Cleveland Indians pitcher Triston McKenzie retired the first 23 Detroit Tigers batters on Sunday. McKenzie was only four outs from pitching the 24th perfect game in MLB history. If McKenzie earned the perfect game, it would have been the first since Mariners’ Félix Hernández perfect game exactly nine years ago, on Aug. 15, 2012.

McKenzie lost his bid with two outs in the eighth inning when Harold Castro lined a 2-1 fastball to right field. Regardless, McKenzie’s one-hit shutdown led to an impressive 11-0 win for the Indians.

“I started thinking about it in the third inning, I knew I was perfect through the first time through the order, but I didn’t change my routine,” McKenzie said. “If I had to sum today up in one word, it would be ‘comfortable.’ I got into my groove right away and just kept going.”

“It was a pretty good fastball, but I didn’t get it past him,” McKenzie said of Castro’s hit. “So it wasn’t good enough.”

McKenzie’s near-historic effort would’ve also counted as the record-setting ninth no-hitter of the 2021 season. Tyler Gilbert‘s no-hitter on Saturday was the eighth no-hitters of the season, tying with the 1884 season.

McKenzie’s efforts also denied Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera potentially hitting his 500th career home run in the game. McKenzie struck out Cabrera, who has 499th career home runs and was looking to become the 28th player in league history to hit 500 home runs.

The 24-year-old McKenzie entered Sunday’s start against Detroit with a 5.66 ERA across 16 starts and one relief appearance this season. After his one-hit performance, his ERA has been reduced to 5.12.

The Cleveland Indians have announced a name change for next season. The Indians will now be known as the Cleveland Guardians, and the name change will go into effect following the 2021 MLB season.

The baseball club announced the change with a Twitter video.

In 2018, the club stopped wearing its Chief Wahoo logo on its jerseys and caps. The team then decided last year to make preparations for a name change. The franchise wanted to move away from the name they had used since 1915 because it is considered offensive to many Native Americans and others who are opposed to the use of Native nicknames and mascots for sports teams. They followed the Washington Football Team, which dropped the name “Redskins” last year.

Team owner Paul Dolan said last summer’s social unrest, topped off by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, spurred his intention to change the club’s name.

“We are excited to usher in the next era of the deep history of baseball in Cleveland,” Dolan said in a statement. “Cleveland has and always will be the most important part of our identity. Therefore, we wanted a name that strongly represents the pride, resiliency, and loyalty of Clevelanders.

“‘Guardians’ reflects those attributes that define us while drawing on the iconic Guardians of Traffic just outside the ballpark on the Hope Memorial Bridge. It brings to life the pride Clevelanders take in our city and how we fight together for all who choose to be part of the Cleveland baseball family. While ‘Indians’ will always be a part of our history, our new name will help unify our fans and city as we are all Cleveland Guardians.”

“This is a historic moment for our franchise, and we are excited for our players and staff to debut our new team name and look in 2022,” president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said in a statement. “We look forward to our team proudly representing the city of Cleveland as the Guardians.”

The Guardians will be the franchise’s fifth name in team history. The previous team names were the Blues (1901), Bronchos (1902), Naps (1903-14) and Indians (1915-2021).

There was a scary moment over the weekend in Major League Baseball, as Cleveland Indians right fielder Josh Naylor and second baseman Ernie Clement were chasing a popup. The two defenders smacked into each other, a scary moment that left Naylor with a significant injury and both dugouts shaken.

After an 8-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins, Indians manager Terry Francona said Naylor had suffered a broken bone — but he wasn’t sure which one — and was being treated at a hospital. “That’s obviously playing out in front of anyone’s eyes,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “You can’t, you know, once you see that, you’re not going to unsee it, and it brings out feelings, too, and it’s hard for people to sometimes regardless of what team you’re on, refocus, and there’s a lot of people that care about that young man, and we’ll be thinking about him as time goes on.”

Naylor went flying and spinning after the collision and had his right foot catch underneath him, twisting the foot the wrong way. Teammates immediately called for medical attention with Naylor writhing on the ground in agony. He was taken off the field on a stretcher with his right foot in an air cast. “It’s hard,” Francona said. “You saw the way he reacted. It’s hard to not react to that. Everybody’s certainly thinking about him. I was worried about Ernie, too, because Ernie had a pretty good cut on his chin.”

Indians catcher Rene Rivera also had this to say on the matter: “To be honest, it was really, really hard. The way he reacted, it was heartbreaking, man. It’s hard. A guy like him, nice guy in the clubhouse, really a lot of energy, positivity, and to see him go through that was really tough. You can tell the teammate, the full dugout was really shook.”

Francona further commented on the matter. “On the replay, Naylor, I think, was going to catch it right about shoulder height. So, he’s got to call it. The second baseman, he’s going until he hears something. So, there’s got to be some communication there, and I don’t believe there was.”

The timetable for Naylor’s return is unknown, but it is likely that he is looking at a lengthy absence.

Mickey Callaway, pitching coach for the Los Angeles Angels, has been fired by the organization. This development comes after Callaway was placed on the Ineligible list until the end of next year at the very least. He will be able to apply for reinstatement at the end of the 2022 season.

The decision to fire Callaway resulted from an investigation by Major League Baseball into reports of sexual harassment and misconduct. Callaway was suspended on February 2, 2021 after accusations against him were made public.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred stated that the league “concluded that Mr. Callaway violated MLB’s policies and that placement on the ineligible list is warranted.” Manfred did not reveal the actual findings of the MLB’s examination of the case.

The Angels made their acceptance of the verdict clear, announcing that they “appreciate Major League Baseball’s diligent investigation and support their decision.”

