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Miami Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton was the home run king Monday night in San Diego. With 20 home runs in the final round, Stanton toppled defending champion Todd Frazier 20-13 in the 2016 MLB Home Run Derby in Petco Park.  

Stanton was a more than deserving winner based on the totality of his performance. Baseball Tonight shared the distances of the longest home runs, and he owned a monopoly on the list:

His 61 homers over the course of the event were also a Derby record, per Baseball Tonight. Jose Fernandez’s pre-Derby prediction pretty much came true, via MLB:

Here’s how the event shook out:

The Derby didn’t take long to get going as Corey Seager and Mark Trumbo combined to hit 31 home runs in the opening matchup of the first round. Seager looked to have one foot in the semifinals with 15 homers until Trumbo clinched passage to the next round with 16. He closed his round with eight straight home runs. His last dinger went 479 feet and narrowly missed hitting the scoreboard in left field:

According to MLB, 10 of Trumbo’s homers traveled more than 440 feet. Fox Sports: MLB provided the perfect reaction for the Baltimore Orioles outfielder:

Sports Illustrated‘s Kenny Ducey noted not everybody enjoyed Trumbo’s show of power:

Stanton stepped to the plate next. Although the Marlins star is tied for 16th in MLB with 20 home runs, he entered the event as many fans’ favorite to win.

And he more than lived up to expectations, hitting 24 homers in the first round. MLB.com’s Daren Willman shared the distance and exit velocities for each of the 26-year-old’s two dozen home runs:

Watching the right-handed slugger simultaneously motivated and discouraged The Ringer’s Robert Mays:

MLB.com’s Michael Clair felt sorry for Robinson Cano, whose matchup in the first round was with Stanton:

In the other half of the bracket, Adam Duvall eliminated Wil Myers, and Frazier knocked Carlos Gonzalez.

The semifinals pitted Stanton against Trumbo, which was a good enough clash that it could’ve closed out the Derby, and nobody would’ve complained.

Occasionally, the break in between rounds can have an adverse effect on hitters. The new format has streamlined the process a bit more to cut into the down time, but there was still a question as to how much Stanton and Trumbo had left in the tank.

Stanton put those doubts to bed early on, picking right up from where he left off in the first round. He socked 17 home runs. San Francisco Giants outfielder Hunter Pence couldn’t help but be in awe of Stanton’s impressive physique:

Fernandez came in with the assist to help Stanton celebrate his round, via MLB GIFs:

Trumbo began the semifinals with a bang, sending a moonshot into left field that hit the scoreboard. That was the highlight of his round, though, as his power looked to be slowly receding. He headed into the 30-second bonus time needing five home runs to tie Stanton, and he ran out of time before he could chase down his opponent.

In the other semifinal, Frazier advanced with a 16-15 win over Duvall. Frazier once again benefited from going second. That allowed the Chicago White Sox star to know exactly what he needed to advance to the final.

Frazier also used his one allowed timeout strategically—down 15-12 with 90 seconds remaining. The short break allowed him to recover, and he did just enough to top Duvall.

Last year, 15 homers were enough to give Frazier the Derby title in the final against Joc Pederson. That total wasn’t going to cut it against Stanton, who hit 20 in this year’s final.

Despite having already hit more homers in the first two rounds than he ever has in a single season (37), Stanton looked no worse for wear. BuzzFeed’s Lindsey Adler thought the final was already over at that point:

Frazier got off to a slow start, with just three homers in the first minute. That ultimately doomed him, since he needed to hit for power at a superhuman pace in order to track down Stanton. And without the benefit of the bonus round, he couldn’t repeat as champion.

Neither Stanton nor Frazier will be playing in Tuesday’s All-Star Game, which could be a blessing in disguise. They could use an extra day of rest to recover from the Home Run Derby.

While the 2016 Derby couldn’t match last year’s edition in terms of drama, Stanton’s incredible showing more than made up for it. With any luck, he’ll be back to defend his crown in front of a home crowd in Miami in 2017.

