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Much like the NBA draft, the Major League Baseball first-year player draft held on June 9 will feature a team from Philadelphia with the first overall selection. 

On Saturday, ESPN Insider Keith Law released his third mock draft just days before the real thing gets going, as he tried to decipher which player goes where:

Notable Picks 

A.J. Puk, RHP, Florida

Projected Destination: No. 1 Philadelphia Phillies

His record this season at Florida might not be impressive at just 2-3, but A.J. Puk has been one tough customer to deal with on the hill. 

In 65.2 innings, he has recorded 90 strikeouts and allowed an opponent’s batting average of just .188. Opposing coaches sang his praises to Philly.com’s Matt Gelb.

“He’s just your prototypical scout’s dream,” Alabama coach Mitch Gaspard said. “The ball just explodes on you. The stuff is just electric.”

Puk has a fastball ranging in the mid-90s, as he’s able to use his 6’7″ frame to garner some big-time momentum going downhill toward the plate. 

His off-speed stuff—a slider and changeup—is at least 10 mph slower, which could be unhittable if he’s able to develop those a bit more and keep a consistent release on all pitches. 

Kyle Lewis, OF, Mercer

Projected Destination: No. 2 Cincinnati Reds

For any team that is looking for a future player who could be a staple in the middle of the lineup, Kyle Lewis (6’4″) looks to be the most promising option in this year’s draft. 

In 61 games, he’s hit .395 with 20 home runs and 72 RBI to develop into one of the finest offensive weapons and athletes in the nation. 

He has a quick bat and solid pitch recognition and is one of the best his head coach Craig Gibson has ever seen, as he told Cincinnati.com’s C. Trent Rosencrans:

This guy is the total package, now. He’s the real thing. He’s got great parents, a great support system. There’s never any issues. The worry of drafting him high and putting a lot of resources in him, he’s not going to get those resources and go crazy. He comes from a good family. He’s very grounded. He’s—there’s not any black eyes on this guy, he’s the real deal.

Given his potential, the rebuilding Reds could benefit from Lewis as they look to develop into a threat in the NL Central. 

Corey Ray, OF, Louisville

Projected Destination: No. 5 Milwaukee Brewers

Corey Ray (5’11”) is built differently from Lewis since he’s is about five inches shorter, but what he loses in size, he makes up in speed while also bringing some pop. 

Ray stole 42 bases this season while only getting caught eight times. He also bashed 15 home runs. 

With those intangibles, Law had him at the top of his big board back in May:

Right now, if I had the top pick, I think I’d go with Ray, the best all-around college position player who is at worst a solid everyday left fielder with the upside of a Ray Lankford (whose name I’ve heard from a couple of scouts over the past year as a comp for Ray). He can hit; he can run; he has some power. 

He’s an aggressive player who can beat you with the bat and with his legs. Any team that’s looking for a well-rounded offensive spark will covet him. 

Stats courtesy of D1Baseball.com 

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The Los Angeles Dodgers will send 19-year-old pitcher Julio Urias down to Triple-A, Fanatics Network reported Saturday. J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group later confirmed the report.

Urias made his major league debut Friday night against the New York Mets, allowing three runs in 2.2 innings.  

The Dodgers called up Urias Thursday to make a spot start for injured pitcher Alex Wood, who encountered a triceps issue on May 15 against the St. Louis Cardinals, according to the Associated Press (via Fox Sports). 

According to ESPN.com’s Doug Padilla, Urias was the first teenager to start a major league game in 11 years. He was the youngest Dodgers left-hander since Sandy Koufax in 1955, via ESPN Stats & Info:

While he had a good start to his outing against the defending National League champions, he was unable to get through three innings, delivering 81 pitches to 17 batters. 

He spoke about his debut after the Mets’ 6-5 walk-off winner, via Padilla: “I’m not going to lie. When I went out there, I started thinking of everything I had to go through to get here. I will never forget anything that happened in this game because this is the happiest day of my life.”

