After Dodgers eclipse Rays in World Series, what's next for baseball?

After Dodgers eclipse Rays in World Series, what's next for baseball?
The Los Angeles Dodgers and pitcher Clayton Kershaw are finally celebrating a World Series victory, the franchise's first since 1988, the year the Dodgers beat the Oakland Athletics. Dodgers infielder Justin Turner tested positive for COVID-19 and is under investigation by Major League Baseball for joining teammates in the on-field celebration. How fitting is that for the coronavirus season? So what's next? There's always second-guessing, trade and free agent talk, and discussion about how...
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Rays are headed to World Series

Rays are headed to World Series
The American League East champion Tampa Bay Rays are headed to the World Series. They won the first three games of the AL Championship Series against Houston, but then lost the next three. But behind right-hander Charlie Morton, they won 4-2 in Game 7 last night to head to the World Series for the second time in team history. In 2008, they lost, four games to one, to Philadelphia. Now they will chase their first title against the winner of tonight's National League Championship Series Game 7...
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Bullpens could decide Yankees-Rays clash in ALDS

Bullpens could decide Yankees-Rays clash in ALDS
The Tampa Bay Rays, who last won the American League East in 2010, beat the New York Yankees in eight of 10 games during the regular season. Can they do it again and get a chance to win their first AL pennant since losing to the Phillies in the 2008 World Series? The best-of-five Yankees-Rays AL Division Series will be played with no days off starting today in San Diego's Petco Park, one of the bubbles established by Major League Baseball for the postseason. The Rays and Yankees have tension,...
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Despite bases-loaded situation in ninth, Nats see Harris' improvement

Despite bases-loaded situation in ninth, Nats see Harris' improvement
Right-hander Will Harris was hoping to start returning to normal, and after two quick outs in the top of the ninth inning Monday night, the Nationals reliever was doing just that. In August, Harris had a 0-1 record with a 1.50 ERA in six appearances. His ERA jumped to 3.12 after giving up a run on two hits on Sept. 3 versus the Phillies. After the game, Harris said that he didn't quite have the best feel for the baseball that night. Against the Rays, Harris dispatched Yoshi Tsutsugo on a...
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Scherzer executes curveball and changeup to perfection in 6-1 win

Scherzer executes curveball and changeup to perfection in 6-1 win
Nationals starter Max Scherzer commanded his fastball well, mixing in an improved curveball and changeup for seven shutout innings in a 6-1 victory over the first-place Rays at Nationals Park. "I always want to get through seven innings," Scherzer said during his postgame Zoom video session with reporters. "If I can get out there and get deep into a game, seven innings, it allows our bullpen guys to only have to try to get six outs. That's always a huge goal of mine, to get deep into a ball...
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Lineups: Rays vs. Nats in West Palm Beach

Lineups: Rays vs. Nats in West Palm Beach
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Stephen Strasburg gets his first start of Grapefruit League play this afternoon, and you'll be able to watch the right-hander battle the Rays on MASN at 1 p.m. Given that it's about a three-hour trek from the Rays' spring home in Port Charlotte on the state's west coast, there will only be a few major leaguers in the lineup facing Strasburg. So the first couple of innings will be the best chance to gauge Strasburg's effectiveness against actual major league...
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Answers to questions about early surprise squads

Answers to questions about early surprise squads
The answers to questions regarding the top five surprising teams in the early going on the season: Q: What is fueling the Tigers' first-place run in the American League Central? A: Pitching and defense. "This is about throwing the ball over the plate and catching it,'' Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said to the Detroit Free Press. "But we can't get too high on this stuff. There's a long way to go.'' The Tigers get a big test starting tonight when they play Cleveland in a series they'll...
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Red Sox the favorites in the American League East

Red Sox the favorites in the American League East
After going 11-3 in the postseason en route to winning the 2018 World Series, the Red Sox are taking aim at becoming the first repeat World Series winner since the Yankees won their third consecutive in 2000. History says the Red Sox have an uphill climb. Since 2000, only the 2001 Yankees and 2009 Phillies returned to the World Series after winning it the previous season. Nine of the World Series champions didn't make the postseason. The Yankees and Red Sox are the favorites in the American...
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For openers, Rays expect bullpenning strategy is here to stay

