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Salas, who turned 20 in June, is batting .326 with a .949 OPS in 24 games for Triple-A. Earlier this season, he hit .286/.361/.417 with 37 RBIs and 41 runs scored across 72 games at Double-A.
The Padres signed Salas at age 16 after he was ranked as the No. 1 player in the 2023 international class.
If Salas appears at catcher in a major league game, he would become the youngest catcher to play in the big leagues since Pudge Rodríguez in 1991.
Source: www.mlb.com
Hosting a potential American League Wild Card Series remains a major priority for the Boston Red Sox, especially after they lost last October’s winner-take-all Game 3 against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium.
“That’s important,” said Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy. “I won’t shy away from that. It’s a home-field advantage when you’re playing at home for most people. It wasn’t for us for a while, but it has been lately. So, yeah, I think if you get a short series, and you’re able to play in your home ballpark, that stuff matters for sure.”
Boston took a setback in that pursuit Friday, losing a tense 1-0 game in the opener of a four-game series at Yankee Stadium.
The defeat left the Red Sox three games behind the Yankees for the American League’s top Wild Card position. The winner of the season series would host the Wild Card Series if the rivals finish the regular season with identical records.
The equation for the remainder of the weekend is simple: Boston must win two of the final three games to secure the season series.
“That’s the plan, to win the series and go home,” said Red Sox center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela.
Rafaela was also at the center of the game’s pivotal play, getting thrown out at home on a laser throw from Cody Bellinger that prevented the tying run from scoring in the top of the seventh inning.
“We haven’t scored much lately, so you gotta take your shot,” Tracy said. “You get the ball in the air, which is what you need, and you have a really good baserunner in Rafa and speed at third. You’re going to take your shot. With him running, it’s got to be a perfect throw. And he made a perfect throw right on the money.”
Although the Red Sox worked Yankees ace Cam Schlittler hard—he lasted 5 2/3 innings, issued five walks and threw 96 pitches—they could not score against him or New York’s bullpen.
Rafaela was thrown out on the bases twice Friday: once after a baserunning mistake and once after Bellinger made the game’s defining defensive play.
Boston appeared to be building a strong scoring chance in the fifth inning, with cleanup hitter Willson Contreras due up and two runners already on base. But Rafaela ended the rally before Contreras could come to the plate. On a relatively routine flyball to center by Wilyer Abreu, Rafaela strayed too far from first base and was doubled off to end the inning.
“That’s a bad read on me. That’s really bad,” Rafaela said.
Contreras did come to the plate in the seventh inning with runners on second and third and one out. He hit a 262-foot flyball to left field. With the slumping Adley Rutschman on deck, it appeared to be an opportunity for Boston to be aggressive.
Rafaela tagged from third but was thrown out at home on Bellinger’s 99.7-mph throw, creating another inning-ending flyout-double play.
Rafaela said it was his decision to tag up, while interim third base coach Chad Epperson told him to stay.
“He tried [to hold me],” said Rafaela. “So that’s on me. That’s not him. Trying to be over aggressive, and those things happen.”
However, Tracy—whose team has now been shut out in consecutive games for the first time this season—described the situation differently.
“We were all screaming. That’s a definite [send], especially at that point in the game,” Tracy said.
In perhaps his most aggressive sequence since becoming interim manager on April 25, Tracy used three consecutive pinch-hitters in the sixth inning after Caleb Durbin drew a two-out walk that ended Schlittler’s night.
With left-hander Brent Headrick entering for New York, Tracy sent up right-handed hitters Jahmai Jones, Eli White and Andruw Monasterio. Jones walked and White reached on an infield hit to load the bases, but Monasterio lined out to right field to end the threat.
“I think at that point, we’re into 14 innings where we’re trying to get a run across,” Tracy said. “It’s like, let’s take our shot and go right there. Almost got it, and it just didn’t work.”