Urias is considered the Dodgers’ top arm in the minors and was ranked the sixth-best prospect in baseball by Baseball Prospectus in April. In seven prior starts in Triple-A, Urias was 4-1 with a 1.10 ERA with 44 strikeouts in just 41 innings.

While Wood’s injury was never going to keep him out for long, it did give the Dodgers an opportunity to give the young Urias some experience on the major league level, especially against one of the best power-hitting teams out there. 

With that limited experience under his belt, Urias will now head back to the minors and hone his craft a bit before being unleashed upon the majors full time. 

Stats courtesy of MiLB.com and ESPN.com.

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Legendary Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully, who is in his 67th and final season calling games, has declined Fox Sports’ offer to work the MLB All-Star Game on July 12 in San Diego, SI.com’s Richard Deitsch reported Wednesday. 

Brad Zager, who has known Scully since his time with Prime Ticket and KCAL-TV in the early 2000s, made the offer, per Deitsch.    

He noted Scully was “appreciative” but “felt it was not his place to be in someone else’s broadcast booth.”

Scully even told Zager, “I’m not Kobe Bryant. I’m just out there calling games.”

The 88-year-old last called an All-Star Game in 1989, remembered for Bo Jackson’s leadoff home run while President Ronald Reagan was in the booth:

Scully began his Hall of Fame career as a 22-year-old in 1950 when the Dodgers were in Brooklyn and has been the golden voice of baseball ever since, receiving the highest of praises from many sporting personalities, including Sports Illustrated‘s Tom Verducci:

Vin Scully is only the finest, most-listened-to baseball broadcaster that ever lived, and even that honorific does not approach proper justice to the man. He ranks with Walter Cronkite among America’s most-trusted media personalities, with Frank Sinatra and James Earl Jones among its most-iconic voices, and with Mark Twain, Garrison Keillor and Ken Burns among its preeminent storytellers.

He’s been at the epicenter of the largest moments in sports, ranging from Hank Aaron’s 715th home run in 1974, to Mookie Wilson’s ground ball that went through Bill Buckner’s legs in the 1986 World Series to Kirk Gibson’s game-winning home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series:

In doing so, Scully became a familiar, friendly voice to millions of baseball fans who had a picture of every nuance the game had to offer thanks to him. 

Like many fans who pair Scully’s voice with the game, Zager is trying to keep the broadcaster around the booth a bit longer, offering him a chance to work on postseason games, per Deitsch.

But Zager doesn’t find it likely that he’ll be calling games in October: “Knowing Vin the way I do, I don’t think it will happen. If the Dodgers are there in the postseason, I think we would look to at least talk again. But I honestly don’t think he’d want to call his last Dodgers game—and then call games in the postseason.”

So for fans around the nation and around the world who want to hear Scully do what he’s done best for almost 70 years, tuning in to the local feeds of Dodgers games will be their best opportunity to do so. 

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The Kansas City Royals placed left fielder Alex Gordon on the disabled list with a wrist injury, per Joel Goldberg of Fox Sports Kansas City.

Continue for updates.

Cheslor Cuthbert to Replace Gordon on 25-Man Roster

Monday, May 23

The Kansas City Star‘s Rustin Dodd reported Sunday that Gordon sprained his wrist in Kansas City’s 3-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox. Gordon collided with teammate Mike Moustakas while attempting to catch a foul ball off the bat of Melky Cabrera:

It’s not exactly what the Royals wanted out of the face of their franchise, who managed to stay with the team by signing a four-year, $72 million deal in the offseason as a free agent, via Spotrac.com. 

He struggled to start the season, much like the rest of his team. He was batting well under .250 as his Royals struggled to play .500 ball.

What’s more frustrating is that the trend of injuries continues for Gordon, who missed over 50 games after straining his groin during the 2015 season while tracking a fly ball in left field. 

He was able to come back and finish the regular season batting .271 with 13 home runs and 48 RBI, but it was his postseason contributions that made him so invaluable, as the Royals won their first World Series in 30 years.

