the Bucco hitting coach still has a job….
I’m sorry to say this, but the Astros look like they are back with a vengeance… There is a passion that wasn’t there before, and having one of Valdez, Javier, Greinke, Urquidly, and Mccullers giving you 5 innings+ every game is a godsend. This team has a passion to try and prove people wrong, and tbh, I think they will. I want to see a Marlins/Astros WS, or an Astros/Dodgers rematch. Postseason baby!
I LOVE these guys!!!!!
the ideal would be beat As, hammer Yanks, rematch Dodgers, win it again.
How fun that would be!
The A’s had their best starter on the mound Monday. I’m a lot more confident in Valdez, Greinke, Urquidy, and either Cristian Javier or Luis Garcia starting games 2-5 than Oakland should be with Manaea, Luzardo, Montas, and Fiers on the mound for the rest of the ALDS.
As a Rangers fan it would pain me to see the Astros win the WS in the first year of our new stadium, but I don’t utterly hate them like I do the Yanks so… there’s that.
Rangers will be back soon. Thanks for the honest take.
Love that the stros have adopted the heeler aspected. As Carlos Correa said, if you hate us so much then beat us, bring it!
“Heeled aspected?” What did you mean to say?
Heeler
Didn’t Matt Moore make his MLB debut in the post season?
No he debuted about 2 weeks prior.
No, but Adalbert Mondesi make his debut in the WS.
I was thinking maybe Ken Brett with 67 Red Sox, but he pitched in 1 game before World Series.
I like how one of the writers for CBSSports originally picked Oakland to sweep the series, but now she predicts the Astros will win game 2 after going up 1-0. Way to stick with your prognostication there.
I guess everyone’s hate for the Astros isn’t as strong as they thought and it’s becoming less cool to be a hater since they’re the hottest team in baseball right now. Let’s keep it going in game 2 guys!
Good thing I haven’t been cool in forty years, so I don’t have to worry about it.
Good thing I haven’t been cool for forty years, so I don’t have to worry about it.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-division-series-expert-picks-predictions-can-the-dodgers-yankees-advance/amp/
Are you talking about this article and Acquavella?
I don’t know much about her, but I don’t think these writers are anywhere close to “experts”. Every single one, except for Axisa predicted that the Reds would win (ironically, he’s the only one predicting the Marlins to win now).
In her prediction for the Braves/Marlins series she says “Again, like I predicted for the Braves-Marlins series, Atlanta’s offense is just better.”
I read that and I was like, what? You predicted the Reds to beat the Braves, wtf are you talking about.
I actually went back to find CBSSPORTS wild card predictions, and they must have switched their picks. I swear only the fat guy in the middle picked the Braves to win and she picked the Reds. I distinctly remember it because I couldn’t believe only the fat guy picked the Braves to win.
Lick Leyva is an awesome name.
Interesting. Framber has always been…uh, husky, let’s say. Don’t matter what body type you are if your curve spins even faster than the news media.
For the previous post… Scrap the whole minor league system. NBA and NFL don’t have one.
The NBA has the G League, and the NFL doesn’t need a minor league because of how big college football is (and all NFL draftees come from the college ranks).
The NFL really does need a minor league.
Is the name really Lick Leyva? There was Nick Leyva. Did he have another child named Mick Leyva?
It’s actually Dick Lick Leyva.
Well played
The rock n’ roll band Kiss was inspired by Leyva in naming one of their all time hits… Lick it up!
The Astros do look good so far. Don’t sleep on A’s. Stros are getting there confidence back. Yankees or Rays will dispose of that quickly
The Astros are feasting on average pitching, and average hitting. The A’s are hurt by injuries, sadly.
lets give the Stros some credit here, so has their SP staff. probably the biggest part of their 2017 run was Verlander and he’s been absent all year.
Yes, credit the Astros for not only having in there with good solid pitching mid game through the end, but an offense that kept at it and eventually broke through…..sadly, the A’s do seem to be a team that offensively either hits a HR or strikes out…….they need some offensive consistency and then let that bullpen that was league top, do their job.
Abreu, Peacock, Devenski, Alvarez, Osuna, Verlander, Armenteros, Pruitt….. are Astros disabled
Who’s beat up… sounds like you got excuses.
The Astros have been hurt by injuries as well. Have you forgotten that they’ve been without Future HOF’er Justin Verlander all season? Quit making excuses. No team has a commanding lead in either AL series yet. The Rays had plenty of opportunities to take, re-take the lead last night. Both games had plays that could’ve, would’ve changed the dynamic of the game.
If Cherington was hired November 18th then he hasn’t been GM for a year plus…
yeah, dont sleep on those Stros. they’re hungry to win again without Hinch, Cora, Beltran and Luhnow (obviously one can’t prove they arent still cheating, but distancing themselves from the guys in the report is a good thing)
Completely off topic so apologies in advance….
Can anybody explain why in the blue blazes comments are off for the next news item – ie the class action litigation between the minor leagues and MLB?
Surely if you don’t want comments, why publish?
I’m a MLBTR subscriber and I understand the reluctance for comments on covid articles, elections or domestic violence issues, but I don’t get this? Anyone got a clue?