Sunday brings the end of an action-packed weekend of baseball. There are games from afternoon ’til evening, so keep an eye on these five things to watch for.
CC displays ace stuff to help Yanks end skid
CC Sabathia loves the idea of being trusted as the Yankees’ stopper, the big man who gets the call when a losing streak absolutely must be stopped cold, and so Saturday night was one of those moments to relish in a 5-1 win over the Royals.
‘Underrated’ Crawford racks up six RBIs
Brandon Crawford drove in a career-high six runs Saturday night and belted his fourth career grand slam as the Giants overpowered Cincinnati, 11-2, at Great American Ball Park.
Hamilton goes for 4-for-5 for Double-A Frisco
Josh Hamilton’s road back to Arlington reached another checkpoint Saturday when he suited up for the Frisco RoughRiders, the Rangers’ Double-A affiliate.
Blanton pressed into action in return to bigs
The Royals on Saturday selected Joe Blanton’s contract from Triple-A Omaha, optioned Aaron Brooks to Omaha and recalled Brian Flynn from Omaha before placing him on the 60-day disabled list.
Lester outduels Cole as Cubs win sixth straight
Jon Lester went one inning longer and one run fewer than Gerrit Cole. That’s all the Cubs needed Saturday to run their winning streak to six with a 4-1 victory over the Pirates.
Iglesias’ single lifts Tigers over Cardinals in 10th
In a game powered by the long ball early, the Tigers used a two-out bloop single by shortstop Jose Iglesias in the 10th to secure a 4-3 victory over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Saturday. Miguel Cabrera hit his 400th career homer before an 80-minute rain delay in the first inning.
Miggy passes Big Cat with 400th homer
Miguel Cabrera’s hot streak continued in a 4-3 win over the Cardinals on Saturday, as the Tigers’ first baseman hit career home run No. 400. The home run made him the all-time leader among Venezuelan-born players, passing Andres Galarraga, whom he tied on Friday night.
‘Extremely strong’ Pence debuts with two hits
On Saturday, Giants right fielder Hunter Pence was activated from the 15-day disabled list, where he had spent the entire season. He started in right field and batted sixth in the Giants’ game at Cincinnati, going 2-for-3 with a double and a walk and scoring three runs.
Jansen’s return to closer role may be expedited
Don Mattingly said earlier this week he would ease Kenley Jansen back into the closer’s role, but said Saturday that transition might be expedited after Jansen struck out four Rockies in the eighth inning Friday.
DraftKings picks: Pederson, A-Gone, Ethier
Welcome to DraftKings fantasy baseball, the Official Daily Fantasy Game of Major League Baseball. The players listed below could provide difference-making stats for DraftKings participants on Sunday.
Latos day to day after taking liner off left shin
Marlins starter Mat Latos suffered a left shin contusion in Saturday’s game in the top of the fourth inning, when Braves center fielder Cameron Maybin’s line drive hit him in the leg. He’s listed as day to day.
Tanaka slated to throw third bullpen session
Right-hander Masahiro Tanaka will accompany the Yankees to Washington, where he will throw one more bullpen on Monday at Nationals Park and then could be set to begin a Minor League rehabilitation assignment.
Stanton hits 478-foot HR; fan barehands it
The way Giancarlo Stanton is swinging the bat, the slugger appears to be playing his own game of, “Can I top this?” A day after knocking the ball into the camera well, Stanton went even farther to center field.
Peterson’s slam helps Braves trump Marlins, Stanton
The Braves continue to have Mat Latos’ number. The big number they put up against the Miami right-hander on Saturday was five runs in the second inning, with four coming on one Jace Peterson swing. Peterson’s first career home run was a grand slam that propelled the Braves to a 5-3 victory and a series win over Miami at Marlins Park. Giancarlo Stanton hit a monstrous 478-foot homer for Miami in the loss.
Statcast: Richards spins his way to success
Garrett Richards has always had outstanding velocity, but merely throwing hard doesn’t lead to success by itself. Richards’ repertoire features four pitches in the top seven for spin rate, which makes him an incredibly unique — and valuable — pitcher.
ASG debate: Brantley or Cain in AL outfield?
There are guys like Bryce Harper and Kris Bryant who spend the early portion of their careers merely trying to catch up to all the outlandish feats prescribed for them. And then there are guys like Michael Brantley and Lorenzo Cain, who become superstars much more surreptitiously.