Don Sutton, Hall of Fame pitcher who played for Astros , dies at 75
Don Sutton #20 of the Houston Astros sets up to throw a pitch during a Major League Baseball game circa 1981. LOS ANGELES โ Don Sutton, a Hall of Fame pitcher who was a stalwart of the Los Angeles Dodgersโ rotation spanning an era from Sandy Koufax to Fernando Valenzuela, died Tuesday. Sutton was 4-1 with a 2.02 ERA in seven National League Championship Series games and was 2-3 in eight World Series games. Shortly before the start of the following season, Sutton broke his left leg. Sutton pitched for Dodgers Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda, who died on Jan. 7.
Roberts guides Dodgers to 1st World Series title in 32 years
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts celebrates after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 to win the baseball World Series in Game 6 Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Dave Roberts finally has a World Series title to savor. Roberts did what his seven predecessors โ including Joe Torre and Don Mattingly โ failed to do, bring a championship to long-starved Dodgers fans. In Game 4 of the AL Championship Series, the Red Sox were facing elimination when he entered as a pinch-runner. Boston won in 12 innings, overcame the Yankees and went on to win its first World Series since 1918, although Roberts didn't play in the Series.
LEADING OFF: Dodgers turn to Jansen, bullpen for Game 2
A look at what's happening around the majors Wednesday:___BULLPEN SAVEDThe Dodgers were so good in Game 1 of the World Series, they helped themselves for Game 2. Top relievers Kenley Jansen, Blake Treinen and Brusdar Graterol should all be fresh for a bullpen game against Tampa Bay after they weren't needed in an 8-3 win Tuesday. Jansen has more blown saves (three) than conversions (two) in two previous World Series and also struggled this fall, but he seemed to have himself righted by the end of the NLCS. Manager Kevin Cash โ uncharacteristically slow to pull starter Tyler Glasnow in Game 1 โ also has fresh arms in the bullpen. After separating his troubled right shoulder while bumping forearms celebrating his go-ahead homer in NLCS Game 7, the Dodgers slugger touched feet with teammates after going deep in the World Series opener Tuesday.
LEADING OFF: Rays, Dodgers all set to meet in World Series
A look at what's happening around the majors on Monday:SERIES SETIn a most unpredictable season, the teams with the best records in each league are set to meet in the World Series. The Dodgers and Rays will open in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday night after each finished memorable League Championship Series matchups this weekend. They also won a Game 7, topping Houston 4-2 in the ALCS and earn the second World Series trip in franchise history. FIRST LOOKKevin Kiermaier, Mike Zunino, Blake Snell and the Rays are expected to work out at Globe Life Field a day before Game 1 of the World Series. BIG QUESTIONThe loaded Braves are in position to contend for the World Series again next year after they were eliminated by the Dodgers in the NLCS on Sunday night.
Astros clinch 4th straight playoff berth after Angels loss to Dodgers
HOUSTON โ The wait is finally over and although the lost again in Arlington to the Rangers they have punched their playoff ticket thanks to the Angels loss late Friday night to the Dodgers. The Astros , who felll to the Rangers Friday in extra innings, are headed to the playoffs for a fourth straight season. They will finish the weekend against Texas and wait on their first round wild card opponent. Entering Saturday they will play a best of three series against either the Aโs, Twins, White Sox or Indians. Friday night they could have clinched with a win over Texas but the bullpen again blew leads in both the 9th and 10th innings and fell 5-4.
Dodgers' Betts unseats Yankees' Judge for MLB's top jersey
NEW YORK โ Dodgers star Mookie Betts supplanted Yankees slugger Aaron Judge on Friday for baseball's top-selling jersey in his first year on the West Coast. 50 is the first Dodgers uniform to top the list since MLB began releasing sales rankings in 2010. Betts is in the running to become the second player, after Frank Robinson, to win MVPs in both leagues. Judge slotted second ahead of Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper, who is in the second season of a $330 million, 13-year deal. The Chicago Cubs (Javier Baez, Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant) and Yankees (Judge, Cole, Giancarlo Stanton) were the only other teams with three players in the top 20.
