Alex Rodriguez Hits 660th Home Run to Tie Willie Mays

In the eighth inning of Friday night's game at Fenway Park, Alex Rodriguez hit a pinch-hit solo home run to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead. It was also his 660th career home run, tying Willie Mays for fourth place on the all-time list. (Watch it here: http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v97083583) 

The crowd of 35,444 went silent when his pinch-hit homer -- the first of his career -- off reliever Junichi Tazawa on a 3-0 pitch, went into the seats high atop the Green Monster. The Yankees won 3-2 and his homer broke the 2-2 tie in the eighth inning.

He rounded the bases, touched home plate, and when he came to the bench, was greeted by all of his teammates, led by Yankee manager Joe Girardi.

The fan did not throw the ball back and I don't blame him one bit. Red Sox fan or not, that's a mighty valuable baseball.

The historic home run was never mentioned on the public address system, or on the scoreboard, and the announcement in the press box didn't occur until several minutes later.

"Willie Mays has always been a hero to me," Rodriguez told MLB Network after the game. "A year ago today, I never would've imagined even playing baseball. But a day like today, I think of my mother, my daughters, the people at the Boys and Girls Club where I learned to play baseball."

A-Rod came into the season with 654 career home runs after sitting out the 2014 season due to his Biogenesis related suspension. Needless to say, the validity of those 660 homers is in question.

The home run triggered a $6 million marketing bonus in A-Rod's contract, a bonus the Yankees are prepared to fight. They plan to claim Rodriguez's PED ties have rendered the milestone unmarketable.

"It was very emotional for me," said Rodriguez. "The last few years have been rough. To see their reaction...it was pretty emotional."

A-Rod is now tied with Mays and trails only Babe Ruth (714), Hank Aaron (755) and Barry Bonds (762) on the all-time home run list.

Christine O'Connor

@christineeeeO

Masahiro Tanaka Heads to the Disabled List

The Yankees opened the 2015 season with many uncertainties along with a roster full of expensive, aging and increasingly injury prone players loaded with talent but shrouded in skepticism about their ability to contend in the American League East.

Image Credit: Getty Images

While things were going relatively well  for the Yankees, they faced a major loss Tuesday night during the game against the Rays when news broke that Masahiro Tanaka was heading to the 15 day disabled list with tenderness in his right wrist on Tuesday, and after an MRI revealed a forearm strain in his throwing arm — an ailment frequently associated with ligament injuries. This is the second time the 26-year-old superstar landed on the disabled list for in his young big-league career. He will be shut down from throwing for 7-10 days, and Yankees GM Brian Cashman told reporters that the club hopes Tanaka will return to the mound in a month.

When asked if Tanaka’s latest injury could be related to the UCL issue that sidelined the pitcher last season, manager Joe Girardi said: “I can’t tell you that. I don’t know. I could be, it may not be. Something came up from his bullpen, and who knows? The thing is, we’ve got to deal with it, and we will.”

But Tanaka’s injury serves as a gloomy reminder of the Yanks’ continuous struggle to keep a healthy team as they employ the Majors’ oldest offense and a starting rotation that also features CC Sabathia, who missed most of 2014 with a knee injury, and Michael Pineda, who has made only 17 big-league starts since 2011.

It’s enough to keep Yankees manager Joe Girardi up at night, and with good reason. However, these Yankees have shown early on that they have the makeup to contend for a playoff place, even without Tanaka.

Meanwhile, their offense, one littered with question marks in March has re-emerged in April. Obviously Alex Rodriguez has been the catalyst, but Mark Teixiera is also slugging like his old self, while Brian McCann and Jacoby Ellsbury are Showing signs of bouncing back from bad first seasons in the Bronx. It’s early, but over the past two weeks at least, the Yankees have shown they can flat out hit - even Chris Young, who was laughed out of Queens last season, has an OPS flirting with 1.000 off of the bench.

Michael Pineda, who now becomes the Yankees’ ace by default, pitched 5²/₃ innings to get the eventual no-decision against the offensively underwhelming Rays. He threw 93 pitches, which prompted the somewhat early exit. Chase Whitley, will likely remain in the rotation until Tanaka comes back. 

So while Tanaka obviously represents a major loss, thanks to the way their offense has resurfaced, and the emergence of a sub-2.00 ERA bullpen, there’s really no reason why New York can’t still win the AL East.

Christine O'Connor

@christineeeeO

Subway Series Over: Yankees and Mets Both in First Place

New York City could enjoy the fact that baseball is still king in the city, that it remains a dominant presence in our lives and in our culture, even on a rich, full weekend, even on a night when the Rangers lit up Manhattan, on a weekend when we may say good-bye to the Nassau Coliseum, when the Nets try to generate a little life in Brooklyn.

Image Credit: esbnyc.com

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said: “Its good for the city, good for baseball. I’m sure the atmosphere will be really good the next few days, because of the way we’re [both] playing. Hockey is big in this city, basketball is big in this city. But we have two teams in first place and so we have a lot of people who are very excited about that.”

And here, the people care, they REALLY care. All you had to do was walk around the Stadium yesterday, listen to the buzz, listen to the passion, feel the energy. Baseball. In April. After 17 games.

Image Credit: Uli Seit for The New York Times

“You could sense the energy and the excitement from the beginning,” Mark Teixeira said. “And then to play the kind of game we played, that made it even better.”

Image Credit: DARREN MEENAN/SPECIAL TO THE RECORD

Curtis Granderson opened the game with a leadoff home run off Nathan Eovaldi, taking advantage of the short right field porch at Yankee Stadium as he has so many times before.  Following a single by Juan Lagares, Eovaldi got some help from New York Yankees centerfielder Chris Young, who took extra bases away from Lucas Duda.

Chase Headley also helped limit the damage taking a hit away from Michael Cuddyer.  With two outs and Lagares on second, Eovaldi, who struggled with his command early, allowed a line drive double to Daniel Murphy, scoring Lagares and extending the Mets lead to 2-0.  Following a visit from pitching coach Larry Rothschild, Eovaldi rebounded to get Eric Campbell to ground out to Headley, ending the inning.

