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The Kansas City Royals jumped out to a 2-0 lead at home over the New York Mets in the 2015 World Series, but the Mets took Game 3 in New York with a 9-3 win. The teams will play two more games at Citi Field, so this series is far from over.

Rookie Noah Syndergaard gave the Mets six innings, during which he scattered seven hits and allowed three runs while striking out six hitters. Meanwhile, New York got hot at the plate and chased Royals starter Yordano Ventura after 3.1 innings. Ventura gave up five runs while striking out two batters.

The game started with a bit of controversy. On the first pitch, Syndergaard came high and tight on Royals leadoff man Alcides Escobar. As Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reported, he knew what he was doing.

“My intent on that pitch was to make them uncomfortable, and I feel like I did just that,” Syndergaard said. “I think in every postseason game that Escobar has played in, he’s swung at the first-pitch fastball. I didn’t think he would want to swing at that one.”

The Royals were clearly unnerved though they managed to get a run across in that first inning. They got two more in the second, but then Syndergaard settled into a groove, and he and the Mets bullpen didn’t allow another run.

The team will send another rookie, this time Steven Matz, to the mound for Game 4. Kansas City will counter with Chris Young, who threw three strong innings in relief in the 14-inning Game 1 marathon. You can catch Game 4 on Fox at 8:07 p.m. ET.

If Young pitches like he did in Game 1, the Mets will be in trouble. They failed to even get a hit against Young in his three innings of work, and four batters went down on strikes.

Young’s height may have had something to do with it. At 6’10”, he has a high release point, which makes it difficult for hitters to track the pitch. Batters aren’t used to seeing the pitch come from so high, and the Mets were clearly caught off guard by him in Game 1.

However, now the Mets hitters have seen Young, so they will have a feel for his pitching style. If they can carry over their success at the plate from Game 3, the team will have a good chance to knot this series at two games apiece.

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The New York Mets had the pitching advantage in the 2015 World Series, but that didn’t matter to the Kansas City Royals, who took both games at home and jumped out to a 2-0 series lead. The series now shifts to Citi Field, where the Mets will look to get back into it and challenge for the title.

The two teams have a travel day Thursday, and then the series will resume Friday night. Here’s a look at the schedule for the rest of the series, as well as where you can catch the game on TV or stream it on your mobile device:

*if necessary

After dropping Game 1 in a 14-inning classic, the Mets looked to bounce back in Game 2 with their ace, Jacob deGrom, on the bump. DeGrom had been on his game the entire postseason, and his regression to the mean came at the worst possible time. He managed only five innings in Game 2 and gave up four runs on six hits while striking out just two batters.

Meanwhile, Royals starter Johnny Cueto tossed an absolute gem, going the distance while giving up only one run on a measly two hits.

As ESPN Stats & Info noted, Cueto‘s performance put him in elite company:

After spotting the Royals two games, the Mets will turn to rookie sensation Noah Syndergaard in Game 3. The Royals will counter with Yordano Ventura, who is 0-1 in the postseason with a 5.09 ERA.

Coming off 11 days of rest, Syndergaard will surely be fresh. The Mets will hope that isn’t too much time off, however, and that the one they call “Thor” can continue his success in the postseason and build off his 2.77 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. Syndergaard will need to turn in another superhuman performance to keep his team’s chances alive.

Luckily for the Mets, they have three games at home, so they have plenty of opportunity to notch a couple of wins. If they can use their return home to help get their bats going the way they were in the National League Championship Series, they can make this a competitive series.

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On a night when the start of the NBA season—and a Steph Curry heat check—threatened to take the spotlight, the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals stole the show in Game 1 of the World Series.

The Mets and Royals played late into Tuesday night—or, rather, early into Wednesday morning—and in the bottom of the 14th inning, Eric Hosmer delivered a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to give the Royals a 5-4 win.

Hosmer redeemed himself after his Bill Buckner-esque error in the eighth inning led to the run that gave the Mets a 4-3 lead.

It was a tough loss for the Mets, who took their lead to the bottom of the ninth inning, with Jeurys Familia, who had been untouchable in the postseason, on the mound. However, Familia gave up a home run to Alex Gordon and, as ESPN Stats & Info points out, blew his first save since late July:

The stats department at ESPN also had some other interesting nuggets about Tuesday’s Game 1, including a mention of the one and only Babe Ruth:

Chris Young earned the win for the Royals after pitching three sterling innings and striking out four Mets. Young allowed only one baserunner, and it was on a walk. Meanwhile, the ageless Bartolo Colon took the loss for the Mets.

The two clubs have to get over the drama of the series opener right away, as they will come back Wednesday night for Game 2. You can watch Game 2 live from Kauffman Stadium on Fox, with the first pitch scheduled for 8:07 p.m. ET.

The Mets will send Jacob deGrom, arguably their best pitcher in the postseason, to the bump to take on Johnny Cueto of the Royals. DeGrom is 3-0 in the postseason with a 1.80 ERA, while Cueto is 1-1 in playoff starts with a robust 7.88 ERA—so the pitching matchup clearly favors the Mets.

