Media by Associated Press – Houston Astros shortstop Mauricio Dubon, right, makes the tag for the out on Kansas City Royals runner Whit Merrifield, left, during the third inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 7, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso will defend his consecutive Home Run Derby titles at the All-Star festivities in Los Angeles beginning Monday.
Alonso, who hit 74 home runs tallying 6.35 miles in Denver last summer, is set to play against rising stars and at least one legend.
“It’s a really fun event,” Alonso told reporters on Monday. “It’s going to be super exciting, so I’m really looking forward to it.”
Albert Pujols, the 42-year-old hitter with the St. Louis Cardinals, is among the participants. He noted that his kids “will have a blast.”
“Hopefully, I can put on a good show for them, because at the end of the day, it’s not about us, it’s about putting a good show for the fans,” he told reporters.
Other entries include Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. and Washington Nationals star Juan Soto.
A star out and an ace back
The Tampa Bay Rays have won three straight over the Boston Red Sox as their series continues in St. Petersburg on Tuesday. It will be the season debut for Chris Sale, who has been out with a fracture in his rib cage suffered during spring training.
The seven-time All-Star is like a trade-deadline addition and should be fresh. He made four minor league rehab starts. He had 19 strikeouts in 11.1 innings and allowed three earned runs. Sale closed out the 2018 World Series, but he has thrown just 42.2 innings since 2019.
The Rays had just gotten Wander Franco back in the lineup, but he left Saturday’s game with a hamate injury after fouling off a 100 mph fastball from Hunter Greene. The Rays announced Tuesday the shortstop will have surgery on his right wrist and miss five to eight weeks.
A streak ends
Kansas City Royals infielder Whit Merrifield led the league with 553 consecutive games played, which is a franchise record. That ended on Monday as he missed a doubleheader with the Detroit Tigers after exiting Sunday’s game with right toe discomfort.
The 33-year-old started his streak on June 24, 2018, and it was the longest streak since Miguel Tejada played 1,152 straight games from 2000 to 2007, ESPN Stats & Information reported.
“I’m proud of it. I’m not sure it will be touched anytime soon by someone that plays the way I play it … ,” Merrifield told reporters, “But to bounce around, play multiple positions, run, steal bases, play in the weather that (Kansas City) has to offer. I’m pretty proud of the number I put up.”
Atlanta’s first baseman Matt Olson now holds the longest active streak with 221 games. Cal Ripken Jr. holds the all-time record of 2,632 games.
Some Phillies won’t set it
Several Phillies are not allowed into Canada for the two-game series beginning Tuesday with the Toronto Blue Jays due to being unvaccinated.
Aaron Nola, who pitched Monday in St. Louis, catcher J.T. Realmuto and starter Kyle Gibson are all out. Alec Bohm is also out after suffering a left ring finger injury during Monday’s 6-1 loss against the Cardinals.
All four will miss varying pay amounts for the two days, with Realmuto losing the most at $262,363 and Bohm the least at $7,857.
Atlanta acquires draft pick
The Braves and Royals struck a deal ahead of Sunday’s first-year player draft. Atlanta gets the 35th pick, a competitive balance pick which is allowed to be traded, in exchange for Drew Waters, once a top-100 prospect, who is a switch-hitting outfielder. The 23-year-old is the key for the Royals’ timeline with Bobby Witt Jr., MJ Melendez, Vinnie Pasquantino, and Nick Pratto, who is on the 40-man roster but still in the minors.
They are developing a young core with Witt as a shortstop, though he’s played third base this season, Melendez behind the plate, Pasquantino at first base, and Pratto, a corner outfielder. Waters patrolling center field could be a key piece to the rebuild. He’s slashing .246/.305/.393 in 49 games at triple-A but was stuck behind National League Rookie of the Year candidate Michael Harris II.
Waters was picked 41st overall in 2017. The Braves also sent Andrew Hoffmann, a 22-year-old pitcher who has been lights out at high-A, and third baseman C.J. Alexander, a soon-to-be 26-year-old third baseman.
All-Star troubles?
Dodger Stadium concession workers are in favor of striking in the days leading up to next week’s All-Star festivities. Unite Here Local 11, the union representing workers, said that 99% of employees are in favor of striking based on a vote.
The Dodgers are on the road ahead of the festivities, which begin Monday and stand to be a massive financial boost for the organization. The stadium concession workers are employed by Levy Restaurants, which employs close to 1,500 various workers at the venue, according to ESPN.
They seek a fair negotiation of a contract, ESPN reported.
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