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PLAYER-NEWS-WIRE
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 [October 07, 2016]
The Sports Xchange
10/06/2016 MLB Note - Texas Rangers Choo, Shin-Soo
OF Shin-Soo Choo (forearm) was on the ALDS roster for the series
after he played in final three games of the season.
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MLB Note - Texas Rangers Holland, Derek
LHP Derek Holland wasn't on the ALDS roster as the Rangers opted to
have just seven relief pitchers on the roster.
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MLB Note - Toronto Blue Jays Goins, Ryan
INF Ryan Goins, who played in 77 games for the Jays this season, was
left off the ALDS roster for Toronto.
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MLB Note - Texas Rangers Hamels, Cole
LHP Cole Hamels became just the 14th pitcher in history to start at
least six Game 1s in postseason play.
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MLB Note - Texas Rangers Beltran, Carlos
DH Carlos Beltran is now one of eight position players to have
played for at least five different clubs in postseason history.
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MLB Note - Washington Nationals Murphy, Daniel
2B Daniel Murphy said he expects to be in the lineup on Friday in
the opener of the National League Division Series against the Los
Angeles Dodgers. Murphy hasn't started a game since Sept. 17 due to
a strained buttocks muscle. He participated in Thursday's workout
and was encouraged by how he felt. "I feel confident right now,"
Murphy said afterward. "I'm going to try everything I can to be in
there. These guys, my teammates, have really grinded and it's been
fun to watch while I'm out. I want to be in there, want to be in the
fire with them."
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MLB Note - New York Mets Flores, Wilmer
INF Wilmer Flores was scheduled to undergo surgery Oct. 7 to remove
the hook of the hamate bone in his right hand. Flores sustained the
injury while sliding head-first into home plate on Sept. 10 and did
not play the remainder of the season. The Mets held out hope he
could return late in the regular season, but he was unable to swing
the bat without pain. He is expected to be fully recovered by spring
training. Flores hit .267 with 16 homers and 49 RBIs in 103 games
this season.
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MLB Note - New York Mets Cespedes, Yoenis
OF Yoenis Cespedes may have ended his Mets tenure on a down note in
the National League wild-card game, when he went 0-for-4 with a pair
of strikeouts in a 3-0 loss to the Giants. Afterward, Cespedes
declined to speak at length with reporters, though he told the New
York Post he hopes to return to the Mets next season. Cespedes is
expected to opt out of the final two seasons of the three-year deal
he signed in January. The Mets are believed to be pessimistic about
their chances of re-signing Cespedes, but they also believed he
would exit as a free agent last winter before eventually agreeing to
terms with him. Cespedes batted .280 with 31 homers and 86 RBIs in
132 games this season, though he hit just .214 with four homers and
14 RBIs over 27 games in September and October.
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MLB Note - New York Mets Duda, Lucas
1B Lucas Duda headed into a winter of uncertainty when he was not on
the Mets' roster for a 3-0 loss to the Giants in the National League
wild-card game. Duda missed almost four months due to a stress
fracture in his lower back and hit just .217 in eight games
following his return Sept. 18. He combined to hit 57 homers in 2014
and 2015 but battled back injuries the past two years. He likely
will make around $8 million in 2017 in his final season of
arbitration eligibility. The cost-conscious Mets, who have a handful
of promising first basemen at Double-A and below, could choose to
non-tender Duda and hand first base to an outfielder such as Jay
Bruce or Michael Conforto. Duda batted .229 with seven homers and 23
RBIs in 47 games this season.
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MLB Note - New York Mets d'Arnaud, Travis
C Travis d'Arnaud's difficult season ended in quiet fashion when he
did not play in the Mets' 3-0 loss to the Giants in the NL wild-card
game. D'Arnaud was expected to become a middle-of-the-order presence
this season but missed almost two months due to a right shoulder
injury and hit for little power upon returning. He lost his job to C
Rene Rivera, who started six of the Mets' final eight games,
counting the wild-card game. While d'Arnaud, who is
arbitration-eligible for the first time, is all but certain to
return, the Mets will almost surely look to add competition beyond
the 33-year-old Rivera and struggling youngster Kevin Plawecki.