Post-Derby Reaction

For Stanton, a native of Panorama City, California, near Los Angeles, winning this year’s derby was a little more special.

“For sure being on the West Coast and taking the flight out here just for this, you know. I figure it’s a waste if I don’t bring this bad boy home,” he said, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). “I had a great time. I had a blast.”

Stanton also discussed strategy and how he tried to conserve energy for later on in the event: “When I get a few in a row I would kind of bump it up 5 to 10 percent. But most the time I stuck at 80-90 percent. I knew I could do it endurance-wise. I was just hoping my swing didn’t fall about.”

“It was impressive,” said Frazier of the final, per Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times. “I said it would be an epic home run battle and it stepped up to the name. I thought I had a chance when I needed 20, but he deserved it. He put on a great show. I hope everybody enjoyed it.”

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The World Team picked up its first win in the MLB All-Star Futures Game since 2009 on Sunday in San Diego, beating the United States, 11-3.  

Boston Red Sox prospect Yoan Moncada earned MVP honors, per MLB on Twitter. He finished the game 2-for-5 with two runs batted in and one run scored. The 21-year-old, who sits fifth on MLB.com’s prospect rankings, put the World Team ahead in the top of the eighth inning with a two-run home run:

The Boston Herald‘s Jason Mastrodonato noted the homer was somewhat surprising since it came off a left-handed pitcher, Anthony Banda:

On June 13, ESPN’s Jim Bowden reported the Red Sox would listen to trade offers for almost any prospect with the exception of Moncada and Andrew Benintendi, who also played in the Futures Game. After seeing Moncada’s towering homer, it’s not hard to see why Boston would covet the Cuban star so heavily.

Aside from Moncada, nobody else shone brighter than Alex Bregman, whom MLB.com ranks as the 18th-best prospect in baseball. The Houston Astros minor leaguer went 3-for-5 and was a home run short of the cycle. MLB.com’s Daren Willman noted how hard Bregman struck the ball Sunday:

According to the New York Post‘s Joel Sherman, the No. 2 overall pick in 2015 may not need much seasoning before he’s ready for the bigs:

Bregman scored the first run of the game when Cleveland Indians prospect Clint Frazier doubled into center field in the bottom of the third inning. Frazier then came home on a fielder’s choice off the bat of New York Mets prospect Dominic Smith.

Baltimore Orioles prospect Chance Sisco gave Team USA a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run:

Baseball America‘s Kyle Glaser thought the homer must’ve felt extra sweet for Sisco:

The World Team trimmed the deficit to 3-2 in the top of the sixth on a double by Eloy Jimenez and a single by Josh Naylor. In the bottom half of the inning, Carson Kelly nearly tacked on another run for the United States. Instead, Manuel Margot, representing the hometown San Diego Padres, reached over the fence and saved a home run:

Baseball America‘s Ben Badler noted Margot has already earned a reputation for his stellar defensive work in the outfield:

His catch proved pivotal, as it allowed Moncada to give the World Team the lead in the top of the eighth. The World then broke the game open in the ninth. It dropped seven runs on the U.S. to go ahead 11-3. Three of the runs came on a mammoth homer from Jimenez, a 19-year-old in the Chicago Cubs’ system.

The home run wasn’t even his best play from the day. Jimenez somehow tracked down this foul ball off the bat of Dylan Cozens:

MLB.com’s Mike Petriello revealed how far Jimenez had to run before making the catch:

The Futures Game has been a great showcase for some of the best young talents in the game. Jake Arrieta, Francisco Lindor, Noah Syndergaard, Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Nolan Arenado and Clayton Kershaw are among the more notable stars who have played in the event.

Most of this year’s participants are at least a few years away from becoming impact players on their major league teams, but they offered a glimpse of what may be to come down the road.

Postgame Reaction

“It’s an experience I will never forget in my life,” said Moncada of his MVP win Sunday, per Mastrodonato.

He also talked about his go-ahead homer: “I wasn’t looking for a home run or anything, I just wanted good contact and the home run came about. It just came like a normal home run.”

Jimenez also discussed his incredible catch.