Left-hander Patrick Sandoval, a significant underdog against top Cy Young candidate Schlittler, more than held his own. Sandoval limited the Yankees to three hits and one run over 5 1/3 innings, walking four and striking out seven.
A solo home run by Goldschmidt in the bottom of the third inning was Sandoval’s only costly pitch. The performance was likely the best of his nine starts since returning from Tommy John surgery.
“That’s what you want to do as a baseball player is play in these big games, high leverage, with something on the line,” Sandoval said. “And it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to do that. So that was really fun and I was really grateful for this opportunity.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers officially placed superstar Shohei Ohtani on the injured list Wednesday, a move the organization had been considering for over a week. Manager Dave Roberts confirmed the decision following the team’s 14-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
The two-way phenom is dealing with lingering issues in his left knee and right biceps. The placement on the IL opens a roster spot and signals a shift in the Dodgers’ lineup as they navigate the final stretch of the regular season.
In a corresponding move, highly touted outfield prospect Josue De Paula is expected to join the active roster on Friday when Los Angeles opens a weekend series against the Miami Marlins. The 21-year-old is not currently on the 40-man roster, meaning the front office will need to make an additional transaction to accommodate his promotion.
Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2022, De Paula has rapidly ascended through the minor league system. MLB Pipeline currently ranks him as the organization’s most advanced hitting prospect since Corey Seager.
Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 185 pounds, De Paula has drawn comparisons to a smaller, more athletic version of American League MVP candidate Yordan Alvarez. Scouts highlight his tremendous raw power combined with an advanced plate discipline that yields excellent pitch selection.
De Paula’s production at Double-A Tulsa this season made the call-up inevitable. In 588 plate appearances in the Texas League, he posted a .303/.401/.547 slash line with 27 home runs, 104 RBIs, and 31 stolen bases. He added to those totals Wednesday, launching a solo home run in the first inning of the Drillers’ 10-1 win over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals.
Payton Tolle turned a routine baseball play into one of the most memorable moments of Boston’s 9-8 win over the Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park on Monday night, hugging Josh Canzone as he tagged him out at first base.
Tolle’s hugs are usually reserved for his teammates, particularly Garrett Whitlock, when he returns to the dugout between innings. This time, the 23-year-old pitcher showed some affection in the middle of a play.
With one out in the top of the third inning, Canzone hit a 51 mph chopper in front of the mound. The 6-foot-6, 250-pound Tolle charged the comebacker and sprinted toward the first-base line to cut Canzone off.
Tolle stepped in front of Canzone a little more than halfway down the line, bringing both players to a stop. He then opened his arms wide and wrapped them around Canzone while tagging him out at the same time.
Canzone placed his right arm around Tolle and smiled before heading back to the dugout.
“It just kind of happened,” said Tolle. “I was right there in front of him, and I was like, ‘Bring it in for the big one.’”
Did Tolle ever meet Canzone before the hug?
“No, but we do [know each other] now,” Tolle said.
Canzone must have been caught by surprise, right?
“I mean, probably for a second,” Tolle said. “But then it’s like, ‘Yeah, this is just going to happen.’”
The hug came moments after Tolle surrendered a towering home run to Randy Arozarena, cutting Boston’s lead to 3-2. Tolle quickly shook off the adversity and shared a lighthearted moment with Canzone.
The spontaneous exchange reflected Tolle’s determination to enjoy the privilege of playing in the Major Leagues while bringing his distinctive personality to the game.
Trevor Story, who ended Boston’s victory with a walk-off single, had to think for a moment when asked about the hug.
“The guy gives hugs all the time, so I’m not sure which one you’re talking about,” quipped Story. “But yeah, that was funny, man. Payton’s just a special person. He plays the game like a little kid, which I feel like we all should.”
The Detroit Tigers have promoted infield prospect John Peck from Triple-A Toledo, adding another promising player from their farm system to the Major League roster. Peck was in the dugout Monday for the Tigers’ game against the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis.