For openers, Rays expect bullpenning strategy is here to stay
LAS VEGAS - The Rays redefined their pitching strategy last season, and they are getting ready to use the same philosophy in 2019. That is, they will continue to do their bullpenning. "We're going to see it happen," Rays manager Kevin Cash said during a press conference Monday at the Winter Meetings at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. "We're going to do it." Why not? It worked. The Rays finished third in the American League East with 90 victories. Most teams would panic if they lose...
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For openers, Rays expect bullpenning is here to stay

For openers, Rays expect bullpenning is here to stay
LAS VEGAS - The Rays redefined their pitching strategy last season, and they are getting ready to use the same philosophy in 2019. That is, they will continue to do their bullpenning. "We're going to see it happen," Rays manager Kevin Cash said during a press conference Monday at the Winter Meetings at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. "We're going to do it." Why not? It worked. The Rays finished third in the American League East with 90 victories. Most teams would panic if they lose...
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Opposite dugout: Winning season for Rays lost in top-heavy AL East

Opposite dugout: Winning season for Rays lost in top-heavy AL East
Manager: Kevin Cash (4th season) Record: 75-64 Last 10 games: 7-3 Who to watch: 2B Joey Wendle (.297/.346/.425), 3B Matt Duffy (.296/.354/.371), RF Mallex Smith (.302/.373/.424, SB), DH/1B C.J. Cron (26 HR, 61RBIs), LHP Blake Snell (2.02 ERA), RHP Sergio Romo (19 saves) Season series vs. Orioles: 8-8 Pitching probables: Sept. 7: RHP Dylan Bundy (7-13) vs. LHP Blake Snell (17-5), 7:10 p.m., MASN2Sept. 8: RHP David Hess (3-9) vs. TBD, 6:10 p.m., MASN2Sept. 9: RHP Alex Cobb (5-15) vs. TBD, 1:10...
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Opposite dugout: For openers, Rays' pitching a patchwork affair

Opposite dugout: For openers, Rays' pitching a patchwork affair
Manager: Kevin Cash (4th season) Record: 56-56 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: DH C.J. Cron (22 HR), 2B Joey Wendle (.292/.345/.416), 3B Matt Duffy (.301/.353/.383), RF Mallex Smith (23 SB, eight 3B), RHP Tyler Glasnow (4.27 ERA), RHP Sergio Romo (13 saves) Season series vs. Orioles: 6-7 Pitching probables: Aug. 7: RHP Alex Cobb (3-14) vs. RHP Tyler Glasnow (1-2), 7:10 p.m., MASN2Aug. 8: RHP Andrew Cashner (3-10) vs. TBA, 7:10 p.m., MASN2Aug. 9: RHP David Hess (2-6) vs. TBA, 7:10 p.m.,...
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Opposite Dugout: Rays dealing assets with the trade deadline nearing

Opposite Dugout: Rays dealing assets with the trade deadline nearing
Manager: Kevin Cash (4th season) Record: 52-50 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: 1B C.J. Cron (20 HR, 51 RBIs), 2B Daniel Robertson (9 HR, 31 RBIs), RF Carlos Gomez (8 HR, 23 RBsI), Mallex Smith (.284, 17 SB), Matt Duffy (.305), RHP Sergio Romo (12 saves) Season series vs. Orioles: 5-4 Pitching probables: July 26: RHP Alex Cobb (2-13) vs. RHP Hunter Wood (0-0); 7:05 p.m., MASN2July 27: RHP Andrew Cashner (2-9) vs. RHP Chris Archer (3-4); 7:05 p.m., MASN2July 28: RHP Kevin Gausman (4-8)...
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Nats offense continues to struggle in 1-0 loss at Tampa Bay