“That is the craziest catch I’ve made,” he said, per CSN Chicago’s Dan Hayes. “I was just looking for something up and I saw it and that happened. Very fun. Very, very fun. It was crazy, crazy.”

For Bregman, playing in the Futures Game was an exciting experience, but he also has his eye on the big leagues.

“Not everybody gets this opportunity. I was just trying to soak it in and have fun,” he said, per USA Today‘s Steve Gardner. “I’m excited for the future. I want to help the Astros win games now … I feel like I can contribute and whenever that time comes, I’ll be ready.”

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The Milwaukee Brewers announced Thursday they traded infielder Aaron Hill to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for prospects Wendell Rijo and Aaron Wilkerson. 

Milwaukee also sent cash to the Red Sox as part of the deal.

The Arizona Diamondbacks just traded Hill to the Brewers in January. But he has an expiring contract, so Milwaukee decided to sell high on him. The 34-year-old has a solid slash line of .283/.359/.421 thus far in 2016.

Per Spotrac, Boston is picking up a contract in which Hill is making $12 million this season.

The Brewers did well to land two Red Sox prospects, considering the circumstances surrounding Hill and how fruitful Boston’s farm system has been. 2016 All-Star Game starters Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr. were all in-house Red Sox products who are thriving in the big leagues now.

Wilkerson is a pitcher who’s posted a 6-3 mark with a 2.14 ERA in 17 games with 16 starts at the Double- and Triple-A levels this season. Rijo, a second baseman, has struggled in the minors as a hitter (.201 average this year) but is only 20 years old and has plenty of room to grow.

As for Boston’s side of the trade, veteran MLB reporter Peter Gammons weighed in on what Hill’s arrival means for the club:

Hill figures to fill in as a starter on the hot corner in place of Travis Shaw at least for now.

Shaw thankfully had X-rays come back negative on his bruised left foot on Thursday, per ESPN.com’s Scott Lauber. With Shaw sidelined and Pablo Sandoval out for the season because of shoulder surgery, though, Boston needs insurance at third base, which is precisely what Hill provides.

After struggling with the Diamondbacks in the prior two seasons, Hill is showing marked improvement this season and could help Boston to the top of the American League East.

Minor league stats courtesy of MiLB.com.  

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The New York Mets announced Monday they expect to activate veteran shortstop Jose Reyes ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Miami Marlins.

Reyes signed a minor league deal to return to the Mets in June after stints with Miami, the Toronto Blue Jays and most recently the Colorado Rockies.

On Tuesday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com noted Reyes will once again wear No. 7, with Travis d’Arnaud wearing No. 18.

The 33-year-old was a four-time All-Star, three-time National League stolen-base leader and the 2011 NL batting champion during his heyday with the Mets.

Now, Reyes is returning to the organization following an abrupt halt to his time in Colorado. MLB suspended him through May 31 for violating its domestic violence policy, and once he was removed from the restricted list, the Rockies designated the shortstop for assignment.

ESPN.com’s Darren Rovell noted the Mets’ transaction absolves them from paying the vast majority of Reyes’ lucrative contract:

At least one teammate believes Reyes will make a considerable impact upon his arrival.

“He’s going to bring us a ton of energy,” team captain David Wright said, per ESPN.com’s Adam Rubin. “And I think that’s something we can really use is his dynamic on the field—his speed, his charisma, his ability.”

Wright is on the disabled list with a neck injury, forcing the club to scramble and reshuffle personnel. The good news is New York is riding a five-game winning streak. Four of those victories came in a sweep of the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs before Monday’s 8-6 win over the Marlins.

As NJ.com’s Maria Guardado reported Sunday, Reyes was working exclusively at third base in the minors, so he figures to take Wilmer Flores’ place at the hot corner when he makes his debut.

According to Rubin, Mets manager Terry Collins plans to put Reyes in the leadoff spot ahead of Curtis Granderson, who will slide to No. 2 in the batting order.

Although he has a long way to go to prove himself in the clubhouse, as well as on the field, the fresh start in New York may be what Reyes needs to get his career back on track.