D'Arnaud batted .247 with four homers and 15 RBIs in 75 games this
season.
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MLB Note - New York Mets Wright, David
3B David Wright is expected to begin a rehab program in early
October. Wright, who played in just 37 games this season before
undergoing surgery to repair a herniated disk in his neck on June
16, spent the last several weeks of the regular season working with
a back specialist in Los Angeles. He is expected to undergo his next
checkup in December, after which Wright could begin baseball
activity. Wright, who still looked gaunt when he was introduced
prior to the Mets' loss to the Giants in the NL wild-card game,
acknowledged following the defeat that he doesn't know if he can
remain healthy after playing in just 75 games the last two years due
to the neck injury and spinal stenosis. He said a position change to
first base is not likely because that would be as demanding on him
as third base. Wright, who is signed through 2020, batted .226 with
seven homers and 14 RBIs this season.
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MLB Note - New York Mets Cabrera, Asdrubal
SS Asdrubal Cabrera (sore left knee) was scheduled to be examined by
doctors Oct. 6 to determine if he needs surgery to repair his left
patellar tendon, which bothered him throughout the season and
necessitated a nearly three-week stint on the disabled list in
August. He should be fine for spring training.
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MLB Note - Boston Red Sox Benintendi, Andrew
LF Anthony Benintendi made his first postseason start. "It's pretty
amazing," manager John Farrell said. "He was on the University of
Arkansas campus maybe 15 months ago. Now he's in the major league
postseason."
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MLB Note - Cleveland Indians Kluber, Corey
RHP Corey Kluber, who won the 2014 AL Cy Young Award and is a
candidate again this year, will make his first career postseason
start in Game 2. "I'm sure there will be some nerves, but I get
nerves if it's live batting practice in spring training. That just
means you care what you're doing," he said.
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MLB Note - Texas Rangers Hamels, Cole
LHP Cole Hamels set a career high for runs allowed in a postseason
start as he was tagged for seven (six earned) in 3 1/3 innings.
Hamels gave up five hits. He hadn't allowed more than five runs in a
start (2009 World Series). Over his past seven starts, Hamels has a
7.64 ERA and has given up 46 hits in 35 1/3 innings. "They're a very
tough lineup," Hamels said of the Blue Jays. "You have to be very
cautious at times. When you make pitches, sometimes you're a little
too fine. I might have caught myself a little bit into that."
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MLB Note - Texas Rangers Andrus, Elvis
SS Elvis Andrus extended his postseason hitting streak to nine games
with his single in the sixth inning. Andrus went 2-for-3 and is now
hitting .405 in his past nine playoff games. His triple in the ninth
inning was also his first career postseason triple.
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MLB Note - Texas Rangers Claudio, Alex
LHP Alex Claudio notched the second-longest scoreless relief outing
in Texas postseason history with his 3 2/3 innings against Toronto.
Claudio gave up two hits and walked two. The only longer scoreless
outing by a Texas reliever in the postseason was Scott Feldman's 4
1/3 innings in Game 2 of the 2011 American League Championship
Series against Detroit.
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MLB Note - Texas Rangers Beltran, Carlos
DH Carlos Beltran had a single in the seventh inning and has now
reached base safely in 48 of his 53 career postseason games.
Beltran, who became just the eighth position player to play for at
least five postseason clubs, went 1-for-3 against Toronto RHP Marco
Estrada. "(Estrada) pitched well," Beltran said. "He locates. He was
able to use his changeup and his fastball. He pitched up and down,
and basically he kept us off balance and we couldn't put anything
together."
