Mike Trout vs. Shohei Ohtani. That’s the billing of Tuesday night’s 2023 World Baseball Classic Final. The United States and Japan—two of the best teams throughout the whole tournament—face off for the WBC title. Japan made the final after winning a thrilling game against Mexico. Down 3-0, new Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida launched a three-run home run to tie the game in the...
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Coming into spring training, there were question marks surrounding Brett Baty’s defense at third base. A week and some change before opening day, Baty has put those questions to bed. Tim Healey of Newsday spoke with Eric Chavez about Baty’s improved defense, who credited his refined defense to an epiphany. “Baty, 23, took a huge step toward proving it to himself last week when...
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We just can’t have nice things. In last week’s roster projection, I implemented a replacement for José Quintana and couldn’t include Bryce Montes de Oca, both because of injury. The bullpen had long been the question mark around the final Opening Day roster, and it only becomes more complicated in the wake of Edwin Díaz’s patellar tendon tear and Sam Coonrod’s...
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This Fan Shot was written by former MMO writer Satish Ram. As a once famed British professional wrestler used to take delight in saying, I am afraid I have some bad news to dole out to some of the fanbase—and that might be a common theme throughout this piece. The World Baseball Classic is the singular best thing for the game of baseball right now. I want to run that by you all again: there is...
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This is a roundtable we didn’t want to write. This is a roundtable we didn’t think we’d write. Yet here we are, and it’s a very important question. Edwin Díaz is out for the season following knee surgery. The Mets need to find a new closer. Should it come internally or externally? Can anyone even replace Díaz? What should the Mets do? Here’s what we think. John...
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Move over Godzilla, there’s a new monster in Japan. Rōki Sasaki—known as the Monster of Reiwa—is the next phenom pitcher to come out of Japan. The 21-year-old has dominated the 2023 World Baseball Classic, displaying his freakish stuff for the entire world to see. Sasaki’s brilliance began in pool play against the Czech Republic, where he struck out eight and allowed an unearned run...
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