What Happened in Baseball Today?

Welcome to What Happened in Baseball Today, a blog dedicated to keeping you up to date on all the happenings in the world of baseball. We’ll cover the latest news, trades, rumors, and anything else that’s going on in the world of America’s favorite pastime.

The Games

The Yankees faced off against the Red Sox today in the first game of a three game series. The Yankees are currently in first place in the American League East, while the Red Sox are in last place. The Yankees are looking to extend their lead in the division, while the Red Sox are hoping to climb out of the cellar.

Scores

The New York Yankees defeated the Baltimore Orioles 3-2. The Boston Red Sox defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 9-4. The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Detroit Tigers 5-4.

Highlights

The New York Yankees shut out the Tampa Bay Rays 3-0. J.A. Happ was the winning pitcher, throwing seven innings of scoreless baseball and giving up just three hits. The Yankees’ offense was led by Luke Voit, who hit a home run and drove in two runs.

The Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-2. Eduardo Rodriguez pitched six innings and gave up two runs to get the win. Mookie Betts had a big day at the plate, hitting a home run and driving in three runs.

The Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 in 10 innings. Kris Bryant hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Cubs the victory.

Transactions

As the July 31st trade deadline looms, contenders are looking to add that final piece to push them over the edge while sellers are looking to dumps salaries and get rebuilding. The most important thing to remember is that everyone is trying to improve their team for next season. Let’s take a look at some of the more interesting deals that went down today.

Trades

The San Francisco Giants traded second baseman Scooter Gennett to the Cincinnati Reds for cash on Monday.

The Reds had designated Gennett for assignment on August 5 after he hit just .226/.278/.324 with two home runs and nine RBI in 44 games. He was in the final year of his contract and set to become a free agent this offseason.

Gennett was an All-Star in 2018 when he hit .310/.357/.490 with 27 home runs, 97 RBI and 23 stolen bases. He won a Silver Slugger that year as well.

The Giants will be responsible for the remainder of Gennett’s $9.775 million salary for this season.

Free Agent Signings

April 12, 2019 – The following free agents have signed with new teams:

Player: J.D. Martinez
Position: Outfielder/Designated Hitter
Previous Team: Boston Red Sox
New Team: None (Declined Qualifying Offer)
Contract Details: 5 years, $110 million

Player: Manny Machado
Position: Infielder
Previous Team: Los Angeles Dodgers
New Team: San Diego Padres
Contract Details: 10 years, $300 million

Injuries

Today was a big day for injuries in baseball. Two of the biggest stars in the game, Mike Trout and Bryce Harper, both left their games with injuries. Trout hurt his calf while Harper hurt his wrist.

Updates on Injured Players

We’ve got some updates on some injured players around the league. First up, Nationals’ shortstop Trea Turner is set to return to the lineup tonight after missing a week with a hamstring injury. Turner has been one of the best shortstops in baseball this season, hitting .342/.391/.526 with seven home runs and nine stolen bases.

Mets’ pitcher Noah Syndergaard is making progress in his rehab from a lat strain, and could return to the Mets’ rotation next week. Syndergaard has been out since late April, and the Mets have struggled without him, going 11-20 in his absence.

Finally, Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. is expected to miss 4-6 weeks with a sprained ligament in his right thumb. Bradley was injured while making a catch on Tuesday night, and while he avoided the DL, this is still a big blow to the Red Sox offense.

Rumors

It was a slow day for baseball news so most of what is being talked about are rumors. The most prominent one is that the New York Yankees are interested in signing free agent pitcher Gerrit Cole. This would be a big move for the Yankees as they look to solidify their rotation for the 2020 season.

Trade Rumors

The MLB trade deadline is just a week away, and there are sure to be a lot of rumors flying around in the days leading up to it. Here are some of the latest rumors:

-The Red Sox are interested in acquiring RHP Zach Britton from the Orioles.
-The Yankees are interested in acquiring LHP Jaime Garcia from the Twins.
-The Cubs are interested in acquiring RHP Justin Verlander from the Tigers.
-The Astros are interested in acquiring RHP Sonny Gray from the Yankees.
-The Nationals are interested in acquiring LHP Cole Hamels from the Rangers.

Free Agent Rumors

The MLB free agent market is heating up, and there are plenty of rumors circulating about where some of the top names will land.

Here are some of the latest rumors:

-The New York Yankees are interested in signing free agent pitcher Gerrit Cole.
-The Los Angeles Dodgers are also interested in Cole, and they may be willing to offer him a record-setting contract.
-The Philadelphia Phillies are interested in signing free agent outfielder Bryce Harper.
-The San Francisco Giants are also interested in Harper, but they may not be willing to spend as much money as some other teams.
-The Boston Red Sox are interested in signing free agent infielder Manny Machado.