Manager A.J. Hinch said Peck, ranked Detroit’s No. 20 prospect by MLB Pipeline, would not start Monday. However, he is expected to start at shortstop Tuesday and Wednesday at Target Field.
“We obviously really like him defensively, and we liked how he’s developed offensively over the last couple of seasons,” Hinch said.
To create room for Peck on the Major League roster, Detroit optioned outfielder Corey Julks to Triple-A Toledo.
The Tigers selected Peck in the seventh round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Pepperdine. He played under former Tigers shortstop and then-Waves assistant coach Danny Worth, who played an important role in preparing him for a professional baseball career.
Peck now follows Worth into Detroit’s infield after putting together two impressive seasons in the Tigers’ farm system. His 2025 campaign has been particularly notable despite being shortened by an injury.
“He’s a mature guy with just the way he goes about his actions and his business,” Hinch said. “I just told him today he doesn’t have to be perfect. He’s seen some of his former teammates come up and survive the transition. So it should make him believe before he has to go out and do it.
“And I told him he’s here to stay. I want him to get some time on the field and coming off the bench in some games, just get himself used to this level because he has the skills to play reliable defense, show a little bit of power, and see where this opportunity takes him.”
Peck made a strong impression during Spring Training as a non-roster invitee to the Tigers’ Major League camp. He carried that momentum into Double-A Erie, where he posted a .285/.328/.511 slash line with 10 home runs, 17 doubles, three triples, 44 RBIs and 19 stolen bases in 58 games.
Detroit promoted Peck to Triple-A Toledo on June 23, but he played in only two games for the Mud Hens before landing on the injured list. He returned to Toledo earlier this week after a rehabilitation assignment and went 7-for-14 with one double, one RBI, three walks and three stolen bases.
Peck has played primarily at shortstop, including all four of his games with Toledo this past week, but he is capable of playing throughout the infield. His reliable infield defense could place him alongside fellow 2023 draftee Kevin McGonigle and Javier Báez in Detroit’s shortstop mix.
The Tigers have added several prospects to their Major League roster this summer, including top prospect Max Clark, infielder Hao-Yu Lee, outfielders Ben Malgeri and Brett Callahan, and catcher Eduardo Valencia.
Clark and McGonigle were first-round picks, Peck was selected in the seventh round, and Callahan was taken in the 13th round of the 2023 MLB Draft. Pitching call-up Andrew Sears, selected in the 10th round, was also part of that draft class.
The Arizona Diamondbacks secured a dramatic 5-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals in 10 innings at Kauffman Stadium on Monday, overcoming a scoreless nine-inning duel against reigning American League Pitcher of the Month Noah Cameron.
Manager Torey Lovullo deployed a bullpen-day strategy, and the relief corps responded with a herculean effort. Opener Derek Law set the tone with two scoreless innings. Jose Cabrera, Taylor Clarke, Brandyn Garcia, and Justin Martinez followed, combining for seven more hitless frames. The unit held the Royals without a runner reaching second base until the 10th inning.
Cameron matched the Diamondbacks’ pitchers zero for zero, allowing no runner past first base over six innings. Arizona’s offense fouled off 27 of Cameron’s pitches—tied for the most against a Royals pitcher this season, per Statcast—forcing his early exit. Strong defense backed the Arizona staff, including two key plays by first baseman Ildemaro Vargas and Clarke working around an error in the sixth inning.
The Diamondbacks’ offense exploded in the top of the 10th against veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel. Lars Nootbaar broke the tie with a sacrifice fly, and Geraldo Perdomo added an RBI single. A fielding error by right fielder John Rave allowed a third run to score, and Arizona pushed two more runs across to take a 5-0 lead.
Kansas City answered with three runs in the bottom of the 10th, highlighted by a three-run double from Salvador Perez with one out. The Royals pulled within a run, but Dennis Santana entered for Gerardo Carillo and shut the door. Santana induced a flyout from Michael Massey and struck out Nick Loftin looking to secure the save.