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New York Yankees slugger Mark Teixeira reached a notable milestone Sunday, swatting his 400th career home run during his team’s game against the San Diego Padres.

Major League Baseball’s official Twitter account broke the news after Teixeira’s solo shot off Carlos Villanueva in the top of the eighth inning:

Teixeira’s achievement was a welcome bright spot amid what was otherwise a forgettable day to compound a disappointing 2016 campaign. The three-time All-Star raised his average to .188 with his sixth homer of the year after striking out in each of his three prior at-bats.

Carlos Beltran, Teixeira’s teammate, is another switch-hitter who has reached the 400-homer mark this year, which at this juncture has more utility for future trivia than the club’s circumstances.

Teixeira’s power from both sides of the plate throughout his MLB career has been impressive in spite of his slumping form this year. Sunday’s homer was more of a celebration of Teixeira’s legacy, which has paralleled how the Yankees’ collective fortune has been this season.

The Bronx Bombers entered Sunday’s contest in the bottom third of the majors in batting average, runs scored and slugging percentage, thus not living up to their previously earned moniker.

It’s going to take a strong effort for Teixeira to rise above the Mendoza Line—and an even stronger one for the Yankees to band together and make a charge after the impending All-Star break. At 39-41 entering Sunday’s game, New York was fourth in the American League East and well outside the AL playoff picture.

For the proud franchise rife with championship trophies, accomplished players like Teixeira need to emulate their elite form of yesteryear for the Yankees to salvage their 2016 campaign.

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The Los Angeles Angels appropriately began the Fourth of July holiday weekend with a bang, defeating the Boston Red Sox 21-2 on Saturday at Fenway Park.

Fox Sports: MLB might have discovered the source of Los Angeles’ explosion:

The bulk of the Angels’ scoring came in the top of the seventh inning, when they dropped 11 runs on Boston. C.J. Cron and Carlos Perez both hit two-run home runs in the frame, while Albert Pujols drove in three runs with a double.

SportsCenter shared the play-by-play of the destruction:

What was perhaps the most surprising was that the Angels scored 20-plus runs without Mike Trout bringing a single runner home. Trout went 2-for-5, and Sporting News’ Jesse Spector couldn’t believe the 2014 American League MVP didn’t get in on the fun:

Cron tied a franchise record, going 6-for-6 with two homers, five RBI and five runs scored. According to Stats researcher Anthony Masterson, Chone Figgins is the only other Angels player who has posted six hits in a nine-inning game.

Perez finished one hit short of matching Cron, going 5-for-6 while leading the team with six RBI. Pujols tacked on another five RBI while going 2-for-5.

The Angels’ rout couldn’t have come at a worse time for Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz, who had allowed seven combined earned runs in his last two starts. He exited Saturday’s contest after 4.1 innings, having surrendered six runs, three of which were earned.

ESPN.com’s Scott Lauber thinks Boston’s earlier optimism about the veteran right-hander is looking worse as the season progresses:

While the heavy defeat counts for only one loss, it’s not the kind of response Red Sox fans wanted to see after the team went 10-16 in June.

At least Boston has the chance to move on quickly, as the Red Sox and Angels will wrap up their series Sunday at 1:35 p.m. ET.

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Cleveland Indians outfielder Rajai Davis hit for his first career cycle Saturday in a 9-6 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.

One day after the Tribe and Jays played a 19-inning affair, Davis had the game of his life, which he capped off by hitting a single off Toronto closer Roberto Osuna in the ninth inning.

Davis finished the game 4-for-5 with two runs and two RBI in addition to his round-tripper.

According to ESPN Stats & Info, Davis broke a long cycle drought for the Indians:

The Indians provided the following breakdown of Davis’ place in team history after he completed one of baseball’s rarest accomplishments:

Davis’ cycle was of the reverse variety, as he hit a home run, triple, double and single in that order.

According to James Smyth of YES Network, the reverse cycle has happened just six times in MLB history:

He led off the game with a homer off Blue Jays starter Marco Estrada in the first inning, as seen in this video from SportsTime Ohio:

The triple came in the third by virtue of a questionable dive in right field by Ezequiel Carrera. Davis added a double in the seventh and a single in the ninth to complete the feat.

