Baseball – Page 74 – Worldwide Sports News

August 6, 2025

Diamondbacks' Lourdes Gurriel Jr. sets record by hitting home run off 103.9-mph pitch

Lourdes Gurriel Jr., smiles broadly as he hugs Geraldo Perdomo, whose back is to the camera, after a home run — Arizona Diamondbacks' Lourdes Gurriel Jr.. hugs teammate Geraldo Perdomo after hitting an eighth-inning home run against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday in Phoenix. (Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)

The Arizona Diamondbacks designated hitter didn't swing at the first two pitches he saw from San Diego Padres reliever Mason Miller — a fastball that registered at 102 miles per hour for a ball and an 89-mph slider — with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning Tuesday night in Phoenix.

The Cuban-American batter then fouled off the next four pitches, three of which were fastballs thrown between 101 and 104 mph. Miller's seventh pitch of the at-bat was another scorcher, but Gurriel made contact and this time kept the ball in fair territory.

104 MPH IN
107.1 MPH OUT

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. ties it! pic.twitter.com/l6KNSIooSK
— MLB (@MLB) August 6, 2025

It traveled 439 feet and landed in the left-field stands for a two-run home run. Miller's pitch was clocked at 103.9 mph, making it the fastest pitch to be hit for a home run since MLB started pitch tracking in 2008.

"It’s something that just happened,” Gurriel said after the game through an interpreter.

Miller said of the pitch: “Location could have been better, for sure. Ultimately, the result is what it is. I’m not going to sit here and regret what pitch I threw. Just got it out over the plate, a little bit high.”

Gurriel's blast, which left the park at 107.1 mph, tied the game at 5-5. Unfortunately for the Diamondbacks, they couldn't keep up the momentum against their National League West rivals and eventually lost 10-5 in 11 innings.

“The real meaning was in the time of the game and what it meant to the team to tie the ballgame. That was the most important thing,” Gurriel said of his historic homer. “I mean, unfortunately, it didn't turn into a win, but that was the most exciting thing.”

It was Gurriel's second home run of the game — he also hit a two-run homer off Padres starter Yu Darvish in the first inning — and his 14th of the season. Before Tuesday, Gurriel had not hit a home run since July 1.

Gurriel is the ninth player known to hit a home run off a ball thrown at 102 mph or faster and only the second player to do so off a pitch thrown faster than 103 mph. In September, Ian Happ of the Chicago Cubs went yard off a 103.2-mph pitch.

That pitch also happened to be thrown by Miller, who was with the Athletics at the time before being acquired by the Padres at the trade deadline last week. In his second appearance for San Diego, Miller pitched one inning, giving up one hit and a walk with two strikeouts. One of his pitches was clocked at 104.2 mph, the fastest ever tracked for a Padres pitcher.

“It’s a weapon,” Miller said of his fastball after Tuesday's game. “But you still need to put together an at-bat for the guy, and work with him, as far as his swings and his approach in there."

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

August 6, 2025

Mets top prospects Brandon Sproat, Carson Benge earn monthly awards for July

Two of the Mets’ top prospects took home some hardware following their incredible performances over the past month: Brandon Sproat was named International League Pitcher of the Month, while outfielder Carson Benge was named Eastern League Player of the Month.

Sproat, who is knocking on the door of getting called up to the majors, made five starts in July, pitching to a miniscule 0.67 ERA with a 0.81 WHIP and 33 strikeouts over 27.0 innings of work.

The 24-year-old Sproat got off to a bit of a rough start this season, but thanks to his terrific July he has lowered his season ERA from 5.43 on June 28 to where it currently stands at 4.07.

As for Benge, the 2024 first-round pick has been destroying the ball since his promotion to Double-A Binghamton. In 27 games as Rumble Pony, Benge has slashed .356/.446/.644 with eight home runs and 20 RBI.

In July, Benge slashed .397/.482/.726 with seven big flies while driving in 17 runs.

In Joe DeMayo's updated midseason Top 30 Mets prospects list, Benge checked in at No. 3, while Sproat wasn't far behind at No. 5.

August 6, 2025

Parking at a Padres game was a bargain. Now the cost rivals that of Dodger Stadium

Fans arrive to Petco Park before an opening-day baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the San Diego Padres Thursday, March 27, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) — Fans arrive to Petco Park before a baseball game in San Diego. (Gregory Bull / Associated Press)

Parking at Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres, is a distinctly different experience than parking at Dodger Stadium.

It's about to be similar, however, when it comes to price.

City crews installed about 400 signs in downtown San Diego last week to let drivers know about new street parking-meter rates taking effect Sept. 1, calling it a special event zone. The hourly rate will increase from $2.50 to $10 starting two hours before games or concerts at the stadium, and will remain at that rate for six hours.