After quickly retiring Brett Gardner and Young, New York Mets starter Jonathon Niese allowed a home run to Alex Rodriguez, the 659th of his career, cutting the lead to 2-1, and leaving him one shy of Willie Mays.  Mark Teixeira reached on an error by Mets third baseman Campbell, but was left stranded as Niese struck out Carlos Beltran looking.

Eovaldi recovered in the top of the second inning, retiring Wilmer Flores on a fly out to right field, and striking out Danny Muno and Kevin Plawecki.  After a lead off ground out by Headley, John Ryan Murphy ripped a double down the third base line, past a diving Campbell.

After Stephen Drew struck out looking, Gregorio Petit drove Murphy home with an RBI double over a leaping Campbell, tying the score at 2-2.  Gardner picked up the Yankees third double of the inning, past a diving Duda, giving the Yankees their first lead at 3-2.

Gardner was driven home on a slow shift beating single by Young to where the second baseman should have been, extending the lead to 4-2.  In his first chance to catch Mays, Rodriguez doubled to left field, and Young scored on a horrible throw by Cuddyer, giving the Yankees a 5-2 lead, but Rodriguez was thrown out at third base ending the Yankees threat.

Eovaldi struck out Granderson and Lagares to start the third, and looked to have settled down, but Duda singled and was driven home on an RBI double by Cuddyer, who advanced to third on a throwing error by Drew.  Murphy picked up his second RBI double of the game, cutting the lead to 5-4.  After another visit from Rothschild, Eovaldi got Campbell to ground out, limiting the damage to two runs. Following a 1-2-3 bottom half of the third, which saw Niese make a great play on a liner from Teixeira, Eovaldi recovered to once again set Flores, Muno, and Plawecki down in order, picking up his fifth strikeout.  Leading off the fourth, John Ryan Murphy looked to once again start a Yankees rally, picking up an infield single.  Drew put an end to those thoughts by grounding into a double play, and after a Petit fly out the inning was over.

Eovaldi struck out Granderson, picking up his sixth strikeout of the night.  Lagares hit a slow chopper to Headley, which the Yankees third baseman barehanded and almost made a great play on, but instead threw it short of Teixeira picking up an error, which allowed Lagares to reach second base.

With left-handed hitting Duda coming up, Yankees manager Joe Girardi went to southpaw Chasen Shreve, and Eovaldi’s night was over after 4 1/3 innings.  He allowed four runs, all earned, on seven hits, finishing with six strikeouts and no walks.

Shreve hit Duda in the back with a slider on his first pitch, putting the go-ahead run on base.  He recovered to get Cuddyer to hit into an inning ending double play.

Gardner led off the bottom of the fifth with a chopper to shortstop Flores, in which he was called out.  Girardi challenged the play, and the call was overturned, giving Gardner an infield single.  Young reached on a fielder choice’ but Mets second baseman Murphy committed an error, allowing Gardner to go to third, giving the Yankees runners on the corners.

Rodriguez hit into an RBI fielder choice’ which should have been a double play, but shortstop Flores threw the ball into the stands, allowing Rodriguez to go to second base, and giving the Yankees a 6-4 lead.  After a walk to Teixeira, Beltran hit into an inning ending double play, continuing his season long struggles.

Following a leadoff walk to Daniel Murphy, Shreve was replaced by Chris Martin.  Campbell grounded to Drew, who flipped the ball with his glove, and was saved of an error on a heads up play from Petit, who tagged Murphy causing a force out.  On a one out fly ball to Beltran, Campbell made a mental blunder, rounding the bases thinking there were two outs, and was thrown out at first base, ending the inning.

Erik Goeddel replaced Niese to start the sixth.  Niese went five innings, allowing six runs (four earned), on eight hits.  He struck out three (Beltran twice), and walked one.  Headley greeted Goeddel with a leadoff double, and John Ryan Murphy grounded out to third, failing to advance Headley.  Goeddel struck out Drew and Petit to end the inning, stranding Headley at second.

Martin returned for the seventh, retiring Muno and Plawecki.  Girardi then brought on southpaw Justin Wilson to face Granderson, and the move worked as Granderson popped out to third to end the inning.  Following a fly out by Gardner to start the bottom half of the inning, Goeddel struck out Young for the second out.  Rodriguez then lined out to right field for the third out of the inning.

As has been the case all season, Dellin Betances was brought in for the eighth inning and looked sharp, striking out Lagares, Duda, and Cuddyer, though Cuddyer reached on a wild pitch.  Betances recovered to get Murphy to ground out to second base.  He continued his dominance of the Mets, who are now a combined 0-9 with 8 K’s against Betances in his short career.

Alex Torres came on for the Mets in the bottom of the eighth, quickly retiring Teixeira, Beltran, and Headley in order, sending the game to the ninth inning with the Yankees ahead 6-4.  Unofficial closer Andrew Miller entered for the Yankees and after retiring Campbell, hit Flores in the ankle with a fastball.

John Mayberry Jr. came on to pinch hit for Muno with Flores on first with one out.  Miller struck out Mayberry, leaving the Mets down to their final out.  Plawecki then grounded out to shortstop, giving the Yankees the 6-4 victory.

Shreve picked up the victory, the first of his career, while Niese took the loss.  Miller picked up his seventh save in as many chances, and Martin, Wilson, and Betances all received holds.

The Mets and Yankees took their battle from the field to Twitter.

It all started when the Mets mentioned the Yankees in a play-by-play tweet, referring to them as "NY (AL)." Makes sense. The Yankees are in New York and the American League, but they weren't having it. To the pinstripe crew it was a sly way of talking about them without using the team name.

The crosstown rivals meet again at Citi Field in September.

Image Credit: twitter.com/Yankees

While October is forever away, what is at hand is the Yankees (11-8) are tied for first place in the AL East with the Rays, who are in The Bronx for three games starting Monday night. Also in the present is Alex Rodriguez being one homer away from tying Willie Mays for fourth place on the all-time list after homering off the top of the right-center field fence in the first inning Sunday.

Image Credit: deadspin.com

Christine O'Connor

Orioles Fan Turns His Back on A-Rod Before Hitting 656th Homerun to Tie Derek Jeter

On a 2-0 pitch in the fourth inning, Yankees' DH Alex Rodriguez demolished a 92-MPH fastball from Orioles' pitcher Bud Norris, depositing the ball deep into the left field seats.