Callaway was accused by five anonymous women who work in media. They brought their stories to The Atlantic, claiming that he sent unsolicited pictures and displayed other reprehensible, unwanted behavior. These accusations are said to have taken place across half a decade and three teams. Callaway previously worked as a pitching coach for the Cleveland Indians and was the manager for the New York Mets.

Pal Dolan, Owner of the Indians, claimed that “there was no finding against the Cleveland Indians related to the Callaway matter.” Dolan did say, however, that “the information the commissioner’s office shared reinforces our own conclusion that we did not do enough as an organization to create an environment where people felt comfortable reporting the inappropriate conduct they experienced or witnessed.” Dolan went on to say that they are working with experts in “workplace culture and reporting practices” in an attempt to “strengthen the organization.”

The Mets did not issue a new statement. They highlighted their previous statement by their president of baseball operations Sandy Alderson. Alderson said that the team did not vet Callaway effectively before hiring him.

Callaway’s legal representation commented that he and his family “fully support MLB’s strong stance against harassment.” Callaway apologized to the women for making them feel “uncomfortable.”

“I never intended to make anyone feel this way and didn’t understand that these interactions might do that or violate MLB policies,” Callaway added. “I take responsibility for the consequences.” 

The New York Mets and Francisco Lindor are currently at a stallmate in contract talks.

On Monday, the Mets offered Lindor a 10-year contract worth $325 million. However, Lindor did not sign the contract and instead presented New York a counteroffer of his own. Lindor proposed a 12-year deal worth $385 million. Since then, contract talks have stalled as both sides cannot come to an agreement.

Both sides must come to a deal because Mets owner Steve Cohen had set Wednesday as the deadline for a deal to retain Lindor. The Mets proposed contract extension deal to Lindor is short of another deal that was given to fellow shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. The San Diego Padres offered Tatis a $340 million deal for 14 years. The contract became the most for a shortstop ever.

Lindor is seeking a deal similar to or greater than what Tatis received. The four-time All-Star counteroffer to New York will make him the highest-paid shortstop ever. If the Mets were to accept the counteroffer, then the shortstop will earn $32.5 million annually.

The Mets traded for Lindor from the Cleveland Indians in January, so they would want to retain his services for beyond. The shortstop is set to become a free agent at the end of the season if a contract extension is not signed.

The All-Star has remained consistent in production and has ranked near the top of shortstops across the league in six MLB seasons. The shortstop has a .833 career OPS, a .285 batting average, and a .488 slugging.

Last season, the shortstop had a slight dip in production and finished with a .258 batting average, eight home runs, 61 hits, and 27 RBI’s in a shortened season. These numbers were the worst in his MLB career. However, in spring training Lindor has looked good. So far, in 17 spring training games, he is hitting a .370 batting average, 14 RBI’s, and four home runs. The outlook is showing that Lindor will have a great season if he keeps up his numbers.

The Cleveland Indians have had solid records across the last eight seasons and have made the postseason five times. However, after being atop the American League Central from 2016 to 2018 and going to the World Series in 2016, the team fell behind the Minnesota Twins in 2019 and 2020.

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Last season, the Indians posted the lowest ERA in the American League (3.29). This was second overall in the majors, right behind the Dodgers. However, Cleveland also ranked 24th in runs scored and 26th in home runs last season. Considering the team traded superstar Francisco Lindor to the Mets, their offensive situation is not looking any better going into 2021. As a result, the lack of offense will probably limit the team’s success in 2021.

Check out Cleveland’s projected starters.

Cleveland Indians Projected Batting Order:

1. 2B Cesar Hernandez 
2. OF Oscar Mercado
3. 3B Jose Ramirez 
4. OF Eddie Rosario 
5. DH Franmil Reyes
6. 1B Josh Naylor
7. OF Daniel Johnson
8. C Roberto Perez
9. SS Amed Rosario 

Cleveland Indians Projected Pitching Staff:

• SP1: Shane Bieber 
• SP2: Zach Plesac 
• SP3: Aaron Civale 
• SP4: Triston McKenzie
• SP5: Cal Quantrill 
• CL: James Karinchak

Cleveland Indians Team Outlook:

Over the offseason, the Indians made several moves. Undoubtedly, the biggest of these moves was trading superstar Francisco Lindor and starter Carlos ‘Cookie’ Carrasco for a haul from the Mets consisting of shortstops Andes Gimenez and Amed Rosario, outfielder Isaiah Greene and starting pitcher Josh Wolf. As a result of this deal, Cleveland only has two anchored bats in third baseman Jose Ramirez and designated hitter Franmil Reyes.

Additionally, since the Indians did not re-sign Carlos Santana, they looked in a different direction by adding outfielder Eddie Rosario and second baseman Cesar Hernandez to help bolster their offense. Starting pitchers Zach Plesac, Aaron Civale, and Triston McKenzie provide plenty of pitching depth behind ace Shane Bieber. As far as relief pitching goes, the team did not bring back Brad Hand, so the closing job now belongs to reliever James Karinchak.

Yes, Cleveland’s pitching is solid and will keep them in the hunt; however, their success will probably be hindered by their lack of successful offense.

Cleveland Indians Schedule:

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Former New York Mets manager and current Los Angeles Angels pitching coach Mickey Callaway was accused by five women in the sports media industry of lewd behavior, according to a report by Brittany Ghiroli and Katie Strang of The Athletic.

The allegations surrounding Callaway spanned at least five years and included his tenures with three teams. Callaway, 45 was a pitching coach with the Cleveland Indians from 2013-17, and the manager of the Mets from 2018-19. He has been with the Angels as a pitching coach since before the beginning of the 2020 season.

In The Athletic‘s report, five women spoke out anonymously and told their stories about when they received unwanted advances from Callaway. The report included Callaway sending shirtless photos of himself and asking one of the women for nude photos.

