The Toronto Blue Jays have reinstated INF Breyvic Valera from the family medical emergency list and he will be active for tonight’s game. To make room on the active roster, RHP Patrick Murphy has been optioned to Triple-A Buffalo.
Red Sox place right-handed pitcher Hirokazu Sawamura on 10-day injured list
Club recalls right-handed pitcher Phillips Valdez from Triple-A Worcester
BOSTON, MA – The Boston Red Sox today placed right-handed pitcher Hirokazu Sawamura on the 10-day injured list due to right tricep inflammation (retro to July 20). To fill Sawamura’s spot on the active roster, the club recalled right-handed pitcher Phillips Valdez from Triple-A Worcester.
Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom made the announcement.
Sawamura, 33, last appeared on Monday against the Toronto Blue Jays, retiring his only batter faced to end the seventh inning. The right-handed pitcher has a 2.87 ERA (12 ER/37.2 IP) in 38 appearances this season, his major league debut. He has stranded 19 of 22 inherited runners, including each of his last nine. Among major league rookie relievers in 2021, Sawamura ranks sixth in strikeouts (44), tied for seventh in appearances (38), and 11th in innings pitched (37.2).
Valdez, 29, has made 20 appearances for the Red Sox this season, posting a 4.24 ERA (11 ER/23.1 IP) with 21 strikeouts. In 11 games since being optioned to Worcester on June 10, the right-handed pitcher has a 3.38 ERA (4 ER/10.2 IP), allowing just one earned run in 8.1 innings pitched over his last eight appearances. A native of the Dominican Republic, Valdez is 4-1 with a 3.69 ERA (29 ER/69.2 IP) in 55 career relief appearances for the Texas Rangers (2019) and Red Sox (2020-21).
Rangers activate C Jose Trevino from injured list, select contract of 1B Curtis Terry from Round Rock
2B Nick Solak optioned to Round Rock and C John Hicks designated for assignment
Houston, Texas — The Texas Rangers today announced the following roster moves prior to Friday night’s series opener in Houston:
- Catcher Jose Trevino activated from 10-day Injured List.
- First baseman Curtis Terry (#83) contract selected from Triple-A Round Rock.
- Second baseman Nick Solak optioned to Triple-A Round Rock.
- Catcher John Hicks designated for assignment.
Trevino was on the 10-day Injured List from June 29-July 22 with a bruised right forearm. He played 6 games on injury rehabilitation assignment with Double-A Frisco from July 16-22, batting .286 (6-21) with a home run, 2 doubles, 4 RBI, and 2 walks while reaching safely in 5 of the 6 contests. He went 2-for-3 with a home run and 3 RBI as the RoughRiders starting catcher in his final rehab game last night at Amarillo. The Rangers’ Opening Day catcher, Trevino still leads the club with 47 starts behind the plate this season. Trevino is batting .230 with 3 home runs and 17 RBI in 54 games for Texas this season, and he will be seeking his first Major League action since June 26 vs. Kansas City.
Terry, 24, will be seeking his Major League debut. He has spent this season at Triple-A Round Rock, batting .294/.375/.583/.958 with 17 home runs and 53 RBI across 65 games in his first career action above the High-A level. Terry has seen action at first base (48 starts) and designated hitter (14 starts) for the Express. He was in Major League camp for the first time as a non-roster invitee this spring and worked with the club’s Alternate Training Site group before the minor league season began in May. The 6-foot-3, 260-pound Georgia native currently ranks among Triple-A West league leaders in RBI (2nd, 53), home runs (T4th, 17), total bases (4th, 137), extra-base hits (T4th, 33), hits (T6th, 69), and OPS (10th, .958). His 17 long balls are tied with High-A Hickory’s Blaine Crim for the organization lead.
Terry was selected by the Rangers in the 13th round of the 2015 June draft out of Archer (Ga.) High School. He has spent his entire professional career in the Texas farm system, batting .291/.361/.527/.888 with 75 home runs and 273 RBI in 406 games over six minor league campaigns. Terry was named the organization’s Tom Grieve Minor League Player of the Year in 2019 after batting .293 with a career-high 25 home runs and 80 RBI in a season split between High-A Down East and Low-A Hickory.
Solak has batted .225 with 9 home runs and 34 RBI over 92 games for Texas this season, making a team-high 88 starts at second base. He produced a 71-game errorless streak from April 14-July 9, the longest single-season streak ever by a Texas second baseman. Solak has been on the Major League roster since his initial promotion on August 20, 2019.
Hicks batted .258 with 4 home runs and 7 RBI over 10 games for Texas after he was selected from Round Rock on June 29. He set a Washington/Texas franchise record by becoming the first player to hit at least 4 home runs over his first 4 games with the club. The Rangers have seven days to trade, release, or outright Hicks to the minor leagues.
