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Astros All-Star readying for late-season position change
Alex Bregman returned to the Houston Astros lineup as the designated hitter on Wednesday after missing nearly a week with an elbow injury. However, that won't be the plan for the two-time All-Star moving forward.
According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, Bregman will play first base for the first time in his pro career on Friday. The move is strategic by the Astros, who are looking to keep their lineup intact without sacrificing on defense.
"The Astros want him in the field as much as possible so they can DH Yordan Alvarez and not play him in left field," Rosenthal said while reporting during Thursday's tilt between the Astros and Baltimore Orioles.
Bregman has been fielding ground balls at first over the last few days in an effort to get comfortable on the other side of the diamond. But the Astros seem committed to having him play the field wherever possible, even keeping the door open for a move back to third.
Astros manager Joe Espada confirmed that strategy during an in-game interview with Rosenthal. He said that Bregman was day-to-day regarding where he would slot into the lineup but added that the team would "play around" with the possibilities.
"We need him in the lineup," Astros manager Joe Espada told Rosenthal. "Having him on the field, that takes Yordan back to that DH spot, keeps those guys healthy and in the lineup."
Bregman's injury stems from having slept on his right elbow wrong. He grew tired of playing through the pain and underwent tests — which came back negative — before sitting out the Astros next five games.
The nine-year veteran returned with a bang on Wednesday, hitting his 20th home run of the season in a 4-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox. The 30-year-old is having another solid year, entering play Thursday slashing .261/.318/.450 with 60 RBI through 117 games.
Having Bregman back should give a much-needed boost to the suddenly surging Astros, who've won 11 of their last 14 games. At the start of August, Houston was deadlocked with the Seattle Mariners atop the American League West. The Astros now own a five-game advantage.
More must-reads:
- Don't look now, but here come the Houston Astros
- Astros reunite with reliever from World Series team
- The '2017 Houston Astros World Series roster' quiz
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All signs point to Yankees moving on from Anthony Volpe
With the trade for Ryan McMahon now complete, it would seem New York Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman has fulfilled one of his three priorities. He can now cross third base off the list, which leaves the rotation and bullpen as his remaining priorities. However, according to one Yankees writer, Cashman might not be done with the infield. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported this after the McMahon trade: “The Yankees may not be done adding to their infield. A team source said the Yankees are interested in adding a right-handed hitter who could play the infield.” Kirschner adds that the Yankees have had interest in Willi Castro and Amed Rosario. But the question now is, how would another player fit into the Yankees’ infield? Needless to say, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm Jr. aren’t going anywhere, and McMahon is just getting there. That leaves the low-hanging fruit. Anthony Volpe has been at the center of controversy all this season. His 13 errors, many of which had come at make-or-break moments, amount to the second-highest total in the game. In addition, his bat has not been able to compensate, hitting .217/.288/.408 with 14 home runs. There was always a lot to like about Volpe. He won a Gold Glove in his rookie year, his power has always been promising and his speed is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, his glove has become a liability, and his speed has also produced very few results. Volpe has swiped just 10 bags in 17 attempts. His power is the one thing that still has some upside, but it hasn’t been enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Both Castro and Rosario have been far more productive at the plate this season than Volpe. Kirschner doesn’t clarify how serious the Yankees are in their pursuit of another infielder, but that most likely isn’t available information. Having just turned 24, Volpe could still become the type of player that was expected from him as a top prospect. However, his recent performance has weighed heavily on his team’s efforts, and it may be buying him a ticket out of the Bronx — or at least a spot on the bench.