According to the article, he also told one reporter he would give her team information in exchange for a night out for drinks, and he also “thrust his crotch near the face of a reporter as she interviewed him.”

Major League Baseball also released a statement, stating it “has never been notified of any allegations of sexually inappropriate behavior by Mickey Callaway.”

The Angels released a statement through their spokesperson Marie Garvey. “The behavior being reported violates the Angels Organization’s values and policies,” Garvey tweeted. “We take this very seriously and will conduct a full investigation with MLB.”

Since making their statement, the Angels have been investigating the situation but have not fired Callaway.

The Indians released a statement as well. “We were made aware for the first time tonight of the allegations in The Athletic regarding Mickey Callaway’s behavior towards women. We are currently reviewing the matter internally and in consultation with Major League Baseball to determine appropriate next steps,” the statement read. “Our organization unequivocally does not condone this type of behavior. We seek to create an inclusive work environment where everyone, regardless of gender, can feel safe and comfortable to do their jobs.”

The Mets president Sandy Alderson was the general manager when the team hired Callaway in October 2017. He released a personal statement that said, “I was appalled by the actions reported today of former manager Mickey Callaway. I was unaware of the conduct described in the story at the time of Mickey’s hire or at any time during my tenure as General Manager. We have already begun a review of our hiring processes to ensure our vetting of new employees is more thorough and comprehensive.”

Mets owner Steve Cohen also released a statement of his own, “The conduct reported in The Athletic story today is completely unacceptable and would never be tolerated under my ownership.”

The Cincinnati Reds have been looking for infield help and a new bat and are said to be in talks with the Cleveland Indians regarding All-Star Francisco Lindor.

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Lindor enjoyed another stellar year in 2019 batting .284 with 32 home runs, 101 runs and 22 stolen bases. He’s been an All-Star every year since he’s been in the league, and a two-time Gold Glover. The Indians are in the market for outfield help and apparently are willing to part with one of their stars.

The Reds finished in fourth place last year, missing the playoffs by 15 games. Fifty-seven one-run games, the most in the Major Leagues, with a record on  24-33. It would help them to add a plus hitter and a stop gap in the infield in those close games. The math works, as Lindor could potentially add at least 15 more wins, that could potentially put them in the playoffs (they were 75-87. 15 games would put them in playoff contention).

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Besides getting injured at the beginning of the year, Lindor had led the league in at bats the past two years, runs scored once, and sacrifice hits once.

The Indians are said to be interested in Center Fielder Nick Senzel after a solid rookie campaign.

The Reds scored the fourth fewest runs in MLB last year. Joey Votto and Matt Kemp are entering their 13th and 14th seasons and have been slowed by injury throughout their careers, but the Reds are not thinking rebuild anytime soon. They want to compete in the foreseeable future.

“I’ve said this before, I hate the word competitive,” said General Manager Nick Krall. “The goal is to win. It’s always to win, no matter what the circumstances. The goal is to go out, win and compete for the highest honor you can possibly compete. It’s always that goal. I feel we changed some of that mindset last year, and even though we only won 75 games.”

They have backed that up by spending $68 million on Mike Moustakas how hit 35 home runs last year and has averaged around 31 HRs the last three.

We’ll keep you posted on the latest news regarding Lindor and the Reds

The Cleveland Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer has been in headlines regarding his request to be on the trading block, wanting to leave the Indians. The trade deadline is approaching at the end of July. With time running out, he may not have enough time to find a favorable deal for all parties.

Bauer was taken out of the game in the bottom of the fifth against the Kansas City Royals after Nicky Lopez grabbed two RBIs after his single hit. Bauer, frustrated, threw the baseball against the back netting behind the home plate and threw it over the center-field fence. He was benched the rest of the game.

“It was umbecoming, it was childish and unprofessional,” Bauer said, according to USA Today. “I want to be clear that my frustrations were with myself and my inability to stop the situation and keep my team in the game. I’m an intense competitor and that fire is what drives me. Today, it completely consumed me, took over. And I just want to say I’m sorry for how I behaved.”

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Second baseman Mike Freeman was thrown off about the entire situation, and flinched when Bauer threw the ball in frustration. Oscar Mercado, the rookie center fielder, wasn’t looking when Bauer threw the ball, but when he saw it land, he turned around in question over what had just happened. Bauer apologized to his teammates at the end of the game.

“It’s hard to tell right now,” he said, according to ESPN. “Everyone’s emotions are high. I just wanted to talk to them, to let them know how I’m feeling and how I feel like I let them down both personally and professionally. Hopefully we can move past that.”

The Indians are in second place in the AL Central behind the Minnesota Twins, with a 62-43 record. The Indians are two games behind the Twins, and have won seven of their last 10 games.

The Cleveland Indians entered the 2019 season as the favorites to win the AL Central division. They had placed in first for the 2016, 2017 and 2018 seasons as well as going to the World Series in 2016, where they lost to the Chicago Cubs. While they may be two games behind the Minnesota Twins for first place right now, that doesn’t mean that they’re any less exciting of a team. “The tribe” features some of them most interesting players in baseball with Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez and Carlos Santana out in the field and Trevor Bauer and Brad Hand on the mound.

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Just under two years ago, the Indians went on a record 22-game winning streak that lasted from August 24 to September 15. While all their recent success hasn’t culminated in Cleveland’s first World Series title since 1948, they have gotten one game away and keep most of their roster intact. With the players in their squad and the strange nature of baseball, a championship is always close.

This year, Progressive Field, home of the Indians, will host the MLB All-Star Game. Expect the hometown fans to flood out and support their players who will make the roster. Last year, Cleveland had six All-Stars on the roster and looks to top that this year.