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MLB Note - Toronto Blue Jays Estrada, Marco
RHP Marco Estrada became just the third pitcher in Toronto
postseason history to pitch at least eight innings and allow one run
or fewer. His 8 1/3-inning outing was the longest start by a Toronto
pitcher in postseason history. Estrada gave up four hits, struck out
six and didn't walk a batter. "I feel just overall being able to
locate the fastball, throwing first-pitch strikes was big," he said.
"I guess I really didn't have to go to my changeup too much. I kind
of hung a few, to be honest with you. I was getting a lot of swings
and misses on (the changeup)."
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MLB Note - Toronto Blue Jays Bautista, Jose
RF Jose Bautista was booed loudly by the Texas crowd in his first
game in Arlington since his on-field altercation with Rougned Odor
earlier this year. He quieted the fans with his play, though, as he
went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer and four RBIs. He wanted to
focus on the game and not the past. "It feels good to contribute, no
matter what game it is, especially in the playoffs," Bautista said.
"I wanted to avoid all the questions about the whole ordeal because
we're baseball players, not UFC fighters, and we come here to play
ballgames."
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MLB Note - Toronto Blue Jays Donaldson, Josh
3B Josh Donaldson became the sixth Blue Jays player to record four
hits in a postseason game as he went 4-for-4 with two RBIs, two runs
and a walk. He also is the fourth Toronto player to have two doubles
in a postseason game.
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MLB Note - Toronto Blue Jays Tulowitzki, Troy
SS Troy Tulowitzki had his first career postseason triple in the
five-run third inning for Toronto. It was also the 10th postseason
triple for the Jays and the first since Paul Molitor had one in Game
6 of the 1993 World Series. Tulowitzki's hit drove in three and
helped break open the game.
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MLB Note - Toronto Blue Jays Upton Jr., Melvin
LF Melvin Upton Jr. ended a 19-game homerless drought in the
postseason with his leadoff home run in the fourth inning. Upton had
seven home runs in the 2008 playoffs and now has eight for his
career.
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MLB Note - New York Mets deGrom, Jacob
RHP Jacob deGrom (right elbow surgery in September 2016) had his
right ulnar nerve moved. He is expected to be fully recovered for
spring training.
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MLB Note - New York Mets Gsellman, Robert
RHP Robert Gsellman (torn labrum in left shoulder) may undergo
surgery. The injury prevented Gsellman from swinging away during his
plate appearances with the Mets.
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MLB Note - New York Mets Harvey, Matt
RHP Matt Harvey (thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in July 2016) is
expected to need six months to fully recover, which puts him on pace
to return for the start of spring training.
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MLB Note - New York Mets Matz, Steven
LHP Steven Matz (left elbow surgery in October 2016) had a large
bone chip removed. He also received a platelet-rich plasma injection
in his sore left shoulder. Matz, who did not pitch after Aug. 14 due
to the shoulder injury, is expected to be recovered by spring
training.
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MLB Note - New York Mets Niese, Jon
LHP Jonathon Niese (left knee surgery in August 2016) had a torn
meniscus repaired. Niese should be fine for spring training, though
the Metes are expected to decline his $10 million option and allow
him to become a free agent.
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MLB Note - New York Mets Ruggiano, Justin
OF Justin Ruggiano (left shoulder surgery in September 2016) should
be fully recovered for spring training.
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MLB Note - New York Mets Walker, Neil
2B Neil Walker (back surgery in September 2016) had a herniated disk
repaired. Walker, an impending free agent, is expected to be ready
for spring training.
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MLB Note - New York Mets Wheeler, Zack
RHP Zack Wheeler (mild flexor strain in right forearm) was shut down
for the season after making just one minor league rehab appearance
in August. Wheeler, who underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2015,
will not throw a baseball until he begins preparing for spring
training.
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MLB Note - Boston Red Sox Pedroia, Dustin
2B Dustin Pedroia struck out to end the game on a disputed third
strike. Pedroia thought he checked his swing on a pitch from RHP
Cody Allen. Plate umpire Brian Knight asked first base umpire Phil
Cuzzi for help, and Cuzzi said Pedroia swung. "In real-time it's a
borderline call. After you get a chance to look at the video, he
swung," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. Pedroia finished 1-for-5
with three whiffs.