Stephanie White Puts Indiana Fever Players on Notice Despite Win Against Aces
The Indiana Fever’s starters turned in a strong all-around effort in Thursday’s 80-70 win over the Las Vegas Aces. The starting unit scored at least 13 points each, save for Aari McDonald, who registered nine points in 22 minutes of action. Indiana’s starters combined for 76 out of the team’s 80 points on the evening, which only means that the four other players who came off the bench accounted for just four points in the game. All that came from Sydney Colson, who went 2-of-5 in 18 minutes of playing time. Lexie Hull, Makayla Timpson and Damiris Dantas all failed to score in the win. Stephanie White Calls Out Fever's Bench Be that as it may, offense wasn’t even the biggest concern for head coach Stephanie White. In her postgame press conference, the veteran shot-caller called out Indiana’s bench for their lack of intensity on the defensive end, particularly in the first half. “Our bench has to be ready,” she said. “I felt like our bench in the second half was really good defensively. In the first half, I didn't feel that way. You got to be ready to come in and you got to be ready to guard your matchup and execute the game plan. "We have depth for a reason. We've got quality depth and we've got to be able to use it. So if fatigue is a factor in execution, then they just need to ask for a sub and I'll get them out and get them back in." It has been a bit of a busy stretch for the Fever at the midway point of the season. Thursday’s matchup against the Aces was their second game in three nights, and they will be back in action again on Sunday in a rivalry showdown against the Chicago Sky. White, however, isn’t accepting fatigue as an excuse. This is regardless of the fact that Caitlin Clark remains out with a re-aggravated groin injury. White is adamant that this roster has been built for adversity, and she didn’t hesitate to put her bench on notice after Thursday’s showing.
Rangers Sign Former Stanley Cup Champion to Tryout Agreement
The New York Rangers are adding to their forward depth ahead of their upcoming training camp. The Rangers are entering a new chapter of their organization under new head coach Mike Sullivan. After missing the postseason last year, the organization is trying to rebound and respond accordingly in 2025 and 2026. Former Stanley Cup champion forward Conor Sheary is the latest player to join the new-look Rangers. The veteran forward agreed to a professional tryout agreement (PTO) with the club and will look to earn an NHL deal with his performance in training camp and the preseason. Sheary is a veteran of 593 NHL games. Originally an undrafted free agent, he signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins after completing his collegiate career. Following a year with the Penguins' AHL affiliate, he forced his way onto the NHL squad after posting 36 points in his first 30 games of the 2015-2016 season at the AHL level. His debut NHL season went better than ever expected, and he was a key part of the Penguins' lineup that won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. Sheary's coach at the time, both at the AHL and NHL levels, was Mike Sullivan. Now, he'll get the chance to reunite with the coach under whom he won two championships. In addition to playing for the Penguins, Sheary has played for three other NHL franchises. The Pens dealt him to the Buffalo Sabres before the 2018-2019 campaign, but he would return to Pittsburgh the following season at the trade deadline. After his second stint with the Penguins, he joined the Washington Capitals. He played three seasons in Washington, D.C. before landing with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he spent the past two years. Over his 593 career games, he's compiled 124 goals and 143 assists for 267 points. His best NHL season came during the 2016-2017 campaign, his second in the league. He scored 23 goals and added 30 assists for 53 points in 61 regular-season games.
Ichiro takes shot at voter who snubbed him on Hall of Fame ballot
Ichiro Suzuki made sure to call out the lone Hall of Fame voter who left him off their ballot at Sunday’s induction ceremony. Ichiro infamously fell one vote short of a unanimous induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, and the unidentified voter who snubbed him was a major talking point when results were announced. Ichiro himself took the snub in stride, and he publicly invited the voter over to his house for a “chat.” During his hilarious Hall of Fame speech on Sunday, Ichiro brought up the vote, and publicly revoked that invitation. “3,000 hits or 262 hits in one season are achievements recognized by the writers — well, all but one of you,” Ichiro said. “And by the way, the offer for that writer to have dinner at my home has now expired.” The crowd on hand for the induction ceremony absolutely loved the jab, and it drew a rousing ovation. Ichiro delivered his entire speech in English and had several other great one-liners. His remarks were well-received by the Cooperstown crowd. Ichiro was an obvious Hall of Fame pick. He tallied 3,089 career hits and a lifetime .311 average, and that does not even account for his numbers in Japan. The one voter who left him off their ballot deserved to be roasted.
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