From May 6 to May 9, the Indians will play a four-game series at home against the division rival Chicago White Sox. With the White Sox struggling this season, expect the Indians to make up ground on the Twins. Tickets for that series start at $9.

Following that, Cleveland will head out to the West Coast and face the Oakland Athletics. On May 10, they’ll hope to take down the A’s. Though they didn’t win the AL West Championship in 2018 with 97 wins, they were a strong team. This year, Khris Davis and Matt Chapman will hope to advance past the AL Wild Card game. Tickets range from $8 to $101 for that series.

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Then, the Indians will continue their road trip out to Guaranteed Rate Field to play the White Sox again. In a quick two-game series, they’ll wrap up five games on the road before heading home. Tickets start at $6 for that pair of games.

Here’s the Indians’ schedule for the month of May:

May 6 – VS Chicago White Sox

May 7 – VS Chicago White Sox

May 8 – VS Chicago White Sox

May 9 – VS Chicago White Sox

May 10 – @ Oakland A’s

May 11 – @ Oakland A’s

May 12 – @ Oakland A’s

May 13 – @ Chicago White Sox

May 14 – @ Chicago White Sox

May 16 – VS Baltimore Orioles

May 17 – VS Baltimore Orioles

May 18 – VS Baltimore Orioles

May 19 – VS Baltimore Orioles

May 20 – VS Oakland A’s

May 21 – VS Oakland A’s

May 22 – VS Oakland A’s

May 23 – VS Tampa Bay Rays

May 24 – VS Tampa Bay Rays

May 25 – VS Tampa Bay Rays

May 26 – VS Tampa Bay Rays

May 27 – @ Boston Red Sox

May 28 – @ Boston Red Sox

May 29 – @ Boston Red Sox

May 30 – @ Chicago White Sox

May 31 – @ Chicago White Sox

The Cleveland Indians‘ home opener began with a full house. After spending years in the dumps, the Indians became a championship contender in 2016 and took the Chicago Cubs all the way to Game 7 in the World Series. Part of the reason why has been intense players like Max Moroff.

Cleveland Tops White Sox With Big At-Bats

When the infielder walked up to bat in the eighth inning, he said he couldn’t even hear the song he’d picked out as his walkup music.

“It was an amazing atmosphere, I don’t think I’ve ever ever experienced anything like that,” Moroff said. “It was really loud. But once I got in the box I locked in and got it done.”

With one out, Moroff took no time to work the count before sending a first-pitch sinker from Chicago White Sox reliever Dylan Covey to left field. Moroff reached first base for a single and Jake Bauers came home, tying the game up 3-3.

“It was a good pitch, luckily I just put a good swing on it,” Moroff said. “Just had to stay aggressive and I got the pitch.”

It was Moroff’s third game-tying hit and the second time he’d done so in the eighth inning or later. He is now 4-for-6 lifetime with the bases loaded with 11 RBI.

“That was nice, that was really nice to see,” said Indians manager Terry Francona afterward.

Following Moroff, Roberto Perez and Greg Allen each came to the plate with the bases loaded. They worked the count for a walk, scoring the fourth and fifth runs of the night. The Indians eventually won the game 5-3.

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Earlier in the inning, Bauers doubled with one out. Leonys Martin advanced to third base and it set the stage for the big at-bats that followed. Despite having a .183 average against lefties, Francona left Bauers in against Chicago lefty Jace Fry.

“Sometimes I think you make your move too quick as a manager, and then when the time comes for a chance to maybe put you ahead, you’re out of your moves,” Francona said. “Somebody was going to have to face a lefty, and I just thought that if we could get to a point, then all of a sudden, we have the split advantage because we have the switch-hitter on the bench.”

The Indians will play one more game against Chicago before hosting the Toronto Blue Jays.

Cleveland’s baseball team, the Indians, has unveiled a couple of new threads ahead of the upcoming season. They’ll be without the longtime Chief Wahoo logo, a racist caricature of a Native American.

Cleveland Has New Uniforms Sans Racist Logo

The new uniforms feature the block ‘C’ logo on the front of the cap, with jerseys reading ‘Indians’ and ‘Cleveland’ in various colors. The MLB All-Star Game logo will replace the Chief Wahoo logo, which has appeared on the team’s sleeves since 2014.

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MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and Indians owner Paul Dolan announced earlier in 2018 that Chief Wahoo would no longer appear on uniforms or stadium signs following the end of the 2018 season. Manfred said the logo would no longer be “appropriate for on-field use,” although merchandise featuring the logo will still be available for purchase in the stadium and throughout retail stores in Ohio.  

They will continue to sell the merchandise purely to retain the trademark they possess, according to CBS.

The Indians are one of several major league sports teams, like the NFL’s Washington Redskins, to long face criticism and controversy because of their offensive name or logo. 

The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are among several teams who have expressed discontent with the Cleveland Indians acquiring third baseman Josh Donaldson via a waiver deadline trade with the Toronto Blue Jays, according to a new report.

Indians Acquire 3B Josh Donaldson At Waiver Deadline

On Sunday, The Athletic said the Red Sox and Yankees had “voiced displeasure” over the Aug. 31 swap. The Houston Astros also reportedly inquired why the deal was allowed to go through. However, the reigning national champions were happy with the response they got about the Donaldson trade, The Athletic said.

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The report claims the 32-year-old third baseman’s health status remains uncertain. Donaldson, the 2015 American League MVP, has been sidelined since May 28 due to a calf injury. He joined the Blue Jays from the Oakland Athletics in 2015.