Following today’s transactions, the Rangers remain at the 40-man limit on the Major League roster, along with seven players on the 60-day Injured List.
Benglas acquire Gaillard on Waivers
The Bengals today claimed C Lamont Gaillard on waivers from Arizona.
Gaillard (6-3, 305), a third-year player out of the University of Georgia, originally was a sixth-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals in 2019. He spent each of his first two seasons with Arizona, and played in 13 games (two starts).
Mets acquire left-handed pitcher Rich Hill
FLUSHING, N.Y., – The New York Mets today announced the team has acquired left-handed pitcher Rich Hill from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for right-handed pitcher Tommy Hunter and minor league catcher Matt Dyer.
Hill, 41, has made 19 starts for the Rays this year and is 6-4 with a 3.87 ERA (41 earned runs/95.1 innings) with 36 walks and 91 strikeouts. He has held left-handed hitters to a .176 (13-74) batting average. Hill relies heavily on his curveball, using it 38.3% of the time. Hill is tied for the 10th-most strikeouts via that pitch this season with 34.
He was named the AL Pitcher of the Month for May after going 3-1 with a 0.78 ERA (three earned runs/34.2 innings) with 12 walks and 36 strikeouts. It was the third time in his career he won the award, also doing so in July of 2017 with the Dodgers and in May of 2016 with the Athletics.
The Boston, MA native owns a lifetime 73-48 record with a 3.80 ERA (452 earned runs/1,071.1 innings) with 426 walks and 1,126 strikeouts across 17 major league seasons. He made his major league debut with the Cubs in 2005 after he was selected by the organization in the fourth round of the 2002 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Michigan.
Since 2016, he ranks among major league leaders in ERA (3.15, eighth), WHIP (1.10, 10th) and opponents average against (.210, third). He owns a 3.06 ERA (18 earned runs/53.0 innings) over 13 career postseason appearances, including 12 starts.
Hunter, 35, appeared in four games (one start) with the Mets this year. He tossed 8.0 scoreless innings allowing only four hits, three walks and struck out six. He was placed on the 10-Day IL on May 21 and transferred to the 60-Day IL on June 11 with lower back pain.
Dyer, 23, was selected by the Mets in the fourth round of the 2020 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Arizona. He has appeared in 36 games for the St. Lucie Mets this season and is hitting .194/.329/.452 with 20 runs, seven doubles, two triples, seven home runs, 20 RBI and six steals.
In corresponding move, right-handed pitcher Robert Stock has been transferred to the 60-Day IL.
Twins recall outfielder Brent Rooker
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL, MN – The Minnesota Twins announced today that they have recalled outfielder Brent Rooker from Triple-A St. Paul.
Rooker, 26, has hit .239 (52-for-218) with eight doubles, one triple, 19 home runs, 48 RBI, 39 runs scored, a .362 on-base percentage, a .546 slugging percentage and a .908 OPS in 61 games for the Saints this season. He entered today tied for first among Triple-A players in home runs and tied for fifth among all minor leaguers this season. This marks Rooker’s second stint with the Twins this season, after he went 3-for-29 with one double, one home run, two RBI, one walk and one run scored in eight games from April 3-29. He is currently ranked as the 10th-best prospect in the Twins organization, per MLB.com.
Rooker takes the 26-man roster spot of Nelson Cruz, who was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays yesterday. Additionally, right-handed pitcher Drew Strotman, who was acquired as part of yesterday’s trade, has been added to the 40-man roster.
Toronto FC to play August Homes matches at BMO FIELD
Toronto FC announced today that the club will continue to play home matches at BMO Field during the month of August with attendance capped at 15,000 spectators, adhering to public health protocols and Major League Soccer regulations.
MLS teams will continue to abide by the cross-border public health protocols enacted on July 5 by the Canadian government, which are required of all individuals entering the country. In accordance with the national protocols, fully vaccinated players and staff are not subject to a quarantine period, however, all individuals must conduct molecular COVID-19 testing prior to travel and upon arrival in Canada.
MLS remains in communication with the Canadian government regarding plans for MLS Canadian teams to host their remaining home matches in Canada pursuant to a National Interest Exemption.
TFC returned to Canada on July 8, after starting the season at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, where the team played four home matches. On July 17, TFC played their first home match at BMO Field since September 1, 2020, a 1-1 draw with Orlando City SC. Four days later, on Wednesday, July 21, TFC hosted the New York Red Bulls, a game that also ended with a 1-1 score line.
All of Toronto FC’s regular-season MLS matches will be televised across Canada on TSN.