According to MLB records, this is only the third game since the divisional era began in 1969 to remain scoreless through nine innings yet finish with both teams scoring at least four runs. The previous occurrences were the Astros-Athletics on April 24, 2015, and the White Sox-Mariners on June 5, 2013.
Lovullo praised the preparation of his relievers, particularly Santana, who had not pitched in eight days.
“Santana, who hasn’t thrown in eight days, comes in and gets the save,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. “That tells me a story. It tells me what he has been doing when nobody is watching, because he was prepared for that moment.”
Regarding the 10th inning, Lovullo added:
“The 10th was a little dicey,” Lovullo said. “We knew we had sold out for nine innings with the [pitchers] we knew were available. We went to that next layer, and the first nine innings were fantastic.”
Derek Law, a veteran enjoying his first playoff push in a decade, emphasized the team’s resilience.
“It has been 10 years since the last playoff push for me, and this is pretty exciting for the old dog,” Law said. “This team is resilient, a lot of close games. You would like it to be 10-0, but good teams play close games and win close games.”
Lovullo summed up the team’s identity:
“We hung in there,” Lovullo said. “This team is tough.”
The win improves the Diamondbacks to 77-68 on the season and 3-1 on their current six-game road trip. Arizona sits 11 games over .500 since July 9, maintaining pressure on the San Diego Padres for the third National League Wild Card spot. The club received additional encouragement with veteran starters Corbin Burnes, Zac Gallen, and Michael Soroka all nearing returns for the final stretch.
NEW YORK — The weight of September 11 permeated Yankee Stadium on Friday, visible in the first-responder caps resting on locker shelves and the memorial wreath that manager Aaron Boone, captain Aaron Judge, and ace Gerrit Cole carried into Monument Park during the early afternoon.
A stirring pregame ceremony brought together members of the 2001 Yankees, who shared memories of a season when baseball helped a grieving city heal. In a Subway Series contest that belonged to New York, Cody Bellinger delivered the decisive blow, belting a three-run homer to power the Yankees to a 6-4 victory over the Mets.
“It’s a special day,” Bellinger said. “Today was a day where it felt bigger than the game, bigger than yourself. It’s a day to be grateful, for sure.”
Bellinger launched his 14th home run of the season against rookie right-hander Nolan McLean in the second inning, marking the first homer McLean has surrendered on a curveball in the major leagues.
Wearing pinstripes and an FDNY cap on this date carried profound personal significance for Bellinger. His father, Clay, played for those 2001 Yankees and became a firefighter in Gilbert, Arizona, after his playing career ended.
“He was here with the team; went to Ground Zero with the team when they went,” Bellinger said. “We were in New York at the time, so it’s a pretty surreal day now to be here. He talked about the World Series, how important it felt.”
The connection deepened when Bellinger was chosen to catch the ceremonial first pitch from Brielle Saracini. Her father, Victor Saracini, was the captain of United Flight 175, which was flown into the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
“[Baseball] was definitely what the country needed and what the country united around,” Saracini said. “It became this special thing that healed me. It healed 10-year-old Brielle.”
“It was just a nice little touch to be able to swing that one,” Rice said. “It started with the ‘U.S.A.’ chants you heard right after the anthem; I mean, there’s nothing cooler than that. Everybody being so proud to be Americans, watching a baseball game between New York’s teams.”
Luis García Jr. contributed three hits in the win, extending the Yankees’ winning streak to four games.
“I’ve got to say, seeing the fans, seeing how much they were into the ceremony before the game, seeing the emotions from them was special,” García said through interpreter Marlon Abreu.
Calling it a “heavy” assignment to pitch on this particular date, Carlos Rodón allowed two runs — one earned — over 6 1/3 innings, marking his longest outing of the year. The left-hander surrendered three hits, walked one, and struck out eight.