According to ESPN, Toronto put Donaldson on “revocable trade waivers” on Aug. 29. Given that the Indians landed him just before the Aug. 31 trade deadline, he will be able to play for Cleveland in this year’s playoffs. MLB rules dictate that players need to be officially listed as “healthy” in order to be put on trade waivers. Donaldson was re-added to the 10-day disabled list on Labor Day. Add the fact that the MLB Players Association was ultimately forced to intervene, and the situation involving Donaldson seems like a minor controversy.

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Donaldson is a three-time All-Star who has also won two Silver Slugger Awards and who was the AL RBIs leader in 2015.

The Cleveland Indians will visit the Boston Red Sox on Monday night, and here is what you need to know.

Red Sox vs. Indians Preview

This will be the opener of a four-game series. The Rex Sox (88-37, .704) still have the best record in MLB, and are 9.5 games ahead of the second-place New York Yankees (78-46) in the AL East. Boston lost to the Tampa Bay Rays 2-0 on Sunday but won the first two games in that series. The Indians (71-52, .577) lead the AL Central and are 12 games ahead of the second-place Minnesota Twins (59-64). Cleveland routed the Baltimore Orioles 8-0 on Sunday in the finale of a three-game series.

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Right-hander Corey Kluber (15-6, 2.68 ERA) will likely start for Cleveland against fellow right-hander Rick Porcello (15-5, 4.404 ERA). Kluber boasts 160 strikeouts this season, while Porcello has struck out 150 batters. Monday’s game will start at 7:10 p.m. EST and will air on NESN.

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The New York Yankees will visit the Cleveland Indians on Thursday, and here is what you need to know.

Indians vs. Yankees Game Preview

This will be the opener of a four-game series. The Yankees (60-31) last beat the Baltimore Orioles 9-0 on Wednesday night. The Indians (50-41) are coming off a 19-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

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Righty Corey Kluber, one of this year’s All-Stars, will likely start for Cleveland. Kluber (12-4, 2.49 ERA) boasts 123 strikeouts this year. He will face fellow right-hander Luis Severino (14-2, 2.12 ERA), who has struck out 143 batters in 2018.

Thursday’s game will start at 7:10pm EST and will air on YES. Friday and Saturday’s games will begin at the same time, while Sunday’s series finale will start at 1:10pm EST.

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The Yankees have the second-best win percentage in MLB, behind Boston (65-29), and are second in the AL East just 3.5 games behind the Red Sox. The Indians lead the AL Central, a comfortable 8.5 games ahead of second-place Minnesota.

Next week is the annual MLB All-Star Game, and the rosters have been set.

MLB All-Star Game 2018

The defending World Series champion Houston Astros count five All-Stars for the July 17 contest in Washington, D.C. However, the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians also each have five players participating.

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Included in the list of Astros players participating is current American League MVP Jose Altuve. Jose Ramirez and Mookie Betts are also among this year’s All-Stars.

Justin Verlander, Corey Kluber, Chris Sale and J.D. Martinez will also be present. The New York Yankees are sending four All-Stars this year, including rookie sensation Gleyber Torres and 2017 AL Rookie of the Year Aaron Judge, who also won the Home run Derby last year. This year’s Derby will precede the All-Star Game, on July 16.

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Here are the starting lineups for the All-Star Game:

National League

First base: Freddie Freeman, Braves
Second base: Javier Baez, Cubs
Third base: Nolan Arenado, Rockies
Shortstop: Brandon Crawford, Giants
Outfield: Bryce Harper, Nationals
Outfield: Matt Kemp, Dodgers
Outfield: Nick Markakis, Braves
Catcher: Willson Contreras, Cubs
Starting pitcher: TBD

American League

First base: Jose Abreu, White Sox
Second base: Jose Altuve, Astros
Third base: Jose Ramirez, Indians
Shortstop: Manny Machado, Orioles
Outfield: Mookie Betts, Red Sox
Outfield: Aaron Judge, Yankees
Outfield: Mike Trout, Angels
Catcher: Wilson Ramos, Rays
Designated hitter: J.D. Martinez
Starting pitcher: TBD

The St. Louis Cardinals will host the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday night, and here is what you need to know.

Cardinals Vs. Indians Game Preview

This is the finale of a three-game series. The Cardinals (42-36) won the first two games, first 4-0 and then 11-2 on Tuesday. St. Louis had two walks and four home runs against the Indians (43-35) in their last game.

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Starting for the hosts at Busch Stadium on Wednesday will be righty Jack Flaherty (3-2, 2.5 ERA), who counts 68 strikeouts this season. He will face off against another righty, Cleveland’s Shane Bieber (2-0, 2.45 ERA), who has struck out 22 batters this year.

Wednesday’s game will start at 8:15 pm EST and will air on STO and FSMW.

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The Indians are first in the AL Central, 7.5 games ahead of the second-place Minnesota Twins (34-41). The Cardinals are third in the NL Central, 1.5 games behind the second-place Chicago Cubs and four games behind the leading Milwaukee Brewers.

These next few days make up the last weekend we have of spring, which means that we are just finishing the first third of the MLB season. There has been plenty of amazing baseball for fans to be excited for, and this weekend is no different. With that in mind, here are five of the best MLB games to finish off your spring in style.

minnesota twins at cleveland indians, friday, june 15 @ 7:10 pm est on fsno and sportstime ohio

Pitching matchup: Kyle Gibson (1-4, 3.45 ERA) vs Corey Kluber (10-2, 1.99 ERA)

After setting high hopes for themselves and making the postseason in 2017, the Twins haven’t quite lived up to their potential in 2018 as of yet. Minnesota ranks 24th in runs scored (well behind their 7th place finish in 2017) and 19th in ERA so far this season, making them out to be one of baseball’s weaker teams from a statistical perspective. However, they also happen to play in what appears to be the weakest division in baseball this season, as they sit 6 games back from the AL Central lead despite a poor 29-36 record. The Indians are also lagging behind their 2017 selves, but lead the AL Central nonetheless thanks to their lackluster division rivals. Their offense is still among the league’s best, but their pitching has taken a huge blow, with their team ERA currently good for 15th in the Majors despite finishing in first at the end of 2017. However, Corey Kluber remains arguably the hottest pitcher in baseball not named Justin Verlander, so he’s their big outlier when it comes to starting pitching, making him an integral part in Cleveland’ success.

