MLB - Sports Al Dente

The Minnesota Twins will retain Rocco Baldelli as their manager even after a disappointing finish to the season

Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli walks out to the mound during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles

Rocco Baldelli will continue as the manager of the Minnesota Twins next year, even after a poor finish to the season that kept the defending AL Central champions out of the playoffs. Derek Falvey, the…

Boston Red Sox head groundskeeper Dave Mellor is set to retire following Sunday’s game

Boston Red Sox groundskeeper Dave Mellor waters the field prior to a baseball game at Fenway Park

Red Sox head groundskeeper Dave Mellor is retiring on Sunday after the team’s last game of the season against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Mellor has been with the Red Sox for 23…

Rookie Paul Skenes concludes his season with an 11-3 record and a 1.96 ERA, successfully retiring six consecutive batters in his debut at Yankee Stadium

Paul Skenes pitches in the 1st inning

Paul Skenes knew his appearance on the mound at Yankee Stadium would be short, so he enjoyed every one of his 23 pitches, especially when he faced New York stars Juan Soto and Aaron Judge,…

New York Yankees’ Rizzo’s availability for the postseason is unclear after he fractured his fingers due to being hit by a pitch from Borucki

Anthony Rizzo stands in the dugout in the 1st inning

New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo’s status for the postseason is uncertain after he fractured the fourth and fifth fingers on his right hand when he was hit by a pitch from Pittsburgh’s Ryan…

Chicago Cubs’ Shota Imanaga finishes his rookie season with a record of 15-3 and a 2.91 ERA across 29 starts

Shota Imanaga delivers to the batter

Shota Imanaga will not be starting for the Chicago Cubs against Cincinnati on Sunday, finishing his rookie season with a record of 15-3 and a 2.91 ERA across 29 starts. The 31-year-old left-handed pitcher from…

New York Yankees secured home-field advantage in the AL playoffs despite a 9-4 defeat to the Pittsburgh Pirates

Yasmani Grandal celebrates with Nick Yorke in the 9th inning

Paul Skenes made an impressive debut at Yankee Stadium, pitching two flawless innings, while the Pittsburgh Pirates hit five home runs in a 9-4 victory on Saturday. With this win, New York (93-68) secured home-field…

Kyle Hendricks delivered a strong performance in what could be the Chicago Cubs’ last game of the season, leading to a 3-0 victory against the Cincinnati Reds

Kyle Hendricks applauds the crowd after the win

Kyle Hendricks waved to grateful fans after what could be his last game with the Cubs, and Chicago defeated the Cincinnati Reds 3-0 on Saturday. Isaac Paredes and Pete Crow-Armstrong each had singles that drove…

Dane Myers set a career high by driving in five runs, leading the Miami Marlins to an 8-1 victory over the struggling Toronto Blue Jays

Nathan Lukes runs the bases after hitting a home run in the 1st inning

Dane Myers hit a three-run homer and recorded a career-high five RBIs, helping the Miami Marlins defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-1 on Saturday. This win allowed the Marlins to take a series against Toronto…

The Chicago White Sox defeated the playoff-bound Detroit Tigers 4-0, keeping their loss total at 121 as they head into the final game of the season

Bryan Ramos celebrates after hitting a home run in the 2nd inning

Sean Burke pitched five innings, allowing just two hits, and Andrew Benintendi hit his 20th home run, tying his career high, as the Chicago White Sox defeated the playoff-bound Detroit Tigers 4-0 on Saturday. This…

The Milwaukee Brewers anticipate starting the playoffs without outfielder Sal Frelick, who is in recovery from a hip injury

Sal Frelick scores in the 2nd inning

The Milwaukee Brewers are getting ready for the playoffs, likely without outfielder Sal Frelick, who hurt his hip when he crashed into the right-field wall on Friday against the New York Mets. Frelick mentioned that…

Crawford gives up his league-leading 34th home run and suffers his 16th loss as the Tampa Bay Rays defeat the Boston Red Sox 7-2

Tampa Bay Rays players celebrates after the win

Kutter Crawford allowed his league-high 34th home run, a go-ahead hit by Junior Caminero, and suffered his major league-worst 16th loss as the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Boston Red Sox 7-2 on Saturday. “Command…

Fitzgerald advanced from first base, helping the San Francisco Giants secure a 6-5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals

Patrick Bailey hits a single in the 4th inning

Tyler Fitzgerald got on base with an infield single and scored the winning run in the eighth inning after a throwing error by St. Louis pitcher Matthew Liberatore, helping the San Francisco Giants beat the…

Justin Verlander notches his 262nd career victory as the AL West champion Houston Astros defeat the Cleveland Guardians 4-3

Jose Ramirez rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the 1st inning

Justin Verlander allowed three runs in six innings to secure his 262nd win, leading the AL West champion Houston Astros to a 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday night. Verlander (5-6) gave up…

D’Arnaud hits a game-winning homer as the Atlanta Braves continue their playoff pursuit with a 2-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals

Travis d'Arnaud rounds the bases after hitting a home run

Travis d’Arnaud hit a home run in the ninth inning, helping the Atlanta Braves secure a 2-1 victory over the playoff-bound Kansas City Royals on Saturday night. Reynaldo López returned from the injured list to…

Rivera belted two home runs and drove in four runs, leading the playoff-bound Baltimore Orioles to a 9-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins

Emmanuel Rivera runs the bases after hitting a home run in the 2nd inning

Emmanuel Rivera went 4 for 4, hitting two home runs and driving in four runs to help the Baltimore Orioles beat the Minnesota Twins 9-2 on Saturday night. Ryan O’Hearn also hit a homer, and…

The San Diego Padres launched three home runs in the 9th inning, securing a 5-0 victory against the D-Arizona Diamondbacks

Kyle Higashioka and David Peralta celebates after a home run in the 9th inning

Kyle Higashioka, Brandon Lockridge, and Donovan Solano all hit home runs in the ninth inning, helping the San Diego Padres win 5-0 against the struggling Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night. This loss means the Diamondbacks…

The New York Mets jeopardized their playoff chances by managing only two hits in a 6-0 defeat against the Milwaukee Brewers

Joey Ortiz hits in the 4th inning

Joey Ortiz drove in three runs for the Milwaukee Brewers, while the New York Mets managed only two hits, leading to a 6-0 loss that dealt a blow to their playoff hopes on Saturday night.…

Ohtani recorded two hits, narrowing the gap with batting leader Arraez, while the Los Angeles Dodgers triumphed over the Colorado Rockies 13-2

Shohei Ohtani advances from second base to third base in the 6th inning

Shohei Ohtani had two hits, raising his batting average to .310 in his quest to catch batting leader Luis Arraez and become the first Triple Crown winner in the National League since 1937. He helped…

Raley propels the Seattle Mariners to two comeback wins, while Raleigh smacks a homer in their 7-6 triumph against the Oakland Athletics

Cal Raleigh celebrates after hitting a home run in the 4th inning

Leo Rivas scored after Justin Turner hit a grounder that allowed the Seattle Mariners to beat the Oakland Athletics 7-6 in 10 innings on Saturday night. Pinch-runner Rivas dodged a tag from Shea Langeliers at…