But having been in the Fall Classic just last year, the Royals have the playoff chops to make deGrom work. He will have little room for error after his team fell into a one-game hole, and he’ll need to be on his game to send the series to Queens tied at a game apiece. 

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The New York Mets are two wins away from the World Series after beating the Chicago Cubs 4-1 Sunday in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series. 

Mets starter Noah Syndergaard continued the trend of sublime starting pitching for the Mets with one earned run and nine strikeouts over five and two-thirds innings. The previously unhittable Jake Arrieta took the loss for the Cubs after giving up four runs in five innings.

For those keeping score, the Mets have now gone through Arrieta, Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke this postseason. Those are only the expected top three finishers for the NL Cy Young Award this year. That has to give their hitters confidence going forward.

While the Mets are riding high after their strong showing in Queens, they will have their work cut out for them as the series shifts to Wrigley Field. Here’s a look at the schedule for the rest of the series along with where you can find each game on TV. 

*If necessary.

Now that you know when to tune in for the rest of the series, let’s have a look at how the rest of the NLCS could play out. Here’s a few predictions as the series migrates to Chicago.

Mets Will Put Cubs on the Ropes

Already up two games, the Mets have the luxury of sending their ace to the hill in Game 3. Jacob deGrom will take the mound for the Mets against Kyle Hendricks of the Cubs.

So far this postseason, deGrom and his flowing locks have shut opposing lineups down. He went 2-0 in the NLDS with a 1.38 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 13 innings. As ESPN Stats and Info and Mark Simon of ESPN point out, deGrom‘s division series performance was one for the ages:

Simply put, deGrom has been feeling it for the entire postseason. It’s hard to pick against him at this point, so look for him to usher the Mets to within one win of the World Series.

Cubs Will Make Things Interesting

Despite the tall order of facing deGrom, which we already predicted will turn into a loss for the Cubs, we expect the North Siders to get back into the series at home. 

Steven Matz is scheduled to start Game 4 for the Mets after a tough outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS. The 24-year-old Matz is a rookie and could falter on the road in front of a hostile crowd. 

If Kyle Schwarber, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo can get things on track against Matz, it can help them stay in a groove as the series wears on. For the Cubs to have any chance, those three players will need to carry the lineup. 

Returning home to face a rookie pitcher is as good a way as any to find your rhythm at the plate. Look for the middle of the Cubs order to get it going and help the Cubs get back into the series.

Mets Ultimately Win, an Unexpected Player Gets LCS MVP Consideration

Even if the Cubs are able to get back into the series at home, the Mets starting pitching is just too strong and should carry them to the World Series.

If deGrom again dazzles in Game 3 and pitches well in a potential start later in the series, he would have a compelling case to be named Most Valuable Player of the series. If Daniel Murphy continues hitting the cover off the ball (a homer in four straight games), he also could lay claim to the series MVP award.

However, if the Mets do indeed move on, a name to keep an eye on is Jeurys Familia. The Mets closer has saved each of the first two games without allowing a run and has only given up two hits in two and one-third innings.

Familia has shut down the opposition for the entire postseason, and he looked confident in his two outings against the Cubs. If Familia gets the save in two more Mets wins and remains dominant, he would have as good an MVP case as anyone. Either way, the Mets will be in good hands if they can hand the ball to Familia with a lead.

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The Kansas City Royals have opened a 2-0 series lead in the American League Championship Series over the Toronto Blue Jays. The Royals protected their home field at Kauffman Stadium with a 5-0 win in Game 1 and a 6-3 victory in Game 2.  

The series is far from over, though, especially as it shifts to Rogers Centre for (potentially) three games in the Great White North. Here’s a look at the schedule for the rest of the series as well as where you can find coverage of each game.

*if necessary

According to the Blue Jays’ website, Marcus Stroman is scheduled to start Game 3 for the Jays against Johnny Cueto of the Royals. Stroman will have to continue his solid postseason performance against Cueto, who has been one of the best playoff starters for Kansas City.

Cueto is 1-0 in the postseason with a 3.86 ERA, 13 strikeouts and a 0.86 WHIP in 14 innings. In 13 playoff innings, Stroman has yet to get a decision but has a respectable 3.46 ERA and nine strikeouts. 

Despite being down 2-0, the Blue Jays are favored at home in Game 3. At the time of this writing, Odds Shark had Toronto as -165 favorites, but 63 percent of the bets have been on Kansas City at +159.

It’s easy to see why bettors are backing the Royals. Their bullpen has been dominant against the Blue Jays, and as Fox Sports 1 points out, if the Royals starter exits with a lead, it’s pretty much a wrap.

For the Blue Jays to get back into the series, they will need assistance from the heart of their batting order. Josh Donaldson will have to return to his MVP-candidate ways of the regular season. In the playoffs, Donaldson is 6-for-26 with six strikeouts. 