Image Credit: Tommy Gilligan | USA TODAY Sports

The homer was A-Rod's 656th of his career, and the run tied him for 9th all-time on the runs (1,923) list with none other than former Yankees shortstop and captain Derek Jeter.

The homer made it 3-1 Yankees.

Rodriguez is doing pretty well this season for someone who missed the entire 2014 season. He is currently batting .286 with 2 HR, 7 RBI, and a .394 OBP.

However, not everyone is happy with A-Rod's success so far this season. An Orioles fan turned his back to the field every time A-Rod stepped into the box on Monday night, folding his arms and staring back at the rest of the fans sitting in section 78 in left field.

“I don’t respect him,” Tolbert Rowe told the Washington Post. “He doesn’t deserve to be watched. Absolutely not, I’m sorry. You know, and now they got all this about his tying Willie Mays’s record and the $6 million, and he has the audacity to think that he should be paid. I’m sorry. I don’t respect the guy. Not one bit.”

"He’s the worst. He’s the epitome of all that was wrong about it," Rowe told the Post. "And he’s been so successful. Maybe it’s jealousy, maybe it isn’t. But I just don’t think that he deserves to be in the class with other players that have never had … and I mean, he lied about it. I’m sorry. He doesn’t deserve my respect.”

However it is still unknown if he booed Nelson Cruz, Rafael Palmeiro, Miguel Tejada when they played for his O's. 

#FORG1V3

Christine O'Connor

@christineeeeO

As Carlos Beltran Continues to Struggle, is it Time to Explore Other Options?

Entering 2015, the New York Yankees were planning to rely on Carlos Beltran being the No. 3 hitter they believe they signed to a three-year, $45-million contract two offseasons ago. But his 2014 season was a complete disaster. Plagued by a bone spur in his right elbow, Beltran turned the worst full-season performance of his nearly 20-year career, hitting .233 with 15 homers and 49 RBI in 109 games.

Image Credit: USATODAY.com

The Yankees' manager Joe Girardi doesn't seem too concerned about Beltran's struggle. 

"There's nothing that I see that's necessarily (wrong)," Girardi said. "Does his bat speed look different to me? No. Just he's gotten off to a slow start and hopefully the consistent at-bats will get him going."

While Beltran entered Sunday night's game against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium among many Yankees underperforming at the plate, his numbers were particularly ugly.

In 22 at-bats, the 38-year-old right fielder was hitting .100 with no homers and two RBI. He had walked once and struck out six times.

The Yankees have only played five total games, but it's worth noting that Beltran only has two hits through 20 plate appearances. Both of those hits were doubles. At this point, Beltran is one of many bounce back candidates filling up the Yankees lineup, but there are other options that can be explored to fill right field. Chris Young and Garrett Jones can both play outfield, and in more limited playing time, both have looked better than him at the plate.

Image Credit: John Bazemore AP

What do you think the Yankees should do with Beltran? Let him ride the bench? Keep him in the lineup and hope he improves?

Christine O'Connor

@christineeeeO

When Will Stephen Drew's Time as a Starter Run Out?

Yankees fans are well aware of the Yankees lack of offense over the past two seasons. Even if Stephen Drew provides a boost on the defensive side, it's time to stop starting him in the every day lineup.

Image Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Bryan Hoch of Yankees.com reports that 25-year-old Jose Pirela, after suffering a concussion during spring training, has resumed baseball activities. Pirela would be a front-runner to replace Drew in the starting lineup. 

In his 24 major league at-bats last season, Pirela hit .333. Meanwhile, in Drew's 46 at-bats with the Yankees last year, he hit a mere .150 (while also hitting .111 in this shortt season). 

Meanwhile, on the defensive side of the ball last season, Drew had a .970 fielding percentage, while Pirela had a .917 fielding percentage. Even if Drew has the defensive edge, the difference in offense is just too big to ignore. Even in spring training, Pirela hit .370 and Drew hit .259, which actually isn't a low number for him. Also in 2014, Drew's OBP was only .237, while Pirela had a .351 OBP. It's clear as day that on the offensive end, Pirela has a much higher value than Drew.

Pirela is not the only option to replace Drew. Fellow minor-league infielder Rob Refsnyder was one of the final cuts in this past spring training. In his 2014 season in the minors, Refsnyder hit for a .300 average and an OBP of .389. The downfall with Refsnyder is on the defensive side of the ball, as Cashman is noted as saying that the defensive side of the game was why Refsnyder did not make the big leagues out of camp. Along with Refsnyder being a final cut, Nick Noonan was also among them. Noonan's 2014 offensive season was average, hitting .237, while his OBP was just .282. While Pirela seems like the best replacement for the struggling Drew, Refsnyder and Noonan are not far behind.

On a team that struggles terribly with their offense, the Yankees could use someone like Pirela or Refsnyder to help pick up the slack, even if that does compromise some defensive skill. 

Christine O'Connor

@christineeeeO

Highlights of MLB Opening Day 2015 in the American League.

The best day of the year is over. Opening day has come and gone, and we're left with stats, highlights and memories of the first full day of MLB action in 2015.

​We saw some dominant pitching performances, quite a few homers and some close games. We also saw teams playing better than we expected and teams playing worse than we predicted.

Image Credit: Thearon W. Henderson

The A’s 25-year-old ace held the Texas Rangers hitless until the eighth inning of a 8-0 win at the Coliseum, helping the A’s snap a streak of 10 consecutive losses to open the season. Gray came within six outs of throwing the second Opening Day no-hitter in major-league history before Texas’ Ryan Rua singled to right field leading off the eighth.

An announced sellout crowd of 36,067 applauded Gray and chanted “Son-ny!” as Rua rounded first base. Gray finished the inning with help from first baseman Ike Davis, who snagged a Mitch Moreland line drive and stepped on first to double off Rua, then made a diving play on Rougned Odor’s grounder to end the inning.

The A’s last win in a season opener had come April 5, 2004, and they’d scored a total of six runs in their past six openers combined. Their new-look lineup eclipsed that total on Monday night with an 11-hit blitz. New No. 3 hitter Ben Zobrist hit a two-run homer off Rangers starter Yovani Gallardo in his first A’s at-bat, and catcher Stephen Vogt added a towering three-run homer to right off reliever Phil Klein in the seventh inning.