Gordon has been an All-Star in each of the past three years and has led the team in on-base percentage in the last two. His ability to get on base fit so well in a Royals lineup that didn’t necessarily boast a ton of superstar talent or power.

Instead, it was a perfectly balanced group of players who found ways to win games. 

And according to manager Ned Yost, who spoke with Tyler Kepner of the New York Times, Gordon is just as valuable to the team off the field. 

“Everybody in that locker room looks up to him,” Yost said. “Everything he does is to be ready to play a baseball game, from the food he eats to the exercises that he does early in the weight room to the preparation before the game. His routine is impeccable, and guys see this.”

Now the Royals will have to rely on the likes of Jarrod Dyson and Paulo Orlando to complement Lorenzo Cain in the outfield. While they don’t hold the same kind of offensive prowess as Gordon, Dyson can motor on the basepaths, which could make him a solid choice at the top of Kansas City’s lineup. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera suffered a left knee contusion against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday but is ready to return to action.

Continue below for updates:

Cabrera in Lineup vs. Phillies

Monday, May 23

The Tigers confirmed Cabrera is playing first base and batting third for Monday’s game.

Cabrera Is Centerpiece of Tigers Offense

It looks like age is finally catching up with the 33-year-old. Last season was the first time since 2003 that Cabrera played in fewer than 148 games when he was forced out with calf issues. 

While on the field, though, he continued to keep up his All-Star-caliber play, hitting .315 with nine home runs and 26 RBI on the season.

This is Cabrera’s ninth season with the Tigers, and he has become one of the greatest hitters of this generation. In 2012, he became the first player since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967 to win the batting Triple Crown. 

Cabrera has shown time and time again throughout his career that he can hit to all parts of the field with power and consistency. He’s led the league in batting average in four of the past five years and has batted under .320 just once in the past seven.

He helped lead the Tigers to four straight playoff appearances from 2011 to 2014, including an American League championship in 2012. But the emergence of the defending World Series champion Kansas City Royals has made the Tigers’ stronghold on the American League Central much weaker. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com

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New York Mets starting pitcher Matt Harvey had a Thursday night to forget. Against the Washington Nationals, he was pulled after 2.2 innings. He allowed nine runs—six earned—on eight hits with a pair of walks. 

It was a record-setting night for the fourth-year pitcher, as ESPN.com’s Adam Rubin pointed out:

ESPN Stats & Info showed that it was even worse than just a short outing:

Mets manager Terry Collins said the team could skip Harvey’s next start, per Rubin on Thursday:

We’re going to take a look — is that best for him, is that best for us? We’re not going to commit to anything at this time. But I will tell you, as I sit here today, I’d certainly trust him. I certainly believe in him. I hadn’t seen him struggle like this before. But that guy that pitched tonight for them [Stephen Strasburg], he had a couple of mediocre years, and now he’s resurged.

However, Collins decided against that Friday. “We really think he’s got to get back on the horse, as fast as he can,” he said, per ESPN.com’s Danny Knobler.

In such a big game against a division rival, Harvey’s year continued to spiral out of control. He entered Thursday night with a 3-5 record and a 4.93 ERA, which has now ballooned to 5.77, much to the disgust of Sirius XM’s Adam Schein:

Harvey had a chance to get out of the first inning unscathed, but with two outs and two strikes on former Met and postseason hero Daniel Murphy with a runner on first, Harvey hung a curveball that the Washington second baseman launched:

The wheels fell off in the third inning when Harvey induced a ground ball from Ryan Zimmerman with the bases loaded. But the sure-handed Asdrubal Cabrera lost the ball on the transfer, and the Nationals plated a run to make it 3-1. 

Anthony Rendon socked a two-run double, and Wilson Ramos added a two-run single. In the blink of an eye, it was 7-1. 

MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo couldn’t sugarcoat things:

To put the icing on the cake of Washington’s big inning and Harvey’s nightmare outing, Ben Revere, who was 5-for-52 heading into Thursday night, tripled in two more runs to make it 9-1. 