“It was cool to be a part of,” said Rodón. “It’s sad, but it’s an honor to be able to pitch tonight.”
Boone praised Rodón’s performance, noting the life on his four-seam fastball as well as the effectiveness of his changeup and slider. Rodón allowed a run-scoring groundout by Christopher Morel in the second inning, and an RBI single by A.J. Ewing off reliever Paul Blackburn in the seventh brought in an inherited runner.
“Not only was his stuff really good, but he was efficient, too,” Boone said.
David Bednar recorded a five-out save, navigating a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the eighth inning by surrendering only a sacrifice fly to Marcus Semien. Ewing homered off Bednar in the ninth, but the closer recovered to induce a game-ending double-play grounder from Juan Soto.
“It was great,” Boone said. “Obviously as a club, you’re playing for a lot, but having some of the people involved today back and part of the pregame ceremonies – it felt special. The energy in the crowd was special. It felt like you’d want a ballgame to feel like.”
Tampa Bay Rays infielder Junior Caminero delivered his second walk-off home run in five days Friday night, lifting the club to a dramatic victory over the Oakland Athletics at Tropicana Field. The win pushes Tampa Bay’s record to 91-59 and guarantees the Rays will hold at least a three-and-a-half-game lead in the American League East over the New York Yankees, who were in action later that evening against the Minnesota Twins.
The matchup unfolded as a classic pitcher’s duel for much of the evening. Rays right-hander Griffin Jax was outstanding in his continued return from an elbow injury that sidelined him in August. Jax struck out seven batters while allowing just two hits over five scoreless innings. The former reliever was lifted after only 67 pitches as the organization manages his workload carefully.
Oakland broke through in the sixth inning against rookie reliever Ty Johnson. With one out, the Athletics strung together consecutive singles, and a run-scoring wild pitch knotted the game at one apiece.
Tampa Bay had taken an early lead in the second inning, though the run was unearned against Oakland starter Jack Perkins. The sequence began with a double by Chandler Simpson — the longest hit of his Major League career, measured at 356 feet. A productive out by Richie Palacios moved Simpson to third, and a passed ball by catcher Jonah Heim allowed the run to score.
That lone run stood as the only offense the Rays could muster against Perkins, who was sharp across 6 2/3 innings, punching out eight batters.
Before Friday, Caminero had never recorded a walk-off plate appearance in the majors. Now, the young slugger has authored two game-ending home runs in less than a week, cementing his status as a rising clutch performer for a Tampa Bay squad positioning itself for a deep postseason run.
CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs have activated Matt Shaw from the 10-day injured list, restoring the versatile infielder to the super-utility role that strengthens the team’s bench and gives manager Craig Counsell more options during games.
Shaw returned before Friday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field after recovering from a persistent left hand injury. To make room on the active roster, the Cubs optioned outfielder Kevin Alcántara to Triple-A Iowa.
“He just makes the roster better,” Counsell said of Shaw.
Shaw recently began making progress while building back up to facing live pitching. He completed a Minor League rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa, appearing in five games and batting .316 (6-for-19). He also played in back-to-back games Tuesday and Wednesday without experiencing lingering pain.
“I finally could get the full-effort swings,” Shaw said. “I don’t really know why it happened. It was a normal swing that it ended up getting hurt on, so it’s one of those things where I’ve just got to keep strengthening it, put it in a good place and go out there and play. I can’t worry about fluke injuries like that. I’ve just got to keep playing.”
Shaw is batting .246/.322/.415 with four home runs, 20 RBIs, a .737 OPS and a 104 OPS+ in 56 games for the Cubs this season. After serving as Chicago’s primary third baseman as a rookie last year, he has moved around the infield and added the outfield to his responsibilities this season. Shaw posted an .899 OPS in the 12 games before his injury.
Counsell said Shaw will resume his role as a super sub while making occasional starts, particularly against left-handed pitching. His versatility can give Chicago’s regular infielders and outfielders rest while also providing a late-game option as a pinch-runner, pinch-hitter or defensive replacement.