Davis’ cycle is the second in Major League Baseball this season. Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman previously turned the trick in June.

Saturday’s game may have been bittersweet for Davis, as it snapped Cleveland’s 14-game winning streak.

At the same time, the 35-year-old veteran hit for the cycle against the team he played for from 2011 to 2013.

His performance was a continuation of what has been one of Davis’ best MLB seasons to date. After this game, he checks in with a .275 batting average, nine home runs, 31 RBI and 22 stolen bases.

Davis is making a strong case for a potential All-Star berth, and hitting for the cycle will be near the top of his resume when it comes time for the managers to make their selections.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

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Carlos Santana’s solo home run off Darwin Barney in the top of the 19th inning helped end this season’s longest Major League Baseball game to date, with the Cleveland Indians extending their winning streak to a team-record 14 games in a 2-1 marathon victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday.

The Indians came into the game as the hottest team in baseball, owning the longest winning streak in the American League since the Oakland Athletics won 20 straight in 2002.

After the win, they celebrated with an appropriate GIF on Twitter:

The Blue Jays have rebounded nicely after a slow start, posting a 15-12 record in June, to enter Friday’s contest 5.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East.

Josh Tomlin and Marcus Stroman were the starting pitchers, combining to allow just two runs on 12 hits with 14 strikeouts over 12.2 innings. Both teams combined to use 19 pitchers in the contest.

Toronto was short-handed from the start, as star Edwin Encarnacion and manager John Gibbons were both ejected in the first inning for arguing with the home plate umpire. 

Both teams squandered their opportunities to end the game earlier. The Blue Jays had the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the 14th, but Josh Donaldson grounded out to first base.

The Indians had the bases loaded with one out in the top of the 18th against Ryan Goins, a position player, but Chris Gimenez grounded into a double play that killed the rally. Santana eventually put Cleveland ahead with a solo shot to lead off the 19th inning.

Following Gimenez’s play, Grant Brisbee of McCovey Chronicles humorously noted what his future may hold:

Usually, asking a position player to pitch is a recipe for disaster, but Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star noted Goins has history on the mound:

Per MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian, this was Cleveland’s longest game in 23 years:

This game started at 1:07 p.m. ET, which led Eric Alper of SiriusXM to list a multitude of things that happened around the world by the time it finally and mercifully came to an end after 7 p.m. ET:

In total, the Indians and Blue Jays went 2-for-22 with runners in scoring position. Both of Cleveland’s extra-base hits came off the bat of Santana, who also doubled in the third inning and scored on Jason Kipnis’ RBI single.

This was an exciting game to watch, but both teams will feel the lingering effects when they turn around and play again Saturday afternoon.

Yet the most important thing was getting the win. Cleveland was able to persevere, somehow. Toronto has one of the best lineups in baseball, so don’t expect the offense to be held down much longer, especially against a potentially unknown or untested pitcher tomorrow.

Post-Game Reaction

Cleveland manager Terry Francona had some fun with his original starting pitcher when the game finally ended, per Bastian:

The Indians’ pitcher of record offered his take on the way things wound up playing out, per Bastian:

Per Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, Francona was able to get serious in praise of Bauer and the rest of his team for their effort over 19 innings:

What Trevor did was above and beyond. We’re pretty fortunate that he can do it and that he’s willing to do it. Because one slip up and we go home. 

You get so invested in a game like that. It shocked everybody. It feels good to win. It’s the kind of game you wish you were playing at home because one bad pitch or slip up from going home with a loss after a long day.

On the losing side, per Mark Zwolinski of the Toronto Star, Barney described his mindset going to the mound: “All I was trying to do is not hurt anyone, you don’t want to see anyone get hurt in a situation like that.”

