The 2019 amateur draft begins today and, as expected, C Adley Rutschman of Oregon State University, the MVP of the 2018 College World Series, is taken first overall, by the Orioles. He is followed by SS Bobby Witt Jr., son of Bobby Witt, a first-round pick himself in 1985, by the Royals. Andrew Vaughn, winner of the Golden Spikes Award in 2018 completes the initial trifecta by going to the White Sox. Remarkably, there are only two pitchers taken in the first 16 selections.

The 2019 amateur draft begins today and, as expected, C Adley Rutschman of Oregon State University, the MVP of the 2018 College World Series, is taken first overall, by the Orioles. He is followed by SS Bobby Witt Jr., son of Bobby Witt, a first-round pick himself in 1985, by the Royals. Andrew Vaughn, winner of the Golden Spikes Award in 2018 completes the initial trifecta by going to the White Sox. Remarkably, there are only two pitchers taken in the first 16 selections.

The Astros, off to a great start, place SS Carlos Correa on the injured list after he suffers a broken rib during a massage at home. Already missing 2B José Altuve and OF George Springer, the Astros may find it hard to maintain their torrid pace with Correa expected to miss four to six weeks.

The Astros, off to a great start, place SS Carlos Correa on the injured list after he suffers a broken rib during a massage at home. Already missing 2B José Altuve and OF George Springer, the Astros may find it hard to maintain their torrid pace with Correa expected to miss four to six weeks.

Derek Dietrich continues his unlikely homer binge as he hits three, all two-run shots, in leading the Reds to an 11 – 6 win over the Pirates. With 17 homers this year, he has already topped his career high, and 12 of his last 17 hits have gone over the fence. For the Pirates, rookie Kevin Newman hits his first career homer, a grand slam off Lucas Sims.

Derek Dietrich continues his unlikely homer binge as he hits three, all two-run shots, in leading the Reds to an 11 – 6 win over the Pirates. With 17 homers this year, he has already topped his career high, and 12 of his last 17 hits have gone over the fence. For the Pirates, rookie Kevin Newman hits his first career homer, a grand slam off Lucas Sims.

Bill Buckner passes away

On May 27, 2019 Bill Buckner passes away at age 69 from Lewy Body Dementia. He played 22 years in the majors for five different teams. He was with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who drafted him in the second round of the 1968 amateur draft, and the Chicago Cubs for eight seasons each before joining…

Cody Bellinger of the Dodgers continues to have a superlative season. Today, in a 9 – 5 win over the Mets, he hits his 19th homer of the year and also throws out two baserunners. He nabs Michael Conforto at home in the 1st, and then gets Carlos Gomez at third base in the 8th, completing a double play on a throw from just in front of the warning track in right field.

Cody Bellinger of the Dodgers continues to have a superlative season. Today, in a 9 – 5 win over the Mets, he hits his 19th homer of the year and also throws out two baserunners. He nabs Michael Conforto at home in the 1st, and then gets Carlos Gomez at third base in the 8th, completing a double play on a throw from just in front of the warning track in right field.

The Padres set a franchise record with 7 homers in a 19 – 4 win over the Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre. Wil Myers and Hunter Renfroe hit two each while Austin Hedges blasts a grand slam off Edwin Jackson. Cal Quantrill is the beneficiary of this power display as he records his first career victory a short distance from his hometown of Port Hope, ON, while another local boy, Josh Naylor, collects his first three big league hits for the Padres in the game.

The Padres set a franchise record with 7 homers in a 19 – 4 win over the Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre. Wil Myers and Hunter Renfroe hit two each while Austin Hedges blasts a grand slam off Edwin Jackson. Cal Quantrill is the beneficiary of this power display as he records his first career victory a short distance from his hometown of Port Hope, ON, while another local boy, Josh Naylor, collects his first three big league hits for the Padres in the game.

Trevor Story of the Rockies becomes the fastest shortstop to the 100-homer mark when he connects off Shawn Armstrong of the Orioles in the 7th inning. It comes in his 448th game, whereas Alex Rodriguez had need 470. Story isn’t done, though, as in the 9th, he comes up against Mychal Givens with a runner on base and hits a walk-off shot to give Colorado an 8-6 win.

Trevor Story of the Rockies becomes the fastest shortstop to the 100-homer mark when he connects off Shawn Armstrong of the Orioles in the 7th inning. It comes in his 448th game, whereas Alex Rodriguez had need 470. Story isn’t done, though, as in the 9th, he comes up against Mychal Givens with a runner on base and hits a walk-off shot to give Colorado an 8-6 win.

Veteran OF Rajai Davis has a surreal day: at 5:00 PM, he is taking batting practice with the Syracuse Mets in Allentown, PA, in anticipation of an evening game against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs of the International League. That’s when he gets the news that he has been called up to the major league Mets. He hires a driver to take him to Citi Field and after a two-hour ride, arrives there in the 3rd inning. He gets lost on his way to the clubhouse and has to ask for directions. He finally meets his manager and teammates in the 5th. He is then sent to pinch-hit for Drew Gagnon in the bottom of the 8th and hits a three-run homer off Sean Doolittle of the Nationals, capping a six-run inning. The Mets win the game, 6 – 1.

Veteran OF Rajai Davis has a surreal day: at 5:00 PM, he is taking batting practice with the Syracuse Mets in Allentown, PA, in anticipation of an evening game against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs of the International League. That’s when he gets the news that he has been called up to the major league Mets. He hires a driver to take him to Citi Field and after a two-hour ride, arrives there in the 3rd inning. He gets lost on his way to the clubhouse and has to ask for directions. He finally meets his manager and teammates in the 5th. He is then sent to pinch-hit for Drew Gagnon in the bottom of the 8th and hits a three-run homer off Sean Doolittle of the Nationals, capping a six-run inning. The Mets win the game, 6 – 1.

Two players manage a very rare feat for the Reno Aces in a Pacific Coast League game against the Tacoma Rainiers: Matt Szczur becomes the fourth player in team history to hit for the cycle, while Yasmany Tomas has a four-homer game in a 25 – 8 win. The two feats have been achieved simultaneously only once before in baseball history, when Lou Gehrig hit four homers and Tony Lazzeri hit for the cycle on June 3, 1932 in a 20 – 13 win over the Athletics.

Two players manage a very rare feat for the Reno Aces in a Pacific Coast League game against the Tacoma Rainiers: Matt Szczur becomes the fourth player in team history to hit for the cycle, while Yasmany Tomas has a four-homer game in a 25 – 8 win. The two feats have been achieved simultaneously only once before in baseball history, when Lou Gehrig hit four homers and Tony Lazzeri hit for the cycle on June 3, 1932 in a 20 – 13 win over the Athletics.

The Astros win their 10th straight game when they defeat the Red Sox, 7 – 3, at Fenway Park in a rematch of last’ year’s ALCS. Houston chases Boston starter Hector Velazquez after just a third of an inning, as George Springer hits his first pitch of the game to deep center for a triple to open the floodgates. They score 5 runs before the inning is out, with Tyler White’s two-run double the crucial blow, and roll from there. Josh Reddick adds a solo homer as the Astros match the best start in team history at 31-15.

The Astros win their 10th straight game when they defeat the Red Sox, 7 – 3, at Fenway Park in a rematch of last’ year’s ALCS. Houston chases Boston starter Hector Velazquez after just a third of an inning, as George Springer hits his first pitch of the game to deep center for a triple to open the floodgates. They score 5 runs before the inning is out, with Tyler White’s two-run double the crucial blow, and roll from there. Josh Reddick adds a solo homer as the Astros match the best start in team history at 31-15.