The spotlight, though, belonged to Gray. 

Gray allowed his first runner when he clipped Odor with a pitch with two outs in the third inning. With two outs in the sixth, Zobrist – playing left field because of injuries to Coco Crisp and Josh Reddick – dropped a Leonys Martin fly ball that allowed Martin to reach second base. Zobrist was given an error, keeping the no-hit bid intact.

Prince Fielder scorched a liner to right leading off the seventh inning that Craig Gentry hardly had to move to catch. Adrian Beltre then hit a sharp grounder that second baseman Eric Sogard gloved sliding to his left for a routine putout. Gray threw a 93-mph fastball past Shin-Soo Choo for the third out, bringing the crowd to its feet.

After Vogt’s homer made the game a blowout, Gray got two strikes on Rua to start the eighth inning before the Rangers’ left fielder hit a sharp grounder through the right side of the infield. Gray still became the first A’s starter to win a season opener since Tim Hudson beat the Seattle Mariners in 2003, striking out three and throwing 98 pitches in his eight innings. Evan Scribner finished the game with a scoreless ninth.

The first A’s pitcher to start consecutive season openers since Barry Zito in 2005-06, Gray was also one of only two returning starters from last year’s Opening Night lineup (Sogard was the other), matching the fewest year-to-year in Oakland history.

Image Credit: Otto Greule Jr./Getty Images

Mike Trout had the kind of opening-day performance that could have been legendary if the outcome of his team's game had been different. Instead, chalk it up as a great individual effort that couldn't overcome Felix Hernandez and a sprinkling of key hits by the Seattle Mariners.

The 2014 American League MVP got off to another valuable start for the Los Angeles Angels in 2015, hitting home run in the first inning against Hernandez, and preventing a home run by Logan Morrison with a leaping grab at the fence later on.

Aside from that, King Felix dominated the Angels, and Jered Weaver could not match his performance in Seattle's 4-1 victory. Hernandez improved to 6-0 on opening day.

Trout put the Mariners behind in the first inning by connecting on a 92 mph fastball to straightaway center, his third homer in 50 career at-bats against Hernandez. He did likewise in his first at-bat of 2014, too. 

Image Credit: Jim Davis/Globe Staff

Hopeful No. 1 starter Clay Buchholz outpitched ace Cole Hamels, and the Red Sox beat the lowly Philadelphia Phillies into submission with five home runs in an 8-0 shutout. By night, the Sox signed Rick Porcello to a four-year, $82.5 million contract extension that locks up the right-hander through what should be his prime, specifically ages 26-30.

Dustin Pedroia, healthy for the first time in three years, went deep twice, his first multi-homer game since 2011. Not to be outdone by his former minor league double-play partner, shortstop-turned-outfielder and absolute manchild Hanley Ramirez belted two homers, including a grand slam in the ninth inning.

Then, there is 22-year-old leadoff hitter Mookie Betts, already the most dynamic player the Sox have had since Jacoby Ellsbury and now their youngest to homer on Opening Day since Tony Conigliaro in 1965.

Image Credit: ​John Sleezer/The Kansas City Star

Lots of doubters out there for the defending AL champs, but the Kansas City Royals looked mighty fine on opening day. They torched the Chicago White Sox by the score of 10-1. Eight of the nine batters in the Royals' lineup had hits, including newcomer Alex Rios, who had three. Yordano Ventura looked good too, before leaving the game with a thumb cramp. 

Jose Abreu got the White Sox on the board in the seventh inning with a 418-foot homer to left-center. But the White Sox had a forgettable start in a season with high expectations based on their offseason maneuvers.

Jeff Samardzija walked Morales twice during his White Sox debut but also hit two Royals. He plunked Alex Gordon in the second with Morales on first, after Garcia was hit by Ventura in the top of the second. The right-hander then hit Lorenzo Cain in the fifth, on the ensuing pitch after Mike Moustakas drove out an opposite-field homer. Cain took exception to that HBP, jawing with Samardzija and catcher Flowers.

"All I know is that Moose hit a homer, [Samardzija] hit me," Cain said, "... and then we started talking."

​Image Credit: Leon Halip/Getty Images North America

For the first time in eight years, somebody other than Justin Verlander was starting on opening day for Detroit.

David Price looked plenty worthy.

Price came within one out of a shutout in the Tigers' 4-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Monday, retiring the first 13 batters he faced and allowing five hits before being pulled with two on and two out in the ninth.

Joe Nathan struck out Torii Hunter for the save as the Tigers handed Paul Molitor a loss in his first game as Minnesota's manager.

"It's always big to go out there and put up zeros and pitch late into the game," Price said. "To be able to do it on opening day, that definitely makes it a little bit more special. I felt good."

The Tigers acquired Price at last year's trade deadline, and manager Brad Ausmus picked him to start the first game, snapping Verlander's seven-year streak of openers. Price struck out five without a walk.

J.D. Martinez and Alex Avila homered off Phil Hughes, and Yoenis Cespedes doubled, tripled and scored twice in his Detroit debut. Cespedes also reached above the wall in left to catch Kurt Suzuki's drive in the third.

Image Credit: AP Photo/Patric Schneider

In his final five starts of 2014, a stretch that propelled him to the top of the American League Cy Young ballot, Corey Kluber posted a 5-0 record and 1.12 ERA, with five walks and 54 strikeouts in 40 1/3 innings. The right-hander lasted at least eight frames in four of those five outings. 

Kluber carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning. With two outs, Houston's diminutive hit machine, Jose Altuve, slapped a bloop single into center. Kluber said he was aware of the goose egg in Houston's hit column, but it was too early to concern himself with the potential of a historic feat, especially in a scoreless deadlock.

"I wasn't pitching to not give up a hit," Kluber said. "I was more so pitching to keep them off the scoreboard."

​Image Credit: baltimoresun.com

The Orioles won their fifth straight opening day game on Monday afternoon, dominating the division rival Tampa Bay Rays with a 6-2 victory in front of an announced sellout crowd of 31,042 at Tropicana Field, backed by a strong performance by right-hander Chris Tillman, who was steady making his second straight season opening day start.