“Matt does a bunch of things well,” Counsell said. “You don’t know which game you’re going to run into that situation [where you need a late-game replacement]. Frankly, most games you don’t with our roster. But, there’s going to be some days where we do run into it and he’s valuable when he’s on the bench.”
Yennier Cano delivered a defining moment in the Orioles’ 5-3 win over the Athletics on Saturday, striking out Zack Gelof and Lawrence Butler with the bases loaded in the seventh inning before striking his trademark post-strikeout pose at Sutter Health Park.
With Baltimore leading 4-2, one out and the bases full, Cano entered in his usual fireman role. The right-hander, who is not typically known as a strikeout pitcher, said he was looking for a double play to end the threat. Instead, he used splitters to strike out Gelof and Butler back to back, escaping a dangerous inning in dominant fashion.
“That was fun to watch,” Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said. “That was electric, and we needed it.”
Cano’s performance highlighted the Orioles’ bend-but-don’t-break bullpen. Baltimore allowed multiple baserunners in each of the final four innings but avoided major damage every time while protecting its narrow lead.
Right-hander Alex Hoppe escaped a bases-loaded jam in the sixth before Cano repeated the feat in the seventh. With runners on the corners in a one-run game in the eighth, Cam Sanders relied on a crucial around-the-horn double play. In the ninth, closer Andrew Kittredge stranded two more runners to secure the victory.
“You really feel good [with] everybody running out of the bullpen,” said starter Shane Baz, who allowed two runs over 5 2/3 innings. “It’s awesome.”
Baz cruised through five scoreless innings before losing his command in the sixth. A bases-loaded walk and a hit-by-pitch brought home two Athletics runs.
Hoppe, who recorded his first Major League save in Friday’s extra-inning victory, appeared ready to escape again after opening the at-bat against Athletics designated hitter Max Muncy with three pitches well outside the strike zone. He settled down, however, getting Muncy to hit a tapper to third base to end the inning.
That was the first of several important plays by Christian Encarnacion-Strand, who started at third base for Baltimore. Primarily a first baseman during his time with the Reds, Encarnacion-Strand started the Orioles’ do-or-die 5-6-3 double play in the eighth inning.
He then stayed back on a chopper to third in the ninth, leaving runners on second and third and ending the game.
“The way he’s been playing third base has been outstanding for us,” Albernaz said. “Those plays were huge — in big moments, too.”
The Orioles’ late-inning escapes gave Baz his first win in more than two months. The right-hander had lost his previous five starts and had gone winless in 13 outings since defeating the Padres on June 12.
To Baz, the drought felt even longer.
“[Brandon Young] made a joke to me that I haven’t had a win since ’Nam,” Baz said. “It kind of feels true. Sometimes it takes one, you know? It just takes one to get rolling.”
Baz and the Orioles picked an important time to get moving. Saturday’s victory clinched Baltimore’s third consecutive series win and continued its rise in the American League standings. At 67-69, the Orioles entered Sunday’s series finale one game behind the third and final AL Wild Card spot.
After what Baz acknowledged was a “rocky start” to the season that included plenty of sloppy play, Baltimore likes its position in the playoff race.
“We’ve done such a good job of not pressing and panicking and trying to do too much,” Baz said. “It’s fun to be in this spot. I think we have all the tools to make a run. We’ve got great leadership. We’ve got a great team with a lot of talent.”
The Orioles’ bullpen has been central to their recent surge, combining veteran experience from pitchers such as Cano and Kittredge with younger arms including Hoppe, Sanders and Anthony Nunez.
“They’ve done a terrific job, and I think they deserve a lot of credit for coming in here and getting their job done,” Cano said. “We still have some pieces on the way and some help that might be needed, but with that being said, I feel really proud of the work that we’ve been doing here as a group and really happy with the way that the guys have come in and gotten the job done.”