Getting to the stadium an hour before a three-hour game and perhaps enjoying a drink or meal at one of the establishments in the Gaslamp Quarter a short walk from the stadium can lift the cost of parking from $15 to $60.

And it could get worse. The variable parking rate policy change that the San Diego City Council approved in June allows the city to charge as much as $20 an hour, but officials are starting with $10.

The Padres were taken by surprise by the city's action and objected to the increase, complaining that it was implemented without significant input from the team.

“We look forward to better understanding the city’s plan,” Padres spokesperson Vanessa Dominguez said.

Watching the kerfuffle must be amusing for Dodgers officials, who long have taken it on the chin for seemingly exorbitant parking fees and an enormous, barren parking lot that has all the charm of, well, an enormous, barren parking lot.

Parking at Chavez Ravine is not nearly as fun as at Petco Park, where the dozens of nearby restaurants, bars, shops and music venues make it akin to attending a Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley Field.

General admission parking at Dodger Stadium is $35 if prepaid and $40 at the gate, but it's a long hike to the seats. Preferred parking — translation: a shorter walk — is $60, the same as the six-hour meter charge will be at Petco.

Dodgers fans have their complaints about parking — primarily a postgame snarl to get out of the Stadium that makes navigating the 405 seem like a breeze — and drama too often colors the experience.

A tailgating ban is enforced so diligently that fans can't even enjoy an El Ruso taco leaning over the trunk of their car without being scolded by a security officer. Safety is difficult to ensure as well: Fans have been beaten senseless walking to or from their cars.

And through no fault of the Dodgers, a procession of vehicles identified as federal agents attempted to enter the stadium on June 19, a day immigration raids capped two weeks of roundups by arresting "30 illegal aliens in Hollywood ... and nine illegal aliens in San Fernando and Pacoima,” Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.

Federal officials said the gathering of vehicles was to conduct a briefing, and the Dodgers denied the vehicles entry into the stadium.

Parking near Petco Park is relatively safe, with well-lit lots and streets part of the fabric of a neighborhood packed with revelers. And Padres fans don't require a metered street spot to park. The team runs several lots a few blocks from the stadium where parking can be reserved ahead of time. Rates range from $10 to $40.

The quadrupled special-event metered rate changes near Petco were included in a sweeping package of new parking rules throughout San Diego designed to increase revenue.

No more free parking on Sundays. Soon, no more free parking at the San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park and Mission Bay Park. Free beach parking will be a perk of the past.

The city doubled meter rates to $2.50 an hour in most places. And meter hours around the city will be extended by at least two hours later this summer. The increase is expected to bring in about $4 million through the remainder of the fiscal year, and at least $9.6 million annually starting next fiscal year, according to the San Diego Union Tribune.

“This city is a playground for folks,” San Diego Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera said at a recent meeting. “It is really important to me that San Diegans not be subsidizing the vacations of tourists who have the financial capability of coming here and enjoying this city.”

Most Padres fans are San Diego-area residents, although when the Dodgers visit the city to their south the crowd is noticeably peppered with folks wearing Dodgers gear. As the rivalry between the teams has grown in recent years, Petco has become a favorite destination for Dodgers fans.

Groups like Pantone 294 — the Dodgers official blue-tone color is listed as Pantone 294 — organize "takeovers," with hundreds of Dodgers fans purchasing tickets in the same section of an opposing ballpark. For the short trip to San Diego, fans can join others on tour buses or drive their own cars.

When it comes to parking those cars, fees will have risen. Savvy fans who don't mind taking the time can reduce the cost by parking near a San Diego trolley or MTS bus station: The fare remains $2.50.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

August 6, 2025

The Enigma That Is Adam Fox

Of all the prominent Rangers, the one who's toughest to figure is Adam Fox. Think – you Rangers fans – for a moment about the noble fellow.

1. He wanted so much to be a Ranger that he stiffed – call it an insult if you will – the Calgary Flames who drafted him in 2016. (And, no, they haven't forgotten.) His rationale: His Dad was a MSG season ticket-holder, and Adam grew up a Blueshirt fan.

2. His devotion to the Rangers was evident from the get-go on the ice, from a sparkling rookie season, going forwardl

3. His annexation of the Norris Trophy in 2021 suggested more prizes to come as his game matured and improved.

4. By all rights, this Met Area native seemed a natural for the Rangers captaincy after Jacob Trouba became a discarded Blueshirt.

But that seems so long ago and far away, doesn't it?

Fox's 2024-25 record (10-51-61) looks good on paper but it actually was his lowest full season average since his rookie year. At age 27, he should be at his career peak. Should be, but we can't tell. Can you?

What better proof than this: neither The Maven nor the citizens of Rangerville have the vaguest idea of what kind of Adam Fox the 2025-26 model will be like.