Nats offense continues to struggle in 1-0 loss at Tampa Bay
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Even facing two pitchers that were on target, it would be hard to ignore the Nationals struggles on offense against the Rays. The Nats fell 1-0 Tuesday afternoon, just 17 hours after an 11-0 shutout. The offense mustered five hits in the two-game series. Sure Blake Snell was good, and so was Nathan Eovaldi, but the Nats went just 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position and struck out a whopping 23 times in the series. They went three-up and three-down 11 times in 18...
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Martinez will speak to Zimmerman about rehab games

Martinez will speak to Zimmerman about rehab games
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman is not on this trip but he is closer to a return from his right oblique strain that has kept him sidelined since May 10. He has now missed 39 games. Manager Davey Martinez said he will speak to Zimmerman about rehab games possibly for next week, even though the veteran may not be too excited about warming up in the minor leagues. "As soon as he's ready to play, I'll have to sit down and talk to him," Martinez said. "I'd like...
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Game 78 lineups: Nats vs. Rays

Game 78 lineups: Nats vs. Rays
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Nationals look to rebound after a very difficult 11-0 loss to open their series against the Rays. The game was dominated by Tampa Bay. Left-hander Gio Gonzalez struggled in facing only 11 batters, allowing six runs. The offense did not fare any better against left-hander Blake Snell, getting only one hit in the seventh inning. So, the club turns to their ace again, right-hander Max Scherzer (10-3, 2.09 ERA), who is seeking his 11th win of the season. His last victory...
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Gonzalez failed to make adjustments in shortest outing of season

Gonzalez failed to make adjustments in shortest outing of season
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Left-hander Gio Gonzalez has made starts where he was off a bit. But Monday night at Tropicana Field, Gonzalez was unable to get into any kind of a rhythm. It got so bad for the southpaw that he faced seven batters in the second inning without recording an out. After walking one batter in the first, he still was able to get out of the frame by inducing flyout and getting former teammate Wilson Ramos on a called third strike. But in the second, the Rays C.J. Cron started...
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Gonzalez unable to find the plate, allows grand slam (Nats fall 11-0)

Gonzalez unable to find the plate, allows grand slam (Nats fall 11-0)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Left-hander Gio Gonzalez got through the first inning allowing only a walk. In the second inning, his night fell apart. Gonzalez could not find the plate, issuing four walks, including three walks in a row to the bottom of the Rays order. A wild pitch scored C.J. Cron. A walk to Willy Adames scored Jake Bauers. Then the biggest hit of the game came off the bat of Kevin Kiermaier, who crushed a 3-2 pitch over the center field wall for a grand slam. It was his first homer...
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Kintzler returns, Rodriguez optioned, Hellickson on track

Kintzler returns, Rodriguez optioned, Hellickson on track
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Nationals reinstated right-hander Brandon Kintzler from the 10-day disabled list this afternoon and optioned-hander Jefry Rodriguez to Triple-A Syracuse. Kintzler had been on the DL since June 10 with a right forearm flexor strain and pitched an inning in a minor league rehabilitation assignment for Single-A Potomac on Sunday. "Yeah, he's ready to go," said manager Davey Martinez. "He did well. But the biggest thing is the arm felt good. So we get him back...
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Opposite dugout: Rays throwing starters, not "openers," at Nationals

Opposite dugout: Rays throwing starters, not "openers," at Nationals
Manager: Kevin Cash (4th season) Record: 37-40 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: 3B Matt Duffy (.318 with 23 RBIs), C Wilson Ramos (.289 with 9 HR, 36 RBIs), 2B Joey Wendel (.262), 1B C.J. Cron (16 HR, 38 RBIs), LHP Blake Snell (9-4, 2.48 ERA), Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (3-1 in 2015) Pitching probables: June 25: LHP Gio Gonzalez (6-4) vs. LHP Blake Snell (9-4), 7:10 p.m., MASN2 June 26 RHP Max Scherzer (10-3) vs. RHP Nathan Eovaldi (1-3), 12:10 p.m., MASN Inside the Rays: The...
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