Predicted winner: Indians

boston red sox at seattle mariners, friday, june 15 @ 10:10 pm est on nesn and rootnw

Pitching matchup: Rick Porcello (8-3, 3.54 ERA) vs James Paxton (6-1. 3.02 ERA)

The Mariners continue to be one of the most surprising teams in baseball this season, sitting only half a game back from first place in the AL West behind the defending champion Houston Astros after finishing with a sub-.500 record in 2017. Seattle has a 10-3 record through the month of June, making them one of the hottest teams in the Majors. However, there’s a bit of a caveat to that impressive win-loss margin: all but two of those ten victories were won by a margin of more than two runs, a trend which is unlikely to allow them to maintain such success as the season goes on. Boston, on the other hand, remains an offensive powerhouse bolstered by fantastic seasons from several players throughout their lineup, most notably JD Martinez and MVP candidate outfielder Mookie Betts. James Paxton gives Seattle the best chance of winning against Boston, but he’ll need to be on point to slow down the elite Red Sox offense.

Predicted winner: Red Sox

san francisco giants at los angeles dodgers, saturday, june 16 @ 8:15 pm EST on fox

Pitching matchup: Madison Bumgarner (0-1, 4.76 ERA) vs Alex Wood (1-5, 4.43 ERA)

One of the oldest rivalries in baseball, any game between the Giants and Dodgers is worth our attention. However, this matchup consists of a couple of really important pieces that could judge how the coming months could turn out. The Giants have relied on Madison Bumgarner as their ace pitcher for years since the downfall of Tim Lincecum and he’s been wildly successful for the most part. However, injuries have hampered him over the past couple of seasons and he hasn’t quite been himself. Bumgarner made has made two starts in 2018 since coming back from a broken pinkie he suffered during Spring Training, but didn’t show off his status as a superstar in either one. A month ago, I would’ve said that the ailing Dodgers would be a perfect bounce back matchup for him, but not so much anymore. After a dreadful start to the season, the defending NL champs are making strides to get back on track, garnering a 19-6 record since May 19. So, will Bumgarner look like himself this Saturday? Or will the Dodgers remain too hot for him to handle? It’ll be a lot of fun to find out.

Predicted winner: Giants

philadelphia phillies at milwaukee brewers, sunday, june 17 @ 2:10 pm est on nbcsp, dish455, and fswi

Pitching matchup: Aaron Nola (8-2, 2.27 ERA) vs Chase Anderson (5-5, 4.13 ERA)

Don’t look now, but the Brewers currently have the best record in the National League, sitting ahead of the Chicago Cubs (potential World Series favorites heading into the 2018 season) for the lead in the very competitive NL Central. They’ve made excellent use of their offseason additions in outfielders Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain, both of whom have helped Milwaukee’s offense back up their excellent pitching, which ranks fifth in the Majors in ERA thanks heavily to an elite bullpen arm in Josh Hader. However, they’ll have a rough go of things against 24-year-old pitcher Aaron Nola, who is very much in the race for the NL Cy Young alongside Max Scherzer. If anyone can quiet Milwaukee’s hot season for just one game, Nola’s high up the list.

Predicted winner: Aaron Nola

chicago cubs at st. louis cardinals, sunday, june 17 @ 8:00 pm EST on espn

Pitching matchup: Jose Quintana ( 6-4, 4.09 ERA) vs Jack Flaherty (3-2, 2.96 ERA)

The Cubs and the Cardinals are both hot on Milwaukee’s heels in the race for the NL Central, sitting 1.5 and 4 games back respectively. Chicago is seventh in the Majors in runs scored and second only to Houston in ERA, so they’re in great shape to go back and forth with the Brewers if both teams’ trends stay similar for the rest of the season. Despite a relatively slow first couple of months of the season by first baseman Anthony Rizzo (by his standards, at least), middle infielder Javier Baez and former MVP third baseman Kris Bryant have more than picked up the slack on the offensive end. The Cardinals don’t have as much offensive firepower as the Cubs, but 4 out of the 5 pitchers in their starting rotations have sub-3.00 ERAs. Flaherty is the youngest of the bunch at 22-years-old and Chicago will be the toughest offense he has faced so far this season, making this a great game with which you can end your weekend.

Predicted winner: Cubs

With two full months of Major League Baseball in the books, we’re starting to get a really good idea of which teams will maintain their past dominance, which teams are faltering, and which teams are proving to be pleasant surprises for their fanbases. June is typically an extremely telling month when it comes to figuring out how the season could end up, so here are some of the best games to get the first real month of started.

washington nationals at atlanta braves, friday, june 1 @ 7:35 pm est on masn-2 and fsso

Pitching matchup: Stephen Strasburg (6-4, 3.13 ERA) vs Mike Foltynewicz (4-3, 2.55 ERA)

It’s really tough to believe, but the Atlanta Braves are sitting atop the NL East at the start of June and it looks like they’ve moved out of the “pretender” phase and are turning into a legit contender in the National League. They’ve have dramatic turnarounds on both the offensive and defensive ends, currently ranking 4th in runs scored after being 21st in 2017 and 10th in ERA after ranking 24th last season. They’ve been bolstered by yet another excellent campaign from first baseman Freddie Freeman, a rejuvenated outfielder in 34-year-old Nick Markakis, who is on pace for his best season yet out of his 12-year career, and the surprising emergence of 21-year-old second baseman Ozzie Albies, who currently ranks 6th in baseball in extra base hits. Only a half-game behind Atlanta, Washington has gone 8-2 over their last 10 games despite somewhat of a slump from superstar outfielder Bryce Harper, which has played a big factor in them being ranked 14th in runs scored after finishing 2017 in 6th. Their pitching has been masterful, however, as they rank behind only the Astros in ERA this season. Interestingly enough, both of these teams have a better record away than they do at home, so it’ll be compelling to see how that plays out.