"If he can somehow find his Norris game and energize the power play," says The Old Scout, "real good possibilities are there. But there are areas that need fixing; that's for sure."

Leadership? Forget about it. He's obviously is not considered character-strong enough a personality, otherwise management would have named him captain by now.

Pressing Rangers Questions And Answers When a club like the Rangers finishes in the NHL's subterranean depths, it raises questions that must be answered before the autumn leaves start to fall. (Now don't be a wise guy and tell me that they're falling already.)

Another Norris? No way. He's slipped so far down the NHL Top 50 list he figures to be somewhere between Braden Schen and Brady Skjei.

Spirit? That's what Joe Micheletti said was missing from this past season's team. Fox's spirit is fairly concealed, wouldn't you say?

Maybe this will change for the better under Mike Sullivan. One would hope so.

But all we can say now about Adam Fox is that he remains an enigma – with greatness-in-waiting! Conclusion: Wait 'til next season.

August 6, 2025

Phillies have an afternoon of missed opportunities in series finale loss to Orioles

Phillies have an afternoon of missed opportunities in series finale loss to Orioles originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies were hoping for a sweeter day at Citizens Bank Park in their last game before embarking on a 10-game road trip.

They fell short of sweeping the Orioles, dropping the series finale by a 5-1 score Wednesday afternoon.

The Phils went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position.

Ranger Suarez threw 6 and 1/3 innings, conceding five runs and nine hits. He had three strikeouts and zero walks.

Orioles starter Trevor Rogers limited the Phillies to one run over his six innings. Rogers allowed eight hits, struck out six and walked two.

The Phillies threatened to take the lead in the bottom of the third inning. Trea Turner picked up a one-out triple after Dylan Carlson made a fruitless dive in center field. An inside-the-park home run wasn’t out of the question, but third base coach Dusty Wathan held Turner.

Turner entered the day 4 for his last 38. He hadn’t recorded a hit greater than a double since July 25.

The Phils failed to push him home. With the Orioles’ infield in, Kyle Schwarber struck out. Jackson Holliday then handled Bryce Harper’s grounder to second with a nice backhand play.

Suarez’s outing soured in the fourth inning. Following Gunnar Henderson’s opposite-field single and Adley Rutschman’s infield hit, Jeremiah Jackson ripped a double down the left-field line.

Coby Mayo smashed the next pitch, a heart-of-the-plate changeup, for a three-run homer to put the O’s up 4-0.

The Phils cut their deficit in the fifth inning. Weston Wilson walked, Rafael Marchan singled and Turner flared an RBI base hit to center.

Rogers wriggled out of the inning, largely thanks to effective changeups at the bottom of the zone. The lefty struck out Schwarber again and got ground balls from Harper and Nick Castellanos.

He navigated through the sixth, too. Harrison Bader flew out to the left-field warning track, Otto Kemp and Wilson singled, and Edmundo Sosa worked an 11-pitch at-bat. The Phils still came up empty. Marchan ended the inning by grounding out to shortstop on Rogers’ 104th pitch.

Suarez started the seventh but couldn’t finish it. Holliday gave Baltimore a bit more breathing room with a one-out RBI knock.

Turner kicked off the bottom of the inning by cracking a leadoff double for his third hit of the afternoon. The Schwarber-Harper-Castellanos trio remained quiet, though. All three struck out.

The 65-49 Phils begin their trip Friday night against the Rangers. Cristopher Sanchez will start instead of Zack Wheeler, who’s been moved to Sunday because of shoulder soreness.

Patience with Painter

Phillies manager Rob Thomson acknowledged pregame that top pitching prospect Andrew Painter is not guaranteed to join the big club late this season and seize a major role.

Painter had a subpar start Tuesday night for Triple-A Lehigh Valley, allowing five runs in four innings and walking four batters. His ERA rose to 4.88 in 15 Triple-A starts.

“It’s always about him pitching well and being healthy,” Thomson said. “Last night, his fastball command … lot of arm side, up arm side. Velocity was good. He’s got to be pitching well.”

Painter underwent Tommy John surgery in July of 2023. The Phillies don’t want to rush the 22-year-old up.

“Coming back from this injury takes a while; a lot of times it’s two years,” Thomson said. “Look at (Sandy) Alcantara, a number of guys. It’s usually the second year that it comes together. We just have to wait and see.”

August 6, 2025

Phillies have an afternoon of missed opportunities in series finale loss to Orioles

Phillies have an afternoon of missed opportunities in series finale loss to Orioles originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies were hoping for a sweeter day at Citizens Bank Park in their last game before embarking on a 10-game road trip.

They fell short of sweeping the Orioles, dropping the series finale by a 5-1 score Wednesday afternoon.

The Phils went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position.

“We had chances, we just didn’t come through,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said.