An Orioles team that led the majors with 211 home runs last season hit three homers Monday, a two-run blast by left fielder Alejandro De Aza and solo homers by first baseman Steve Pearce and shortstop Ryan Flaherty.

Right-hander Chris Tillman set the tone, holding the Rays to one run on four hits over 6 2/3 innings, striking out four and walking three batters.

Newcomer Travis Snider, the first Orioles player other than Markakis to start in right field since 2006, had three hits and drove in two runs, including an opposite-field single against a shift to score De Aza in the top of the first inning.

After Asdrubal Cabrera hit an RBI double off Tommy Hunter with two outs in the eighth, the Rays brought the tying run to the plate with two on and two outs, but Longoria popped up weakly to second base on the first pitch of the at bat.

Image Credit: USA TODAY Sports Images

In his first game back from a year-long suspension, New York Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez went 1-for-2 with a walk and represented one of the few bright spots for his club in a 6-1 opening day loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.

“It definitely felt good, that’s for sure,” the 39-year-old Rodriguez said after the game. “I have a lot of love for the city of New York, especially our fans. But let’s make it clear: The fans don’t owe me anything. I have to earn their cheers and their respect.”

Rodriguez’s single was one of only three hits for the Yankees against Blue Jays starter Drew Hutchison, who earned the win with six innings of one-run ball. Outfielder Brett Gardner accounted for all of New York’s scoring with a solo home run in the sixth, but it was the return of Rodriguez that seemed to draw the most attention during and after the game.

Drew Hutchison, at 24 the youngest Opening Day starter in Blue Jays' history, held the Yankees hitless until Brian McCann laced a ball just inside the first base line for a single with two outs in the fourth.

Hutchison (1-0) allowed three hits, including Brett Gardner's homer in the sixth inning, to help Toronto improve to 20-19 in openers, including 1-2 vs. the Yankees.

Ex-Yankee Russell Martin hit a two-run single in a five-run third inning against Tanaka (0-1). Devon Travis homered later in the game for his first career hit.

Kevin Pillar led off the third with a single and the Japanese star, making his first Opening Day start for New York, struggled to get an out after that.

Travis walked and Jose Reyes put down a bunt that third baseman Chase Headley threw away, allowing a run to score.

After Reyes was checked by a trainer at second base, Martin, who signed an $82 million, five-year free-agent contract this winter, singled. An out later, Edwin Encarnacion hit a two-run homer off Masahiro Tanaka, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees 6-1 in Monday's Opener. 

Christine O'Connor

Twitter: ChristineeeeO

Clayton Kershaw and Matt Harvey Impressive This Spring, Justin Verlander and Nick Swisher Starting the Season on the DL and More

Kershaw had a 1.61 ERA this spring. He gave up just 15 hits and struck out 22 in 22 1-3 innings this spring.

​

Image Credit: Mark J Rebilas/ USA Today Sports

Kershaw, the 2014 National League MVP and Cy Young Award winner, threw 45 pitches while facing 11 batters and gave up one hit and an unearned run. He’ll next face the San Diego Padres on April 6.

Kershaw says he, physically, felt good this spring, but lacked the command that he desired. Still, if the spring is any indication, he appears to be headed towards another typical, Kershaw-type season.

Image Credit: AP Photo | Jeff Roberson

As he sat out last year after having Tommy John surgery, Matt Harvey missed the subtle parts of being a professional baseball player, like being around his teammates for trips like these. Spring training can be grueling, but Harvey embraced the minutiae this year with a smile, perhaps because his comeback has gone so well.

He pitched well, again, in his sixth and final spring start Thursday, throwing four scoreless innings against the St. Louis Cardinals to lower his exhibition-season E.R.A. to 1.19.

Image Credit: whatproswear.com

New Balance announced a multiyear endorsement deal with Cano in a Thursday press release. As part of the deal, New Balance will provide Cano with shoes and apparel both on and off the field. They will also outfit children attending Cano’s RC22 Dream School, which is scheduled to open this fall in his hometown of San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic.

New Balance also released the first images of the custom 3000v2 baseball spike they designed for Cano, which features a Mariners color scheme, Cano’s number, personal logo and references to his family, including his grandfather Olividio, who died last month after a yearlong battle with lung cancer.

Cano joins a rapidly growing roster of All-Star athletes at New Balance. For the 2015 season, 530 professional players will sport New Balance cleats each time they take the field. This list includes All Stars Miguel Cabrera, Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, Jonathan Lucroy, RA Dickey, Evan Longoria, Salvador Perez, Jose Bautista, Yadier Molina, and Hanley Ramirez.

Image Credit: Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

The Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus announced that Justin Verlander will start the 2015 season on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Saturday, because of a triceps strain. Reliever Bruce Rondon is also will start the season on the 15-day DL, with biceps tendinitis.

Verlander is expected to stay in Lakeland to continue throwing. He is optimistic that he'll be able to make his season debut April 12, against the Cleveland Indians.

"It just works out that it allows the team to have an extra bullpen guy," Verlander said of his first stint on the DL. "You know, it's kind of a crappy way to have it go, but it helps the team so … "

This season starts the $28-million part of Verlander's contract. He signed an extension in spring 2013 that replaced two existing years at $20 million apiece and added five more years (2015-19) at $28 million apiece.

"His arm will let us know when he can get back on the mound," Ausmus said. "Cautiously optimistic he'll get back on the mound Saturday or Sunday."

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Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister and Gio Gonzalez are, without question, "the best rotation in the game," said Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Jeff Francoeur. The only question is the order of the five, which is what makes it so special, so potentially dominant.

Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo had to forfeit the Nats first round pick in this summer’s MLB draft with the signing of free agent supreme Max Scherzer, a steal of a deal indeed. What now? Holdovers Jordan Zimmermann and Doug Fister stand to be free agents at the end of this season and will be very pricy. With six proven starters and only five spots in a rotation, a deal appears to be looming.

Even before the Nats added the top free agent in the game, they possessed the top rotation in baseball. Four starters were among the top-16 in ERA in the National League. In case you are wondering, Gio was the only member not among the league leaders. In a staff of aces, Zimmermann wrapped up the 2014 season with a no-no, Fister walked only 24 batters in 164 innings, Tanner Roark was one of the biggest breakout, success stories last season and then there is Stephen Strasburg.