That was all for Harvey, who was relieved by Logan Verrett. Newsday‘s Marc Carig never saw Harvey in a worse state:

Once the jewel of the Mets’ promising young rotation, Harvey was booed off the mound when he was taken out of the game. MSG Network’s Alan Hahn, who is not a Mets fan, soaked up the struggles:

Harvey wasn’t living up to his Batman-inspired nickname, The Dark Knight, in the eyes of ESPN.com’s Kevin Van Valkenburg:

Newsday‘s Arthur Staple was expecting something in writing from Harvey:

But Fantasy Insiders’ Davis Mattek thought Harvey was past that:

The Mets are now poised to drop two of three games to their division rivals in their first series of the year if they don’t pull off a miraculous turnaround. That will also put them 2.5 games back of first place in the National League East. 

This is something that could give the Nationals some big-time confidence as the season progresses, too. A performance like this could give them the feeling that they can take care of the Mets, unlike last year, when Washington lost the division in the second half of the season.

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Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz hit the 513th home run of his career during the bottom of the third inning of Saturday’s game against the Houston Astros. The solo shot moved him past Hall of Famers Ernie Banks and Eddie Mathews into 22nd place on the league’s all-time home run list, per ESPN Stats & Info. 

It was Ortiz’s 10th home run of the year, his 20th season in the major leagues and what will be his last, as he announced in November he’ll retire after 2016. 

Ortiz has now recorded 17 consecutive seasons with 10 or more home runs. He became a premier power hitter after he joined the Red Sox in 2003 following six years with the Minnesota Twins. 

The now-40-year-old hit 30 or more home runs nine times from 2003 to 2015, including a league-leading 54 in 2006. 

It’s taken him a tiny bit longer to get to the same number as Mathews and Banks, though. Banks launched 512 home runs in 19 seasons, all with the Chicago Cubs, while Mathews recorded his total in 17 years, mostly with the Boston/Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves. 

Ortiz needs eight more home runs to move into 19th on the list and join a trio of Hall of Famers in Ted Williams, Willie McCovey and Frank Thomas, who belted 521 long balls in their careers. 

He would need 22 more to pass Jimmie Foxx for 18th and 24 to get by Mickey Mantle for 17th as the last remaining realistic targets in his storied career.   

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com

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San Diego Padres starting pitcher Andrew Cashner will be placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 9 after suffering a right hamstring strain, manager Andy Green announced Friday, per the team’s official Twitter account.

Continue for updates:

Cashner Not Expected To Be Out Long

Friday, May 13

The team has yet to announce a spot starter to fill Cashner’s place in the rotation. He was slated to pitch Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers.

It could be the only start he misses, as sports writer Andrew Gruman reported Green expects this to be a “short stint” on the DL.

The Padres removed Cashner from his last start May 8 against the New York Mets in the sixth inning for precautionary reasons after he suffered what the team described as a “slight right hamstring cramp.”

After reaching base with a bunt single, Cashner was thrown out at home plate in the bottom of the fifth inning:

In a mediocre Padres pitching rotation whose WAR was at 0.1 (14th in MLB) entering Friday night, Cashner was the team’s No. 2 arm behind James Shields with Tyson Ross recovering from a shoulder injury.

Cashner is 2-3 this season with a 4.93 ERA. He hasn’t lasted more than six innings in a game this season and has allowed three or more earned runs in five of his seven starts.

But the 29-year-old has shown in the past that he can dominate, which makes him a solid option in the middle of the rotation:

Due to the expected short-term status of the injury, the Padres might call a player out of the bullpen to step in for Cashner on Saturday. If he’s out for longer than anticipated, though, the Padres may have to make a transaction to get another starter.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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New York Mets starting pitcher Steven Matz’s elbow has “flared up,” and he will miss his next start Saturday against the Colorado Rockies, Adam Rubin of ESPN.com reported Wednesday. 

Continue for updates.

Matz’s Elbow Not Considered Serious

Wednesday, May 11

Rubin added that Logan Verrett will take Matz’s place in the rotation unless the team needs him to come out of the bullpen in relief.   