THREE POINTS: Houston Dynamo close two-game road trip in San Jose
NEED TO KNOW:
Dynamo earned second clean sheet of the season to open two-game road trip on Tuesday
Houston earned 2-1 victory in first meeting with San Jose on April 16
Dynamo return to BBVA Stadium on July 31 to host USMNT goalkeeper David Ochoa and Real Salt Lake
HOUSTON – Houston Dynamo FC visit PayPal Park on Saturday for the second meeting with the San Jose Earthquakes this season. Saturday’s game is the end of a two-game road trip that began on Tuesday with a 0-0 draw against the Vancouver Whitecaps at Rio Tinto Stadium in Utah.
Dynamo defender Teenage Hadebe made his Dynamo and MLS debut on Tuesday and finished with two interceptions and three clearances. Hadebe and the Dynamo backline also led the team to their second clean sheet of the regular season. Outside back Zarek Valentin played a key role in the shutout with three interceptions and five clearances. Dynamo goalkeeper Marko Maric did not face a shot on goal and finished with no saves for the first time this season.
Offensively, Houston was held scoreless for the second time this season and will look to Academy product Memo Rodriguez to generate chances on Saturday. Rodriguez leads the team with 15 chances created this season. Rodriguez and the rest of the Dynamo offense will look to generate opportunities for forward Maxi Urruti, who currently leads the team with six goals.
Houston will also look to claim the season series against the Earthquakes after earning a 2-1 victory on April 16 in the opening week of the season. The Dynamo claimed all three points at BBVA Stadium with goals from both Rodriguez and Urruti. Houston is winless in Northern California since 2016 and enter the match with a 4-7-2 record on the road against San Jose.
The Dynamo return to BBVA Stadium on Saturday, July 31 to host David Ochoa and Real Salt Lake at 7:30 p.m. CT.
WHO: Houston Dynamo FC at San Jose Earthquakes
WHEN: Saturday, July 24 – 9:00 p.m. CT
TV: QuestTexas ch. 55
Glenn Davis and Eddie Robinson
TeleXitos ch. 47.2
Alex Parra and Gustavo Rangel
RADIO: Spanish: TUDN Radio Houston 1010 AM
Daniel Mejia and Lester Gretsch
Here are three key points ahead of Saturday’s game:
HOUSTON RETURN TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA: The Dynamo return to northern California for the first time since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Dynamo hold a 4-7-2 record on the road against the Quakes and their most recent victory in San Jose was a 2-1 triumph on Aug. 19, 2016. The Dynamo have gone 0-2-1 in San Jose since that victory. A triumph on Saturday would also give the Dynamo their first road victory of the season and snap a winless streak that began on May 29 in Kansas City.
DYNAMO BACKLINE OPEN ROAD TRIP WITH CLEAN SHEET: The Dynamo earned their second clean sheet of the season on Tuesday and Dynamo goalkeeper Marko Maric finished the game without a save, a first this season for the shot stopper. The Dynamo backline saw the addition of Teenage Hadebe and this was the eighth backline combination this season following the return of Sam Junqua and departure of Maynor Figueroa and Boniek Garcia due to international duty.
SAN JOSE IN NEED OF POINTS: The Earthquakes enter Saturday’s match winless since May 7 and with three consecutive draws after Wednesday’s 1-1 tie against Sporting Kansas City. Nathan Cardoso gave San Jose the lead in the 53rd minute, but the Quakes conceded minutes before the final whistle to split a share of the points. Forward Carlos Fierro returned from injury on Wednesday and the Dynamo backline will be tasked with containing Fierro, playmaker Eduardo “El Chofis” López and winger Cristian Espinoza. Cade Cowell will miss Saturday’s match after joining the U.S. Men’s National Team in Texas on Tuesday for the 2021 Gold Cup.
Lightning re-sign Forward Gemel Smith to Two-Year Contract
TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have re-signed forward Gemel Smith to a two-year, two-way contract, vice president and general manager Julien BriseBois announced today.
Smith, 27, skated in five games with the Lightning during the regular season, posting three assists and a plus-3 rating. He also appeared in three games with the Syracuse Crunch, notching three goals and six points.
The Toronto, Ontario native has played in 88 career NHL games with the Lightning, Boston Bruins and Dallas Stars, recording 12 goals and 24 points. Smith has also skated in 286 career AHL games with the Crunch, Providence Bruins and Texas Stars, registering 76 goals and 172 points. He has also participated in five Calder Cup Playoff games with Providence and Texas.
Smith was originally drafted by the Stars in the fourth round, 104th overall, at the 2012 NHL Draft.
Blue Bombers transactions
WINNIPEG, MB., – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce the following roster transactions:
Released from roster:
American defensive back Christian Angulo