"I've never seen anything like this,'' said veteran second baseman Dan Uggla, who is in camp with the Nationals. "In 2012, this team really started something by getting Gio, then adding Fister. And they keep doing things to make it even better. But this is just crazy.''

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The Padres were terrible last season, even by their standards. Not only did they finish below .500 for the fourth straight year, but they were dead last in every significant offensive category.It's one thing to be bad. But when you’re in the entertainment business, like the Padres, losing can't be matched by dullness.

Sadly for the fans, the team excelled in both of those categories, which explains why the Padres’ owners did a makeover of historic proportions.

A new ace in James Shields joins an already strong rotation. Matt Kemp, Justin Upton and Wil Myers make for a brand new power-hitting outfield. Derek Norris is now catching. Newcomers Yangervis Solarte and Will Middlebrooks have had great springs as they compete at third base.

Setting the transformation in motion was the hiring of General Manager A.J. Preller on Aug. 6. A first-time GM, Preller spent the end of last season getting a feel for the under-performing roster.

The players he went out and got were a cut above — and better paid — than the Padres of old. This year’s payroll will be around $100 million, about $10 million more than in 2014.

Image Credit: Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Dellin Betances, who burst onto the scene last year with the Yankees throwing 90 innings with a 1.40 ERA, has run into a little trouble this spring with a 6.75 ERA. 

He says he's a slow starter but a few mechanical issues are keeping him from producing the results of a year ago.

"It's just one small adjustment," Betances said. "I feel like I'm drifting too much with both my fastball and off-speed [pitches] and that's causing me to leave the ball up at times, and the breaking ball not being as sharp at times."

Through just seven innings of work this spring Betances has allowed five earned runs on eight hits while striking out six but walking five.

"I'm going to get stronger," he said. "I just feel like my command in spring hasn't been where it needs to be."

The Yankees are still trying to figure out their closer role. Betances and Andrew Miller will, for now, double-team the role until manager Joe Girardi decides who is a better fit. Miller was signed from Baltimore in the offseason to a four-year, $36 million deal.

Christine O'Connor

@christineeeeO

Yankees Acquire Gregorio Petit, Pedro Martinez's Take on Masahiro Tanaka, Update on Aroldis Chapman's Injury, and Kris Bryant Gets Sent to the AAA

When Brendan Ryan (the back up for the injured Didi Gregorious) went down with an injury in Wednesday's spring training game, the Yankees didn't have much of a backup plan for their backup shortstop. An MRI revealed that Ryan had a Grade 2 right calf strain, which should keep him out of action for at least a month. As Tanya noted earlier, there weren't many internal options to fill Ryan's role. So Brian Cashman made a deal with the Astros to bring infielder Gregorio Petit aboard for cash.

Image Credit: David J. Phillip

At bat, Petit might fare better than Ryan hitting anyway, as he hit .278/.300/.423 with 10 extra-base hits and a 104 wRC+ in 100 plate appearances for the Astros in 2014. At Triple-A Oklahoma City, he fared just fine as well, hitting .297/.340/.457 with an identical 104 wRC+.

Count Pedro Martinez among those who think there’s something wrong with Masahiro Tanaka. The Hall of Famer said Wednesday he believes Tanaka has been holding back on most of his pitches in spring training and predicted the Yankee ace won’t get through the season intact.

So when he says that Masahiro Tanaka doesn't look right, it might be worth listening. After missing 10 weeks last season with a torn ligament in his elbow, Tanaka is trying to return to ace form. Martinez says he won't make it.

Image Credit: usatoday.com

“I don’t see him healthy all year,” Martinez told Adam Schein on Sirius/XM's Mad Dog Radio. “And I don’t see him healthy right now. I’ll be brave enough to say he’s not completely healthy right now.”

Losing Tanaka would be critical, said Martinez. He calls the pitcher “the biggest key for the Yankees. I don’t think they can afford to lose Tanaka.”

Still, some wonder if his elbow could blow out at any time. The Yankees have talked this spring about getting him extra rest when they can. In a shaky Yankees rotation, it is crucial that Tanaka remains healthy.

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Reds closer Aroldis Chapman left Tuesday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers with a right hamstring issue.

"We went out there to check on him and the hamstring came up, and just with that history we were extra cautious," manager Bryan Price said. "And by the sounds of it, it may be a non-issue completely."

Chapman called out catcher Brayan Pena to talk after getting Jean Segura to ground out in the fifth inning. Trainer Paul Lessard, manager Bryan Price and pitching coach Jeff Pico then came onto the field. Chapman threw a few warm-up pitches, but after a long discussion, he was taken out of the game.

Chapman was visibly upset with Price when he decided to remove him from the game after facing just one batter.

"By the time the smoke cleared, Chappy was back in the dugout and Brayan got back in the dugout after the half-inning, I just think there might've been a misunderstanding," Price said. "So it's fine. It's frustrating for Chappy but in the big picture, nothing critical."

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Kris Bryant's at-bats became a must watch -- and that's saying something for spring training. He hit home runs off of fastballs and off-speed pitches both high and low, inside and outside the strike zone. And he hit them to all parts of the ballpark. His best may have come on a sinker away in one game, a pitch he's had problems with in the past.

To the chagrin of many fantasy owners and Cubs fans, third baseman Kris Bryant has been reassigned to the Chicago Cubs’ minor league camp despite hitting .425 in spring training with nine homers and 15 RBIs in 40 at-bats.

Preparing for its first season under manager Joe Maddon, the Cubs also optioned second baseman Javy Baez to Triple-A Iowa and reassigned shortstop Addison Russell were assigned to minor league camp.The demotion of Bryant was expected but much more controversial.

Christine O'Connor

@christineeeeO

A-Rod's Good Day at 1B, an Update on Mark Teixeira's Injury, and Another Impressive Outing from Nathan Eovaldi

The Alex Rodriguez-to-first base experiment will last beyond Sunday. In fact, it might happen again this week.

Image Credit: Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he liked what he saw from Rodriguez in his first three innings of his career at first base in a 7-0 win over the Astros at Osceola County Stadium. He believed he could plug Rodriguez, who went errorless in three chances, into the position in the regular season if needed.

