Stay updated on everything baseball with our morning MLB News & Moments articles. We’ve got you covered to keep you in the know.
Today’s Headlines
Chicago Cubs take Game 1 of the London Series.
Flying the W in London! pic.twitter.com/bIqnKqt3MA
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) June 24, 2023
For the second time, Major League Baseball is being played in London! It was all Chicago on Saturday as the Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-1. Ian Happ’s two homers and Justin Steele’s six innings of one-run ball were enough to lead the Cubs to victory. Game 2 from the U.K. begins this morning with Marcus Stroman for the Cubs and Matthew Liberatore for the Cardinals.
Braves snap Reds’ win streak.
Unfortunately, there won't be a 98-game win streak to end the regular season. pic.twitter.com/6ymoi8Mza9
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) June 24, 2023
Despite home runs from Matt McLain, Spencer Steer, Jake Fraley, and Will Benson, the Cincinnati Reds‘ win streak ended at 12 games on Saturday. Thanks to a four-hit day from Travis d’Arnaud and multi-hit efforts from Ozzie Albies, Austin Riley, Matt Olson, and Marcell Ozuna, the Atlanta Braves won 7-6. Olson also hit his 200th career home run on Saturday.
Luis Matos‘ first career home run was a big one!
Number one for @LuisMatoss24 👏 pic.twitter.com/lmIJ5lvhEJ
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) June 24, 2023
San Francisco Giants‘ rookie Luis Matos stepped to the plate in the bottom of the sixth with a runner on first and the game tied 5-5. Matos connected with a high fastball from Merrill Kelly, sending it over the left field wall for his first home run in the big leagues! Matos’ go-ahead home run wound up being the difference; the Giants won 7-6.
Luis Arraez’s homer puts him at .401.
"LuIS ARRaeZ onLy hITS siNgLes" pic.twitter.com/uyvswNLPAa
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) June 24, 2023
Luis Arraez only had one hit on Saturday, but it was a big one! The best part? Arraez called his shot. Marlins’ manager Skip Schumaker said Arraez told the team’s bench coach he was going to hit a home run in his next at-bat. He did just that, hitting his third homer of the season.
Angels put up 13 runs in 3rd inning, win 25-1. That’s not a typo!
13 runs in the third inning for the Angels 😳 pic.twitter.com/zZ2uBVoghH
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 25, 2023
The Angels’ offense exploded at Coors Field on Saturday night! Every starter had a hit, including back-to-back-to-back homers from Mike Trout, Brandon Drury, and Matt Thaiss in the third inning.
3 straight pitches. 3 homers for the @Angels. 😱 pic.twitter.com/NOSSm3jxzx
— MLB (@MLB) June 25, 2023
Best Moments From Yesterday
Julio Rodríguez makes a fan for life.
.@JRODshow44 knows what it's all about. #BiggerThanBaseball pic.twitter.com/dImgJniaMm
— MLB (@MLB) June 24, 2023
After making an incredible homer-robbing catch, Julio Rodríguez gifts the ball to a young fan. The boy leans into his dad’s arms for a hug and has the cutest little grin on his face, but his dad might be more excited than he is!
Zach Eflin had some really nice words to say about teammate Wander Franco.
Zach Eflin, displaying what a leader he is for this team & what he said to Wander Franco:
“I told him I’m not gonna give up on him. No one in this clubhouse is..”
Went on to say:
“I saw at the beginning of the year that he was someone that needed to be loved and I kind of just… pic.twitter.com/dPO08pkxc7
— Tricia Whitaker (@TriciaWhitaker) June 24, 2023
A lot has been made about the Tampa Bay Rays benching star shortstop Wander Franco for two games earlier this week, but I want to touch on the friendship between him and Zach Eflin. When talking to the media before Saturday’s game, Franco said he’s gone to Eflin for advice during his time off the field about how to control his emotions. Eflin also had kind words to say about his relationship with Franco, telling Rays’ sideline reporter Tricia Whitaker that “I told him I’m not gonna give up on him. No one in this clubhouse is.”
With the London Series come jokes.
Wow, London’s pitch clock is enormous. pic.twitter.com/H7Giglveqs
— Anthony Castrovince (@castrovince) June 24, 2023
Insert Ron Swanson saying Look, a clock. We don’t have that in America!
Injuries & Transactions
OF Aaron Judge told reporters that he tore a ligament in his toe and is still experiencing pain when he walks. Per Bryan Hoch, “Aaron Boone said he expects Aaron Judge to return this season but stopped short of guaranteeing it.”
OF Byron Buxton left Saturday’s game with back spasms and is day-to-day.
SP James Paxton left his start Saturday with right knee soreness, but thinks he’ll be able to make his next start.
RP Brandon Hughes will undergo season-ending knee surgery.
Articles You Should Read
LSU’s Tre’ Morgan is made for the Men’s College World Series stage — Clinton Yates, Andscape
Alex Cobb is Breaking Your Favorite Pitching Model — Cam Levy, Pitcher List
Fantasy Baseball Coverage
Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)