LEADING OFF: Padres host Dodgers; Twins in Chicago all week
Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw (5-1, 1.98) faces emerging Padres right-hander Dinelson Lamet (2-1, 2.24) in the first of three games at Petco Park. WINDY WEEKThe Minnesota Twins begin a weeklong stay in Chicago, taking on a pair of first-place teams. Josรฉ Berrรญos (4-3, 4.40 ERA) starts the opener of a four-game series at Guaranteed Rate Field, trailing the White Sox by one game in the AL Central. The White Sox have won four in a row. After finishing on the South Side, the Twins will move to Wrigley Field next weekend to play the NL Central-leading Cubs.
Dodger Stadium vote center planned for presidential election
LOS ANGELES Dodger Stadium will serve as a vote center for the presidential election in November, making the Dodgers the first Major League Baseball team to make their venue available for voting. Any registered voter in Los Angeles County can visit the stadium over a five-day period. The team said Thursday that all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and public health guidelines will be followed regarding social distancing. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James helped created More Than A Vote. However, the stadium and surrounding property have hosted countys largest COVID-19 testing site and been a staging ground for emergency equipment and a food distribution site for those experiencing food insecurity.
Hereโs what you need to know about the Astros schedule
Hereโs what we can expect with the Astros schedule, as the team goes for their fourth consecutive AL West title:If they follow history, theyโll win opening day. During a 60-game season when every game counts, making it eight in a row would be impressive and important. Astros take a long road trip after their first homestandAfter their opening series against Seattle and a visit from the Dodgers, the Astros hit the road. July 28 vs Dodgers (FS1)3.) Sept. 12 at the Dodgers (FOX)Weโve heard it a million times since the 60-game season was announced: while most MLB seasons are โa marathon and not a sprint,โ this 60-game season is absolutely a sprint.
Astros open MLB season with six game homestand vs. Mariners, Dodgers
It will be the first of a six-game homestand (7/24-29) in which the Astros will host Seattle (4 games) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2 games, 7/28-29). Prior to this season, the latest season opener for the Astros had been April 26, 1995 at San Diego (10-2 win). With the new 2020 schedule, the Astros will play 40 games vs. American League West opponents and 20 games vs. NL West opponents. Following this trip, Houston will return to Minute Maid Park for an eight-game homestand vs. the Giants (3 g, 8/10-12), Mariners (3g, 8/14-16) and Rockies (2g, 8/17-18). The Astros final homestand of the regular season will be a six-game stand consisting of three games vs. both the Rangers (9/15-17) and Diamondbacks (9/18-20).
MLB cancels All-Star Game for first time since 1945
LOS ANGELES Dodger Stadiums 40-year wait to host the All-Star Game is going to last even longer. Scully, now 92, announced the 1959 All-Star game hosted by the Dodgers at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (the second such game played that year). The Dodgers had been planning to host the 91st All-Star Game since being chosen in 2018. Besides the Futures Game, Home Run Derby and All-Star Game over three days at the stadium, there would have been a Fan Fest and other events and commercial tie-ins around the game. In February 2018, the Los Angeles City Council estimated an economic impact of $89.4 million from hosting the game.
LA City Council wants Astrosโ 2017 World Series title to be given to Dodgers
The resolution was introduced after MLB revealed in a report Jan. 13 how the Astros used a sign-stealing system instituted by then-coach Alex Cora during the 2017 season, when Houston beat Los Angeles in the World Series. The Red Sox are under investigation for possibly stealing signs in Cora's first season as manager in 2018, when Boston beat the Dodgers. The resolution requests โthat in addition to the penalties already imposed, the Commissioner of Major League Baseball remove the 2017 and 2018 World Series titles from the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox." It requested the commissioner to recall the World Series trophies and award them to the Dodgers. Days later, the Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora, who was an Astros coach in 2017 and was cited in the MLB report for his role in Houston's cheating.