However, he hasn’t no-showed the ALCS as much as Jose Bautista. Since the bat flip heard ’round the world, Joey Bats is hitless in the championship series with two strikeouts. The Blue Jays have their hands full, especially when they face the Royals bullpen, so they will need their big guns to get it going to have any chance.

However, if Cueto turns in another strong performance and keeps it close as he gives way to Kelvin Herrera and Wade Davis, it will give the Royals a great chance to take a 3-0 stranglehold on this series.

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The 2015 Home Run Derby kicked off MLB‘s All-Star break in earnest, and thanks to the new format, it did not disappoint.

After finishing in second place last year, Cincinnati Reds third baseman Todd Frazier returned this year to win in front of his hometown fans at Great American Ball Park. Frazier edged out Joc Pederson of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the finals to get the victory. Pederson hit 14 homers in the finals, and Frazier needed just one pitch in his bonus time to knock out his 15th.

As ESPN Stats & Info points out, it was a historic performance:

This year’s Derby, in its 30th year, boasted a brand-new format with a completely different set of rules. Instead of getting a number of outs, each player had a set amount of time to hit as many bombs as he could. There was also an opportunity for bonus time if a player hit two homers that traveled at least 425 feet. 

The rules had to be changed slightly at the last minute due to weather concerns. Players were originally scheduled to get five minutes per round, but MLB shortened it to four to try to beat the rain. Additionally, instead of a possible 60 seconds of bonus time, each player maxed out at 30.

In one man’s opinion, MLB—dare I say—knocked it out of the park with the new format. Will Brinson and Jason La Canfora, both of CBS Sports, were just two of many to agree:

The goal, of course, is to hit as many home runs as possible. As the folks at ESPN Stats & Info point out, this year’s Derby was successful in that regard:

The single-elimination format immediately made the Derby more exciting. When you add the timed rounds and the fact that the second hitter each round knew how many he needed, it made for a dramatic night in Cincinnati.

The bonus time was also an interesting wrinkle, and it came into play when Frazier hit his walk-off in extra time.

One of the few downsides to the new style was allowing each hitter a 45-second timeout. While it did give players a chance to regroup, it sometimes made the event drag, as ESPN occasionally cut to commercials during the timeouts.

But that’s just nitpicking. Most of the time, the batter stepped into the box after his timeout and promptly put one in the seats. The delays were minor, but perhaps MLB could tweak the timeout rule in the future to speed up the action a bit.

Overall, kudos to MLB for bringing some excitement back to the Home Run Derby. If Tuesday’s main event is even half as exciting as the long-ball contest, it will make for a wildly successful All-Star showcase.

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Can you believe the MLB All-Star Game and Home Run Derby are less than one week away? It seems like the baseball season just started, but now all of a sudden it’s the middle of July, and baseball’s Midsummer Classic will be here before you know it.

As you know, the MLB All-Star Game is used to give the players who have had the best season so far a chance to show off their talents. It also determines home-field advantage for the World Series, but that’s another discussion altogether.

The highlight of the All-Star festivities used to be the Home Run Derby. It’s baseball’s version of the NBA’s Slam Dunk Contest. But like its NBA counterpart, the Derby has lost some of its luster over the years.

But MLB is looking to infuse new life into the long-ball contest with a complete overhaul of the rules. This year’s Derby will be held July 13 at 8 p.m. ET. You can see the contest on ESPN and WatchESPN.

Here’s a look at this year’s participants, followed by an explanation of how this year’s Derby will work. Both the lineup and rule changes are courtesy of MLB.com.

The biggest names in the field are Albert Pujols and two-time champ Prince Fielder. But young guns Joc Pederson, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo will be looking to make a name for themselves under the bright lights.

One of the most notable changes to the format is that the Derby will now be a single-elimination tournament. Here’s the bracket, thanks to ESPN Stats & Info:

Another major change to the contest is that instead of each hitter getting a set number of outs, there will be a running five-minute clock during which the batter tries to hit as many homers as he can. That seems simple enough, but there are also a few wrinkles that can create some excitement.

During the final minute, the clock will stop after each home run hit and will restart after a non-home run lands or the batter whiffs on a pitch. And since we know chicks dig the long ball, batters will be awarded bonus time if they hit two bombs that go at least 420 feet and even more time if they hit another fly at least 475.

For those who prefer visual aids, ESPN Stats & Info also provided a glance at the relevant new rules:

If the NCAA tournament has taught us anything, a win-or-go-home format is inherently more exciting There will be built-in drama when time is running out and players know how many homers they need to advance. 

This may not be a perfect solution to maximize the excitement of the Home Run Derby, but it is certainly a step in the right direction. We will have to see how it plays out, but the Derby has enough star power and potential drama to be a worthwhile watch.

What do you think of the new Derby format? How else could MLB change it to make it better? Sound off in the comments below, or let Justin know on Twitter @JustinNeuman10.

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