"It's not something we're looking to do," Girardi said. "But if something happens to one of our other guys, I would feel comfortable throwing him out there. I think he would handle it just fine."

Girardi added that he was impressed with the backhanded play A-Rod made on an Evan Gattis sharp grounder to end the second inning. Rodriguez momentarily bobbled the ball before firing it to starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi at first base for the out.

"That was a very uncomfortable play, that’s for sure," Rodriguez said. "Kind of an in-between hop for a righthander. I’m just glad we got a guy out. I felt like a quarterback hitting my tight end on the run. I’ve never done that before. It felt good. It was fun. It was quite interesting, after 20 years to see the game through a totally different lens. It was pretty cool."

Rodriguez had seen very limited work at first base recently, though all spring Girardi has said he'd like to consider him a third-string option there. Starter Mark Texieria has been healthy almost all spring - except for Sunday, when a pitch hit him in a minor league game and bruised his knee. And Garrett Jones will be Teixeira's primary backup, Girardi has said.

Image Credit: Corey Sipkin/New York Daily News 

Teixeira was the designated hitter in a game between Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Double-A Trenton when a ball struck his kneecap. He went into a kneeling position in front of the plate after being hit by the fourth-inning pitch. He left the field with a limp, which was gone by the time he reached Steinbrenner Field.

After he returned to Steinbrenner Field from the minor league complex, Teixeira said he was "fine." He said no tests were planned. 

He won't play until Wednesday, manager Joe GIrardi said. "Hopefully it was nothing," Girardi said. "He got hit on the side of the leg here. Hopefully it's nothing. I left him back there so he wouldn't have to make a long road trip back here and that didn't work out so well."

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Nathan Eovaldi continued to show to impress on Sunday with a live fastball and a developing splitter. He held the Houston Astros to one hit (Jed Lowrie's second-inning double) in the first 3-1/3 innings. He allowed two singles in the fourth and both runners advanced on a wild pitch, but Eovaldi then quelled the threat with two fly outs. He got the first two hitters of the fifth inning and he was done, the only negative being that he needed 89 pitches to get there. Through three starts, his spring ERA is 0.66, he has struck out 14 in 13-2/3 innings and most impressively, has yet to walk a batter.

"All of my pitches are working really well right now. I’ve just got to work on rushing to the plate," said Eovaldi, who was not as thrilled about his high pitch count.

"I worked a lot of 3-2 counts. It was just tough for me to put them away," he said. "I felt like they were fouling off every pitch. I felt like I’d get ahead 1-2, 0-2 and then they’d work the count 3-2. It’s important to me to be able to put them away with one or two pitches."

Christine O'Connor

@christineeeeO

Alex Rodriguez to Debut at 1B Sunday, Mark Teixeira's New Diet, and David Ortiz Fights Steroid Allegations Once Again.

On Sunday, Alex Rodriguez will play first base in a major-league ballgame -- in fact, in a ballgame at any level -- for the first time in his life.

Image Credit: Corey Sipkin/ New York Daily News

"I'm excited about it," he said. "I told Joe [Girardi] to really keep a close eye on me. He said he will."

Rodriguez has taken a few grounders at first this spring, and earlier this week Girardi said he worked on some of the finer points of the position, such as where to go on relays from the outfield and how to defense the bunt. But in truth, Rodriguez has only scratched the surface of learning the position; his brand-new first baseman's glove is still being broken in for him by a clubbie.

"I haven't even started to learn," he said. "I've done a few things. I'll tell you about it after [the game]."

Rodriguez has had a pretty good spring at the plate (.303, 2 HRs, 3 RBI), is the  third option at first base, behind Mark Teixeira and backup Garrett Jones. Mainly, his responsibilities will be to DH and play a little third base to give Chase Headley a day off now and then.

Image Credit: Associated Press

According to Mark Teixeira, he lost 13 pounds of fat and added 15 pounds of muscle this offseason in hopes to stay healthy and get back to his old production.

“Last year was really, really difficult, physically and mentally,’’ said Teixeira, who was limited to 123 games due to a lingering right wrist problem as well as a back injury. “I felt like garbage all season. When you are feeling like that and trying to perform, you get beaten down and you wonder, ‘Am I ever going to be the same?’ This offseason I asked my body to do a lot of things, and it responded. That’s the exciting thing, everything I wanted to accomplish I did, and I feel great going into the season.’’

So the latest cure-all, the latest bid to get back to the 30-home run, 100-RBI plateaus that Teixeira has been chasing since he last reached them in 2011, is diet. This winter, he hired a new trainer and embarked on a quest to reduce inflammation in his body via the food he eats.

“I think the diet was a big thing; I had a really high inflammatory diet,” Teixeira said. “When I told my trainer I had three cortisone shots in my wrist and two in my back, he said, ‘It sounds like you have a lot of inflammation in your body.’ Hopefully taking care of those type of things, the aches and pains, the little muscle pulls and the inflammation in your joints, hopefully those things go away.”

With that goal in mind, Teixeira did away with foods containing dairy, gluten or sugar—he calls it the “no-fun diet”—and replaced those perceived offenders with leaner foods like bison and salmon. It’s a variation on a health movement known as “elimination diets,” wherein entire food groups are cut out in an effort to avoid either their fattening or inflammatory effects.

“No gluten, no dairy, no sugar,’’ Teixeira said of the diet Prentiss suggested to curb the inflammation running through Teixeira’s body. “We attacked all those things I have been having and I got myself really strong. I feel really strong. I was weaker than I had ever been in my entire career last year.’’

I think I can speak for all Yankee fans when I say that it would be great to see Tex get back to his old- 30 home run-100 RBI form.

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For whatever reason, David Ortiz decided the dog days of spring training in 2015 were the right time to take on the topic of his suspected steroid past again, seemingly throwing some caution to the wind while laying out his timeline of events, as well as some other inaccuracies that pepper his  2,396-word piece at The Players' Tribune.

He wrote, “I never knowingly took any steroids.’’ This is the old Barry Bonds defense. The word “knowingly” is an indicator of ignorance. You are a professional athlete. It’s up to you to know what you are taking. Don’t use the ignorance defense.