Predicted winner: Nationals

boston red sox at houston astros , friday, june 1 @ 8:10 pm est on mlb network (out of market), nesn, and att Sportsnet-sw

Pitching matchup: Chris Sale (5-2, 2.76 ERA) vs Gerrit Cole (5-1,  2.05 ERA)

What’s better than a game featuring two of the hottest pitchers in baseball? A game where both of those respective players’ teams are division leaders and amongst the elite clubs in the Majors. Boston has scored the most runs out of all 30 MLB teams this season and Houston has the lowest ERA, which alone makes this series a must watch. Along with Cole, Houston will be sending Justin Verlander and Charlie Morton, who have both been elite pitchers so far in 2017, to the mound to face the Red Sox over the weekend, but Sale is easily Boston’s best pitcher and a perennial Cy Young candidate. Sale’s pitching will be vital against the Astros, as they also among the league’s best offenses, as he gives the Red Sox the best chance of outscoring Houston, even though this will likely be a low-scoring affair.

Predicted winner: Red Sox

cleveland indians at minnesota twins, friday, june 1 @ 8:10 pm est on sportstime ohio and fsno

Pitching matchup: Carlos Carrasco (6-3, 3.98 ERA) vs Jose Berrios (5-5, 3.67 ERA)

After a mediocre first month-and-a-half of the season (by their standards, at least) Cleveland is finally looking like their old selves again, going 8-2 in their last 10 games and riding a 6-game win streak going into Friday. Over the course of those 8 wins, the Indians scored less than 8 runs only once, making it so that their average runs scored per game was nearly double the amount of runs scored against them. However, those two losses were ugly, as they lost to Houston 8-2 and 11-2 in consecutive games. They’re coming off a one-run series-opening victory against Minnesota, which was won by an 8th inning home run by shortstop Francisco Lindor, but they’ll be running into one of the most promising young arms in baseball in Minnesota’s Jose Berrios. After having a nice April, Berrios went backwards a bit in May. This game could give us a hint as to which of the first two months of the season June might resemble.

Predicted winner: Indians

tampa bay rays at seattle mariners, saturday, june 2 @ 10:10 pm est on fox sports sun and rootnw

Pitching matchup: Chris Archer (3-3, 4.29 ERA) vs Marco Gonzales (5-3, 3.60 ERA)

Wanna hear something weird? Since Robinson Cano, the cornerstone of Seattle’s offense, was issued his 80-game suspension due to a drug violation on May 15, the Mariners have garnered a record of 11-5 and propelled themselves into the second Wild Card spot in the American League. Granted they’ve been successful mainly on the backs of their pitching, but still, when arguably your best offensive player is taken out of the team, your success is most likely going to decline. It’ll be interesting to see how this series against the Rays goes for Seattle, as Tampa has been surprisingly decent this season in the tough AL East, sitting at just above .500. Perhaps the Rays’ biggest concern during the first month of the season was Chris Archer’s production, as the 29-year-old was set to be their ace only to post a miserable 6.75 ERA in April. However, he’s managed to bounce back something fierce, posting a 2.33 ERA over the course of May. So, who’s gonna stay hotter in this one: Archer or the Mariners? It’ll be interesting to find out.

Predicted winner: Mariners

chicago cubs at new york mets, sunday, june 3 @ 1:10 est on mlb network (out of market), abc-7 (cubs), and wpix (mets)

Pitching matchup: Jon Lester (5-2, 2.71 ERA) vs Steven Matz (2-3, 3.55 ERA)

Here’s a matchup between two teams on entirely different trajectories, as the Cubs keep rising up the standings while the Mets continue to fall after getting off to a hot start. With the Mets’ key strength being their starting pitching, ace Noah Syndergaard going on the DL was the exact opposite of what they needed in order to get back on their feet. Thankfully for New York, though, they have their other two best arms taking the mound against the Cubs this weekend in Jacob deGrom and Steven Matz. And they’re going to need to perform too, as Chicago boasts the 6th-highest run total in baseball as of right now. Sunday’s game will feature Matz going up against Cubs ace Jon Lester, who has been excellent this season, making for a very exciting series finale.

Predicted winner: Cubs

Memorial Day is almost here, which means we have the always treasured three day weekend coming our way before we know it. As we gather with our friends and family for all the festivities and barbecue we can handle, we’ve also got some pretty great baseball to check out as well. With that in mind, here are five of the best Major League Baseball games to check out this weekend, and our predictions for the winner.

new york mets at milwaukee brewers, friday, may 25 @ 8:10 pm est on sny, fswi, and espn+

Pitching matchup: Noah Syndergaard (4-1, 2.91 ERA) vs Junior Guerra (3-3, 2.98 ERA)

After starting out the season as on of the hottest teams in baseball with a 14-5 record through April 20, the Mets have slowed down considerably, going 11-16 since then, including a 6-game losing streak to start May off on the wrong foot. Perhaps the biggest reason for this steep shift is the inconsistency of their offense. Their average runs scored per game since April 20 is only about one less than earlier in the season, but that’s largely due to a few outliers in which their offense caught fire and scored way more runs than needed to win. If you take those games away, their average runs per game would be far lower and more indicative of their skid in quality. They’ll be going up against the NL Central leading Brewers, who also haven’t been spectacular on the offensive end, but have strongly made up for that with their pitching. The Brewers are third in baseball in ERA, trailing only the Astros and Phillies, with both their starting rotation and bullpen pitching well through the first two months of the season. 24-year-old reliever Josh Hader has become one of the elite bullpen arms in baseball and has played a huge role in Milwaukee’s great start to the season, making him out to look like a star in the making. The Mets have Syndergaard taking the mound on Friday, and winning against Thor is never an easy task, so look for a pretty low scoring, evenly matched game in this one.

