One of the more coveted pitchers on Major League Baseball’s trade market is off the board. The Chicago White Sox have acquired right-hander James Shields from the San Diego Padres in exchange for minor league prospects Erik Johnson and Fernando Tatis Jr. and cash considerations, the teams announced Saturday. Shields pitched well for San Diego this season despite his 2-7 record but went out on a sour note, getting crushed for 10 runs over 2 2/3 innings Monday and ballooning his 3.06 ERA to 4.28. The 34-year-old veteran and one-time All-Star will be a welcome addition on Chicago’s already-strong pitching staff, which is led by Cy Young can...
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Xander Bogaerts Finds Silver Lining After Tough End To 26-Game Hitting Streak
BOSTON — We know, it’s hard to believe. But no one on the Red Sox currently owns a 20-plus-game hitting streak. Xander Bogaerts made sure of that Friday night, going 0-for-3 with two walks to snap a career-long 26-game hitting streak in Boston’s 5-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. It was the third straight defeat for the Red Sox, who now own just a half-game lead over the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East. But if you’re looking for silver linings, Bogaerts admitted there’s some sense of relief that comes with ending a streak that’s obviously been on his mind. “Oh, for sure,” Bogaerts said after Friday’s game. “Man...
Padres Chairman Blasts James Shields, Calls His Team ‘Miserable Failures’
by Zack Cox on Thu, Jun 2, 2016 at 11:35AM 2,491 The 2016 San Diego Padres are not a very good baseball team. Just ask the man in charge. Padres executive chairman Ron Fowler eviscerated his team Wednesday in a local radio interview, calling the Padres a bunch of “miserable failures” after they lost 16-4 to the Seattle Mariners to wrap up a 1-7 road trip. “It’s been embarrassing. I don’t know how else to put it,” Fowler told Mighty 1090 AM, as transcribed by FOX Sports’ Ken...
Copa America 2016: Three Reasons Why USA Soccer Has No Chance Of Winning
Argentina is the oddsmakers’ favorite to win Copa America 2016 in the United States. Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and Mexico also are confident of succeeding at the 24-day tournament, which kicks off Friday in Santa Clara, Calif. So can the United States upset the odds and win Coppola America 2016? We say a resounding “no.” Ever-optimistic United States head coach Jurgen Klinsmann targets players’ “growth” and a place in the semifinals as his team’s objectives at Copa America 2016. We’ll examine Team USA’s chances of hitting that mark later this week, but this piece is about its chances of winning Copa America 2016 on home soil.
Red Sox Wrap: Mookie Betts Powers Red Sox, Eduardo Rodriguez To 6-2 Win
The Boston Red Sox did a great job welcoming Eduardo Rodriguez back to the rotation Tuesday. The Red Sox had two runs just five pitches into the game after right fielder Mookie Betts and second baseman Dustin Pedroia started the game off with back-to-back solo home runs, and Betts added a three-run homer in the second to give Rodriguez a 5-0 lead before he even had to do much work. The left-hander was able to cruise from there, too, holding the potent Orioles offense to two runs in the 6-2 win. And, oh yeah, Betts hit a third home run for good measure. Here’s how it all went down. GAME IN A WORDImpressive.
Kevin Durant’s Free Agent Destination Unknown, But Options Are Aplenty
Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder just choked away a trip to the NBA Finals after losing to the Golden State Warriors in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals. The bigger storyline, though, is what’s going to happen in Durant’s impending free agency. He’ll be arguably the second-biggest name ever to truly hit the free agent market this summer, right behind LeBron James. Could the 27-year-old follow in James’ footsteps and take his talents elsewhere (like South Beach)? Before we begin, we need to lay a quick groundwork of basic facts.— The 2015-16 NBA salary cap was $ 70 million. It’s expected to hit $ 92 million beginnin...
David Ortiz Returns To Red Sox Lineup For Memorial Day Matinee Vs. Orioles
David Ortiz gave the Boston Red Sox a scare when he was hit by a pitch in Saturday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, but his injury hiatus only lasted one day. The designated hitter is back in the Red Sox’s lineup in the No. 4 hole for their Memorial Day matinee against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. The Red Sox still will be without one of their other big offensive threats Monday as Hanley Ramirez starts the game on the bench. That means Travis Shaw will slide over to first base, while Marco Hernandez will start at third base. Meanwhile, Ryan Hanigan will be behind the plate catching for knuckleballer Steven Wright. Here ar...