“In some people’s minds, I will always be considered a cheater,” Ortiz writes. “And that’s bull****. Mark my words: Nobody in MLB history has been tested for PEDs more than me. You know how many times I’ve been tested since 2004? More than 80. They say these tests are random. If it’s really random, I should start playing the damn lottery. Some people still think the testing is a joke. It’s no joke. Ten times a season these guys come into the clubhouse or my home with their briefcases. I have never failed a single one of those tests and I never will.”

Those are the bold, harsh, and defiant words from Ortiz, who probably doesn’t want it pointed out that Alex Rodriguez has never failed an MLB drug test under those parameters either. For all their profane bravado, Ortiz's words managed to do little to silence his critics. If he accomplished anything, it may have opened old wounds and invited further question of his motives.

Ortiz’s name was linked to performance-enhancing drugs in 2009, when The New York Times reported that he and former teammate Manny Ramirez were among the roughly 100 Major League Baseball players to test positive for illicit substances in 2003. Ortiz has varied his handling of the topic over the years, from vehemently pledging to get to the bottom of it six years ago, to ignoring the accusations outright, to coming out guns blazing at a time when nobody was publicly pressing the issue.

It's baffling as to why Ortiz felt the need to bring up such a controversial issue when nobody was talking about it. Is this an indicator of guilt? Or is he that desperate to clear his PED tarnished name?

Christine O'Connor

@christineeeeO

A Roger Clemens Movie, Titled "The Rocket," is in Development.

​According to The Hollywood Reporter, producer Teddy Schwartzman and his company Black Bear Pictures acquired the rights to the Rocket script, which follows Clemens during the later stages of his career. Schwartzman was a producer on The Imitation Game, nominated for eight Oscars at the 2015 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

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Jeffrey Gelber and Ryan Belenzon wrote the script, which delves into the latter half of the career of Clemens, one of the greatest pitchers of all time, who was nicknamed “The Rocket” for his unhittable fastball. But Clemens, an All-American at the University of Texas who started his professional career with the Boston Red Sox, also became something of a tarnished figure in the sport after his former trainer, Brian McNamee, claimed that the pitcher used steroids. The story chronicles the relationship between the two at the point in Clemens’ career when he began to lose his fastball.

Clemens was called before Congress and denied McNamee’s allegations under oath. A federal grand jury indicted Clemens on six felony counts involving perjury, false statements and obstruction of Congress, to which Clemens pleaded not guilty. He was eventually found not guilty on all six counts in 2008, one year after he retired from baseball after 24 seasons. Despite his impressive career, he has not been elected to the Hall of Fame.

The Hollywood Reporter says Warner Bros. was in contention at one point, with the thought that Bradley Cooper would play Clemens, however he doesn't have much of a resemblance to the Rocket. Perhaps Ben Affleck would be a good fit. Although it would be quite difficult to get him in the Yankees uniform.

Christine O'Connor

@christineeeeO

José Pirela Injury, Stephen Drew Still Struggles, and Roy Halladay Isn't a Fan of A-Rod

One of the New York Yankees' top prospects José Pirela sustained a concussion after crashing into the center-field wall on a play in the first inning that ended up an inside-the-park home run for the New York Mets' Juan Lagares.

Image Credit: (John Bazemore | AP)

Pirela, who complained of dizziness, was taken by ambulance from the complex to Tradition Medical Center, where a brain CT scan and a cervical MRI both came back negative and he was released from the hospital. But he does have a concussion, the Yankees tweeted. He will be out an indefinite period.

With manager Joe Girardi looking on earlier Sunday, a Yankees trainer examined Pirela, a versatile 25-year-old who has played several positions this spring. Pirela was able to walk and was helped into a golf cart.

Pirela had been hot this spring, hitting .370 (10-for-27) with three doubles and two triples; he was appearing to play himself into the lineup, especially with the Yankees' Jacoby Ellsbury out with an abdominal injury.

Pirela played briefly with the Yankees last year after being called up. He collected eight hits in 24 at-bats.

"You just don't know. Some guys respond quicker than others. You wouldn't think a second baseman has had a significant number [of concussions] like a catcher, so sometimes the response is quicker. We have to wait and see. I hope not," he said.

He also went on to say how valuable Pirela is and what he could provide for the Yankees. 

"He provides excitement with his speed, and we're moving him all around. We think he could possibly help us in a lot of different spots," Girardi said. "That makes a player very valuable when he can play four or five different spots on a field. That flexibility is a great thing to have."

José Pirela clearly seems to be a way better option than the current situation at second base Stephen Drew. 

Image Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Drew, who batted .162 last year for Boston and the Yankees, is hitting .161 this spring, after going 0 for 3 and striking out twice on Sunday.

Image ​Credit: baseball-reference.com

The Yanks have made clear that Drew is not competing for the second base job. He will be the Opening Day second baseman. But with the experts seeing a slow bat and wondering if the 32-year-old Drew is shot, you wonder if we’ll see Jose Pirela or Rob Refsnyder before summer.

"We signed him to be our second baseman," Girardi said. "Our plan for it is to be Stephen." 

He asked to play second base, a position he had never played much, having been a shortstop all of his career. In the first home game last week in spring Drew booted the first ball hit to him. He said afterwards he's still learning the right angles to take to the ball and that he's still getting comfortable playing the position. 

In the view of most scouts, Pirela is already far more deserving -- although the buzz on him accumulated before Sunday’s ugly concussion, which makes his immediate future uncertain. As for Refsnyder, expect defense closer to Daniel Murphy levels: Competent, but not exactly smooth. Pirela is more nimble and versatile.

One player that surprisingly has not been a disappointment this spring training is Alex Rodriguez, who is currently fighting for a spot on the Yankees as a DH. He has been having a decent spring training for a guy who didn't play at all during the 2014 season.

Image Credit: baseball-reference.com

But while many people have been pleasantly surprised with A-Rod, some people have not forgotten what he has done and continue to take jabs at him. You would like to say this little tweet by retired former Cy Young winner Roy Halladay was all in fun, but it was a needless, direct shot. Anyway, even with Alex Rodriguez on his best behavior, Halladay chose to take a dig at No. 13.

Image Credit: twitter.com/RoyHalladay

Then he followed that up with another Tweet:

​

Seems like someone was getting feisty on social media in their retirement. 

Christine O'Connor

@christineeeeO