Predicted winner: Mets

SLIDESHOW: SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2017

arizona diamondbacks at oakland athletics, friday, may 25 @ 9:35 pm est on fs-a and nbcsca

Pitching matchup: Patrick Corbin (4-1, 2.80 ERA) vs Sean Manaea (5-4, 2.71 ERA)

If you love low scoring games bolstered by great starting pitching, you’re definitely gonna want to check this one out. Patrick Corbin has started off this season as one of the hottest pitchers in baseball, finally showing us that he’s fully healthy and able to perform at a high level for the first time since his breakout 2013 campaign. However, it’s tough to gauge just how long he’ll be able to keep it up; the average velocity on his fastball has dropped about three miles per hour from the beginning of the season up until now. After a very up-and-down 2017 season, 26-year-old Sean Manaea looks to be on the verge of establishing himself as a true ace. 2018 has been great for him so far, punctuated by an April 21 no-hitter against baseball’s second-highest scoring offense in the Red Sox. This game will ultimately come down to whether Corbin can outshine Manaea or vice versa, so it’s fairly safe to expect another low scoring matchup out of this one.

Predicted winner: Athletics

los angeles angels @ new york yankees, sunday, may 27 @ 1:05 pm est on mlb network (out of market), yes, and fs-w

Pitching matchup: Garrett Richards (4-3, 3.31 ERA) vs Masahiro Tanaka (5-2, 4.92 ERA)

If watching lots of runners cross the plate is more your thing, then this is the game for you, as the Yankees and Angels rank first and seventh in baseball in runs scored respectively. New York has been absolutely obliterating the ball in recent weeks, with Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Gary Sanchez all regularly hitting bombs day in and day out. While we all sort of saw that coming, the Yankees have been yet another huge threat with the bat in rookie second baseman Gleyber Torres. Since being called up to the Majors on April 22, Torres has a fantastic .323 batting average with 8 home runs and 22 RBIs. He also became the youngest Yankee since Mickey Mantle to have a multi-homer performance after smacking a pair of bombs against the Rangers on May 21, and would likely be a favorite for AL Rookie of the Year if it weren’t for Shohei Ohtani. Speaking of whom, we’ll likely see Ohtani bat against Tanaka in this one, which is pretty exciting considering Ohtani has expressed admiration for his Japanese countryman in the past. That alone is reason enough to tune in, and being able to see all of those young Yankees and MVP candidate Mike Trout all play at once is just icing on the cake.

Predicted winner: Yankees

houston astros at cleveland indians, sunday, may 25 @ 1:10 pm est on mlb network (out of market), att sportsnet-sw, and sportstime ohio

Pitching matchup: Gerrit Cole (5-1, 1.86 ERA) vs Trevor Bauer (4-3, 2.35 ERA)

The Astros committed a train robbery against the Pirates by acquiring Gerrit Cole, who has been arguably the best pitcher in baseball this year and is a huge reason as to why the Astros lead the Majors in ERA by a mile, nearly a full run per game less than the second place Phillies. Houston’s offense has been almost as impressive as well, ranking fourth in the league in runs scored and looking every bit like the defending world champions that they are, sitting atop the AL West at 33-18. Cleveland, on the other hand, has looked out of sorts through the first two months of the season. Their 24-24 record is still somehow good enough for the top spot in the AL Central, but after setting such high expectations for themselves with the amount of success they’ve had over the past few seasons, one can’t help but be disappointed with their performance this season. However, we definitely can’t be disappointed with starter Trevor Bauer, who has become a fantastic compliment to ace Corey Kluber this season. Cole and Bauer are both having by far the best years of their career, so this showdown is set to be a great one.

Predicted winner: Astros

cincinnati reds at colorado rockies, sunday, may 25 @ 3:10 pm est on fs-o and sportsnet-rm

Pitching matchup: Matt Harvey (1-2, 5.49 ERA) vs German Marquez (3-5, 4.62 ERA)

Here’s one of those games that you’re not necessarily watching because they’re evenly matched considering that the Rockies are leading the NL West and the Reds have the third-worst record in baseball, but rather to check out one player in particular. In this case, that player is pitcher Matt Harvey, who has had one of the most tumultuous careers out of anyone in baseball right now. Throughout the first three years of his career, Harvey established himself as one of the best young pitchers in baseball, never exceeding his rookie ERA of 2.73 from 2012 to 2015 (although he did sit out all of 2014 due to injury). Still, his brilliant 2015 performance showed that he could come back from injury just fine, but it all went downhill from there nonetheless. In his Mets career between 2016 and 2018, Harvey never posted an ERA under 4.86, and his refusal to be demoted to Triple A resulted in his being traded to the Reds. Since his arrival in Cincinnati, though, Harvey has looked to have regained his form, posting a 2.57 ERA over three starts. It’ll be really interesting to see if this sudden resurgence continues against Colorado on Sunday, although it’s really tough to count on the Reds’ offense to back him up.

Predicted winner: Rockies