Nathan Eovaldi throws seven shutout innings for the Red Sox as they beat Minnesota 3-0. J.A. Happ allows one run in six innings as the Yankees defeat Kansas City 6-3. After one start, both deals are working out well.
Sean Newcomb takes the mound for the Braves in the ninth inning with a 4-0 lead over the Dodgers and three outs away from a no-hitter. He is scheduled to face Logan Forsythe, Cody Bellinger, and Chris Taylor. He has thrown 117 pitches, a career high for him, 70 for strikes.
Update: Forsythe flies out to left for the first out.
Sean Newcomb just completed seven no-hit inning against the Dodgers. He walked one and struck out seven so far as the Braves lead 4-0. He’s thrown 100 pitches, 58 for strikes, so he hasn’t exactly been in great control. The Dodgers just can’t hit what he’s offering.
Update: Two ground outs and a strikeout, and Sean Newcomb will take no-hitter into the ninth inning.
Brett Phillips, making his Royals debut, just robbed Austin Romine of a three-run homer. The slow motion replay of the catch is fun, as Phillips seems to be screaming as he jumps, and closes his eyes as the ball goes into his glove. A great catch, but not text book. 
The Yankees lead the Royals 3-0 in the top of the fifth inning.
The Dodgers and Braves continue to post outstanding pitching match-ups as Ross Stripling takes on Sean Newcomb as Los Angeles goes for a four-game sweep. All the decisions Stripling earned came as a starter. In that role he owns a 2.76 ERA. Out of the pen it was 0.59 in 15 1/3 innings. His only weakness is the 13 home runs he allowed in 100 total innings. Newcomb pitched about the same as he did last season in terms of three-true outcomes, but his ERA is about a 0.9 runs lower. His BABIP dropped from .327 to .253, which could be luck or great fielding. He is allowing fewer line drives, which may indicate he’s fooling batters enough to avoid solid contact.
Toronto sends Ryan Borucki against the White Sox and Carlos Rodon. Both are bright spots in otherwise disappointing seasons for the teams. Borucki has not allowed a home run in his first five major league starts, covering 29 1/3 innings. Rodon owns a 1.77 ERA at home thanks to just five walks in 20 1/3 innings. He walked 15 batters in 30 1/3 road innings.
Seattle tries to halt their skid with Marco Gonzales facing the Angels and Felix Pena. Gonzales came into his own at seasonal age 26, striking out 104 and walking just 23 in 119 2/3 innings. Pena blossomed as a starter, with a 2.73 ERA in his six starts this season. He struck out 32 in 29 2/3 innings in that role.
Enjoy!
Cooperstown becomes the focus of the baseball world this afternoon at 1:30 PM EDT as the 2018 class receives their plaques and makes their speeches. There are a large number of inductees, as the writers voted in four players. Vald Guerrero, Trevor Hoffman, Chipper Jones, and Jim Thome receive the highest honor the baseball writers bestow. Jack Morris and teammate Alan Trammell won the nod of the veterans committee, honoring the great Tigers teams of the 1980s. Sheldon Ocker takes the J.G. Taylor Spink Award (writing) and Bob Costas receives the Ford C. Frick Award (broadcasting).
There are arguments about a few of the inductees, especially Morris, Trammell, and Hoffman. This is not the day for that, however. All these players brought a great deal of joy to baseball fans, and it’s a day to remember that. Congratulations to all!
Dave Martinez faced a bases loaded, no out situation in the bottom of the tenth, the Marlins J.T. Realmuto at the plate. Martinez brings Bryce Harper in to play at first base for a five man infield. Realmuto hits a fly ball down the rightfield line. Michael Taylor and Bryce Harper each almost reach it, but it falls for a hit. Given the way they were running, they would not have had a chance to throw out the runner from third, Magneuris Sierra, since he is very fast and neither would have time to stop and set for the throw.
If Harper had been at his normal position in rightfield, however, he likely would have caught the ball. He might have made the play close at home, as the ball hung in the air a long time, and Harper has a strong arm. It reminds me of this play from the 2001 World Series:
Joe Torre brought the infield in against Luis Gonzalez with one out instead of playing back for a potential double play. If Jeter is playing at his normal position, he catches that line drive and the Diamondbacks do not score on that batted ball. It is tough to fault the managers, they know their teams, they know their opponents, and they likely make the move that works out the best in the long run. It just looks bad when you make the right move and the batter doesn’t cooperate.
Harper noted after the game that Realmuto would not have been at the plate if the Nationals had traded for him.