Toronto catcher Russell Martin, who was one of three Blue Jays ejected, told Zwolinski about the problems he was having with home-plate umpire Vic Carapazza:

I told him the first curveball (of his at bat in the 13th inning), I had that pitch being away. And then he said, ‘I don’t want to hear it.’ Then I was like, ‘It’s still away.’ As I’m walking away, he threw me out of the game. I wasn’t being aggressive, didn’t tell him that he sucked personally, I didn’t tell him that he was bad. I didn’t do anything like that. All the things that everybody in the ballpark were thinking, I didn’t say that.

Stroman simply told Zwolinski “no comment” when he was asked about Carapazza, which is probably a good way for him to ensure MLB doesn’t fine him. 

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The San Diego Padres reportedly traded relief pitcher Fernando Rodney to the Miami Marlins on Thursday, according to Jon Heyman of the MLB Network and Chris Cotillo of SB Nation.   

According to Heyman, the Padres are receiving minor league right-handed pitcher Chris Paddack in the deal:

Rodney, 39, has been superb this season, going 0-1 with 17 saves, a 0.31 ERA, a 0.87 WHIP and 33 strikeouts in 28.2 innings pitched. A.J. Ramos has also been excellent as the team’s closer, with 24 saves in 24 opportunities and a 1.74 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. So the Marlins now have two strong options in the eighth and ninth innings.

That means Rodney will either slot into the team’s closer role or become the team’s setup man, as the 41-37 Marlins are both in the hunt for the National League East (5.5 games behind the Washington Nationals at the time of publication) and a wild-card berth.

With the Marlins in the postseason picture, Rodney wasn’t the only player the team considered to bolster the bullpen, per Joe Frisaro of MLB.com:

Carter Capps was expected to compete for the closer’s role this season, but he required Tommy John surgery in March and is done for this campaign. 

Rodney is an excellent option in the meantime. The two-time All-Star has been borderline unhittable this season and is due to make just $2 million next season on a 2017 club option that includes a $400,000 buyout, per Spotrac.

Giving up Paddack wasn’t cheap, but Rodney’s ability to serve as the team’s closer this season and his reasonable contract for next year made the move a smart addition for the Marlins. 

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers announced Thursday that they have acquired starting pitcher Bud Norris along with outfielder Dian Toscano, “a player to be named later and cash considerations” from the Atlanta Braves for minor league pitchers Philip Pfeifer and Caleb Dirks. 

Norris, who was in his first year with the Braves, is 3-7 with a 4.22 ERA in 22 appearances this season. 

The deal comes just hours after the Dodgers placed ace Clayton Kershaw on the 15-day disabled list because of a lower-back issue, per ESPN.com. 

It’s just the latest injury to hit the Dodgers’ pitching staff, which was already dealing with an Alex Wood triceps injury that landed him on the 60-day DL. L.A. has also been without Hyun-Jin Ryu for the past two seasons because of a shoulder issue. 

The Dodgers have already had nine different pitchers start through the first 81 games of the season, and without the 11-2 Kershaw, the starting rotation has been nothing more than mediocre, per ESPN Stats & Info:

While Norris isn’t a top-end starter, he can eat up innings and add some depth to Los Angeles’ rotation. 

In five of his first seven major league seasons, Norris compiled a losing record and never posted an ERA better than 3.65. In fact, he put up a career-worst 6.72 ERA last season with the Baltimore Orioles and San Diego Padres. 

That being said, Norris has been pitching well lately, per Fox Sports 1’s C.J. Nitkowski:

Arriving with Norris is Dian Toscano, a light-hitting outfielder who’s batting .226 in Double-A this season. 

In Dirks, the Braves are getting the Dodgers’ 30th-ranked prospect, according to MLB.com. The reliever was 3-2 with a 1.44 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 31.1 innings while playing in Double-A with the Tulsa Drillers. Pfeifer did not make MLB.com’s top-30 list, but he was 3-1 with a 2.67 ERA in Single-A ball. 

This is the kind of deal the Dodgers needed to keep their healthy arms fresh as the dog days of summer approach. For the Braves, getting anything for Norris was a positive as they continue to try to collect prospects and pieces in an attempt to rebuild. 

Minor league stats courtesy of MiLB.com. Major league stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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