The Mets are seemingly being cautious with Matz’s elbow. He underwent Tommy John surgery as a prospect back in 2010, which delayed his arrival to the major leagues. 

However, the team believes that this inflammation is just soreness. He didn’t undergo an MRI and will see doctors when the team returns from its West Coast road trip, per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo. 

The 24-year-old made his debut last season among the numerous young arms the Mets rotation boasts. In terms of winning, Matz has been the most successful Mets pitcher ever, via Baseball Tonight:

After going 4-0 in 2015, during which he helped the Mets win the National League pennant, Matz was hammered in his first start of 2016 against the Miami Marlins, allowing seven earned runs in 1.2 innings. 

Since then, he’s 5-0 and has given up just four runs while striking out 34 batters in 33 innings. Matz, along with Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom and Matt Harvey, is part of a vaunted pitching staff that has led the Mets to the second-best record in the National League at 20-12 and ranks second in the majors with a 2.78 ERA.

On any other team, Verrett could be a top-end starter, as he’s been excellent for the Mets as a fill-in. In two starts this year, he’s gone a combined 12 innings with no runs allowed and 10 strikeouts. So the Mets should feel confident at least for the short term. 

But Matz’s injury history, which includes a torn lat muscle that kept him out for two months last year, is concerning to a Mets team that prides itself on its young, dominant rotation. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Chicago Cubs ace Jake Arrieta has been the hottest pitcher on the planet since the beginning of last season. 

Once a little-known back-end starter with the Baltimore Orioles, Arrieta was dealt in 2013 to Chicago, where he transformed into a Cy Young Award winner and one of the most unhittable pitchers the game has seen in this millennium.

Arrieta is signed with the Cubs only through 2017, though, and is making $10.7 million this season preceding a year of arbitration, per Spotrac. That means he is poised to make some big bucks, whether it be through a long-term contact extension with the Cubs or in free agency.  

When asked Wednesday if he was worth $175 million—like the deal Stephen Strasburg signed with the Washington Nationals on Tuesday, per Bill Ladson of MLB.com—Arrieta said, “I’ll let you judge that. Just look at the numbers,” per Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com. 

Arrieta has answered a 22-6 Cy Young campaign in which he posted a 1.77 ERA with a 6-0 start and a 1.13 ERA, far better than any season Strasburg has posted in his seven years in the league despite his solid 5-0 start in 2016. 

There are not many pitchers who can perform at Arrieta’s level, which is why he’s expecting to be rewarded with a big contract:

That’s why starting pitching is so valuable. There’s not many guys that can pitch at the top of the rotation floating around the league… aces get 7 years… Financially I’m fine, regardless. You want to be paid in respect to how your peers are paid. I don’t think that changes with any guy you ask. It happens around baseball every year.

Rogers noted that a deal for Arrieta, whose agent is Scott Boras, will be in the range of around $200 million, and he won’t be generous when negotiating with the Cubs. Arrieta answered questions on whether he’d give the Cubs a hometown discount with a quick “no.”

He added: “The misconception is that Scott wants everyone to go to free agency. I made it clear I like Chicago. I think everyone knows that. If I had it my way, I’d stay here. That’s just one side of the story. We’ll see.”

If he had it his way though, Arrieta would like a new deal to get done “quickly.”

“Most of the focus has to stay on what we’re trying to accomplish today,” he said. “If we keep winning, those kinds of things work themselves out in time. If they want to talk, they know where I’m at, and we can get something going. … Let’s get it over with and go play.”

While Arrieta’s contract status looms, the Cubs are the best team in baseball with a 25-6 record, as general manager Theo Epstein has pieced together an early juggernaut that is an early favorite to win the National League. 

It’s imperative the Cubs keep Arrieta in order to keep up with the strong pitching teams in the National League, such as the New York Mets and Washington Nationals. If he continues this elite level of play and the Cubs manage to find new levels of success, then Arrieta will likely become a very wealthy man.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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