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MLB Note - Boston Red Sox Ortiz, David
DH David Ortiz's manager for eight years in Boston was Terry
Francona. Now Francona is managing against Ortiz in the postseason.
Asked what it means to him to be managing against Ortiz, Francona
joked, "It would mean more if he announced his retirement today. I
love David, but when he's in the batter's box, it makes me nervous."
Ortiz went 1-for-4 with a double in the ALDS opener.
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MLB Note - Boston Red Sox Benintendi, Andrew
LF Anthony Benintendi made the most of his postseason debut, belting
a home run leading off the third inning. Benintendi is the first Red
Sox player to homer in his first career postseason plate appearance
since Todd Walker did it in Game 1 of the 2003 ALDS at Oakland.
Benintendi finished the night 2-for-4. "It's pretty amazing,"
manager John Farrell said. "He was on the University of Arkansas
campus maybe 15 months ago. Now he's in the major league
postseason."
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MLB Note - Boston Red Sox Price, David
LHP David Price will start Game 2 of the ALDS against the Indians.
He has appeared in 14 postseason games, eight of them starts, and
has a record of 2-7 with a 5.12 ERA. However, he has never won a
postseason game as a starter. In those eight outings, he is 0-7 with
a 5.27 ERA. "I want to go out there and win," he said. "I want to be
dominant. I want to have that really good postseason game that I
know I'm capable of."
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MLB Note - Cleveland Indians Miller, Andrew
LHP Andrew Miller threw a season-high 40 pitches while pitching two
scoreless innings in relief of RHP Trevor Bauer. Indians RHP Cody
Allen also threw 40 pitches, as Indians manager Terry Francona went
all out to win the first game of the series. "We wanted to win the
game tonight, and we did. Tomorrow might have to be a different
design," Francona said.
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MLB Note - Cleveland Indians Perez, Roberto
C Roberto Perez had an unexpected big offensive night, going 2-for-3
with a third-inning home run. Perez became the first player in
Indians history to homer in his first career postseason plate
appearance. The lumbering Perez also advanced from first to second
on a fly out in the fifth inning, which allowed him to score on a
single by 2B Jason Kipnis. "That was a nice piece of heads-up
baserunning for us, and that's the kind of things we have to do to
win," Indians manager Terry Francona said.
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MLB Note - Cleveland Indians Lindor, Francisco
SS Francisco Lindor hit one of the Indians' three home runs in the
third inning. Lindor, 22, is the second-youngest Cleveland player to
homer in a postseason game. Asdrubal Cabrera was 21 when he homered
in Game 1 of the 2007 ALDS vs. the Yankees.
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MLB Note - Cleveland Indians Bauer, Trevor
RHP Trevor Bauer pitched 4 2/3 innings against Boston, allowing
three runs on six hits with six strikeouts and no walks. It was the
first time this year that Bauer did not allow a walk. He walked at
least one batter in each of his 28 regular-season starts.
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MLB Note - Cleveland Indians Kluber, Corey
RHP Corey Kluber, the 2014 AL Cy Young Award winner who is a
candidate to win it again this year, will make his first career
postseason start in Game 2 of the ALDS against Boston. "I'm sure
there will be some nerves, but I get nerves if it's live batting
practice in spring training. That just means you care what you're
doing," he said.
In nine career appearances against the Red Sox, he is 2-3 with a
4.78 ERA.
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MLB Note - Boston Red Sox Porcello, Rick
RHP Rick Porcello gave up three home runs in the span of four
batters in the third inning Thursday at Cleveland. C Roberto Perez,
2B Jason Kipnis and SS Francisco Lindor all homered. "It was a
combination of pitches up in the strike zone and a night where this
ballpark played extremely small," Boston manager John Farrell said.
"We were up in the strike zone, and they made us pay for it."
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